Being back in a high school setting is a really interesting and bizarre experience. I was never one of those people who thought high school was the be-all, end-all, pinnacle of existence like some do. I don't look back on that time with disdain and bitterness, but once it was over I was happy it was over and I didn't ever feel the urge to go back. In fact, it was always really strange to me to hear people wax poetic about how amazing high school was and how they missed it all the time. To me it was mostly a confusing, awkward transition from childhood to near-adulthood. I made some great friends and definitely went through a lot of huge personal changes, but I wasn't having the best time of my life by any means.
Because I have never been one to put those years up on a pedestal, it's especially weird to me to see so many students clearly living their lives as though high school is as good as it gets. Girls throwing away everything just to be in a relationship with someone they are convinced is their ~*soul mate*~, guys wasting their time in class in order to show off and be smartasses (because god forbid you learn something instead of just being super cool in front of people who won't matter to you in 4 years), both genders decked out to the nines in letter jackets/dance uniforms/what have you and only associating with others who do the same as though they fully expect this to be their biggest achievement in life. Having been an obnoxious and self centered teenager myself at one point, I know that nothing anybody says to them is going to convince them to cut the crap, but it's still sort of frustrating.
I once took over a class last minute at the end of the day after I had finished subbing for someone else and it was both hilarious and wholly depressing to see how some of the kids were acting. My other classes for the day were generally full of upperclassmen, but the last class was purely freshmen. I have to be honest, it is hard to look at a 14 year old girl painted up like a streetwalker and wobbling around in giant heels that she obviously doesn't know how to walk in yet and not feel sick. She was a sweet girl, too, and it just pained me to know that there will be a point somewhere in her not too distant future where she will want to be taken seriously and respected, and by that point it just might be too late.
It isn't just the girls who are ridiculous, obviously. The boys can be equally frustrating. I once encountered a male student who was obviously a SMART kid. He liked it when I called on him, he provided thoughtful answers to my questions, and he worked like a champ when it came time to problem solve in groups. He had an engaging personality as well, but it was obvious to me that somewhere along the line he had convinced himself that being cool (ie: being known for not taking school seriously) was more fun than doing well and setting himself up for the rest of his life. To this day the memory of that student troubles me, I hate to think of him wasting his life pissing around Austin and working whatever job he happens to come by. His regular teacher and I both did what we could to encourage his intellectual development and positively reinforce participation and hard work, but if the kid just didn't come to school very often it was hard to make that stick. I hope he realizes what he's doing, I really do.
It might just be the ignorance of youth, but I really wish I knew where attitudes like those come from. Even when I was IN high school I knew those people (and you did too) who would loudly insist that academics were not the point of high school, that they were going to "live it up" and enjoy their four years and then somehow miraculously turn it all around in college and be A+ superstars for the rest of their lives. It continues to boggle my mind that people like that don't realize that high school is where you learn to LEARN above all else. No, I don't remember a damn thing from my Algebra II class. You know what I do remember? I remember the way I needed to study in order to do well in math, a subject I am notoriously weak in. If I hadn't learned how to stick it out and make myself work on things that were hard for me and made me feel dumb, I would not have been able to pass any of my accounting/statistics/O-chem classes in college. It wasn't the content that necessarily stayed with me, it was the life skills that I had to practice in order to succeed. I never EVER think about asymptotes or parabolas in my daily life, but I do know how to put my nose to the grindstone and force knowledge into my head. To me, THAT was the real point of high school.
I wish there was some way I could guarantee that my sincerity would come across to my students. Unfortunately you can only observe high school rationally in hindsight, and 15 year olds will just never be known for their foresight or maturity. As a teacher, though, that serves to motivate me more than it discourages me. The only way to come across as sincere and believable is to work hard EVERY day to be so. Trust is earned over time, and the only time you have a chance to change someone's life is when they've decided to trust you. Obviously as a sub that's not my role, but as a future educator it definitely is, and I am ready to go.
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Snow day!
I know this entry isn't going to be very exciting for those of you hailing from up north (read: anywhere north of Austin), but I am SO PUMPED about the snow today! This is the first time in years that I've seen snowflakes that are bigger than sleet particles and that actually stay on the ground. It seems like it's over now, but I'll take a good 2 hours of snow over none at all!
I won't lie, I've been ridiculous the entire time it's been snowing. Anu still had to go to work today (suck), but my work was canceled and I've been literally hopping around in the backyard since I got back from running errands this morning. I feel obligated to document the snow since it's likely that this will not happen again for quite some time. Plus, it's the first snow in our new house! It's silly, but a milestone no less! :-)
The kitties are enjoying the fact that the heater is on again and Rosko is thrilled that I've been going in and out of the back door all afternoon since it's located in his room and he gets a nice icy breeze every time. I'd let him go outside, but he can't get wet. The thing about Chinchillas is that because their fur is so dense it's possible for moisture to get trapped and not be able to evaporate. That creates a perfect little home for fungus and mold, and then you have a real problem on your hands. Since the little man seems to be very proud of his perfectly fluffy coat, I would hate to have to shave bits of him. As such, no snow time.
Speaking of the squeaky guy, let's have him make his blog debut:
And just so it doesn't seem like I'm playing favorites, here are the other kiddos:
Love and Kisses,
Dana
I won't lie, I've been ridiculous the entire time it's been snowing. Anu still had to go to work today (suck), but my work was canceled and I've been literally hopping around in the backyard since I got back from running errands this morning. I feel obligated to document the snow since it's likely that this will not happen again for quite some time. Plus, it's the first snow in our new house! It's silly, but a milestone no less! :-)
The kitties are enjoying the fact that the heater is on again and Rosko is thrilled that I've been going in and out of the back door all afternoon since it's located in his room and he gets a nice icy breeze every time. I'd let him go outside, but he can't get wet. The thing about Chinchillas is that because their fur is so dense it's possible for moisture to get trapped and not be able to evaporate. That creates a perfect little home for fungus and mold, and then you have a real problem on your hands. Since the little man seems to be very proud of his perfectly fluffy coat, I would hate to have to shave bits of him. As such, no snow time.
Speaking of the squeaky guy, let's have him make his blog debut:
And just so it doesn't seem like I'm playing favorites, here are the other kiddos:
Ahh, I love my kitty filled house. Max has really horrible gas from time to time and Molly likes to act like she lives a tragic life, but they are wonderful. Rosko is one of the happiest things in my whole life, he ALWAYS puts a smile on my face with his adorable chubby little self and hilarious personality.
I posted a video on facebook earlier of the snow, but then it started snowing harder and I took a better video. Since you're the blog followers (and therefore my favorite people), you get to see the better one! I hope today has been fun for all of you!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Friday, February 19, 2010
A series of small things
It's so interesting to me that small, nearly insignificant things are often the ones that either make or break any given day. No, an amazing day isn't going to be considered awful if you spill coke on your jeans, but if you've had a day full of awfulness then it's likely to be that little soda spill that's going to send you right over the edge. I don't know why that is, but I can't count the number of times I've had horrible, catastrophic things happen all day without causing me to do much more than look grumpy only to lose my composure over accidentally rolling my pen under a cabinet. Likewise, I've had very very good days be perked up exponentially by finding five bucks in my pocket when I didn't know they were there.
Today was a decent enough day, but then during my (wildly obnoxious) 8th period class one of the students stopped me while I was handing out worksheets and said, "Hey miss...do you model? You have to model, right?" I don't know why, but that practically made the sun come out from behind the impermeable cloud cover we'd been under all day for me. It didn't hurt, either, when one of the other students agreed with him and demanded to know if I had done any modeling because she wanted to see the pictures if I had. It was goofy, and entirely likely that they were just trying to butter me up, but still. Thanks, kiddos.
This week has been completely ridiculous all around and I am more than relieved to see the end of it. Poor Anu is still having to work insane hours and it looks like it's going to continue for another 2 or 3 weeks. Then he'll have a break of a couple of weeks and it'll be right back to insanity for another month. This is obviously much more taxing on him than on me, and I feel ridiculous for even complaining about it, but the fact is that his absence makes it more than a little lonely around here. I would NEVER complain to him because I think he's amazing for sticking it out and working like this to prove himself and the last thing I want to do is make him feel guilty for being responsible and doing the right thing. You all don't mind though, do you? There, I've had my selfish moment and I feel better. Being under a pile of kitties helps too.
Anyway, I've been feeling really blue because of the general loneliness I'm dealing with and it's been a little thing that's been helping to keep me down. I was expecting that my wedding photos would be here two days ago, and as they had yet to show up even TODAY I was starting to get far more upset than what was justifiable. On its own a missing cd is not a big deal and is nothing to get more than a tiny bit frustrated over. On the heels of a really horrible and lonely week, though? Enough to make me kick the mailbox.
The good news is that I am going to go pick up the cd tomorrow so there is no longer any doubt about when I will have it. I certainly don't mean to say anything negative about my photographers, the pictures are amazing and they both have sick little ones to take care of and I absolutely understand that clients do not take priority over children. That having been said, I am very happy to be getting everything squared away. :-)
So what say you, my lovely readers? Any small moments that have made or ruined your day? Any tips for dealing with a case of the lonelies? Let me know, I think you're awesome!
Love and Kisses,
Daner
Today was a decent enough day, but then during my (wildly obnoxious) 8th period class one of the students stopped me while I was handing out worksheets and said, "Hey miss...do you model? You have to model, right?" I don't know why, but that practically made the sun come out from behind the impermeable cloud cover we'd been under all day for me. It didn't hurt, either, when one of the other students agreed with him and demanded to know if I had done any modeling because she wanted to see the pictures if I had. It was goofy, and entirely likely that they were just trying to butter me up, but still. Thanks, kiddos.
This week has been completely ridiculous all around and I am more than relieved to see the end of it. Poor Anu is still having to work insane hours and it looks like it's going to continue for another 2 or 3 weeks. Then he'll have a break of a couple of weeks and it'll be right back to insanity for another month. This is obviously much more taxing on him than on me, and I feel ridiculous for even complaining about it, but the fact is that his absence makes it more than a little lonely around here. I would NEVER complain to him because I think he's amazing for sticking it out and working like this to prove himself and the last thing I want to do is make him feel guilty for being responsible and doing the right thing. You all don't mind though, do you? There, I've had my selfish moment and I feel better. Being under a pile of kitties helps too.
Anyway, I've been feeling really blue because of the general loneliness I'm dealing with and it's been a little thing that's been helping to keep me down. I was expecting that my wedding photos would be here two days ago, and as they had yet to show up even TODAY I was starting to get far more upset than what was justifiable. On its own a missing cd is not a big deal and is nothing to get more than a tiny bit frustrated over. On the heels of a really horrible and lonely week, though? Enough to make me kick the mailbox.
The good news is that I am going to go pick up the cd tomorrow so there is no longer any doubt about when I will have it. I certainly don't mean to say anything negative about my photographers, the pictures are amazing and they both have sick little ones to take care of and I absolutely understand that clients do not take priority over children. That having been said, I am very happy to be getting everything squared away. :-)
So what say you, my lovely readers? Any small moments that have made or ruined your day? Any tips for dealing with a case of the lonelies? Let me know, I think you're awesome!
Love and Kisses,
Daner
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
On being somebody
I'm about to go run some errands, but I just saw this video and thought I would share it with you guys. It warmed my heart.
It makes me miss the old Sesame Street very much, I don't think this sort of scene would be allowed on the show anymore.
Love and Kisses,
Dana
It makes me miss the old Sesame Street very much, I don't think this sort of scene would be allowed on the show anymore.
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Sunday, February 14, 2010
They got them guuuns...
Anu's former roommate Wan has many a cool firearm and I have been secretly wanting to try my hand at shooting for quite some time now. What was holding me back? Oh come on, the same thing that holds me back every single time: a wildly intense and irrational fear of looking like an idiot. It's ridiculous, but for some reason it is absolutely hard wired in my brain that if I'm not a complete superstar at something the first time I do it then everyone around me will...I don't even know, laugh and throw turnips at me or something. I really do hate that I let that bizarre paranoia keep me from having fun, so I've generally resolved to be better about that this year. As such, when the opportunity presented itself I decided to go a-shootin with Wan, Eric, and Maggie. I would have loved for Anu to have been there, but work is absolutely insane for him right now and he's had to go in every single day for the past 2 weeks and work a minimum of 8 hours each time. Feel sorry for him? Well you should. So there.
Anyway, I had such a great time and I am so glad I went. I'm also incredibly glad Maggie was there too because she is a perfect partner in crime for situations like these. She has always had a great "go get it" attitude about life and she has enough guts for the both of us in situations where I start to go back to shrinking violet mode. She's also really honest about things, so I know that she's not going to trick me into doing something that was actually horrible for her. Hooray Maggie! :-D
We were there for quite a while, actually, and Maggie and I shot everything except for Pete (the big 9mm) and Lamb Chop (the AK-47). Oh...we also gave Wan's guns people names. Because we couldn't tell them apart until we did. Stop looking at me like that! The point is that I was a lot better at it than I expected to be, and Maggie was a baller too once she figured out how to work the sights.
The recoil sensations were a lot different that what I had expected. I suppose I always thought that you'd be knocked backwards by the force of the gun going off, but it really isn't that big of a deal (at least with the things we were shooting). Even firing Funshine (the AR) just felt like someone was giving you a really firm push on the shoulder, it wasn't a punching force like I thought it would be. Additionally, I feel like Wan would appreciate it if I passed the message on that silencers really don't make the sound that movies and tv have them make. It's more of...like a metal slinky being whipped around. It's quieter than the regular shot, but more than that it just doesn't sound like a gun. If you heard it without knowing what it was you would probably thing someone was just messing with a chain link fence. It was interesting.
The moral of the story is that now I REALLY want a gun. I know, Texas has finally eaten my soul hasn't it? I still don't think the Blue Collar Comedy Tour is even remotely funny though, that says something right???
Here are some of the pictures we took at the range, the rest can be seen on facebook:
That last one is my first target, the majority of the shots are with the .22's (Smokey and Eduardo) and the crazy outliers are from Dottie who was way more intense.
In more unicorn and bubble related news, I am OBSESSED with the gift Anu got me for Valentine's and I am so impressed with his memory skills! About a month ago we were at DSW because it is far and away the best shoe store in the world and I needed new flat shoes for work. It's impossible for me to go there and not be distracted by all the completely impractical and amazing heels they have, so at one point I tried on this ridiculous and adorable pair that can really only be described as Barbie shoes. I know, you're losing respect for me right this moment. Anyway, I loooooooooved them to death but there was no way I could justify buying them so I just grabbed the cute black flats I had decided on and bolted for the front before my resolve could be completely eroded by the sparkling pink magic. This morning, however, when I went to take a shower after Anu had left for work (seriously, do you feel sorry for him yet or do I have to post a picture of him looking sad?!) I almost had a heart attack because they were sitting there in my closet being adorable and wonderful and in the right size. Best. Valentine's. Ever. I pretty much squealed and danced for 10 minutes. I am a happy, materialistic lady right now. Here they are so you can appreciate their adorableness:
<3
OK, that's all I've got for you now. I hope everyone has had a great weekend and that the week to come treats you well. Wedding pics will be online for you to see on Wednesday or Thursday, so get excited!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Thursday, February 11, 2010
On futility
Yesterday was an incredibly frustrating day for me in substitute land.
The job wasn't hard, I was doing a half day for an elective teacher at a middle school and they were having their monthly DARE-type speaker come in and do his lesson so all I really had to do was take attendance and babysit. The guy was...sort of a bizarre individual, but generally friendly and, you know, he was doing all the work. Hooray, right?
By the end of the day it took everything I had to stop myself from bashing my head against the wall in frustration, this guy has NO business in this program if they want it to have any lasting impact on the students. I know they're trained to follow the pre-written lesson plan verbatim, but this was absolutely absurd. In the 3 periods I saw I watched him read to the students from the crappy workbook, completely mangle basic health facts (he refused to believe me when I told him testosterone is a hormone), and blindly plow through OBVIOUS teaching moments. These students would flat out hand him these golden shining moments of personal revelation that he could have seized and made a relevant point about the dangers of substance abuse. He had so many opportunities to help these kids find meaning in what he was saying, but instead he let them play with the ridiculously corny props he brought in and spent 30 minutes letting them play with the drunk goggles. Cool.
I'm just a sub, these classrooms aren't mine and I am in no position to modify things, but situations like that just make my blood pressure shoot through the roof. THIS is why students think anti-drug programs are a waste of time, THIS is why the message never sinks in, THIS is why we have 7th graders smoking pot together instead of doing their damn math homework. If we're not even going to bother trying to make these things worthwhile then why even have them? If the speaker is an uptight do-gooder who is 100% incapable of sincerity then why on Earth WOULD students listen to him? I grew up with a drug phobia because Sesame Street convinced me they were bad news and even I thought my DARE officer was a dweeb. Ugh.
To blow off I came home and snuggled with captain Max:
Also...wedding pictures will be uploaded as soon as I get the cd. They are AMAZING! Get excited!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
The job wasn't hard, I was doing a half day for an elective teacher at a middle school and they were having their monthly DARE-type speaker come in and do his lesson so all I really had to do was take attendance and babysit. The guy was...sort of a bizarre individual, but generally friendly and, you know, he was doing all the work. Hooray, right?
By the end of the day it took everything I had to stop myself from bashing my head against the wall in frustration, this guy has NO business in this program if they want it to have any lasting impact on the students. I know they're trained to follow the pre-written lesson plan verbatim, but this was absolutely absurd. In the 3 periods I saw I watched him read to the students from the crappy workbook, completely mangle basic health facts (he refused to believe me when I told him testosterone is a hormone), and blindly plow through OBVIOUS teaching moments. These students would flat out hand him these golden shining moments of personal revelation that he could have seized and made a relevant point about the dangers of substance abuse. He had so many opportunities to help these kids find meaning in what he was saying, but instead he let them play with the ridiculously corny props he brought in and spent 30 minutes letting them play with the drunk goggles. Cool.
I'm just a sub, these classrooms aren't mine and I am in no position to modify things, but situations like that just make my blood pressure shoot through the roof. THIS is why students think anti-drug programs are a waste of time, THIS is why the message never sinks in, THIS is why we have 7th graders smoking pot together instead of doing their damn math homework. If we're not even going to bother trying to make these things worthwhile then why even have them? If the speaker is an uptight do-gooder who is 100% incapable of sincerity then why on Earth WOULD students listen to him? I grew up with a drug phobia because Sesame Street convinced me they were bad news and even I thought my DARE officer was a dweeb. Ugh.
To blow off I came home and snuggled with captain Max:
Also...wedding pictures will be uploaded as soon as I get the cd. They are AMAZING! Get excited!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The mid-week grumpies
I know Mondays are the typical "oh god, I hate life..." days, but I'm starting to think that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the biggest downers for me personally. I suppose that I'm just sort of resigned to the fact that Mondays are horrible, but it's really around mid week where I start to feel like I'm trapped in a day that is taking 26 years to pass. Additionally, I think I still have some of that college mindset left in me that registers Thursdays as the actual beginning of the weekend. Oh college, I miss you. (*note* I do not miss post-bacc work. That statement also doesn't apply to grad school/med school/law school/etc. Just regular old undergrad.)
I hope that doesn't make it sound like I'm constantly depressed or anything, I'm more than happy with life right now...I just prefer the weekend parts!
In other news, people who lose their minds and go into hysterics when facebook changes formats crack me up. I could never EVER work for facebook, I would lose my cool on people. The new facebook layout is only SLIGHTLY different from the previous one; all of the same buttons are there, they're just located in slightly different places. I can't stop rolling my eyes at all the people who update their statuses to things like, "ONCE AGAIN FACEBOOK CHANGES HAVE RUINED EVERYTHING!" Grow up, it's freaking facebook. The entitlement issues some people have really do astound me. It's a site that is free to use and that millions of people are flat out addicted to, they don't owe people a damn thing. I especially like all the groups that form and threaten to boycott facebook if they don't get their precious (insert function or layout option here) back. OK princess, go ahead. See you in 2 days when you break down and realize that your life can't go on if you don't know what your friends' status updates for the day are. Personally I really like facebook, and I'll keep using it happily unless they start to charge for it.
I'm starting to get really antsy because I got an email from the website that my photographers use to host pictures saying that my event was going to be released soon. I got the email yesterday, and last time I was waiting for pics (engagement photos) it took about 2 days from the first email to when they were released. I want to see them SO BADLY!!!!! I'm glad my photogs take their time editing because the results are amazing, but waiting is no fun at all. What can I say, I'm very vain! GIVE ME PICTURES OF MYSELF TO OOGLE, INTERNET!!! ^_~
Speaking of wedding things, I NEED to get the thank you notes done. I think I'm going to do that Thursday and Friday, if I keep putting it off I'm going to miss the 2 month timeline and then I'll have to sacrifice myself to the etiquette gods. No Judith Martin, DON'T EAT ME!!!
I think that's all for this time. I'm waiting for my clothes to dry and then it's off to Girlstart to prep for the lesson and then teach club. Have a wonderful day!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
I hope that doesn't make it sound like I'm constantly depressed or anything, I'm more than happy with life right now...I just prefer the weekend parts!
In other news, people who lose their minds and go into hysterics when facebook changes formats crack me up. I could never EVER work for facebook, I would lose my cool on people. The new facebook layout is only SLIGHTLY different from the previous one; all of the same buttons are there, they're just located in slightly different places. I can't stop rolling my eyes at all the people who update their statuses to things like, "ONCE AGAIN FACEBOOK CHANGES HAVE RUINED EVERYTHING!" Grow up, it's freaking facebook. The entitlement issues some people have really do astound me. It's a site that is free to use and that millions of people are flat out addicted to, they don't owe people a damn thing. I especially like all the groups that form and threaten to boycott facebook if they don't get their precious (insert function or layout option here) back. OK princess, go ahead. See you in 2 days when you break down and realize that your life can't go on if you don't know what your friends' status updates for the day are. Personally I really like facebook, and I'll keep using it happily unless they start to charge for it.
I'm starting to get really antsy because I got an email from the website that my photographers use to host pictures saying that my event was going to be released soon. I got the email yesterday, and last time I was waiting for pics (engagement photos) it took about 2 days from the first email to when they were released. I want to see them SO BADLY!!!!! I'm glad my photogs take their time editing because the results are amazing, but waiting is no fun at all. What can I say, I'm very vain! GIVE ME PICTURES OF MYSELF TO OOGLE, INTERNET!!! ^_~
Speaking of wedding things, I NEED to get the thank you notes done. I think I'm going to do that Thursday and Friday, if I keep putting it off I'm going to miss the 2 month timeline and then I'll have to sacrifice myself to the etiquette gods. No Judith Martin, DON'T EAT ME!!!
I think that's all for this time. I'm waiting for my clothes to dry and then it's off to Girlstart to prep for the lesson and then teach club. Have a wonderful day!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Friday, February 5, 2010
On the topic of fuzz...
Dear ladies at the nail salon by my house,
I know that upselling is an important part of any service industry. Sure I came in for an eyebrow wax, but that's a measly $8, wouldn't it be nice if you could also convince me to get something else done? I'm not going to GET anything else done, but I understand your need to try. We're good.
It is not, however, entirely friendly to insist that if I don't also get my upper lip waxed I will surely leave looking like Salvador Dali. The first time you asked, "do you also want the lip as well?" we were still buddies...again, I get the need to upsell. When you continued with, "but you NEED TO!!!! NEED TO!!!" it was no bueno. Here's the thing lady, I know I am fuzzy. I am a mammal. I am the daughter of a man who could easily make a toupee from the hair on his left calf alone. I take steps to reduce my fuzziness for the most part, but I do not look like this:
K? We clear? Some day I will be zapping my excess fuzz off with a laser, but until that day I'm OK with my day to day appearance. I teach HIGH SCHOOLERS for God's sake...I would have heard it from them by now if I was sporting a 'stache. Cripes.
I was in sales myself. I can't count the number of times I swore up and down to my brides that there is NO way their ensemble would work without a veil. VEILS MAKE WEDDINGS REAL!!!! I would push tiaras, petticoats, shoes, bras, jewelry, gloves, and guest books like there was no freaking tomorrow, but you know what I wouldn't do? Try to tell someone, "boy...your arms sure are crazy fat. Are you sure you don't want a jacket, Shamu?" There's a line, ladies. Don't go stag leaping across it.
Love and Kisses,
Dana
I know that upselling is an important part of any service industry. Sure I came in for an eyebrow wax, but that's a measly $8, wouldn't it be nice if you could also convince me to get something else done? I'm not going to GET anything else done, but I understand your need to try. We're good.
It is not, however, entirely friendly to insist that if I don't also get my upper lip waxed I will surely leave looking like Salvador Dali. The first time you asked, "do you also want the lip as well?" we were still buddies...again, I get the need to upsell. When you continued with, "but you NEED TO!!!! NEED TO!!!" it was no bueno. Here's the thing lady, I know I am fuzzy. I am a mammal. I am the daughter of a man who could easily make a toupee from the hair on his left calf alone. I take steps to reduce my fuzziness for the most part, but I do not look like this:
I was in sales myself. I can't count the number of times I swore up and down to my brides that there is NO way their ensemble would work without a veil. VEILS MAKE WEDDINGS REAL!!!! I would push tiaras, petticoats, shoes, bras, jewelry, gloves, and guest books like there was no freaking tomorrow, but you know what I wouldn't do? Try to tell someone, "boy...your arms sure are crazy fat. Are you sure you don't want a jacket, Shamu?" There's a line, ladies. Don't go stag leaping across it.
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Come on, Ulta...
OK, I am officially convinced that Ulta is actively trying to bleed my bank account dry. It's not bad enough that they got me completely addicted to Smashbox's Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder
but NOW they have to email me nothing but Smashbox offers, causing me to spend way too much time staring longingly at website and lamenting the fact that I am determined to stick to our weekly budget. Sure $30 doesn't seem like all that much, but it could be better spent on a date night at the movies/girl scout cookies for both of us/shoes for work. BOO! Being responsible makes my inner selfish 13 year old want to spit.
I finally got my hair cut last week, it felt SO good to do something fun with it again. I've been growing it out for the past year and a half for wedding purposes, and it was starting to become a security blanket again. I refuse to let myself fall back into the boring pattern of going in for haircuts once every two months or so just to get an inch trimmed off the bottom and a few layers put in. That is the go-to hair cut of EVERY GIRL EVER and I will not do it again! I'm in my 20's, I have the best skin I'm probably ever going to have, my hair grows like it's chugging fertilizer, and you'd best believe I'm going to make the most of that.
(It's fun to play with the "burst" function on my laptop's camera...can you tell?Also, I know I'm making duckface. I am making duckface on purpose. I do not think duckface is sexy. FYI.)
I won't lie, short hair makes me feel like a BAMF. Additionally, it also looks INSANELY cute with thick headbands. If you have any adorable headbands you see online or whatnot, do let me know.
Should that be all for today? I'm on a quest to actually get some followers so that I'm not writing to myself like the lame-o that I actually am, so if you do read...be a doll and leave a tiny comment? My self esteem will love you for it.
Love and Kisses,
Dana
but NOW they have to email me nothing but Smashbox offers, causing me to spend way too much time staring longingly at website and lamenting the fact that I am determined to stick to our weekly budget. Sure $30 doesn't seem like all that much, but it could be better spent on a date night at the movies/girl scout cookies for both of us/shoes for work. BOO! Being responsible makes my inner selfish 13 year old want to spit.
I finally got my hair cut last week, it felt SO good to do something fun with it again. I've been growing it out for the past year and a half for wedding purposes, and it was starting to become a security blanket again. I refuse to let myself fall back into the boring pattern of going in for haircuts once every two months or so just to get an inch trimmed off the bottom and a few layers put in. That is the go-to hair cut of EVERY GIRL EVER and I will not do it again! I'm in my 20's, I have the best skin I'm probably ever going to have, my hair grows like it's chugging fertilizer, and you'd best believe I'm going to make the most of that.
(It's fun to play with the "burst" function on my laptop's camera...can you tell?Also, I know I'm making duckface. I am making duckface on purpose. I do not think duckface is sexy. FYI.)
I won't lie, short hair makes me feel like a BAMF. Additionally, it also looks INSANELY cute with thick headbands. If you have any adorable headbands you see online or whatnot, do let me know.
Should that be all for today? I'm on a quest to actually get some followers so that I'm not writing to myself like the lame-o that I actually am, so if you do read...be a doll and leave a tiny comment? My self esteem will love you for it.
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Monday, February 1, 2010
Oh snap, new blog
Oh livejournal, we'll always have the 00's...it's just that a blog that only 3 people can read is not much of a blog at all.
Howdy, blogger crowd! I am officially jumping on the bandwagon and creating a public journal, I've been meaning to for quite some time and for some reason today seemed like a very good day to actually get started. Does wedding recap seem like a fitting first post?
Things really were amazing, it's hard to believe that a year's worth of planning and stressing was over in one weekend, but it was so worth every moment. Both days were beautiful and absolutely packed full of love and laughter, we are so blessed to have all of our amazing family and friends in our lives. I am indescribably grateful for them.
For those who may not know, Anu and I had two weddings over the course of the weekend of January 2. Anu was born and raised here in America so he and I would have been completely satisfied by just having a typical American ceremony, but we knew it was important for Anu's parents to have their culture represented during such an important time in our lives so we were more than happy to embrace the challenge of throwing two full weddings in the span of 48 hours. Luckily for me Anu's parents were perfectly willing to take command of planning the Indian ceremony and reception on the 3rd, I wouldn't even have known where to start in planning such an event!
Pre-weddings Anu and I both had amazing parties thrown for us by our closest friends, I know I had an absolute blast and from what Anu has told me about his he was equally pleased. Anu's Bachelor party was organized by his best man Bert and a few of his good friends from college, what cool guys! They all went down to San Antonio and had fun drinking at our favorite local haunt, the Lion and Rose off of Sonterra blvd. Then they arranged to have a double-decker party bus pick them up and take them all around downtown San Antonio where I am told Anu decided to hang out the windows and demand that passers-by do Hook-em's for him. They ended the night back at the Lion and Rose and then came back to his parents' house to pass out for the evening.
All of my amazing girls (and Andy and Jason!) came down on the 30th and we had what I imagine must have been the most fun Bachelorette party of all freaking time planned mostly by my maid of honor Allison. We started off the evening with a visit from Booty Parlor, they were crazy excited to see us again because Allison and I had actually already hosted their very first party in the United States when we were still in college. We are classy, classy broads. The BP party was such a fun and hilarious way to start off the evening, and we all went home with a few handy trinkets ;-). After that we headed out to dinner at 219 West where we mingled at the bar and then convinced the band to play "Pour Some Sugar on Me" for us. They agreed, but only if we promised to dance up on the stage...which I had no problem with after a shot or two. When we finished dinner we headed out to 6th for a while followed by the Brown bar, Oilcan's (I think?), and...frankly that's where my memory for the night ends. I know that I got to see Padon, Eric, and Jen at various points throughout the evening and I know that we ended the night by riding home with the angriest Taxi Cab driver in the entire universe. Needless to say, it took a full 24 hours before the girls and I were ready to do much more than lay on the couch and swear that we would never, ever go out again.
It isn't wedding related, but the following evening was New Year's Eve and Allison, Amanda, Anu, and I went out on a boat that Sameer and Jeanine had rented for us. We floated all around the river and were able to watch the fireworks from the BEST spot imaginable. It was really wonderful and we are so grateful to Sameer and Jeanine for planning such an awesome New Year's.
Wedding day #1 was great, we started off the day at our house and then headed over to the Driskill hotel to have our hair and makeup done by Angela Parker and her team from LucieMarie hair and makeup. Angela is great, she and her team were all so funny and lighthearted, it really helped to keep me calm and relaxed. Everybody was thrilled with how they looked and her prices are GREAT for professional hair/makeup. I would recommend her to anyone! While we were waiting to get all dolled up Jason kept us entertained by helping us with Tarot readings, I loved the experience because he approaches it as a way to analyze and think through problems rather than a *~magical~* fortune telling device. We also played Life on my iPhone...seriously, download it now. I have gotten more use out of that app than any other that I've downloaded, who doesn't like the game of Life?!
The time absolutely FLEW by and before I knew it it was time to go to the Mansion and get dressed and ready to go. My day of coordinator Rachel Stepanov (owner of Buon Affare) had been hard at work all day coordinating all the vendors and the set up process, I didn't have to worry about one single thing. She is so friendly and hard working, one of my top 3 wedding vendors FOR SURE. We all went upstairs and I had my mom help me into the dress, of course it wasn't until I was all laced up and ready to go that it really hit me that I was moments away from walking down the aisle. I had to sit down immediately and I don't think I stood up again until it was time to go, I was shaking like crazy! Everyone around me was great, Jason was a trooper about helping me get my shoes on, Amanda was like a speedy ninja when she went to grab some appetizers from my caterer for me so I wouldn't pass out, and Allison was completely chill about the fact that I had to ask her to be "reverse-Anu" and help me put my garter on because I had completely forgotten to do that before I got the dress and crinoline on! Chaplain Larry came to see me for a few minutes as well just to reassure me about how smoothly the ceremony was going to go and make sure I was doing alright. Don't get me wrong about the nervousness, it was all excitement...not cold feet!
Before I knew it it was time to head down to the Georgian room and actually get married. I had a classical guitarist playing the ceremony music and from what other people have told me he was great. Aside from some late goobers walking in WHILE my bridesmaids were walking down the aisle (punks!) everything went smoothly. It was surreal walking down the aisle with my father, I could feel myself tearing up but I just stayed focused on Anu and I couldn't stop smiling. The ceremony was great, meaningful but lighthearted and fun just like we wanted. The only snafu was Chaplain Larry saying that Anu and I met when we both went to A&M...but I thought it was hilarious and was just glad that he didn't make the mistake of saying I was a tea-sip!
We told our photographers ahead of time that we didn't want our guests to have to wait around for us forever, so while they all went and enjoyed appetizers and drinks in the ballroom we took no more than 45 minutes to get all the snaps we needed. I am a much bigger fan of candid photos than I am of taking 4.6 billion posed ones, so it was great. We came into the ballroom and Rachel guarded our sweetheart table so we could get at least a couple of bites of food in before everyone came over to congratulate us and take pictures with us. The food was great, I love my caterer Liz from Exquisite Cuisine, her food is phenomenal and she is the nicest lady you will ever meet. She goes above and beyond for her clients and her prices are amazing.
After dinner I had prepared a slideshow to music showing myself growing up, Anu growing up, and some shots of our relationship through the years. We then had our first dance to "Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones...which honestly we picked because it was a sweet song, but also because it was a nice slow waltz, the only dance we know how to do. ^_^
My father and I danced to a song he picked, "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw, we were both trying like hell not to cry but I don't think we succeeded. I'll always be a daddy's girl at heart, even as a married woman. After us, Anu and his mom danced to "Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong and it was really sweet.
The night was full of dancing, laughing, and good times. I had SO much fun and I think everyone else did too. We made sure to stock the bar full, so everyone was able to have as many drinks as they wanted...Aditya made the most use of that, I think. We love you, silly alcoholic! Liang managed to spill red wine on me, but hey, it was the end of the night and when the hell am I ever going to wear that dress again? He felt bad, but he shouldn't have. :-)
At the end of the night Anu and I left under a hail of sparklers and drove off to spend our first married night at the Driskill Hotel up on the 12th floor. We had an amazing view of downtown and the beds were REALLY comfy. Chocolate covered strawberries and champagne were on the house...it was a great night.
The next day we headed off to the Marriott hotel in the morning to prep for the Indian wedding...so much to do! There are ceremonies for everything from my bangles to Anu's turban, we were crazy busy from the time we got there until we went downstairs for the ceremony. Sheeba was the hero of the day, she handled everything with grace and good humor...I honestly don't think we could have done it without her. She sang for us, guided the events, and kept the DJ from doing anything ridiculous. We love you, Sheeba!
The ceremony was sort of a mystery to everyone there, apparently it's not a big priority to let people know what they're going to do before they do it! We got through it fairly well, I think, and afterward people told us that it was really enjoyable. Jason was such a trooper, he had NO idea what he was supposed to do until it he was actually asked to do it and he stepped up and handled everything like a pro, from running onstage to hoist me up so I could reach Anu to throw the garland over him to grabbing Anu's ear to tell him not to screw up. Hooray Jason!
After the ceremony I was able to take off some of my immensely heavy attire and we headed back for dinner and dancing. Dinner was sooooooooo good, I love me some Indian food! We had some great performances by cousins, my bridesmaids, and Anu's guy friends as well as both of our families. Our guests sure did know how to cut a rug! Anu and I danced to "Jai Ho" and did our best not to look like flailing idiots. From what I understand, we were pretty successful. The night was so much fun, but we were EXHAUSTED by the end of it! Let me tell you, there is a REASON people only have one wedding!!!
We crashed at the Marriott that night (after more strawberries and champagne, woo hoo!) and flew off the next afternoon to our honeymoon at Disney World. I really can't say enough about how wonderful both days were and how grateful we are to everyone who was a part of the whole event. Being married is AWESOME and we are so, so glad that so many people were able to celebrate with us.
I promise to update as soon as I get all of our pro pics in, but for now here are the 3 teasers we have back from the 2nd as well as some of the pictures that were taken by my oh-so-talented friend Kirby Jones of the 3rd.
That's all for now I think, I'll write more soon!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
Howdy, blogger crowd! I am officially jumping on the bandwagon and creating a public journal, I've been meaning to for quite some time and for some reason today seemed like a very good day to actually get started. Does wedding recap seem like a fitting first post?
Things really were amazing, it's hard to believe that a year's worth of planning and stressing was over in one weekend, but it was so worth every moment. Both days were beautiful and absolutely packed full of love and laughter, we are so blessed to have all of our amazing family and friends in our lives. I am indescribably grateful for them.
For those who may not know, Anu and I had two weddings over the course of the weekend of January 2. Anu was born and raised here in America so he and I would have been completely satisfied by just having a typical American ceremony, but we knew it was important for Anu's parents to have their culture represented during such an important time in our lives so we were more than happy to embrace the challenge of throwing two full weddings in the span of 48 hours. Luckily for me Anu's parents were perfectly willing to take command of planning the Indian ceremony and reception on the 3rd, I wouldn't even have known where to start in planning such an event!
Pre-weddings Anu and I both had amazing parties thrown for us by our closest friends, I know I had an absolute blast and from what Anu has told me about his he was equally pleased. Anu's Bachelor party was organized by his best man Bert and a few of his good friends from college, what cool guys! They all went down to San Antonio and had fun drinking at our favorite local haunt, the Lion and Rose off of Sonterra blvd. Then they arranged to have a double-decker party bus pick them up and take them all around downtown San Antonio where I am told Anu decided to hang out the windows and demand that passers-by do Hook-em's for him. They ended the night back at the Lion and Rose and then came back to his parents' house to pass out for the evening.
All of my amazing girls (and Andy and Jason!) came down on the 30th and we had what I imagine must have been the most fun Bachelorette party of all freaking time planned mostly by my maid of honor Allison. We started off the evening with a visit from Booty Parlor, they were crazy excited to see us again because Allison and I had actually already hosted their very first party in the United States when we were still in college. We are classy, classy broads. The BP party was such a fun and hilarious way to start off the evening, and we all went home with a few handy trinkets ;-). After that we headed out to dinner at 219 West where we mingled at the bar and then convinced the band to play "Pour Some Sugar on Me" for us. They agreed, but only if we promised to dance up on the stage...which I had no problem with after a shot or two. When we finished dinner we headed out to 6th for a while followed by the Brown bar, Oilcan's (I think?), and...frankly that's where my memory for the night ends. I know that I got to see Padon, Eric, and Jen at various points throughout the evening and I know that we ended the night by riding home with the angriest Taxi Cab driver in the entire universe. Needless to say, it took a full 24 hours before the girls and I were ready to do much more than lay on the couch and swear that we would never, ever go out again.
It isn't wedding related, but the following evening was New Year's Eve and Allison, Amanda, Anu, and I went out on a boat that Sameer and Jeanine had rented for us. We floated all around the river and were able to watch the fireworks from the BEST spot imaginable. It was really wonderful and we are so grateful to Sameer and Jeanine for planning such an awesome New Year's.
Wedding day #1 was great, we started off the day at our house and then headed over to the Driskill hotel to have our hair and makeup done by Angela Parker and her team from LucieMarie hair and makeup. Angela is great, she and her team were all so funny and lighthearted, it really helped to keep me calm and relaxed. Everybody was thrilled with how they looked and her prices are GREAT for professional hair/makeup. I would recommend her to anyone! While we were waiting to get all dolled up Jason kept us entertained by helping us with Tarot readings, I loved the experience because he approaches it as a way to analyze and think through problems rather than a *~magical~* fortune telling device. We also played Life on my iPhone...seriously, download it now. I have gotten more use out of that app than any other that I've downloaded, who doesn't like the game of Life?!
The time absolutely FLEW by and before I knew it it was time to go to the Mansion and get dressed and ready to go. My day of coordinator Rachel Stepanov (owner of Buon Affare) had been hard at work all day coordinating all the vendors and the set up process, I didn't have to worry about one single thing. She is so friendly and hard working, one of my top 3 wedding vendors FOR SURE. We all went upstairs and I had my mom help me into the dress, of course it wasn't until I was all laced up and ready to go that it really hit me that I was moments away from walking down the aisle. I had to sit down immediately and I don't think I stood up again until it was time to go, I was shaking like crazy! Everyone around me was great, Jason was a trooper about helping me get my shoes on, Amanda was like a speedy ninja when she went to grab some appetizers from my caterer for me so I wouldn't pass out, and Allison was completely chill about the fact that I had to ask her to be "reverse-Anu" and help me put my garter on because I had completely forgotten to do that before I got the dress and crinoline on! Chaplain Larry came to see me for a few minutes as well just to reassure me about how smoothly the ceremony was going to go and make sure I was doing alright. Don't get me wrong about the nervousness, it was all excitement...not cold feet!
Before I knew it it was time to head down to the Georgian room and actually get married. I had a classical guitarist playing the ceremony music and from what other people have told me he was great. Aside from some late goobers walking in WHILE my bridesmaids were walking down the aisle (punks!) everything went smoothly. It was surreal walking down the aisle with my father, I could feel myself tearing up but I just stayed focused on Anu and I couldn't stop smiling. The ceremony was great, meaningful but lighthearted and fun just like we wanted. The only snafu was Chaplain Larry saying that Anu and I met when we both went to A&M...but I thought it was hilarious and was just glad that he didn't make the mistake of saying I was a tea-sip!
We told our photographers ahead of time that we didn't want our guests to have to wait around for us forever, so while they all went and enjoyed appetizers and drinks in the ballroom we took no more than 45 minutes to get all the snaps we needed. I am a much bigger fan of candid photos than I am of taking 4.6 billion posed ones, so it was great. We came into the ballroom and Rachel guarded our sweetheart table so we could get at least a couple of bites of food in before everyone came over to congratulate us and take pictures with us. The food was great, I love my caterer Liz from Exquisite Cuisine, her food is phenomenal and she is the nicest lady you will ever meet. She goes above and beyond for her clients and her prices are amazing.
After dinner I had prepared a slideshow to music showing myself growing up, Anu growing up, and some shots of our relationship through the years. We then had our first dance to "Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones...which honestly we picked because it was a sweet song, but also because it was a nice slow waltz, the only dance we know how to do. ^_^
My father and I danced to a song he picked, "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw, we were both trying like hell not to cry but I don't think we succeeded. I'll always be a daddy's girl at heart, even as a married woman. After us, Anu and his mom danced to "Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong and it was really sweet.
The night was full of dancing, laughing, and good times. I had SO much fun and I think everyone else did too. We made sure to stock the bar full, so everyone was able to have as many drinks as they wanted...Aditya made the most use of that, I think. We love you, silly alcoholic! Liang managed to spill red wine on me, but hey, it was the end of the night and when the hell am I ever going to wear that dress again? He felt bad, but he shouldn't have. :-)
At the end of the night Anu and I left under a hail of sparklers and drove off to spend our first married night at the Driskill Hotel up on the 12th floor. We had an amazing view of downtown and the beds were REALLY comfy. Chocolate covered strawberries and champagne were on the house...it was a great night.
The next day we headed off to the Marriott hotel in the morning to prep for the Indian wedding...so much to do! There are ceremonies for everything from my bangles to Anu's turban, we were crazy busy from the time we got there until we went downstairs for the ceremony. Sheeba was the hero of the day, she handled everything with grace and good humor...I honestly don't think we could have done it without her. She sang for us, guided the events, and kept the DJ from doing anything ridiculous. We love you, Sheeba!
The ceremony was sort of a mystery to everyone there, apparently it's not a big priority to let people know what they're going to do before they do it! We got through it fairly well, I think, and afterward people told us that it was really enjoyable. Jason was such a trooper, he had NO idea what he was supposed to do until it he was actually asked to do it and he stepped up and handled everything like a pro, from running onstage to hoist me up so I could reach Anu to throw the garland over him to grabbing Anu's ear to tell him not to screw up. Hooray Jason!
After the ceremony I was able to take off some of my immensely heavy attire and we headed back for dinner and dancing. Dinner was sooooooooo good, I love me some Indian food! We had some great performances by cousins, my bridesmaids, and Anu's guy friends as well as both of our families. Our guests sure did know how to cut a rug! Anu and I danced to "Jai Ho" and did our best not to look like flailing idiots. From what I understand, we were pretty successful. The night was so much fun, but we were EXHAUSTED by the end of it! Let me tell you, there is a REASON people only have one wedding!!!
We crashed at the Marriott that night (after more strawberries and champagne, woo hoo!) and flew off the next afternoon to our honeymoon at Disney World. I really can't say enough about how wonderful both days were and how grateful we are to everyone who was a part of the whole event. Being married is AWESOME and we are so, so glad that so many people were able to celebrate with us.
I promise to update as soon as I get all of our pro pics in, but for now here are the 3 teasers we have back from the 2nd as well as some of the pictures that were taken by my oh-so-talented friend Kirby Jones of the 3rd.
That's all for now I think, I'll write more soon!
Love and Kisses,
Dana
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