Yes Lauren, my gas is back on. It was turned on Tuesday and it made me so happy to hear it when I came home on my lunch break that I stopped being mad about it. Ridiculous, eh? I was mad again come 7pm when I realized that my A/C was absolutely without a doubt not blowing cold air. The first time I have hot water in a week and a half and I finally wanted a cold shower. I didn't get that fixed until Thursday night. The first two days the repair guy merely came in a turned it on. I am pretty sure that my college degree makes me smart enough to know how to turn on an A/C. They'd turned it down to 60 degrees to let it blow 80 degree air all day. This made me pretty angry. So here is what my calling schedule looked like:

1st day - No call. I found out after office hours, and they don't consider this an emergency. I was okay with it but upset enough to pout. I went to Casey's to sleep.

2nd day - I called at 10am to report the problem and left a message. I asked for an update. I came home at lunch to find that the A/C had been turned on, and down to 60 degrees. I left it that way thinking it meant someone was working on it. Surely they would be coming by to see if there was some change after some time had passed. I got home at 6pm to find everything the way it had been. I'd meant to call in the afternoon to get an update but was swamped at work. I called and left another, less friendly message. At 2pm it had been 81 degrees in my apartment. At 6pm it was 85. I left a less friendly message, cried a little bit, and went to Casey's.

3rd day - I called at 10:01am. Left another not too friendly message and requested a call to be sue that they had received my first two messages. 11:30am I called and left a substantially less happy message, letting them know that I assumed that when I went home for lunch something would be underway. If not, I would call to find out the status. 12pm? My apartment was 81 degrees. Again the A/C was on and turned down to 60. I turned it off - again - and left a note of the door of the A/C cabinet explaining that until it could blow cold air I didn't want it on. I included the phrase "wasting my money," and asked that if it was operational it was not put lower than 75 degrees. AGAIN I called the office. Someone answered the phone! I wasn't too mean. He assured me that Ramon / Roderigo / Romero / Renaldo (it is something like that) would be on the property that afternoon at 4:30, and he would be able to look at it. Come 5:30... A/C is how I left it, and it is 85 degrees inside. Cooler outside than in! I grab my phone and dial... it rings and rings and as I am lighting my cigarette outside I notice that the maintenance door is open and hang up. Maybe R. is here, I'll give him 30 minutes. He came to my door shortly there after and managed to fix it within about 20 minutes. He's a nice guy. I later saw the manager on the property - who I actually know pretty well - and half apologized for my "snappy" (her term, not mine) messages. She was more apologetic than I, which sufficed. I really like where I live, but if things don't start to get better soon, I may not renew when my time comes. Then again, that is still 7 months away. We'll see.

In other news, I didn't have the funds for ACL fest, though I desperately wanted to go. Day two of the three day festival my dad said, "Honey, if I had known you wanted to go I would have gotten you a wristband!" Well, it was a little late! My response was, "Hey dad, I want to go to ACL fest next year!" I'll keep you posted on how that goes. 

Wednesday I went to see my fabulous friends, the Vermicious Canids, play at Head Hunters. Also incredibly entertaining was the band before them, The Hot Carl Show. I don't even know how to explain this. All I will say is that it involved a man in a shaggy cock-rock wig, blue blazer, and safety glasses doing some fairly erotic things with whatever he came into contact with. Along with lessons on how to jump off of stage like a rock star and some improv song writing about chainsaws, shoes, and mustard. When the second round of improv songwriting came around I was one of the few that the mic cord would reach, so I was the first approached for suggestions. All I could think of were dumb ass things like puppies, bunnies, and rainbows, so I smiled and passed. Once they did get a song going he lost his wig while pole dancing on a pillar near the restrooms to reveal a well coiffed three strip mohawk. It was pretty awesome.

I also am now giving horseback riding lessons. Saturday mornings I get up and meet Heidi and her three girls (twin seven year old girls and a five year old), get Faux Pas groomed and tacked up, and hook up the lunge line. The girls aren't even to the point of steering themselves yet, we are still working on balance, "walk," and "whoa," but I love giving lessons, and I am learning so much every time. It is really interesting to have them each get on one after another and have to figure out how to modify what I have planned to meet their confidence, comfort and skill level. I love it! Finally, a way to put all of the education courses I took to use!

I have to plug myself here and say that any person in the Austin area interested in beginner, intermediate, or returning to riding lessons can contact me at equineinquiry@gmail.com. Lessons are currently $20.00 per student and last at least an hour. They include grooming and general care, appropriate tack and its care, riding instruction that does not include excessive force (whips, spurs, etc. These things are sometimes useful, but I will preach my beliefs on this another time. A beginner needs to learn how to ask the horse to do something and get results without the aids first.), and proper post ride care.

Casey and I went on an awesome date last night. I got to wear my little black dress for the second time (Only the second time in nearly two years!) and he looked so good in a button up shirt and a vest. He recently got a great, well coordinated, hat that makes his eyes look SO BLUE. We were quite the couple about town.

I am thinking of Halloween, and though we have no plans yet, I really want this costume. They have a black wig to go with it, too. I think that skirt is enough to keep me dedicated to my diet and exercise change I recently adopted. But I am wondering if Casey and I should have some sort of coordinated costume thing going on? What should he be?