it’s TEXAS!

 

i'll pass...

 

 

so i figured out why i like austin so much and why i can’t quite come to grips with living in san antonio.  because San Antonio is TEXAS.  Austin is “we’re texas!” but in a non-annoying way.  i dunno what to do?!!!! I really really hope i can get into teachforamerica because, it might be my way out.  or it might make me stay BUT if it does, it comes with a 2 yr disclaimer.  if i know it’s not forever, i’ll deal with it through countless therapy sessions, gymming it out hamster style, and lastly, i can always rely on hulu to get me through a LOT of stuff.  

ok, here’s another weird thing about san antonio and me.  well me.  i don’t trust local places here.  i’ve been looking around for gyms and there are several local gyms and i’m craving, 24-Hour’s and Gold’s Gyms.

I think it’s because I haven’t met people from out of state or from another country that isn’t mexico.  don’t get me wrong. i’m as messican as i can get ( i drink topo chico!) but the thing is…it’s not diverse.  i need to find something that can help me focus enjoying this place.  I seriously hope it isn’t permanent.  I don’t want to bloom here.  Not here.

wk no. 52: ok i have some plans

So like i said, i will be looking into teaching as an option. Preferably math or science cos it just seems like more fun to do those and i was best at those in school. I guess i was ok in english too but i’m not so sure i want to do that although i’m completely open to all possibilities. but here’s the thing: i’m a hands on type of girl and i want the kids make cool stuff. somehow or other i’m gonna get them all to build something. i don’t care how small or simple i want something built. i thank you my visual background.

alright alright already

so i’m looking at 3 programs so far. Teach for America, cos hello Cornell drilled it into me. Texas Teaching Fellow, you can only apply to one location, i’m gonna pick San Antonio due to cheap cost of leaving oops, i meant, cost of living. Okay and the last one will be Austin ISD Teaching Academy because it’s in Austin, duh. TTF also has Dallas, El Paso and Austin as possible locations but I’m sticking to San An just cos i’m already there. Plus, the Teaching Academy is what I’ll bank on for returning to Austin. And TeachforAmerica because…well, I’ve met some corp members and they just seem to be really grounded. I’ve studied the program in class(es) too so it’s hard to not admire the system they have in place. I like their approach.

Ultimately, I want to teach. I like kids and I like to give presentations, I’m great with parents for some reason beyond my control, and I’m just fun like that so give me my summers back! PLEASE!!! Plus, teachers, get awesome benefits.

BEST OF ALL: i love cardigans! i already have all the professional apparel required to look the part. how fun is that gonna be.

it's a teaching basic

i know i’m excited when I start to plan what I’ll wear on the job. there is a part of me that really really wants to teach math or science. although, if i teach science…what kind of science? and how would i get kids to build something for science? If i teach science i guess they can experiment with different clays and build tiny little huts, oooh or bones, or i can have them create replica ecosystems. it sucks that i can’t keep plants alive. maybe i can use my fiber science background and teach them about basic textile care, that would be practical. ooh i can also teach them about forensics. YES!! if i’m a science teacher i think my class will have to solve a mystery every week. well maybe bi-weekly or even monthly. my goal is to make whatever subject i’m teaching fun for them. I want them to look forward to coming to class.

ok well i need to get back to packing. i DESPISE the moving part of moving. i love the meeting new people learning about new places but the packing and unpacking part. that’s the hardest part of it all. i wonder when i’ll be moving next. oy vey. OY VEY!

my imaginary boxes...i'm actually using shopping bags and some luggage pieces as well as my many handbags

puerto rican food

my brother in law is puerto rican. and right now he’s in qatar. i’m not entirely sure as to what he’s doing, i just know that he’s with the air force and will be returning in about 2 wks or so. Now that I’m living w/ my sister and him and my awesome niece i thought…i should do something nice for him. My sister told me that he likes pasteles which are basically a puerto rican tamales.
I’ve witnessed the making of mexican tamales and they’re labor intensive and intimidating…i’ve haven’t even tasted a pastel. i have the feeling that I’m going to chicken out. I’ve been doing some research but it’s just daunting from where i’m standing. ayyyy!!!!! someone help.

AND

WHY must I voluteer to do the impossible. oh whatev, this is america, everything is possible in america! right?! i repeat: AYYYY!!!!
i need a food network chef to come rescue me. well in 2 wks.

in other news, i want to teach. little kids. and i want to be a cool teacher- a ROCKSTAR at that. i’m talking, jack black in school of rock. yeah, if i have a classroom, i’m totally gonna get in trouble by making my class enter a battle of the bands deal-io like in the movie. yeah, just like in the movie. and then we’ll end the day by rescueing 101 dalmation pups from an evil and coniving woman named Cruella DeVille. muahahaha. right.

13 of 26 hours completed

i started working at gap pretty much as a retail storm hit. On Dec. 23rd. The parking lot was PACKED. The parking lot was 2 vehicles away from becoming L.A. I’m totally kidding.
3 cars away. Yeah the parking at this new gap sucks. the people are ok as far as I’ve come to meet. Only time discloses more though so I’m not gonna swap best friend pieces with anyone. Nick gets back on Friday and I work on friday so i’ll finally get to see him.
i bought a blue shirt that sure enough fits like a tent. I saw a gorgeous dress on sale on the kids section. I can’t wait to get it for MYSELF! I doubt I’ll get it. BUT i want it sooo bad. It’s gold!

Ok i need to go and get more stuff from my austin home. Also, I need to go to my mtg over there too. I met a brother outside of the Kindom Hall yesterday. There were a whole bunch of elder-looking types and I had talked my sister into swinging by because I wanted to see the schedule. Then when we went it looked like they were just chilling up front. I’m guess for security reasons cos it was X-mas eve and all and ppl might just be reaching out for a spiritual connection on a holiday like that. Anyways, I got the name and number of the congregation’s secretary and i gave him my cap’ plaza’s secretary info. Ok i NEED to shower, and empty out more of my car junk and head over to ATX. i’ll be back in san antonio just in time to hopefully empty out my car and make it to my friday closing shift at the gap.

wk no. 52: i have my nyc

i have been in love with austin for about 5 years now. why would i want to leave?
when i was in ithaca i came across MANY students from nyc and every holiday every break and after graduation they ran back. I never understood it. to me it was not something i could just comprehend. why not go somewhere else i thought? now, i understand. i’m getting kicked out of austin but i’m kicking, screaming, and clawing to stay. this is my city.

i went out to waterloo icehouse for my good-bye dinner w/ travis on saturday. and something we discussed how san antonio doesn’t really pride itself on it’s local places. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!!!
WHERE AM I GOING TO HANG OUT?! chili’s?!!!! UGH——–!

you might as well chain me to a starbucks too.

t told me that you bloom where you’re planted, but, can i really get planted somewhere i don’t want to be?
my alternatives to austin have been: Seattle, NYC, Portland, San Fran, etc. Not, San Antonio.

i know that san antonio is a bigger city so in a way i should be elated to make the move, except, it’s not austin.

“Suck Antonio”

today i called Nick who got transferred to San Antonio. i told him, hey, i’m moving to San Antonio soon. I want to transfer. He was soo happy to hear that. it was as if anything will make him happy because he’s unhappy there. actually, knowing Nick, he’s not unhappy. but he did call San Antonio “Suck Antonio.”

this move was not encouraged by that. also, PBK…i want my $4.50 back!

there go $4.50 I’ll not see again

ugh…forever ago I went on an interview for a very bare bones type of position for an Architecture firm.  I have a love affair w/ too many things architecture btw, so of course no matter how remedial the job was, i wanted it.  I NEEDED IT.  and i obviously didn’t get it.  From what my recruiter told me: 

“Unfortunately, PBK ended up going with another candidate who has less experience.  He was extremely impressed with you and honestly thought you would be bored after a few weeks.  I am waiting to get the scoop on the other firm and will keep you posted.”

awesome.  I didn’t get it.  because i’d be too good at it?! what a negative quality to have in an employee, like duh!  fine.  i’m flattered, but only to cover up the non-salary i’m getting, and still managed to lose 2 days of my job so that i could make the interview.  which, btw, the guy really did like me.  I left there feeling great! I was crushed when I didn’t get the job.  Now, they have a Marketing position open.  I don’t think I’m gonna get it.  I’m saying that now.  

Last night close to midnight I found out that the same firm, PBK Architects is hiring a Marketing Coordinator.  When I saw that posting on careerbuilder i felt like the clouds opened up so that sunlight could beam down on me.  YES! the firm i wanted, the job i wanted!!!!  omg… so i emailed the guy that I had interviewed with, real nice guy too, Darrell Pearson, a Director too.  I secretly thanked all my college roommates that many a times preached the power of networking and I emailed him.  

Then this morning I sent printed out a ream of resumes and headed to the Austin office with a few resumes and a box of donuts to be shared.  he took the donuts and wrote an email address on a resume, then said good-bye.

encouraging?  very.

bye donuts.  I barely knew you.

bye-bye my sweets

sun harvest

I have an affair of sorts with Grocery Stores.  My preference for them is over other retail options goes without saying.  

Over the years my favorites have been known to rotate some.  I think my all-time favorite is HEB.  But I must say, I also have day of the week devoted to one store- Sun Harvest.  and guess what?  it had it’s start in San Antonio.  

I thought about it today because that will make me feel a lot more comfortable with the move.  Moving in to my new home w/ my old family is going to be that much more emotionally facilitated because of  the presence of these 2 retail environments.  Thank you HEB, and thank you much smaller under, Sun Harvest.  Many more double ad Wednesdays to come for me and you my friend.

 

peace out my home bodies!

oh my sweet Austin…it’s not you, it’s me.

I miss this city already and i’m not gone. well, no, i don’t really miss it BECAUSE i’m not gone–yet.

but i will be. soon.

I’m moving to san antonio. the only way i’ll tie myself to austin is if i can land a full time job. and, yes, i watch the news. It’s not likely to happen. I’m sad about the job situation. Not so much about San Antonio though. I miss family like crazy. It’s ok to live on my own but without Sparkle I’m going nuts. It’s not like spark and i were bff or anything it’s just that she was kind of a pest and i miss her attention and her dependence on me.

Anyways, I have been applying to jobs here and there in austin and in san antonio. Just cos, well, a that thing that pays you pays, regardless of where it’s at. I have however decided that IF i do have to live by myself again, i’m getting sparkle back muahahaha AND i’m gonna get a dog. too. Surely, that was no surprise but still. I can’t live alone anymore. It’s depressing. and when i’m depressed I eat. and then when i eat i feel gross and it depresses me further. it just leads to a downward spiral of bad decisions. anyone that knows me intimately knows that bad decision usually spells out the worst of relationship scenarios. OY VEY IZ MIR!!! I could use a change. Even a job that drowned me with opportunity and a pet might not be enough. I’d have to learn another language or something.

i will survive...and so will you.

I’m sorry Austin, I need to go. I really do. I’ll visit. We’ll stay in touch.

church and politics

in this image he was quitting the church

i was shocked to find out that obama targeted the favor of religious parties. then i thought about it and it didn’t shock me as much.

It all started when I read an article on npr.org Obama Redraws Map of Religious Voters by Barbara Bradley Hagerty.  It wasn’t so much the article itself, it was more of the whole idea of church and politics being acknowledged that kinda irked me.  I don’t follow politics and never been one for it the least bit so i admit, i have NO BUSINESS writing about it.  

anyways, i have felt this way before when i saw a picture in the Statesman of bush and the pope together.

it's not like they just ran into each other at wal-mart or something...no, this was totally premeditated.

the Bible had foretold that chuch and politics were going to intertwine…somehow the foretelling didn’t do much cos i was still suprised. ok i need to go. my potato/cheddar/broccoli chowder induced food coma is kicking in.

peace out homebodies!!