echo’s blog

the general and i

nashville was interesting.  i got to meet a lot of the people i work with on a daily basis.  they were all very nice.  we got a lot done and i'm freaking out a lot less.  one week to go until italy.  today's events:

• went shopping with mom
• cleaned out my closet and filled 3 bags of stuff to get rid of
• finished laundry
• cleaned house

currently i'm relaxing and watching a movie i had a lot of doubt in.  either my expectations were so low anything would seem good or this is actually pretty good.

danny mcbride

 it's a lot like an american version of ricky gervais in an uncomfortable, documentary style kind of way.  it's awkwardly funny and sad at the same time.  that and my dole strawberry popsicle are making this a pretty good evening.  tomorrow i'm looking forward to checking out moon.  where is sam rockwell's oscar.  i've been a fan for a long time and i hope this is his year.

sam rockwell in moon

nashville skyline

tomorrow morning i'm headed to nashville for 4 days for work.  i've never been to nashville and i'm hoping i can see some of it while i'm there.  the hotel i'm staying in is right next to opryland which sounds like a fun place, haha.  when i get back i'm home for 8 days before kicking off to europe for 2 weeks.  i'll be cruising around italy to monaco, croatia, greece and montenegro with my family and i couldn't be more excited.  the day after i get back it's back to nashville for another week and then home.  i'm home for about 5 days and then it's back to the airport to head to des moines to help bart move.  whew!  i can do this, and it's going to be great.

the cruise

i'd consider today a good day.  i had a delicious brunch at one of my favorite restaurants with my wonderful family, i finished painting my living/bed room, i scrubbed my bathroom to a shine and i'm all done by 6:30PM.  i'm caught up on my bills and i have food in the fridge.  these things are all good.

father's day brunch

scout kitty

hurry deep ellum station, you cant get here soon enough.  september seemed a long way off but the way time has been flying by i now think it's right around the corner.

my new green line station

my new bike?

me and my best furry friend

dance with me

What Have You Done For Me Lately

Janet Jackson

so it's nearly 1AM and i'm on a conference call doing my vzw duty.  i got enough of the loft painted today where i can move furniture to it's proper place.  i moved a few things but then i realized it was 11 o'clock at night and moving furniture that late is a sign of a bad neighbor.  so i'm at a stand still right now just waiting to go to bed.  at the rate things are going currently who knows when i'll get off this call.  i think i'm going to skip painting the kitchen until bart gets here and can help.  i've just had enough and it's not too smart loading myself up with all these projects while work is so busy.  i'll finish the final wall this weekend but only if there's ample time for the pool.  i've going to dust off my coolers and go hang out in my courtyard for once.  no one is ever out by the pool and i need to change that.

i'm still living in complete chaos in my apartment.  everything is still in the middle of the room and i didn't really get as much painting done today as i would have liked.  i decided to stop around 8 because i had finished another can of paint and it seemed like a good stopping place.  i worked last night and was back in the office bright and early so i decided i was going to take it easy tonight anyways.  i'm going to visit my granny tomorrow after work so i won't be working on it tomorrow.  thursday should be the day i can actually start moving furniture back.

my place gets painted

for the last two days i've been totally rethinking the loft.  it started with the decision to bite the bullet and paint.  i invested in a ladder since i have 12' ceilings and borrowing one from the grounds keeper seems to be a lot like passing the LSAT.  with this ladder i'm painting the whole apartment, changing out two bulbs, replacing the battery in my smoke detector, changing my AC filter and getting rid of the dusty cobwebs that were previously too high to reach.  my windows are being replaced soon and since i'm having to move all of my furniture to paint i'm also scrubbing every last inch of everything.  note to self: ditch the swiffer mop because apparently it's worthless.  i got out my trust dr. bronners and a rag today and, to my dismay, discovered just how filthy my floors were.  ick!

05 Midnight

Yaz

this couldn't have been a better weekend to get an extra day.  i'm nearly well, scout is getting better and i finally feel like i have some time to myself withough being miserable sick.  i had a nice time with my mom today shopping and catching 'angels and demons' at the northpark amc.  now i'm throwing back a few julius echters and rocking out to yaz on vinyl.  it seems every few months i like to open my windows, light some candles, have a few drinks and have my own little yaz karaoke night.  it's one of those few odd things i like to do like dancing in my underwear with britney in my headphones or spending an hour botching some fancy recipe i found on the food network website.

new dresses today

recently pilled scout

my view as i post

Well it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything.  I just haven’t made time for it.  It seems like so much has happened.  I figure since I’ve got some time to kill I’ll check in with this here vox.  So, I’m head over heels in love with my ex boyfriend from high school.  We’ve tried this off and on a few times and it’s never seemed to stick.  The closest we got was about a year ago but it was too soon after the divorce for me to be comfortable getting close to anyone.  Now I don’t want anything more.  He’s moving back to dallas in august and I’m incredibly excited about it. 

The last month everything seems to have really fallen into place.  I’m happier and more content with my place in my life.  I’m not as down on myself and I stress a lot less.  The funny thing is this is without diet and exercise.  I’ve quit the yoga altogether and have eaten nothing but fast food.  I’ve got a terrible respiratory infection to show for it too.  There is some good news in the health department.  I’ve quit smoking, everything.  No more.  And after I shake this illness I’m back in the yoga studio and headed to the park.  Some days I wish I had a dog so there was an excuse to play outside.

The financial progress goes back and forth.  Some months I do really well and other times (like yesterday) I splurge and make excuses for why it’s okay.  Oh well, if I’m going to have this job and work these hours I deserve to go to ACL for my birthday this year.  So this weekend I have high hopes to get completely on track.  It’s been baby steps so far; a lot of stumbling for a little while and then falling down completely, then much whining on the vox.  Now I’m ready to ship up.  Not all of my bright ideas are following me.  The dressing up is getting sacked.  I’ve decided it just isn’t me and a more casual look suits my lifestyle.  I’m keeping the yoga and the diet changes.  Fresh fruits and vegetables really are the way to go.  Pinching pennies isn’t going to happen.  I’ve hashed out a reasonable budget that allows me to grocery shop at Central Market and make regular trips to Sephora while still putting away a decent amount into savings and debt.  This is what makes me happy.  If I die tomorrow my life insurance covers al of my debt, obligations and a basic cremation. 

All in all everything is just fine.  It seems I have managed to expel all of the toxic influences in my life and all I’m left with is love.  It’s great.

And now, the to do list:

• Grocery shopping
• Finish the painting or throw it away and start a new one that interests me more
• Study Japanese
• Spring cleaning of junk I have lying around that I don’t need and donate it
• House cleaning
• Outlet mall shopping for sundresses
• Mail package to Bart