It's FAFSA Time

Thursday, January 12, 2012

It's that time of year when all senior parents are bugging their kids about the FAFSA, the college financial aid form, which has been available for submission since January 1. All my friends are asking, "Has Lauren sent in her FAFSA? My son (daughter) hasn't!" I reply no and we have a big discussion about scholarships and college financing.

I got out my own college financial paperwork, because Lauren wanted to know when I found out about my scholarships (mostly March/April). In the folder was my FAF (the former document, which was simply the Financial Aid Form, rather than the Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It was really interesting to look back through all that information from the 80's- Mom's job info, my summer job info, our bank account balances, monthly expenses, etc.

Also in there- SAT and GRE scores. Whee!

One of my winning scholarship essays was in the folder, too. Oh, such pretty words about how much I loved math and science and how I was driven to help all mankind with my future endeavors. Cheesy, but true. Dear Foundation-- it turns out I've done a bit towards helping mankind, and will continue that pursuit. So, thank you!

I also told Lauren about a small engineering scholarship I got from Schlumberger, a petroleum services company in Houston. I didn't apply for it, and I'm still not sure how I got into the pool of people from which they selected their scholars. When I got the letter, I was SO confused, because at the time, the only Schlumberger I knew was a mattress store, and I thought it was from them. Yeah, there's a joke there somewhere...

So get those FAFSAs in, seniors! Get your parents off your back. :)

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Philanthropy Tuesday

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

KathyL really got on a rant about an organization who asked her for a donation recently. They catch feral cats and have them spayed or neutered and then release them back to wherever they found them. She was probably the most animated I've seen her in months.

"THIS is what they think we should be spending money on right now? When there are children starving in this country?! Give me a break!!"

When I told Jeff about it, he said, "Ask her if she'd give money to a group who catches feral cats and feeds them to hungry children."

Ahaha! Solving the problems of the world, one horrifying idea at a time.

BTW...


I'm up another million!

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Soap on a Rope

Monday, January 9, 2012

My quote of the day yesterday?

"There was this thing in the 70's, called 'Soap on a Rope.'  It was soap... on a rope!"

After we stopped rolling on the floor laughing, Lauren asked why it was on a rope. I... uh... have no idea. A lot of things from the 70's defy explanation. I figured it was to hang the soap on the faucet so it didn't get all gooey on the soap dish.

Google is telling me you put the rope around your wrist so you don't drop it. The Urban Dictionary points out that this feature is particularly useful in prison.

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"Pow" is Totally a Word

Sunday, January 8, 2012

If Words with Friends, Bookworm and Hanging with Friends would just add the following types of words to their dictionaries, my scores would friggin' explode:

1) Spanish words
2) onomatopoeia
3) teenage slang

I'm best at Bookworm, because my wordsmith friends kill me in the other two games. Competing against myself and those burning tiles...


That's 3.6 million. It's good, but I never ask my word game buddies what their scores are, because..... Winning!

Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Part One

1. Song that always makes you sad?
 "Rain"- Patty Griffin



2. Last thing you bought?
Fireball cinnamon whiskey

3. Last person you argued with? 
Jeff. For our San Antonio weekend, he wanted to stay on the Riverwalk, because we would have that as our accessible nighttime entertainment. While I appreciate having entertainment options in walking distance, I pointed out that we wouldn't walk the Riverwalk, because we've been there, done that a hundred times. Instead we would most likely just end up picking one nice bar to hang out for the evening and chat and people-watch. I'd rather stay somewhere with a pretty view and hang out in their bar and chat and people-watch. Winner---- me. And the Hill Country Hyatt. *applause* (Don't get too excited. He totally gave me this one.)

4. Do you put butter before putting the peanut butter on? 
Ewww. That's really over the top, eh? Although this week I saw Giada De Laurentiis mix a stick of butter into four cups of cheese to make grilled cheese sandwiches... with pancetta. Girl is turning into Paula Deen.

5. One of your stuffed animals’ names as a kid?
I can't remember my named stuffed animals. I remember my dolls' names though!

6. Did you ever at one time own a Barenaked Ladies CD?
Stunt and Rock Spectacle

7. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday

8. Favorite sundae topping?
chocolate sauce and fresh nuts

9. Did you take piano lessons? 
Yep. Mom was a very talented pianist and sent me to three years of lessons. It didn't come as easy to me, but I did like playing. It must skip a generation, because Lauren picked it up in no time at all.

10. Most frequent song played?
according to iTunes- "Hide and Seek" Imogen Heap

11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?
I should probably enjoy it in secret, but I just tell everyone. The Bachelor. Love watching women get all crazy on each other about some guy they've just met.

12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey? 
basketball

13. Date someone older or younger? 
I always dated within about a year of my age, but if I had to pick... younger

14. One place you could travel right now?
Puerto Rico

15. Do you use umbrellas? 
definitely, unless I have my weather-proof jacket on and it's a very quick trip through the rain

16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem? 
Is there more than "O Canada?"

17. Favorite cheese?
We had a cheese plate last night at the Grove with a fabulous selection, and one hard cheese I really loved, but I have no idea what it was. For sandwiches at home, I usually have Havarti on hand.

18. The Smith’s or The Cure? 
The Cure

19. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes? 
brunettes

20. Best job you ever had?
PPD pharmaceutical research data analyst

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You Know You Want This

Saturday, January 7, 2012

I posted a link to this awesome Facebook shower curtain yesterday on Facebook, with the comment, "You know you want this." Only the link didn't post with the comment. So it appeared as:


Aaahahaaaa! I deleted it and tried again, and yay- the link posted, too. Now it's a running gag, of course. You know you want this.


Saturday 9: Nobody Told Me

1. When you grew up were you ever told how to deal with problems?
My mom was the practical one when it came to handling problems. She gave me quick, pragmatic advice like, "Just ignore jerks like him," or "Maybe you can try to switch shifts with someone at work that day." Dad was the philosopher... "Probable impossibilities are preferred to improbable possibilities."

2. What was your first apartment like?
I had a garage apartment at my grandparents' house at college. It had its own outside door and was separated from the house by a locked door, so it was completely private. There was a bedroom, a hallway with a microwave and small fridge, and a bathroom with a shower. My grandparents traveled a LOT, so rarely was anyone there. That meant... crankin' up the tunes! Small space. Plenty of loud music.

3. What was the first car you owned?
Maroon Mazda GLC. I got it my sophomore year of college. The car was about 6 years old when we bought it for $1200 from one of my mom's coworkers, who had maintained it in pretty pristine condition. I paid half and Mom paid half; then she paid for insurance and I paid for gas and maintenance.

4. Tell us about a crush or relationship that you had at high school.
You guys have heard all about my two high school boyfriends, so let's see...  I had a persistent crush on Matt. He was very geek chic. He was a soft-spoken guy who was very funny. He was into punk bands, so he had that "edge" going on. Blond hair and ironically nerdy dark rimmed glasses.

Last year, KathyL informed me that not only did SHE also have a crush on Matt, but "so did everyone else!" WHAT?

Well, eat your hearts out, Creek girls. Here's what Matt wrote in my yearbook, sprawled across a photo of the band hall (did I mention he was a drummer?)...

My permanent residence, the birthplace of my lust for you; I hope you (we) may delve into the spiritual entity of your dream.  
Matt

So deep, right? ;) We never delved into anything, because on that very day, the day of the yearbook party before our senior year, I started dating my second boyfriend.

5. Have you ever had an “enemy” in your life?
I never had one of my very own, but there was an insufferable biotch on our bus who was Kimberly's enemy. We had assigned seats. They argued incessantly, Kimberly in my seat and this girl across the aisle. Kimberly was always taking the high road, appearing calm and cool, and this chick was a bruiser with an attitude, threatening her all the time, but never coming through. I had a stomach ache every single time I got on the bus for a couple of months.

6. What were you doing the first night that you got drunk?
The first time I was ever "drunk" was at a house party. There were tons of people there. I went with Johnny, Shane, Everett and Doug. Shane and Everett were walking me around in the street when the police arrived to break up the party. My "friends" unceremoniously shoved me behind a tree or something, to hide me. When the guys dropped me off at home that night, I tossed my cookies on the front porch. (Mom's practical advice the next day? "If you're going to drink, for God's sake don't drink too much." So true!)

7. Ten years ago, what was your job and did you like it?
I wasn't working then, but along with the two websites that I still run, I was co-running the fansite and the fansite message board. I loved it! It was amazing the sheer numbers and variety of people I met, some of whom I'm still close friends with. Our families have even vacationed together!

8. What movie had the biggest impact on you as a child and why?
Grease. I was 11. Lori and I were in a department store modeling class/camp (ahhhh such a joke- fun though) that summer. The movie had just come out and we were all obsessed, including the class instructor. Every day there was an hour or so when we would practice whatever the lesson was- makeup, aerobic conditioning, photo sessions, runway show, etc.- and every time, the lady would put on the Grease soundtrack and we would all sing and dance around, and scream when "Summer Nights" came on. Lori and I also played it constantly at home, making up our own choreography and taking turns being Olivia Newton-John. It was just such a universally appealing film and I so enjoyed bonding with friends and strangers with that shared love of the music.

9. What are your plans for this weekend?
Jeff and I are planning our upcoming weekend trip, making hotel reservations, etc. We'll watch the Texans/Bengals game this afternoon. Go Texans!! KathyL and Cindy and I are going out tonight. Tomorrow- no plans. Hit me up!

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Google's "Other Contacts"

Friday, January 6, 2012

I use Google contacts now, since Yahoo upchucked on me. Still no gmail, because I've been wracking my brain for three weeks trying to think of the perfect username. Please send suggestions. Thx.

Google has this weirdness with two groups of people- your actual contacts, which they call "My Contacts," and a mysterious group called "Other Contacts." Other Contacts seems to include friends of friends, although I have absolutely no idea where they are pulling them from. A bunch of Lauren's friends appear there. Several siblings of my friends, some of whom I don't know at all, other than their names. My friends' children. I don't know. You're really freaking me out here, Google.

If they are friends of friends, or contacts of my contacts...

(click for larger)

um... which one of you has been holding out on me that you know Jon Bon Jovi?

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Watch Out for Facebook "Please Repost" Statuses

Thursday, January 5, 2012

There has been a Facebook status going around since the Ticker (haven't you turned that thing off yet?) began, that says:

Please do both of us a favor: Hover over my name above. In a few seconds you'll see a box that says "Subscribed". Hover over that, then go to "Comments and Likes" and unclick it. That will stop my posts and yours to me from showing up on the side bar for everyone to see, but MOST IMPORTANTLY IT LIMITS HACKERS from invading our profiles. If you repost this I will do the same for you. You'll know I've acknowledged you because if you tell me that you've done it I'll "like" it.

This is all a bunch of malarky. Here's the Snopes link. When statuses start being reposted around Facebook and use capital letters and alarmist language, be suspicious.

Also, if you don't want your friends to see your Facebook comments and likes, maybe you shouldn't be commenting and liking those things in a public setting like the web.

Kimberly hit me with the most random text yesterday...

Kimberly: Was Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend" our drill team try-out song?
Me: Yikes. Is this a pop quiz? I have no idea. Did we even try out for drill team?
Kimberly: YES! YOU MADE ME!
Me *giggling and confused, because we would never have tried out for "the sluttiest girls this side of the creek"*
Kimberly: I was SURE YOU would remember. Listen to it and get back to me.
Me: LOL. I KNOW the song. I'll say... yes. Do you remember the routine?
Kimberly: Oh, I'm doin' it here on I-90 in South Dakota. Join in anytime. No, not really. I just remember there were splits at the end I couldn't do. :p
Me: Ohhhhhhh... I remember the splits. They said we didn't have to be able to do them, but almost everyone else could. Well, now I have the song stuck in my head.
Kimberly: My work here is done. 

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Happy Tuesday

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

I'd like to begin with a little web designer humor this morning, for a few people out there. Please click and enjoy this

Clients from Hell post.

Heh.

Under the category "Better Late than Never," I give you my New Year's Eve restaurant mini-review. We went to Fleming's. The food was fabulous and the service was good, although I had to laugh when the waiter carefully corralled all the table crumbs with his crumb sweeper and then swept them straight off the table edge, onto the floor. We also enjoyed people-watching, with all the women dressed like hookers that night. I think it was just bad judgement on NYE attire, but it may have been a group from a strip club.

Our table had the tenderloin carpaccio (mmm), sweet chili calamari (the best), various steaks (the melt in your mouth kind- so good), Fleming's potatoes (jalapeno scalloped potatoes), green beans (blah), cheescake, creme brulee and berries& Chantilly cream (a.k.a. "whipped cream"). Other than the green beans, everything was absolutely awesome. The only bad thing about Fleming's is the cost. You can get food just as good at McCormick & Schmick's or my favorite place, Austin Land and Cattle, for less than a mortgage payment.

Today, we return to our regularly scheduled lives after such a wonderful couple of weeks of holiday time. The sun is out, traffic is light and temps are frigid here in the ATX! Enjoy your day, friends!

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Football

Monday, January 2, 2012

Every time the Cowboys are sucking (and oh, were they ever last night), my Dallas-raised husband waxes poetic about the Staubach days. Yeah yeah... Houston Oilers 4ever, baby!! Bum Phillips, Dan Pastorini, Earl Campbell.... Wooooo!!!

:)

I forgot to mention a very important thing yesterday--- Aggie bowl win! They even kept it together through the second half. Nice job, guys! What an honor to Joey V and Coach Sherman. It was such a touching tribute for Northwestern to wear Joey's number on their helmets alongside the Ags.

I enjoyed the fun element of the "monkey on their back" the Northwestern coach had them carry around all week, even though I didn't want them to be able to rip that jersey off it! Good luck next year, Wildcats!

And who happened to be right there at the Lemon Bowl (a yellow football? come on Meineke) Car Care Bowl, being inducted into the Gridiron Legends?


That would be Bum Phillips! (And that logo is totally a lemon.)

URL Meme

In your browser's address bar, type the letter "a" and make note of the first page that comes up in the autocomplete list. Repeat for "b", "c", and the rest of the alphabet.

A- Amazon
B- Barnes & Noble
C- YouTube vid of Cats Playing Patty Cake
D- Discover Card
E- Etsy
F- Facebook
G- Google
H- The Highball
I- iStockphoto
J- a Jonestown (Lake Travis) vacation rental 
K- McKinney Roughs
L- Lost at E Minor
M- MorgueFile
N- Not Too Sweet
O- BioAustin life science companies list
P- PayPal
Q- Modern Family Quotes
R- Stunt Ranch
S- Southwest Airlines
T- TastingRoom.com
U- Uncrate
V- VectorStock
W- Austin Water Bikes
X- xkcd
Y- Yapta
Z- Z Gallerie

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Happy New Year!!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2012 is going to be the best year ever!

I found the drinking game for Arena. It's on this page, in the comments... search for "drinking game."

Bwahaha!

Today's "Year-In-Review meme" was shamelessly gacked from LJ:

Find your first entry for each month of 2011. Post the first line of each, and that's your "Year In Review."

2011 in Review

Had a fabulous time out with the Jeffs last night at McCormick and Schmick's, where the only two pieces of festive New Year's headwear were sported by an 8-year-old and me.

Thank you, Laura, for calling just to say, "NICE RACK!" I'm touched. *wipes tear*

Kimberly is coming down to see Tara's new baby, and I'll get to see all three of them in the next few days.

Friday I got an mail from "Old STNY," which I figured was spam from some pothead flower child, which was doubly weird because Yahoo is da bomb at screening spam.

Why is it that I buy sixteen boxes of Kleenex to stash around the house, yet when my nose starts running like a six-year-old's from all this Austin pollen, there is not a single tissue around?

Last day of work! ...for a while anyway.

Jeff and I spent the past two days touring south central Texas.

While we were on vacation I got pulled over for the first time EVER for a moving violation.

Dear PeopleWhoWearSunglassesInsidePublicBuildings,
I can't stop staring at you to make sure you aren't "someone."

Football this morning!! BTHO Arkansas.

For those who missed it, Chris singing at a World Series game...

Yesterday was pretty great! 

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This is a personal blog with no particular niche, or really any purpose whatsoever. Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom! Stalker...

;)

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