LTFRMAO...

I hate those stupid abbreviations. So I'm going to make up my own, such as "laughing on the floor, rolling my ass off."

So, I just got back from Austin, TX last night. Had a nice time- fun students, good meals, my second favorite city in the country. Unfortunately, my hotel was in a northwest burb with nothing close by, and no car- really annoying. The hotel was stuck between a major interstate on one side and a railroad (with huge fence) on the other side, and even if there were places nearby, I wouldn't have been able to get there, because there were no DAMN SIDEWALKS. That kills me. I rarely have a car when I travel, so I have to rely either on cabs (expensive) or my feets to get me places. Also, since I'm traveling three days a week, I gotsta run on one or two of those days, and we all know by now how much I despise dreadmills, so it sucks when I'm in a dead zone with no access to neighborhoods or parks. What have we done to our landscape? Why do we hate pedestrians so? Ugh. Okay, enough with the rant.

Anyway, I lucked out the first night cause the hotel was putting on some promotional catered "social" with a rockabilly band and FREE BBQ!!! Jiminy Cricket, Batman! FREE BBQ!!! And it was goooood. Pulled pork with sweet/spicy baked beans, mustard potato salad, and chocolate cake. I listened to the band for a few minutes until they ran me out with a lame version of "Hot Rod Lincoln". Well, I guess any version of that song is lame. I hate that song. But, it could be because that song was on the jukebox at the bar I used to work at, and all the rockabilly boys had to play it every. damn. night. But, whatever. I got to eat good bbq. Which is a rare thing here in Soggytown.

The next night I took a very expensive cab ride to the South Congress Neighborhood to experience Austin's relatively new thing, First Thursday, an idea they got from Portland as a matter of fact. It's basically a big street party where they open galleries and shops up until late, artists sell their goods on the sidewalks, buskers converge, and street food vendors sell giant turkey legs. Austin is the only town I know where you can eat amazing chocolate cherry torte on the sidewalk while listening to a fantastic bluegrass band. And that was after eating the crack steak at a new restaurant, Woodland, which came highly recommended by one of my students. So, if you ever find yourself in Austin, you will not regret a meal from those folks.

So after eating 12,500 calories, I went shopping. I stopped into one of my favorite boot stores and panted over gorgeous vintage-style cowgirl boots (my graduation present from mom look like the third boots from the right on the top shelf, only they're red/yellow/blue),

but instead settled for these things (plus a "Texans for Obama 2008" t-shirt, not pictured)...

The red bull, "Ferdinand" (of course) was found at the exact same place I found "Edgar" the elephant, 5 years ago when mom and I went to Austin for the first time. Don't they make a cute couple?


B made fun of me for buying a "Georgia" glass in Texas. And he was not at all impressed by the pink cat nail brush (with a tounge for really digging under the nail). I think it's the cutest thing EVER.

So, for those of you wondering after the debauchery of steaks and torte's, "well, did she run?" I can say with pride, yes. I ran. I only lasted 40 minutes on the dreadmill (10 of that was walking). I just don't have the mental fortitude for the incredible boredom of running in place.

So I plan on another hour run tomorrow, maybe with 5-10 minutes added, so I can work up to the 10K distance. I wanted to run today, but (WARNING: gross bodily function description ahead) I ate some jelly beans with Splenda earlier today, feeling very virtuous, until an hour later, pure liquid was pouring out of my rear. I thought for some reason that if it had Splenda in it, then it wouldn't have that evil Maltitol in it, which causes many folks to have torrential anal explosions. I was so wrong. So, I've been close to a potty for much of the day. B and I had been talking earlier about the herb Stevia; he wanted to know why it wasn't used as a sweetener in grocery products. I told him that the FDA banned its use as a food product, probably because of the sugar (and artificial sweetener?) lobby. So after my episode, he pointed out the irony that the FDA would approve a sweetener that causes explosive diarrhea, but wouldn't approve a harmless leaf to be used as a sweetener, which has been used safely in other countries for years.

In happier news, I got some really exciting news a few nights ago, from soon-to-be grandparents (again) of a baby on the way! I'm going to be an auntie again!!! Yay!!!! My little sister M is having a tot in the early fall. How much fun is that! Now, my niece, the angelic Hannah, will finally have a cousin, since her Auntie P-town Peach, does not yet appear to be ready for mommyhood.

Seems to be a bug goin around- my dear friend, Erin (whose most embarrassing song is Journey's "Open Arms") back in the ATL just had a drop-dead gorgeous baby girl several weeks ago. Meet Elise Jewell... (and no, that is not a wig.)