Austin Week of Fun

You know how some people perform better under the pressure of a deadline?  Well, as evidenced by our last week in Austin, we are certainly some of those people.

I'm sure there are probably endless lists of fun things to do in every city, but for convenience's sake (and, really, just reality) let's all agree upon one thing: Austin is the funnest, (funnest? Is that a word?) most adventuresome city in Texas, and if you live there for any significant amount of time, there are some things that simply must be done.  Like take sunset pics on the 360 Bridge with your beautiful best friends.  And attend a gospel brunch.  And visit the oh-so-conveniently located crop of vineyards right down the road.

You know, important things.

So put your party hats on, because today, my friends, we re-live our last week in Austin.  And my, oh my, what a good one it was.  Okay, ready? Go!

**Disclaimer: As with yesterdays post, the vast majority of the images featured here are stolen from my friend's Facebook albums.  Maybe one day I will act like a child of my generation and learn to use and upload images properly.  Until that time arrives, please don't sue me.

Singin'
I arrived back in town from Los Angeles just in the nick of time for the beginning of the adventures.  This night was comprised of half-price bubbly at Cru Wine Bar (perfect for broke college students who insist on celebrating none-the-less) and a Pop Hits Sing-A-Long at Alamo Draft House.

THIS. WAS. SO. FUN.  Like hair whipping, tambourine-shaking, singing as loud as you can, pure simple fun.  And who knew that music videos these days were so stinking odd?  I realized as we watched that I've never seen most of them, though I know the songs front and back.  I blame this on MTV's slow degeneration to a second-tier reality channel and their flat out refusal to actually play music during waking hours.  Not that I really ever watch MTV... Anyway, FUN! Do this at some point in your life!

(Now, if I would have had my choice, we would have gone to the Moulin Rouge Sing-A-Long night.  Can you even imagine 100 devoted fans growling "Roxanne" in downtown Austin? Now that would have been a Sing-A-Long.)

Brunchin' and Flippin'
Pancakes, that is.  Clearly we didn't plan this one out very well, because the two major activities of the day included gorging on endless quantities of carbs.  (Which, in truth, is much worse for my Gluten-free friends, of which I have a few.)

Anyway, we started the morning out with a festive morning brunch, complete with Gospel music at Threadgills.  And the food was amazing.  The gospel was great, I'm sure, but we kinda sorta didn't make reservations and could hardly hear it.  Oops.

We continued our trip on the calorie train later that evening, with the final pancake party of college.

A little background here- my apartment (502) along with out neighbors (505) sophomore year started a tradition of grilling up any-flavor-you'd-like pancakes on Tuesday nights at 10:30.  I think we counted 40 people one particularly fateful Tuesday.  So yeah, I guess you could say it was a big deal.

Flashback, 502-ers?  Please note the original "He Looks Good" Wall.  Then note that hardly anyone on the wall was older than 20 at the time.  We might be teeny-boppers.  Excuse me, have been teeny-boppers.

Moving on...

Here we are now.  So old and mature.  And much better pancake chefs.

Make me a deal- next time you make pancakes, throw some bananas and chocolate chips in a few.  Yes, together.

You can thank me later.


Snippin' and Sippin'
Wow, this whole naming game is probably getting old about now, right?

Sorry.

So I have this strange, completely random talent of cutting men's hair.  I don't know where it came from, but it has served me well in life.  For instance, I was recently introduced to a great cup of iced coffee by my friend in exchange for a haircut.

And I promised him that this ridiculously early morning, pre-shower photo would appear on here.

And no, that is not some sort of hallucenogenic tea.  It's mate, for Pete's sake!

Next, vineyards!  This was such a fun day.  Fredericksburg is this perfect little gem of a town, with all the vintage charm and wine you could ever need.  We hit up 3 vineyards during the day, and learned so much about different wines.  At the ripe old age of 22, we all like to consider ourselves wine connoisseurs.  Hey, you've got to start somewhere, right?

Go to the Texas vineyards.  Just do it.

Posin'


Austin is a beautiful place.  The combination of rolling hills, (typically) adequate rainfall, and beautiful sunshine make Austin a perfectly picturesque place to live.  Therefore, we found one of the most scenic views, and snapped pictures like mad people.  Here are some of the results.

And now I realize that some of you may have like, 10 million things you need to do today and this blog post is verging on obscenely long.

Plus, what is is they always say? Keep them wanting more? 

If any of you folks want more, well, I want to hug you, because even I am getting bored with my thoughts.  

And typically I am very amused by myself.  

...Should I admit things like that?

As We Go On...

One month ago I was lazily (ha!) churning through my 15 hours, internship and job hunt.  (To be quite honest, nothing in my life has been lazy for months, which is why I slept till 11:30 today.)

Anyway, today, life is just like "wham."

If you graduated two days ago as I did, then I trust you know what I mean.

(A big old thank you to my friend C-WOWW for this photo.  This pic contains 50% of my fabulous roommates, (Freshman and Sophomore years) and they mean so much to me.  Plus, the picture is just neato.  I feel like it needs to be rolling across the credits of some film containing a graduation scene.  Maybe?)

Graduations (especially college ones) bring with them so many conflicting emotions.  There is an incredible amount of joy and excitement for what is to come and what has already been accomplished, but underlying these feelings are the stabbing realizations of change and distance.

This rollercoaster of emotions is only heightened when you insist on sleeping only 3 hours a night, like I've been doing as of late.

I wish I could play music as you read this because the song would totally be "Bittersweet Symphony."  (Not just for the title, I'm not that superficial, but the strings melody is just so incredibly... well, bittersweet.  Okay, maybe I am...)

There is no way I could contain in one blog post the emotions or feeling I have about this momentous occasion, so I'm going to just post some pictures.  I know that if you are on Facebook you've probably seen these 300 times, so feel free to skip over them.  (Also, my camera battery literally just died.  So I stole most of these photos off FB.  Sorry Janers and Larn.)

To those featured:  You all have enriched my life and blessed me daily in ways you don't even know.  Four years ago I couldn't have imagined that the friendships I formed in college would be so incredibly deep, real and eternal. Never have I experienced the kind of encouragement, support and love I have seen from all of you in a group of friends.  You are all incredible, beautiful people and I truly believe you will change the world in all that you do.  Thanks for an amazing ride.

Love you all more than you know.



P.S. Stay tuned tomorrow for a recap of our Austin Week of Fun!

And then we can all just cry more...

COAFG

Confessions of a... Oh, never mind.

Last Wednesday was my dear Suite-ie Tatum's birthday.  Because we are never on time around here, we celebrated on Friday.  And made one giant, fabulous cupcake.

(With a bunch of baby cupcakes, for aesthetic purposes.)

Again with the domestic, I know.

(Actually, you readers are getting hit with all kinds of domestic posts in the near future, so you'd better hold on to your oven mitts.)

Anyway, we started out by nicely cutting the large cupcake into pieces, but then decided that required entirely too much work and patience.  Enter about 5 forks and 3 minutes, and the thing was unrecognizable.

Wow.  Clearly the sugar went directly to Lauren's head.  Quick! Guess which one she is!

And now I absolutely must run off to the next event on a long list of last-week-in-Austin-ever-so-we-have-to-live-it-up activities.

Tears, my friends.  True, stinging tears.

(Speaking of tears, I need recommendations for a waterproof mascara that I will need to start wearing about... yeah, now.  Because I am positive of exactly two things: the tears will come, and I will not stand looking like a raccoon on my last-weekend-in-Austin-as-a-college-student-EVER.)

... Uh oh, I opened the flood gates again...

Reality Check...

Courtesy of my mom.

Such wit, such sass!
I'm so proud, Mamasita!
And maybe just a smidgeon disappointed...




P.S. Mom: For the record, I HAVE internships.  A LOT. You would know this if you ever read my blog... 


(Cue angry defensive phone call in 5... 4... 3... 2...)

Home from La-La Land Round 1

I've committed one of Pioneer Woman's cardinal blogging sins.

She told me that I should supplement my blog daily, or at least every other day, in order to encourage growth.  By taking off a week, I seriously mal-nourish my little bloggie-machine and stunt it's growth.

Kinda like I stunted the growth of my beloved orchid.

Let me tell you a quick story about my botanic pursuits, and then I'll get to the fun stuff.  Like how I just spent 3 days in La-La Land.  (Which, ironically, is supposed to be the basis of this blog.  Oh, well.  P-Dubs also said I could go off on whim whenever I pleased.)

So the orchid.  I have a deep, deep love for orchids.  Like, I am mesmerized by them.  I have been known to have a picture of a single white orchid stem as the background on my computer for months at a time.  I know this is strange and unhealthy, and I should probably stick to pictures of humans that I love as my computer background.  But, alas- sometimes I don't do what I should.

I bought this orchid in February, and I loooooooovvvved it.  My suite mates thought I had lost it, because I threatened them within an inch of their life if they watered it.  (Orchids have a very particular watering schedule, you see.  I know this because I researched on Google.)  And then every day as I left for class, I would place the orchid in our floor where it would receive perfectly "filtered" sunlight.  The direct sun is just too strong for this delicate blossom.

So, yeah.  I was obsessed.  And terrified of killing. it.

Skip to 3 months later.  Clearly life got the best of me.  And the orchid.

Hopefully the blog survives my poor treatment.  Because nobody wants to look at that,  now do they?

Anyway, I indeed returned from Los Angeles yesterday.  I arrived in the land of fruits and nuts (that's what my dad calls it- I apologize if anyone is offended) Monday evening after a harrowing journey that was supposed to take about 4 hours and ended up taking 8.  Thanks for nothing, Delta.  (I'll be a Southwest customer from now on, thank you.)  I picked up my fancy-schmancy rental car (ha) from an offsite service that looked like a great set for a horror movie and I was on my way.

(This picture, by the way, represents two major reasons I am moving to California.  The obvious, "Hollywood," and the bougainvillea.  These charming flowers grow absolutely everywhere out here, and they make me want to be a better person.)

I had 3 interviews on Tuesday with casting companies, two for real jobs and one that was  "general information" meeting, because the company doesn't have any positions available now.  And... drumroll please... I got two offers! Wahoo!  The companies are great, and super different.  One casts a lot of independent films, and recently cast Black Swan.  (Weird movie, great casting.) I would post the names, but for some strange reason I feel like I might get in trouble for that.  I don't know why.  Jump on IMDB if you're really curious.

The other company has a great office in this giant building on Hollywood Blvd. right on the Walk of Fame and casts big time studio films, such as Twilight.  (I'll keep y'all posted on who the next Rob Patz is.)

I spent the next day frolicking on the beach with my aunt, uncle and my cousin's adorable babies (are these my second cousins? Are they my great cousins? Can I please just call myself their aunt?) because I didn't have a meeting until late that afternoon.

This interview was on the Sony lot, which is really cool.  First, because I got a "drive on," meaning that the man at the gate had my name and let me "drive on" to the lot.  And I felt like I was on Entourage.  Which, oh happy day, shoots all of the "studio lot" scenes at Sony. (I missed a scene by 3 days.  Bummer.  To Mark Wahlberg: Please bring Adrien Grenier and those amazing eyes back to Sony when I'm there, mmmkay?)

So the lot was great.  So was the office.  I got a half offer from this office, because they don't know if they will need someone at the exact moment I arrive in the state.  But I'll take it- because they cast films such as Eat Pray Love, Spiderman and Tree of Life.  Which is cool.  So my half-offer pretty much made my day.

As a lovely little conclusion to my journey, I got to see a friend from school and attend an advance screening of Bridesmaids (to those under 30: hilarious; to those over 30:... well... just don't do it) and catch up with Texans.  And let me tell you- when you are in the middle of crazy town with people from every end of the earth, hearing that familiar "y'all" will pretty much make everything right in the world.

So, in conclusion- I had a very successful preview to my new life.  I now have solid jobs (I like to call them that, even if they don't pay me) and friends to boot.

What more does a girl need?

Oh yeah. I need a roommate...

.......

Anyone?

Bueller?

Buuuuuuuuueeeelller???

Just a small town Saturday night

Okay, so it was actually Friday- but Hal Ketchum didn't write the song that way.

Anyway, in the past when I would think to myself, "Self, what do you think you'll be doing on your last night of school ever?..." chaperoning my little sis at the Graham carnival probably wouldn't have come to mind.  But my mother had different plans for the evening.

I was conveniently in town to witness the spectacle that is the annual dance recital (and celebrate Mother's Day, duh) and I was just the perfect chaperone to a gaggle of middle schoolers who are so desperate for freedom but way too immature to ever be left alone in public.  Especially at the carnival.

Let me explain this concept to all you city folks.  A crew of ex-convicts (that is a broad overstatement, by the way) rolls into town on Monday morning, and by Monday night there are miraculously tall, blinking, spinning and nausea inducing rides gracing America's Largest Downtown Square.  (That's Graham's claim to fame, by the way.  The square.)  But what really makes the carnival "the carnival" are the people that come out of the woodwork to attend.  I always feel like I know everyone in town until I attend the carnival or go to Wal-Mart too late at night.  And that's when strange things start happening.

By the way, have y'all ever checked out "People of Wal-Mart?" We could start a "People of the Carnival" blog and be rollin' in the dough so fast.  Seriously.  It's astounding.

So, although the people watching was prime, I was incredibly relieved when my sister's tickets ran out and we could get the heck out of dodge.

Because there's no telling who comes out after they shut down the rides...


On a less-creepy note, my parents decided to put a pool in our backyard once 66.6% of their children were grown and gone.  Does this seem unfair to anyone else?

Oh, okay.  I guess we will take it now.

Better late then never, right?

Love,

The 66.6%

"The end is not near... It's here."

(**SPOILER ALERT** There are sure to be some ridiculously dramatic emotions flying about in the following post.  If you are a fellow senior and would like to remain in oblivious dreamland, you should stop reading NOW)

And no, that title was not me being super emotional (because I am never like that) rather, it is the song that came on my Pandora radio yesterday.  As I was passing by this beauty.

Not a joke. Now, as if the title isn't enough to induce chest constrictions and the embarrassing inability to breathe, recall that this song accompanied the final episode of The O.C. Like, the final episode ever.  (Requests to join the O.C. Official Fan Club can be sent to me.)

And that did it.  I feel like there is a Big Brother of sorts living inside my Pandora and cruelly playing songs that they know will crumble the carefully built walls that strive to keep me sane.

I got this same feeling recently while mindlessly surfing YouTube.  I ended up on the final scene of Pocahontas (... just don't ask) and by the end of the video I was in complete tears.  And my long-suffereing and doll of a roommate Melissa thought I had absolutely lost my mind.

You can skip to about :50 if you're short on time.  But you're really only doing yourself a disservice.

Tragic stuff, huh?  The swell of the music as the winds blows through her hair... John Smith's face as he somehow catches her scent off a leaf...

But alas, I digress.  The point here (and I promise, I have one) is that I kinda feel like Pocahontas.  Something I love soo sooo much (college, friends, Austin) is just sailing away and I can't really do a whole lot about it but stand on a rock and listen to the symphony.  And hope that one day I have hair as luscious as hers, because, I mean, wow.  That is some hair, Disney.

I am embarking on my trip to Los Angeles on Monday to interview with a few different casting offices.  Which means that once I return on Thursday, I have about a week left in Austin to live it up.  In order to succeed in my endeavor, I have noted a few things.

1. Under no circumstance will I take my optional Finance final, because it would severely disrupt this week of careless Senioritis that I have been waiting on all semester.
2. I like to live with no regrets.  Therefore, there are about a million excursions (Threadgill's Gospel Brunch, vineyard visits, floating the river, Gruene Hall, etc.) that need to happen in these days.
3. I will abandon sleep and permanently adopt a high and steady dose of caffeine into my diet. (I have a sneaking suspicion this will come in handy in LA as well...)
4. And finally, I will spend as much time as possible with my friends and try to laugh and soak up the incredible love and gifts that I have been blessed with.

I have a great amount of peace and faith in my current situation.  I know that the relationships I have forged over the past four years are not fleeting, and they will continue to support me and be a source of incredible joy in the years to come.

I don't have any idea what my life will look like five years from now.  I don't have the faintest clue as to where I might be living in a month.  I don't even know if I will ever earn a dollar from a source other than babysitting.

But I do know that God has not brought me thus far to abandon me.  He has a divinely perfect plan for my life, and for right now, knowing that is enough for me.


P.S. I promise to be exceedingly upbeat and bright and sunshine-y from now on.

And not talk about bittersweet things that make me want to cry.

Promise.

Oh, who am I kidding?

I'll do my darndest though.

Promise...

Procrastination Method #562

Ingredients: Tape, Sense of Humor

The options from here are endless...

Anti-Senioritis

There is something extremely wrong with this picture.

Here are some hints.  It is 4:30 on a sunny, 70 degree Wednesday.  (Pool and lawn chairs included.)

Those featured in the photograph are seniors, meaning a few things:
1. The majority have jobs lined up for the near future.
2. We will all be walking across the stage in two short weeks, most likely regardless of the grades we will receive tomorrow.
3. Most people our age are probably sippin' on a large Texas Tea at Abels and reminiscing about moments past.  They know better than to care about silly little exams that won't change their GPA anyway.

And yet we still study.   

When did we become so lame?




In completely non-related and severely depressing news, my love of the life just announced his engagement.

Meet Henry Cavill.

Now say goodbye.  And wish you had met him three years ago, when he was a lowly HBO supporting character and not the new Superman.  Because now we're really hopeless.


I'm gonna go sit in the corner and cry now, if anyone wants to join.


What- that's just me?

Great Aspirations

I'm a dreamer.  I like things to be perfect, and bright and sunny.

I am also incredibly blessed, because for 22 years the world hasn't taken this out of me.  The second I start sounding like a jaded, worn-out, world-weary soul wandering about in a dark abyss, (I've been studying for awhile- forgive my obnoxious adjectives) I trust that my friends and family will book me on the first flight back to Texas to regain my ignorance and blissful naivety.

Right, guys?

Anyway, one of my many aspirations in life is to become a domestic goddess.

(Notice how I italicized that? How very domestic of me.)

Obviously, to me this means totally superficial and 50's house wife type things.  Like, for instance,

1. Baking the most beautiful, scrumptious and perfect Red Velvet Cake and sighing in happiness when the cream cheese frosting separating the two layers is the exact right proportion. (It looks easy- but this is actually quite a struggle.)

2. I also want to be able to arrange flowers better than the most famous florist in town.  And I want to grow them.

I mean, really. Don't they look happy?

But, alas- For today, all I have are three tests looming over my head, a can of the world's best baking ingredient (That's Eagle Brand for all you aspiring D.G's) and some biscuits.

Monkey muffins it is!  A feast of the most gooey, buttery, drool worthy treats, all at your disposal in 12 minutes.  A big ol' thanks to my favorite D.G., The Pioneer Woman, for the recipe.

P-Dubs, my friends are I are indebted to you for life.  (Or at least until we can stop making your sinful snacks and button our skinny jeans again.)  

Oh, the places you will go...

Like, all over the stinking city.

(Explanation to come.)

A little tid-bit about me- when I am actively trying to not study for the 3 tests I have this week, I can find the most imaginative things to do with my time.  I once found myself watching all of Reba's old music videos and admiring the dramatic tension the stories weaved. (By the way, if you've never seen "Fancy," just go ahead and click on the link. Seriously.)

Such an empowering song.

So, today's activity was mapping out the offices I will be interviewing with next week.  And let me tell you- these folks are not centralized.

Like, not centralized at all.  I am seriously concerned about me and my economy-sized rental car making it to all of these places in 48 short hours.

In case you're not catching my pseudo-organization skills- I gotta' get myself to all the stars. And be charming, fresh and decidedly not-frazzled once I get there. Wowza.

I realized as I pondered this map that I might need to request to visit offices at certain times on certain days- Which makes me a bit nervous.

"Hiiiii! This is your possible future employee... Yeah, so I need to come in at precisely 1:15 and I gotta be out of there by 1:45 to trek across the city to my next meeting... Is that cool with y'allllll?"

You see the problem.


Here's to hoping the scheduling Gods are on my side next week, and my appointments fit nicely into some imaginary spreadsheet I'm sure I will create.

Oh, and God? Let's cut down on the traffic in LA next week too.  That would be great.

Maiden Voyage

I have a feeling I will be a terrible blogger.  I say this because of my severe inability to take pictures, edit pictures or share pictures that might have any sort of merit.

You see, I own a camera, a seriously photogenic group of pals (I mean, look at them) and occasion beyond occasion that would make for dah-ling shots, but I just can't seem to whip out the camera often enough.

So I'll work on the whole photo thing.

The reason I am starting this whole blogging venture in the first place is that I am picking up and moving 1500 miles away to Los Angeles in June to pursue my love of all things entertainment, (go ahead, tell me I'm irrational and idealistic) and I hope that I can provide endlessly thrilling details and updates that my mom and maybe a few others will read.  I promise to be completely scatter-brained and meticulously non-witty.

I am going on a preliminary trip out to LA next week, where I will (hopefully!) secure a few internships with casting directors for the summer.  You see, I want to make movie dreams come true.  And watch magical things.  And be with people all day, every day.  Just livin' the dream, you know.  Did I mention I'm an idealist?

So, in my manic excitement, I made a purchase.  In true fashion, I find this purchase to be incredibly emotional and have endless meaning where others see it for what it really is- a necklace.  For me though, it means that I'm really doing this thing, and the closest Texas and the loves of my life will be is resting on my chest (cue cheesy Full House-esque music).  And most of all, it means that we're kinda-sorta all grown up.  Which is weird.  And sad.  And makes my eyes water in a really unpleasant way.

And now I absolutely have to respect the fact that one week of school remains, and if I fail all my classes I'll inevitably end up back at the Graham City Pool this summer instead of living in La-La Land.

And that, my friend, is not ideal.