Ack! 2012 has started off with a bang. This must be what runners and racers feel all the time….except we are sprinting through January instead of December. So, here’s a collective update.

The Move

Last year, our rent went up almost 10% and added some fees, too. We knew it would happen again (we heard rumors of $100-$150 increases in 1/1 units!), so we started shopping around. It had to be a Perfect Storm in a lot of ways. It’s not worth moving unless we can stay close to the same total expenses, get more space, get nicer fixtures and stuff, etc. Well, when we started looking around, there were a lot of ways we could make this happen. So, on 25-Feb, we’ll have a new place to live. We have until 22-Mar to get out of Riata, but we’re hiring movers so we can leave early in the hope that they can flip our unit quickly like they did for our neighbor. We have been quite happy at Riata. Unless they screw us over on move-out, I’ll give them a 5-star rating on Yelp. But, when we got this “shoebox” shaped apartment, it was an amazing deal we just couldn’t pass up while we still had a mortgage. We were so happy here that when the lease came around, twice, we just stayed. Now, we’re ready to face moving again to go for bigger/better.

We looked at ~20 places and had a very strong Top 5 list. I fell “in like” with two leasing specialists, one where an acquaintance of ours lives. We found: a lovely town home, an über quiet place up the road, hardwood floors, door-to-door valet trash service, amazing views, and a couple of places with a lot of rugrats. All of the options gave us more space (so I can use Daddy’s desk again!), better amenities for our lifestyle, garage options (so we can stop paying for a storage unit primarily for Daddy’s desk and “junk”), better fixtures, and a better layout.

Just like we did when house hunting, we made a matrix of all the “stuff”. And just like most brides do with a wedding gown, we ended up at the first place we wanted to see: Villas at Stone Oak Ranch. We have good/affordable access to a game room and a 30-seat movie theater. There is a “gift wrap” area full of paper and tape and scissors. All the standards are there too: gym, pool, business center, etc. We have a detached garage, a square balcony, “Romeo & Juliet” doors off the dining room (which I’ve re-named Rapunzel doors), garden tubs, a kitchen that is open on two ends, an excellent pantry, and data ports in all the rooms. The only things we didn’t get: gas cooking (REALLY hard to find) and a fireplace (again? dammit!). But the deal was just too good to pass up compared to the other places in consideration.

Aside: During the process we met an amazing woman named Wendie. She gave us the low-down on why so many communities are doing away with their hot tubs. Turns out, some really scary (as in: there is no known cure) stuff can survive even in 104?-temperature chemical-treated water. The report is new and we could not find it online, but it’s scary. Do not, I repeat: DO NOT get in a public hot tub. Feet only. No “sensitive” areas allowed. eeeeeewwww!

Don’t worry friends and family: we’re hiring movers. We are also cleaning out the storage unit and holding a big moving sale in their parking lot. What doesn’t get sold is getting donated. Goodwill is going to LOVE us! LMK if you are close and care about the few big-ticket items we’re selling.

Oh! And we were able to surprise a friend with the referral fee paid to REALTORs. She’s a single mom and a cancer survivor, so she was elated with the news.

(The) Grandaddy

Grandaddy is quite frustrated and bored. His hip is so messed up from the botched “Paris-effin’-Texas” surgery that he can’t sit up. He’s been laying down since Hallowe’en. The Longview/Tyler doctors have deemed all surgical options too risky. Health care is a joke from the beginning; but in a small town that is 20 years behind the times, 1 hour from an interstate highway, and 2 hours from anything you’ve ever heard of, it’s nothing short of tragic. Mama Bee is still fighting the residuals from the beotch who called APS on her (the witch has since apologized), but no one wants to take Grandaddy on as a client. They claim he’ll have a stroke if he stays in bed too much longer, but they won’t come help her get him the physical therapy he needs to get out of the hospital bed. It’s heartbreaking….worse so to be physically and financially powerless to help. If I could wave a magic wand, I’d care-flight him to one of those fancy-schmancy places in Dallas where he’d get all the help he needs. Again, I need to win the lottery for that. I don’t know what those places cost, but even the crappy Paris nursing homes are $6K per month…and for terrible care compared with what my Grandmother can do (even at her small stature).

The Fraud

In the midst of The Move, we got a call that we’d have to pay rent with “certified funds” like a cashier’s check or money order. We’ve been on auto-draft, so this would be a real pain in the butt. Today, I called the “ladder” of people to find out the cause. Some jackass spoofed my Texas driver’s license number when writing a bad check at Walmart in a town I’ve never been to in Oklahoma. Telecheck reported it to credit on my DL number without checking any facts like the name. So, now, I’m in the middle of yet another fraud mess. I’ve lost count of how many times this has happened. So, to all the people who gave me shit (my sorority included) for wanting to protect my SSN, DL, DOB, mailing address, and other “credit” information, Fuck You! THIS is why. Less than $300 of stupid means we have to get a money order for rent every month? Are you kidding? Since Emil was just frauded over Xmas, this is just another reason to try to get off the financial grid. I haven’t even owned checks in years and I’m still dealing with this kind of bullshit.

Dear Walmart: stop taking checks. They are not money. They are only theft.

“Dear” Telecheck, this a’int our first rodeo for something completely out of my control. I already don’t shop at any store that posts they use you. You have needed better processes since ~1993 when I bought <$10 worth of socks from one of your client stores. Your sign in the window means I don’t shop there. fuckers. Oh, and if you think I’m alone in my opinion, search “telecheck” on Twitter. You need to learn/use social media, too, BTW.

The Fun

Austin is about to ride the big wave of fun that is Spring. Right after we move in, we’ll have RISE (free workshops for entrepreneurs) and the four South by Southwest conferences. I’ve been invited to return tot he photo crew for SXSW. And, I’ve been selected to wrangle for another all-time favorite photographer at Texas School in May. It’s a fun ride, but it’s a sprint, so jump on board fast if you want to hang with us!

Oh, and for those of you close by, look for a party in April or May. The party room at the new place is stellar (pool, poker, shuffleboard, music, swimming, etc.)

To all our family and friends, Happy New Year! We wish you a prosperous 2012.

What a great  Cristmas Emil and I had.

We got to see both sides of the family  and made time for oursleve, too. And, this is the first time in a long time that we didn’t get each other a same gift.

Armed with new toys and gadgets (this blog post is coming to you from our couch via the new bluetooth QWERTY keyboard for my iPhone), we have a few days of R&R planned. We’ll see you all in 2012.

Happy New Year!

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At Thanksgiving, we learned that one oft he Amanda’s is pregnant. Today, we learned the other one is too. The first cousins will be born in June and July. If my count is correct, these will be our 20th and 21st great neice/newphews. That’s a lot of babies in just 10 years.

Tuesday was like any normal day…except that I ended up with staples in my head.

At lunch, I went to visit my doggie BFF. Our routine is a quick walk (In spite of being a greyhound, he’d have it no other way.), followed by some couch time, and then back in his crate with an afternoon treat.

At the end of my couch time I got up to get his treat, knelt to give him kisses on his head (which I always do) and was met with barking and two bites to the top of my head.

I cleaned up, tried to stop the bleeding, and called Emil to tell him I was ok. I asked him where the nearest urgent care facility was. He offered to come get me, but I was fine, I was sure. I just wanted a professional opinion of what I couldn’t really see among my hair.

Four staples. Yep. And, having had stitches several times, I’ll take staples any day! I’ll especially take them if I can request the same Novocain-without-epinephrin numbing agent that the kind Dr. Saeed gave me!

Every couple of days, the wound hurts and every other couple of days I have to go in for a checkup. I get the staples out on Tuesday, supposedly.

I nick-named myself The Borg. Emil has been much more creative: Metal Head, Frankenstein, Staple Head, Broken, Iron Head, etc.

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squick alert for the picture of the staples

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Emil showed me this conversation he had with his HS friend Denise on facebook…..

…and I just had to steal it for our blog.

Thanks to @idodoodle, we have now seen a Blue Lime (Internet Cafe) in the Philippines. Yay for the “franchise”! Now, if we could only get them to pay their fees…. hmmmm?

“Czech” it out!

Two years ago, I was far to ill to attend Thanksgiving–my third favorite holiday. I tried to get Emil to go to Bryan without me, but he wanted to stay here and take care of me.
yippie.
j.k. Actually, he was quite kind to check on me but otherwise leave me alone… I think he didn’t want to risk that he was contagious but not symptomatic and “share” with the whole fam damily.
I was no better by Thursday evening, so we cancelled our trip to Paris for Friday-giving, too.

Last year, I was to ill to participate in any part of Hallowe’en. I had one of those colds that lasted for days….and all the wrong days, at that! Since Hallowe’en is far and above my favorite holiday, I was not a happy camper. My costume was recycled from a fundraiser a few years ago, so I wasn’t that exited about it, anyway. (Curses to the crack pot who gave the Hallowe’en party a theme. WTF? I guess she doesn’t realize that themes only work for the person who picks them!)

This year, we made it to the No Kidding! party  and had a really good time. But ~30 hours later, while I suffered insomnia, Emil awoke unable to breathe. So, while tonight could have had some small have-to-work-tomorrow adventure to celebrate this fun holiday, we are at home. He’s “in there” and I’m “in here” because we don’t want him to share.

dammit.

Why can’t this happen at Christmas since it’s my least favorite holiday?

Excuse me, I have to go wash my hands with bleach.

You aren’t anonymous on the Internet. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has ever used Google or facebook.

• If you comment on my blog, I can see what city you are in. I even have a vague-to-accurate address (depending upon several things).
• If you ask me for help with something and then undo all the work I did with your blessing, I’ll know. Guess what? I follow the projects I’ve worked on.
• If you read most of the (infrequent) emails my business sends over the course of a few years but then suddenly mark one as spam a) I’ll know you did that and b) you’ll jeopardize your reputation as a savvy Internet user. Clearly you were interested enough to read some of them. Just don’t be a dick about it. Unsubscribe if you are no longer interested.
  And if you are family, it’s just makes you look even worse.

I’m tired of bad “sportsmanship” to use the term more globally. It’s just not that hard to be nice. It’s even easier to not be a jerk; ha, for that, you don’t have to do ANYthing!

I expect–nay demand–good sportsmanship from college and professional athletes and their fans.

• It is NOT acceptable that a Miami player punched a North Carolina player in the groin this year.
• It is NOT acceptable that Aggies vandalized the UT campus over the weekend.
• It is NOT acceptable that Tech vandalized Aggie buses earlier this year.
• The other incidents over the years by Tech and Baylor fans to the Aggie campus and community are also completely unacceptable. (Anyone know how much repainting cost on that Aggie barn the Bears painted green a few years ago?) Miami/FIU fighting on the field was embarrassing. (FIU? really?) I’m sure there have been times when Aggies did their fair share of “stuff” to Tech and Baylor, too; I just didn’t live in those towns to hear about it.

I don’t usually hear what punishment is doled out when the vandals are identified/caught. I am grateful to hear that Coach @GoldenAl suspended the Miami player who punched the Tarheel and forced him to perform community service for the day instead of being with the team at the game. If the news story I read is any indication, the guy didn’t learn much, and probably never should have been admitted to Miami in the first place. gah! I’ve always said I’d be a tough coach. I think this player got off easy since it seems he didn’t learn anything from his day of missing a ~big game and serving others.

I don’t know what has to happen to make this nonsense stop, but it is time.

As players (who are students, first, by the way!), those team members represent the school more visibly than just about anyone else. Their behavior on and off field has to be above reproach. If the players don’t want to be “better” than their fellow students, then they need to turn in their jerseys.

Students/alumni/fans also represent their school, and when they participate in these “pranks”, they cost their school money. Do you think A&M paid the bill to have their buses cleaned in Lubbock? ha! We know UT will bill A&M for the $1500 in damages done over the weekend. More importantly than money these illegal acts make the offending school look bad in the media. That translates easily into donations for scholarships and programming, advertising at school-sponsored events, and even the recruiting of future students who now think less of the school. Every little bit, especially in this economy, adds up.

So, unless universities want to turn over their advertising ribbon boards to Krylon, Sherwin-Williams, Graffiti-off, and Lysol, they need to consider putting enough efforts into finding/punishing these students. And, yes, they can punish alumni, if they want: ban them from mailing lists and ticket sales. It’s not much, but it’s something. I don’t know what they could do about rogue fans, but it’s possible that some of them are potential students (don’t let them in!) or have kids who grew up as fans of the school. Hit them where it hurts if you want to put a stop to it. Yes, it’s harsh, (and unfair to the kid if they weren’t involved) but something has to be done to make this stop.

Settle any grievances on the field (and within the rules), like a real rivalry does, not on the campus, the buses, or private property.

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We’re wrapping up a fabulous burger supper and talking about what to do on Friday/Saturday nights of our football-filled weekend.

Lori (after stumbling onto some “today in Austin site”, scoffing at their generic look): “Argh! They use effin’ stock photography.”

Emil: “Livestock? Cows?”

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