Tuesday, June 30, 2015

undercover unwind denied!

The last of the Grimm's series is fixin to come out soon.

I really liked this series, I'm sad to see it go ...but then I'm not.
Closure is kind of nice.

Right now I'm reading a non-fiction about women undercover during the civil war and I'm reading the last of the Unwind series.

I'm also finalizing the Hawaii trip here in a few weeks.

I still can't seem to get excited about it. The more research I do the more touristy is seems.

But really - I try not to be one of "those" people and knock something I haven't tried...but I'm just so dreading this first cruise ship experience..

Jamie emailed them to give them notice that we would be spending one night (ONE NIGHT) off the ship and we'd meet them at the next port.

Our "request" was denied for "security reasons".  DENIED!!! I don't understand how security would be a problem especially with advanced notice?

I feel like we're paying them to lock us up in a tin can and treat us like freaking children...! ugh.


Monday, June 29, 2015

it was mine from the finish

I'm basically seeing a family tear itself apart by small degrees and there's nothing I can do about it. 

Just wish they'd take a step back from the haze of emotion and think - when they're dead and gone will you regret all the time that was wasted being angry?

There are already so few people in the world that will put up the effort to really care enough to even fight with you. 

you're running out of people to be mad at.
It's not worth it. It's not. 
but... so I watch from the outside...and ache for them. 

It's mine from the finish I guess
It was mine from the start
This situation just don't seem so goddamn smart
This situation is tearing me apart





Saturday, June 27, 2015

their opinions (and hummingbirds)

so big stuff in the news lately - marriage, race, immigration .... I've actually enjoyed reading my fb people's opinions...what I like most is (for the most part) and regardless if I agree  or not, it seems people have put thought into what their opinion is. 
Not so much why they're against something as why they're for something.
I dig it. And asked them to continue. 

We met up with friends last night and it started pouring down rain right when we were wrapping up. 
So another round is ordered...and my husband decides it's a good idea to pull up the Periscope app and entertain the masses with commentary over imagery like this. ha...
He has a slight obsession with hummingbirds - he's "favorited" the periscopes that have live streaming. Well.. those and Vida Guerra's. Go figure.
There were 48 people within seconds of the streaming!- so apparently he's not the only one who's a fan.

Anyway (regardless of why they were entertained) the friends were entertained.....his mission was accomplished. smh.....what a dork. 

No big plans this weekend...it's kinda nice. I've not started any new books....i'm in a re-reading phase of books I've already talked about. Think I'll get the new Lora Leigh though.... 

Monday, June 22, 2015

i deleted my rant *you're welcome*

There've been a few instances lately that have me questioning where basic decency is going.
I just went on a big rant but then deleted it cause I don't want to remind myself of how selfish and disappointing people can be. I'll just post this instead. cause this.

And to continue on with the debby downer - I  just finished reading this murder mystery non-fiction book called Blind Rage, which was somewhat similar to another non-fiction Evidence of Love  I read a while back. Both are an interesting looks into the human psyche. but pretty depressing and I don't read them very often because of it.

So I jumped into a Kristan Higgins marathon to pull me out of the spiral. They still have sad parts like the bad break ups -  or when her dog dies in one of the books. I cried and cried. Jamie poked fun of me when he caught me  - the jerkface- Still.. mission accomplished. I do right for myself and I do right by others. I sleep very well at night.  Take that you suck at life people!

Oh and the Perot museum adults only night...ummm, well I guess it was interesting (even for having several things that weren't working).

Really though, with this go-round (and the exception of the Anne Frank museum), we've basically figured that we're just not museum kind of people.

Friday, June 19, 2015

oh, the simulated horror

So I might've figured that a book called BadAss might not be for me but it was free so I gave it a try.

I'm pissed off that I wasted my time skimming through another "I'm going to do what he says, give him what he wants and pretend any scrap he gives me is all I want but secretly hope he'll fall in love with me" books.

Then miraculously by the end of the book he does fall "in love" because of how you were so easy going and did everything he said.

Total fake bs!!

I know no successful relationship where this works!! and really I said it before, I'll say it again - have some pride! ugh.

The opposite is true too...nobody can put up with a "take, take, take " person for too long. It's exhausting.

Where the heckfire is the middle ground?

Moving on...Jamie and I are going to an adult-only night at the Perot museum tonight...I'm pretty excited.
Libations and science!
I think it'll be fun?



Wednesday, June 17, 2015

faith

My car played a Cory Morrow song -
my most vivid memory of him is him on stage, yelling at girls (in a drunken rant) to take their shirts off over Mardi Gras weekend in Galveston.

And now I see him posting about the glory of God and apparently no longer drinking.

I see nothing wrong with a person having faith. Maybe it helped his drinking problem?

I just think those that have to constantly talk about it give (me) the impression they're overcompensating for an actual lack of it (or something else) that's a void in their life.

The worst is when people try to shame you into joining their beliefs.

Like when Jamie and I were at a festival a few years back.
I was waiting for him when a guy at a booth waved me over.

He starts nice, normal conversation then says "Have you ever looked at someone other than your husband and thought them attractive?".  "Of course." I said.
"Do you ever use foul language or take the lords name in vain?"  - "Yep."
"Do you believe in God?". I respond "It's a personal matter, but yes, I think for even the simple fact of being capable of love and being loved in return lends itself to reason that there is a higher power."

"You're a sinner, leading yourself to Hell with lustful thoughts" he responds (with weird/crazy eyes) "God wants you to repent and you must turn to him."

REALLY?!!
for the meer fact that he , a total stranger, tells me that i "must" do something (especially in that condescending tone) just makes me want to do the total opposite.

(Ask my husband, he knows all about that)

Sorry guy...you totally represented your religion in the worst possible manner IMO.
MORE:  I've known atheists less judgemental. I detest hypocracy.

One of my favorite Cory Morrow songs:




Vagrants and kings and in betweens

You know we've all felt alone

But this life can make your heart, hard as a stone

Even if you think you don't need it

Right when you think, you'll never feel it

Every once in a while

Love finds, love finds everyone

Monday, June 15, 2015

Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada!!!

We're back from Las Vegas!
We did it a little different this time. We did some "grown folk" stuff.

Kayaking  - the Colorado river/dam water was sooo wonderfully cold for it being 100+ outside -  it was work, two miles upstream - my shoulders were aching in the first 20 minutes. You get used to it though!...Not sure I'll kayak again? but I enjoyed it overall.

and taking the helicopter tour was great...perhaps even better if it hadn't been so hot...but still! (even with the sticker shock for the helicopter fee).. for a once in a lifetime experience The Grand Canyon was AMAZING!

 

The food was wonderful, the secreto at Jaleo was as good as we remember. Mesa Grill's cactus margarita, tamale were better than I remember. We also tried the hidden pizza place and China Poblano at the Cosmo. I'm not the biggest fan of the fusion food thing but China Poblano was interesting. I for sure liked the mexican tacos. And now with this second stay at the Cosmo I again confirm this is the best hotel to stay in on the strip.

We saw MANY of the sterotypical drunk, partially clothed, mid-20's folk everywhere. It's kind of a rite of passage though...you just have to shake your head with a reminiscent smile.

I must say that going with a small 12-ish? group does add to the experience. We took over a couple black jack tables and it makes for fun time when we went on a good run. I'm glad we got them to see downtown too...much less expensive than the strip.

We went to  Hyde at the Bellagio, and sure enough, it was a super awesome view of the fountains. Much better than seeing them from the outside.

I think my luck has officially run out in LV...I didn't win anything, damn you Wheel of Fortune - *shakes fist* - but I went in with the expectation that I probably wouldn't, so the few "free spins" I got were great fun!

And so yep yet again I got super tired, very full and a little tipsy - classic Las Vegas staples for me -

With this go, it was likely our last time to LV, NV. We've seen/done everything we wanted to do.
Bye Bye!! (well...until maybe the next time a smallish group of friends/family go again ;0) ) 

I read Emma Chase's new one Overruled , a good one! made me want to slap him upside the head a few times though for his total unawareness. Again I think she's the closest I've read to how I think men sometimes actually think. I also like the dual POV .

And now re-reading Gena Showalter's Burning Dawn - I forgot how much I liked this one!


Tuesday, June 9, 2015

adult-ing off to the playground

So we went to a charity event last night for our favorite bartender, Charlie.
Battling throat (?) cancer, his colleagues gathered together to help him.

I was absolutely amazed at the number of people there.

There were several nights where it was just us and Charlie at the hole in the wall bar he'd just opened 10 years ago but yesterday there were at least 400 people giving money to support. It's was pretty cool to see and a good feeling to help someone you care about. Those pork tacos from the Lucia/Bolsa (?) teams were pretty freaking amazing too!!! omg. Tacos are my friend.


I'm going to my homeowner's association meeting tonight. It feels very "adult". It's kinda weird.

On the flip side, we're leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow to meet up with 8 of my cousins....ooo fun times!

This is likely our last time to LV though - this will be my 6th or 7th and Jamie's too many times to count. Not that we don't love it...it's just with this last trip I think we'll have seen everything we could. Plus there are so many other places we can visit.

AND I'm in an Old 97's mood. So this.


Monday, June 8, 2015

racism (whoa - who were you?!)

Jamie was recently contacted via facebook by a guy he vaguely knew in college.
The guy is a Fort Worth native, we were close by, so he met us for drinks.
Nice guy and of course Jamie lit up from finding a new person to talk to AND reminisce college stories with.

After drinks, on our way to dinner, I asked Jamie why I hadn't heard about the guy in any of his "college days" stories.

"He was the first Mexican I ever met," he said "I was racist and a bigot and back then I had no interest in associating myself with him".
<---------------This is me 

cause Jamie's never made secret of the fact that he was racist...

it just blows my mind everytime I hear it. 

Cause really... how do you go from just 20 years ago "not associating yourself with a Mexican" to being happily married to one (of Mexican descent?).

Yes I say "happily"! He told me just a couple days ago that I was so pretty and he was so glad that he had a beautiful wife....ok yes he was a little tipsy but I'll take it...he says stuff like that all the time anyway.   

AND it wasn't even that the guy was Mexican Mexican either for cryin out loud, he's from Fort Worth! 

I just shook my head and said, "I can't possibly understand that. All I know is that I'm so glad I didn't know you back then. Imagine on what you missed out on from consciously blocking yourself from people that didn't think/act/look like exactly like you."

He said, "yes I know now. But back then you couldn't have known me. I wouldn't have let it happen. I had to learn and decide on my own."

His first job out of college landed him at a place where he had to work with a wide variety of people and he's gone on to attend several gay weddings, marry a MexiCanadianTexmerican (and ....seriously Latinas and older Black ladies are drawn to him. The damn flirt...he loves the attention. *eye roll*)

So while personally I can't recall a time that I've been subjected to racism (essentially I have to check mark my race as "White" anyway on the census), I do take exception to the instances I've felt that my ethnicity is portrayed as somehow inferior. Cause it's not. Nor is it superior. It's just different. And really how boring would it be if all of us thought/acted/looked exactly the same anyway?

So .....if nothing else.... I think this story's an interesting one. With all the stories about racism it's kind of amazing how someone who thought so staunchly one way can change their thought process just by associating with different people yeah?

Oh AND I sucked it up and bought/read Shards of Hope - not my favorite of the series but such a good writer Nalini Singh is. She's introduced new changelings and new Psy's! - I think Silver is next! maybe?

Thursday, June 4, 2015

mid 30's cooties *ew* but glad i was born!

So I've officially hit my mid 30's.

Overall I think I've gotten to mostly good days and steering myself a good path,
I take time to do things that make my soul happy
I'm a little less selfish.
I give more to causes I believe in.
I'm not as concerned about what strangers think of me - thank god - what a stupid burden that is. 

I've gotten worse at tolerating blatantly selfish /self-absorbed/ignorant people though. Is it me or hasn't it really gotten that bad?
I guess that means that I'm a little more judgemental too then...maybe I'll work on that for my 40's. 

I also think I've learned to appreciate the people around me more  
So if nothing else this -  totally!


Not feeling the greatest right now though. I've caught a cold/cough that threatened since Anguilla last week. I sound like a frog (or what I imagine frogs would sound like if they talked)- chicken noodle soup is my friend. I hate being sick. I don't guess anybody likes it though. 

AND Nalini Singh's new one came out, I just can't spend $12. It's ridiculous the amount of money we spent on vacation last week and I can't pull the trigger to spend $12 for a book I want to read...i just can't do it right now!

Monday, June 1, 2015

TRAVEL - island hopping 3 West Indies

I'm still in beach time cause I'm feelin very lazy.
Before I forget though - here are thoughts (and maybe future reminders if we go back) for the trip...

Anguilla
Landed in SXM, took 15 min speedboat to Anguilla (not bad but Calypso is not very organized - glad i had a copy of our reservation confirmation). They're ridiculous about tips too..it's like suitcase sabatoge. Still I think after a day of travel it's worth it to go this faster way out.

our b&b picked us up at dock. I had a (BIG) bit of a sticker shock seeing the bill at the end here but the place was amazing and absolutely do not regret the stay.

view of Saint Martin in the background from the house-

we're a little nerve racked heading to dinner cause it's a British island so we're driving our rental car on the opposite side. Note to self - if you must learn to drive this way it is best to do it in Anguilla where locals know to give wide berth to tourists and the proverbial red letter "R" on the license plate.






And so our 4 days of tourist-ing Anguilla begins
...long story short -

Best food -
1)Garvey's on Rendevous Bay (BBQ ribs and snapper and chicken yum) Wonderfully nice man - go early cause he'll run out of ribs. Also note: he's not there every day.
2)Falcon's Nest on Scilly Cay (pronounced "key") - Fish bits alllll the way!!! This is where the fishermen come in....they were pulling in bag loads of lobster straight out of the ocean.
Sandbar at Sandyground was yum too.

All places are local, no frills places and we loved.

Best Beaches - Shoal Bay, Rendevous Bay.
 Meads bay is nice but VERY touristy. Not our style.  Stopped by Straw Hat for a drink though! Blanchards also had good "upper level" food.
Also got to Calvin under the tree on Crocus bay and paid $15 pp for him to take us snorkelling around to Little Bay - the water there is beautiful

Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten
We ferried over to Marigot from Anguilla - do not reserve a speed boat - it isn't necessary. Just take the ferry (less expensive and one leaves every hour) around $150 for two people to get out with exit fees etc.
We had a taxi take us to the Grand Case (pronounced "cause") airport to rent a car. We stayed at Le Petit - a wonderful place for 3 nights and right on Grand Case beach.
After taking a tour around St. Martin French side and Dutch side, I'm so glad I chose correctly with staying in Grand Case (French Side). Plus the food was wonderful on restaurant row. I am now officially a fan of French food. You can't go wrong. We saw this sunset at Ocean82

Still though...our favorite was again a little local place a bit past restaurant row to Le Ti Coin creole - go see Carl - he'll make you a good meal!

Also enjoyed Paradise View near Orient Bay for crepes (and the view).
The planes landing at SXM from Sunset Bar in Maho Bay was pretty cool BUT absolutely do not go when there are cruise ships docked. We went back to see more planes land before heading out ourselves and it was nuts out there!

Around the airport looked like tourist madness, Orient Bay and Dawn Beach were nice but again much too touristy for our tastes. Tried to stop by Dinghy Dock on Oyster bay, it wasn't open but the area had potential for a good stay? maybe? The Westin/Dawn beach was just "hotel resort tourist spot anywhere". I'm over no substance!!!
We avoided Phillipsburg altogether. All around these areas the time-share people were very aggravating. Do not stop for them. After the 4th or 5th time I had to cut them off. It was just getting ridiculous.

St. Barth's
Took the (9 seater?) St. Barth's commuter out of Grand Case to another "dangerous landing" airport - French West Indie -  St. Barthelemy, for a day trip. It was a little scary..especially with how windy it was. Aside from that - this island is hilly.... and I mean like, I thought our car was going to tip over,  hilly.
Not to mention the people tearing around the corners trying to make it up the hills in their cars.
I didn't care to fight for a parking spot in Gustavia, I was overwhelmed and all i saw was Prada and Gucci-like stores....if I wanted that I'd just drive 10 minutes south here in Dallas AND I could find a parking spot easy.

We stopped in Lorient to get our bearings, then swung by Grand Cul de Sac to have lunch at a place called O'corail?
I'd imagine if we had chosen to stay in St. Barth's this beach would've been a good choice.
We headed down to Grande Saline Beach, as I had read it was the #5 beach in the world - an not so easy uphill walk and (as researched) no facilities. It was full of seaweed and the surf was strong -we chose to go back to Grand Cul de Sac and laid out there for a bit, had a few bottles of Carib before heading back to the airport.

Jamie regrets not getting a picture of the planes landing here - i don't see us heading back to St. Barth though so I'm afraid he's missed his chance.  

Overall, each island had it's character, but of these three we visited, Anguilla was our favorite.

The worst part of all three was the bugs. 18 bug wipes and two cans of spray still weren't enough to hold them totally at bay for us. So if at all prone to bug bites fair warning. oy. The tipping too gets ridiculous -  getting around on your own with a rental car is best. American Dollars are accepted on all islands. Leaving SXM airport is madness too...they'd just shoved everyone in a large room and bused people to their plane. No order here....Really though you already know travel days are a lost cause...don't let this ruin an amazing trip.

I've caught up on the Pennyroyal Green series. I also caught up on Outlander last night...it was very disturbing. Like seriously disturbing....

Now I've got to stop being lazy and catch up on work...