THINGS NOW AND THEN

Things I do now that I didn’t do then:

**Classical music junkie. For those DFWers, tune it in to 101.1 fm. I’ve been listening all the time… morning, in the car, and when I get home. The announcer has a nice British accent and makes me wonder if we were ever to exchange words, would he think I had a nice Texan accent? Hmm… those, my friend, are things to ponder!

**Beans and homemade soups. I’m in love with black beans, honest. I heart them. I also believe I’ve probably eaten more beans this year than in all years past… combined! You know you’re getting older when you ask for kitchen items for your birthday… I asked for a food processor for my 27th. Now the chopping process is crazy-fast plus I can make my own salsa that is delish!

**Sports talk radio (only The Ticket). The guys on this station crack me up. I love when they announce traffic… just so I can sing along to their raunchy “Stick it up your tailpipe!” jingle. Quite lovely indeed.

**More beer and wine, less liquor. Gosh, really?! Yes… Really.

**Make-up free days. I know the artist inside me wants to dabble in the multi-colored hues of make-up (especially the eyeshadows)… but at least now in my older, upper-twenties age I’ve toned it down. Lost are the days of shimmery blue eyeshadow. Lost are the days of heavy, dark eyeliner. Lost are the days of glitter dust. Sigh… just like my pretty pink caboodle… you sometimes have to move on.

Going au nautral isn’t happening so much right now (oh the pale winter white days!) but I’ve finally grown accustomed to the look… Plus, who wouldn’t enjoy sleeping in a little longer in the morning? I think it comes from a sense of self-confidence… I’ve always had growing up, but embody even more so now.

**No more excessive work out weeks. Maybe because I probably overdid it once before… Maybe because too many people are getting jumped on the Katy Trail… Maybe because it gets dark early and I can’t go running… Maybe because my heel is still injured and I can’t run anyways! All in all, good… but not really because I miss running in all the 5ks.

**Mall shopping. Not a big fan anymore. I feel like a male. I’d rather park, go in and get what I need and get out. Mall walking = a terrible thought. Too many baby strollers (have you ever walked up on a double wide one? WTF… take up the whole lane!)… Too many annoying teenagers… Too many kiosk guys wanting to “sell you a phone” when they’re just trying to pick you up so then you continue to walk by and they all check you out… Food court Chinese smells… the A&F store bc it breathes their woodsy scent… escalators that are broken… and always the mall hustlers trying to get you to take their surveys.

For my birthday, my mom and sister dragged me to the Galleria… only to be pleasantly surprised. Although it was the “Christmas mall experience”, I quite enjoyed it. Sipping my latte, watching ice skaters, and seeing the huge tree in the center of the rink… it was a good time. So maybe they’re not that bad all the time?


AND NOW for a look at my artistic talents... here's a sampeling of my Christmas cards I designed a few years back and recently updated.



SIGNED: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BE WHATEVER YOU ARE WITHOUT SHAME. -Rod Steiger