Finally Friday

Thank you to everyone who crossed their fingers and their toes for me. I got the job at Cru!!!

As if I havent already been waiting long enough, were still waiting to hammer out a training schedule but at least now I can sit back and allow myself to feel the excitement wash over me. Come by and see me- Ill let you all know when its safe to come in without having wine spilled in your general direction by yours truly.

In other, non job related news: Derek and I are leaving town in the morning. We are celebrating (belated) our first year together in Fredericksburg, TX. We have no plans for a change and it feels nice, we will try to leave Austin mid-morning and get down there to check into our hotel. Apparently its right between a winery and a brewery so I find it unnecessary to explain where we will be spending our day. I think were going to poke around in as many shops as Derek has the patience for-Im sure he will only want to smell so many candles, and look at so many quilts.. but he is a good sport so I know well get to do some shopping too.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend planned! Personally, I feel like this week has lasted a month.

Also, happy (almost) birthday to the "Nelson" twins! =) 2 of my favorite bloggers out there!

Birds of a Feather Flock... Towards Your Face?!

My dog is a picky pooper. Yea, thats right- Im going there.

Molly is very particular about where she does her business, it is in one of two particular corners outside my front door in the yard. My apartment is right next to a small grassy field which makes taking her out a very small chore--provided she does it quickly, of course. If not, it makes for a very long morning.

Why am I posting about my dogs bathroom habits you ask? I swear. I have a point.

There seems to be a birds nest issue. When I say issue- I mean a small annoyance that has become a massive inconvenience. Naturally, this nest happens to be directly above Molly's favorite "spot"--The first time it happened, it was dark outside and I was alone walking Molly around 11 PM. Now, being a girl that lives alone, Ill admit my imagination tends to run a little wild at times. I hear funny noises and I see masked murderers lurking in my bedroom doorway that in reality, are simple shadows. So you can imagine what my heart did when Im out all alone and I hear a sudden wind and flapping behind my back. I could have sworn someone was there, but of course when I whipped myself around and saw nothing I only felt crazy. The next day, the same thing happened but because it was daylight I could see the culprit- a bird! I swear this thing has made a hobby out of dive bombing my head!

As the days wore on, I got to thinking- what could I possibly be doing to alert this bird and make him seek me out? Does he really not want Molly using the bathroom in "his" corner- since when is he boss of said corner? After lots of brainstorming and much avoidance of that particular area in the yard, I finally thought- maybe he is protecting something? Duh. I looked around yesterday and finally found it- a nest! I found what I presume to be either his wife, baby mama or mistress, sitting atop a nest- not moving an inch. I guess its his job to act as the alarm system and attack anything within 7,000 yards?

Normally, Id let something like this go- deeming it ultimately unworthy of blogging about but today... today Mr. Bird went TOO far.

I went home for lunch and as always started to heat up my meal, did some stuff around the apartment and got Molly on her leash to take her out for a much needed bathroom break. I swear on my life (and yours) that the second I stepped foot outside my door, I could hear that bastard chirping "DANGER, DANGER- PEGGY GUARD THE LITTLE ONES" Yea, so what if I named them?! Not only did he follow me AND Molly every step we took, but he went as far as to follow us both all the way to the dumpster out in the parking lot and then literally flew behind me all the way back to my front door. I kid you not when I say that my neighbors must have had quite a show with me running for my life screaming "get the hell away from me, I wont harm your babies!!!!!!!!!!!"

Who knew they could be so mean?! Not me! Needless to say, its time for the babies to be born and promptly be sent off to fling school. They are officially cramping my style. And Molly's.

Part of the Cru?

I just got a call from the other manager at Cru and I will be going on a second and final interview today after work... please everyone think happy thoughts and cross everything you have that it goes as well as the first one did!

Cheers!

UPDATE:

Well it went well, there is one small hiccup.... There is a mandatory meeting every Wednesday at Cru at 230 (smack dab in the middle of the day) So... I need to change my schedule here at ACS.

I have 2 options:

Instead of working M-F like I do now, I would have every Wednesday off and work Sundays instead (I think right now, there is an open shift from 1pm-9pm on Sundays so Id still have a Saturday night....)

OR...
I can work from 7-3/330 M, Tu, Th, Fr and 6-2 on Wednesdays (I know...groan... its early!)
That way, I can make the mandatory meeting and still have Saturdays and Sundays somewhat free...

The manager I spoke to at Cru wanted to go back and talk to the other manager and ask how he thought the other staff would feel if I never worked a Sunday... wanted to make sure it was okay with him, and said he figured it would be, but he will call me either today or Im supposed to call him Friday anytime after 10... At this point, I have put in two schedule change options to ACS and Im waiting on a call from the manager at Cru so Ive done all I can do and its just a waiting game...

So, I still dont really know, but it seems promising. Who would have thought getting a second job would be a job in and of itself?!

Also, in these meetings they taste wine and have local winery reps come in... teach us stuff about wine and grapes and food pairings. Sounds SO cool!

A Very Long Weekend

Rest assured, there is a blog coming your way. Breathe easy, your daily dose of Dez is here. Its been quite a while since my last blog so Ill do as I do best, and catch you all up.

Thursday night Derek and I celebrated our first year together- we went to dinner at North in the Domain and then to a wine bar for a special drink for our special occasion. After dinner, I went home and packed for our long weekend at the beach- I hate packing, but I love the water and sunshine so it was a trade off. A small price to pay!

Friday I tried my best to sit still at work, take calls, and count down the hours until we could leave for Galveston. We were so slow at work that I was sent home after lunch- to me- thats a great way to start a long weekend, make it even longer! I laid by the pool for a few hours and actually got in an hour and a half of talking with my Mom which is always a treat. We got to catch up, I learned about her new itinerary aboard her new ship, and she got to hear all my stories from the last month or so.

When 5 o'clock rolled around, I drove to Derek's and we loaded up the car to drive to Galveston. I got a little antsy on the drive and around 9 PM, I took a little nap (which Derek ALWAYS appreciates).... finally we arrived at Aunt Barb's house and unloaded all of our stuff along with Molly and started to celebrate our weekend in style. We had some drinks, caught up with Erin and Aaron who'd recently returned from their honeymoon, and mostly tried to keep the number of times we commented on the humidity to a minimum.

Saturday started pretty early. Everyone got up, ate some breakfast, helped with last minute preparations, and then it was PARTY TIME. Around noon the kegs showed up... then the DJ... then the Beer Pong table and Baggo sets.... the dogs were penned in their "run" and the food was out and ready to eat. I think 2/3 AM found us all ready for bed and Derek VERY sunburned.

Sunday we got up- a little less ambitious this time, did some lounging around and then slathered on our sunblock, packed up and headed out on the boat. Barb drove us out to the sand bar so we could park the boat and get into the water where we could stand and hang out with the other boaters. We bummed snacks from others, having forgot to pack our own- and when we felt nice and crispy we headed back for dry land. When we got home, we all got cleaned up and devoured the pizzas that had been ordered. Derek and I decided we'd had enough sun, needed new livers, and Molly desperately needed a bath. We packed up the car again and headed home.

While it was no fun to say bye to Erin a day early, it was nice to get back, sleep in my own bed and have yet another full day to do whatever I pleased. I did some laundry, unpacked, laid at the pool for a few hours and went to Cru to apply for a part time job. For those of you that dont already know http://www.cruawinebar.com/ is located in the Domain (where Derek and I had been on Thursday) and when I'd spoken to the manager, he had mentioned they were hiring part time help. I can more than use the money on top of my very measly salary I make working for ACS, its not another desk job, I get to learn about wine, AND meet new people! I met with the manger, Jason, and filled out an application. We talked and he made promises to call. Lets hope he is a man of his word. I will know more this evening or tomorrow. Cross your fingers, toes and eyes please. After all of that, we went to Ryan and Rhonda's to hang out, see Macey (albeit briefly), eat some fabulous brisket that Ryan had made and celebrate Memorial Day together.

To make a long story short, I am exhausted, feel like I may be coming down with whatever crud Derek had last week, and my body is in need of a very good sweat and workout.

How did you celebrate YOUR long weekend?

365 Days

One year ago to this very day, Derek and I finally went on our first date and I could not have asked for a better way to spend my last 365 days.

Derek and I met through mutual friends. Ill try to break down the connection, but I warn you- its complicated. My friend Michelle, met a guy at A&M named Troy- Troy was best friends with a guy named Justin. We all spent a weekend together on 6th St and Troy introduced me to Justin. Through Justin, I met Brittany Buckmaster. Brittany eventually introduced me to her friend from high school, Kit. Kit lived with a guy named Riley and Riley is cousins with Derek. Im telling you, Im amazed we ever met, but I guess somtimes were all just a part of a bigger plan.

Upon first meeting, everything and everyone was very casual but after some time passed, it was obvious to us both there was something more between us. We were afraid to make the cross over from friends to possibly more and every time we had a date scheduled, our friends would plan a happy hour or another kind of outing we simply couldnt stand to miss. After a while, on May 22nd of 2007 we made and agreed to stick to a plan to have an actual date. Dinner at Eddie Vs was fabulous and proved to be far less awkward than most first dates. Seeing as how we'd been trying to get together (alone) for quite some time, we were both relieved that it went smoothly, there was a good flow of things to talk about, and we both wanted to see each other again outside of our group setting.

A year has passed since that first dinner. We have done a huge amount of traveling together, gone to both Aggie and UT football games, weve been to countless weddings, spent holidays and special occasions with each others families. We share a love for being social, hanging out with our friends, and of course spending time together and with "our" dog, Molly.

Here's to us, Derek, and to many many more years together (I think it goes without saying, may the Red Sox always beat the Yankees).

What Day Is It?!

Ive slacked on the postings. I know.

But before you burn me at the stake, let me explain.

I am honestly having a hard time keeping the days straight this week. I had last Friday off, then Saturday as well- I worked Sunday, as well as Monday- and then I had Tuesday off. Which would make today Wednesday, right? Phew.

Derek flew in on Monday night- YES, HE IS HOME-his plane landed around midnight and I was the lucky chauffeur to pick him up. Of course I wanted to, but thats late for me on a school night (hence my taking Tuesday off). We spent the day yesterday running errands and hanging out at the pool with Cal and Lottie- it was glorious. Lottie had the day off and Cal is on a break from his professional adult life. Needless to say, were all very jealous that his day off will indeed last well into the next month.

We went to dinner last night with Ryan, Rhonda, and Macey and looked through all 600+ pictures from Derek's trip. Not only was I impressed that the guys actually took so many, but theyre really really funny, too. I think they got a bit carried away with the timer function as well as "props" theyd packed in the car for just these occasions, but I very much enjoyed looking through the pictures of them with glued on mustaches and the group shots where all of them are taking a pose straight from The Karate Kid. What can I say? Boys will be boys. Im just glad mine mad it home safely to me.

Today I have a full day off work, packed with meetings and catching up to do from yesterday. After work, I plan on going to the gym for some much needed cardio followed by a Pump class with my friend, Katie. After that, Derek and I will be headed to his parents house for dinner. That always means one thing... awesome food. Yum.

So since today is Wednesday, tomorrow is Thursday. I think I've finally got the hang of it.

Cell Phones: A Source of Oxygen

Friday night was spent with some of Joanna's friends in from both Boston and Richmond, VA (shout out to Maureen and Jacquelyn). We started at Hula Hut for happy hour, the sunset, as well as appetizers and eventually migrated down to West 6th Street. We hunkered down at the rooftop section of Union Park. We thought it was the ideal spot for the out-of- towners mostly because of the view but also because this particular bar hosts a wide variety of Austinites. As far as people watching is concerned-there are the yuppie people, the grunge emo college kids who probably have more money than the yuppies, the frat guys and sorority girls, and the older 40/50 somethings who dress business casual despite being in a bar and seem to not allow their age stop them from having fun (impressive!)

We had a really great time, enjoyed the view of our city, and eventually decided if any of us were expected to function the next day, home was the place we all should go. I left the bar around 1230 which is a little early despite the constant yawning/contorting my face was doing. I walked to my car and when I finally got there, while digging for my keys, I realized I didnt have my cell phone. I checked all the compartments in my purse, the pockets in my jeans- all to no avail. I decided to walk back to the bar and look for my phone- surely it was around there somewhere and I was bound and determined to find it.

I dug in bushes, planters, bathrooms, under benches and asked for others to help dig behind bars. My phone was gone. Once 2 AM rolled around and people were being told to leave, I was amongst some very drunk people and accepted that it was time to cut my losses. Feeling defeated and pretty upset, I shoved my way through as many people as I was physically able, finally found my way out the front door and walked back to my car for the second time. I figured the quicker I got to my car and got on the road, the less I would have to concern myself with driving home next to some of the people I saw barfing or crying outside the bars. Amateurs.

I had no idea just how reliant I was on my cell phone. Sure, people joke that I am never without it, that Im always texting or on it in some form of fashion but really, I was truly lost without my phone. When I got home Friday night, I needed to set an alarm to get up and drive to Pflugerville to babysit Macey... no alarm sans cell phone. I had no phone to let them know I was on my way in the morning and heaven forbid I got into an accident or ran out of gas or God knows what else. Are you guys that dependant on your phones? I have maybe 5 numbers max committed to memory, I felt like my right arm was missing. I would also like to add that 4 out of the 5 numbers I know by heart (Kyndall, Michelle, Derek and my Mom) were ALL out of town. The 5th number is my own- you do the math.

Saturday afternoon, as soon as my duties as babysitter were filled, I headed to the T-Mobile store... yes, I needed a replacement phone. As it turns out, it was time for me to "upgrade" anyway. This means its been a set amount of time since I last purchased a phone (over a year) so I got a very discounted price on a new phone. I found a phone I liked enough, paid for it, and immediately raced home to send emails/facebook messages to start collecting numbers again. What a pain.

The moral of the story, keep your phone in a safe place- and if there is a chance you might lose it, at least have an alarm clock at home =) You may now return to your regularly scheduled broadcast.

Redemption?

After much consideration, I decided to send a complaint to the specific gym location that we had issues with (Tech Ridge):

To Whom it May Concern:

A friend and I had been trying for the larger side of a month to get together and work out... be it a walk, or a trip to the gym- its been next to impossible to get our schedules matched up. On Tuesday, May 13th, we thought it was our day. I have been holding on to a few VIP passes for just the occasion. Had I known what would happen when I attempted to bring in a guest, I never would have grabbed one at all.

As I sat and waited at the front of the Tech Ridge gym for my friend to arrive, the general manager (James Hazzah) approached me and asked if I needed to be helped. At first I thought it was nice of him to check in, but after a few minutes I saw what his real goal was. He told me that what I needed was a few personal training sessions. After making uncomfortable small talk, he eventually convinced me to "step into his office." After even more time spent discussing my weight loss goals, why I work out, which Golds gyms I use most often, and how I work out... he started in on me like I was buying a used car. He tried the "well, if you buy a session package today, Ill give you xyz price"- I assure you that from the get go, I made it very clear to him I was only at the gym to work out, and to bring my friend, NOT buy personal training sessions- I also explained though it was not his business at all, that I simply dont have that kind of money to spend at the drop of a hat just because he is offering me some low price. He also told me that the classes I was attending (pump and combat) were not enough work for what my goals were and that pump "only makes for saggy skin." You can imagine how discouraged I felt when I stopped to think that those classes were what made me feel like I was conquering my weight loss goals. They made me feel good until he provided me with his two cents.

When my friend arrived, James immediately started in on her. "What do you want to do when you work out, what are your goals, why have you not worked out in so long, when you did work out- what kinds of things were you doing?" She calmly explained that she just had a baby, has VERY little free time as her husband is always traveling, and that working out on this particular day was only to see how it was being back at the gym, wanted to get back into things slowly and that there was a cheap deal through her work (PPD Inc) that she might sign up with again (she was a member a few years back) should she decide she has the time. He then reminded her that they have a "Kids Club" she was more than welcome to drop her daughter off at when she worked out. Even after she made it clear that she had no intentions whatsoever of buying a membership and that she was not ready to leave her baby with a stranger, he remained on her back and would not take no for an answer. As if that wasnt enough, then he started in on prices, "if you sign up today, well give you this price." He also went as far as to bring in a personal trainer to meet with my friend. Now Im sure all of this is protocol but as it turns out, he never intended to let her work out anyway.

45 minutes later, and after much probing and many personal questions about her lifestyle and goals, he informed us that my friend would not be able to use the VIP pass since she'd previously been a member. Both of us were dumbfounded, wondered why on earth he didnt tell us that from the get-go (since she had indeed mentioned being a member pre-pregnancy) and we promptly decided to leave. This man not only wasted my time (an existing member for 3+ years), robbed us of our scheduled work out and what very little free time my guest actually did have, but he did absolutely nothing but annoy us and make us feel that, unless we dropped a bunch of money right then and there, we were of no use to Golds Gym.

I felt embarrassed and awful for bringing her in to be questioned to no end, pressured and ultimately denied a work out- which was the entire reason she was there.I thought it necessary for customer service purposes to bring this to your attention to things like this do not happen again. I have never in my consumer life written a complaint to anyone or to any businesses but this was enough to warrant, at the very least, an email. Your response and rectification in this matter are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time,
Desiree Kniker

The response I got:

Ms. Kniker,

First, let me apologize for the actions bestowed upon you at the TechRidge location. It is true that our policies are that very standard in that every guest that visits our facilities go through a qualification process, including a goal analysis, assessment of one's fitness goals, and recommendation on future activities (many times asking a personal trainer to help in these assessments) in order to ensure that each guest gets all of the information to help them make an educated decision on fitness and Gold's Gym specifically. We also do specify that all guests using a guest pass be a first time visitor to any of our Austin locations in order for a trial pass to be activated. However, I am concerned at the way this was communicated as you expressed and want to do everything possible to ensure that we treat each member and their guests with utmost professionalism and customer service. As an organization, we pride ourselves on providing not only great facilities and amenities, but also true customer attention and provide a service that is unparallel. From your concerns, I feel that this may not have been executed to our standard and it will be addressed directly with Mr. Hazzah to prevent it from happening in the future. Our goal is to get as many members of this community to become active and leading a healthy lifestyle. It is evident that you are wanting the same for your friend and we would like to support you in this. I am not sure if your friend is still looking at trying our facility out, but I would like to offer a week trial (regardless of being a previous member) in order to see if we can motivate her to get involved in leading a healthier lifestyle in the future. If you are still wanting her to visit with you now or in the future, do not hesitate to let me know and I can issue this without any involvement from the management staff so that she can enjoy the full benefits of the facility without feeling pressured or uncomfortable coming in.

Again, this will be brought to the appropriate individual's attention and used as a training tool to help support our quest of perfect customer satisfaction with our organization. I thank you for bringing this to my attention as I would not be aware of any challenges that may occur if members did not voice their concerns. For this I am very appreciative and I am very apologetic for this happening with you and your friend. Please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help if there are any other concerns or questions moving forward. Thank you very much for your time and patience.

Jay King
District Manager-Austin, TX
Gold's Gym International, Inc.
jking@ogldsgym.com

There is No Such Thing as a Day Off

Because I worked last Sunday, I have tomorrow off. Woooo- Hooooo that means today is my "fake Friday"--which of course means I woke up in a better than usual mood, despite sleeping terribly due to the storm. It will take a lot to get me down today.

Having said all of that, I will reveal to you the fact that tomorrow is anything but an "off" day. Im sure I will sleep no later than 9 (since I am physically unable) and because you are such a loyal reader of my blog I know youre curious about my to-do list. I will share with you, in no particular order, all the cool things I get to do tomorrow. Try not to be jealous.

1) work out... be it on my own, or in a class if Im lacking motivation

2) get my car inspected ($)

3) get an overdue oil change ($)

4) drop my bridesmaid dress (aka circus tent) off at the alterations lady at 1 PM ($$$)

5) meet the girls at Hula Hut for happy hour(s)---yes, I know that one is the fun one

I understand that having a day off from work can indeed be very enjoyable, but I am convinced that in order to have an actual day "off" one would need to procrastinate on to-do lists, on getting themselves in shape and by generally laying low/hiding out/screening phone calls. The older I get, the longer my lists get, and the less time I have to get them done!

Golds Gym Should be Renamed Bronze Gym

Rhonda and I had been trying for the larger side of a month to get together and work out... be it a walk, or a trip to the gym- its been next to impossible to get our schedules matched up. Yesterday, I suppose it was in the stars that the two of us break a sweat together. Or so we thought.

After much back and forth as to what kind of work out we should do: "the weather is yucky" "lets go to the gym" "should we walk outside and Ill bring Molly?"--we finally decided on the gym. Or I guess I should say I decided Id bring her along with me. I had some VIP passes and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to use one. Boy was I wrong. After believing my promise that we could work out in the cardio cinema and not be bothered by anyone, Rhonda agreed to meet me at the gym. I anxiously awaited for her and what I thought would be a great work out together.

As I sat and waited at the front of the gym for Rhonda to arrive, the general manager approached me and asked if I needed to be helped. First and foremost, I am in workout clothes OBVIOUSLY here to work out, armed with a water bottle and boyish clothes- what could I possibly need?! Well in his eyes, what I needed was a few personal training sessions. After making uncomfortable small talk, he eventually convinced me to "step into his office"--this is never a good idea at Golds Gym, take my word for it. After a few minutes of discussing my weight loss goals, why I work out, which Golds gyms I use most often, and how I work out... he started in on me like I was buying a used car. He tried the "well, if you buy a session package today, Ill give you xyz price"- I assure you that from the get go, I made it very clear to him I was only at the gym to work out, and to bring my friend, NOT buy personal training sessions (that come to find out come in packages that range from $350-$2,000). I simply dont have that kind of money. Anyone who wants to pay my way, please feel free.

When Rhonda arrived, the General Manager immediately started in on her. "What do you want to do when you work out, what are your goals, why have you not worked out in so long, when you did work out- what kinds of things were you doing?" She calmly explained that she just had a baby, has VERY little free time as her husband is always traveling, and that working out on this particular day was only to see how it was being back at the gym, wanted to get back into things slowly and that there was a cheap deal through her work that she might sign up with again should she decide she has the time. He then reminded her that they have a "Kids Club" she was more than welcome to drop Macey off at when she worked out. Im sure new mothers want their pre-baby body back, but isnt that a bit soon to just drop your baby off with people you dont know that well? Macey doesnt even go to daycare (not that its even any of his business)! Then he started in on prices, "if you sign up today, well give you this price" Im telling you the man would NOT take no for an answer.

45 minutes later, and after much probing and many personal questions about her lifestyle and goals, he informed us that Rhonda would not be able to use the VIP pass since she'd previously been a member. Both of us were dumbfounded, wondered why on earth he didnt tell us that from the get-go (since she had indeed mentioned being a member pre-pregnancy) and we promptly decided to leave. This man not only wasted my time (an existing member), robbed us of our scheduled work out and what very little free time Rhonda actually did have, but he did absolutely nothing but annoy us and make us feel that, unless we dropped a bunch of money right then and there, we were of no use to Golds Gym. Way to treat your clients and possible future clients.

I should also add that when we left the gym, we were not 100% defeated. Annoyed? For sure. But we made the best of the time we had left and walked around Lake Pflugerville instead. So, hah, muscle man. We dont need your stinking gym. At least not today anyway.

If I were physically able to skip the gym and/or cancel my membership, and in my eyes "stick it to the man" I would. But alas, I am a slave to the corporation and will continue to spend my money and calories under the roof of Golds Gym. Just wanted to vent about their "customer service" policies and share with you all what I thought to be a ridiculous waste of time. Ugh. This man, in the area of "customers always being right", I give him a big fat F.

Movin' on Up

On June 27th, I am moving. Many pros and cons come to mind when I think of moving- but alas, I have not done so in three years and therefore, it is time.

In June of 2005, right after I graduated from college (three years ago today to be exact) I moved into a complex in the arboretum area. It was close to work, it was in a great location for pretty much anything I might ever need, and the price was right (insert Bob Barker jokes here).

To your left you will see my current floor plan. Now throw in a cat, a small and mostly hyper-active dog, myself, lots of "girly decorations" and the boyfriend who is over quite a lot and all of a sudden it seems much smaller. I ask you, would anyone in their right mind pay over $800 a month to live in this shoebox? Not me. I understand that Austin is an expensive place to live, and that due to the location of current said apartment, one might expect to spend a higher dollar amount on rent but that's just plum ridiculous.

I started to look for a new place a few months out as I knew rent prices tend to skyrocket in the summer months. I signed a lease before they went up and locked in a great deal. My place will be bigger, newer, the kitchen has a huge island and dark (fake) granite counter tops--which will be so much easier to keep clean than my current white ones.

Much to my dismay, I was unable to find my new floor plan, the almighty Internet has failed me. I can tell you however, that I will be gaining 138 square feet, a dog park, an AWESOME two decker pool, sand volleyball court, and Ill be saving money every month. The location is at the corner of Parmer and Lamar--this is closer to work, closer to Derek, five minutes from a grocery store, my gym and a steal of a deal. To the right you will see the spectacular pool that I can promise will he my home away from home for all the summer months. You are all cordially invited.

Alright, so who wants to help me pack? ;)

Mother's Day

My Mom lives on a ship. You read that correctly. She floats on the high seas for 6-9 months out of every year. So on this particular Mother's Day, I wanted her to know I was thinking of her. So here's to you Mom, youre missed each and every day, especially this one.

I just wanted to let you know
You mean the world to me
Only a heart as dear as yours

Would give so unselfishly

The many things youve done

All the times that you were there

Help me know deep inside

How much you really care

Even though I might not say

I appreciate all you do

Richly blessed is how I feel
Having a Mother just like you

A- able

L- loving
I- intelligent
S- strong

O- optimistic

N- natural

K- kind

N- nurturing

I- intuitive

K- Knowledgeable

E- energetic

R- reflective

I wanted to also give a special mention to Derek's Mother, Janet Bohls, who so often acts as a mother to me as well. I truly feel blessed to have such a special lady looking out for me as much as she does.

Even though youre not my mom

I know that you'll be there

With the little things you do

you let me know you care

Youre always there to help

whatever the need may be

Youve given of yourself

and so unselfishly

Im drawn to you more every day

For the kindness you have shown

I just want to thank you

and let you know I care

A second mom as great as you

is something very rare.

Make Like a Tomato and Ketchup

Its a Sunday and Im at work...why you ask? I did someone a favor in the hopes that good karma would come back my way when I needed it most. A girl here wanted to take the day off (she regularly works on Sundays) and I said I would pick up her shift so that she might leave town for a Mother's Day visit. In return, she will work my Friday, which is hard to beat. Short weeks are better than almost anything. So here I sit...

Dont get me wrong, working on the weekends is nice, you get paid a differential, the phone rings less, catching up on any updated nonsense on facebook/myspace is much easier, shows on abc.com are less interrupted by the phone... and its very, very quiet. I like quiet. Oh, and today I plan to throw myself back into the Harry Potter series. I started a few months back and after blazing through the first 3 books in two weeks, I came to a screeching halt on book 4. I plan to get back into it today, long since have been the nights that I could not put the books down and because Derek is gone for a while, I have much more time for reading. Long live the closet bookworm that I am.

Its not Monday yet but I'll recap my weekend for you anyway. I know youve all been anxiously awaiting an update on what exactly that crazy Dez has been up to.

Friday night I met Kyndall for a brisk walk. For 6+ years now we have mapped and conquered a 5 mile walk around the Northwest Hills area. We have literally been going on the same walk since before either of us were even legal to drive a car. We get some serious gossip taken care of, decipher our relationships, decide how the world can be a better place (if only we were in charge), and best of all, we burn calories. This time, I decided to bring Molly along for the trek. The last time I subjected Molly to one of our marathon walks, she ended up in Kyndall's hoodie the whole way home. This time, she did a little better. Towards the half way point, she was starting to pant pretty heavily and we started to worry she might collapse from heat stroke at any given moment (it was 94 degrees outside) but much to our surprise, Molly pressed on. When we finally decided she was tough enough to continue without our fretting, the leash suddenly tightened and I turned around to see Molly laid out in the grass, refusing to take one step further. I picked all 15 pounds of her her up and carried her like a baby--this was made especially difficult by the fact that each of her paws were literally covered in stickers. You know those annoying, sharp, tiny little things that stick into your skin and prick you just enough to border on pain and annoying? Im not sure if thats why she gave up on the walk or if she was just plum exhausted.

After our walk, we decided to reconvene at Michelle's new house in Avery Ranch. Falon, with whom I share the title of Maid of Honor, was in town from Dallas and we'd promised Michelle we would all get together and make her wedding favors. This consisted of folding tiny gift boxes into their correct form, stuffing them with candy, tying a bow around the box, and adhering a sticker with the letter T across the front (Michelle will be a Tate as of June 14th). Sounds easy enough. 250 boxes later...we were stiff from sitting, our stomach's were sore from laughing, and it was time for bed.

Saturday morning was an early one for me. I got up, took Molly to the groomer (the stickers HAD to be cut out of her fur), and went to the grocery store. To any of you who know me well, you know how much I loathe grocery shopping. This might be due to the fact that I only go once every two months or so... I have to buy one of everything in the stinking store. Never will I ever go in for just milk or dishwashing liquid... never. So... needless to say, a trip to HEB is quite an ordeal for me. I not only had to buy food for the next 60 days, but I also was in charge of a veggie plate for Michelle's bridal shower that afternoon.

Now, let me go backwards to Molly at the groomer. Poodle hair is awesome, its cute, its fuzzy, and it doesnt shed. And for the downside of poodle hair: it catches everything in its path, and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. It is next to impossible to keep Molly clean. I was having to bathe her every 4-5 days (more often when it rained) and washing leads to drying and then of course, brushing- which always proved to be the most time consuming part of the process. I talked all of this information over with the groomer and he suggested I give her a "summer cut"--I was oh so hesitant to do so- mostly because Molly's hair is what she is known for. But I reluctantly agreed and we talked about how much time it will save, how much better she will feel and ultimately I agreed. Summer cut it was. Fast forward about 3 hours and Molly looks like a completely different dog. I dont think she looks nearly as cute, but she is happy, and I let her sleep in my bed last night for the first time ever since I could actually see there were no small branches or leaves buried in her layers. She is now a short haired, sassy, summertime puppy. I would have taken a picture for you by my camera is currently on vacation in New Zealand. Sigh...

After I unloaded allllllllll the groceries,vacuumed my apartment, did some dusting, and picked Molly up, I had to get myself and the veggie tray ready. I got to Michelle's Moms house a little early, put some finishing touches on all the food and got ready to greet aunts, sisters, friends, grandmothers and ultimately take and stack up gifts. Falon and I served, smiled, cut cake, collected tissue paper/bows, displayed gifts, said goodbyes, cleaned and loaded up gifts. Showers are tiring! I went home, changed out of my dress, and met the girls once again at Michelle's house. We could think of nothing better to do than go and see the new movie, Made of Honor. We laughed, we teased about the cheesiness, then we realized how tired we were and all hit the hay. I think we might be getting old.

On a lighter note, You know when youre in a foul mood and someone who knows you well can tell right away? Sometimes they might ask you "who peed in your cheerios?" Well, this morning, I took extra time to make myself a hearty breakfast... a mini wheat bagel with fat free cream cheese, pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges and orange juice. Me being me, I saved my juice for my morning commute and much to my dismay by the time I reached my car, was inside and safely buckled in, I looked into my juice glass and saw a bug, swimming around, struggling for its life amidst its citrus grave. I ask all of you on this lovely morning "which bug landed in your juice?"--think it'll catch on? No? Me either. Damn.

So that brings you all up to speed. Have a good Sunday. Rest.... because Monday is almost here!

Bye Bye Mr. American Pie

My darling boyfriend, Derek, leaves for New Zealand today.

Mr. "I'm nervous on planes" is embarking on the biggest and most exciting trip he has been on to date. How do I feel about this? I think the all encompassing word would have to be jealous.

Let me break it down for you:

jeal·ous –adjective
1. feeling resentment against someone because of that person's rivalry, success, or advantages (often fol. by of): He was jealous of his rich brother.
2. feeling resentment because of another's success, advantage, etc. (often fol. by of): He was jealous of his brother's wealth.

So now that I have confessed my deep rooted jealousy of this trip, I will give you a run-down of the basic 10 day itinerary the boys have made for themselves. I think they will be spending most (if not all) of their time in the northern island and aim to see: Waitomo, Coromandel, Taupo, Mt Manganui, Paihia, The Bay of islands, Rotorua, and Wellington. They will be staying with a friend that lives there, in hostels, and other various "man-like" lodging options (I wouldn't be surprised if a tent or a night in the car made it on their list.)

The 18 hour time difference should make communication a challenge but I have faith that Derek will check in as often as possible (mostly to let me know he is still alive) and share some of the cool things he has seen. Should anything be so cool that I feel you all will need to know, rest assured I will share. I have sent him armed with precautions, lots of kisses and hugs, tears (pathetic, I know) and lastly my camera and a brief run down of how to use its basic features.

Here's hoping Riley, Mike, Derek and my camera make it home in one piece.

America wishes you guys safe and happy travels and we cant wait until you return (we being America and mostly me). XOXO.

Sweatin' to the Oldies

Im going to be honest with you (whoever you are)- its been hard for me to get to the gym lately. I dont know if theyre legitimate excuses or if I make them valid in my own mind. Do you do that? Or am I the only one thats made it painfully obvious Id rather complain about my love handles than actually abolish them?

Being a 20 something year old whose attendance is often checked as present at a happy hour, a dinner party, a movie at Alamo Drafthouse, or a bridal shower with an endless supply of bite sized quiches- I need to get myself to the gym more. Need. As in need to drink milk with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Need.

I used to go everyday rain or shine... I packed my gym bag in the morning and went as soon as I could (mostly to get it over with) but also so it didnt become something that inhibited my ability to do anything else fun after work. At the end of each day, I diligently charged my ipod, filled my water bottle, and brought along a book or magazine to pass the time. Id get down and dirty- images of very evil swimsuits danced in my head. I was happy, I felt healthy, my skin was clear, oftentimes my head was clear too (I do some of my best thinking on the treadmill) and my thighs were less dimpled. Youre welcome for that image.

Somewhere between meeting a new boyfriend, the winter lock down/lazy spell we all succumb to, and getting a puppy, I lost sight of what I was eating and just how poor a job of working it off I had been doing. All of a sudden, spring is here and there is talk of the lake, pool time, and YIKES! I am not ready. Not even close.

Why am I going on and on about my cardio habits or lack thereof you ask? I need you all to read this so I feel accountable to get back into the swing of things. The gym has been receiving donations in my name for months too long now and Im ready to make my money actually work for me. I have been to the gym for almost a week straight and I intend to stay on the straight and narrow path right on until summer. Hold me to that.


So I ask you... does this leotard make me look fat?