Higher Education?

I don't know if I told you blog readers, but I'm working on my edubication. Yes, I've got my sights set on a master's degree in admin. I should be finished in 17 more months, if I don't get kicked out. The entire deal is online. I'm loving that. It is sort of like blogging your way to a skin on the wall. Works for me. So, that previous post about moving to California, well that is what I now call my "2 year plan." I wouldn't want to move before I finish this deal here in the great state of Texas. Of course, just because I call it my 2 year plan doesn't mean it is a sure thing. Scott is against the move (which is sort of major), and well, my life's pretty good here, so I may just not be meant to move. We'll see what happens...in two years when my plan tries to go into motion.

California Dreamin' ?

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Since I've returned from my trip to Cali last week, I have been sifting through real estate on the web for evidence that a relocation is possible for me and mine. It is as expensive as shinola out there. I've found a couple of pockets of real estate that would be financially feasible. But, they are not in a city we'll say.

Let me just lay it out for you: to move to the part of California I want, we'd be talking trailer. There I said it. Here is an example: 1500 sq. feet for $250K That trailer is like many others listed for the town of Scott's Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 10 minutes from Santa Cruz which is a place I love. Also, Scott's Valley is only about 30 minutes from my lovely sister and the bustling work mecca of Silicon Valley.

Ok, so we are back to talking about the fact that me living in NorCal means me living in a trailer. Right. Awesome. Spectacular. No?

So, what do you think? Is the California dream of mountains, beaches, year-round cool breezes and sunshine worth trailer shame? I know North Texas is pretty awesome, but I've lived here for now a total of 23 years of my life. Let me know what you guys think.


A sunset picture from Santa Cruz.

real smooth

Tonight i went to take off my eye make up (yes i wear eye make up once a week) and I used rubbing alcohol on the cotton ball instead of make up remover. Yes, it burned severely.

I think I really need more sleep.

Decades of Dream Rides

Automobiles are just to get you from point A to point B. When I start to get greedy, I have to remember that. Because, I'd have 8 different cars/suvs/trucks if I could. I love them so much. You might be wondering why there is a Suzuki Samurai photo below. The reason for that is the Suzuki Samurai was my first dream car.

I think I was about 14 when I began dreaming about me cruising in the Samurai with the top down and my hair blowing in the wind. It was the 80's, and I figured at anytime I'd be moving to Southern California, so it would all be perfect. I actually would have given up a kidney for a Jeep Wrangler, but I knew that funds were tight in my family and know one was offering the kidney trade deal, so I thought the Samurai was a possibility since it was so much cheaper. Thus, I set my sites on the tiny little SUV from about '86-'90.



Of course, I never got the Samurai. And wouldn't you know it, my tastes changed as the end of the 80's rolled around. About 1991 I hit my sports car stage and moved the Nissan 300z and Mitsubishi Eclipse onto my pedestals. Pretty much this stage came about because there were some uber-cool kids at my high school that drove these cars. I supposed I knew cool when I saw it, and it was a two-seater sports car with power under the hood.

I'd hate to tell you the cars I actually drove during these times. Let's just say that they were what we call P.O.S.'s. ok? I went off to college in '92, and had to pretty much just leave my car in a small Arizona town because it was so pathetic. I spent my freshman year car-less. During that year, I revisited the visions of me in a Jeep or even a sports car. No cool car ever arrived in Arizona. Instead, I got a silly little 3-cylinder car that put-putted me through the college years.

I remember my senior year in college when I started thinking about getting a real job and a real paycheck. I was student teaching, and I saw the newest dream car addition. The Toyota 4Runner. I was in fantasyland. I knew that if I could get my poor hands on a magical cool-alert 4Runner that I would finally arrive in this life. But, you guessed it, I never got the cool mid-90's 4Runner.

However, I did get the Jeep. In 1997, after a few "real" paychecks, I went right up to the dealership and bought myself a brand new Wrangler. So, dreams do come true. First you have to dream it, then you have to work your butt off for it. Leave a comment noting your dream car if you care to share.

Another Reason The 80's Were Awesome

I LOVED Garbage Pail Kids! I just wanted to post a few "cards" here for some of you to remember the good times you had with these cards. I've always loved grossness, and these cards were a way to show it. My mom was always so disgusted when I showed her, like they were sacrilegious or something. If you didn't dig the GPKs, that's ok, we can still be friends.

Comfort Food

Yesterday, I decided to slow cook some pork ribs for Scott, since he loves ribs. I never cook them because I feel like good ribs are a lot of work. And, since I don't even like ribs, I don't want to put in all the work. Plus, I want a smoker for such a tast, but we don't have one.

Anywho, so I cooked ribs, taters, corn and even fried chicken. Now, I've never fried chicken before. This has been a sore spot with Scott because he LOVES fried chicken. I've always resisted because 1) didn't know how 2) too much work and 3) unhealthy - won't support that. But, I broke down and busted it out yesterday. And it was actually quite tasty. Plus, it wasn't that much work. Scott was really appreciative and proclaimed, "It took you 15 years to make me fried chicken!"

In summary, I just wanted to tell you people outside of Texas, that we were having some serious southern comfort food this weekend. Miss you all.

Here is a tribute to fried chicken:

Wow! If This Doesn't Inspire Teachers....

Helen Keller the Pug

I've told several of you how Pudge suddenly became blind and deaf. Well, here's the proof. I got this video this morning of him out of sorts in the living room. He mostly spends his days sleeping in his bed in our room. So, when he ventures out the results are often lots of Pudge pug crashes. I first discovered this issue when I found him tirelessly swimming around the pool after falling in. I now think he just walked right into it. I rescued him from the water, and after I brought him in the house he ran into the wall. That was when I started calling him dementia pug just to Scott because I didn't know what was going on with him except that he was out of it. He also pees and poops in the house now too. I've seen him just peeing in the hall or even taking a doo-doo in the living room. I guess he doesn't know really where to go scratch at the door anymore??? So, now I have to pick him up morning, noon, and night and place him in the grass to make sure he "empties" his business before he can't hold it anymore. Christy was calling him Old Man River 5 years ago because he went gray early and his demeanor was to chill. Who knew how appropriate that moniker would be?

Earthships

I wish I lived in an Earthship. I've seen them before always thinking they are cool. I realize most people (including Scott) think that only hippies and eco-zealots live in them, but I think when you are living self-sufficient then you are really living. No electric bill. No water bill. No gas bill. You can tell everyone to kiss off. I love the idea of depending on no one.

Last night I was re-inspired by watching the show Eco-Tech on the Science Channel. It is a series this week.

I'm ready to move to Jemez Springs, New Mexico and build my Earthship.

so lame i cannot use capital letters

i have not posted because i've had to go back to work this week. nothing interesting has occured unless you think me untangling computer cords is interesting.