Moooovin'

Our company is moving!!

As you can tell from the exclamation points, we're moving WAY CLOSER to my house. Waaaay closer.

My commute will go from 30 minutes to about 10. Tops! Whee!

We get to keep offices, too. No cubicles. We keep a parking garage, so no sun damage to our cars and no uberhot cars at 5pm. We gain a covered walkway from garage to building, so no raining on us anymore. It's surrounded by nature, with lots of trails around it, so we can take walks on something other than asphalt. (There are walks in nature by our current site, but also, there are cliffs. So yeah.)

Most of us are super-psyched. The few people who live in north Austin, not so much.

Anyhoo... Ari has a friend who is vacationing at the World Cup! Supercool! In case you were wondering if you could get it on with any soccer stars while you're vacationing in Brazil, here's The Complete Guide to World Cup Sex Rules.

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Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day to Jeff, Gene, my Grandpa and all the other dads out there! And to my awesome dad, who is no doubt enjoying a cocktail, singing at the piano with his pals and taking my mom (and all the other ladies) for a twirl on the dance floor in some great club in the sky. I miss you, Dad!


Sunday Stealing: 90 Part II

30. Do you read your horoscope? 
No

31. Where was the last place you bought something? 
I bought groceries at HEB on Thursday night.

32. How do you feel about your hair right now? 
Kristen Taekman styles her very basic shoulder-length bob in a hundred different ways, so I lament the fact that my very similar haircut always looks the same from day to day. I need to learn how to do all those styles with mine!

33. Do you bite your nails? 
No

34. Do you have any expensive jewelry? 
Just a few pieces. Everything else is fashion jewelry.

35. Have you ever been told you speak fast? 
No

36. Is your laugh usually hearty? 
Yes

37. How fast have you driven a car? 
about 90 mph

38. Have you ever smoked? 
I smoked literally a few cigarettes in high school, during a stint where John and I were hanging out with the community theater crowd, while he was in a show. Everyone smoked at the afterparties and I picked up one now and then to have it in my hand. I probably inhaled once.

39. What was your favorite subject in school? 
Biology

40. Do you have cell phone provider loyalty? 
Nah. We've always had AT&T though.

41. What type of boy or girl do you usually fall for? 
funny & exceptionally smart boys

42. Do you have any hidden talents?
Most people don't know that I write song parodies.

43. Favorite Song? 
Right now I have two: Ed Sheeran "Sing" and OneRepublic "Love Runs Out"

44. Do you like to sing at all? 
LOVE it.

45. Dream Job? 
Interior Designer

46. Where does most of your family live? 
They're very spread out, but most live in Texas- Dallas, Houston and Jasper. I also have close family in Denver, Chicago, Gulf Shores... and Germany!

47. Are you an only child or do you have siblings? 
Only child. I have a distant half-brother to whom I was introduced as an adult.

48. Would you consider yourself to be spoiled? 
Nope

49. What was the first thing you thought when you woke up?
My in-laws will be here for lunch, so I thought about what needs to be done in preparation for that.

50. Do you drink? 
Yep. 

51. Know any other languages? 
No, although I wish I spoke fluent German.

52. Ever write a coded message? 
Yes. I was into cryptography in middle school and did an award-winning science fair project about codes and ciphers in 8th grade. (THAT is the project I went to regionals with? It couldn't be garage nuclear fission or any of the others? Hee.)

53. Have you ever been in someone else's wedding? 
KathyL's in Nashville- superfun!

54. Do you have any children? 
Lauren :)

55. Did you take a nap today?
not yet, but the day is young

56. Who has the same birthday as you? 
my next-door-neighbor Matt!

57. Ever met anyone famous before? 
Many people. A few standouts:  John Taylor, John Schneider, Chris Daughtry, Joey Fatone

58. Do you want to be famous one day? 
Nope

59. Any Pet Peeves? 
People who park their shopping cart in the middle of the grocery store aisle. :)

60. Are you multitasking right now?
Yes, I'm watching Million Dollar Listing while I write. And this just happened. I may have teared up. Good job, Ryan!

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Stormy Weather

...Since my man and I ain't together
Keeps rainin' all the time...

There's a tornado-y thunderstorm headed our direction right now. It should be in the area just about the time Jeff lands at Bergstrom. Lovely. (I still want to call that place Bergstrom AFB.)

So I'll lose satellite about an hour before that and I'll have to follow the radar on my Macbook. Looks like I'll be up late. TGIF tomorrow!

xkcd :)

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Sunday Stealing

90, Part I

1. What was the highlight of your week?
our impromptu Wednesday dessert at Scott-n-Julie's

2. Whose car were you in last? 
Jeff's

3. When is the next time you will kiss someone? 
tonight

4. What color shirt are you wearing? 
I'm wearing a blue sundress.

5. How long is your hair? 
exactly shoulder-length

6. Are you good looking?
Nah. I'm pretty average looking.

7. Last movie you watched? 
The Fault in Our Stars

8. Who were you with? 
Jeff and Lauren

9. Last thing you ate? 
barbecue ranch salad

10. Last thing you drank? 
iced tea

11. When was the last time you had your heart broken? 
January of 1988 when Jeff dumped me

12. Who came over last? 
Scott-n-Julie, briefly on Wednesday night.

13. Are you happy right now? 
Nope. I have a sinus headache.

14. What did you say last? 
"Don't bite your nails, LeBron."

15. Where is your phone? 
At the other end of the couch with the sound off.

16. What color are your eyes?
green

17. Are you left-handed? 
nope

18. Spell your name without vowels:
Kthrn

19. Do you have any pets? 
2 cats- Kiptyn and Maya

20. Favorite Vacation? 
Hawaii

21. What do you dislike currently?
weather patterns that bring on sinus headaches

22. What are you listening to? 
Spurs vs. Heat game

23. If you could have one thing right now what would it be? 
an extra day tacked onto the weekend

24. What is your favorite scent? 
ocean breeze

25. Who makes you happiest? 
the fam

26. What were you doing at midnight last night? 
sleeping

27. When is your birthday? 
April 2

28. Who has the same phone as you? 
Lauren, Jeff, MelissaQ, Jen, Kathy, JasonP...  a whole bunch of people!

29. Last time you went swimming in a pool? 
Last summer.

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Sunrise Saturday

I'm UP at 5:15 a.m. on Saturday. (Gah. Really?) So I'm watching Nate Berkus, and this amusing exchange just happened... 23-year-old Kathy is moving back home after college and her childhood bedroom needs a makeover. Nate wants to replace the flooring and asked what her parents are going to do with the room when she eventually moves out.

Kathy: I don't know. They haven't done anything with my brother's room and he moved out a few years ago.
Nate: What are their names?
Kathy: Jim and Brian.
Nate: Jim and Brian?
Kathy: Yes.
Nate (to the camera): Well, Jim and Brian, when you eventually redo this room...
Kathy: No, those are my BROTHERS.
Nate (as the audience is laughing): Hey, this is a judgement free zone. That's why I asked twice! And I'm the last person who should be questioning! What are your PARENTS' names?
Kathy (blushing): Chuck and Sally.

Too funny!

Speaking of moving out, Lauren is moving up north (to north Austin, not Montana) in a few weeks. Today we're hitting IKEA for her living room furniture. Why is it so much fun to walk around there?! The only thing that makes me crazy is when people are walking the wrong direction. If you need to go back to see something, just finish the path, exit the store and come back into the entrance again. It sounds like a pain, but returning backwards down the IKEA path is like fighting a salmon run.

When I have some time to get bedroom furniture and decor, I'll set up her empty bedroom as her "bedroom at home." (For now, we have a guest bedroom for her to stay when she's here.) And I'll just continue to use the "video game room" as a workout space, I think. She's taking back her desk, which I've been using as my desk, so I'll need to do a little rearranging in the office space upstairs.

We gave her some money to decorate her living room and kitchen, so she's enjoying picking out colors, etc. IKEA is a great place to get that sort of stuff, too. Especially large art for a college student budget!

Saturday 9: Walk This Way
If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

1) This song is about a young man who takes advantage of his "big chance at a high school dance." Share a memory from your high school years.
Interesting- I think I went to every single high school dance we had while I was there, but I remember very little about the details of any of them! A high school memory- the day Grant and I recorded a song we wrote in his home studio. I had written the lyrics and he had composed the music. He played keyboards and I did the vocal track. The whole process was too cool! I still need to figure out how to get that recording from cassette to MP3.

2) Lead singer Steven Tyler is the son of a working mother (mom Susan was a secretary). Did your mother work outside the home?
My mom didn't work until I was in 6th grade. Then she got a part-time job at a print shop. When I was in high school, she took a position at IBM in their mapping division and worked there the rest of her career. She was also the accountant for our neighborhood homeowners association for many, many years.

3) Onstage, Tyler takes colorful scarves from around his neck and drapes them over the microphone. Do you accessorize your outfits with scarves and belts? Or do you prefer to keep things simple?
I keep things simple, typically, although this winter I wore some scarves.

4) Tyler confessed to having a massive crush on Jennifer Lopez, his fellow judge on American Idol. Do you think a coworker has ever had a crush on you?
Well, C called me her "girl crush" yesterday! Bwahaha!

5) Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry says seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 inspired him to go into music. How did you end up in your chosen profession?
Completely by accident. I took a job in clinical research to just give me something to do while I wrote my engineering Master's thesis. I loved the job so much and felt such a sense of accomplishment in contributing to the improvement of people's health and well-being, that I ditched the thesis and stuck with pharmaceuticals.

6) Perry's hobby, breeding horses, is very lucrative. What are your hobbies?
I like hiking and writing. I've also run my own website for 14 years.

7) Aerosmith performed before their biggest-ever TV audience when they played the Super Bowl halftime show in 2001. Are you a football fan? If so, do you prefer college football or the NFL? What teams do you root for?
I was a crazy Houston Oilers fan as a kid. Once I hit college, I became a college football fan and lost touch with pro football. I enjoy watching an NFL game, but I don't keep up with what's going on. I watch a lot of college football and we have Texas A&M season tickets!

8) Now that we're into summer, the days are longer. When is the last time you watched the sun set?
It's been a while!

9) What time did you go to sleep last night? 
11:00

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TGIF

I had a face-to-face meeting with my clients from California this week. When we were wrapping things up, their team was discussing returning in mid-August for another meeting.

VP: Are you sure you want to come to Austin in August? It's very hot then.
Statistician (a Brit): Oh, wait. What am I thinking? I'm European! I'll be taking the entire month of August off.

Hee. 'Twould be so nice!

Jennifer bought some Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer the other day. (I use that stuff every summer to have a less-than-ghostly skin color.) Well, she thought it was just lotion that had shimmer in it to make you look glowy. So she rubbed it all over her hands and lower arms and didn't wash her hands.

Yeah. She got Oompa Loompa palms.

Now she's got the application down to an art though! My tip for self tanner is not to put a lot around your toes or the sides of your feet. Just smoosh a medium amount onto the top of your foot and feather it out lightly onto your toes and down the sides. Rub it in really well. That way it doesn't get too dark or develop any weird lines.

Friday 5: Sammy

1. A breakfast sandwich is typically made with some kind of bread with egg, cheese, and some kind of breakfast meat. What’s the best variation on this theme you’ve tried, or what variation would you like to try?
I prefer an English muffin with ham, cheddar and egg.

2. A sandwich cookie is typically made with two thin cookies with some kind of sweet, creamy filling. What’s the best variation on this theme you have tried, or what variation would you like to try?
Gotta go with chocolate cookies and vanilla filling. Traditional, but the best.

3. A melt sandwich (such as a tuna melt) is typically some kind of bread with some kind of filling plus some kind of cheese, grilled or fried until the cheese is melted. What’s the best variation on this sandwich you’ve tried, or what variation would you like to try?
Patty melt- hamburger on sourdough

4. If all you do is smear some peanut butter and jelly between two slices of bread, you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What do you do in order to make yours just a little better?
I sometimes like PB&J rolled in a flour tortilla.

5. What are your thoughts on sprouts in a sandwich?
Sprouts are good!

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I Don't Know Any Whores

Many of my conversations with Crystal begin with her appearing in the doorway of my office and saying something completely and delightfully random like...

"I don't know any whores, but..."

LMAO

Well, I actually intended to write today about my deep thoughts on this prisoner trade deal our government made with the Taliban, but I don't want people searching for current news and coming all the way here just to find this goofy blog.

And it's also probably best I keep my mouth shut.

:D

One question: Why on earth has this become yet another Conservative vs. Liberal issue? Political lemmings are so draining. Does anyone have a personal opinion not based on what their political party is feeding them via their liberal or conservative "news" sources? Our opinions should come from our hearts and our personal experiences, and our opinions should flow upwards to our political representatives, not the other way around.

Anyway, on a good note, my yearly cancer checkup went well a few weeks ago, then I had my mammogram last week. I just heard from my doc this afternoon that everything looks good!

Whee! Happy Wednesday!!

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Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike... and Stuff

Ohhhhhmigosh, an old friend from work spotted Jeff and me at Zach Theater last night! It was incredibly coincidental, since I was JUST showing my coworkers a photo of him at Ina's wedding in 1992. Seeing him in person was a crazy moment, I tell ya'. He's long since left pharma, but I gave him the shocking rundown of all the people from the old company who currently work with me. So fun seeing him! I can't wait to tell everyone Monday.

The comedy play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, a Tony Award-winning Broadway show with which many of us in the audience were previously unfamiliar, was really good! Vanya's (played by Greater Tuna's Jaston Williams) tirade about missing the good old days was PRICELESS. We were rolling in the aisles. Lauren Lane was amazing as Sonia (and as Sonia as "Dame Maggie Smith on Her Way to the Oscars") and Carla Nickerson (Cassandra) had us cracking up every time she stepped on stage. It is playing through June 22, so get yourselves up to Zach and see it!


Saturday 9: "Meet the Flintstones"
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) The song promises that, "When you're with the Flintstones, you'll have a yabba-dabba-doo time." So clearly Wilma was one accomplished hostess. What about you? Do you enjoy having company?
I enjoy having company, but I haven't done as much hostessing in the past few years as I used to. I like casual entertaining, rather than fancy dinners or cocktail parties. I prefer hosting a movie or sports-watching event with appetizers, a game night, or something interesting like a Beer Tasting or Chocolate Tasting.

2) Since lyrics say, "Let's ride with the family down the street/courtesy of Fred's two feet," we're assuming the pedal-powered Flintstone car didn't require much gas. Are you loyal to a particular brand of gas? Or do you fill up with whatever is nearby, or least expensive?
I go for the cheapest gas I can get nearby.

3) Clearly a sharp-dressed man in stone-age Bedrock wore a long tunic and no pants. What are you wearing right now, as you answer these questions?
denim capris and a yellow button-down top with a white tank top underneath

4) Pebbles Flintstone grew up with Dino the Dinosaur and Baby Puss the Saber-Tooth Cat. Did you have any pets as you were growing up?
Mickey, an orange tabby cat I had from age 8 through heading off to college

5) Mr. Slate is Fred's blustery boss at quarry, and he frequently threatens to fire Fred. Have you ever had a bad-tempered boss?
Just one. She never threatened to fire me. She was just in an interminably pissy mood. I cannot stand to be around people like that.

6) It's estimated that during The Flintstones original run (1960-1966), it was viewed by as many adults as kids. Now that you're a grown up, do you still watch cartoons?
If Lauren is around, we occasionally watch Spongebob together. Do adult cartoons count? I watch Family Guy and Archer, if they happen to be on when I'm flipping channels.

7) In 1961, The Flintstones was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy Award as Outstanding Comedy Series. Do you watch awards shows?
Oh yes. I love rooting for my favorites to win and seeing all the dresses.

8) There are at least two Flintstones-themed amusement parks currently in operation. Do you enjoy scary rides? 
Very much so, from childhood through my 20's, but I was scared to death on Mr. Freeze when we last rode it at Six Flags in Arlington several years ago on a cheer trip. I still enjoy a really exciting, traditional roller coaster.

9) Flintstones Vitamins are still on store shelves. Do you take a vitamin each morning?
I try to, but I usually forget. Sorry, Mom!

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Chuy's New Mexican Martini

Last week, Scott was telling me about "OJ'ing it" from gate 16 to gate 88 at the Denver airport. He wondered if kids today think that means he killed two people on his way to the gate. Ha.

I found Chuy's New Mexican Martini recipe. Yummo. Incidentally, it's New Mexican because it has hatch chile (from New Mexico) infused tequila, not because it is the "new" Mexican Martini. Contemplate that while you're having a martini or two.

Chuy's actual recipe is within an article from Greenville Online. Details on the various steps are in this article about the Chuy's New Mexican Martini from Dad Cooks Dinner. From one of the comments on Mike's blog, we know that Chuy's roasts their chiles before infusing. (So that's what those black flecks are, when you get it at the restaurant.)

Putting it all together...

Chuy's New Mexican Martini

2 ounces of Hatch green chile-infused el Jimador tequila
1 ounce of Cointreau
1 ½ ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 ½ ounces sugar water
Jalapeno-stuffed olives

Makes 1 cocktail.

1. Roast and slice your Hatch green chiles (Anaheim chiles are the same chile, just from Cali instead of NM). Pioneer Woman has a great article on how to roast peppers.

2. Infuse your tequila with the roasted chiles. This is a 2-3 day process, so if you need a drink immediately, pop open a Shiner Bock before you start infusing. Roasted hatch infusion directions are at Boozed + Infused. If you're trying out raw jalapenos or serranos instead, head over to Dad Cooks Dinner for guidance.

3. Stick with Dad Cooks Dinner for simple syrup (sugar water) instructions and finish out the drink process there as well!

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No Day But Today

We volunteered at Urban Roots Farm yesterday with Scott-n-Julie, Jay, Conseulo and Bruce & his boys. We loved it! It's such a great program and we had a lot of fun with the kids.

Then we all went to Lisa's for a barbecue and I got to see both her and Consuelo's remodeled kitchens. SO pretty! I got some great ideas for my kitchen update, along with a couple of referrals to contractors. Now maybe I'll get my butt in gear and get on this project.

In other news... One of our crazy business ideas at work this week was to write the next big thing in Broadway musicals. Later, after hearing the "Jeff and Kathy" story, during which I mentioned that we dated for a year, broke up for a year and then got back together again, Crystal declared that our musical would be called The Year Off. It would be about that in-between year I wasn't dating Jeff and all the crazy stuff that happened.

Between my actual 'year off' experiences and the fictional ones we came up with, it could be a pretty decent story!

Friday's grand business idea: Dead body disposal service.


Sunday Stealing: Random XV

1. How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?
My aerobic shoes are probably 6 years old.

2. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year? If so, what variety? 
We bought Thin Mints.

3. Do you know how to ballroom dance? 
No.

4. Were you a responsible child/teenager? 
Yes. :)

5. How many of this year's Oscar-nominated movies did you see? 
7--
American Hustle
Despicable Me 2
Frozen
The Great Gatsby
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Prisoners

6. If you're going to have a medical procedure done, such as having blood drawn, is it easier for you to watch someone else having the procedure done or have it done yourself?
Easier to watch someone else.

7. What is your favorite day of the week and why?
Saturday, because it's so relaxing and most of the weekend is still to come.

8. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
"You're such a great mom."

9. Do hospitals make you queasy?
Only if I'm the patient.

10. At which store would you like to max-out your credit card?
Z Gallerie

11. Are you true to the brand names of products/items? 
For some items, but not for most. I'll try new brands of clothing, makeup, foods, etc., to see what's new and what may be better than I currently buy.

12. Which is more difficult: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when he/she is telling you how he/she feels? 
Neither.

13. What’s one thing you’re deeply proud of — but would never put on your résumé? 
All the poetry and songs I've written.

14. What’s the most out-of-character choice you’ve ever made? 
The "Cheer Mom Incident" in Frisco several years ago. That is the only time I've ever angrily confronted someone I don't know.

15. What’s your personal anthem or theme song?
"No Day but Today" from Rent

There's only us
There's only this
Forget regret or life is yours to miss
No other road
No other way
No day but today

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