echo’s blog

last weekend

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:08:18 -0600

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fall

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:23:10 -0500

fall had quite the entrance this year. one day it was suddenly crisp. so suddenly in fact some friends had been at the pool just the day before. then the rain cloud descended and stuck around for weeks. it's still not entirely clear and sunny though today gave a good effort. the lack of sun took such a toll on my that i decided to give myself an extra day this weekend to sleep in. i'm hoping this weekend is full of shenanigans. i'm planning to hit the fair twice, catch a "funk show", see some of the texas/ou game or some colorful fans and maybe if i'm feeling generous help a friend move.

the fair has been a lot of fun this year. and i've even been on a few rides which was unexpected but a total blast. the corny dogs and fried everything has taken a toll causing me to sign up at the gym at work. i will soon be the hotness, watch out. it feels like a friday so i'm extremely pleased it's only a thursday. and that means project runway day!

R.I.P. blackberry storm. i switched back to my plain old flip phone and sold off the fancy phone. i did get some good pictures out of it before i sent it away for more money to spend at the fair.

ferris wheel

the midway

kiosk

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ACL '09

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:20:53 -0500

soaked during dave matthews

blurry pearl jam

my ACL roster (in this order):

coheed & cambria
bassnectar
thievery corperation
citizen cope
mos def
dave matthews band
rodriguez
b52s
heartless bastards
toadies
passion pit
the dead weather
pearl jam

the most surprising shows were passion pit and pearl jam. i didn't expect to like passion pit as much as i did. i heard "sleepyhead" (and blogged about it before) but didn't take them seriously or take the time to check out any other songs. the show was energetic and fun and i've downloaded the rest of the album and am liking it quite a bit. however the big shocker was pearl jam. even though i was obsessed with "ten", like every other middle schooler on earth when it came out, i fell out of love with them in high school. the albums just stopped having the same effect on me as they once did. i wasn't all that pumped until the beastie boys canceled. since nothing else big was going on i thought "this should be really fun." well, immediately i was reminded why pearl jam was so big and how they had filled arenas with rock for about 2 decades already. wow. i mean... wow. that was just damn impressive. if given another opportunity to see them i will certainly take it.

so i'm back at home in dallas, missing austin like crazy. i have to find something else to look forward to... paying down debt? turning 30? new years? how about another trip to the fair. that always raises my spirits.

Passion pit - manners - 04 - the reeling

Passion Pit

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friday night in

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:51:04 -0500

it's friday night and i'm sitting in bed drinking water and catching up on my google reader. exciting! i love it. i'm going to bed early tonight so that i can rise in the morning and greet the painters who are coming over to finish my kitchen. i started it and then realised i couldn't reach above the cabinets. whoops. so while they're doing that i'll be cleaning out my entire closet and making a pile of items that will be leaving my home. i started reading up on minimalism and zen in an attempt to solve the most serious issue in my life. i truly believe that simplifying, slowing down and being present in the moment is the answer. i won't solve all of my problems obviously, but it will help me focus on being genuinely happy.

so the drinking is being dramatically reduced and the physical activity significantly increased. no romantic involvement (which should be easy considering i'm not interested in anyone within a thousand miles of here) and daily meditation. i must remember that meditation is supposed to be hard.

in other, more fun news i finally got my camera cable back (bart ran off with it when he left) and was able to get the britney pictures off. i was quite impressed again with the quality of my camera, especially in the video department.

it's britney bitch

it was a great time and i actually wished i had paid the extra cash for better seats. it would have been worth it. in learning from this mistake i've sprung for excellent seats at eddie izzard. it's not until january but i'm very excited. josh said he would take my extra ACL tickets so that should help a great deal. i really need the cash so i really hope he follows through on this one. selling those tickets almost completely pays for the kitchen being painted. and since i'm staying with friends i shouldn't be going too broke that weekend. it IS my birthday so perhaps i can score a few free drinks as well. i bought myself a wii fit as a gift (well... in addition to the ACL tickets).

tomorrow i'm hoping to wrap up all of the improvements/decorating tasks around the loft. i wish i'd taken more before pictures. this place looks 10x better than it did 6 months ago. new furniture layout, paint, bed sheets, art to name a few. tomorrow's task list will go something like this:

replace nasty plastic switch plates in kitchen with new nickel plated ones
hang shelf above bed (pending i find someone to help)
round up all of the unnecessary items (and hopefully get rid of them as well)
finish rothko inspired art for bathroom
frame and hang 50's ads in kitchen

after this i will reward myself with a movie or a show. datarock is tomorrow night. maybe the fair? whatever i do i'm going to try to stay off the facebook. i'm way to addicted to that thing.

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a tuesday

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:01:52 -0500

scout is cute

well today it's 64 degrees and i love it. i am planning to switch out all of the clothes in my closet from summer to winter when i get home and i'm super excited about it. mostly so i can start throwing outfits into bags that i've never worn or never will again. i need some cash if i'm seriously going to relocate next summer. keeping the relocation in mind is helping me eliminate purchases i don't really need to make. i was thinking about buying a bed frame, but that would just be one more thing to move. i've started eyeing items around the apartment that i don't need or use. the only thing preventing me from ditching them now is that i don't want to give them away. i see a garage sale in my future. probably in the distant future (next spring?) but definately there. i can probably talk my parents into letting me use their house, especially if i help thin out their garage.

it's the first day it's been "not hot outside" so i'm having a tough time focusing on work. i chipped away at some training online, working on that CCNA certification that would really help me score a new job if i have to leave the vzw. i REALLY hope i don't have to but only time will tell. i think the change in the weather has had a definate positive impact on my mood. not sure why but it has. i feel genuinely hopeful for the first time in months. i just have to make it through 1 more hour of work before i can go home, nap and work on my closet while i wait for "The Maintenance Window." only two more nights left to work before i get back to a normal sleep schedule. that will be nice.

the to do list:

dig out winter clothes and put away white shoes
go pick up that duvet cover before they stop carrying it it was on sale!
wash the blinds in the living room
oil change for the car
clean the car
hang the shelf in the bathroom and bedroom
grocery shopping

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lazy sunday

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:34:22 -0500

today was the perfect rainy day. i painted my backsplash, watched the cowboy game, ordered some pizza, did some laundry but have still spent most of the day laying around. pretty good day. i had a conversation with a really close friend yesterday about letting go of the past. it's very hard for me to do but i can see that it would change my life dramatically if i did. once i forgive myself for all of my mistakes and stop hating i think i can truly move forward. next step, get out of dallas. i've decided this place is emotionally toxic. i've wanted to leave since i got here at 8 years old. it's time to go, but where? maybe...

chicago
portland
austin
charleston
philadelphia

who knows. hopefully i can get on the road next summer. i'm shooting for july. wish me luck.

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tuesday

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:32:28 -0500

well today was a little rough. i've been pretty bummed all weekend but i finally cried about it on the way to work this morning. i knew it would be this way and i know i have to stick to it. it was an important decision that needed to be made and i know i made the right decision. it just hurts. so to keep myself busy i made a t-shirt quilt, finished the lamp and read blogs on google reader for hours. today it's sushi and shiner followed by a nap. later in the week possibly paint the bathroom? we shall see.

the fruit of my labor:

my quilt

the lamp

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sunday

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:33:17 -0500

tshirt quilt

so far my labor day weekend has been extremely interesting. lots has happened and it's only sunday. i still have another whole day to see what else happens. i have a few craft projects going and will be getting paint samples for the kitchen and bathroom. i started a tshirt quit and so far i think it's turning out pretty nice. i also have to finish my lamp. well... i haven't started it yet. i have most of the supplies i need but should pick up some spray paint today.

lamp before

grocery shopping is also on the list. so... i'm at one of those turning points this weekend. how i come out on tuesday may dictate the next 5 years of my life. i'm just letting things fall into place (don't stress) and trying to stay busy (finish all that stuff i keep saying i'm going to do). i know things are going to turn out fine. i'll get this all figured out eventually. fall is coming, that's good.

bathroom before

Here's Your Future

The Thermals

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labor day weekend

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:46:16 -0500

labor day weekend = 3 days off... in a row.

i have a to do list. SURPRISE!

finish the lamp
grill some meat and eat it
deep clean the apartment
prep the kitchen for painting
organize the closet

before and after pictures to come.

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my horrible life

nobody@vox.com(liz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:50:36 -0500

i seem to be focusing on a lot of negative things right now. work seems to be consuming my life and i think it's important to take a moment to review some of the good/exciting things that have happened recently in an attempt to pull me out of my funk. for example:

figure one

this was the first of three courses served to me in international business class on my way home from VENICE! did i mention business class? venice? how about that the trip was a gift from my extremely generous grandmother? yea... sucks to be me.

figure two

the DART rail is prepping itself right now to whisk me away to the fair and central market and mockingbird station where i never have to worry about parking again. did i mention it's right out my front door? SO inconvenient.

my huge/insane/crazy/heavy/nutty/unbearable workload should slow down next month. i'm on a call right now wrapping up one of the huge projects i worked on where i did a pretty good job. i'm proud of me. and it's over.

britney's circus tour

i have tickets on my fridge right now to see britney spears. and guess what, i can take the rail there and avoid the high priced AA center parking. cocktails? yes please.

i'm slowly and easily drifting in to my new vegetarian ways. i'm learning to cook all kinds of new things and it's really fun. i doubt i will ever give up sushi and i may help myself to some chicken or pork occasionally, but who cares. my diet is 4x better today than it was 3 months ago.

even though i'm half assing my meditation practice i can already tell a difference. it's no where near as beneficial as it could be if i did it correctly and with regularity. but i'm not beating myself up over it. what's the point in that?

i'm broke, but it's forced me to create a budget. i finally found a free online budgeting tool that does what i need it to. i'm saving for several awesome things including this bed set i found on my favorite design website. i'm so far up west elm's tukus that i recognized it immediately. it will be mine in a month or 2. maybe for my birthday.

my soon to be new bed set

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