Shelf Control

Remember the hole we knocked into the wall to access space under our stairs? The remnants of the vintage poster are still mostly intact. Doesn't she look pretty all tarted up with party lights?

Uh oh, I think someone is trying to kick us out from the little under-the-stairs room.

Hey, wait, is that a door?

Where'd she go?

They'll never find us now. (Especially since "they" don't read this blog.) 

2 fun 2 B 4 real

Dentists ask the strangest questions. I have been asked whether I am or ever was bulimic (no), do I eat lemons (sort of) and today, I was asked if I've ever been in the military. I have army-style fillings, apparently. Tomorrow, I return to the dental chair for a two hour, two crown, 2K appointment. Luckily, the office features calendar pictures of baby animals thumb-tacked to the ceiling for my viewing enjoyment. So, a reclining chair, drugs and baby orangutans - in some other context, could be worth the 2K.

Am I A Runner?

I went running this morning on a popular Town Lake path here in Austin. Just like in Dallas, everyone passes me and I pass no one. Not one person. I realize it's not a race, but if I'm running, shouldn't I be faster than one other human? How can I tell if I'm running? Maybe I'm walking - like those people who believe they're dancing when on-lookers know they are not dancing. I spotted a woman on the path ahead of me who had a 3 year old in a tutu running beside her and a miniature poodle on a leash. I can take this group, I thought. And I did. They took a water break and I burned past them. I probably kicked up gravel behind me and into that kid's face I was trucking so fast. Then an elderly couple strode past with their walking sticks and I got the hell over myself.

Austin, TX. Salut!

Here I am in Austin. My weekend of solitude has begun. It's odd to be alone. I think I like it, I often crave it but it takes some working out the kinks, some stretching of those "I'm okay" muscles. I have tweeted, texted and posted pictures to facebook so I'm not sure how solitary that is. I didn't bring my laptop so I'm typing on the phone with a 3G slow ass connection. I had a wonderful day and was about to go to sleep when I remembered I need to take out my contacts and blog. I did all the things I wanted to do - veggie food, LBJ love and vintage shopping. Barton Springs swimming may not happen but the motel pool is delightful, so there's that. I don't know if I'll see any Tour de France. I haven't turned on the TV yet but my guess is they don't have the Versus channel...tiny screen, dry contact lenses, fading out...

A Kinda Wet Day

- Running with a full bladder is kinda uncomfortable. Remember to pee before you go out for a jog.
- Running in the rain wearing glasses is kinda hard if said glasses don't have tiny windshield wipers.
- Mowing the lawn at noon is kinda insane until a sweet child appears on the deck with a glass of ice water. Then it's way fun.
- Needing to take two showers in one day is bullshit - or kinda bad planning.
- Forgetting about an appointment until just minutes before means running into a fancy schmancy North Dallas dentist office with hair still wet from one of two daily showers. Kinda uncouth.
- Getting caught in the rain while shopping is kinda worth it if you're at a groovy outdoor shopping center instead of a mall.

Cooking With Gas

I recently mentioned my desire to recapture my will to cook. We eat out way too often and I go to the grocery store everyday, at the last minute, with no list, in search of the next meal. Today, I went to the store at the last minute BUT I had a list and a plan this time.

On the To Sir With Love night, when I went out to dinner during intermission, my soup was a carrot puree with a balsamic accent. The whole family sampled it and loved it. I replicated that dish tonight (yum, balsamic reduction) and got raves all around. Raves for carrots. Go figure. Carrot Puree with Balsamic is the second recipe I ever made up myself (or sort of ripped off). My only other recipe is for black beans. I'm on pace to publish a cookbook in another 67 years.

Since I started my vegan venture, I feel like my food choices are expanding rather than becoming more restrictive. I'm looking around for delicious options and new ideas and I've rarely been disappointed. I know, I know, talking about healthy eating is dull. I'll just add that I have a sense of well-being since changing my diet and it makes sense. As we learned while parenting babies and toddlers: if they're pooping and they're sleeping, they're happy. (I'm a chick, so I don't actually poop at all and I don't care to discuss it. I don't know why you brought it up. And when I say cooking with gas, I'm not referring to farting at all - chicks don't fart, not even vegan chicks. Just drop it. This is juvenile.)

We Are The (spray painted) World

My long awaited movie is still in post production. It is not as good as this history of the world, which has completely distracted me from Tour de France coverage this morning. Don't worry that it's almost 10 minutes long - you won't notice the time. Great art is great art (and it's great fun, too, up until the end when it gets depressing).

BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Hat tip to Miss Cathy.

But what I really want to do is direct.

I want to read but I still can't get through most books I start. (RIP, The Witches of Eastwick.) (Damn you, ADD-inducing internet!) I was finally convinced to try The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. It's sitting on the bedside table, unopened. I also want to run. Running in Texas means waking at 5:30 to beat the sun. (I'm not faster than the wind, but I can outsmart the sun.) Staying up late to blog or read - my two late night activities - and getting up at 5:30 do not mesh well. (Basically, I cannot do more than one thing per day. How do you people do it?)

I'm going to give the tattoo book a chance this weekend. I'm heading to Austin on a solo journey. I might not even take my laptop (!). I hope to explore vegetarian restaurants, vintage stores and the LBJ Presidential Library. (It's a lifetime/geek goal of mine to visit all the presidential libraries, but I haven't begun - LBJ is up first.) I'll probably swim at Barton Springs. I don't really know what else I'll do...I'm looking forward to letting it unfold.

Meanwhile, my beloved 14-year-old left today for three weeks. She's off to British Columbia with our friends. I don't know yet how the balance of power will change around here without her. (Waah! What will I do without her?)

In further news, I watched this little viral movie today:

I immediately went over to xtranormal and made a movie of my own. I'm a writer/director! I was hoping to share my 3 minute masterpiece with you, but I haven't yet figured out how to get the thing from their site to here. (Now I know how those Sundance directors feel when they can't get a distributor.)

Independence Day 3

Three-day weekend coming to a close. We paraded, pool-sided, grilled fooded and fireworked ourselves into a patriotic fervor. Eventually, however, the time comes to sweep up the confetti and get back to business.

Independence Day 2

It's been a lovely, long weekend and it's not over yet. The 4th of July is 72 hours long this year.  This means I have another 24 hours to make it up to the blogogods for my skimpy posts these past two days. Pray for me.

Independence Day 1

Typing a big Happy 4th of July greeting from my iPhone.

I Love My Gynecologist

In my Open Letter To Doctors, I complained about being required to strip nude in the office while having no decent place to keep the doffed clothes. Today I went to my ob/gyn for an annual visit. It was pouring rain on the drive to the office. I reached the exam room with my wet jacket and I was able to do this:

So civilized. I have been with my ob/gyn for 19 years. She delivered all my children. She understands.

Why didn't I think of it?

I found this blog today, via Andrew Sullivan. It appeals to me as a decorating magazine junkie, as a person who writes copy for a fancy home decor catalog and as someone who has watched photographers and stylists setting up the shots for said catalog.

Elaine was not amused by Gary’s passive-aggressive response to her request to “garnish the cocktails.”