A Car Milestone!!



As I was driving to work yesterday I realized that my car had exactly 100,000 miles on it!!! I did what any normal person would do and grab my camera phone and take a picture :) I can't believe that my little car has that many miles on it! I hope it will go another 100,000 miles but I'll be happy with another 50,000 miles!! Way to go little Jetta! :)

The Old Fart Tour

The Rolling Stones are going to be playing in Austin. I have absolutely no desire to see them play. I like some of their songs, but just not willing to pay $95 per ticket to sit outside for a concert. It is a general admission ticket so you don't know how close you can get and you might be sitting in the middle of dirt. Not all of Zilker is grass! After the 50 years they have been doing concerts, can't they afford to drop the price of their tickets??? I guess I'm just not willing to pay that type of money to see a bunch of weathered wrinkled men jumping around on stage :)

I think this picture is hilarious! It is a picture of Heath Ledger (Brokeback mountain) and Michelle Williams (also Brokeback, but mostly known from Dawson's Creek). I guess they were fed up with the photographers hounding them on their vacation.

Seriously, Nine Years?!?!?!?


Today is my ninth anniversary with Cingular. I can't believe I have been working there for NINE years! That is such a long time! That is about the same time that good students can finish high school and college! In that time I worked for GTE Wireless, Southwestern Bell Wireless and Cingular Wireless. Now it looks like we might be changing our name to AT&T Wireless (depending on what happens with the merger of Southwestern Bell (Cingular's parent company) and AT&T). I like my job and the challenges it presents (sounds like I'm on an interview, huh!!). If I could pick my perfect job it would have to be something with animals and photography. Maybe I'll travel to Africa and take pictures of the lions or I can travel to Alaska, sit on a boat and take pictures of the whales. Apparently I would like to incorporate travel in my perfect job as well :). I am curious to see if I'll be at Cingular (or whatever they may be called) in nine more years!

A Monday Pop Quiz: Does anybody know what is in this picture?

Well, it is a transmission (kudo's to you if you knew that!!!). Why do I have a picture of a transmission on my blog, you ask? Because we think Jim's transmission is dying in his truck. We were driving around on Saturday and he would press the gas, his engine would rev but we wouldn't move :0. It kept doing this the entire way home! What is with older cars breaking down? My mom and Courtney recently purchased new cars because their older cars were breaking down. Hopefully there will be good (and cheap) news once we finally get it to a mechanic. Jim can ride his bike to work so we have an alternative while we get the truck looked at. Wish us luck!

UPDATE!! Well the mechanic could not find any problems with the transmission. He said he drove it around and couldn't duplicate the problem. From what I have been told, the transmission isn't something you can just open up and look at and close. Once you open it you have to fix it or at least replace the parts that you opened. So I think we are going to trade in his truck and buy a new one. At least now his truck is working so we should get a fair trade in price.

Here kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty!

We had some excitement this afternoon. I let the dogs in the back yard without realizing the neighbors cat was hanging out in our yard. Well after lots of screaming at the dogs and chasing them around trying to get them to stop chasing the cat, the cat ended up in our big tree.

Here is a picture to show how far up the cat was in the tree. The cat is hard to see, but he is white and almost at the top if this picture.


We let the cat stay up there for about 4-5 hours to see if he would come down, but he was still up there and panting (it was 100 degrees today). So Jim climbed on our ladder with the hope of coaxing the cat down. We didn't have a lot of luck, so we decided to wait a bit longer.


This picture is deceiving. The cat is probably 6 feet away from Jim. (see the picture above).

A little later in the afternoon.......

So I'm in the kitchen when I see this (the picture above) and of course I grab the camera then go outside to ask why he thinks he is superman. I love his intentions of saving the cat, but this situation just got a little unsafe for Jim. I finally convinced him to wait and let the cat come down on it's own.


I'll keep you posted on the kitty situation!


KITTY UPDATE! Well, the kitty found his way home! We checked this morning, and we couldn't see him in the tree so we hope that he got down okay! Thank God Jim isn't going to attempt to climb the tree to rescue the cat!!!

UT Tower


Jim and I went on the UT tower tour. I have wanted to go for years but never got around to going. We were lucky and got the last two spots on the 8pm tour. I wanted to go later in hopes of seeing a great sunset and to see Austin at night. We missed the sunset but was able to see Austin at night. We learned some interesting facts like the tower is 307 feet tall and it took five years to build (1932-1937). Originally it was the library but the students didn't actually get to go into the tower, they would write down their book requests, give it to a worker, and they would go and get the book for them. There are still book depository doors in the building. The tower was closed for almost thirty years after Charles Whitman went on a shooting spree in 1966. We had a good time!!!

Some fun Friday facts


Some 42 percent of adults say they see or talk with a parent (usually mom) every single day, compared to just 32 percent of adults in 1989. This rise in daily communication between adult children and their parents is a byproduct of a modern communication revolution that has made phoning less expensive and more convenient, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. Back in 1989, when long distance telephone calls were more costly and cell phones were exotic devices, just 8 percent of adults maintained daily contact with a parent or parents who lived in a different town, compared to 22 percent today.


A woman uses about 20,000 words per day; a man uses about 7,000.


The two-piece suit was officially named the bikini in July 1946 by French automotive engineer Louis Reard, who named the design after Bikini Atoll, where the U.S. tested an atomic bomb, because he thought the excitement over it would be like an explosion.

Wearing headphones for an hour increases the bacteria in your ear 700 times.

I totally won some brownie points!

Not that I really need any with the husband, but I gained quite a few brownie points today. Before I go any further I guess I should explain what a brownie point is. Brownie points is a term I learned from my mama, and they mean that I did something good for somebody kind of like brown nosing. So if you give a gift out of the blue or do something really cool like offering to baby sit on a Friday night, you will win brownie points.

So today I had to take my dad to the doctor in Temple. I had some downtime while he was at the doctor so I drove up to Waco to get Taco Bueno (kind of like Taco Bell) for Jim. Jim LOVES Taco Bueno and is very sad that the store in Georgetown closed. He used to work there with some friends and every once in awhile late at night after drinking they will have long conversations on how much they miss Taco Bueno and the pro’s and con’s to all of the items on the menu. Jim likes Taco Bueno as much as I like Macayo’s and Some Burros. I bought 5 different items from the menu because I wasn’t sure what he would want and I didn’t want to call and ruin the surprise. He was SOOOOO happy when he got home and found out what we were having for dinner! :)

My Monday Surprise!!!!!

When I came home on Monday I had a package waiting for me!!! I wasn't expecting anything so I wasn't sure what it was. I noticed the initials on the return label and knew immediately that I would love whatever it was on the inside. And I was sooooo right!! See the pictures below....

They are magnets to show you the different (dirty) ways to say "Have a Nice Day". They have the throat slit, the finger, the hand, fini, the wank, the up yours hand signal, and the thoughtful crotch grab :). They are a great addition to my refrigerator!! Thank you Mama!!!!!

~*~*~*Goofy Mutts~*~*~*

Chewie is all pooped out after spending the afternoon chasing the Frisbee.

Taylor is checking in with mommy before she makes sure the yard is secure and no squirrels are running around :)

My Homework!!!

I have had homework assignments each week for my photography class. The first week I was supposed to take pictures using different angles of one subject. I took these pictures....

I was lucky to have my camera near me while Chewie was laying like this! My teacher loved my pictures, but it is hard is dislike pictures of my pooh-pah!!!

For my second week, our homework was to take a picture of a landscape either at sunrise or sunset. Well, I waited until the last damn minute to take the picture of a sunset on Tuesday night (class is on Weds) and I couldn't get a good picture. There are way to many hills in Austin, and the sun set behind a hill before I could find a good place to take a picture. That meant that I was getting up early the next morning. I woke up at an un-godly hour, climbed a little hill, and waited for the sun to rise. Just my luck, it was overcast and the clouds totally hid the sun rise. I guess I deserved it for waiting until the last minute. I don't have any of those pictures handy, but I'll post some later.

For my third week, our assignment was to take a picture at night. I was very excited about this assignment and couldn't wait to take pictures! I have a couple of idea's of places to take pictures (downtown) but I decided to go to an overpass over Mopac. Here are two pictures that I took.....

I keep the shutter open for 4 seconds in these pictures. That is why the cars look like red and white lines! I also took some pictures of stained glass at a church, but the pictures didn't turn out. I don't think there was enough light to show the colors of the stained glass. I can't wait to get downtown to take some night photos!!!

Stay tuned for more photography homework!

Thumbs up/Thumbs down


We decided to go to Z Tejas for dinner on Saturday. I usually order the same dish every time I go, the cajun crab stuffed chicken. It is so yummy and fantastic. Well, I was going to change things up and order something different but noticed that my cajun chicken wasn’t on the menu. I asked the waitress about it and she said it was now considered a special and that after this weekend they wouldn’t be offering it any more. CRAP! Double CRAP! This totally sucks ass! I really enjoyed this dish and I haven’t seen anything like it in any other restaurant. I ordered my last cajun chicken and enjoyed every last bite! Maybe I’ll have to protest by refusing to eat at Z Tejas! :)




On a brighter note, we finally went to see Pirates of the Caribbean. It was just as good as I had hoped! Jim liked the first one better, but I liked each of them equally! I am interested to see what the third movie will be like!

They're hhhhheeeeeeeerrrrrreeeeeee!

Our tickets for the Eagles/Texans football game finally arrived! The game is still 5 weeks away but I can't wait!!! We'll be going to the game with my uncle, his friends, Tomhave and Lindsey. The tickets are in the nosebleed section but it was the best we could do (we needed 7 seats together)! It is the first game of the season, when every fan has hope their team will make it to the Super Bowl :) Eagles will hopefully beat the shit out of the Texans!

GO BIRDS !!!!!

I soaked it up like a sponge….

I had the excellent opportunity to watch Rachel work with a professional photographer today. She had her pictures taken at Andrew Sterling’s studio (http://www.sterlingimagesonline.com/). Rachel wasn’t sure if he would be okay with bringing a friend so she told him that I was the hair and makeup person. He he he! Well, while Rachel was in the restroom changing and getting ready he started to ask me how long I have been doing hair and make up just to make small talk. Well, I confessed that I was there more for moral support than hair and make up. But I still had to go with my new title and “fluff” her hair every once in awhile. :) I learned a lot about different types of lighting and poses just by watching him work. I must have asked too many questions about photography because he asked if I took pictures. I just said that I was a casual photographer who was looking for more. I didn't want to take anything away from Rachel's shoot so I held back my questions! He was such a nice guy and explained why he took pictures the way he did as well as gave me his background. He has no formal training, but did work with a photographer for years to learn. His work is fantastic and I have no doubt that Rachel’s pictures will be fantastic. If anything, I learned today that photography is in my future and I can’t wait to learn more and become a better photographer!!!!!

May I take your order?



How do you like your eggs? Scrambled with onions
How do you take your coffee/tea: coffee- a lot of sugar (splenda if it is available) and lots of cream.
Favorite breakfast foods: Crispy hash browns, migas
Peanut butter: smooth or crunchy? Crunchy
What kind of dressing on your salad? low fat Ranch on most days, but blue cheese is yummy
Coke or Pepsi? Diet Cherry Coke
You're feeling lazy. What do you make? Pasta with butter, garlic powder and parmesan cheese.
You're feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order? Anything but sausage and mushrooms
You feel like cooking. What do you make? So many things, anything like lasagna, stuffed poblano peppers, fish
foods bring back good memories? Shredded beef chimichanga from Some Burros or Maycos in Tempe!!! I WISH I could find one in Austin!!!!!
any foods remind you of someone? Cucumber and onion salad reminds me of my grandmother, and chicken croquettes remind me of my mom
is there a food you refuse to eat? Haggis, foie gras, anything to do with a liver, brain, or tongue
What was your favorite food as a child???? Not sure but I think pizza
there a food that you hated as a child but now love? Most vegetables like asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes, artichokes. And some sushi.
Is there a food that you loved as a child but now hate? I wouldn’t say I loved them but hot dogs
Favorite fruit or vegetable: raspberries and peaches
Favorite junk food: cheetos
Favorite between meal snack: soft pretzel
Do you have any weird food habits: I put onions on just about anything.
You're on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on? Salad.
You're off your diet. Now what would you like? Hamburger with cheese, a touch of blue cheese dressing and lots of crispy french fries with ranch to dip them in.
How spicy do you order Indian/Thai, etc? Medium hot
Can I get you a drink? This changes often, but currently it is a vodka and cranberry with a twist of lime
Red wine or white? White, but I am beginning to like more reds like Shiraz
We only have beer: not picky,,, how about a Pacifico with a lemon
Favorite dessert? Freshly cooked chocolate chip cookie over good vanilla ice cream
The perfect nightcap? Coffee with Baileys

Saturday night at Speakeasy


After our long day of taking pictures, a bunch of us met up for dinner at Nuevo Leon and then went for some drinks at Speakeasy! We found some comfy seats on the upstairs patio under some fans that were spraying a mist. It was a nice way to end the day!

Are you freakin kidding me??


Since I work at the mall I do my best to park far away from other people going to the mall to shop. I park at the end of the parking lot with the hopes that most people will stay away and not ding my car. Well, today my moron magnet must have been on full strength. As I walked up to my car I realized that the car in front of me was way to close. This god damn car was actually touching the front of my car. I mean, if you are going to hit somebody's car (no matter how soft) wouldn't you back your car up (or leave the space entirely) so that it isn't apparent that you hit the other car. Well, this shithead wasn't that smart. Here are the pictures (I took them with my cell phone, so not the best quality)






As you can see, this car was over their line about 3-4 feet. I have no idea if my car was pushed back or not, but I don't remember being that far back in my spot. Luckily, I didn't notice any damage to my car. I waited around for a few minutes with the hope of yelling at the owner, but nobody came out. I didn't recognize the car as another mall employee's so it must have been a customers. Whoever the driver was, they were like 3 feet tall. The drivers seat was so damn close to the steering wheel. When I came back from lunch the car was gone >:0. There are days I really hate people.

My very first official photoshoot!!!!

On Saturday, Rachel and I went out to Krause Springs and to downtown to take pictures. We had a complete blast! Rachel came prepared and ready!!! She converted her back seat into a closet so she would have lots of options while we were taking pictures. We took pictures in the butterfly garden, down in the forest at Krause Springs, then headed towards the Warehouse district. Rachel was fabulously to work with!! She knew how to pose for the camera and did everything I asked of her! She was even ready to sit near poison ivy on a rock when I asked her to. I had no idea there was poison ivy there and told her she was crazy and to step away from the rock :) I hope Rachel remembers the little people once she is a famous model and actress!!! :)