Tiffany In Texas

Cowtown for a Year

2012-01-26T22:04:00.000-06:00

I have now been in Fort Worth for over a year now. Never thought I would say that! So lets have a year in review:

December 2010: Moved to Funky Town (aka Fort Worth); no I don't know why they call it that.

January 2011: Still know no one but working frantically at the museum on an exhibit!

February 2011: Steal away on vacation to Grand Turk. Exhibit supposed to open while I am gone, but alas it doesn't happen.

March 2011: Car won't start turns out that I need a new computer for my car. WHAT, my car needs a computer! Are you kidding? I could of bought myself a new computer for the cost of my car getting one... On a brighter note, I spend one day at the pool even though it was March!

April 2011: Went to Edgefest and saw some awesome bands. Saw some of the strangest outfits ever there and some great tattoos. Also, discovered the Gingerman pub. All they serve is beer. I call it heaven.

May 2011: Steal away on vacation again to Grand Turk!!! Made new lifelong friend as a result! Best thing that happened all year.

June 2011: Spent most of this month in the pool with a drink and friends.

July 2011: Hotter than heck here! I like to be warm, but this is what the sun must feel like. 100 degrees at 11 o'clock is just not right. Needless to say, spent a lot of this time in the pool with a drink!

August 2011: Had my first migraine. Horrible experience that I never want to experience again! Also, went to Chicago for the Society of American Archivists annual meeting.

September 2011: My laptop died. Bright side is that I bought a MAC! And I love it!

October 2011: The Texas Rangers were in the playoffs again. Then one night while I was out watching them and my car was broken into and my laundry was stolen. Horrible!

November 2011: There was an earthquake in Oklahoma and we felt it here. Never one before. Also, went to Chicago again.

December 2011: The worst thing that every happened to me took place this month. It changed me. The only thing good about it was that it motivated me to change my life.

So here is to a better 2012! And more adventures!

Grand Turk Vacations

2011-08-16T20:35:00.010-05:00

Vacation! Who doesn't want to go on vacation right!? I was fortunate to be able to go on vacation this year. Both were to Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The second trip was very much not planned! I haven't been back to Grand Turk since I lived there in late 2009. Few changes have occurred since then. Many people who lived on the island when I was there have left, which led to two restaurants closing. One was the Chinese food restaurant, which I never got to eat at while I was there. The other was a deli owned by the same people as the Chinese food restaurant. My favorite restaurant on the island is at Bohio Beach Resort and it was still there. Chef Jorika still making excellent food all day long. They also have the best rum punch on Grand Turk. See the picture below! There is a new place on the island, One Love Cafe. It caters to the cruise ship crown during lunch but offers a nice change to the usual offerings for dinner. Some of the best french fries I have had on the island. Wow I didn't mean for this to become a post about food!

I did do some sightseeing I didn't do while I lived there as well. My first trip was during whale watching season. I chose to go with Oasis Divers for this trip. While it took a few hours to find the whales, the whales that we saw were amazing! There were five whales, one of which was a calf! Very playful animals. Many people jumped in with them. I was not as brave but I think next time I go, I will. Below is a video of them.(My video skills on a boat are not great!) They even "waved" goodbye. One the second trip, I went to the Grand Turk Lighthouse. You can't go into the lighthouse so it is really to see why you need the lighthouse. These are the most treacherous waters around Grand Turk. The Atlantic meets the Caribbean meets coral reef and rocks. Makes for a beautiful sight. NASA also used to have buildings at this site.

Look for more pictures soon!

Rum Punch from Bohio Beach Resort

Whales!

Bohio from the beach

One Love Cafe

New Life back in Texas

2011-06-19T15:43:00.003-05:00

Once a again I find myself apologizing for not writing for so long. There are too many reasons to count and I am sure no one is interested in my excuses!

As my last post stated, I am back in Texas. I was lucky and got a job right away at a museum in Fort Worth! For the first couple of months I commuted from my parents house in Dallas. It took too long and I had no life! I moved to Fort Worth in December. It took me sometime to find my niche here but now I love it. I never thought I would like living back in Texas let alone Fort Worth!

More updates as what I have been up to the past few months!

Wow! Where have I been?

2010-09-22T15:50:00.002-05:00

New Orleans and I did not agree. I left about two weeks ago and am now back in Texas. I am determined to stay near my family now. Now I just have to get a job! Sorry it has been so long since I wrote a post. Hopefully, I will be able to update more often now.

Cats of New Orleans

2010-06-15T21:39:00.003-05:00

For those of you who don't know, I am a cat lover. I have had cats all my life. When I moved into my house, I noticed a lot of feral cats. The first week of work, I rescued a kitten that had been abandoned by its mother and was going to die from starvation and cold. A few weeks later I was able to capture two of her other kittens. I got them tamed and found homes for them. The other night I went for a walk looking for a peacock that roams our neighborhood wild. Didn't seem him, but saw lots of feral cats. Here are some of the cats I saw and that didn't run away immediately. (The first cat looks evil, but he was actually not afraid of me and meowed alot.)

Busy in New Orleans

2010-06-02T21:19:00.004-05:00

Life has been busy here for me in New Orleans. I have been keeping busy with Meetup.com activities. I have met tons of new people and seen many things. Last weekend I had friends come visit, so I was busy getting ready for them and showing them around. The heat got pretty intense here last week and it has rained a ton. Two weeks ago I looked out my window and my street was flooded to the curb. Then thirty minutes later, it was gone! Amazing. It went away too fast to take pictures. Here are some pictures of the lovely "homes", really mansions, on St. Charles Avenue and some of Jackson Square. Enjoy!

The First Week

2010-04-27T19:21:00.002-05:00

My first week in New Orleans has been great. My new job is great and I like everyone I am working with. New Orleans is a beautiful town. Many people told me that it was dirty. There are parts, just like any city, that need some help. I think a lot of it is due to Hurricane Katrina. The city has never fully recovered from the hurricane. However, the trees are still here and they are wonderful. Many of these trees must be at least a hundred years old. The tree outside my house is so large it has broken the sidewalk and is encroaching on the street. I would take a picture of it, but I don't think I could get it all in the frame! The house I am renting is fabulous! It has pocket doors, hardwood floors, four fireplaces, and it is the largest place (other than my parents) I have ever lived in. Not only do I love, but so does my cat. Hopefully the unpacking will end soon and the exploring of New Orleans will begin.

Moving

2010-04-09T17:46:00.002-05:00

I am moving!! I got a new job in New Orleans! In March, I was offered a job. My start date is April 19th. I will be moving down on Wednesday. The blog should not change to much except with a New Orleans spin. Thanks for reading.

Shakespeare and Independence

2010-03-26T13:49:00.004-05:00

Did you know you can see an original Shakespeare folio and the Declaration of Independence right here in Dallas? I had no idea! Last weekend I went to the Dallas Public Library. The librarian on the 7th floor told me that while I was waiting for my meeting I could look at the Shakespeare folio and the Declaration of Independence right there. The Shakespeare folio is in this cool room especially designed for it. It was designed to look like a room from the period. The Declaration also had its own special room. Not only is these items really interesting to see, it is totally free! There was also a neat exhibit on the history of Boy Scouts in Texas inside the Texas History department. Go check it out!

Vapiano

2010-03-10T20:26:00.002-06:00

Last Saturday night, I went out to eat at a restaurant here in Dallas called Vapiano. They have several locations in the United States. In Dallas it is at Mockingbird Station. The restaurant is like an upscale cafeteria. They give you a card when you enter the restaurant, it looks like a gift card. You then go order your food from a chef. The chef charges your card. Then he makes the food in front of you. The food was great. I loved that I got to see it being made in front of me. If you want an adult beverage, you go over to the bar and the same thing happens. Non-adult beverages are available at the food ordering area. On the table there was an ad that said text this number for a free mini-dessert. I am all about free! I got a tiramisu, which was also very good. All my friends loved their food. The only thing was it took a long time to make a pizza. The card thing is great for a group of friends who all want to pay seperately. I will be going again!

Sun

2010-03-03T13:37:00.004-06:00

The sun has come out! It has been miserably cold and cloudy in Dallas for awhile now. The sun came out last week, but it didn't last. We have had two days of sun and it should continue. They are even saying it could get up to 70 next week. I am really tired of winter. We had the second snowiest winter on record in Dallas this year! Of course, I can't complain to much because New York City, where I used to live, has had tons of snow this winter. Come on Sun!

Motivated

2010-02-26T21:34:00.000-06:00

Tonight my niece went to spend the night at a friend's and my parents went to a dinner at church, so I decided to spend the night at home so I could be alone! It's hard to be alone in my house. I decided to rent the movie Julie & Julia. The movie was great. It was hilarious! Meryl Streep was great and Amy Adams is funny! Who knew? Another bonus was that it reminded me that I needed to blog. I can't imagine cooking like that every day AND blogging about it.

I do not enjoy cooking as much as Julie or Julia, but I do enjoy eating! I made sure to eat during the movie so I wouldn't eat the entire frig of food. This is essential while watching this movie. Not sure what I would have done if I had seen it in the theater.

Hot Yoga

2010-02-17T18:17:00.000-06:00

While I was in the Turks and Caicos, I started doing yoga. I really enjoyed it. I hate doing exercise too! People talk about a runner's high, but I would leave yoga with a Yogi's high. When I got back to Dallas, I wanted to find a place to do yoga. I was hesitant at first since I knew it was going to be like what I was used to (i.e. outside by the beach, not serious.) I wanted a place to close to me also. There was a place called Sunstone Yoga near me. I decided to give it a try. It is what is called hot yoga. It is not Bikram, which is even hotter. I loved it. I got my yoga high back. You sweat alot, but it feels good. It is serious, but not too serious. The people that work there and practice there are all really nice.

PS. I was not paid to review Sunstone Yoga and am not receiving anything in return.

Snow in Dallas

2010-02-11T10:08:00.000-06:00

What a winter! We had a white Christmas and now we are having snow again! I woke up this morning to almost two inches already. They are saying we could get up to 7 inches. Here are some pictures of our neighborhood.

Everything IS bigger in Texas!

2010-02-03T23:44:00.004-06:00

The other day I was doing some research and I came across a interesting fact. The largest movie theater in the United States is in Mesquite, TX, which is a suburb of Dallas. The theater has 30 screens and seats 6,092 people! To put that in perspective, the island of Grand Turk has a population of about 4,000 people. The entire island could fit plus the passengers of a cruise ship! I was intrigued, so I went to do some more research. Apparently we really like movies in the Dallas area because there is another 30 seat theater in Grapevine, another suburb of Dallas. Both of these theaters are owned by AMC. The first stadium theater that they built was in Dallas. I really like to go to the movies, but it has gotten so expensive! It used to be just New York City that had outrageous prices. At least we can get a discount here for going in the middle of the day. Of course since I am home with my niece now, I have only seen kids movies recently. We saw the Princess and the Frog the other day, which I think is now my favorite Disney Princess movie. Maybe I will go to this HUGE movie theater soon and give you a review.

Missing the Turks and Caicos

2010-02-02T12:33:00.006-06:00

I really miss Grand Turk and all my friends there. Since I haven't posted all of the almost 500 pictures I took, I thought I would post a few more. Enjoy!

The beach!

A beautiful sunset.

A view of Grand Turk from the tiny airplane I took to Provo.

Dallas Observations

2010-01-26T20:13:00.003-06:00

Since I have been back in Dallas for more than a month now, I have made a few observations. Things have changed since lived here seven years ago. I have been back in those seven years, but this is the longest stretch. First, traffic is still bad. I thought all the highway improvements and the Dart Light Rail would help. Of course, I heard that over 5,000 people move to the DFW area everyday! Next, more people are taking the Dart Light Rail, but not enough. I would take it everywhere if I could. More people should take it. Third, despite the economy, Dallasites still like to shop. I have been to the mall a couple of times and had a really hard time finding a parking spot. (Please note, I have only been exchanging stuff!). I am sure will notice more things that have changed the longer I am here.

Reading in the 21st Century

2010-01-04T11:06:00.003-06:00

For the last year or so, I have been dying for a Kindle. For those of you still in the 20th century, this is a ebook reader sold by Amazon. I have been hesitant to buy one for several reasons: lack of money, I don't like being the first one to try something new, and I couldn't check out library books on it. Now Barnes and Noble has come out with their own ebook reader, the Nook. It came out while I was living in Grand Turk, so I didn't get to go look at one till I got back, but I already liked what I was reading about it. The Nook has a touchscreen, a larger collection of books to download, ability to check out ebooks from the library, lend feature, and a microSD slot to increase memory. Being that I still have no money I didn't think I was going to get one, but the winds of fortune have turned to my favor and I ordered one last night. It is expected to ship on February 1. Now the waiting begins.

Back in the States

2009-12-29T14:41:00.003-06:00

My time in the TCI is over. I miss it more than I thought I would. My time there was great in so many ways. I learned about the history and culture of a foreign country. I met lots of new friends. I started doing yoga! My life was very unstressed. I was ready for bed at 9:30 every night because of the lack of stress. I came home with a decent tan. I can't wait to go back.

2009-11-12T18:10:00.004-06:00

The Turks and Caicos Islands main industry for many years was salt raking. The salt is sea salt. After the 1970s, the salt industry here ended. The salina ponds still exsist and one of the windmills has been restored. Not sure how all this works technically, but it looks cool. Sometimes the salinas smell really bad though. They cover a large part of Grand Turk. Flamingos fish in them. Apparently people do too, but I have heard that the fish are not good to eat. I wouldn't eat them!

Wildlife in the Turks and Caicos - Part 2

2009-11-03T18:19:00.005-06:00

Yellow Warbler

Flamingo (about 14 of them live on the island)

Donkeys (the black one was born a couple of weeks ago)

Large Hermit Crab (in our yard)

Wildlife of the Turks and Caicos - Part 1

2009-10-19T14:55:00.008-05:00

A Male Night Heron

Pounder: A Potcake, local term for a wild dog, but he is not a wild. He is my boss' dog.

Cows that run wild all over the island and in our yard!

A gecko in our house. He is next to a nail head. He was very small.

A Female Nigh Heron

The cows were left on the islands along with donkeys and horses to help with labor and for food during the early years of salt raking. I will post the donkeys later. The cows in this pictures must of come from up from the beach because we have cow guards leading into the neighborhood. More interesting animals to come!

My Abode and my Workplace

2009-10-11T09:14:00.005-05:00

A person, who shall remain nameless (you know who you are), requested pictures of the house I am living in and the museum I am working at. The first picture is the house and the second is the museum. The museum looks out over the water! We can see the cruise ships coming in from there.

Beach

2009-09-27T17:45:00.003-05:00

The museum house is on Corktree Beach here. We only have to walk a bit down the road to get to the beach. It is great. I can go for a swim anytime. What is also really nice is that it is only knee deep for a long ways so you can walk pretty far out. You have to be careful though because there is coral, a shipwreck, sea urchins, and lion fish. So far so good. Below are some pictures of the beach and a recent sunset.

TCNM Archives

2009-09-18T18:30:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, Jessica (the other archivist) and I had to develop an archives supply list and get an estimated budget. While we did this we started to look at the condition of some of the materials. We also gave brief descriptions to the books that are in the archives. Most of the books are government records. The Turks and Caicos do not have a government archives and much of the materials have been lost over time. Here are some pictures of the more challenging pieces that we will be working with.

TCI Pictures

2009-09-16T17:57:00.010-05:00

Here are some pictures from the first days in the Turks and Caicos. This is at the resort in Provo (not where I am living).

Sun and Sand here I come!

2009-09-11T16:27:00.003-05:00

Most of you know I moved back to Texas last week. Recently, I was given the opportunity to move to the Turks and Caicos Island to volunteer at their national museum. I leave on Sunday. I won't be back until late November. I am very excited. Not only am I getting an amazing experience, I get beautiful weather and beaches to do it in. I will try to keep blogging while I am there. Look for pictures!

Goodbye New York

2009-08-18T11:23:00.003-05:00

I am very sad to report that I am moving out of New York City. My job is not going to ever become full-time and I can't stay here on a part-time salary. I am moving home to Texas to save money while I look for a job. I haven't made a decision as to what will happen to my blog and I haven't been updating because of all the changes going on in my life. I will post the future of the blog as soon as I know. Thanks for reading for past several years!

Changes are coming

2009-05-27T22:00:00.003-05:00

Many of you know that my life is about to change. I have been looking for a full-time job for quite some time now. I have had interviews and am waiting to hear back from them. My lease is also ending in June and I am not sure where I am going to be living until I know what my job situation is going to be. I can't stay where I am, so I have to find a new apartment or something until then. I am very stressed out about all of this and this the main reason I have not been posting here. Please pray for me to find a job. This would solve lots of problems! Thanks!

Snow again!

2009-03-20T23:52:00.005-05:00

I intended to post pictures about the big snow we had a couple of weeks ago, but have been busy. Well this morning we had a bit of snow again, so I thought it would be appropriate to post my pictures from the previous snow. It was March 2 and I had a snow day. I took these pictures in Riverside Park. Kids were out sledding. It was beautiful although I am done with winter. It has been a very cold one here this year.

It just seems wrong

2009-02-17T18:03:00.007-06:00

One day last week, I walked out of my office and noticed a car that had a bumber sticker on it that read "Offset Your Carbon Footprint" and then a website address. I thought that is nice someone cares about the enviroment. Then I stopped and turned around because I noticed the car was a Hummer 2! What a waste! What is the point? I realize they might have the money to pay for offsets, but why not just buy a more fuel-efficient car! There are hybrid SUVs. GM does not report MPG for the H2, but Motortrend reported it is 12 mpg. They also had the sticker on their driver's side window.

Book Review

2009-01-28T20:51:00.003-06:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Here is another book review for my book loving readers! This book was a real pleasure. The book is written as a series of letters between all the characters. A book writer receives a letter from a man on the Channel island of Guernsey. This starts a letter writing relationship with them and many others and her on the island. The time period is right after World War II. I wanted the characters to be real so they could be my friends! If you are looking for a book with leaves you with warm fuzzies afterward, this is it. There are some tough parts about the war, but the rest of it makes up for it!

Sightseeing in New York

2009-01-08T20:29:00.003-06:00

My cousin, Mindy, came to visit for New Years. She had only been here once before and it was a very short visit. Obviously I wanted her to see as much as she could in the three days she was going to be here. I have decided I am the tour master. It was very cold on the second day. The temperature was 20 degrees and the wind chill was 9 degrees. We did not want to spend a lot of time lingering outside. We left the house at 11:30 and we were home by 5:30. We saw the following: Times Square, Little Italy, Chinatown, City Hall, the Brooklyn Bridge, St. Paul's, the World Trade Center site, Trinity Church, the stock exchange, the South Street Seaport, and the Statue of Liberty from the shore. I rock! Now I haven't done this in awhile because only my parents really come to visit and they have come so many times we do not really go sightseeing when they come. It was fun. I had not seen many of these things in a long while.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T13:13:00.005-06:00

MERRY
CHRISTMAS!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Happy New Year too! See you all in 2009!

PS. No this is not my house, I wish mine looked like that.

Snow

2008-12-17T11:02:00.003-06:00

We got an inch of snow yesterday. When the snow first started to fall the flakes were so big they looked like feathers. I was a wet snow so it did not last overnight. I didn't have my camera with me to take any pictures. I took one with my phone but it was too dark. I hope this means we are going to have lots of snow this season! I love the snow.

Book Reviews

2008-11-21T12:41:00.005-06:00

A while back I was posting on the side what I was currently reading, but that ended when I was getting my History masters because I was only reading school books. Now I am reading constantly, so I thought I would introduce book reviews. I guess it all depends on how well I can write one if I continue.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a murder mystery set in modern day Sweden. This has to be the best murder mystery I have read in a long time. I do not know much about Sweden, but that also added interest to the book. The book is written from several character's points of view. To give you a brief summary, without giving anything away, Mikael Blomkvist (a journalist) is hired by the head of the Vanger family to solve the disappearance of his niece Harriet. She has been missing since the 60s. Also, involved is the super slueth Lisbeth Salander. Her company was hired to find out information on Blomkvist and eventually he hires her to help solve the mystery. This is the first in a series of three. Unfortunately, these will be the only three because the author died shortly after turning in the three manuscripts. This book is not to be missed!

TEXAS TECH #2!!!

2008-11-02T19:09:00.002-06:00

Last nights win was amazing. For those of you who are living under a rock, Texas Tech beat Texas. Just a few minutes ago the BCS rankings were annouced. We are now #2. We surpassed Penn State and we kicked Texas to #4! I am loving Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree! Go TECH!

Busy, but not busy

2008-10-27T10:05:00.003-05:00

I have not post in awhile because I seem to be busy, but then I think I am not really busy. I guess I am comparing it to what my life was like when I was in school. Now I am busy with things I want to be busy with. That is really nice. I am busy at work and maybe that is it. I am also about to be really busy. I have had to take a second part-time job since I am not in school and that job starts on Friday. Anyway enough about me, what keeps you busy?

Now on Twitter

2008-10-01T13:54:00.001-05:00

I am now on Twitter. My username is tiffanyinnyc. Come follow me.

www.twitter.com

Rules of New York

2008-09-24T11:43:00.003-05:00

I have not blogged in a while because I did not have internet access at home for about two weeks. I am back now!

This week I have noticed people have been breaking some New York Rules. Some of these are rules that apply in other places though. Here we go:

1. When you go down stairs and up stairs you should always be on the right! I do not know how many times this week people have been using the wrong side and have interrupted the flow of traffic!!

2. Let people of the subway before you get on. Please! I can't get off if you are trying to get on.

3. Move into the subway or train car when there is space. Yesterday I heard a man say "I am getting off at the next stop". I wanted to say "Have you ever heard of someone not making it off the train!"

4. When going shopping or into a restaurant, turn down your iPod or take one of the earphones out. People are speaking to you and you are ignoring them!

5. If you are on your cell phone speak softly, we don't need to know that you were expecting fax or that little Billy hit another kid in class today.

More to come...

Tiffany in San Francisco

2008-09-02T19:46:00.003-05:00

Last week I went to San Francisco for the Annual Conference of the Society of American Archivists. Of course, I had to go sightseeing while I there. Here are some pictures of my trip:

The Golden Gate Bridge of course! I took a boat cruise to see it up close.
Very close!
The two story carousel at Pier 39!
Some sea lions that have taken up permanent residence at Pier 39.

In Twenty Years They Will All Be Deaf!

2008-08-22T08:30:00.002-05:00

Since I live in the city where most people take public transportation, I have noticed something disturbing. I was on the train this morning and two people's music was so loud that I could hear it from several seats away. It is really annoying. I was getting rap from one side and salsa from the other! I listen to my iPod, but I try to keep it down. I want to save my hearing and other people's sanity! The really bad thing is that all these people will probably be deaf in twenty years!

New phone

2008-08-03T11:33:00.003-05:00

I got a call from Sprint this week saying they had moved up my new phone credit! I was really glad because my phone was on its last leg and I wasn't eligble till October. So I decided to get the new Instinct. It is a lot like the iPhone, but smaller. The best thing is that now I can take send pictures to my blog to post. I coudn't before. I could take pictures, but I couldn't send them. Now when I see crazy things on the streets of New York, I can blog about it better!

No picture!

2008-07-21T08:29:00.003-05:00

So last night I take out my camera to take pictures of a table I want to sell on Craigslist. I turn it on and there is no picture, just black nothingness! I change the settings hoping that is the problem. No help there. I take a picture to see what comes out. More black nothingness! I point it at something with light, then I get white nothingness. I can still see the pictures I have on the memory card, but no new ones come out. I am so mad. The camera is only a couple of years old. I guess it just couldn't take all the pictures I took in Alaska! Who knows. Anyway, my Dad has an extra digital camera he is going to send me since I clearly cannot afford a new one! So everyone will have to wait for more pictures.

Update: I got my Dad's camera about a week and a half ago. It works great. Pictures to come soon. The ironic thing is that I spoke to my Dad this weekend and his camera has the same problem. Now he doesn't have a camera that works! I couldn't believe it. Apparently we have bad luck.

Family Reunion

2008-07-07T18:33:00.006-05:00

Where I work is closed for a week in the summer every year. The week usually falls around the Fourth of July. Normally, I am in school, so I haven't gone in a long time. I think it was the late nineties since I have been! Anyway, this year I am not taking summer school, so I was able to go. First I went to my parents house in Dallas, then we went to my grandparents house in Kansas, and finally on to the reunion in Branson, MO. Branson is were the reunion has been held on and off for forty years. When we started going there was hardly anything there. Now it is like Las Vegas on steroids! I heard an ad on TV boasting that there were 400 restaurants in Branson. While that would be fine in a city like New York with 8 million people, there are only 6,000 in Branson!!!! I know there a lot of tourist that come, but really that is just ridiculous! The traffic is also horrible. I would take us a half an hour to get anywhere we had to go through traffic signals to get to. There are some highlights though, like good shows, museums, a water park, and a butterfly zoo (okay, I don't know what to call, but it was a building with lots of butterflies). My Dad and I took my niece to see the butterfly zoo. Here are some butterfly pictures to enjoy.

125 Years Old

2008-06-25T20:02:00.007-05:00

May 24th was the Brooklyn Bridge's 125th Birthday. Even though I have lived in New York for six years, I had never walked across it! So my roommate and I decided this was the weekend to do it. It was a beautiful day. The bridge was busy, but not as bad as I thought it would be. When we got to the Brooklyn side, we went and saw a teletroscope. This was a fiber optic cable that ran from Brooklyn to London. The end was a the London Bridge. You could see a live picture of the people there and they could see you. They had white boards so you could talk to them. It was really neat being able to see people in real time and communicate with them. We then walked back across the bridge. We had lunch at the South Street Seaport. Here are some pictures:

The view on the bridge facing Brooklyn.

The view from the bridge facing Manhattan.

Did I mention the teletroscope was huge?
LONDON!

Tiffany in Alaska

2008-06-17T20:50:00.004-05:00

So have been busy recently and part of this was my trip to Alaska. It was beautiful. I saw so many animals, it is impossible to list them all. The two most amazing animals were the humpback whale I saw and the two day old mountain goat. Unfortunately, it is hard to get photos of a whale and a very small goat. So I will give you some beautiful scenery instead.

Okay one with an animal, but he was at an animal preserve! This is a Sitka Black Faced Deer. He was my friend for about five minutes.

Cat can't jump

2008-05-20T22:16:00.004-05:00

My cat, Sophie, likes to get up high just like any other cat. She does not always get up, but she likes to look and meow. Sometimes she is successful. Here is one of successful jumps. Only problem was she couldn't get down.

I had to get up on the kitchen counter to get her down. My counter is kind of narrow, so she had to jump down from my arms so I could get down without breaking my ankle. Sorry the video is so dark.

Truly a small world

2008-05-15T21:37:00.003-05:00

So New York is a quite a large place, over 8 million people. You would think that you would never see anyone you didn't know twice. On Tuesday, I went to the New York Public Library Humanities Research Library. This is a large library located at 42 and Fifth Avenue. I am getting on the elevator and this man is in front of me. He is talking to himself, smells, and is carrying two pink bags that have the American flag on it that light up. Its New York, so this does not strike me as very unusual, gross but not unusual. Today I am getting off the subway near my apartment and there he is in front of me! I couldn't believe it. Same bags and smell. I am use to seeing people I know and people who live in my neighborhood, but this was truly amazing. Now I am worried that this man lives in my neighborhood. Maybe I should move to a small town!

My Niece is getting big

2008-05-07T22:18:00.007-05:00

Last month I got to see my niece. She has gotten so big even since Christmas. They get big so fast! She will be four in July! I can't believe it. The first picture is from Christmas and the second picture is from April.

Another Good Website

2008-04-29T12:47:00.002-05:00

I am not sure how I found this website. But it is really funny. This woman just posts about funny and weird things that happen to her.

www.junkdrawerblog.com

Paper writing

2008-04-26T14:26:00.003-05:00

Well its that time of year again, paper time! Not that I am excited about it. Right now I am at Columbia University trying to write a paper on all the books I have read this semester in my Public History class. It isn't going so well. The paper has to be between 20 and 25 pages! While that seems like a lot it shouldn't be too hard since I am writing about 8 books. It is just getting it done. Oh by the way it is due Tuesday! Plus I have to write a narrative for a project also due on Tuesday. That is partially written.

Then for my other class I have a short paper due on May 4 and a big paper due on May 8. The paper on May 8 has to be 15 to 20 pages long and is a research paper. I am writing about Abigail Adams. I have found a lot of good information for my thesis.

Wish me luck. I may not be sleeping much this week or the next.

Update:

The public history paper is done. The short paper is done. Now all that is left is the paper on Abigail Adams. On Thursday my professor told us it is due on May 13. Thank Goodness! Keep your fingers crossed!

My spring

2008-04-15T10:54:00.003-05:00

It has been so long since I have written because my semester has been very busy. The books have been much longer this semester than they have every been. It will be over soon and I am taking the summer off to relax.

I also have not written recently because my grandmother had increasingly gotten worse. Unfortunately she passed away last Tuesday. I did get to go see her before she passed. I was in Kansas for a week. I will really miss her. She was a wonderful lady and we were close. So many relatives and friends came. Pray for my family as we go through a tough time.

Another cat movie, extremely funny!

2008-03-06T22:59:00.003-06:00

Here is another cat movie. I love this guy. I wish he would produce more.

Cool website

2008-01-16T22:19:00.000-06:00

So over the last year, I have become aware of how much stuff I eat. I am trying to watch my sugar, fat, and calories. Now I know many of you are doing the same thing, so this new website is really useful. You put in what you ate that day and it keeps the totals for you. What is really great it that it has name brand food and food that other members have put in. It is called The Daily Plate. You can also track your weight and how much you want to lose. Once you do that, it tells you how much you should eat in calories each day. Of course, you can track your fitness activities. My roommate is the one that told me about it.

Michael Crabtree Named AT&T All-American of the Year

2008-01-08T13:57:00.000-06:00

Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree was named AT&T’s All-American of the Year last night on BCS Championship game live. It was very exciting to know that a Texas Tech student was recognized on a national broadcast. I love it when Texas Tech gets promoted since I feel like we are not as well known as other Texas schools. Congratulations to Michael Crabtree! GO TECH!

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T16:28:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year! I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2008!

Update

2007-12-14T22:13:00.000-06:00

So I have been really busy for the last two months. My parents came to visit at the beginning of November. Then I had to play catch up with school. I have had papers due about every two weeks, well at least it feels that week. I have one more left. I finished a big one today. The next one is due on December 23, but I am leaving on Saturday to go to my grandparents house, so I want to get it done before that. My flash card reader is not working properly so I don't have any photos from my parents visit, but I was able to get some photos of my neice downloaded from my Dad's camera. They are from earlier this summer and her 3rd birthday. Enjoy!

She absolutely loves to swim. Actually, she loves all water.

Blowing out the candles!

Such a diva!

Now with attitude!

TEXAS TECH BEATS OKLAHOMA!!!

2007-11-17T23:41:00.000-06:00

Tonight Texas Tech beat #4 Oklahoma. I can't believe it! I am so excited! We beat the #4 four team in the country. Granted their quarterback was injured in the first quarter, but any team who can't survive their quarterback being out is not as good as they should be. Another good thing was we won at home.
GO TECH!

Its my birthday!

2007-10-30T10:26:00.000-05:00

So today is my birthday. I am offically 30! I am not sure how I feel about that yet. I don't noramally call attention to my birthday, but since it is a big one I thought I would.

Cat Wake Up Call!

2007-10-27T11:53:00.000-05:00

So recently I saw this video on Cute Overload. I think it is hilarious. If my cat could hold stuff in its paws it would do the same thing.

Currently Reading

2007-10-20T13:40:00.000-05:00

So since I don't get to do any reading for fun, I took down the currently reading section. All I read now are my history textbooks. Some of them are very interesting, but I didn't think that most people would be interested in them. If you want to know what I am reading, email me. Over the winter break, I will bring it back since I plan on reading all fiction over the break!

TEXAS TECH IS RANKED!!

2007-10-15T11:08:00.000-05:00

So Texas Tech beat Texas A&M this last Saturday 35 to 7! I am very excited about that. But even more exciting is that we are ranked! We are ranked 22 in the AP Poll and 24 in the BCS Poll. We hardly ever get recognized despite the fact that we have had great seasons for several years now.

Reading, reading, reading

2007-09-29T13:36:00.001-05:00

So I guess my blog is going to be slow for the next two years. I am constantly reading for my classes. In addition to that I am working at two jobs, plus babysitting sometimes. The rest of my time is spent commuting from New York to New Jersey. But that isn't too bad because I get a lot of my reading done on the train. I have my first paper due this week. I am very nervous since I am not a great writer. But as of this moment I have written the introduction and for me that is excellent, because I have a hard time with the opening.

Other news...I got a new title at work. I am so excited. I am now the Project Archivist. I got a raise earlier this year, but now I have the title to go with it. The title is very important and will help me get a job later.

Well hopefully I will have more exciting things to tell you about soon!

Update

2007-09-07T11:47:00.000-05:00

Sorry it has been so long since I blogged. I have been really busy the last month or so. First, I went to my roommate's sister's new house in Connecticut for the weekend. The next weekend I went home to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday. Then I went to Chicago over Labor Day weekend for a archivist's conference. I had a great time every where. I am hoping to post pictures from my trip to Chicago because I went to the Shedd Aquarium and got great pictures of all the sealife. I also started school this week. I have so much reading to do I may never finish! More later!

Pet peeve

2007-08-07T15:54:00.000-05:00

So I have a big pet peeve about staircases. I don't think I ever cared until I moved to New York City though. The right side of the staircase is for going up and the left side is for going down. On the escalator the right side is for standing and the left side is for climbing. I don't know why people can't get this. I don't mind as much if it isn't busy and I haven't already started climbing the stairs. Today I am going up the stairs and I am almost to the top and people started coming down, even though they can see that I am coming up. Let me know what you think.

Need some prayers

2007-08-01T23:13:00.000-05:00

My Grandmother is in the hospital. She has been ill most of the year. She keeps losing blood somehow. She has two leaky heart valves, but the doctor's say that is not enough for all the blood she has been losing. She is also on oxygen. I went to see her and my Grandpa in early July. She didn't feel great then, but was feeling better when I talked to her last week. Just keep her and my Grandpa in your prayers, for the doctors to figure out what is going on and to keep my Grandpa's strength up. For those of you who don't know, my grandparents are 86 and 88. I am very lucky to have them and want to keep them for a lot longer. Thanks!

Update 8-7-07: Grandma is doing much better and came home from the hospital today. Thank you!

New websites

2007-07-26T21:27:00.001-05:00

So Time magazine posted some interesting websites that I thought were useful. The first one is called Kayak. It is a travel website. It compares all airline websites and cheap ticket websites, like Cheap Tickets and Orbitz. The web address is www.kayak.com. The next website is called Etsy. It is a website were people can sell handmade things and vintage stuff. They sell everything from pet products to stationary to clothes. The web address is www.etsy.com.

Check them out.

Great website!

2007-07-11T22:37:00.000-05:00

I found a new website yesterday. It was on the Blogs of Note on the blogger home page. It is called Bent Objects. It is hard to explain so I am putting a picture below from the website. The man, Terry, who creates these makes these objects and takes the pictures. The website address is http://www.bentobjects.blogspot.com/. Please note that most of the pictures are kid friendly, but not all of them are.

Moved!

2007-07-02T12:47:00.000-05:00

Sorry it has been so long since I haved blogged, but Alix and I are in the middle of unpacking! We moved into our new place yesterday. We have walls of boxes to unpack. Worst of all my couch wouldn't fit through the door. It was old and needed to be replaced, but I was hoping it would of lasted a few more months! Oh well. My cat was not so sure about all this at first, but now she seems to like it. I am going to send out change of address cards soon, but if you need it before then just email me. Maybe I will have pictures of it once we unpack.

I AM DONE!!!

2007-06-20T20:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight I wrote my last paper for Master's of Library Science. I am so excited. I only have to go to class tomorrow night and make a small presentation! I have two months of free time. I can't wait. I don't even know what I am going to do with myself! But I am sure that I will find something to do.

I'm a Kitty Cat

2007-05-22T15:28:00.001-05:00

This is the funniest cat video I have ever seen.

Rutgers here I come...

2007-04-30T12:19:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't already know, I got into Rutgers for the Fall. I am very excited. I will be getting my Masters in history this time. No I am not moving to New Jersey! My classes will be in Newark, which is right across the river. I will be done in June with my classes for Library Science. One down, one to go.

Southern Women

2007-04-09T12:30:00.000-05:00

First let me say not all of these apply to me. But they are very funny. I also do not know the author of this, so I apologize in advance if I am plagiarizing you.

Southern women appreciate their natural assets:
Clean skin.
A winning smile.
That unforgettable Southern drawl.

Southern women know their manners:
"Yes, ma'am."
"Yes, sir."
"Why, no, Billy!"

Southern women have a distinct way with fond expressions :
"Y'all come back!"
"Well, bless your heart."
"Drop by when you can."
"How's your Momma?"

Southern women know their summer weather report:
Humidity
Humidity
Humidity

Southern women know their vacation spots:
The beach
The rivuh
The crick

Southern women know the joys of June, July, and August:
Colorful hi-heel sandals
Strapless sun dresses
Iced sweet tea with mint

Southern women know everybody's first name:
Honey
Darlin'
Shugah

Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Driving Miss Daisy
Steel Magnolias
Gone With The Wind

Southern women know their religions:
Baptist
Methodist
Football

Southern women know their country breakfasts:
Red-eye gravy
Grits
Eggs
Country ham
Mouth-watering homemade biscuits with momma's homemade jelly

Southern women know their cities dripping with Southern charm:
Chawl'stn
S'vanah
Foat Wuth
N'awlins
Addlanna

Southern women know their elegant gentlemen:
Men in uniform.
Men in tuxedos
Rhett Butler

Southern girls know their prime real estate:
The Mall
The Country Club
The Beauty Salon

Southern girls know the 3 deadly sins:
Having bad hair and nails
Having bad manners
Cooking bad food

More Suthen-ism's:
Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit, and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them.

Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, as in: "Going to town, be back directly."

Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.

All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.

Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin!

Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near"
and "a right far piece." They also know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20.

Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the difference between a redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.

No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.

A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.

Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, ... and when we're "in line," . we talk to everybody!

Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will discover they're related, even if only by marriage.

In the South, y'all is singular, all y'all is plural.

Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.

Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.

When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner!

Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it -- we do not like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want buttermilk.

And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just say,"Bless her heart"
... and go your own way.

To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your
Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your heart!

And to those of you who are still having a hard time understanding all this Southern stuff, ... bless your hearts, I hear they are fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language!

And for those that are not from the South but have lived here for a long time, all y'all need a sign to hang on y'alls front porch that reads "I ain't from the South, but I got here as fast as I could."

Southern girls know men may come and go, but friends are fahevah !

Now...... Shugah, send this to someone who was raised in the South or wish they had been!

If you're a Northern transplant, Bless your little heart, fake it.
We know you got here as fast as you could

Allergy Attack

2007-04-02T21:06:00.000-05:00

My allergies are driving me crazy. Last week here it got up to 74 degrees and the pollen was very high. I got progressively more miserable as the week went on. Then this weekend my roommate and I went to her sister's house in Rhode Island. The house is very close to the beach and I felt better. Then this morning I woke up feeling bad again. I think I need to move to a cold climate like Alaska or somewhere with no plants like a ship. It is supposed to get cold again so hopefully that will help.

Texas Tech Basketball

2007-03-15T15:02:00.000-05:00

Although we made it to the tourney, we lost in the first round. The final score was 84 to 75. Since FCC regulations denied me access to the game on the internet, I have no idea how we played. I just know we lost. I will still watch the rest of the tournament, but it won't be as exciting. I guess now I will root for the Big 12 teams that are left.

BUSY

2007-02-27T17:10:00.000-06:00

I am been very busy this month. School is ramping up and I have been looking for scholarships. Please keep your fingers crossed that I get lots of scholarships, so someone else can pay for this second masters degree. I have also been very busy babysitting and cat sitting. All of this has kept me very busy. Unfortunately, nothing else has been going on for me. My roommate, Alix, just went to Lisbon, Portugal. I haven't seen any pictures yet, but if they are good I will post them.

New website

2007-02-07T21:16:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine asked me to be her friend on a website called Good Reads. You enter in the books you have read, are reading and would like to ready. Then you can rate them and give reviews. You invite people to be friends with you so you can see what they are reading and what their friends are reading. I really like this website. Not only can you see what you have read in the past, you can get suggestions from others. If you are like me, I am always looking for new books to read. Check it out.

Taking it back

2007-01-31T11:57:00.000-06:00

I have to take back my previous post because it snowed last night. I was coming home at about 8 and there were flakes, but we have had flakes alot. Then I looked out the window at 12 and it had snowed about an inch! Always when I am not outside. Ugh!

No Snow

2007-01-30T22:21:00.000-06:00

So last year I believe we had about 24 inches of snow by now. We have only had an inch and that wasn't even on the same day. Also, most of that snow fell at night and I couldn't see it. I need snow. I want to play in it. Everybody take public transportation tomorrow so we can help end global warming.

School again...

2007-01-18T16:48:00.000-06:00

So today is my first day back at school since December. It feels like it was months ago instead of a month! I can't believe it is already time. I want a longer break! The school I work at also started this week, so at least I know I am not alone. At least I only have class once this week because of the holiday. Well wish me luck.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-03T22:56:00.000-06:00

I know I am slightly late with this, but better late than never right. I hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy new year. I did. I went home to Texas to see my family. My grandparents were there as was my sister and my niece. My niece actually understood this year how to open presents, but still doesn't understand Santa. Maybe next year. Right now I am enjoying my break from school. I don't go back until January 18th. Enjoy 2007!

Fashion Faux Pas

2006-12-19T19:35:00.000-06:00

I would like to point out to the women of the world that if you coat or jacket is as long as your short skirt then your skirt is too short! Twice in the last two weeks I have seen women in shorts skirts and their coats are almost as long as the skirt. Not only that, but these women were at least 40. There is a rule: Over 35 no mini-skirts!

Done

2006-12-16T23:32:00.000-06:00

I am done with school for the semester!!! I am so glad. It has been a very stressful semester. Of course, I am still busy. I have more school applications to finish. (If you don't know I am applying to get a Master's in History). I am also taking a history class by mail. So life will not slow down yet. I am going home this Friday, which I can wait to do. My niece is already at my parents house as is my sister. My Grandparents will be there to. I can't wait!

Blogs to read

2006-12-12T12:21:00.000-06:00

I was reading Cute Overload and it lead me to a website that reviews blogs. There I read about a blog called Starbuck's Gossip. This blog is supposedly written by Starbucks employees. It is really funny. I don't even like their coffee, but it was still an interesting read. Check it out!

Cold

2006-12-08T12:40:00.000-06:00

Ok it is beyond cold here. In Kansas, where my grandparents live, it was minus 7 last night. My parents got snow last week in Dallas before we did in New York. We haven't even had any yet. I was hoping to get snow last night, but it didn't happen. Of course if we get enough I will take pictures and post them.

Oh My Goodness!

2006-11-21T21:15:00.000-06:00

I saw Santa Claus today. I was going to lunch and I passed this man that would have been the best Santa! He had the white beard and curly white hair. He was also a little rotund. All he needed was the red suit and reindeer. I kept staring at him, which I am sure he gets all the time. I only wish I had my camera.

Paper update

2006-11-20T08:19:00.000-06:00

So I am trying desperately to write this paper and it isn't happening. I spent four hours at Starbucks yesterday trying to get something done. Only three pages happened. UGH!! I am going again tonight. I will be very glad when this semester is over.

I'm awful I know

2006-11-10T07:50:00.000-06:00

So I know I have been terrible about blogging. But I have been very busy this semester. I was working three jobs at one point. Now I only work two. I am also applying to graduate school to get my Masters in History. Yes I know more school. But most of the jobs I have looked at require a second masters and most of the archives jobs it must be History. Once the applications are done I think my life will go back to normal. I hope at least.

There hasn't really been anything else going on in my life besides school and work. In addition to working I have been babysitting alot.

I am going to try to be better. So I will update soon!

Been Gone

2006-08-22T23:15:00.000-05:00

I have been gone for a little while and hardly got on the computer while I was away, so I obviously haven't blogged. I went home to celebrate my Mom's birthday. (I can't tell you how old because she is already upset about me putting it on the invitations). Lots of people came including some relatives. It was a great party. I also got to see my niece. I will post pictures soon!

How do you like it?

2006-08-07T19:35:00.000-05:00

I redesigned the blog. Let me know what you think.

HOT, HOT, HOT

2006-07-31T17:40:00.000-05:00

I know everyone is hot. But it is hot and humid here. Tommorrow and Wednesday with the heat index it is supposed to feel like it is 110 degrees. Yuck! I have been sleeping with ice cubes to stay cool. I am not kidding. I have seriously considered shaving Sophie. I just hope we don't have another blackout (knock on wood)! So everyone try to stay cool.

Niece update

2006-07-26T18:19:00.000-05:00

My niece turned two this last weekend. I can't believe it! It feels like she was just born. She got to see her grandparents and her great-grandparents for her birthday. She went to Chuckie Cheese! Tonight she is going to the circus! I will post pictures as soon as I get them.

A Funny!

2006-07-24T17:14:00.000-05:00

Living in Texas

May 30th Just moved to Houston. Now this is a city that knows how to live!! Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! I watched the sunset from a park lying outside on a balmy night. It was beautiful. I've finally found my home. I love it here.

June 14th Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in an air-conditioned home with a pool, drive an air-conditioned car, What a pleasure to see the sun everyday like this. I'm turning into a sun worshipper.

June 30th Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing the lawn for me. Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting used to the heat and humidity is taking longer than I expected.

July 15th Fell asleep at the pool (got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body). Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson though. Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.

July 20th I missed Morgan (our cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning. By the time I got to the hot car for lunch, Morgan had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stank up the $2,000 leather upholstery. I told the kids that she ran away. The car now smells like Kibbles and shits. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.

July 25th
The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!! And it's hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the AC repairman charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th Been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. $1,500 in damn house payments and we can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

Aug 4th Feels like it's 125 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today. It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85, but this freaking humidity makes the house feel like it's about 95. Stupid repairman. I hate this stupid city.

Aug 8th If another wiseass cracks, "Hot enough for you today?" I'm going to strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work the radiator is boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!

Aug 9th Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts, and sat on the black leather seats in the ol' car. I thought my ass was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and ass. Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

Aug 10th The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do ANYTHING for 2 damn months and the wise ass weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Doesn't it ever rain in this damn desert? Water rationing will be next, so my $1700worth of cactus just might dry up and blow into the damn pool. Even the cactus can't live in this damn heat.

Aug. 14th Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to a 115 today. I forgot to crack the window and blew the damn windshield out of the car. The installer came to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?"My wife had to spend the $1500 house payment to bail me out of jail.Freaking Texas!

What kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here?

Just to let you all know

2006-07-10T17:22:00.000-05:00

I don't live anywhere near where the building exploded today. I got a couple of calls today of concern. Thanks! I live about 20 blocks away from where the building that exploded today.

It seems that the man was trying to commit suicide by blowing up his building. I think he might have chose to do it this way because in his divorce he was required to sell the building and give half to his ex-wife. Of course, he didn't succeed. I am just glad no one died.

Digital camera meltdown

2006-07-05T17:20:00.000-05:00

So I brought my digital camera to watch the fireworks last night. We got there and the batteries had died!!!! I was so mad at myself. I went into the giftshop and they don't sell batteries, only disposable cameras. So I bought a dinky disposable camera and took pictures with it. So there is no telling how the pictures will turn out. I also don't know when I will get them to put up on the blog or if they are even worth putting them up. ARRGH!

PS. So it really isn't a meltdown, but I was really mad last night.

Happy 4th of July!!!

2006-07-04T11:42:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th everybody. Remember today that we are free and there are soliders out there still fighting for us. We need to support our troops no matter how we feel about the war.

On a lighter note I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday! Alix and I are supposed to go watch the fireworks from the top of Rockefeller Center. I will bring my camera!

Hummingbirds

2006-06-28T17:22:00.000-05:00

Last month I got an email from a friend of mine that was showed the birth of a hummingbird. Then it shows them getting big enough to fly. Then the last slide shows you how big the nest was compared to a penny. I am not sure if this is real or not or if someone Photoshopped it. But in any case it is really cool! Here is the link:

http://community.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM

Update

2006-06-26T17:02:00.000-05:00

So summer has been really busy with me travelling back and forth from Brooklyn and Manhattan. Now I am taking a Summer II class and working full time, which I have not done before. Please think about me this summer, I am not sure if I am going to have much free time. I am really enjoying my internship at the New-York Historical Society. This will be my first full week there. This week we are going to the Museum of Chinese in America. I think it will be very interesting. If it is I will let you know. Last week we went to the Frick Collection, which I have been to before. The Frick Collection is the collection of Henry Clay Frick. The website is www.frick.org. The house was built basically to house his art collection. The family did live in the house though. I hope you enjoy.

I did it!

2006-06-05T22:37:00.000-05:00

I finally quit my job. Most of you already know that by now, but I wanted to let the rest of you know. I am starting a full time internship at the New-York Historical Society on June 13. My last day is June 12. I am so happy to be starting in my new field. I will be working in the manuscript department in the library. For those of you who are not familiar, the New-York Historical Society was founded in 1804 and is the oldest museum in New York. Also, New-York is how New York was originally spelled. It is located at 77 and Central Park West, which means I will get to eat my lunch in Central Park! Can't wait.

I am currently doing an internship at the Brooklyn College Archives. I am taking a survey of a new collection. It is very interesting and a great experience.

Here is the link to New-York Historical Society website - www.nyhistory.org