Monday, June 30, 2003
Long, possibly boring, but does include some catty comments.
Just in case you were interested, here's a recap of the trip over here:
Victor and I got breakfast at Cafe Brazil, then he drove me to the airport. After much crying and lamenting, I went through security. Two of the security workers told me "It will be OK," and one handed me a tissue. I went to the bathroom and realized I looked pretty terrible, like the world had ended or something. Jeez, Mandy, it's only two months.
I flew out of Dallas to Chicago first class. Had a nice shrimp salad with fruit, very yummy. It was pretty bumpy coming into O'Hare. I bought some magazines and sat around the Admiral's Lounge for a while. We were delayed out of Chicago because the flight was oversold. I was sitting in business class, which was pretty nice. I was behind a youngish woman and what I presume was her mother. The younger woman was a heinous, complaining bitch, one of those coddled rich women who think that everything should be handed to them on a plate. She was very upset that the flight was a little late, and she was so unsatisfied with her seats. She was on the first row of business, which means that she didn't have as much legroom as the rest of us, but still at least two or three times what coach had. She was also all "Doesn't anyone take your coat here?" very loudly, then proclaimed "I'm never flying American again." I mean, this was ridiculous. She made constant demands on the flight attendants, stopping them almost every time they came down the aisle. I wanted to smack the hell out of her and toss her Louis Vuitton luggage out the window. Anyway, we made it to London, after a dinner of chicken and some light breakfast. I didn't watch any movies, because the selection was pretty bad, but I did watch a couple of TV shows.
I had a little shopping spree in Heathrow. I had several hours to wait, so I went a little crazy with the shopping. I bought a super cute handbag at Accessorize, some magazines and a Lilt (very yummy drink) at WH Smith, and some CD's and DVD's at HMV. I have an all-region DVD player so I can play UK DVD's. I got Season One of "Game On," which was such a funny show, and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. I also found Morrissey's Beethoven Was Deaf and a CD by an Irish singer, Damien Rice, that I had been reading about. I also went to Boots and bought some beauty junk.
The flight from London to Mumbai was nice. Of course, I found the cheesiest movie to watch during the flight. It was, I am embarrassed to admit, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It was pretty bad, but watchable. They also had The Pianist listed in the guide, but for some reason it was never on. That was the movie I really wanted to watch. I did try to see Confessions of a Dangerous Mind but turned it off after about 30 minutes. I didn't care for it at all. I had a lovely salmon dinner. And once again, I am in love with British Airways' Club World, which is their business class. See for yourself.
Flying into Mumbai was pretty bumpy, but we hit the ground on the actual runway, and I began my airport adventure. Mumbai's airport is truly the seventh layer of hell. Hot, full of mosquitos, filthy, and you're never sure who to trust, so you end up lugging all of your bags around yourself. I had to collect my bags, go through customs, catch a bus to the domestic terminal, check in again, sit in the lounge for a little while, and finally go through a dozen screenings before boarding my plane. Uggh. To top it off, they had changed my flight. No longer was it direct to Hyderabad... we were going to stop in Bangalore first. No worries, just another two and a half freaking hours to add to my 30 hour trip!!! Flying out of Mumbai was very scary, as it is monsoon season, and the storm was quite strong. They fed me two breakfasts though, I guess to make up for the extra stop on the trip. I finally made it to Hyderabad, threw myself into the hotel car, and made it to the hotel.
Since then, I've been sleeping a lot and watching movies. My hotel room is great... it's on the club floor, with hardwood floors and a huge bed. Alas, no one to share it with. So now I'm back at work, doing practically nothing (yay!), and needing another nap. Plus I need to finish unpacking.
Thanks for listening, folks. How was your weekend?
Just in case you were interested, here's a recap of the trip over here:
Victor and I got breakfast at Cafe Brazil, then he drove me to the airport. After much crying and lamenting, I went through security. Two of the security workers told me "It will be OK," and one handed me a tissue. I went to the bathroom and realized I looked pretty terrible, like the world had ended or something. Jeez, Mandy, it's only two months.
I flew out of Dallas to Chicago first class. Had a nice shrimp salad with fruit, very yummy. It was pretty bumpy coming into O'Hare. I bought some magazines and sat around the Admiral's Lounge for a while. We were delayed out of Chicago because the flight was oversold. I was sitting in business class, which was pretty nice. I was behind a youngish woman and what I presume was her mother. The younger woman was a heinous, complaining bitch, one of those coddled rich women who think that everything should be handed to them on a plate. She was very upset that the flight was a little late, and she was so unsatisfied with her seats. She was on the first row of business, which means that she didn't have as much legroom as the rest of us, but still at least two or three times what coach had. She was also all "Doesn't anyone take your coat here?" very loudly, then proclaimed "I'm never flying American again." I mean, this was ridiculous. She made constant demands on the flight attendants, stopping them almost every time they came down the aisle. I wanted to smack the hell out of her and toss her Louis Vuitton luggage out the window. Anyway, we made it to London, after a dinner of chicken and some light breakfast. I didn't watch any movies, because the selection was pretty bad, but I did watch a couple of TV shows.
I had a little shopping spree in Heathrow. I had several hours to wait, so I went a little crazy with the shopping. I bought a super cute handbag at Accessorize, some magazines and a Lilt (very yummy drink) at WH Smith, and some CD's and DVD's at HMV. I have an all-region DVD player so I can play UK DVD's. I got Season One of "Game On," which was such a funny show, and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. I also found Morrissey's Beethoven Was Deaf and a CD by an Irish singer, Damien Rice, that I had been reading about. I also went to Boots and bought some beauty junk.
The flight from London to Mumbai was nice. Of course, I found the cheesiest movie to watch during the flight. It was, I am embarrassed to admit, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It was pretty bad, but watchable. They also had The Pianist listed in the guide, but for some reason it was never on. That was the movie I really wanted to watch. I did try to see Confessions of a Dangerous Mind but turned it off after about 30 minutes. I didn't care for it at all. I had a lovely salmon dinner. And once again, I am in love with British Airways' Club World, which is their business class. See for yourself.
Flying into Mumbai was pretty bumpy, but we hit the ground on the actual runway, and I began my airport adventure. Mumbai's airport is truly the seventh layer of hell. Hot, full of mosquitos, filthy, and you're never sure who to trust, so you end up lugging all of your bags around yourself. I had to collect my bags, go through customs, catch a bus to the domestic terminal, check in again, sit in the lounge for a little while, and finally go through a dozen screenings before boarding my plane. Uggh. To top it off, they had changed my flight. No longer was it direct to Hyderabad... we were going to stop in Bangalore first. No worries, just another two and a half freaking hours to add to my 30 hour trip!!! Flying out of Mumbai was very scary, as it is monsoon season, and the storm was quite strong. They fed me two breakfasts though, I guess to make up for the extra stop on the trip. I finally made it to Hyderabad, threw myself into the hotel car, and made it to the hotel.
Since then, I've been sleeping a lot and watching movies. My hotel room is great... it's on the club floor, with hardwood floors and a huge bed. Alas, no one to share it with. So now I'm back at work, doing practically nothing (yay!), and needing another nap. Plus I need to finish unpacking.
Thanks for listening, folks. How was your weekend?
Back in the saddle.
I made it. I'm actually back at work in India. I'm so tired. Later I'll post some info about the trip. Just wanted to let you guys know I didn't go down in flames during the flight.
I made it. I'm actually back at work in India. I'm so tired. Later I'll post some info about the trip. Just wanted to let you guys know I didn't go down in flames during the flight.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Just to recap for those at the back, this is everyday tit-for-tat
I'm conquering the packing. That's good news. And it seems like I'm going to have plenty of room, so that's even better news.
In case you didn't really know what is going on, my work is sending me to India for two months. This has happened once before, earlier this year, when I went for 10 weeks. I go over to train and coach customer service representatives in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad's a city of around four million people or so, and it's becoming an IT boomtown. There is a special section of the city called "Hitech City" where all of the big companies are: Sun, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell, etc. There are several compounds of incredibly futuristic buildings there which house multiple companies. I work in one of those buildings, which is surrounded by armed guards. Outside, of course, there are cattle and water buffalo roaming around. So it's pretty surreal.
My work puts me up in a nice hotel and pays for most everything, so I'm free to get room service and poolside service and such. I can also get my laundry done or a shirt pressed or whatnot. There's cable TV... well, it's not so up-to-date but every once in a while there's a good movie on, and I can always watch National Geographic or Animal Planet or something. There are a couple of music channels, including MTV and Channel V, which play a lot of Indian music, a bad selection of American stuff, and some good British music. I also get wireless internet access, which is great compared to the dial-up I'm used to at home... except for when their network goes down, which is fairly common. Not to mention the blackouts that occasionally occur.
Most of the time I'm there I enjoy myself, but I do get lonely. I have Indian friends but we don't get a chance to see each other outside of work very much. I spend a lot of time at the pool, although maybe not this trip, as we're in the monsoon season now (though Hyderabad doesn't get too much of the rain). I am bound and determined to spend some time at the gym this trip. I have to get in better shape. The "Delhi Belly" I get from some of the food helps me to lose weight, although that's not too pleasant either.
Anyway, I'm kind of looking forward to this, as it will be a nice, fairly stress-free break from my real job. I do enjoy being pampered a little bit by the hotel staff. On the other hand, I'm going to miss Victor and my friends a lot. One good thing about the internet is that it allows you to communicate daily with people who are halfway across the world. I rely on email and AIM a lot while I'm over there. If you're not too busy, dash off a quick note to me every once in a while so I'm not too isolated, ok?
I'm conquering the packing. That's good news. And it seems like I'm going to have plenty of room, so that's even better news.
In case you didn't really know what is going on, my work is sending me to India for two months. This has happened once before, earlier this year, when I went for 10 weeks. I go over to train and coach customer service representatives in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad's a city of around four million people or so, and it's becoming an IT boomtown. There is a special section of the city called "Hitech City" where all of the big companies are: Sun, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell, etc. There are several compounds of incredibly futuristic buildings there which house multiple companies. I work in one of those buildings, which is surrounded by armed guards. Outside, of course, there are cattle and water buffalo roaming around. So it's pretty surreal.
My work puts me up in a nice hotel and pays for most everything, so I'm free to get room service and poolside service and such. I can also get my laundry done or a shirt pressed or whatnot. There's cable TV... well, it's not so up-to-date but every once in a while there's a good movie on, and I can always watch National Geographic or Animal Planet or something. There are a couple of music channels, including MTV and Channel V, which play a lot of Indian music, a bad selection of American stuff, and some good British music. I also get wireless internet access, which is great compared to the dial-up I'm used to at home... except for when their network goes down, which is fairly common. Not to mention the blackouts that occasionally occur.
Most of the time I'm there I enjoy myself, but I do get lonely. I have Indian friends but we don't get a chance to see each other outside of work very much. I spend a lot of time at the pool, although maybe not this trip, as we're in the monsoon season now (though Hyderabad doesn't get too much of the rain). I am bound and determined to spend some time at the gym this trip. I have to get in better shape. The "Delhi Belly" I get from some of the food helps me to lose weight, although that's not too pleasant either.
Anyway, I'm kind of looking forward to this, as it will be a nice, fairly stress-free break from my real job. I do enjoy being pampered a little bit by the hotel staff. On the other hand, I'm going to miss Victor and my friends a lot. One good thing about the internet is that it allows you to communicate daily with people who are halfway across the world. I rely on email and AIM a lot while I'm over there. If you're not too busy, dash off a quick note to me every once in a while so I'm not too isolated, ok?
Procrastination, again.
So... sleepy...
But I woke up and finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this morning. It was the first time I finished one of those books without crying. Maybe I was too sleepy. But I enjoyed it. And now I'm sad that it's over.
So... sleepy...
But I woke up and finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this morning. It was the first time I finished one of those books without crying. Maybe I was too sleepy. But I enjoyed it. And now I'm sad that it's over.
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
Cause I know you're not busy.
This is an interesting article from the NY Times about Metrosexuals. I suppose my boyfriend is one... in fact, he is the one who sent me the article. You may view it at this link, which may require registration. I for one am glad that more men are being comfortable with fashion and whatnot. Maybe Americans will stop looking so, well, American.
This is an interesting article from the NY Times about Metrosexuals. I suppose my boyfriend is one... in fact, he is the one who sent me the article. You may view it at this link, which may require registration. I for one am glad that more men are being comfortable with fashion and whatnot. Maybe Americans will stop looking so, well, American.
Keep your eyes to the ground.
Ok, I promised you some pictures, and here they come. I leave for India on Friday, well Thursday really since I'm leaving Austin that day, and I really should be packing. But here goes:
Kelly and Jeremy's first dance as bride and groom:
Victor and I at the reception, with Kris looking puzzled in the background:
Kelly and her man of honor, Bill... well into the drinking part of the reception:
Finally, one last cute picture of Victor:
OK, I really need to do some work now. Getting closer to finishing Harry Potter, too!
Ok, I promised you some pictures, and here they come. I leave for India on Friday, well Thursday really since I'm leaving Austin that day, and I really should be packing. But here goes:
Kelly and Jeremy's first dance as bride and groom:
Victor and I at the reception, with Kris looking puzzled in the background:
Kelly and her man of honor, Bill... well into the drinking part of the reception:
Finally, one last cute picture of Victor:
OK, I really need to do some work now. Getting closer to finishing Harry Potter, too!
Monday, June 23, 2003
What an exhausting (but fun!) weekend!
Victor and I got to Chicago Wednesday evening. We headed over for free bacon at The Prodigal Son. I called Kris, who was at Kelly and Jeremy's house, and he said to come over. So we went over to their place and caught up for a while.
Thursday we did some shopping, and much to Victor's dismay he was unable to find anything at Prada despite the massive sale they were having. I was freezing so I bought a tank-top to put under my thin (ok, see-through) sweater. Damn, Chicago was cold! Anyway, after a day of shopping, we went to Kelly's bachelorette party at Lithium. I met up with more old friends, and there was a LOT of drinking.
Friday we took the train to town (road construction made taking the car a pain). We met up with my friend Todd from my old work. He lives in Chicago. We ate at Bubba Gump on Navy Pier. The food was actually really good. Afterward, Victor and I walked around Navy Pier, went to the Hancock Building Observatory, and did some more shopping. We ate at a French restaurant and headed home for some much-needed rest.
Saturday is where the trouble began. We realized we didn't have the directions to the wedding, so we decided to head into Chicago for a bit and then call one of my friends. We went to the Art Institute, ate some pizza, and headed back. It was by now about 5pm. We would have a little bit of time to change and head over for the 7pm wedding. So I called Kris to ask for directions. He kept asking "Where are you?" and such. Finally, he said "You know you missed the ceremony, right?" I totally thought he was kidding, but alas, he wasn't. Apparently the wedding was at 4. Oh no. Oops. I felt horrible. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Instead, we raced to the hotel, quickly changed, and raced to the reception. Luckily, Kelly and Jeremy were still talking to us. The reception was super fun, and I saw a lot more old friends. We tried to follow up with more drinking at the local Holiday Inn bar, but it was overrun with three other wedding parties and a huge band of rednecks. So we went to bed instead.
Sunday we packed, did a little more shopping, and headed to the airport. While we were out, I was able to pick up a copy of the new Harry Potter, which I am halfway done reading. Oh yes. I love it.
So all in all, it was a great weekend. Pictures soon!
Victor and I got to Chicago Wednesday evening. We headed over for free bacon at The Prodigal Son. I called Kris, who was at Kelly and Jeremy's house, and he said to come over. So we went over to their place and caught up for a while.
Thursday we did some shopping, and much to Victor's dismay he was unable to find anything at Prada despite the massive sale they were having. I was freezing so I bought a tank-top to put under my thin (ok, see-through) sweater. Damn, Chicago was cold! Anyway, after a day of shopping, we went to Kelly's bachelorette party at Lithium. I met up with more old friends, and there was a LOT of drinking.
Friday we took the train to town (road construction made taking the car a pain). We met up with my friend Todd from my old work. He lives in Chicago. We ate at Bubba Gump on Navy Pier. The food was actually really good. Afterward, Victor and I walked around Navy Pier, went to the Hancock Building Observatory, and did some more shopping. We ate at a French restaurant and headed home for some much-needed rest.
Saturday is where the trouble began. We realized we didn't have the directions to the wedding, so we decided to head into Chicago for a bit and then call one of my friends. We went to the Art Institute, ate some pizza, and headed back. It was by now about 5pm. We would have a little bit of time to change and head over for the 7pm wedding. So I called Kris to ask for directions. He kept asking "Where are you?" and such. Finally, he said "You know you missed the ceremony, right?" I totally thought he was kidding, but alas, he wasn't. Apparently the wedding was at 4. Oh no. Oops. I felt horrible. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Instead, we raced to the hotel, quickly changed, and raced to the reception. Luckily, Kelly and Jeremy were still talking to us. The reception was super fun, and I saw a lot more old friends. We tried to follow up with more drinking at the local Holiday Inn bar, but it was overrun with three other wedding parties and a huge band of rednecks. So we went to bed instead.
Sunday we packed, did a little more shopping, and headed to the airport. While we were out, I was able to pick up a copy of the new Harry Potter, which I am halfway done reading. Oh yes. I love it.
So all in all, it was a great weekend. Pictures soon!
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
They will see us waving from such great heights.
I'm flying out to Chicago today. I leave work at 2pm, possibly run home to pick up Victor's new suit (if Neiman Marcus have delivered it yet), and head over to the airport. I'm flying to Dallas, where I'm somehow going to find Victor, and we'll catch a plane to Chicago.
As much as we're also going to try to make this a sightseeing adventure, I'm going up there for my friends' wedding. Kelly and Jeremy have been together for, like, ever, and they're finally getting around to making it official. I'm going to see a lot of my friends from college, many of whom I haven't seen since the last wedding two years ago. There may even be some that I haven't seen since college. I'm really looking forward to the trip.
Thursday night we're going to have dinner with my old friend Todd from my previous job. He lives up there, and I haven't seen him in a year and a half. Then we're going to go Kelly's bachelorette party. I'm not sure what's going on Friday, but I'm bringing stuff to wear just in case going out is in order. Saturday's the wedding, and we fly back Sunday.
I'll probably not have a chance to get online up there, so you may experience some withdrawal symptoms. I'm very sorry about that. Perhaps you'll be able to track our progress on Kris's website, since I'll be seeing him up there. That is, if he deigns to post about us.
See you Sunday!
I'm flying out to Chicago today. I leave work at 2pm, possibly run home to pick up Victor's new suit (if Neiman Marcus have delivered it yet), and head over to the airport. I'm flying to Dallas, where I'm somehow going to find Victor, and we'll catch a plane to Chicago.
As much as we're also going to try to make this a sightseeing adventure, I'm going up there for my friends' wedding. Kelly and Jeremy have been together for, like, ever, and they're finally getting around to making it official. I'm going to see a lot of my friends from college, many of whom I haven't seen since the last wedding two years ago. There may even be some that I haven't seen since college. I'm really looking forward to the trip.
Thursday night we're going to have dinner with my old friend Todd from my previous job. He lives up there, and I haven't seen him in a year and a half. Then we're going to go Kelly's bachelorette party. I'm not sure what's going on Friday, but I'm bringing stuff to wear just in case going out is in order. Saturday's the wedding, and we fly back Sunday.
I'll probably not have a chance to get online up there, so you may experience some withdrawal symptoms. I'm very sorry about that. Perhaps you'll be able to track our progress on Kris's website, since I'll be seeing him up there. That is, if he deigns to post about us.
See you Sunday!
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Write me a letter.
So I added a comment feature. I'm trying to figure out how to make it list them as "Comments" and not as "Shout Outs," which I think is a little ridiculous. I'll take a look at it tonight or tomorrow. It's hard to do so at work when customers keep calling, prompting me to actually do some work.
In happy news, I was invited to my friend's house for hummus and falafel! Yummy!
So I added a comment feature. I'm trying to figure out how to make it list them as "Comments" and not as "Shout Outs," which I think is a little ridiculous. I'll take a look at it tonight or tomorrow. It's hard to do so at work when customers keep calling, prompting me to actually do some work.
In happy news, I was invited to my friend's house for hummus and falafel! Yummy!
Monday, June 16, 2003
I'm blinded by the daisies in your yard
I have added a page of photos on the sidebar. There's only a couple in now, but I'm sorting through my digital pictures to find some more to add.
On another note, I experienced indoor tanning for the first time tonight. You see, I'm going to a wedding on Saturday in Chicago, and I have a strapless dress. I also have some pretty heinous tan lines which I must eliminate. So I forked over some cash to lie on a cancer-causing deathbed for a few minutes, then step into a shower of fake tan junk. This better be good, or else I'm going to be a mad, orange, peeling wedding guest. And we can't have that.
I have added a page of photos on the sidebar. There's only a couple in now, but I'm sorting through my digital pictures to find some more to add.
On another note, I experienced indoor tanning for the first time tonight. You see, I'm going to a wedding on Saturday in Chicago, and I have a strapless dress. I also have some pretty heinous tan lines which I must eliminate. So I forked over some cash to lie on a cancer-causing deathbed for a few minutes, then step into a shower of fake tan junk. This better be good, or else I'm going to be a mad, orange, peeling wedding guest. And we can't have that.
Sunday, June 15, 2003
Wow, what a big weekend.
Friday night I met up with Victor and headed over to Kat's house for Mark's birthday. We were split into several teams for the scavenger hunt. Victor, Nevie, and Meredith were on the team with me. It was storming like mad, so trying to find everything in the rain was a challenge. We had a Polaroid camera and had to take a picture of ten different subjects, ranging from a gravestone with "1934" on it to a man with a manly mustache (not a femmy John Waters one). We were successful in every venture, except for finding vanity plates with "rad, hot(t) or 4U" written on them. We did find a Corvette with "cruzzin" as the vanity plate, so we figured that was good enough. Of course, we were the first team back.
Saturday I woke up early and cleaned like hell, and my parents got in around 11am. We talked a bit and then went to Trudy's for lunch. For those from afar, Trudy's is a local Mexican restaurant that is very yummy. Afterwards, we drove around the University of Texas campus and went to the Texas State Capitol building. My dad was feeling tired so a nap was in order. Victor's dad was also coming into town to swap cars (Victor had been driving his parents' car, a Lincoln Towncar, while his smaller, cuter BMW was in the shop). So he got to meet my parents. Luckily, they seemed to get along. My dad is a farmer, and Victor's dad sells farm equipment, so they had a lot to talk about. After Victor's dad left, we all went up to Mt. Bonnell, which overlooks the Colorado river, the Austin skyline, and some filthy rich people's houses, then headed down to Congress Ave. bridge to watch the bats. About three million bats live under that bridge, and at dusk they all fly out to go hunting for the night. I had never seen it before, so it was very cool. We ate steak (everyone but me... I had quail) and hit the sack. Victor slept next to me on the floor, which was great until my cat started attacking his feet repeatedly. At 4am.
Today, we ate breakfast at my favorite breakfasting place, Red River Cafe. My parents loaded up the car, I put Liam in his cat carrier, and off they went. They're taking him to stay at my sister's house for two months while I'm in India. I had a 7" Radiohead single on hold at Waterloo, so Victor and I picked that up. I also got some super sexy shoes to wear to my friends' wedding in Chicago this coming weekend. This afternoon, we played soccer. My friends and I play soccer on Sunday evenings. We're a range of skill levels from not so good but a lot of spirit (me) to super good. I usually play defense, and I did manage to stop a few today. I also got ran over by my boyfriend. It's not nice to knock your girlfriend down! It didn't hurt though. I have a couple of blisters, because my cleats are still new. Victor just left to go back to Dallas. So I'm a little sad.
The other excitement of this weekend was the purchase of three weekend passes to the Austin City Limits Festival this September. I got tickets for me, Victor, and Mark. I can't wait... so many good bands.
So all in all, a very good weekend. I had fun with Mom and Dad and was glad that they came. Lots of fun with friends too. I'm tired, though. I may go to sleep early. How was your weekend?
Friday night I met up with Victor and headed over to Kat's house for Mark's birthday. We were split into several teams for the scavenger hunt. Victor, Nevie, and Meredith were on the team with me. It was storming like mad, so trying to find everything in the rain was a challenge. We had a Polaroid camera and had to take a picture of ten different subjects, ranging from a gravestone with "1934" on it to a man with a manly mustache (not a femmy John Waters one). We were successful in every venture, except for finding vanity plates with "rad, hot(t) or 4U" written on them. We did find a Corvette with "cruzzin" as the vanity plate, so we figured that was good enough. Of course, we were the first team back.
Saturday I woke up early and cleaned like hell, and my parents got in around 11am. We talked a bit and then went to Trudy's for lunch. For those from afar, Trudy's is a local Mexican restaurant that is very yummy. Afterwards, we drove around the University of Texas campus and went to the Texas State Capitol building. My dad was feeling tired so a nap was in order. Victor's dad was also coming into town to swap cars (Victor had been driving his parents' car, a Lincoln Towncar, while his smaller, cuter BMW was in the shop). So he got to meet my parents. Luckily, they seemed to get along. My dad is a farmer, and Victor's dad sells farm equipment, so they had a lot to talk about. After Victor's dad left, we all went up to Mt. Bonnell, which overlooks the Colorado river, the Austin skyline, and some filthy rich people's houses, then headed down to Congress Ave. bridge to watch the bats. About three million bats live under that bridge, and at dusk they all fly out to go hunting for the night. I had never seen it before, so it was very cool. We ate steak (everyone but me... I had quail) and hit the sack. Victor slept next to me on the floor, which was great until my cat started attacking his feet repeatedly. At 4am.
Today, we ate breakfast at my favorite breakfasting place, Red River Cafe. My parents loaded up the car, I put Liam in his cat carrier, and off they went. They're taking him to stay at my sister's house for two months while I'm in India. I had a 7" Radiohead single on hold at Waterloo, so Victor and I picked that up. I also got some super sexy shoes to wear to my friends' wedding in Chicago this coming weekend. This afternoon, we played soccer. My friends and I play soccer on Sunday evenings. We're a range of skill levels from not so good but a lot of spirit (me) to super good. I usually play defense, and I did manage to stop a few today. I also got ran over by my boyfriend. It's not nice to knock your girlfriend down! It didn't hurt though. I have a couple of blisters, because my cleats are still new. Victor just left to go back to Dallas. So I'm a little sad.
The other excitement of this weekend was the purchase of three weekend passes to the Austin City Limits Festival this September. I got tickets for me, Victor, and Mark. I can't wait... so many good bands.
So all in all, a very good weekend. I had fun with Mom and Dad and was glad that they came. Lots of fun with friends too. I'm tired, though. I may go to sleep early. How was your weekend?
Friday, June 13, 2003
You ask me what I need? Hate is all I need.
Today really is Friday the 13th. My very first caller was irate, personally insulting, and wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. Basically he was pissed we told him he would receive an extra charge if we fixed something that wasn't covered under his service contract. Here's a tip to everyone who calls a company because of a problem: being hateful isn't going to get you anywhere. I have the ability here to bend the rules, offer concessions, and pretty much do about anything possible to save a return. But you know what? I didn't offer this guy anything. If he can't listen to an apology or explanation, he's not going to get special consideration. And once his comments turned personal, that was it. It took a lot of self-control to not freak out on this guy.
Anyway, I hope the day gets better. It should, because tonight is my friend Mark's birthday. We're having a scavenger hunt! Apparently, teams of four will be roaming Austin tonight with Polaroid cameras, doing God knows whatever is on the scavenger hunt list. Victor's driving down today to join in the festivities. Mark was wise enough to put us on the same team... so we're going to be invincible. Look out.
Today really is Friday the 13th. My very first caller was irate, personally insulting, and wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. Basically he was pissed we told him he would receive an extra charge if we fixed something that wasn't covered under his service contract. Here's a tip to everyone who calls a company because of a problem: being hateful isn't going to get you anywhere. I have the ability here to bend the rules, offer concessions, and pretty much do about anything possible to save a return. But you know what? I didn't offer this guy anything. If he can't listen to an apology or explanation, he's not going to get special consideration. And once his comments turned personal, that was it. It took a lot of self-control to not freak out on this guy.
Anyway, I hope the day gets better. It should, because tonight is my friend Mark's birthday. We're having a scavenger hunt! Apparently, teams of four will be roaming Austin tonight with Polaroid cameras, doing God knows whatever is on the scavenger hunt list. Victor's driving down today to join in the festivities. Mark was wise enough to put us on the same team... so we're going to be invincible. Look out.
Indian Summer Sky
I just went outside at 7am to put some laundry in. Our laundry room is three flights downstairs, and the landlord keeps it locked to keep the homeless people out. Try unlocking a heavy door with a huge basket of laundry and a jug of detergent... it's not easy. But what really made the whole thing unpleasant is that it was already muggy as hell. It's only 80 degrees but the humidity is enough to make you need a shower after only a minute or two outside.
Last summer was my first summer in Texas. I thought I was prepared (hey, Arkansas can get pretty damn hot too), but I wasn't. Hot. Humid. For months. This summer, though, I'll be missing most of it since my job is sending me to India for July and August. I'm going back to Hyderabad. I already spent March and April there this year. I don't know if you saw it on the news, but Hyderabad is one of the cities where recently hundreds of people died from the heat. So you may be wondering why I'm glad I'll be there and not Texas. Well, the Indian summer is ending - May and June are super hot, but then the rains come. So I'll be there during the rainy season. Apparently Hyderabad doesn't get too much rain, so it will not be too wet while I'm there. Plenty of time, I think, to hang out at the pool like I did last time.
I just went outside at 7am to put some laundry in. Our laundry room is three flights downstairs, and the landlord keeps it locked to keep the homeless people out. Try unlocking a heavy door with a huge basket of laundry and a jug of detergent... it's not easy. But what really made the whole thing unpleasant is that it was already muggy as hell. It's only 80 degrees but the humidity is enough to make you need a shower after only a minute or two outside.
Last summer was my first summer in Texas. I thought I was prepared (hey, Arkansas can get pretty damn hot too), but I wasn't. Hot. Humid. For months. This summer, though, I'll be missing most of it since my job is sending me to India for July and August. I'm going back to Hyderabad. I already spent March and April there this year. I don't know if you saw it on the news, but Hyderabad is one of the cities where recently hundreds of people died from the heat. So you may be wondering why I'm glad I'll be there and not Texas. Well, the Indian summer is ending - May and June are super hot, but then the rains come. So I'll be there during the rainy season. Apparently Hyderabad doesn't get too much rain, so it will not be too wet while I'm there. Plenty of time, I think, to hang out at the pool like I did last time.
Thursday, June 12, 2003
They lifted up the sun.
Last night I went to see the Flaming Lips. I've now seen them three times. Good lord, they're so good live. Opening acts were the Starlight Mints and Liz Phair. I was pleasantly surprised by the Starlight Mints. They were heavy on the keyboards (always good) and even used cello and flute. Very nice. Now I know why Victor likes them. I'm not a big fan of Liz Phair, and she kind of annoyed me during her set. You know how the Wayne Coyne uses a mic-mounted camera? Well, she used it too, and seriously, half of her set was just her singing into the camera. Victor saw the same lineup in Dallas the night before, and he told me she came on in a hat, t-shirt, and panties. She was a little more dressed at my show but not much. Liz, you're not Avril, honey. Anyway, some of the people I was with were big Liz fans so I was glad that they enjoyed her show.
The other two times I've seen the Lips I've been in the second or third row, but my friends wanted to stay near the back so that they could see the whole stage (Stubb's BBQ, the venue, is outdoor and the ground slopes up the further back you go). So I didn't get covered in confetti like usual. But the show was still amazing anyway. How much more fun and happy can they get? They had some new visuals, lots of naked boobies, which was interesting. I still love the Battle Royale clips they use during "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1" - it works so well. I'm a big dork at shows, because I get so into it, and luckily the Flaming Lips actually encourage that from their fans. There was much arm-waving, singing along, and dancing.
The only problem was that I forgot to eat beforehand, so I was starving the whole show. So on the way back I stopped at Jack in the Box and got two tacos. Now I'm paying for it. Yum.
Last night I went to see the Flaming Lips. I've now seen them three times. Good lord, they're so good live. Opening acts were the Starlight Mints and Liz Phair. I was pleasantly surprised by the Starlight Mints. They were heavy on the keyboards (always good) and even used cello and flute. Very nice. Now I know why Victor likes them. I'm not a big fan of Liz Phair, and she kind of annoyed me during her set. You know how the Wayne Coyne uses a mic-mounted camera? Well, she used it too, and seriously, half of her set was just her singing into the camera. Victor saw the same lineup in Dallas the night before, and he told me she came on in a hat, t-shirt, and panties. She was a little more dressed at my show but not much. Liz, you're not Avril, honey. Anyway, some of the people I was with were big Liz fans so I was glad that they enjoyed her show.
The other two times I've seen the Lips I've been in the second or third row, but my friends wanted to stay near the back so that they could see the whole stage (Stubb's BBQ, the venue, is outdoor and the ground slopes up the further back you go). So I didn't get covered in confetti like usual. But the show was still amazing anyway. How much more fun and happy can they get? They had some new visuals, lots of naked boobies, which was interesting. I still love the Battle Royale clips they use during "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1" - it works so well. I'm a big dork at shows, because I get so into it, and luckily the Flaming Lips actually encourage that from their fans. There was much arm-waving, singing along, and dancing.
The only problem was that I forgot to eat beforehand, so I was starving the whole show. So on the way back I stopped at Jack in the Box and got two tacos. Now I'm paying for it. Yum.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
To die together would be worth a try
Do you ever get obsessed with a song, and just have to play it over and over? Singing along with it even though it's out of your range? Well, that sometimes happens to me. Of course, I don't subject others to my obsession... that's mean. A friend of mine had a roommate who would set a song on repeat for hours, while my friend was in the room. It drove her up the wall. So anyway, I've had this problem in the past. Most recently, it was "Princess and the Pony" by Sean Na Na. Hey, it's still my theme song (shut up Victor!). But now I have a new obsession. I've had this CD for ages, and had liked the song before, but I pulled it out a few days ago to revisit it.
The song? "Worthless Lie" by the Beautiful South. I can't stop listening to it. A breakup song that only they could do... a blend of longing, comedy, and death wishes. Nothing like wishing death and/or reunion on your former lover. The song before it, "Prettiest Eyes," is pretty freaking good too.
Speaking of music, I'm slowly putting together a list of contenders for Top Ten of 2003. So far:
Give Up by The Postal Service
Us by Mull Historical Society
Hate by The Delgados
Hail to the Thief by Radiohead (new, but good!)
There's probably more that I'm forgetting right now. I know I've bought a bunch. There's more to come, too... new Super Furry Animals!!! I can't wait. I'll tell you what's not going to be on there, though. Escapology by Robbie Williams. It's pretty terrible. Come on, Bob. You can do better. Shut up, you - he's a guilty pleasure!
Addendum: How could I forget Elephant by the White Stripes?
Do you ever get obsessed with a song, and just have to play it over and over? Singing along with it even though it's out of your range? Well, that sometimes happens to me. Of course, I don't subject others to my obsession... that's mean. A friend of mine had a roommate who would set a song on repeat for hours, while my friend was in the room. It drove her up the wall. So anyway, I've had this problem in the past. Most recently, it was "Princess and the Pony" by Sean Na Na. Hey, it's still my theme song (shut up Victor!). But now I have a new obsession. I've had this CD for ages, and had liked the song before, but I pulled it out a few days ago to revisit it.
The song? "Worthless Lie" by the Beautiful South. I can't stop listening to it. A breakup song that only they could do... a blend of longing, comedy, and death wishes. Nothing like wishing death and/or reunion on your former lover. The song before it, "Prettiest Eyes," is pretty freaking good too.
Speaking of music, I'm slowly putting together a list of contenders for Top Ten of 2003. So far:
Give Up by The Postal Service
Us by Mull Historical Society
Hate by The Delgados
Hail to the Thief by Radiohead (new, but good!)
There's probably more that I'm forgetting right now. I know I've bought a bunch. There's more to come, too... new Super Furry Animals!!! I can't wait. I'll tell you what's not going to be on there, though. Escapology by Robbie Williams. It's pretty terrible. Come on, Bob. You can do better. Shut up, you - he's a guilty pleasure!
Addendum: How could I forget Elephant by the White Stripes?
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
My brain hurts.
I've been tweaking things, trying to remember my rusty html junk. I guess I'll start letting people know this is up. Now that I've downloaded an FTP program, I guess I'll make some pages to go along with this, so that it's not just a boring old blog. I would like to get a comment thingie, too, but that's a little too advanced for me right now. I'm just happy I got going.
Right now I'm doing my old specialty: procrastinating. I love it. What I really should be doing is cleaning house. Although there's not that much left to do. Oh damn. I had meant to put in laundry. Maybe it will be a late night tonight. I'm going to see the Flaming Lips tomorrow. Victor's at the Dallas show tonight. They're so f'in good live. I've seen them a couple of times already. Can't wait to see them this time.
Kris is my friend from way back, and his was really the first blog I ever read. It was nice to keep up with his happenings in Chicago. We've both moved away from home and it's hard to keep touch. I guess reading his blog was what prompted me to think about starting my own.
Alright, alright. I'm going to go clean. Stop giving me those eyes.
I've been tweaking things, trying to remember my rusty html junk. I guess I'll start letting people know this is up. Now that I've downloaded an FTP program, I guess I'll make some pages to go along with this, so that it's not just a boring old blog. I would like to get a comment thingie, too, but that's a little too advanced for me right now. I'm just happy I got going.
Right now I'm doing my old specialty: procrastinating. I love it. What I really should be doing is cleaning house. Although there's not that much left to do. Oh damn. I had meant to put in laundry. Maybe it will be a late night tonight. I'm going to see the Flaming Lips tomorrow. Victor's at the Dallas show tonight. They're so f'in good live. I've seen them a couple of times already. Can't wait to see them this time.
Kris is my friend from way back, and his was really the first blog I ever read. It was nice to keep up with his happenings in Chicago. We've both moved away from home and it's hard to keep touch. I guess reading his blog was what prompted me to think about starting my own.
Alright, alright. I'm going to go clean. Stop giving me those eyes.
OK, I'm going to try to get some links up here. Let's test one.
Mine's vomit-free, but who knew?
So, I'm at work. I work for a huge megacorporation. It's very fulfilling and rewarding. I'm a drone at a desk.
I went to Waterloo Records, Austin's finest independent music store, last night at midnight to get the new Radiohead. I thought all of the hipsters and cool kids would be out, but really it was just music dorks like me. So far the album is good. I'll give it a few listens at work and then a good listen tonight. I'm cleaning house tonight because my parents are visiting this weekend. So is my boyfriend, Victor, who is working in Dallas this summer. Two good reasons to get my apartment in shape.
Let me just vent for a second. Landlords: why do you put nasty berber carpet in your apartments? Really, it's disgusting. Even new berber carpet looks like it's been vomited on. It's the main reason I hate my apartment... that and no storage.
Anyway, break over. Back to the slavery.
So, I'm at work. I work for a huge megacorporation. It's very fulfilling and rewarding. I'm a drone at a desk.
I went to Waterloo Records, Austin's finest independent music store, last night at midnight to get the new Radiohead. I thought all of the hipsters and cool kids would be out, but really it was just music dorks like me. So far the album is good. I'll give it a few listens at work and then a good listen tonight. I'm cleaning house tonight because my parents are visiting this weekend. So is my boyfriend, Victor, who is working in Dallas this summer. Two good reasons to get my apartment in shape.
Let me just vent for a second. Landlords: why do you put nasty berber carpet in your apartments? Really, it's disgusting. Even new berber carpet looks like it's been vomited on. It's the main reason I hate my apartment... that and no storage.
Anyway, break over. Back to the slavery.
Monday, June 09, 2003
It's...!
Hello, hello? I'm sure I have no audience yet. I'm slowly trying to establish some sort of web presence for myself. I used to have a web page, years ago, in college. Since then my html skills have gone down the toilet, and so I am resorting to using a publishing tool until I can figure out a better way to do this.
Why start a blog? I'm sure you've read all of the trite reasons to do so. I got addicted to reading other people's blogs, really. It's nice to know what old friends are up to. Sometimes you stumble across some really excellent writing. On the other hand, I like having a place to air my thoughts, and I've always been crap at maintaining a paper journal. So here goes. I'm hoping to get less lo-fi in the coming days and include some pictures, links, etc. But until then, enjoy the words.
Hello, hello? I'm sure I have no audience yet. I'm slowly trying to establish some sort of web presence for myself. I used to have a web page, years ago, in college. Since then my html skills have gone down the toilet, and so I am resorting to using a publishing tool until I can figure out a better way to do this.
Why start a blog? I'm sure you've read all of the trite reasons to do so. I got addicted to reading other people's blogs, really. It's nice to know what old friends are up to. Sometimes you stumble across some really excellent writing. On the other hand, I like having a place to air my thoughts, and I've always been crap at maintaining a paper journal. So here goes. I'm hoping to get less lo-fi in the coming days and include some pictures, links, etc. But until then, enjoy the words.
