Hey Friends?

Is there anyone I know in Austin who needs a place to live for about $400 a month who doesn't have any pets? It is a shot in the dark, for sure, but I keep looking and seeing nice places. The ideal apartment is still there, it even dropped $20.00, but I didn't win the lottery last night, so I won't be moving in this week.

This option is off of 30th. 1930's, hardwoods, good condition (so I hear, I have not seen the interior), no dishwasher (fine by me!). It is fairly small, as is any house in the neighborhood, and only has one bathroom. The woman who is leasing it is VERY sweet. Any takers? If you're interested answer my prayers and email me!

Update: Store owner testifies Pitonyak bought hacksaw and cleaning supplies - Breaking News

Update: Store owner testifies Pitonyak bought hacksaw and cleaning supplies - Breaking News

"Pitonyak's defense team admitted in opening arguments Tuseday that the former UT student shot Jennifer Cave but did not take actions pursuant to the definition of murder."

Hmm... He admits that he shot her and she wound up dead - in pieces - in his bath tub. I haven't heard anything about him trying to take her to an emergency room, or call an ambulance. To me, shooting someone and not trying to secure some sort of life saving aid for them is murder. Especially if you go on a Mexican vacation the next day.

The beginning:
Witnesses paint picture of Cave's last night - Top Stories

Students learn art of rocking out - Life & Arts

Students learn art of rocking out - Life & Arts

Inspiration for School of Rock?


Wait, did you read the Wikipedia entry on drag rats? No? Go read that first. It's amazingly accurate, and a little humorous as well.

The abomination known as cats - Opinion

The abomination known as cats - Opinion

. . . I am still not sure what I think of this. I'm trying to decide if I think that it is bad. I haven't even addressed the opinion part yet.

Gloomy

I didn’t work my restaurant job today. I really needed some money, but I had lots of errands to run, so I gave it up. I wound up with a little time left over, so I took myself to lunch thinking I could knock out some reading while I was there.

In the end I was able to. But at first all I could think of were two similar events. One is a scene in the movie The Idiots. In an introductory scene a woman, dining alone, is ridiculed by her server for being cheap. In the last minutes of the film it is revealed that she was dining out to have time to her self, an attempt to do something nice for herself after the recent death of her infant son.

The second happened a month or two ago while Casey and I ate at The Omlettry. A woman unexpectedly flew off the handle when she was told that she couldn’t serve herself. It wasn't that she was receiving poor service - actually, its a little complicated. I was irritated with her for quite a while before I understood what was going on. The Omlettry is cash only, and she had not remembered this when she arrived. She wanted to serve herself so that she wouldn’t be taxing the servers because she didn’t have money for a tip. So, being told that she wasn’t allowed to do so frustrated her, and she quickly began to quiver, yell, and then sob. With fragments of speech, sandwiched between sobs, she told the manager that her husband had recently died. It was raining and she was sad. She kept repeating that she had just wanted to have a nice lunch. They had frequented the place, she said, and he had proposed to her there. The situation made me extremely uncomfortable, and extremely sad. The manager did the only thing that could be done and listened while she spoke of him until she was calm enough to go home.

It's been swimming around my brain all day. I had to write it down before I could get any studying done.

****The Omlettry is another of my favorite places here. I think I need to make a huge "Guide to Austin - Through The Q's Eyes" post. This would be a huge undertaking. Do not expect it any time soon - I'm reading Chaucer.****

Austin Apocalypse

The folks at the news stations were referring to it as "The Ice Storm of '07." Their titles always suck. The Daily Texan called it "Icepocalypse." I thought that was a nice touch.


Icicles and snow!


We decided to walk to the Dobie Theater to see if it was open (it wasn't). We cut through campus to get there (avoiding drag rats). Here is Mr. A taking a break to make a phone call and enjoy his hot chocolate.


School spirit.


This is my most favorite fountain/statue on campus. I believe it is a WWI memorial. The back says, "In memory of sons and daughters lost in the world war." I am assuming it predates WWII.


This is not the photo that I had hoped it would be, but it gives you an idea of the amount of ice that we had.


More ice.


Austinites panicking in 2 inches of icy slush!


Maybe the happiest snowman ever! He was on the roof of a truck at the grocery store. He looks so content. He makes my heart hurt with his little spread arms - like I should pick him up and spin in circles with him.

Click on any photo to enlarge.

The austinist caught my attention with this article and this video:



Hmm...

Lauren and Madge will appreciate this was featured by Heather Armstrong at Dooce. (She has some of the best daily links. I LOVED this recent one too. I want 'focus' and 'concentrate.')

Speaking of focus, here you go:

I feel the semester creepin' in

MWF - 9-10am Individual Learning Styles
TTh - 9:30-11am Chaucer
(Enough time to finish all of my homework?)
3:30-5pm Contemporary Short Fiction

This is it. I am entering my final semester at UT. Holyfuckingshit!
I haven't quite wrapped my mind around it yet, I probably won't until I have to get a job. I know it is going to fly by. With only 3 classes it shouldn't be too hard to bust ass and do well.

Yikes!

For those of you who were so concerned, Mr. A has found a lovely apartment. Though it is not in '04, it IS very near campus. It's small and charming, located near all sorts of fun places, and is the apartment right next door to his best friend. Who could ask for anything more?

I get a free parking permit SO close to campus?

That is so bad-ass.

Once he's all moved in, and we've capitalized on it's fabulous-ness I may post a photo or two. That might be all it takes to capture it all. It is small. I love small spaces, they are cozy. Who needs all of that extra space anyway? It's wasteful.

Resolutions:

1) Be less angry.
2) No drinking when sad.
3) Cut back on smoking - oh wait, thanks to Gov. Perry and the $1.00 increase in cigarette prices this will be easy.
4) Save some money!

Eau de The Q

Mr. A took this photo with his new camera Friday night. He says this captures my essence.
Kids, I'm a drinker.
He showed it to my dad last night and told him the same. My dad said, "Yeah, it runs in the family."

We were at Star Seeds, I normally love it, in spite of the predictably bad service. Friday it was worse than usually and I was really disappointed. Actually, I was very angry about it. I think that is the only part of my "essence" this photo lacks. How seriously pissed I was. The girl is lucky Casey paid.

Good beer (New Belgium Sunshine Wheat Beer and Pyramid Apricot)
+ Punk Rock (good with lots of beer)
+ Lots of of people
+ fireworks
+ cops

=

bitchen' party at The Metropolis - Yay!

Dinner Date

Remember how I craved curry in September?

Last night Casey and I finally made it to Bombay Bistro.

Color me impressed!

The restaurant is located in a strip center, but once you're inside you have no idea. The lighting is dim and romantic, the decor is at once striking and unobtrusive. It is a very nice place. Where you could take a date - and not break the bank. Pre-tip, our meal was $30.oo, which included a glass of wine, soup, an appetizer (which was my entree), and one entree.

Service was SUPERB - and I don't say that often. Our waiter was extremely helpful, making suggestions and offering comparisons to foods we might be more familiar with. He even suggested a really perfect Pinot Grigio to accompany my meal. As a server I have always found this difficult - despite my love for wine.

We wound up with TONS of food, and I will be having left-overs for lunch or dinner today. I look forward to it.

The only this I found disappointing was the fact that menu items did not indicate whether or not they were spicy in many instances. I don't mind. I LOVE spicy food. However, Mr. A and I have a completely different sort of tolerance for heat in a dish:

The Q: (reaching across the table to sample his side dish) "Mmm.. It is a little bit spicy, but it's really good!"
Casey: (takes a bite, coughs, and send me a good-natured, albeit dirty, look) " A little spicy??? Ha! You have a different definition of spicy!"

I was extremely pleased, and I will definitely return, and share the Bombay Bistro love. North Austin needs a place like this. So, when you're in town let me know, and I'll take you there.

Want more glowing information? Here's what the Austin Chronicle has to say. They are dead on!

Things from The Daily Texan that you should know about:

(photos are links to story)



This fucking disgusts me. Nazis, in Texas.



Media Credit: Megan Shelby

"Charles Wilson, a member of the National Socialist Movement, yells "Sieg Heil," German for "Hail Victory,'" at the crowd of protesters that formed at the Capitol. The Nazi members held the rally to oppose illegal immigration in Texas and the United States."




I share her sentiment in counter-protest.




Media Credit: Megan Shelby

"Tracy Rutherford shows her disgust for the National Socialist Movement, otherwise known as the American Nazi Party, at a rally at the Capitol Saturday afternoon. Rutherford and other activists staged a counter-protest against the Nazi presence in Austin."



I can't believe I forgot this! I am so SAD!

Media Credit: Jason Sweeten
"Models Kiley Blake, Aliana Villarreal, Latasha Currell and Heather Walton walk down the Stitch runway on Saturday night at the Austin City Music Hall. Their clothes were from Jenny Milne's label Machine Ballerina."

Guess I'll go see STITCH next year. Boo!

Last night I went to a little jazz club with 'The Sam,' her man, her foreign couch-crasher, her friend Jacob and Mr. A. It was a cramped, noisy, well-worn bar and it was awesome. My favorite thing about musicians is watching how they play.

The drummer moved stiff and erratically, like a zombie.

The bassist moved his head, and his eyes fluttered with every finger stroke. My guess is by he end of a show he has a very stiff neck and a headache.

The trumpeter was long and lean like his trumpet, and he moved jut as fluidly and he played.

The guy with the sax looked like such a beatnik. He was a tall broad guy who slowly shank as he used his breath.

They were ridiculously good.

Dos Blokes - the other side of Halloween

Forget your warm and fuzzies! Here is a film that was created in part by a guy I befriended during a class. It's soooo Hallo-weenie. The first 3/4 is gory, but the last little bit is worth it. I nearly wet myself the first time I saw it.

"This gritty and thought provoking short film provides a twisted look at a national epidemic. Filmed for the "Bloodshots 48 Hour Filmmaking Challenge," Dos Blokes earned the Austin Critic's Award from producer John Pierson and film critic Harry Knowles. Then, it was selected for the grand prize by Sin City director Robert Rodriguez. It has since played at the 2005 South By Southwest Film Festival and many other festivals around the country.CREATED BY: Chris Anderson, Brian Clark, Kent Kincannon, Jack McWilliams, Austin Miller, Charles Mills, Jesse Moorefield, Marlo Nespeca, Mike Perry, Nick Robinson, Michael Simpson, Joshua Stroud and Bruce Tazakkol."