i'm watching 'grease' on tv right now and so far every single dress i've seen at the big dance could easily be on the racks right now at anthropologie.
all of the cute caplet shrugs and full skirts- its cracking me up. i wonder what bad movie i'll be watching in 10 years and suddenly realize that style is completely in fashion again... lets hope its nothing from the mid 90s a la 90210.
12.07.2005
12.04.2005
12.01.2005
i've attended two doctors appointments this week. one for me, one for casey.
the first was my annual exam. girls know that is slang for "the gyno". it was your usual slightly uncomfortabe appointment. now i don't dread the annual exam, but i certainly see it as a necessary evil.
of course my appointment was with the nurse practitioner, whom i have never met. so as this total stranger sticks her hand where no stranger's hand has gone before, i winced slightly and she said, "wow, i guess you don't like this."
ummmm hello?! who DOES like this? i thought that was the craziest comment. i wanted to say, "oh no, i actually love it." i mean, what should creep her out more, someone who winces or someone who seeems to be enjoying that moment?
moving right along to casey's appointment. anyone who has visited with our son lately may have noticed his slight limp. on and off the past couple of months he has been favoring one of his back legs. the doctor had to knock him out for a few minutes to test his leg and we got the bad news... casey has a stretched/torn ACL.
yeah thats right, the girl who is insanely prone to sports injuries has a dog who needs orthoscopic surgery on his knee.
the good news? it looks like everyone in the burpo family has lost weight since the wedding. its clear that kevin has (hello?! skin & bones!). but it was nice to see after casey's and my appointments that we are eating right. casey is down to a slim 79 pounds!
the first was my annual exam. girls know that is slang for "the gyno". it was your usual slightly uncomfortabe appointment. now i don't dread the annual exam, but i certainly see it as a necessary evil.
of course my appointment was with the nurse practitioner, whom i have never met. so as this total stranger sticks her hand where no stranger's hand has gone before, i winced slightly and she said, "wow, i guess you don't like this."
ummmm hello?! who DOES like this? i thought that was the craziest comment. i wanted to say, "oh no, i actually love it." i mean, what should creep her out more, someone who winces or someone who seeems to be enjoying that moment?
moving right along to casey's appointment. anyone who has visited with our son lately may have noticed his slight limp. on and off the past couple of months he has been favoring one of his back legs. the doctor had to knock him out for a few minutes to test his leg and we got the bad news... casey has a stretched/torn ACL.
yeah thats right, the girl who is insanely prone to sports injuries has a dog who needs orthoscopic surgery on his knee.
the good news? it looks like everyone in the burpo family has lost weight since the wedding. its clear that kevin has (hello?! skin & bones!). but it was nice to see after casey's and my appointments that we are eating right. casey is down to a slim 79 pounds!
11.28.2005
i am working today from mozart's on town lake. its such a gorgeous day- the sun is shining and the breeze feels amazing. this is the view from my picnic table.
the amount of freedom that i have at this job is a shock to the system after filling out time cards at apple and having to keep a consistent lunch hour.
i'm going to finish up some stuff here and then go for a jog before a few conference calls i have this afternoon. who knows, maybe i'll even take casey for a w-a-l-k. shhh... don't tell him. i want it to be a surprise.
11.27.2005
i didn't exercise this weekend, but you could say i was in hardcore training. have you ever shopped for 5+ hours the day after thanksgiving? that would put anyone's stamina (not to mention patience) to the test.
the visit home was great. thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays- it seems to be the most relaxing of holidays. casey had a *fantastic*holiday. he has finally warmed up to my parents' dogs - the first couple of times they met, he wasn't sure about them but he seems to have decided that they can belong to his club.
its nice to be home now gearing up to celebrate Christmas- the most important holiday of the year and my favorite to decorate for. the tree is up, the lights are on, and i'm ready to roast chestnuts on an open fire.
the visit home was great. thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays- it seems to be the most relaxing of holidays. casey had a *fantastic*holiday. he has finally warmed up to my parents' dogs - the first couple of times they met, he wasn't sure about them but he seems to have decided that they can belong to his club.
its nice to be home now gearing up to celebrate Christmas- the most important holiday of the year and my favorite to decorate for. the tree is up, the lights are on, and i'm ready to roast chestnuts on an open fire.
11.17.2005
11.15.2005
mollie burpo. how weird does that sound?
mary kathleen donovan burpo. what a mouthfull! as far as the social security administration is concerned, that's my name! i got my new social security card this week.
it was so strange on the first day of work, the president walked me around and introduced me to everyone as "mollie burpo" and i chuckled inside (and out loud) every time i heard it.
its one thing to add "burpo" to the end of my name with people who have known me for years as "mollie donovan", but its entirely different to meet someone and have their impression of me not include "donovan".
i blame it on my parents. if they hadn't given me such a kickass name that i love so much, maybe it wouldn't make me so sad to leave it behind. i know it makes kevin a little sad inside when i make fun of the name "burpo" and i'm sure one day it will be second nature to sign credit card slips with that name, but for now? its just plain awkward.
mary kathleen donovan burpo. what a mouthfull! as far as the social security administration is concerned, that's my name! i got my new social security card this week.
it was so strange on the first day of work, the president walked me around and introduced me to everyone as "mollie burpo" and i chuckled inside (and out loud) every time i heard it.
its one thing to add "burpo" to the end of my name with people who have known me for years as "mollie donovan", but its entirely different to meet someone and have their impression of me not include "donovan".
i blame it on my parents. if they hadn't given me such a kickass name that i love so much, maybe it wouldn't make me so sad to leave it behind. i know it makes kevin a little sad inside when i make fun of the name "burpo" and i'm sure one day it will be second nature to sign credit card slips with that name, but for now? its just plain awkward.
11.14.2005
this weekend kevin and i attended a wedding shower for my sister and her fiancee. it was a very trendy wine tasting hosted by two of the hippest twins in history.
i am happy to report that after playing a very heated game of "who is cooler: mike or erin" i learned that my new brother-in-law has a grasp of street slang that would rival a rapper.
in other news, california says "hi!"
i'm still fumbling around in the dark for the most part with this new job, but i'm sure to come across a light switch before too long... right? right. (i hope)
i am happy to report that after playing a very heated game of "who is cooler: mike or erin" i learned that my new brother-in-law has a grasp of street slang that would rival a rapper.
in other news, california says "hi!"
i'm still fumbling around in the dark for the most part with this new job, but i'm sure to come across a light switch before too long... right? right. (i hope)
11.09.2005
just in time for thanksgiving, i have something to add to my "things to be thankful for" list.
i was sitting in a meeting yesterday, perched gingerly on my seat in the conference room at AMD. we were discussing an upcoming project for about an hour and a half.
a little background: i am uncomfortably dressed in work clothes that i have chosen based on the fact that they rub my open wounds less than my other options. i have a giant piece of tegaderm on my hip that is slowly filling with goo.
about 45 minutes into the meeting, i feel something warm tricking down my leg and a brief glance confirms my dread- i am dripping down my leg. i tried to casually stuff kleenex under my leg and sit through the last half of the meeting just wanting to get up and run to the bathroom.
by the time the meeting ends and i can finally get out of my chair to hurry to the ladies room...i realize i have left a dark circle of ooze on the fabric chair.
the lessons we should all learn from this?
#1. be thankful for things like skin. hooray for skin! thanks to skin, we usually don't have to be concerned with things like oozing on furniture.
#2. next time you are about to sit down in a conference room or waiting room chair with mysterious stains...find another chair.
i was sitting in a meeting yesterday, perched gingerly on my seat in the conference room at AMD. we were discussing an upcoming project for about an hour and a half.
a little background: i am uncomfortably dressed in work clothes that i have chosen based on the fact that they rub my open wounds less than my other options. i have a giant piece of tegaderm on my hip that is slowly filling with goo.
about 45 minutes into the meeting, i feel something warm tricking down my leg and a brief glance confirms my dread- i am dripping down my leg. i tried to casually stuff kleenex under my leg and sit through the last half of the meeting just wanting to get up and run to the bathroom.
by the time the meeting ends and i can finally get out of my chair to hurry to the ladies room...i realize i have left a dark circle of ooze on the fabric chair.
the lessons we should all learn from this?
#1. be thankful for things like skin. hooray for skin! thanks to skin, we usually don't have to be concerned with things like oozing on furniture.
#2. next time you are about to sit down in a conference room or waiting room chair with mysterious stains...find another chair.
11.07.2005
there i was, cruising down bee cave on my bike yesterday, enjoying the warm sun, chatting with jenny on my left.
suddenly all i remember is realizing our bikes are too close together, yelling "shit! shit! shit! SHIT!", pushing off her shoulder to try and regain my balance and the next thing i know, i am scraping myself across the shoulder of the road, gravel in my hands, my leg, my stomach.
OUCH. that freaking hurt. the pain of the accident compared to the pain of cleaning the asphalt out of my skin? doesn't even compare. the pain of cleaning out the asphalt compared to spraying open skin with bactine? forget about it.
thankfully brenda was kind enough to come pick me up and didn't seem too worried about whether or not i was going to get blood all over her brother's pickup truck. thank goodness for good friends.
all in all, i'm doing ok. its just some road rash afterall, but its gonna sting for a few days.
suddenly all i remember is realizing our bikes are too close together, yelling "shit! shit! shit! SHIT!", pushing off her shoulder to try and regain my balance and the next thing i know, i am scraping myself across the shoulder of the road, gravel in my hands, my leg, my stomach.
OUCH. that freaking hurt. the pain of the accident compared to the pain of cleaning the asphalt out of my skin? doesn't even compare. the pain of cleaning out the asphalt compared to spraying open skin with bactine? forget about it.
thankfully brenda was kind enough to come pick me up and didn't seem too worried about whether or not i was going to get blood all over her brother's pickup truck. thank goodness for good friends.
all in all, i'm doing ok. its just some road rash afterall, but its gonna sting for a few days.
11.05.2005
sitting in the airport yesterday afternoon, i was thinking about how much of a bummer it is to be on a southwest airlines flight holding a ticket marked with anything but an "A". when you have a lousy "B" or the dreaded "C", you know you are most likely going to be confined to a middle seat.
i struck up a conversation with a friendly guy next to me in line and we were talking about being in line "C" and what criteria you use to pick your seat. as we walked down the row, i spotted a coveted empty aisle seat!
the two older guys in the row were in the window and middle seat and were both wearing camoflauged ballcaps. i sat down and quickly realized that they had been saving the seat for a third "real tree" clad guy who was coming down the row behind me. they yelled to him "you'd better find yourself a seat because our row is full!" their friend walks up to our row and says, "well i was going to try and find a seat next to the prettiest lady on the plane, but you two beat me to it."
ahh, good old fashioned charm.
over the course of the flight i learned that the guys were on their first plane ride in over 20 years and their destination was bow hunting for boar out in burnett. they were such nice guys. its funny how quickly you adjust to your surroundings. pretty soon i was trading in words like "thanksgiving" for the colloquial "thanks givin".
when i landed and was waiting for my bags at the carousel with kevin, i challenged him to pick who i would have chosen to sit next to on the plane and he was not surprised when i pointed at the camo group. when he asked why- i answered "it was the closest thing to riding next to my dad!"
i struck up a conversation with a friendly guy next to me in line and we were talking about being in line "C" and what criteria you use to pick your seat. as we walked down the row, i spotted a coveted empty aisle seat!
the two older guys in the row were in the window and middle seat and were both wearing camoflauged ballcaps. i sat down and quickly realized that they had been saving the seat for a third "real tree" clad guy who was coming down the row behind me. they yelled to him "you'd better find yourself a seat because our row is full!" their friend walks up to our row and says, "well i was going to try and find a seat next to the prettiest lady on the plane, but you two beat me to it."
ahh, good old fashioned charm.
over the course of the flight i learned that the guys were on their first plane ride in over 20 years and their destination was bow hunting for boar out in burnett. they were such nice guys. its funny how quickly you adjust to your surroundings. pretty soon i was trading in words like "thanksgiving" for the colloquial "thanks givin".
when i landed and was waiting for my bags at the carousel with kevin, i challenged him to pick who i would have chosen to sit next to on the plane and he was not surprised when i pointed at the camo group. when he asked why- i answered "it was the closest thing to riding next to my dad!"
11.02.2005
my feet are sore. i think yesterday was the first day in at least 2 years that i wore shoes with a hard sole for 8+ hours in a row. i'm serious.
so despite the fancy shoes, the only other shocker came when i met the other new business developer for design reactor - his name is kevin and he appears to be in his late thirties.
i learned at lunch that he is not. he is in his late forties.
i asked him if he had a good deal of sales experience before joining design reactor. his answer? "actually i have about 18 years of experience as an art director for various advertising agencies and then about 6 years of experience in management consulting"
just so you know, he wears fancy shoes. and they match his belt.
so despite the fancy shoes, the only other shocker came when i met the other new business developer for design reactor - his name is kevin and he appears to be in his late thirties.
i learned at lunch that he is not. he is in his late forties.
i asked him if he had a good deal of sales experience before joining design reactor. his answer? "actually i have about 18 years of experience as an art director for various advertising agencies and then about 6 years of experience in management consulting"
just so you know, he wears fancy shoes. and they match his belt.
11.01.2005
the new job is going well so far (just ignore this ugly black laptop i'll be using from now on). everyone here is really great and the work they are doing is fantastic.
my freak out moments so far have not been kept to a minimum... but i kind of expected that. i had to fly to california with sinus pressure, which was not fun at all. i kept trying to nap to make the 4 hour flight go faster, but resting my chin in my palm would shut my mouth and breathing through my nose was NOT an option... so it was a long flight.
then i got lost. then kevin saved me. then i got mad and frustrated and sick and tired and cranky. and kevin still saved me.
then i tried to complain about things like sore feet and sinus pressure to my sister who had been with a friend whose husband unexpectedly passed away on sunday... and that saved me again.
i'm tired. and cranky. i'm going to bed.
my freak out moments so far have not been kept to a minimum... but i kind of expected that. i had to fly to california with sinus pressure, which was not fun at all. i kept trying to nap to make the 4 hour flight go faster, but resting my chin in my palm would shut my mouth and breathing through my nose was NOT an option... so it was a long flight.
then i got lost. then kevin saved me. then i got mad and frustrated and sick and tired and cranky. and kevin still saved me.
then i tried to complain about things like sore feet and sinus pressure to my sister who had been with a friend whose husband unexpectedly passed away on sunday... and that saved me again.
i'm tired. and cranky. i'm going to bed.
10.27.2005
things found in the process of cleaning out my cubicle:
matches
loose change, lots of it
fabric swatches for bridesmaids dresses
lists and lists of bands for CD compliations
old fashioned christmas lights
old gumballs
a glass etched plaque with my name on it
my nametag with my maiden name on it
an easter basket
and lots and lots of trash.
matches
loose change, lots of it
fabric swatches for bridesmaids dresses
lists and lists of bands for CD compliations
old fashioned christmas lights
old gumballs
a glass etched plaque with my name on it
my nametag with my maiden name on it
an easter basket
and lots and lots of trash.
10.26.2005
i am not in the army, nor do i ever plan to be, so why oh WHY did i think that bootcamp class at my gym would be a good idea yesterday? i am in pain. the kind of pain that makes you walk like you are 85 and wish you had never heard the word "lunges".
the bright side? when i recover, i get to have sex with a semi-pro cyclist! check this out! i'm so proud of him!
the bright side? when i recover, i get to have sex with a semi-pro cyclist! check this out! i'm so proud of him!
10.24.2005
"bummer man... he delivers."
- father of the bride
i started crying today when i found out i have to use an HP computer at my new job. its not all about the computer. it just made me realize how bummed out i am about leaving apple. i think thats the best description of it.
the thought working on a windows machine bums me out. windows blows. thinking of not being at apple bums me out. i'm not sad about leaving my job- my job sucks. but working at apple? man, its amazing.
its been an amazing experience to work for one of the most recognized and admired brands in existence. its been wonderful to work for a visionary like steve jobs. i'm going to miss it.
- father of the bride
i started crying today when i found out i have to use an HP computer at my new job. its not all about the computer. it just made me realize how bummed out i am about leaving apple. i think thats the best description of it.
the thought working on a windows machine bums me out. windows blows. thinking of not being at apple bums me out. i'm not sad about leaving my job- my job sucks. but working at apple? man, its amazing.
its been an amazing experience to work for one of the most recognized and admired brands in existence. its been wonderful to work for a visionary like steve jobs. i'm going to miss it.
10.19.2005
i went downtown today to have lunch at the roaring fork with the three big-wigs from design reactor. it was a party of four: me, the ceo, the president, and the key strategist. someone in my head is singing that seasame street favorite "one of these things is not like the other one"
as i waited for the rest of my lunch bunch to arrive i had to hold back the giggles watching tens of hundreds of thirty-something men saying things like "business plan" and "hows the PL on that". they all walked by wearing their starched button down shirts and black pants with shiny belts. its just so out of my realm! its a big day at apple if someone actually has on a belt... and an even bigger day if the belt matches their shoes.
the meeting went really well and i formally handed over my signed offer letter. i am really excited about their plans for austin and i have a good feeling about this new venture.
i strolled back into work, slowly slipping into a food coma from the delicious lunch, and stopped cold when i saw a giant sign meant to encourage us to start out this new quarter strong. it said "pick up the pace!!" and was on a table of complimentary chips and salsa. so ask me again if i'm gonna miss this job....
as i waited for the rest of my lunch bunch to arrive i had to hold back the giggles watching tens of hundreds of thirty-something men saying things like "business plan" and "hows the PL on that". they all walked by wearing their starched button down shirts and black pants with shiny belts. its just so out of my realm! its a big day at apple if someone actually has on a belt... and an even bigger day if the belt matches their shoes.
the meeting went really well and i formally handed over my signed offer letter. i am really excited about their plans for austin and i have a good feeling about this new venture.
i strolled back into work, slowly slipping into a food coma from the delicious lunch, and stopped cold when i saw a giant sign meant to encourage us to start out this new quarter strong. it said "pick up the pace!!" and was on a table of complimentary chips and salsa. so ask me again if i'm gonna miss this job....
10.17.2005
i know i keep making empty promises that i'm going to stop making fun of the people i work with and how dorky they are, but in two weeks i'll be working solo and i'll have much less material to work from.
i came to work this morning and was greeted by flyers everywhere announcing the new "apple chess club". now i can respect someone's desire to play a nerdy game like chess, and when i'm 80 i am sure i will enjoy a rousing 'check mate', but at work?? what is going on here?
the newly formed club is going to meet on mondays at 7pm... after work....but in one of the work meeting rooms. um... yeah. the flyer also says its "byob" (bring your own board) and that "beginners to pro are welcome". what the heck does that mean? is there such a thing as a professional chess player??
nerds. i work with nerds.
i came to work this morning and was greeted by flyers everywhere announcing the new "apple chess club". now i can respect someone's desire to play a nerdy game like chess, and when i'm 80 i am sure i will enjoy a rousing 'check mate', but at work?? what is going on here?
the newly formed club is going to meet on mondays at 7pm... after work....but in one of the work meeting rooms. um... yeah. the flyer also says its "byob" (bring your own board) and that "beginners to pro are welcome". what the heck does that mean? is there such a thing as a professional chess player??
nerds. i work with nerds.
i was so excited to find out this weekend that our wedding video is almost complete!! they have posted our "highlight video" online if you want to check it out: go here!
i have watched it probably 10 times and if i'm being totally honest- i started crying before it even started playing the first time : ) it just completely captures how HAPPY we were that day.
i have watched it probably 10 times and if i'm being totally honest- i started crying before it even started playing the first time : ) it just completely captures how HAPPY we were that day.
10.14.2005
my fortune cookie last night read: A man does not know what he is capable of until he tries.
i gave my two weeks notice this morning at work. on my 28th birthday i will begin a new adventure at design reactor.
i will have to adjust to life without constant chatter of 100 other people in my hometown of cubeville. life without a rearview mirror on my computer to stay on top of things. being miromanaged to the point where i am told exactly how many phone calls i am required to make in a day. life without an access badge attached permanently to my hip.
i'm going to have to get used to life downtown in the hustle & bustle of austin, relying independently on myself for results and success. life at an agency surrounded by creative people doing really interesting work. answering to the president directly on how things are going and if i am going to hit my targets.
whew... gotta take a deep breath.
i gave my two weeks notice this morning at work. on my 28th birthday i will begin a new adventure at design reactor.
i will have to adjust to life without constant chatter of 100 other people in my hometown of cubeville. life without a rearview mirror on my computer to stay on top of things. being miromanaged to the point where i am told exactly how many phone calls i am required to make in a day. life without an access badge attached permanently to my hip.
i'm going to have to get used to life downtown in the hustle & bustle of austin, relying independently on myself for results and success. life at an agency surrounded by creative people doing really interesting work. answering to the president directly on how things are going and if i am going to hit my targets.
whew... gotta take a deep breath.
10.13.2005
10.12.2005
confessions of a 28 year-old newlywed sales girl:
- i fake cell phone calls when i don't want to talk to people in public. yes, even you.*
- i rudely honk at bad drivers and curse at them for doing things i did two miles back.
- i make excuses for my music choices when people get into my car and my stereo is blasting christian music.
- i look inside the kleenex after i blow my nose.
- i pretend to make fun of kevin when he wants to go to the macaroni grill but i secretly love their eggplant parmesan.
- in classes at the gym i secretly hope other people in the class are jealous of me.
- i was recently offered a job by a company that apparently has more faith in me than i have in myself. and thats a shame.
- i've never spent more than $50 on a pair of shoes in my life... and no one that matters cares.
- when julie told me the compliment her mom gave me after her rehearsal dinner, i prentended to laugh and shake it off, but i think about it often because it is one of the nicest compliments i've ever recieved
- i secretly registered for wedding gifts cheesy people would want to give and returned them all
- i don't pray enough. even though i always feel better, act better, love better when i pray more often.
- i wear pajamas so seldomly that i almost always forget to pack them on trips- even to my inlaws' house.
so what's your confession?
*today's post inspired by post secret
- i fake cell phone calls when i don't want to talk to people in public. yes, even you.*
- i rudely honk at bad drivers and curse at them for doing things i did two miles back.
- i make excuses for my music choices when people get into my car and my stereo is blasting christian music.
- i look inside the kleenex after i blow my nose.
- i pretend to make fun of kevin when he wants to go to the macaroni grill but i secretly love their eggplant parmesan.
- in classes at the gym i secretly hope other people in the class are jealous of me.
- i was recently offered a job by a company that apparently has more faith in me than i have in myself. and thats a shame.
- i've never spent more than $50 on a pair of shoes in my life... and no one that matters cares.
- when julie told me the compliment her mom gave me after her rehearsal dinner, i prentended to laugh and shake it off, but i think about it often because it is one of the nicest compliments i've ever recieved
- i secretly registered for wedding gifts cheesy people would want to give and returned them all
- i don't pray enough. even though i always feel better, act better, love better when i pray more often.
- i wear pajamas so seldomly that i almost always forget to pack them on trips- even to my inlaws' house.
so what's your confession?
*today's post inspired by post secret
10.10.2005
my weekend in pictures...
i spent exactly 3 1/2 hours cleaning out my closet yesterday. it was a frighteningly large endeavor but now, the fruits of my labor are a clean and organized closet of clothes i actually want to wear!
i got rid of roughly 1/4 of my clothes and am still a little heavy on the casual wear, but i saw the error of my ways when i counted 36 t-shirts in the stack. now we're down to a respectable 12. the good thing about cleaning out my closet when kevin is gone is that i can't use him as a distraction to avoid all of that work... and no one is around to see that i'm wearing my wedding veil while i'm doing it.
the hard things to get rid of are the sentimental clothes. i have held on to a pair of jeans since my senior year of high school. i wore them through college, kept them as my hopefull "skinny" jeans through the
heavy years, and rejoiced when weight watchers got me back to the point where i could slip them on. i thought they were SO cool when i bought them. they are all torn up and patched and soft. i wore them with pride to a jackopeirce concert in college- i remember looking at myself in the mirror in collins room 403 thinking, "oh yeah these jeans are HOT." that was the night the lead singer gave katy a hug and we put their bumper sticker on my car and drove around for hours.
i've packed them up and moved them around austin with me and now i'm finally getting rid of them. its hard to let go of all of that!
saturday was the day of football at the burpo house.
we are not really sports spectators - we lean more heavily on the participation side of things. it is rare that we would both sit down and actually watch more than one football game in a row (especially on a saturday with gorgeous cycling weather) but there were so many great games on! casey was so excited that tech AND baylor won that he had a little too much shiner and sacked out on the couch.
and yes, i am working on getting an actual digital camera and not subjecting you to crappy picture phone pics anymore!
i spent exactly 3 1/2 hours cleaning out my closet yesterday. it was a frighteningly large endeavor but now, the fruits of my labor are a clean and organized closet of clothes i actually want to wear!
i got rid of roughly 1/4 of my clothes and am still a little heavy on the casual wear, but i saw the error of my ways when i counted 36 t-shirts in the stack. now we're down to a respectable 12. the good thing about cleaning out my closet when kevin is gone is that i can't use him as a distraction to avoid all of that work... and no one is around to see that i'm wearing my wedding veil while i'm doing it.
the hard things to get rid of are the sentimental clothes. i have held on to a pair of jeans since my senior year of high school. i wore them through college, kept them as my hopefull "skinny" jeans through the
heavy years, and rejoiced when weight watchers got me back to the point where i could slip them on. i thought they were SO cool when i bought them. they are all torn up and patched and soft. i wore them with pride to a jackopeirce concert in college- i remember looking at myself in the mirror in collins room 403 thinking, "oh yeah these jeans are HOT." that was the night the lead singer gave katy a hug and we put their bumper sticker on my car and drove around for hours. i've packed them up and moved them around austin with me and now i'm finally getting rid of them. its hard to let go of all of that!
saturday was the day of football at the burpo house.
we are not really sports spectators - we lean more heavily on the participation side of things. it is rare that we would both sit down and actually watch more than one football game in a row (especially on a saturday with gorgeous cycling weather) but there were so many great games on! casey was so excited that tech AND baylor won that he had a little too much shiner and sacked out on the couch.and yes, i am working on getting an actual digital camera and not subjecting you to crappy picture phone pics anymore!
10.07.2005
i was driving down the drag yesterday looking for a place to park and i noticed something interesting. and, no, it wasnt the requisite 'homeless' twenty-somethings with dreadlocks selling trinkets made of some form of hemp with a cute little puppy tied to what is probably a hemp rope. they are always there.
i parked and started searching my car for loose change when i noticed that the street went:
metered parking spot, metered parking spot, metered parking spot, handicap spot.
am i the only jerk out there thinking, "hey! how come the handicap spot doesn't have a parking meter?"
oh... i guess i am. crap.
i parked and started searching my car for loose change when i noticed that the street went:
metered parking spot, metered parking spot, metered parking spot, handicap spot.
am i the only jerk out there thinking, "hey! how come the handicap spot doesn't have a parking meter?"
oh... i guess i am. crap.
10.05.2005
10.03.2005
what i did this weekend
by casey burpo
when momma told me i was going to get to go to dad's bike race with her i was soooo excited i almost wagged my tail off my butt, but when we got there it was so hot all i could do was pant and drink water.
i even tried to hide under a big suburban to get away from the sun, but it didn't help much...
so i just kept drinking more water. mom thought i looked like a giant gerbil, but i didn't care b/c that ozarka goodness was the only thing keeping me alive. it is HOT!
i was so tired by the time we got home i tried sleeping anywhere i could... but dad's face is not nearly as comfortable as it looks.
ahhhh, much better! snug as a bug in a rug
but now its monday again and i'm bored. but at least i'm not hot!
by casey burpo
when momma told me i was going to get to go to dad's bike race with her i was soooo excited i almost wagged my tail off my butt, but when we got there it was so hot all i could do was pant and drink water.
i even tried to hide under a big suburban to get away from the sun, but it didn't help much...
so i just kept drinking more water. mom thought i looked like a giant gerbil, but i didn't care b/c that ozarka goodness was the only thing keeping me alive. it is HOT!
i was so tired by the time we got home i tried sleeping anywhere i could... but dad's face is not nearly as comfortable as it looks.
ahhhh, much better! snug as a bug in a rug
but now its monday again and i'm bored. but at least i'm not hot!
10.02.2005
why i would prefer to live in texas rather than new jersey based entirely on reality television.
first of all i would like to point out that people on reality television from texas are attractive!
the first reality show celeb i was particularly happy to see hailing from our great state- shannon from the inaugural season of 'the bachelor'. was it just me, or was she not awesome!? she had a cute weimaraner and she wasn't taking no crap from nobody. she was a classy gal who wasn't sure about the whole premise of the show and was not sad to see alex go when he chose the easy girl from kansas instead. (shame on you kansas, i thought you had better morals than that)
this brings us to the amazing race. now some of you may remember that my sister and i tried out for this show, made it to the second round of interviews, were not chosen and subsequently no longer can bring ourselves to watch it- but for a season or two i was all over that show. blake and paige from season two were the runner-up arlington natives who were just to cute for their own good. i mean you have to be at least a little mean to win those shows.
kelly clarkson. need i say more? the girl is now the queen of the "angry but thoughtful white girls who sing the verse of the song and kinda scream the chorus" genre. plus she's one of what my husband refers to as "skinny big girls" and she's proud of it!
any fans of the apprentice out there? amy was the best- and represented for texas in a big way. she was the last woman standing on the apprentice's first season and the only remotely racy thing she did was make-out with one of her fellow contestants... and who can blame the girl for wanting a little tongue?
my pride of texans on reality tv did falter quite a bit with the release of "sheer dallas" on TLC. i choose to believe that the people on that show, while they may be representative of dallas, are not representative of texas. i also only saw one episode of the show... so i do not have enough knowledge to speak to the matter properly. i realize this show puts my entire theory into question, but i must press on.
now i would like to take a moment to explain why i chose new jersey as my example of a state i would not want to live in, based entirely on reality television. i will admit upfront that my choices of shows for this section is questionable at best as they are both on MTV. the first being "real life" and the second being "my super sweet sixteen".
last year an episode of real life aired called "i'm in a summer share" all about people who rent houses together on the jersey shore. this was my first real introduction to jersey 'style' (which i put in quotation marks because i do not believe it is actually style-ish).in case you missed this groundbreaking documentary on shore rats, let me catch you up. acrylic nails, big hair, horrible accents, guido beefy guys, etc. all i can say is, "ew."
on to the latest episode of sweet sixteen. this show is horrible and it mainly focuses on brats who are unappreciative and selfish... but man they can throw some great parties! that is, up until last week. this episode featured a girl named "cindy" who is from staten island and lives in jersey. not only was she the usual level of brat/selfish but her party was crap!
yes thats right, i'm basing my desire to not live in new jersey (or staten island for that matter) on a sixteen year old's birthday party. but seriously, you had to see the episode to understand. her party compared to the others on the show is like comparing brie to ez cheese. its just not even a suitable alternative. the horrible accents make the show a bit hard to watch, not to mention the stereotypical overprotective brothers who would apparently rather get tattoos and groom their facial hair than learn proper grammar.
exibit a: a picture from the show of the big brother and the guy who came dressed as "prince charming".
i'll wrap this up by saying, clearly i watch too much television (or at least too much MTV) but i hope you will agree with the following synopsis: people from texas are generally cute and they kick ass on reality tv and accents from new jersey are ick.
disclaimer: for the sake of my argument i would like to admit that i have chosen to disregard jessica and ashlee simpson from this essay and my reasons are two-fold.
1) jessica and nick made a pretty smart move by signing the contract for that show. who cared about them until 'newlyweds' anyway??
2) ashlee simpson is not from texas anymore...at least if its up to me. she is so LA its ridiculous.
first of all i would like to point out that people on reality television from texas are attractive!
the first reality show celeb i was particularly happy to see hailing from our great state- shannon from the inaugural season of 'the bachelor'. was it just me, or was she not awesome!? she had a cute weimaraner and she wasn't taking no crap from nobody. she was a classy gal who wasn't sure about the whole premise of the show and was not sad to see alex go when he chose the easy girl from kansas instead. (shame on you kansas, i thought you had better morals than that)
this brings us to the amazing race. now some of you may remember that my sister and i tried out for this show, made it to the second round of interviews, were not chosen and subsequently no longer can bring ourselves to watch it- but for a season or two i was all over that show. blake and paige from season two were the runner-up arlington natives who were just to cute for their own good. i mean you have to be at least a little mean to win those shows.
kelly clarkson. need i say more? the girl is now the queen of the "angry but thoughtful white girls who sing the verse of the song and kinda scream the chorus" genre. plus she's one of what my husband refers to as "skinny big girls" and she's proud of it!
any fans of the apprentice out there? amy was the best- and represented for texas in a big way. she was the last woman standing on the apprentice's first season and the only remotely racy thing she did was make-out with one of her fellow contestants... and who can blame the girl for wanting a little tongue?
my pride of texans on reality tv did falter quite a bit with the release of "sheer dallas" on TLC. i choose to believe that the people on that show, while they may be representative of dallas, are not representative of texas. i also only saw one episode of the show... so i do not have enough knowledge to speak to the matter properly. i realize this show puts my entire theory into question, but i must press on.
now i would like to take a moment to explain why i chose new jersey as my example of a state i would not want to live in, based entirely on reality television. i will admit upfront that my choices of shows for this section is questionable at best as they are both on MTV. the first being "real life" and the second being "my super sweet sixteen".
last year an episode of real life aired called "i'm in a summer share" all about people who rent houses together on the jersey shore. this was my first real introduction to jersey 'style' (which i put in quotation marks because i do not believe it is actually style-ish).in case you missed this groundbreaking documentary on shore rats, let me catch you up. acrylic nails, big hair, horrible accents, guido beefy guys, etc. all i can say is, "ew."
on to the latest episode of sweet sixteen. this show is horrible and it mainly focuses on brats who are unappreciative and selfish... but man they can throw some great parties! that is, up until last week. this episode featured a girl named "cindy" who is from staten island and lives in jersey. not only was she the usual level of brat/selfish but her party was crap!
yes thats right, i'm basing my desire to not live in new jersey (or staten island for that matter) on a sixteen year old's birthday party. but seriously, you had to see the episode to understand. her party compared to the others on the show is like comparing brie to ez cheese. its just not even a suitable alternative. the horrible accents make the show a bit hard to watch, not to mention the stereotypical overprotective brothers who would apparently rather get tattoos and groom their facial hair than learn proper grammar.
exibit a: a picture from the show of the big brother and the guy who came dressed as "prince charming".
i'll wrap this up by saying, clearly i watch too much television (or at least too much MTV) but i hope you will agree with the following synopsis: people from texas are generally cute and they kick ass on reality tv and accents from new jersey are ick.
disclaimer: for the sake of my argument i would like to admit that i have chosen to disregard jessica and ashlee simpson from this essay and my reasons are two-fold.
1) jessica and nick made a pretty smart move by signing the contract for that show. who cared about them until 'newlyweds' anyway??
2) ashlee simpson is not from texas anymore...at least if its up to me. she is so LA its ridiculous.
9.27.2005
things observed over the course of a weekend at austin city limits:
- sweat... a lot of it
- a man who had actually worked his nipples into the design of a full frontal tatoo
- the decemberists are awesome
- millions of particles of dust dancing to the music
- the temperature gauge actually reaching 108
- a girl in high heels. i swear.
- franz ferdinand makes everyone want to dance around
- a middle aged man with a huge pot belly picking up blunts of smoked joints and trying to light them
- a sorority chick wearing a skirt as a dress...and i know this for a fact because i own the same skirt
- 65,000 people all getting along and enjoying themselves
- only one lead singer from a band actually wipe his sweaty shaggy hair away from his face
- hundreds of people roaming around with bandanas/towels/tshirts over their mouths to avoid inhaling too much dust
- every single band making at least one comment about how hot it is
- the whole crowd laughing while jason mraz played an oasis song
- wearing no shirt versus wearing a shirt makes way more of a difference then i would expect - and now i'm even more jealous of boys with bare chests
- girls spending WAY more time and effort trying to impress boys than necessary. (any girl who would dress up in jeans, cowboy boots, heavy necklaces, makeup or anything of the sort in this type of heat should be considered insane and ill fit to date anyway)
- my husband acting as chauffer like the sweet boy he is
- being in the sun for 6+ hours a day wears me out more than it used to
- sweat... a lot of it
- a man who had actually worked his nipples into the design of a full frontal tatoo
- the decemberists are awesome
- millions of particles of dust dancing to the music
- the temperature gauge actually reaching 108
- a girl in high heels. i swear.
- franz ferdinand makes everyone want to dance around
- a middle aged man with a huge pot belly picking up blunts of smoked joints and trying to light them
- a sorority chick wearing a skirt as a dress...and i know this for a fact because i own the same skirt
- 65,000 people all getting along and enjoying themselves
- only one lead singer from a band actually wipe his sweaty shaggy hair away from his face
- hundreds of people roaming around with bandanas/towels/tshirts over their mouths to avoid inhaling too much dust
- every single band making at least one comment about how hot it is
- the whole crowd laughing while jason mraz played an oasis song
- wearing no shirt versus wearing a shirt makes way more of a difference then i would expect - and now i'm even more jealous of boys with bare chests
- girls spending WAY more time and effort trying to impress boys than necessary. (any girl who would dress up in jeans, cowboy boots, heavy necklaces, makeup or anything of the sort in this type of heat should be considered insane and ill fit to date anyway)
- my husband acting as chauffer like the sweet boy he is
- being in the sun for 6+ hours a day wears me out more than it used to
9.25.2005
yesterday at the festival was awesome. the heat gets to you at first, but the breeze keeps your sanity in tact. it was definitely not as hot as last year (thank goodness) but it looks like today might rival those temperatures.
in short:
- the frames were rockin
- death cab was good, but didn't draw me in like i expected
- the walkmen were great- very hip crowd
- firey furnaces i did not enjoy. they kinda yell a lot and i spent most of the concert trying to figure out if the lead singer was a boy or a girl
- jet was awesome. they were so into entertaining, by the end they were dripping with sweat
- bloc party kicks butt. their songs make me want to dance around
commentary on sunday's bands and the choice of attire for college and high school girls soon to come.
9.23.2005
today's joke brought to you by brenda miele:
brenda: knock knock
mollie: who's there?
brenda: banana
mollie: banana who?
brenda: knock knock
mollie: who's there?
brenda: banana
mollie: banana who??!!
brenda: knock knock
mollie: WHO'S THERE?!
brenda: orange
mollie: orange you glad you didnt say banana?
brenda: orange you glad you didn't sell your ACL ticket???!!!
heehee
9.22.2005
its a twister!!
people in austin have gone completely crazy. we aren't even in the real path of hurricane rita and already i hear the grocery stores are sold out of water bottles and batteries. the latest forecast is acutally much more promising!
in middle school there was some form of natural disaster approaching. it was either a hurricane or blizzard or something - i can't remember. what i DO remember is my mom sending my dad to SAM's to stock up on "essentials" and after an hour he came back with the following:
- 5 pound bag of snack size snickers
- 1 carton of assorted Robitussin cough syrups
- 30 cans evaporated milk
so i guess you could say it runs in my family to plan poorly for events like this, but i have every intention of buying a raincoat before i camp out in the mud for 3 days at zilker park. i'll let you know how it goes!
people in austin have gone completely crazy. we aren't even in the real path of hurricane rita and already i hear the grocery stores are sold out of water bottles and batteries. the latest forecast is acutally much more promising!
in middle school there was some form of natural disaster approaching. it was either a hurricane or blizzard or something - i can't remember. what i DO remember is my mom sending my dad to SAM's to stock up on "essentials" and after an hour he came back with the following:
- 5 pound bag of snack size snickers
- 1 carton of assorted Robitussin cough syrups
- 30 cans evaporated milk
so i guess you could say it runs in my family to plan poorly for events like this, but i have every intention of buying a raincoat before i camp out in the mud for 3 days at zilker park. i'll let you know how it goes!
9.20.2005
9.14.2005
i was cleaning out my hotmail inbox the other day. (i hardly ever use my hotmail account anymore since it is 90% spam anyway.) i ran across this email i sent to my sister last november after a night out on the town and it had kevin and i both laughing.
From: Mollie Donovan
Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2004 1:07 AM
Subject: yo
its 1am and i just got to kevin's house. i had to pick him up for the night b/c he started making white russians for himself at home at 5:30. (did i tell you about his recent obsession with white russians?)
we went down to fox & hound to meet up with friends and there were all of these columbian guys there who thought kevin was so funny and kept buying him tequila shots. i made the mistake of leaving him with those guys for an hour. who knows how many shots he took...
then we went to halcyon (the coffee shop with the yummy espresso martinis) and hung out on the couches and met up with some other friends of ours. it was a pretty fun night. except of course i was the designated driver and had to finally tell the columbian guys - named juancho and anjelo- to stop buying kevin drinks.
oh my gosh, can i tell you what just happened? i am sitting here emailing you and i hear the microwave start up and shout, 'hey kevin what are you doing?' and then i hear casey eating something. kevin is drunk and has decided that since he's hungry and making himself a quesadilla, that casey must be hungry too and fed him for the third time today. and no, i'm not
kidding.
heehee. it just makes me wonder how many of those silly nights we forget about because there isnt a random email to remind you. i wish i was better at journaling. there is just so much to remember.
From: Mollie Donovan
Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2004 1:07 AM
Subject: yo
its 1am and i just got to kevin's house. i had to pick him up for the night b/c he started making white russians for himself at home at 5:30. (did i tell you about his recent obsession with white russians?)
we went down to fox & hound to meet up with friends and there were all of these columbian guys there who thought kevin was so funny and kept buying him tequila shots. i made the mistake of leaving him with those guys for an hour. who knows how many shots he took...
then we went to halcyon (the coffee shop with the yummy espresso martinis) and hung out on the couches and met up with some other friends of ours. it was a pretty fun night. except of course i was the designated driver and had to finally tell the columbian guys - named juancho and anjelo- to stop buying kevin drinks.
oh my gosh, can i tell you what just happened? i am sitting here emailing you and i hear the microwave start up and shout, 'hey kevin what are you doing?' and then i hear casey eating something. kevin is drunk and has decided that since he's hungry and making himself a quesadilla, that casey must be hungry too and fed him for the third time today. and no, i'm not
kidding.
heehee. it just makes me wonder how many of those silly nights we forget about because there isnt a random email to remind you. i wish i was better at journaling. there is just so much to remember.
9.09.2005
ridiculous
have you guys been reading this stuff? so you're telling me if i get an internship at the banana republic, i could put "oversaw sales for a banana republic" on my resume and bush might one day put me in charge of U.S. trade with honduras? sheesh. *rolls eyes, hangs head in shame*
have you guys been reading this stuff? so you're telling me if i get an internship at the banana republic, i could put "oversaw sales for a banana republic" on my resume and bush might one day put me in charge of U.S. trade with honduras? sheesh. *rolls eyes, hangs head in shame*
i went home at lunch today and let casey into the backyard. we both laid down on the porch and baked in the sun. the concrete was warmer than the sun for once and it felt so wonderful. the sun behind my eyelids brightened and dimmed with the passing clouds and it seemed like my heartbeat was in perfect synch with the vibrating of the air conditioner.
i could have laid there until the concrete swallowed me whole.
i could have laid there until the concrete swallowed me whole.
9.06.2005
i love austin. kevin and i always laugh about how many people gush about austin whenever we are in dallas and then proceed to complain about living there (helloooo? move!). i know people have all kinds of reasons for staying put wherever they are... jobs, kids, etc... but we sure wish more of our friends who loved austin wanted to live down here with us : )
i'm so proud of austin today. not only has austin given more cash donations to the red cross than any other city in texas (despite that we are a fraction the size of big cities like houston, dallas, san antonio)... but now the community has turned out so many material donations, the city officials are actually asking people to stop giving. check this out!
i'm so proud of austin today. not only has austin given more cash donations to the red cross than any other city in texas (despite that we are a fraction the size of big cities like houston, dallas, san antonio)... but now the community has turned out so many material donations, the city officials are actually asking people to stop giving. check this out!
9.02.2005
i thought it was interesting to read what newspapers around the world were reporting about the katrina disaster. here is the link:click here
this morning i made it to the gym for a half-ass effort on the elliptical machines. i still can't run. stupid stress fracture.
after i had my share of pseudo running and cnn hurricane coverage, i headed home. i pulled up to a red light sweaty, tired, and ready for a shower. to the left of me is a homeless man with the requisite cardboard sign.
i have an internal struggle every time am in this situation. if only i had a legitimate distraction...i'm not on the phone... i have no one in the car with me... i have nothing to focus my attention on to act like i don't see him... i am just sitting in my car thinking, 'crap.'
i know enough to not give him any money, so i scan my car for food. my ever-present luna bars are scattered around the car. i scrounge up two and roll down my window. i said, "are you hungry?" holding out the s'more flavored luna bars. he comes to the car and says he isn't hungry and asks what the bars are. i said, "they are chocolate granola bars." he reads the label, says "i don't think i like s'mores, but thanks anyway" and goes back to his post on the road median.
then he comes back toward the car - i'm thinking, maybe he changed his mind. nope. he offers me a pencil. he apparently has a stash of wooden #2 pencils that he uses to thank people...
i politely declined. it was really strange. i guess beggars can be choosers.
after i had my share of pseudo running and cnn hurricane coverage, i headed home. i pulled up to a red light sweaty, tired, and ready for a shower. to the left of me is a homeless man with the requisite cardboard sign.
i have an internal struggle every time am in this situation. if only i had a legitimate distraction...i'm not on the phone... i have no one in the car with me... i have nothing to focus my attention on to act like i don't see him... i am just sitting in my car thinking, 'crap.'
i know enough to not give him any money, so i scan my car for food. my ever-present luna bars are scattered around the car. i scrounge up two and roll down my window. i said, "are you hungry?" holding out the s'more flavored luna bars. he comes to the car and says he isn't hungry and asks what the bars are. i said, "they are chocolate granola bars." he reads the label, says "i don't think i like s'mores, but thanks anyway" and goes back to his post on the road median.
then he comes back toward the car - i'm thinking, maybe he changed his mind. nope. he offers me a pencil. he apparently has a stash of wooden #2 pencils that he uses to thank people...
i politely declined. it was really strange. i guess beggars can be choosers.
9.01.2005
i never used to even consider gas prices when taking the familiar trip up i-35. i just did the math and my round trip gas to dallas this weekend is going to cost $80.
so when you take into account i am making five trips to dallas in the next two months, that's $400- IF prices stay where they are today. ouch.
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