La Vie en Curlsz Part One

So in order to keep my joints from going snap, crackle, pop because of spin etc. I have decided to go to hydro training class each week a.k.a water aerobics...I went to the "hard one" to avoid the elderly club.

Remember when you were a kid and you could stay in the pool for hours and you and your friends just did stupid stuff to keep you entertained like...
-clapping under water
-holding hands in a circle and running as fast as you could
-pulling each other around the pool with floaties (or noodles these days)
-doing jumping jacks in the water
-seeing how high you could jump
-seeing how fast you could jump or run

You get the picture - well that's basically what today's class entailed (instructor said it was an easy day) - Shawna and I felt like we were 10 years old again. My abs got a great workout because we laughed so hard. It was especially fun to entertain the on lookers from the club, it was like they were mesmerized by our goofiness. Because let's be honest, a group of adults seeing how fast they can clap under water with webbed gloves on is entertainment. Especially when everyone is smiling from ear to ear because we are laughing at ourselves. We looked like we were going to be taking "the short bus" home.

And to those hotties in the steam room, you know the guys with the perfect 6 packs that were staring and smiling at us the whole time, possibly even laughing... you know you want this - you want to be 10 again and look ridiculous, you may even really want the webbed water gloves!

Only downside of the evening was I was in danger of loosing my bottoms the entire time - so we'll need to rethink that situation for next week.

Seriously - No wonder I rarely go to the movies anymore, they suck. I was in the mood to actually go to the movies, honestly I don't even really know what is out other than Get Smart and Hancock. So Shawna threw a few out and I said whatever....So we went for Wanted, she told me what it was about, who was in it...sounded pretty good to me. And thus mistake #1, I didn't look it up for myself.

Good God, help Hollywood!!! If you are a special effects junkie then this is a winner, if you aren't and want a decent storyline...well, next!

The assassins work in a textile factory and fate sends messages of whom they are to kill through a woven loom - I mean who the hell comes up with this crap??

And is it now a requirement that Morgan Freeman be in every single blockbuster movie?? I mean did he buy Hollywood or what?!

Oh and remember that major fear of rats, well rats, blood and gore were the featured performers in this little disaster....

Please oh please wash it from my brain!!!

This summer I have been absolutely MISERABLE!! I hate hate hate Texas summers with a vengeance, and the fact that it is hot till October really pisses me off!! But today only reached 86 degrees, can you believe it!!! I'm not even that tan this summer because I can't handle the heat! But today I had to take advantage of the weather, so I chucked the spin shoes in favor for the tennis shoes and hit the trail. Wow it was great, I really miss being outside and on the trails...sigh.

My fantasy every summer is to pick up and move to Canada - and I am very serious here, if I could find a way to make it happen I would. Though I love winter I am not sure if I could handle their winters. I have always been attracted to eastern Canada because of the French Canadian culture and the Northern Woods, however as my friend from Ottawa informed me last night their winters average at NEGATIVE 40 degrees. I don't even know what that is, I have no concept of what negative 40 would feel like! He then informs me maybe I should live in western Canada because their winters only get to neg zero or neg 10 degrees, ummm excuse me!? Yeah thats a heat wave friend!!

So plan A still in effect, Texas January - May...Canada June - December!!! It's on...

So I've decided after a TWO year hiatus to get back into spin. It's a frightening thought because as anyone who's taken it will tell you it's an intense class and the instructors are usually certifiable insane.

So after much prayer, chanting and delay I finally got back into the saddle so to speak... One word "ouch".

You know you are out of shape when the last 10 minutes of class you are planning your throw up strategy. If I throw up in my towel will anyone notice, will I be able to finish the class and then sneak it out? Luckily I made it, without hurling. It was close though.

It will get better and I know this - it's so fun I can't believe I stopped doing it! It's also addicting.

I also have a tip for you - if you are going to take a core strengthening class it's definitely worth taking friends along - nothing makes you look more ridiculous than trying to get on a giant ball on your knees. I told my friends we looked like circus bears in training and if I get up I want a treat. Half of the class was spent laughing our asses off at each other, we even got in trouble by the instructor. That's worth the effort right there!!

So I was "shopping" Craig's List today trying to find someone that will come clean out my rat infested storage shed!! And I found this guy - I am still grinning...

I can perform basic handyman services around your house, ranging from installing ceiling fans, new shower heads, energy saving devices to cut on bills, carpet, refinish wood, basic electrical items, etc. At your request, I can do these services in the nude or semi-nude. Email to discuss. Very low and reasonable costs. I am in great shape, 12% body fat, proportionate, handsome. Please email me.

Mom, guess who I'm bringing home for Christmas!

Can I have my money back?

Please, I swear I couldn't bear to watch half of this dreadful movie and thus feel we can easily work something out here - maybe a discount on the next rental, what do you say?

I am a huge proponent of frequenting local spots - even when I lived in Midland and Bryan/College Station I'd far more prefer to visit a local restaurant, boutique etc than going to the nearest chain establishment.

Local places have so much more character and flavor, you tend to make better connections and have friendlier experiences than the chain places that rotate a new high school employee every week. Plus the local flavor is usually about the owner and their tastes and experiences rather than literally a cut out model that is being peddled all over the nation.

Anyway - it can be hit or miss - but this month I have had hit after hit of new finds - well new to me - so if you live in Austin or you are here visiting here are some great spots for you.

1. The Blue Dahlia - east Austin eatery (East 11th St)- everything is fresh and served on a cutting board over a bed of field greens with veges and fruits - it's spectacular!!! I highly recommend the chicken salad sandwich, the brie with preserves and walnuts and the hummus with avacado and tomato. Also the mint lemonade and bread pudding is mmm mmmlicious!

3. The CB Cafe - corner of 38th and West - close to Lamar - right by the Heart Hospital. CB stands for Compassionate Beans - it's all fair trade but the owner also makes great panini's and bagel sandwiches. Breakfast and lunch only - but he also has great smoothies. He's a runner and soccer player so his foods are pretty healthy but oh so yummy - my favorite is the turkey goat cheese and olive panini.

4. Sweetish Hill Bakery - 5th St this has been a favorite for a long time - but right now they have hill country peach tarts - oh so good.

5. Blue Lotus Skin Care - Bull Creek, I admit this is a 4 minute walk from my house and that's why I went but it was a great experience and was worth the bucks for a great facial - plus they live in my neighborhood - how much more local support can I give than going to a neighbors business. Oh and she does waxing at a very reasonable rate.

6. Bombshell Beauty -East 53rd St, speaking of waxing - Kerra is a riot and does a great job for quite a bit less than most - sorry guys most women do it, if it weirds you out just pretend I'm talking about eyebrows here. (she doesn't have a website and it used to be called The Strip Wax Studio - but this website will give you some reviews on Miss Kerra, everyone loves her! Email or leave a comment and I'll send you her #)

7. Teo's Gelato - since I gave one neighbor the shout out I should give the other right - if you like gelato visit here!

8. Sunset Valley Farmer's Market - produce to bread, jewelry to sweets, baby clothes to Agave Syrup (I'm addicted to agave syrup by the way, it's amazing!!!) This market is pretty big and so fun, and unlike most markets it stays active till about 1pm. Check out their vendors.

Check out the cost of living index for Sacramento - YIKES!!!

Best Cities to Live, Work and Play

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

These ten great places will only get better.

Our approach this year to picking the ten best cities in which to live and work was simple: Look for places with strong economies and abundant jobs, then demand reasonable living costs and plenty of fun things to do. When we ran the numbers, some of the names that popped up made us do a double take at first. So we hit the road to meet movers, shakers and regular folks, experience the ambience and take in the sights.

We discovered that our numbers guru, Kevin Stolarick, hadn't steered us wrong. Stolarick, research director at the Martin Prosperity Institute, a think tank that studies economic prosperity, says: "Our formula highlights cities not just with strong past performance, but also with all the ingredients for future success." One key to a bright future is a healthy shot of people in the creative class. People in creative fields -- scientists, engineers, architects, educators, writers, artists and entertainers -- are catalysts of vitality and livability in a city.

The cities that made our list also represent larger surrounding areas. And because we understand that city living isn't for everyone, we've highlighted some great suburbs, too.

Pack a bag and join us on a tour of the Best Cities for 2008 and prepare for some surprises.

More Information from Kiplinger.com click here...http://which city is best for you

Best Cities Walking tour Video click here...http://Best Cities Walking tour Video

Top Ten Best Cities at a Glance click here...http://Top ten cities at a glance

1. Houston

Population: 5,542,048
Population Growth Since 2000: 14.9%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 31.3%
Cost-of-Living Index: 88.1 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $50,250
Income Growth Since 2000: 13.1%

2. Raleigh
Population: 995,662
Population Growth Since 2000: 19.9%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.1%
Cost-of-Living Index: 99 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $56,150
Income Growth Since 2000: 10.3%

3. Omaha
Population: 821,356
Population Growth Since 2000: 6.6%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 30%
Cost-of-Living Index: 89.4 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $51,627
Income Growth Since 2000: 15.1%

4. Boise
Population: 568,086
Population Growth Since 2000: 18.2%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 33.2%
Cost-of-Living Index: 95.5 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $49,833
Income Growth Since 2000: 16.6%

5. Colorado Springs
Population: 600,444
Population Growth Since 2000: 10.5%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 34.1%
Cost-of-Living Index: 95.3 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income Since 2000: 53,486
Income Growth Since 2000: 16.1%

6. Austin
Population: 1,506,425
Population Growth Since 2000: 17%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.5%
Cost-of-Living Index: 92.8 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $52,882
Income Growth Since 2000: 12.2%

7. Fayetteville
Population: 419,455
Population Growth Since 2000: 17.3%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 31.4%
Cost-of-Living Index: 90.4 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $42,267
Income Growth Since 2000: 17.6%

8. Sacramento
Population: 2,067,117
Population Growth Since 2000: 13.1%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 34%
Cost-of-Living Index: 121.7 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $56,953
Income Growth Since 2000: 19.1%

9. Des Moines
Population: 532,425
Population Growth Since 2000: 9.6%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 32.1%
Cost-of-Living Index: 90.6 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $53,384
Income Growth Since 2000: 16.3%

10. Provo
Population: 474,351
Population Growth Since 2000: 20.6%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 32%
Cost-of-Living Index: 97.7 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $50,583
Income Growth Since 2000: 12.2%

So, the summer reading list so far, some of been good, some great, some not so great...

The Great

I ended up devouring Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series and now have to wait till stinkin August 2nd to get the 4th and last of the series!!! I picked up the first with much trepidation thinking if I liked it I'd get the other two - I was about 2 chapters in before I high tailed it to Borders to buy the rest! (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn comes out Aug 2)

Leif Enger's Peace Like a River - this book is amazing, the writing is so poignant and I connected with the characters within the first chapter! I can't wait to read another one of his books.

Thomas H. Cook's Places in the Dark - not so much a who done it but how did it happen type of murder mystery. The mystery unfolds to the reader as well as the characters involved so you feel like you are apart of the mystery rather than watching it from a distance.

The Good

Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen - Peta lovers do not read, a bit dark in places but overall a very good book with a great story (this I would put between great and good)

Secret of Lost Things, Sheridan Hay - characters ranging from the odd to pathetic, of course that makes for an interesting story

The People's Act of Love, James Meek - challenging but really a good story, could possibly be classified as historical fiction...great learning tool.


The Not So Good

The Year of the Fog, Michelle Richmond - I will never read another child kidnapping story again, it's just too much!!

And New to the List

1. The Other by David Guterson
2. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri


Original list and recommendations

First there was the rats, then the nutria (just a larger version of the rats), then the possum in the walls (even larger versions of the rat and nutria), then the sex crazed squirrels, oh and let's not forget about the vulture!!! Now a snake!!!

I was minding my own business, watering the plants on the porch (thanks Stephanie for the plants their lovely!) and next thing I know something is slipping his little head out of my watering can parallel to my arm! YEP!!! That's right, living in my watering can on my front porch a snake. And mind you I carried this can around a bit, watered a few plants and THEN he made his debut! Right by my arm.

Well needless to say I stood in the yard screaming snake, don't open the front door open the garage there is a snake. Yeah, blocking the front door now, thank God for the garage otherwise I was going to have to take a dive through a window!

An urban wild kingdom, 7 miles from downtown!

Ok here are some recommendations for those needing some great beach reads and what not. Items marked with an * are actually on my list to read but have come so highly recommended by so many people I feel safe putting it on the list. Also, you'll notice these are all contemporary books, classics are a whole other story I could list those for days - and honestly there are a lot more recommendations than this list but it would be a bit overwhelming, so these are the more recent discoveries.

1. Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffeneger (amazing book I literally finished and flipped to page one to read it again immediately)
2. The Host, Stephenie Meyer (see comments on previous post)
3. Love Walked In, Marisa de los Santos
4. Belong to Me, Marisa de los Santos (not really a sequel to Love Walked In, but the same characters and I think is more fun to read after you read Love Walked In)
5. The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards
6. The Turquoise Mask, Phyllis K Whitney
7. Same Kind of Different as Me*, Ron Hall etc.
8. Water for Elephants *, Sara Gruen
9. The Osterman Weekend, Robert Ludlam (author of Bourne Identity etc)
10. The Book Thief *, Markus Zusak
11. Sundays at Tiffany's, James Patterson (I read this in one day, easy read, perfect for the plane or a day at the beach)

My personal reading list for the summer (not recommendations, this is my list if you are interested in picking up some extra books)

1. The People's Act of Love, James Meek (currently reading)
2. Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
3. Same Kind of Different as Me, Ron Hall etc.
4. Twilight, Stephenie Meyer (and if I like that one I'll read the series, #'s5-7. It's Young Adult so surely it will be a fast read)
5. Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer
6. New Moon, Stephenie Meyer
7. Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer
8. Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut
9. Man in the High Castle, Phillip K Dick
10. The Year of the Fog, Michelle Richmond
11. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
12. Sheer Abandon, Penny Vincenzi
13. It's Only Temporary: the Good News & Bad News of Being Alive, Evan Handler (Harry from Sex in the City)
14. Death in Venice, Thomas Mann
15. The Secret of Lost Things, Sheridan Hay
16. The Stolen Child, Keith Donohue
17. Silas Marner, George Eliot
18. Peace Like a River, Lief Enger
19. Ivanhoe, Sir Walter Scott
20. Places in the Dark, Thomas H. Cook


PS if you have a Border's Bookstore take advantage of the FREE membership and get 40% off most new books - and they have a table for buy one get next half price - then when you check out you get 20% off next purchase. Barnes N Noble makes you pay for their membership and sadly shipping costs can really add up at Amazon!

This book is incredible, I was devastated when it was over, I could read it again in a heartbeat.

Disclaimer - it IS science fiction - but as the author's website states, it's science fiction for those that don't like science fiction. In other words, you can get past the sci fi pretty easily because really it focuses more on the relationships in the book more than anything else.

Some people have asked me for a summer reading list - I guess just recommendations. I'll get to that soon, I'm on my way to the bookstore now to pick up a new one because sadly I finished The Host last night.

Read the summary here.

Maybe someone can help me here - Is it squirrel Mating season or what is going on? These rodents are driving me nuts - as I type this it literally sounds like dogs are running on my roof - and I can actually see them leap to the trees then chase each other around the trees all the while their making this weird barking noise.

I was sitting in the front yard reading the other day and one BARKED at me, he won, I took my business indoors! I didn't know what that thing was going to do, and let me tell you from personal experience you DO NOT want a squirrel to attack you - one stuck in your hair is no laughing matter (that's a story for a different day)

So at this point they are mobbed (about 8 or 9 of them)in my front yard, they have me trapped in the house, I went outside to my car and their was like 5 or 6 under my car all trying to get at each other, two ran towards me - I just went outside again to read and their all up by my porch - they froze and looked at me as if to "uh uh it's our yard today, it's mating time". I gave up - I can read indoors!

I am so proud of my friend Alli - she is now the "Katy Cake Lady" - Her custom cakes are amazingly beautiful.... So if you are in the Houston area and need a cake - check her out! (she might do it for the BCS area as well)

This is not what you want circling your head when you are trying to enjoy a beautiful afternoon!!

For two days as I sat in my front yard reading while this thing circled my head, it finally landed and put on quite a show as you can see.

I think it just wanted his picture taken, he hasn't been back since.

What are you thinking - are you in the middle of selling a Fortune 500 company here and unless you complete this call in the middle of a busy public place the deal's going to fall apart???? No your chatting it up with Kim about what's going on with Amy - and you sir just have to get this phone call in with Rick right now, even though this apparently means that you can no longer move forward b/c we all know you can't chew gum and walk much less grocery shop and talk on a phone at the same time.

And now you're blocking the aisle and you maam are holding up the entire line as your children try to escape the cart but you can't figure out how to make the debit card machine work in your favor while staying on the phone with Kim. Lord no, let's not put Kim on hold while the rest of us live through this torture, because that would be unthinkable.

Like I said, cell phones and grocery stores don't mix. And yes I just got back from the grocery store ;->

One of many reasons why I have no desire to visit most Asian countries.