Addendum to Texas

My observation on Texas being conservative, and Austin not, has caused some confusion which must be cleared up. It sounds like I support Austin seceding from Texas. I do. Not because I want to be in a liberal Austin, but because I would like to keep Texas pure. I guess I think of myself as a Texan more than an Austinite.

Texas

We have now been in Texas for 4 months, and it is probably time for me to post a blog about my impressions and observations.

Is everything truly bigger in Texas? Unfortunately, no. But almost everything is. Including addresses. Our current address is 12610 Riata Trace Pkwy Apt 338, Austin, Texas, 78727. Our former address was 258 N 400 W Apt 3, Provo, Utah, 84601. See how much longer it is? 51 characters (plus spaces) to 37. You might think this is a strange thing to notice, or care about. It is. But the reason I noticed is because one of the things that is not bigger in Texas is the address line on forms, slips, etc. I can never fit our entire address into the space that is provided! It reminds me of a Calvin and Hobbes, posted below.

Another thing that is bigger in Texas: the ethnic population. We ate at CiCi's the other day, a pizza buffet. We were the only whities in the place for about forty-five minutes, when another of us showed up.

Texans are very polite and friendly. An example: I take the bus from my research campus to the main campus, and as we get off the bus every single person thanks the bus driver for driving us around, like he is doing it out of the goodness of his heart. The first time I noticed this I assumed that everybody had some kind of in with the driver. It's like getting off an airplane, where the flight attendants and pilots say goodbye to every passenger. Reminds me of two movies, clips below.

Only the first 10 seconds or so.

A couple of weeks ago I was entering the grocery store, when I heard a man ask a lady who was about to leave the parking lot if she was a roller derby girl. She had two kids, had to be 38 or so. She said yes. Awesome.

Today is Dec 7th. When I left for work, there was some frost on the cars. For the first time since we moved here. December 7th. First frost. Wonderful.

We all know that Utah drivers are bad, right? At least that is what those of us not from Utah say. Turns out Texas drivers are just as bad. Or maybe even worse. It's a good thing it doesn't snow much here, or else there would be complete chaos.

If you move to Texas you have 90 days to register your car in Texas. Costs like $100. Lame.

Texans drink a lot of beer. And probably other alcohol, too.

Texas is very conservative. Austin is not. A bumper sticker I saw: "If Texas can secede from the Union, can Austin secede from Texas?" Given the option, I would cede to Austin's desire to secede.

That is all I can think of for right now. Probably I will think of more in the future, and then I will write a sequel blog.

formerly known as Ralphie

I recently joined Facebook. For some reason or another, I felt like I should. I have since tried to decide why I felt that way, and I am not sure. Although I have already had some good conversations with old acquaintances. This post is actually not about that, though.

So we have a cat now, formerly known as Ralphie, currently known as Stella. Elin couldn't let a girl cat have a boy name. Ben and Ryanne couldn't take her to Louisiana, so now she is our cat. She has been a lot of fun; she is pretty crazy. I hesitate to post this, because I am afraid it will look like I am trying to substitute a pet for a child. I generally make fun of those people who act like a pet is the equivalent of a baby, so I don't want to look like one of those people. Truth is, though, she has some child-like tendencies. Like wanting to eat anything I am, even when she has her own food. Or trying to get into every room/area she is not supposed to go in. She also wakes me up at night wanting attention. Let it be clear that I understand she is not the equivalent of having a baby. Here are some fun pictures of her antics.


She runs under these things when I chase her around the house. Then when I turn around to leave, she runs out after me.

She loves to get in the sink. For some reason she is fascinated when I turn the water on. She also does this with the kitchen sink and the bathtub. Just wait until I turn the disposal on, that'll teach her.

Below is a funny progression of pictures. The funniest is when I turn the fruit bowl over and trap her. She loves it.





Playing in the bath tub.

Doing what cats do best, and most.


It's really funny when she squeezes under here. She can attack the mouse from a safe vantage point.




Elin wanted to take this picture. She likes to come lay between my arm and body.

And check out this sweet picture I found.

My beard at its best. I miss it. Luckily it is now Movember...

One year older....

I think I may be getting wiser too, because I am reading Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes (which is fantastic, by the way). Watterson is a genius--the best social critic I've ever read and the most amusing. Plus his mastery of imagery is enviable. Anywho, here is my quote for the day from the book. I'm a little slow, so I had to read it about 3 times to understand whate he was saying, but you all will probably get it the first time:



Love it.

So if you were paying attention to the last blog by Elin, you will see that this one is the exact same for the first paragraph plus, except for the name of the author and his work. Watterson really was something of a social critic, and certainly the most amusing, even surpassing Mr. Dickens. And who can argue that his mastery of imagery is not enviable? If you question that, take another look at the above strip. Elin will get after me for writing this like I did because she'll think I am making fun of her, but I really am not. I am just making fun!

There is nothing like a birthday to make one wax reflective, and so I felt like writing a blog. Really I should be writing an essay that is due tomorrow that I haven't even started, but I don't really feel like it...

So I have spent the last several weeks interviewing with various oil and gas companies. Turns out there are a lot of companies out there that I had never heard of. I will have interviewed with 10-12 different companies by the time I finish. I am interviewing for internships for next summer. If the internship goes well then I would get an offer to work for the company after I graduate. Basically I am deciding the next 4-5 years of my life in these few weeks. Seems a little strange, considering that I am only a month and a half into my graduate degree. There are a couple of companies that would be really cool to work for, and some not so much. If I only get offers from the not so much companies, I could always switch companies after the intitial training period. There appears to be a lot of shuffling around in the industry.


Here are some presents that I received so far this year (I still have some to open tonight):







I also received some good movies, some shorts (thanks Nathan for giving Elin some direction there. I never got around to it), a professional fishing chair, and we'll see what is left!


This is the link where I pulled the Calvin and Hobbes strip from. I just did a random search, but this guy actually has some interesting commentary on the strip. http://www.orthocuban.com/2009/11/opiate-of-the-masses-tv/

One year older....

I think I may be getting wiser too, because I am reading Dickens' Little Dorrit (which is fantastic, by the way). Dickens is a genius--the best social critic I've ever read and the most amusing. Plus his mastery of imagery is enviable. Anywho, here is my quote for the day from the book. I'm a little slow, so I had to read it about 3 times to understand what he was saying, but you all will probably get it the first time:

"To be in the halting state of Mr. Henry Gowan; to have left one of two Powers in disgust, to want the necessary qualifications for finding promotion with another, and to be loitering moodily about on neutral ground, cursing both; is to be in a situation unwholesome for the mind, which time is not likely to improve. The worst class of sum worked in the every-day world, is cyphered by the diseased arithmeticians who are always in the rule of Subtraction as to the merits and successes of others, and never in Addition as to their own."

Love it.

Fact: Birthdays get boring when you are old.

I spent the day in my new apartment. Forrest made me a happy pancake breakfast but then he had to go to work and school. And I had pizzookies later that evening! They were delicious. But I did get some sweet presents!

My sister Lola took me to see the movie I have been dreaming of ever since it came out:





Best Movie Ever! Lola was kinda of dreading this one, I think, but even she thought is was the happiest movie ever. And the acting was decent...

Then she got me this piano music to Aida. Let's just say, Disney + Elton John knows how to make a broadway musical.

My mum and Delys got me some framed black and white prints that look perfect in my new kitchen. Some of the other wonders I received:











Have I mentioned that I love Selena Gomez?


I also got to spend almost and entire week in Allen with my family which was the best present of all. What could be better than spending a whole week with this:



And to cap it all off, I finally found piano music to this song that I have been in love with forever by a contemporary Italian composer named Ludovic Einaudi. Have a listen:

">

The Wall

My friend Andrea shared this with me years ago. It has been on my mind recently so I wanted to share it with you:

"I hope that some day you will have a longing, a longing that seems to wring your soul (in expressing that hope I have your interest at heart) that you will meet a wall that seems insurmountable, impregnable; but if duty lies beyond that wall, do not stand back and say, 'I cannot do it.' You may aspire to do it, but that is not sufficient. Do what James . . . says: Ask God for power, but add to that faith, an acknowledgment of your own ability to do what you are able to do.

You can walk from where you stand, up to the wall. When you get there, and you have gone as far as you can, you will find in answer to your prayer that there is a hidden ladder by which you can scale it, or there is a door which you could not see from where you were first standing. God's hand is shown. In that hour you become responsive to the Infinite, and you realize what it means to be entitled to the guidance of the Holy Ghost; and he will guide you in these things."

David O. McKay

Happy Mother's Day

Read this:

“The holy scriptures, the pages of history, are replete with tender, moving, convincing accounts of “mother loved.” One, however, stands out supreme, above and beyond any other. The place is Jerusalem, the period known as the meridian of time. Assembled is a throng of Roman soldiers. Their helmets signify their loyalty to Caesar, their shields bear his emblem, their spears are crowned by Roman eagles. Assembled also are natives to the land of Jerusalem. Faded into the still night, and gone forever, are the militant and rowdy cries, “Crucify him, crucify him.”
The hour has come. The personal earthly ministry of the Son of God moves swiftly to its dramatic conclusion. A certain loneliness is here. Nowhere to be found are the lame beggars who, because of this man, walk; the deaf who, because of this man, hear; the blind who, because of this man, see; the dead who, because of this man, live.

There remained yet a few faithful followers. From his tortured position on the cruel cross he sees his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing by. He speaks: “Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!”
From that awful hour when time stood still, when the earth did quake and great mountains were brought down—yes, through the annals of history, over the centuries of years and beyond the span of time—there echoes His simple yet divine words, “Behold thy mother.”

As we truly listen to that gentle command and with gladness obey its intent, gone forever will be the vast legions of “mothers forgotten.” Everywhere present will be “mothers remembered,” “mothers blessed,” and “mothers loved”; and, as in the beginning, God will once again survey the workmanship of His own hand and be led to say, “It is very good.”

May each of us treasure this truth: One cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.”
~ President Thomas S. Monson, “Behold Thy Mother,” April 1998 ~

http://lds.org/liahona/1998/04/behold-thy-mother?lang=eng&query=mothers

And watch this: