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March 31, 2005
Going to the Heart of Texas
So my friend Janet at work, and I have a plan for a road trip to Fort Worth. Since my first trip to Texas, last year in May my step-dad Bill has been telling me about this place in the meat district called "Billy Bob's". This is his favorite place to go in Dallas, and is the inspiration for his own restaurant "Billy D's" someday :-) Anyway, Janet and I are going to take a road trip to Fort Worth to Billy Bob's! I'm so excited! I can't wait. They have LIVE bull riding rodeos. And concerts every weekend! I'm PUMPED :-) Wahooo!
Posted by beth at 11:54 AM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2005
Austin Assimilation
I suppose I have officially assimilated to Austin...I just received this e-mail from a co-worker today, and as I was reading it, I understood each comment, and laughed out loud at almost every single one of them, because they are so true :-)
Rules for Living in Austin
1. First, it's pronounced AWS-TUN. It doesn't matter how they say it
in other places.
2. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Austin has it's
own set of traffic rules. There's no book about them. All you can do
is get in your car and hope you survive to learn them.
3. All directions start with " Go down Mopac...'cause you don't want
to get on 35."
4. Burnet, Braker, and Lamar have no beginning and no end.
5. It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the same
street that you started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls this a "scenic drive"
6. The 8:00 am rush hour is from 6:30am to 9:30am. The 5:00pm rush
hour is from 3:30pm to 7:15pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday
morning.
7. If you actually stop at a yellow light, then you cannot be from
Austin. You may only apply your brakes when the end of a yellow light
and the beginning of the red light create a "burnt-orange" hue
8. If you like being an individual, don't even think of working for
Dell. You'll be branded like a cattle and made to walk all over town
with your "Dell tag" around your neck or clipped on to your belt loop.
98% of the people within a 200 mile radius work for Dell. When someone
says "Michael Dell", Dell employees are trained to face Round Rock,
hit their knees, put their face to the ground, weep, and rock back and forth.
9. Just remember that Mopac IS Loop 1; Capital of Texas Hwy IS 360;
and 183 IS Research, Anderson, Ed Bluestein, and Old Bastrop Hwy; 2222
IS Northland or Allendale or Koenig. Don't try to figure it out. Just accept it. If you question the intelligence behind this naming convention, people will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you.
10. If moisture is determined to be rain, not sweat, all traffic must
immediately cease. Ditto for daylight savings time, girl applying
eye-shadow across the street, or a flat tire 3 lanes over. Do not
attempt to access any road after an apocalyptic event like snow or
South X Southwest.
11. Construction on I-35 is a way of life, and a permanent form of
entertainment. Get used to it!
12. Keep in mind that the sloppily dressed "hippie" in sandals and
earrings is probably the latest IPO millionaire around here.
13. Stay away from the Congress bridge at sundown if you do not like
the thought of being in an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
14. And, yes, we all know that's a man in a teddy and a tiara on
Congress. It's Leslie, and he probably makes more money than you do.
Posted by beth at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2005
Hanging Out on a Monday Morning
Hi! Well I'm here, 7:20AM just hanging out...On Friday, I took my floating holiday and brought my car into the Honda Dealership so they could fix my breakpads. Unfortunately, when they were taking off the bolts, one of them broke due to the rust under my car. So they had to get new calipers for my breaks, but they had to come from the South Austin location. By 11:30, the part wasn't there yet, so they shuttled me to the airport, and now here I am Monday with no car, and their shuttle can't come get me until probably 9AM. So I'm just hanging out.
I had a nice weekend with Seymen. Poor guy was sick all weekend. He had a bad sore throat and was just tired. So we spent all day Saturday sleeping and playing video games. Saturday night, we went out to the grocery store and bought him some "Throat Coat" tea, which seemed to help him a bit. Sunday morning at 4:30AM, I woke up and Seymen drove me to the airport. By 11AM Texas time, I was home. I spent the rest of the day sleeping and watching TV.
Nothing really that new going on over here. I have a second interview today, and I have a job offer as well. I have until April 1st to make a decision. I also found a roommate, John--a male model from London, who will come at the end of April to take over my apartment lease.
So, I just called into work and had my morning discussion with Steph. Everyday we get in and have a chat about fun stuff, and then get to work. SInce I'm going in late today, we had our chat over the phone :-) It was nice and now I'm sad because I'm stuck at home instead of with her and Janet at work. :-) But not that sad, because I'm about to turn on the TV and watch some Nanny and Golden Girls :-)
Posted by beth at 08:18 AM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2005
Luck back with a Vengance!
Well I guess my luck is even better today...as the day goes on, it just keeps getting better and better! I got a job offer today! So that's very positive! I have until April 1st to decide. Yipppeee! Rochester--Here I come!!
Posted by beth at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)
My luck is back!
Well I guess my luck is back! Or never went away in the first place! I went to lunch with my co-workers, and my boss Kristina was talking to me about trying priceline for tickets to see if I could go home...I guess everyone felt bad for me because I've been tearing up all morning...anyway, when we got back from lunch, I gave it a try and priceline gave me an awesome fare for the weekend...I saved 66% on my ticket! Anyway, so I guess I'm going home this weekend...and then again next weekend! Yipppeeee :-) I'm happy now.
Posted by beth at 01:47 PM | Comments (0)
Luck Runs Out
I guess my luck of the week ran out today...Seymen's so sick, he can't get out of bed...so we are canceling his visit to Texas. :-( I'm definitely bummed...but as long as he's well and rested for his birthday, it's all good :-) Looks like another fun weekend of alone time.
Posted by beth at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2005
Great Day!
Well, today was a good day! I think I finally found a roommate to take over my apartment lease. Phewwww! That's a relief off my shoulders. Anyway, today has been an excellent day. This week just gets better as the days go by...Seymen will be here SOOOON! I can't wait. Unfortunately, he thinks he's getting sick, and I have a bad feeling that I am getting sick as well. Sickos unite--This Thursday at Midnight Texas time :-)
Anyway...Here's more pics of my baby niece Lucy. My mom sent a few more pics from her week out there. Supposedly, when I go home the weekend after this one, I'll get to see the whole Lucy-Shabang! ;-)
Posted by beth at 11:47 PM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2005
Excellent Weekend!
This weekend was so busy! I have completely worn myself out. Anyway, Friday I did my chores. I went grocery shopping, got gas, exchanged my blockbuster movies, and made lasagna. Saturday morning, I woke up at 7am (god help me, I can't sleep in anymore) and met with my friend and her sister to paint a mural in the bedroom of a little boy! It was so cute, and they did an excellent job painting. (I am not going to put myself in that category because I am definintely not a talented painter ;-)
Afterwards, I ditched out around 1:30pm so I could go home and change my clothes for Turkish class. When I got arrived at Turkish class, I had to inform my teacher that I moving home, so I will have to quit my lessons at the end of April :-(((( I am not reconsidering my decision to move home because I don't want to leave my Turkish classes, or my teacher. He is seriously the best teacher I've ever had, and just so funny. Tracy and I are always laughing in class. This week, he's convinced that he shouldn't correct us anymore, if we do say something incorrectly. He thinks he is bringing our confidence level down :-). Anyway, he told Ozan about his plan to not correct us anymore too :-) After class, Tracy, Ozan, Izel and I went to Houstons for dinner! Yummy! It was delicious :-) and fun to spend some time with them outside of Turkish class. Ozan is starting a new job at Dell TODAY! So we were talking about that, and their trip to London and Amsterdam.
OK, and for the BEST part of my weekend! On Saturday Merrick and I went to SEA WORLD in San Antonio! It was soooo fun!! We went to a bunch of shows, and on rides (well Ride for me, and rides for him--because I was being a chicken). But it was a beautiful day! 82 degrees and sunny! We walked all around and then I headed back to Austin in "Spring Break is over Traffic".
So what's even better is that Seymen will be here on Thursday night. I can't wait. I'm so excited. It will be exactly two months since I've seen him last, when I finally do see him on Thursday. It's been so longggg! I hope recogonize him ;-)))
Posted by beth at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2005
Sad Night :-(
I had a sad night tonight. It all started when I arrived home after work...Seymen wasn't answering his phone, and wasn't online. Well come to found out that he had worked all day and all night last night until 1PM this afternoon. Anyway, he went home to bed...so I haven't talked to him all day. :-((( (this is the first time since I've moved here that we haven't talked --except when he was in Turkey before I went...but that doesn't count ;-)
Anyway, I was sad...so I went to my room planning on reading a book and watch TV...after a while I went to the store to get my medicine and some supplies for my apartment. Anyway, when I came home I decided to make some frozen peas for dinner. So I had to empty the dishwasher. I took one of my mugs out and was drying it off, when it slipped out of my hand and crashed to the floor :-(((( I was so upset. I seriously almost cried :-(( They are the cutest mugs/plates/bowl set that I've ever had, and I keep breaking stuff!! :-((( Two weeks ago I broke a regular glass, and about a month a go I broke a wine glass... :-((( I don't know why I'm feeling so attached to my dinnerware tonight. But I'm deeply upset :-( I mean some of these bowls/plates/mugs made it all the way back to Texas via Fed-Ex during Christmas with no breakage!
But anyway, I suppose I have to get over it. It was only the handle that broke off so I made it into a candy dish with the broken handle facing the wall :-) I think the moral of this little story here is that I'm sad and lonely tonight and I miss Seymen. And my sister. Chrissy just called. Everytime we talk she tells me to come home. I want to go home so bad. But only 9 more days until I see Seymen and 17 days until I see Chrissy.
OK...well I'm off to bed now. My bedtime has been getting earlier and earlier...Last night it was 10pm...the night before it was 9:30. I have stretched my time tonight enough so that 9pm is good enough to sleep...Goodnight. :-((((
Posted by beth at 09:20 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2005
Update on Life in Austin
Hi! It's been a while since I've done a day-to-day post. In my personal life, things have been quite chaotic. This past weekend was absolutely beautiful! It was in the 80s and just sunny as all heck. After 6 straight weekends of rain it was an EXECELLENT break! I am looking at the calendar now, and realize that I have actually survived the huge stretch of time since I returned from Turkey with no visitors and no trips! I'm quite happy that the stretch is almost over. Seymen is coming to visit me in 10 days! Which is a HUGEEEEEEEE relief, because I thought I might die of missing him.
Anyway, after a few rough weekends, I've been making an effort to keep busy. This past Friday, Jennifer and I took a walk around the apartment community and ended up at the happy hour. We grabbed a glass of free iced tea and lemonade from the main office (where I was so excited about free lemonade anytime--that I spilled my first cup on the floor!) and we then moseyed on out to the pool where they had a live band, food, and free drinks. Saturday, I had the training at the Literacy Council of Williamson County for teaching ESL. I met 6 ladies there, and spent the day from 9am-3:30pm training for the tutoring job. Now, all I have to do is complete an observation and I will be "certified" to tutor. The best part about it is that if I decide to move anywhere else in the U.S., I can find a literacy council there and volunteer. Sunday, I met with Janet -- my new friend at work (she's a temp that took Erin's position, starting the day I came back to work, from my Turkey vacation)...Anyway we met and went to the Oasis, which is this restaurant about 20mins from my apartment. It overlooks Lake Austin (I think...I read the map when I was there, but now I'm second guessing myself and it might be Lake Travis)...either way, we had a nice relaxing lunch on the deck, and then moved down to the bar deck where we sat in the sun having drinks. Actually, Janet had two shots and I had water because I was driving and I forgot my tums...but I wanted a free shot glass too, she so sacrificed herself and had 2. We spent a good 3 hours there, just hanging out and dreading the fact that we had to go back to work the next morning. That night, I was noticing in the mirror, in typical Beth fashion, I had sunburn on my face. But only my left check and the left side of my nose. The other side of my face is still butt white :-) Thank god for makeup on Monday morning ;-)
Tonight I came home, and for the first time in 3 months, Jennifer is not having morning sickness (Did I mention that she's PREGNANT?!?!?!)! So I went over for dinner. Both she and Li-Wei were in rare form. Li-Wei was getting all excited because they were going to meet a guy about buying some furniture, and had a whole plan for bargaining and "slashing prices" :-) They just signed a contract on a house to rent, so they will be moving 2 exits north of the Riata. (Close by to here, because Jennifer and Li-Wei didn't want to move too far away from me, so I'd be all alone! Isn't that just the sweetest??!) Anyway, they are moving in one week. And Jennifer's mom is coming to visit from Taiwan TOMORROW!! for a full month! They are very excited.
At work today, I had a pretty productive day. I completed 5 new training posters for the training rooms. Somehow word got out that I know Photoshop, so in addition to all my projects, I've been assigned a bunch of "creative" projects. Anyway, those have been on hold for a few months due the Online Banking project and HELOC project. But today I was in a creative frame of mind, so I cranked a bunch out. I also changed my CD for the first time in 7 months...This one is much more upbeat. (I had been listening to Alison Krause and Union Station for 7 months and never had the urge to change the CD. Considering my already slightly depressed state, it was not a good combination). Anyway, my current music is so upbeat, and reminds me of college, that I find myself singing and dancing in my chair. Stephanie keeps laughing at me because she can see me in her "rear view mirror" and watches me dance and sing to myself :-)
Today, Jeff came in with a special surprise present for me :-) The funny joke around our team is that in my interview for the job (back in July) they asked me what my hobbies are. I told them reading...then they asked what I read? And those of you who know really know me, know I can't lie so why even bother--well I told them that I read romance novels (Yes, I could have said Fiction--but of course I didn't think of that until after the call)...anyway, Jeff has a memory of steel and always rags on me because of my "smutt novels"...This weekend at the library they had a used book sale...and he found the perfect romance novel for me...so he bought it and gave it to me at work today. It is called "Slow Dance". On the cover is some cheesy guy dancing with a cheesy girl who is holding some silver dancing shoes :-) Of course tonight I'm definitely going to read it :-) But everyone had a big laugh over that one. I was slightly surprised with the mildness of this "joke"...Stephanie and I have been getting more vicious with our jokes :-) Last week, we sent Jeff a revenge prank (taped some paper over his mouse) from the "Girls". Janet, Steph, and I are the "Girls". We were on a mission to get revenge for Jeff placing a huge tree on Steph's chair during lunch, and taking my cardboard box wall of privacy down...Anyway, our prank was quite successful...He knew something was going on because we kept peeking over at him waiting for him to boot up in the AM. After pulling his computer out to check the connection, he realized what we had done. It was classic.
So...that's the stuff that's getting me through the days and weekends until I see Seymen again. I IMed with a friend of mine and Seymens' from college this weekend. He is living in San Antonio. We decided that next weekend on Sunday, I'm going to drive down there for the day and go to Sea World together. His apartment is right next to sea world, and he can see the roller coasters from his place! Saturday will also be a busy day because I'm supposed to go do a mural painting job with my friend Elizabeth, afterwards is Turkish class, and then Shelly's birthday party. Seymen comes the next Thursday night...The weekend after that, I'm flying back home to Rochester for his 25th b-day!
So anyway, I should go now because I doubt anyone really wants to read this much text about my life :-) Goodnight!
Posted by beth at 09:14 PM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2005
Still no baby!
It's 4:47pm Texas time and NO baby yet!!! I just got word that Stephy went to the hospital aroung 4:30pm Rochester time (3:30 Texas time, 2:30 Seattle time) -- So many time zones.
When I talked to my mom, she invited me to Charlie/Lucy's birthday party tonight when the baby arrives! I of course accepted and told her I'd see her in a few hours :-) I'll have to virtually attend via my cell phone.
Posted by beth at 05:46 PM | Comments (0)
Day of Good Fortune!
Today (so far--since it's 7:50am) has been my day of good fortune! I woke up on time this morning (after staying up until 1AM finishing my book)...For some reason, something in my head told me to turn on my cell phone...so I did. 5 minutes later, my mom called to tell me that she heard from Stephy this morning and she has gone into labor! I then drove to work and as I was pulling into the Temple-Inland campus, a little squarrel ran out in the road under my car. I freaked! Tears started coming, because I was going too fast to stop for the little guy. But I looked out my rear view mirror and saw him scampering off into the woods...so PHEWWWW...his life was saved by a flash of good luck!!!
So, that's all the good luck so far (I mean it is only 7:54an now)...but I'm hoping my good luck continues...with my dentist appointment, and the phone call I'm expecting, and my new baby niece or nephew!!!!! Yippeee!
Posted by beth at 08:48 AM | Comments (0)
March 07, 2005
Big Changes are a comin'
It's been a while! So I thought I'd let you all know about the big changes that are coming into my life!!! ANY DAY NOW!!!! I'm going to be an AUNT!!! My sister's due date was yesterday, and she's going to have her baby ANY DAY NOWWWWWWWWW!!! We are all sitting on pins and needles...just waiting for the phone to ring :-D!!! Meanwhile, my sister is getting nervouse because my mom is supposed to arrive in Seattle to see and help with the baby this FRIDAY! So far though...NO BABY YET!!! EKEKKEKE!! I guess it's just going to show up when he/she is ready!
Anyway...other than that...nothing fun or exciting has been going on over here. I've spent the past two weekends holed up in my apartment...Last weekend was movie weekend, and this past weekend was romance novel weekend. I read 4 books this weekend. Pretty sad, I know...but what can I do when I have no life whatsoever. Anyway, that's all changing for the next three weekends. Tonight is my orientation night for ESL tutoring volunteer job. Next weekend Turkish classes resume, and ESL tutoring training will begin. The weekend after I'm helping a friend do a mural painting for a client. The weekend after that Seymen is coming for the long weekend...and the weekend after that I'm going home for his birthday :-)!!!
I'm so excited to go home. I can't wait to see everyone. My step-dad Bill is finally going to be home the same weekend as me! so we're all going to be around to celebrate Seymen's birthday! I haven't seen Bill since Christmas!! And the sad news (which I feel bad feeling a little happy about) is that Chrissy and Jake's vacation had to be cancelled, so they are going to be coming for the birthday weekend.
Meanwhile...I'm just hanging out...Today is such a BEAUTIFUL DAY! It started out with fog so thick I could barely see in front of me when I drove to work...and now it's 78 degrees and completely blue sky! and sunny as all heck! It's really beautiful...Anyway...I went in to work at the crack of dawn so I could leave early to get up north for my orientation with plenty of time...THe good news is that I beat afternoon traffic, and didn't get held up as long as I planned for...and I found a "back roads" around the huge traffic delays that will happen in about 30 mins. so now I have all this leisure time before I go. I guess I better get something to eat now...
Posted by beth at 05:31 PM | Comments (0)