New Year’s Eve 2016 January 3, 2016

This new years was a really fun one for all involved. We had a party at our house, and initially invited the next door neighbors, Timo and Kassie, and Gale and Ken. This expanded into a party twice that size, and by all accounts was a huge success.

 

We set out to do a repeat of the raclette party of last year, and were successful. Our raclette was only for six people, but Timo lent us his for a larger group. Still it worked out best that we did it in two shifts – the earlier comers had raclette and then the later arrivals sat down later for the tasty cheese goodness.

It’s fortunate that we can buy raclette cheese here, and that our friends are of the sort that they are happy to try new things. I’m really happy about all the great new friends made this night, and all the tasty cheese we ate. I hope we can have another party like it next year and make this a traditions.

 

 

 

Getting Married and Belize September 30, 2014

So recently, we got married, and … awesome! We did the little ceremony thing at the justice of the peace, and had a happy hour for friends after. Then, we went to Belize for 10 days! Honestly, this is my ideal wedding. 🙂

Belize was amazing. We spend the first few days in San Ignacio, using it as a base to go visit Tikal in Guatemala, which is an site filled with ancient Mayan ruins. It’s kind of a Mayan version of Angkor Wat. We trekked around the ruins with a guide, climbing up various temples and looking at the birds and howler monkeys.

We also went to ATM, which is this incredible system of caves, where the Mayans used to do human sacrifices. It’s kind of incredible that the let tourists in there to be honest. To get there, you drive a bit outside the town of San Ignacio, then hike for about 45 minutes through a well marked path in the jungle. No cameras are allowed as apparently a few years ago some stupid tourist dropped his camera on the head of one of the 2000 year old skeletons and broke it.
After the long hike, we walked into the cave with helmet lights, into water that was sometimes neck deep. Honestly, it was terrifying and exhilirating – walking through this cave that contained skeletons and pots from the times of the Mayans, and beautiful cave formations, some of which were natural, and some of which were carved out by the Mayans to be extra scary when they were there on their drug trips. Craze balls.

We the went out to the coast to Ambergris Caye, where we spent the rest of the time chilling out. We stayed at this great little hotel called the Mayan Princess, which mostly was great because of it’s location, right in the middle of San Pedro, and the fact that all the rooms had a room looking out on the beach. It was a lovely, if dated, room. There was a nice big bed, sitting room, and kitchenette where we could make meals and save a few bucks. On the patio we had a hammock and some tables and chairs. We were there during the off season, which oddly meant that there were not many people there, but it hardly rained at all.

Best adventure on Ambergris was the snorkelling trip we took the day before we left. We went out on a boat that had four stops for snorkelling. We snorkeled with the manta rays, the nurse sharks, the manatees, and the most amazing coral. I’d never been snorkeling before but I’m totally hooked. It was completely fascinating to see these animals in their environment. We also had the fortune of befriending a woman on the boat who happened to be an underwater photographer/videoagrapher. She made a video of our snorkelling and sent it to us as a wedding gift.

All in all, Belize was great. It was a little more expensive than I thought it would be, but the people were really lovely and the food was great and we had amazing adventures. What more could you want for an impromptu honeymoon?

Summer + August 15, 2014

This summer has been pretty fun and busy. We went to the Pacific Northwest for the family reunion and stayed on Whidbey Island north of Seattle for about a week.  It was lovely and green and cool – such a refreshing breath of air after the beginning of summer in Texas. We got to spend the whole week with Jess and Geert and the girls along with all the rest of the family. I have to say , it was quite a challenge to spend that much time with four children under the age of four! Not quite as relaxing a vacation as it could of been. 

 

At the end we went to Seattle for a few adult days. It was lovely = we did the underground tour and saw the sights, ate tasty chowder and caught the Pride Parade. All in all a lovely reminder of how the rest of the states is not quite like Texas, thank goodness. 

 

Then it was back for a busy busy month of work – soon we will get married by the justice of the peace. I’m really not into a marriage party or anything like that – would prefer to spend our money on better things. So we got a license from the state last week – shocking how easy it is. I remember how difficult it was before, but I’m sure that was because I was a foreigner.  We will do the ceremony and then go to Belize to spend a weeks vacation. I’m so looking forward to it. It’s shocking that I haven’t left the states since I came back from England in 2010. I hope the next few years will remedy that. Now that I have  a secure income, job, career and life, I hope to travel more internationally, as that is what I love to do. 

 

I feel a bit weird in a way, doing a sort of marriage on the down low. But it’s really never been something I’ve wanted to hassle over, so why stress out over it. Of course this also brings up feelings and memories of before – but I’m learning to deal with that in my own way. It’s still oddly painful. I would have thought that four years would have done the trick. But the heart knows and feels as it will. And only more time will heal all wounds. 

 

Washington DC Part 2 June 16, 2014

Last week, I went back to the DC metro area for the first time since I left there to go to England six years ago. Six years! Jeez, where has the time gone… I was sent there for work, but went a day early so I could spend some time wandering around the city.

 

Highlights:  H&M (although one just opened in San Antonio), yoga at Flow (kicked my ass), lunch as Bistrot du Coin, and riding the 42 bus.  I spent the day wandering around, and was surprised by how little things had actually changed. A few new shops aside, the Mount Pleasant neighborhood where I had lived looked remarkably similar to what I remembered. This was simultaneously comforting and slightly disconcerting. Somehow I expected more changes in that period of time. It was kind of like stepping back into a time machine, and of course made me think of where I was the last time I was in the city – ready to leave for England on a somewhat risky adventure to marry someone I hardly knew. We all know how that turned out.

 

Contrast that with where I am now, being sent to the data center for my company as a network security administrator to help improve the provisioning process. Say what you will of America (and oh, I do say things!), there is no place like it for opportunity. I am quite certain that if I had stayed in England, I would not be where I am today, as far as my career is concerned. In San Antonio, I have gone from part time administrative work, to networking professional in a little over two years. Yes, I did work hard for it,  but it’s a combination of hard work and opportunity that makes things happen. That’s why the “bootstraps” argument is such bullshit in many ways. You can try all you want to pull yourself out of poverty by your bootstraps, but the opportunity also has to be there. Of course, I am fortunate to have gotten a foot in the door working admin, though my college degree and some experience. I’m also fortunate to have a supportive partner, and no children to allow me to study as much as I needed to in order to pass the exam. But, I feel that even after you take all these things into consideration, and also the little bit of “right place, right time”, it is still a uniquely American thing to  be able to rise this quickly, this fast.

 

Ok, now off the soapbox. 🙂 The rest of the week was spent working in our data center in the area. Crazy security and crazy expensive equipment – I was literally terrified to walk down the racks of servers/aggrs/switches in fear that I would trip and take down loads of customers. We are talking hundreds of thousands of dollars for some of these devices. I have a new respect for the devices I am in virtually every day, and especially for those that work hard at the DC to make this all happen. They are such nice and hardworking people. I hope that my time there will help them get the resources they need to make their lives easier.

random texas travels June 3, 2014

It’s been good times so far in June, and more good times to come. Last weekend we went to New Braunfels and stayed at the Faust hotel (supposedly haunted) for the weekend. Met up with Marie and Brody, and went tubing. Although it rained, it was a fantastic time. We floated on the river, made fun of the dud bros and drank loads of beer. We also went to the Phoenix bar for drinks and encountered the most marvelous band that had a fantastic guitar player. All in all fabusous.

Then this weekend, my little brother came to town. I flew him in because he had just graduated college and I wanted to see him. It was really interesting to see him – he’s quite a bit more grown up than the last time I saw him. We hung out over book club, brunch, and usual friday shenanigans. I miss him already. He really took to Barley and I wish I could have him around for longer.

Soon I am off to DC for a work trip. I am really looking forward to having some time to roam around the city and visit old haunts.

Work work… March 31, 2014

Been super busy recently, mostly with work but also with gardening, painting, and general domestic improvements. The most overwhelming part of my life in recent months has been my new job. It’s been extremely busy, and it turns out i’m really good at my new job. And I like it! This is quite shocking to me as I am not used to liking what I do. The days just fly by, and so far it’s still challenging and interesting.  

 

We went last weekend to the maverick music festival in downtown San Antonio. It was pretty awesome, mostly because the location was so close we could take a bus, and because it’s the second year that they have had an indie music fest in SA. Usually you have to go to austin for that kind of thing. I’m really excited that this kind of event it starting in the city, and I hope that it continues and get’s cooler in years to come. Other than that, I’m looking forward to Fiesta. We have tickets to the WEBB party, which is supposedly the best party of Fiesta. Going with loads of friends which should be good times. 

2013 recap December 20, 2013

2013 has been a most interesting year. I’d like to say good, overall, but the whole broken ankle thing definetely put a damper on the last half of the year. I’ve definitely learned a lot from the situation though, and while I am certainly not glad that it happened, it has been a growing experience.

 

I’m getting to the point now that my life is mostly normal, as far as my ankle is concerned. I still have limited mobility and strength, but I can walk and do most things, which is a huge difference. From this I have learned not to take for granted the most basic things, and I have found out in a most profound way that I am with a good partner. This year has brought a new house, a new dog, a new fiancee and a new job. Most momentus. It’s still quite terrifying, all of this newness, but if anything, I am very capable of handling the strange and new. From my past life experiences I have complete confidence in my ability to roll with the punches and adapt. I’m settling in to my new job, which is simultaneously exciting and terrifying. (they let me access the core routers and switches!!!) It’s scary how much I can actually mess up if I do the wrong thing. But at the same time, I feel a great confidence at having a career, a job that I can do that is desired. I haven’t had that ever, and now that I have a specialized skill, it’s pretty great. 

 

2013 has been a most interesting and eventful year. I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

All coming together November 23, 2013

Things seem like they are coming together. I have this new job in network security at my awesome company, so I’m making a bunch more money and am actually doing something interesting. My leg is healing well, so I’m finally allowed to wear normal shoes and walk again. My dog is awesome, my man is great, I really cannot complain at all.  

 

Tonight I am working on making a chocolate tart for a thanksgiving dinner I’ll be joining with my friends. I’m excited about having a friends thanksgiving instead of family. It’s nice to have made some friends in San Antonio, and to feel like we are making a life here. I am truly blessed. I don’t plan to go back to roller derby, but must find some other outlet for my energy. That, along with healing and getting better at my new job, are my next challenges. 

Book of Mormon October 1, 2013

We had a nice weekend recently. I bought last minute tickets to the Book of Mormon musical, and it was great! It was written and produced by the guys who do Southpark, so it was super dirty and sacrilegious. I’m not much of a musical person, but it was hilarious and so well done, that now I wonder if I should go see more musicals. The theater that it was at was the Majestic in San Antonio. This is a historic theater, with beautiful architecture, and a ceiling that looks like it has stars on it. Gorgeous!

 

After the musical, we went to a fancy bar across the street and had lovely grown up cocktails. It would be pricey to have more than one, but one was enough. What a great day!

This week at work is the last Rookie Orientation that I’ll be coordinating. I’m sad to leave the job, but happy that my coworker Leslie will be taking the reins. It’s good for the program because she’s a great employee – conscientious and hard working.  It’s good for her because she’ll be joining my awesome team, and leaving hers, which is not nearly as awesome. All in all I couldn’t wish for better for everyone. I don’t have to worry that my team will suffer when I leave, and it will definitely be better for her. 

I’m excited about the next few months – soon I’ll be able to walk again, and I’m changing to an exciting new career. I’ll be making double what I am now, and will get to pay off my student loans, take vacations, and generally live like a civilized person. Things are looking up!  

slowly but surely September 20, 2013

So I’m now out of my hard cast and into the pneumatic cast. I was at the doctor’s yesterday, and they said that the break is healing well, but I still have a long time before I can put weight on it. It’s much longer than I thought – i still have 4 to 6 weeks before I can drive. It seems the longest of times…. I know in the grand scheme of things that it’s not a long time, but basically it’s very horrible to lose my independence for such a long time. I’ve gotten rides to work, but I hate begging people to take me, and the loss of independence that it represents.  I know that I’m not really such a sad soul, but I hate hate hate having to depend on the whims of others for a way to work. I can’t really explain how much it bugs me. It’s the antithesis of what I am – independant. 

 

but, time goes on and I will heal. 

 

I have a new job starting soon, which is awesome. I’ve been working and interviewing for a position for awhile, and I’ll be starting in a month or so. It’s a drastic change in work, to a technical job as a network security administrator, with a substantial salary increase. I’m a bit afraid, but also pleased and excited. Just soon when I can drive all will be complete. : O until then, chill out and all will be well.