on the road again

Stay tuned for updates about the amazing weekend that has already started, including:

- What happens when people in Alabama lose your carry-on bag
- Reviews of the two Neko Case albums that I've been putting off buying forevs (in prep for the 9/27 show!)
- Pictures of our first Texas road trip.
- Austin travelogue. Finally!!!
- Free 9th row tickets to a Rangers game. All sweat and stress, or will the Rangers have two new Maryland friends?

Hope you all have a good three-day weekend!

the world's got me dizzy again

You'd think after 22 years I'd be used to the spin.

The weekend is winding down, and I am really not looking forward to this week. Will has his first work travel situation and has to leave on my birthday. I would easily give up gifts for the rest of my life if it would guarantee spending every birthday with him.

On Friday night, we went out with my lovely boss and her husband for some Mediterranean food. It was delicious! I'm pretty sure we'll be going back when Mom visits so she can get some chicken shawarma (shawerma?)! After dinner, we all went to see some improv in Deep Ellum since her sister in law was performing. Most of them were funny (the sis included), but a few thought they were funnier than they really are. Afterward we walked over to a bar/burger joint and my boss's sister in law proved some serious story-telling skills. She is really funny and one of the most energized people I've ever met.

Yesterday Will and I shopped a bit for other people, and went to see American Teen! It was so accurate in describing high school with profiles of stereotypes. I loved it! There's a movie theater at Mockingbird Station that shows mostly independent films, so that's good to know about. They also serve dinner? And wine and beer? Loves it! Perhaps we will live in the Mockingbird Station Lofts. Although living above an Urban Outfitters and American Apparel might eventually get kinda expensive for me.


Here's a picture that Will took of the Las Colinas flower clock while I was pumping gas.

hokies forever

Here's a video from the Virginia Tech memorial vigil this past April.

Nice On!!

As some of you may or may not know, I attempted golfing this past weekend. I played at a course called LB Houston. As you can judge by the website, it isn't much more than just golfing in a random backyard, but it was only $14 and it allowed me to get some much needed practice. Here is some media from the event.

Lining up the putt.


Perfect position at the top of the swing.


What a follow through!


And a montage of my most successful shots of the day.


Notice the gunshots in the background. There's a shooting range that parallels the course. Classy!!

Meanwhile, Brittany got her first paycheck today. It feels so great to have TWO incomes. Also, she got the second pick in her fantasy football draft at work, selecting Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings. Included on her roster is Terrell Owens, Carson Palmer, Todd Heap, and Matt Stover, just to name a few. She also has the Steelers and the Redskins as her defenses, which is about as good as you can get. Go Maryland Transplants (the name of her/our team)! I am officially a consultant, as is young Keith.

Lastly, I got a new phone! It's a slider and is really good looking. If anyone needs it, my number is 469-223-2102, eerily similar to my house phone number on Artizan Street. Anyway, gimme a call or a text, as I now am in charge of my own payments.

Aquaman has arrived!

First of all, Michael Phelps is incredible and I feel like we are extremely lucky that he is in his prime during our lifetime. The 4x100 meter relay was the most exciting race of any kind that I can remember, even closer than the Kentucky Derby's of late.



He has a 6'7" arm span, so no wonder he's good. He's got 8 gold medals already, only needs two more to break Mark Spitz record of all time golds, and will most likely be not only the best swimmer of all time, but best Olympian of all time. Brittany and I are having so much fun rooting for him. And as we speak, he just got his 9th gold, 3rd of this year, and broke yet another world record. RIDICULOUS.

Anyway, besides the Olympics, my car had its first episode. Well my car didn't, but apparently my neighbors did. Someone decided that my side mirror was a punching bag and put a crack in the plastic, and the glass mirror part was danging for dear life. I'm lucky it didn't fall out while driving it. But it's getting fixed right now and I will no longer park where people walk by my car.

Also in the sports world, a Hagerstown little league team made it to the Little League World Series tonight. Federal little league was never any good when I was young, but my goodness it is impressive to watch them on ESPN2 tonight. Wild.

Brittany is entering a fantasy football team at work, the Maryland Transplants. Basically I said to her, "Just go with anyone on the Patriots, Colts, and Ravens, unless it's at quarterback." The Ravens might not equal winning, but at least it'll be fun to root for them!

are you new?

Hello everyone!!!

I haven't updated all week, so I figured something is in order even though Will just updated today.

First off, I looove my job. I am responsible for so many different things that it will be hard to articulate, but just know that it's amazing. I really enjoy going in every day and knowing that I'll be busy for eight hours straight, doing everything that I loved in the SMAD program at JMU. I design, I write, I edit and I get to mingle with ridiculously rich Texans every Thursday at the Salesmanship Club luncheons. Ahhh. My co-workers are great, too.

Today we drove around lower Greenville once again. I'm pretty sure I want to live there eventually. We got a few "take ones" from houses that were for sale and actually found a few affordable ones! It would be awesome to be able to walk to The Granada. mmmm.

Also, look how cute our cars are side by side. They're dating.

Back and to the Left.

Well, as many of already know, Brittany began her job this past week. A full week and she loves it! She's met all kinds of people: golf people, cotton bowl people, and old rich Texan people in the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. Let's just say she's been given a lot more work than me, and somehow she already got an email account set up on the FIRST DAY. Meanwhile it took me about a week before I got one. Anyway, we can't stop discussing the doors to be opened at the end of the internship. And, she gets six free passes to the Byron Nelson in May, and we are already trying to plan that event. It'll be so exciting.

For her first day, I somehow put together a meal and called it shrimp scampi. It really was good though, in my opinion, and I even peeled the stinky raw shrimp all by myself. She deserved it.

Finally things for us are beginning to settle down and become normal. Of course we still need to update our cell phones, including mine which I believe my plan ran out yesterday? Well it still works so we'll see what happens.

After some poor service and experiences at Blockbuster, we've decided Netflix is right for us. It's cheap, it's convenient, and it's so much more widespread in terms of selection. So far we watched...

JFK


and began the series Heroes, much to the delight of Keith.


JFK was way too long, but I guess presented the whole conspiracy potential of the assassination. Heroes is quite entertaining and beginning to get ridic. I am more skeptical than Brittany, but I'm still excited about receiving the next disc in the mail.

Last night we went to try out some new Mexican restaurant. No Chuy's but we both agreed if it were in Hagerstown, we would have gone there allll the time. However, La Paz can definitely hold its own.

Afterward we went to Bill's Records. Basically it is a warehouse of some guys collection of records. You could spend hours and hours in there looking for things. Unfortunately, they were very very loosely in alphabetical order, and you could find one band in about five to ten different places. He had the Rolling Stones record "Undercover" seventeen times. Now that is ridic. We overheard people talking to Bill, and apparently he recently moved his store. I really hope it gets organized sometime because I'm sure there are many gems.

And then, across the street, we realized we saw the Dallas police department! This is so exciting because we watch a show called "The First 48," detailing the investigations of murders within the first 48 hours they are reported. We fell in love with the Dallas guys, especially since we've moved here, and it was so exciting to see the building so often shown on TV. Now we just have to spot some detectives!

Tomorrow, Amy is supposed to be visiting the Dallas area and is going to include us in her visit. I'm sure Brittany is thrilled and we are actively attempting to come up with some sort of plans. Oh too often we've tried to entertain guests and instead driven around town for hours and hours failing to do anything.

Pictures soon of my new sunglasses and a visit from Amy!

PS. What's the deal with this weekend and sports? O's play the Rangers, the PGA Championship, and the Olympics. Wow.

another song!!

I was going to e-mail this to Jen, since she might move to Kansas City... but then I figured I'd just put it on here for all to enjoy!

It's from one of those old, sad mixes that you listen to when you need a good dose of nostalgia.

Cute...but won't buy.

The other day we were checking out a mall in Dallas, walked into a Kate Spade, and the lady working there checked on us as we walked through the door to see if she could help us with anything. We said no, so she walked around the corner and described us to the other employee. We overheard, hence the title of this entry.

Just warning you, this is a loaded entry as we've had many requests from our readers. At least three people have asked to see Brittany's hair, and so we will begin by satisfying the anticipations of many.

Taken by the computer.


Also, last weekend Brittany and I decorated my office. As you will see, it's quite bare but still provides a few conversation points, and a lil treat for guests. I'm very fortunate to have such a large office, as I've had about three months of experience. But it is a very comfortable chair, and when I'm bored I can look out my window and watch the airplanes come in.

Ahh the blue sky.


Ahh the heat.


The second floor lobby.


And through the door.


A different angle.


Chillin out max.


And to celebrate my half birthday, August 1, we went to Forth Worth for some dinner and a stroll. First we went to the Kimbell Art Museum to check out the new impressionist collection borrowed from Chicago. My personal favorite was The Bedroom by Van Gogh, and Brittany fell in love with Manet's Beggar with Oysters. Unfortunately we could not take pictures. However, we went to Sundance Square to relax for the evening. Mi Cocina was the restaurant of our choice, and my were we rewarded. It was just a wonderful evening together.

The entrance to the art museum.


Some gorgeous buildings around town.


Including the Pier 1 building.




Sundance Square


And finally, Brittany and I completed the full series of Seinfeld the other night. Thats a lot of shows, and it was as sad watching the finale as it was when it was actually airing. There will certainly never be anything on the same level as that show was ever again. Love ya Jer.



Now we will deal with the 106 and 107 degree highs the next couple of days. Yikes.