happy new year

As the years switched over, I spent the early morning hours gently rocking a sweet, new babe.   There was something poetic about holding a new life as January 1st rang in.  She was a reminder to express gratitude for the past, stay focus on the present, and embrace the future.  

image.jpg

New Year’s Eve is not one of my most favorite holidays.  It ranks above Halloween but that is not saying much for someone who may still be intrinsically frightened by people with masks.  So much hype goes into New Years celebrations – the parties, the people, the resolutions – and by spending my days in New York City, it is a force that cannot be ignored.  Most years I opt out of hubbub by escaping to Long Island or some other locale and this year was no different.  As the final preparations were put in place in Times Square, I was in flight to the Lone Star State anticipating meeting a good friend’s latest addition to her family. 

Since my visit was a bit of a last minute plan, I tagged along with like-minded people to a lake house an hour or so east of Dallas.  Games were played, drinks were imbibed, and lounging was pursued in earnest.  As the minutes ticked closer to then end of 2015, a sort of group consensus was made that we would all rather spend the new year getting an extra hour of sleep than participating in the obligatory New Year’s cheers. While the rest of the group got themselves situated in their beds, I scooped up the tiniest member for some one-on-one time by the lingering fireplace embers.  As we bounced, rocked, and swayed our way into the new year, I couldn’t help but feel encouraged by the changing calendar despite what ever anxiety provoking moments the previous twelve months had produced.

image.jpg

I’ve mentioned before my distaste for resolutions but this year has me longing after some more concrete goals in my life.  Perhaps it was the influence of new life that has inspired me to set forth some personal pursuits and attempt to mix things up in 2016.  I’m not quite ready to formally refer to them as resolutions so let’s just be vague about this whole thing and say here are some things I am hoping to incorporate in my life that may make me a better, saner person. 

1. Write Thank You Notes

I am a bit ashamed to admit my shortcomings in this area of my life.  This pertains not only to tangible gifts I have received but also those in the form of thanking someone for sharing their talents or perhaps some deed that they have done that might otherwise go unnoticed.  Also, it is time to bust out the pen and paper because nothing quite compares to the handwritten note.

2. Budget Better and Continuing Conscientious Consumerism

I budget, sort of, as in I have a general idea of how much money I have and where it is going.  However I have some big plans in mind for the next two years and so I feel the need to financially prepare.  Also, I love me some spreadsheets and number crunching so I might as well use it for my benefit.  Along the same line, I’m working on maintaining mindful spending shopping habits and expanding it to other expenses.  I’m not sure what that looks like quite yet but the intention is there.

3. Intentional Outdoors

My current method of getting outside is to run for the hills (or beach… or mountains… or airport…) whenever I get to the point of not being able to cope with city living.  This generally occurs one to two times a week which isn’t terrible per se unless I have the impulse to escape and cannot do it because life and being a responsible human being.  I’m hoping that by setting aside some time each week in the great outdoors, I can avoid the midweek concrete jungle panic. 

4. Run a Race

I was all set for running a marathon this past September and then managed to injure myself (unrelated to any exercise activity), which sidelined me from hitting the trails for a solid four months.  Slowly but surely, I am working on building back up the miles.  Ideally my return to racing would be a family-centric Ragnar but I’ll take what I can get.

5. Limited Screen Time

Somehow in the past year I have become increasingly addicted to my phone.  As I sit here typing, this blue rectangle of distraction is nestled lovingly next to me, pretending to be more of a benefit than a burden.  My current waking and sleeping routines involve me staring into its glow until I can convince myself to get out from under my covers or until I can no longer keep my eyes open, depending on the desired goal.  This cannot be healthy and I know I am not alone in the must-distract-myself-from-all-thoughts mentality.  I’m looking into switching my bedroom over to analog and quitting this habit cold turkey.  Wish me luck.

They’re not the loftiest of goals by any means but they’re where I am at and, fingers-crossed, attainable.  Alright 2016, it may have taken me a couple of weeks but I’m ready – let’s do this.

image.jpg

note:

i know. only three pictures and they are seemingly unrelated to this post. at the beginning of a new year, it has become a tradition of sorts for me to meander through heckscher state park, with an adorable pup (not mine), and ponder all the january thoughts.  while these musings are from texas, the photos are from new york.  in fact, i took only one picture in texas.  when the fall semester finally came to a close, i found it necessary to take a break (excluding job obligations) from all internet related activities. so i did.

on the road again in the lone star state

After 3 canceled flights, a 1+ hour delay, and some wicked turbulence (thank you, Mother Nature), I made it back to my humble abode 36 hours after my ill-fated journey began.  I have never been so happy to be in this hot and hazy city I call home.  Let's rewind a bit though because all-in-all it was definitely worth it.

image.jpg

The last time I was in Texas, Beth and I got to talking about doing something (anything) for my then upcoming decade transition.  We don't usually make a big deal out of birthdays.  It's a good year if we remember to call each other within a week of our respective birth dates.  Most years it ends up being an 'oh right that happened - how was that?' kind of thing.  But this year we decided to mix things up. 

Throughout our teen and undergrad years, we went to see a lot of bands.  Emphasis on a lot.  Like this band is playing and it's only a 10 hour drive away and we can totally just drive back home over night to make it to work the next day a lot.  This was also a period of our lives where we both displayed some pretty poor decision making...  no harm, no foul?  So what better way to ring in a new year/life transition/we're (sort of) officially adults than to go to a show. 

The easy way to do this would have been to fly into or at least base ourselves in the city where the band was performing.  Instead our itinerary looked more like this:

Day 1 - Fly into Dallas.
Day 2 - Drive to San Antonio.
Day 3 - Drive to Austin.  Try not to get struck by lightning.
Day 4 - Drive to San Antonio.  Try not to get swept off road by flash flood.
Day 4.5 - Drive to Fredericksburg. Try not to fall off of giant pink rock.
Day 4.75 - Drive back to San Antonio. Try not to get run off road by semi.
Day 5 - Recover from Day 4.
Day 6 - Drive to Dallas.  Attempt to leave Dallas.
Day 7 - Actually leave Dallas.

Writing it all out makes it look much worse than it felt.  At least up until that whole flying snafu I mentioned at the beginning of this post.  I mean it wholeheartedly though when I say it was worth it.  There are good people in Texas.  I mean there are good people everywhere but some of my people are in Texas.  And they make my life better.  (Full cheesiness intended.)  Also, with these people I managed to have a weekend full of adventures which is the very best kind of weekend. However, in the interest of keeping this post to a reasonable amount of words, here are some of my favorites:

Exploring the Medina River Natural Area in San Antonio, TX

image.jpg
image.jpg

It's mostly paved but it is beautiful and if you time it right there are wildflowers to accompany your walk.  Definitely one of the easier, if not the easiest, routes my hiking buddy and I have conquered but we enjoyed it nonetheless.  Besides which it had its own excitement when we were caught in a torrential downpour on the way back.  The weather changed from what you see above on the left to the right in a matter of minutes.

Reliving my teens at Mohawk in Austin, TX

image.jpg

So many lessons were learned during our evening at Mohawk.  Namely, that it is in fact an outdoor venue.  There’s a small indoor space but check the weather and your ticket when heading to a show…I really should have picked up a poncho.  Remember those flash floods I mentioned?  Soaked us to our bones.  Also, mohawks are not just a hairstyle.  Who knew? (Lots of people.  Apparently.)  Perhaps most importantly, the venue is a pretty sweet spot and the band did not disappoint.

Staring at the stars on top of Enchanted Rock

Do this.  If you do nothing else when in the San Antonio/Austin area, go here and spend some quality time under the night sky.  It is breathtakingly beautiful.  I may also have a thing for stargazing but trust me on this one; you don't want to miss out.  The area is designated as an International Dark Sky Park meaning that when you have a clear night you can see the Milky Way.  Their website has a dark sky monitor so you can check the conditions before you make the trek.  A note of warning - hike up and down the Summit Trail at least once while it is daylight before you attempt it at night.  I had been there before and we still got a bit confused on the way back down. 

Wandering aimlessly in some of San Antonio's best and worst markets

image.jpg
image.jpg

To be fair, the majority of this adventuring wasn't started until the afternoon which I have since learned is well past the prime shopping hours. The people watching and festivity partaking alone were worth the entrance fees. Bonus points: we managed to make it just in time for the Mexican wrestling match finale at Traders Village.  Yes, that's a church facade behind them. 

All in all an amazing weekend in the Lone Star State.  I still have dreams of making it to Big Bend.  Time to start planning for another Texan getaway.

image.jpg

notes:

- even with the rains, it was still hot in texas.  be sure to bring ample water with you on your own adventures.  we brought our water bottles with us as an afterthought to enchanted rock and it was very much needed when we reached the top.

- i had some good food (mainly pancakes, a taco, and some homemade chili) but no amazing-i-must-share-with-everyone food while i was in texas this time around.  suggestions anyone?

wanderlust wednesday: big bend national park

It’s been a whole six months since I last step foot inside a National Park and with my annual pass about to expire I’ve been plotting out where I would like to venture out to next.  On the short list for this upcoming year is Big Bend National Park.  Not only does this locale boast mountains, canyon, and hot springs (a necessity at this point), it’s close to some other pretty sweet sights.  Here’s what I would be up to if I could escape finals and head on over to the Lone Star State:

Do

- Kayak or canoe in the Santa Elena Canyon

- Watch the sunrise over the Chiso Mountains

- Afternoon lounging in the Langford Hot Springs (always necessary after a couple days of hiking)

- Hike, explore, and dust off my backpack for some backcountry adventures via the South Rim or the Outer Mountain Loop.  Lost Mine Trail looks awesome too for a day when schlepping isn't as enticing.

See

- Stargazing and a Star Party at the McDonald Observatory 

- Get inspired by some minimalist art in Marfa

Stay

- These cottages in Terlingua are making me think about trading in my concrete jungle for waking up to the Chiso Mountains

- This hideaway or this adobe look like the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring Marfa

Eat

- Two words. Food Shark.  This food truck has been favorably written up from the Garden and Gun to the New York Times.  How could it not be all sorts of amazing?

- The Starlight Theater Restaurant in Terlingua makes horseback acceptable transportation and encourages impromptu music on the porch - two of my favorite things.

Where would you go on this Wanderlust Wednesday?

mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys

Two weekends ago I took a last minute trip to Dallas. As I mentioned, the wanderlust does not mess around these days although I like to think this kind of travel precludes the anywhere but here mentality. 

image.jpg

There are few people in life that can hold you accountable the way a childhood friend can. They know your story, your personality, your tendencies to make the same sort of bad decisions. After all, most of the time they were right next to you doing the same thing. So on a bit of whim and on a bit of need, I made the trek to Texas and spent the weekend with my friend and her family. And everything was exactly the same and everything was completely different. 

image.jpg

We turn the music up to drown out the passing suburbia. The same sequence of stores line the streets as we make our way around the now familiar curves. We sing loud as if with purpose like so many times before. Each song with its own distinct set of memories attached. The good and the bad equally weighted with each track. Remember when becomes the oft-repeated refrain.

A little voice pipes up from the back seat "like this Mama?" And just as quickly as we melded into the past, we are forced forward into the present. Her little body bounces around as much as possible within the confines of a car seat in an effort to move to the music. She mimics our movements and sometimes sings-along to these songs she's grown up with. The same ones we grew up with. 

Eventually, we arrive at our intended destination and the scent of manure and muck greets us. Following the flurry of flailing limbs, we sidestep puddles making our way to the slightly soggy paddocks. It's too muddy to ride today but none of us care. The three of us take turns feeding scraps of hay and grass to the locals. With no where to be we mosey around the barn's grounds making sure to visit each of its inhabitants. 

image.jpg

I've known this friend for 15 years and despite living in different states for the last 10  it's easy to fall back into the familiar rhythms. Perhaps because those first 5 years feel at least twice as long as the last 10. Most of the time though I feel completely changed. I've moved on. I'm older. Supposedly wiser. At least I tell myself that. But the past creeps into the present and permeates into my everyday life in ways I fail to see until it can no longer be ignored, forcing me to reconcile the old and new me.

I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be. -- Joan Didion

image.jpg

notes:

- listen/watch here if the title to this post confuses you. actually click on it either way for ed bruce in all his glory, some great 80s fashion, and to reminisce about indoor smoking.

- as you may have guessed, some of these pictures are from a few months ago. some day i'll remember to use my camera consistently.