holy cow! we're campery!

HIGHLIGHTS

successes:

1. the tents lasted through the crazy winds

2. no one got bitten by a snake, hit by a deer or attacked by a cow

3. we had hot, yummy food, plus campery cosmos

4. breakfast breakdancing lessons

5. my old-school, man-sweatpants 

6. throwing rocks with the girls

challenges:

1. the shocking coldness, without a campfire (dang burn ban)

2. the park ranger waiting in the shadows to give us citations for all the rules we were breaking

3. the random streak of injuries 

4. the snake encounter

best made-up word:

campery - descriptor for people, places or things related to camping

ie. "I like your campery hat."

fun with names:

blesslie - blessings from leslie

dorian the explorer - if only dorian had an explorer, and not a 4runner

long-johnce - what johnce wears to keep warm 

best convo (for me):

[context: hiking....after coming up alongside antonio moments after I was "blazing my own trail"]

antonio: you know, bk....I sometimes forget that you're a small town girl, and then you say or do something that reminds me that you're from the country....

me: haha...yep

best quote:

[context: driving down a dirt road at night, and coming up unexpectedly on a cow]

jenny: HOLY COW!.......literally....

tent breakdown:

a. the "snuggie" tent - me and the girls in my tent had no shame in cuddling and snuggling for the bitterly cold/windy night; we were also careful with how much cheese was in the tent...because we wanted to avoid being attacked by cows... ;)

b. the "legit-campery" tent - these girls knew how to camp :)

c. the "bacardi-party" tent - these girls had a night cap...or two...

d. the "bromance" tent - the boys will not like this name at all...but it's true...gotta have the brotherly love...especially when it's crazy cold outside...

sidenote: there was an awful lot of talk about snuggies this weekend...I think some of us may need to purchase a snuggie...or two...

best made-up game:

tortilla toss - laura and jenny tossing a hot tortilla like a frisbee (even though we had actual frisbees with us)

best pit-stop:

dairy queen  - regardless of the fact that all the cars left at different times/took different routes home...we all ended up at the same dairy queen within the same time frame....obviously no one could resist the temptation of a hunger-buster or blizzard...

sxsw (+more) recap

bands i saw:
anathallo*
samantha crain & the midnight shivers**

amanda palmer

port o'brien**
loney dear*
m. ward*
beach house**
efterklang**

alela diane

coupleskate
we have band**
women

hatcham social
tinted windows
*performances i enjoyed
**new discoveries I really liked

best phone convo:

jh: soooo....you like women?

me: (dramatic pause)....ummm.....you mean the band???

[lots of laughter]

jh: yes, yes!...definitely meant the band, women.

me: then yes, I do like women (the band, that is).

[this was before I saw them in person....after seeing them live....eh]

textually challenged:

me: seen kanye?

la: yes I have why? 

la: oh not at sxsw I thought u meant before

me: seen kanye?

ad: we are on the hunt!!!

ad: okaybwe gotnwoed from the bar tender!!!! kanye fir sure!!!

[still slightly lost in translation]

me: seen kanye?

jh: seen elton?

this texting-convo has nothing to do with sxsw (other than it happened during the same time period), but I thought it was a funny:

jm: coffee in the crotch is not nearly as funny as on tv!

me: oh no! haha...ouch...I bet that's pretty painful...aim for your mouth next time! ;)

jm: i figured i'd be more alert if I took it in the crotch. :)

billy joel & elton john [face to face] set list:

your song (duet)

honesty (duet)

don't let the sun go down on me (duet)

my life (duet)

saturday night's alright (ej)

burn down the mission (ej)

tiny dancer (ej)

goodbye yellow brick road (ej) - one of my all time favorites by sir elton

i guess that's why the call it the blues (ej) - my favorite elton solo

daniel (ej)

rocket man (ej) - GREAT

levon (ej)

i'm still standing (ej)

crocodile rock (ej) - shocked that he played this

angry young man (bj)

moving out (bj)

allentown (bj) - surprisingly probably one of my favorites to hear live by billy

the ballad of billy the kid (bj)

zanizbar (bj)

don't ask me why (bj)

she's always a women (bj) - so, so good

scenes from an italian restaurant (bj)

river of dreams (bj)

we didn't start the fire (bj)

uptown girl (bj) - I was pleasantly surprised that he played this

still rock & roll to me (bj) - I LOVED that he played guitar for this one

only the good die young (bj)

the bitch is back (duet)

you may be right (duet)

bennie & the jets (duet) - my favorite duet of the night 

birthday - beatles cover (duet)

back in the ussr - beatles cover (duet)

candle in the wind - original version (duet)

piano man (duet)

throwing rocks...

This past Sunday, Megan and I got to catch up with two of my super-awesome guy friends (Troy & Josh)....and it was incredibly therapeutic for me. Great friends and tasty food are always a winning combination.

One of the funniest parts of the lunch was when the guys found out that my bridesmaid dress collection is almost in the double-digits. Troy then made reference to 27 Dresses, and he insisted that I get up on the table and sing "Bennie and the Jets"...because that would surely attract my Mr. Right. I graciously declined....Sunday lunch at Red Lobster just didn't seem to be the appropriate setting for such a performance.

After our lunch, Josh texted his apology for not bringing me rocks. He had previously offered to supply me little sharp rocks (mainly because I can't lift larger ones) to throw at mean boys.

I told him that I was okay with not getting rocks-to-throw for two reasons:

1. I don't want/need to go to jail on assault charges.

2. It would affect my standing on the "crazy/hot" scale. (see video below for explanation) 

It's almost funny how much (yet how little) has changed in the past 10 years. It definitely affirms my notion that I need to hang out with guys (especially these two) more often. Don't get me wrong...I have some amazing girl friends....but I need the balance of some laid-back guys who'll shoot straight with me (plus the bear hugs are nice).

new moon

Today at lunch, my fortune cookie provided me with this ambiguous message:

Luck will visit you on the next new moon.

and the word translation on the back:

Wait.

How annoyingly fitting....

Now I guess I should wait and see what March 26th brings!

Unfortunately, I doubt that it will involve two supernaturally-gifted guys fighting for my affection....but a girl can dream, right? 

Queen B's night to B Scene

This past Friday, I finally made it to the monthly B Scene party at the Blanton Museum. This month's theme was "The Birth of the Cool"....and I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with the event. Not only were the exhibits great, especially the temp exhibit featuring mod pieces from the 1950-60s, but they even had a station where you could make your own vinyl cover. I have never seen so many adults get excited over a glorified arts & crafts session (me included, or course). Here is my creation: 

After finishing our record artwork, me and three of the girls I had met up with decided to head downtown to have a drink. We got into a discussion of how none of us know how to flirt. I admitted that if I was batting my eyes it probably meant there was something legitimately in my eye....and with my luck, if I tried to coyly toss my hair, the chances of my tresses catching on fire from one of the many stand-up heaters was close to 98%. As we were confessing our flirting downfalls, a guy named Charlie approached our table...chatted and told us he would be back later. After he left, I believe it was Sally* who mentioned that touching the inside of a guy's wrist was a subtle way to show interest and flirt with a guy. But from that one statement, a bet was placed between Leah* and Sally*:

 

The Bet:

1. Leah* would have to touch a guy's wrist before we left.

2. Leah* would have to lick a guy's wrist.

I don't know where the second part of the bet spawned from....but I guess touching a guy's wrist was not daring enough...so licking was the most obvious (?) way to up the ante.

I jokingly observed, that if the question on most women's minds when appraising a guy was "can he build a table?"....then the majority of men are most likely asking "will she lick my wrist?"

Needless to say that when Charlie ventured back to our table, he was the target of Leah* and Sally's* dare. As we were playfully talking with him, Leah* asked if she could see his hands...and with great purpose she grabbed his wrist and leaned down to lick it the inner part of his wrist. Of couse, me, Sally* and Haley* all were in tears from laughing so hard. Poor Charlie never knew what hit him. He stood in complete shock for a moment...staring in awestruck wonder at Leah*. He had to sit down to regain his composure....Charlie just kept saying "I REALLY like you girls!" and he was (of couse) extremely fascinated with Leah* from that point on. He then asked for all of our names again....and when he got Leah's* name he commented, "I'll definitely remember you!". He quickly left to herd all of his guy friends over to meet us (which I'm sure they all got word of the wrist-licking excitement). I, of couse, squealed,  "it works! that's the question that men want answered!" 

Guys are truly wondering (whether they know it or not)...."will she lick my wrist?"

For four girls who don't know how to flirt, we had a shockingly flirty night. And amazingly with no awkward phone number exchanges, etc....just a good old fashioned ego-boost and an epiphany into the psyche of the opposite sex!

PS - I just had a weird revelation that I'm having a very Carrie Bradshaw-ish moment...with my written commentary on the experiences of four single women in the city.... 

*Names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved...well, except for me. :)

notes from a wannabe bgirl: part 3

In last Sunday's class, we were taught how to "battle rock"....which is basically "top rocking with weapons" (at least, this is how it was explained to me).  I would consider it more in the "choreography" category than the "stunts/tricks" side of breakdancing. As our instructor walked us through the movements, she explained that we needed to act like we were pulling out our weapons as we do the steps...and she specifically looked at me when she said the following:

"For all you ladies that have never handled a weapon, just act like you're pulling a gun from your purse."

I felt slightly indignant and frustrated that I couldn't immediately provide evidence of my weaponry skills...

I only wish I could find my 7th grade hunter's education photo where I'm rocking a neon-orange camouflage bandana (an oxymoron all in itself) to show how far back my skills go. Although I highly doubt a red ryder BB gun would be taken seriously on the street..... 

FYI - It seems as though hunter's education only existed in Southeast Texas...I used to casually refer to it, assuming that everyone had taken a similar class...of course, after a year or two in college, I realized this was not the case. Apparently, most schools were wise enough not to entrust their 7th grade students with weapons.