So here’s a quick recap of what has gone down in the past 3 weeks:
I was very lucky that I had 2 weeks between the end of my internship and the start of my job, so I got to spend the holidays with my family and friends back in Oregon. It was a wonderful time back home, seeing everyone for the first time in six months…being at my parents house and having my sister back home visiting from London, where she is currently living.
Not going to lie – it was definitely a winter break like none other. All other winter breaks I’ve been back home from only being an hour away at UO. And having been around a decent portion of my friends during school, it wasn’t as crazy of a reunion because we had mostly seen each other during the year. The one other time that was a bit different was in 2007 when I had come back from being abroad for six months…it was different, but at the same time, I knew that I was back and would be right back at UO with everyone from that point on. This time coming home was weird because I was a visitor in the place where I used to consider my home base…and now my home base is here in Austin.
There were a handful of times when I thought: I have an entirely other life in Austin that these people don’t know anything about. I have an apartment there, my car is there, my job is there. I have a circle of Texan friends I spend alot of time with that my friends here no nothing about. I play with bands in Austin, go to bars in Austin, take classes in Austin…and for the people back home, this is all a foreign thing.
Same thing goes with my friends though too – my best friend got back from her study abroad in Italy a few days after I moved to Texas, so this was the first time I saw her since March. My other friend Katy just got back from being in Key West for 4 months…my other friend Angie got married a few weeks after I moved here…Brett was on Survivor / in Samoa this summer, my sister has been living in London since September, etc. etc. etc. The point is – it’s just weird we’re all going off having these experiences that are all so foreign to each other. Perhaps is it because we have such a tight community and have all really been around each other since we were young…I don’t know.
Speaking of that (tangent, my bad) so a few months back, I went down to Houston to attend my friend Brian’s masters recital. Brian and I go back to middle school – we met in orchestra and have just been in the same circle of friends. I feel like Brian is actually part of my family though – he’s also good friends with my sister AND he and my mom are pretty tight – my mom accompanied him throughout high school, so they have some history (= Oh…and he attended an orch.academy in Santa Barbara where my aunt teaches…oh and remember how I said he is getting his masters at Rice for bass performance? Well, don’t worry, he’s studying under my UNCLE. !!! WTF, right?! Out of all the schools and bass professors to study under, Brian ends up studying under my uncle. We used to always tease Brian that he was trying to steal away our family, because he literally saw them more than I did before moving here. Kinda sad, but it was funny because it was true.
I drove to Rice with my uncle and as we get into the Shepard school, I see Brian’s mom and dad – they had flown down here from Salem to see Brian’s recital. So, I go give them big hugs…then introduce them to my uncle aka, Brian’s professor. How weird, huh?! So we’re sitting in the recital hall and I’m thinking: this is such a small world. I have Brian’s parents sitting to my left and my Uncle sitting to my right….
After the recital I walked out to the reception area and…ran into Vanessa and Tyler?! Sooo random. I have gone to school with Vanessa since elementary school through UO, Tyler went to my high school . I knew Vanessa better because she was best friends with my sister (of course, right?), but they were both living in Houston and both grew up with Brian since they were little. SMALL WORLD. At the reception I was freaking out inside of my head because I kept thinking…this world is just so damn small. Between Vanessa, Tyler, Brian, me, his parents and my uncle…we have an insane amount of connections…and how the heck did we all end up in that same place at the same time?!
Anyway bring this BACK to the point I was originally trying to make 37 hours ago..it’s crazy and I can’t wrap my mind around the concept of time and location BUT the most important thing is, I love my situation here in Austin – job, lifestyle, friends, etc. It’s been quite an adventure that I still look back on and wonder how the heck I ended up where I am doing what I do, but I feel very thankful for what I’ve been given. Wish I was closer to family + friends of course, but as a whole, I’m feeling pretty good (=
So let’s look at what my life has entailed since winter break.
#1: I flew back. Pretty important step:
#2: Greek class! I’ve been taking a Greek class here in Austin since September, so excited about this. Pre-Austin, I never had made time for learning Greek seriously, but I’m serious about it now. I took classes when I was young for a bit, but I’m sticking with it now. It looks harder than it is – still a challenge for sure, but I will say that knowing Spanish has been SO helpful in helping me pick up Greek. I wish I could get it down faster, but in due time. Here is what we did in class this past week:
#3: So…I had a birthday last week!! I really don’t like celebrating myself…it’s awkward, but other people like to celebrate, so that is what we did. Julia and Kaylyn had our friends over and we made dinner and cake for them and played some games (I love board games). Then we all proceeded to the Asian Karaoke place. I’ve never been to an Asian run, BYOB, open until 5 am in a stip mall karaoke place. So much fun (= Here are my friends:
#4: I made some coasters. I needed coasters and was feeling crafty, so I decided to make my own! It’s actually quite easy, all you need are small square tiles from Home Depot, photos and mod podge. I love photos and love to reminice about past amazing experiences, so I chose to use photos I took – there are the coasters, minus my Guanajuato, Mexico coaster – this one is already at work (= From left to right, top to bottom, these are the photos:
The first one is of my friend Liz in Las Pozas, the garden or Edward James during a weekend trip to Xilitla, San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
The second was taking at Pike’s Market during a weekend trip I took with some friends to Seattle this past memorial day.
#3: My sister and I in Meteora, Greece (ok, so I didn’t take this one…but I’m in it! (= )
#4: Ashly, Andy and I in NYC in 2008 outside one of the One Show events in a Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC.
#5 is me in Ballmer, our computer lab in Allen / UO / Oregon where I literally lived last year. Sometimes we took breaks and watched YouTube videos…i.e. what was happening in this photo.
#6 was taken during our day long adventure to Coney Island during our trip to the 2009 One Show. Although I don’t think this day should have meant the most to me of this trip, but I won’t lie, spending a day away from the craziness, thinking alot, reflecting alot, pondering life…(the usual)…probably one of the best decisions I made during that time.
#7 – at a hip hop / bboy show at UO in 2007 – I love this stuff and this culture.
#8 – someone tagged the stop signs all over campus in Eugene – this one is right by Safeway on 17th and Pearl, I believe.
#9 – during my COLAB / Portland Advertising Fed. internship in 2008 – one of the intense brainstorm / whiteboard sessions I had with my team (=
#10 – also during the summer of 2008 for COLAB, we went out and had a photo shoot when we were building our book / brand / marketing / strategic plan for our client, Sameunderneath. This pic. is of myself with Brian (one of my teammates!) in downtown PDX!
#5: I’ve been doing alot alot alot of dancing!! I can’t get enough of it to be honest. I started taking a salsa class here in Austin which I’m loving. The type of Salsa I’m learning at this point is Cuban Salsa – the main part that differentiates this type of salsa is that is is danced in a circle, with the partners consistent changing, based on whatever move the main person calls. Way different than the salsa I have danced before, but I freaking love it.
Oh yeah, and then I’ve just been dancing on the weekends with friends which is SOOO much fun!!! One of my favorite things to do on a weekend night is go out and dance with friends – I’ll take anything with a good beat…not going to lie though, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Vanilla Ice, Will Smith, Michael Jackson, Cupid Shuffle, Akon …basically, anything early 90s or with a good beat, I’m down to dance to. The thing that really does make all the difference is the company as well. There are PLENTY of beezies on 6th…or just out in general who are well…to be honest…both trashED and trashY but I am thankful that my friends are not. We just like to dance. So thank you Austin, for having wonderful bars and wonderful DJs and thank you friends for not being beezies:
#6 – Last but not least. BEING OUTSIDE IN JANURY in shorts and a tank top because it is 70 DEGREES OUT! I can’t get enough of it. It was a bit cloudy today, but usually the skies are clear and sun in shining. I love walking the trails around Town Lake and Barton Springs:
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