The lifetime steak tour. ha.

I've had a couple steaks in the last month so ofcourse my readers need to hear about them. Yes, I know I don't really keep up with this blog and I know I don't really have "readers" but oh well. I amuse myself atleast.

Valentines day. I wasn't going to do anything. I had made some peanut butter pretzel chocolate ball things and dropped those off at a few friends places on my way into work and figured I'd just come home and veg after work. Then 3pm rolls around and Martha emails to see if I had plans and that she was cooking steak (organic grass finished local cow). I can't turn down steak, like ever, so I said ofcourse. I'll be right over after work. Traffic was crazy but I made it just in time. Fabulous steak and asparagus and creme brule for dessert. Awesomeness. Made for a great valentines day with friends. And!!! they got my a little valentine present so that was super fun and I felt loved.

Occasionally in the lunch room at work we get to talking about steak. One of the guys really likes Texas Roadhouse and says it's better than TL&C and Saltgrass and much cheaper. I've always avoided Texas Roadhouse b/c I figured it was sortof ghetto and on the same level as Outback Steakhouse. Outback was cool in high school but I kindof outgrew it. Well, I kindof became a steak snob. But last Wednesday I really wanted a steak and stopped by Texas Roadhouse on the way home. They had a Wednesday special of a 8oz sirloin with two sides so I figured I'd try it. Wasn't expecting much, and felt a little guilty eating a "cheap" steak that was grain fed and the poor cow was probably raised in a warehouse and never saw daylight. (ok, that still makes me sad, but at the same time I DID need to eat it, for research you know) Ok, it was a GOOD steak, like quite good. Ordered medium-rare and it was more like medium but thick and juicy with great flavor. The sides were also good, salad and a baked potato (if I did it again I would get the sweet potato). And my work friend said to get the Rattlesnake bites (kindof like jalapeno poppers) so I had those too. And sweet tea. Like really good sweet tea. I was stuffed after all that food. I did take 2oz of the steak, a roll, and a few rattlesnake bites home and ate it the next day. Overall it was a good experience. I might go back. But it would probably be one of those secret excursions that I don't invite anyone to b/c it does go against my steak snob-self. :0) oh, and the service was great. I would agree with my co-worker. A good steak. Better than saltgrass and 1/2 the price. And honestly TL&C and Saltgrass have grain fed feed lot cows too so not sure why I got all offended by that. So, there you have it.  

October 10

 

Thinking of Marshall today on what would be his 27th birthday (or is it 26th). So much has happened in 7 years. Seems like just yesterday we were welcoming a scrawny kid back from Iraq and he was excited to put some kind of crazy engine in his car. I've kept an active MySpace account so that I could go re-read his wall occasionally but MySpace seems to have massively changed and people's walls are gone so I closed my account earlier this week. Couldn't think of a reason to keep it. I think I am most sad that he is missing out on all the adventures of his family - brother getting married, sisters having children, parents turning into grandparents, having brother-in-laws ... but I know he's experiencing something far greater than what he left behind here on earth.

Pottery Update

Well, for my 2 blog readers I figured I'd give you a pottery update. Finished up a pottery class a few weeks ago. Still waiting for a few pieces to come out of the kiln at the studio but here are a few.

LARGE succulent planter or maybe a fruit bowl. It's BIG - about 18" across.

glazed. it is huge and was difficult to hold and glaze at the same time. It's a dark blue color closer to the top picture. I put the glaze on extra thick to get the super dark blue color but it jumped off in a few places leaving naked spots. SO - it will probably go outside as a planter.

A large bowl with an art deco-ish rim. I've been playing with this technique lately.

bowl finished. can't see the cool rim from this angle. The bowl is about 14" across.

one of two special pots I made for specific people. The first one the glaze was too thick so you can't read their name and it just looks like dimples. So, on this one I rubbed the glaze off to accent the name. I think I like it. It's a meduim size pot - about 12"x14" at its largest points

a tall planter. it's pretty small - about 4" across and 10" high.

two more planters. quite organic in shape. :0)

Just playing around and made a few magnets.

an older pot but figured I'd take a picture while I was outside this afternoon. :0)

and here is another that is growing some succulents

and to finish off this post. A picture of some natural colorants being infused in olive oil to make soap soon. Well, the lemon verbena isn't a colorant. hoping the scent will infuse. we'll see.

2

Yesterday marked 2 months since I’ve seen a couple of my closest friends. There have been emails, texts, cards, and the occasional drop off of food on their front porch but I haven’t actually seen them. They are in what I call family lockdown mode. I know many parents/families go through it. It’s sortof funny/sad, I am  a little afraid of seeing them when it does happen, I wonder if we’ll have anything to say or if we will just sit and stare at each other. I wish when I see them that I would have something to show for the 2+ months of being apart. That I’d be skinnier, or completed some cool project, or have had a life altering revelation or something. But so far none of that has happened. I have discovered the new salads at Chick-fil-a  and they are quite good. I took a pottery class. I am still working at UT. I had a handful of photoshoots. 3 of our friends have had babies in the last month. There have been lots of horrible stuff in the news. A few natural disasters, a few bombings, some murders… but sadly that’s pretty normal. Well, I am doing pretty good overall actually.

glass

It's been a little while since I've posted. I've been working on some glass pieces. Maybe I'll get around to posting some pics of the steps to get to the final piece but for now here's the final piece. I got the inspiration for the colors from a painting at Newks (fun little restaurant near the Arboretum). Had a few little setbacks while making it but it turned out really well.

And then I used the scraps from the above bowl to start a new piece. Haven't decided if this is the final or if I will cut it up again and re-fire to get a different pattern of colors. Whatever happens I will then cut a chunk out and put it as the focal point of another piece. (sorry if that doesn't make sense) Right now it reminds me of a comic book superhero. No idea why. Maybe the reds and yellows.

Not sure what else to report. I've been doing well just doing my thing. I get excited for the weekends thinking maybe this will be the weekend I will see some good friends I haven't seen in a while. But then the weekend comes and goes and I don't see them. Then I start looking forward to the next weekend thinking maybe that will be the weekend I will see them. Probably not but I am still holding on to a tiny amount of hope. On an unrelated note, some Tito's Vodka sounds good at the moment. Maybe b/c I am listening to David Ramirez. Ha.

millennials and beige bikes

Good blog. I think he has a good point.
http://www.jumpdavidjump.com/jump_david_jump/2013/02/pick-up-the-phone-diane.html

and this one hit even closer to home:
http://www.jumpdavidjump.com/jump_david_jump/2013/02/beige-expectations.html

I've been following David's blog for the past 2-3 years and also his wife's photo business. He is a writer and maybe motivational speaker (although I am not sure that's the right word)
and was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor similar to Matt Chandlers a few years ago. And sadly I've just learned this week he and his wife are getting a divorce. I was really surprised and sad, and maybe even hurt. I am taking it harder than I thought I would esp as I've never even met them. Sad.

...

“Loneliness does not come from having no people around you, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to you.” Carl Jung

Movies, Music, and Art

Warning: This will probably be ALL over the place.

In Bruges - watched it last weekend with the Tomescu's and it was one weird movie. I though it was going to be like a Bourne movie or some kind of action/heist type. Nope. Just weird. A good amount of blood splattering and a few bullets through the head, and the f-word used every 5 seconds. And some random drug use/prostitution. As I said, a weird movie. What I learned/was reminded: Actions have consequences.

The Words - don't think I'll recommend this movie. Spoiler alert - but you probably don't want to see it anyway. It was a story within a story within a story. General idea is a struggling writer find a manuscript, retypes it to feel the words flowing through him, ends up getting it published under his name, it becomes a huge success, an old man approaches the writer and is the person who wrote the manuscript years ago and had lost it, he explains his story and pretty much tells the writer he must live with his mistake and what he has done (publishing another man's work as his own).

I found myself thinking a lot of art and artists. Stealing is wrong. And nothing in the art world is totally unique. We get inspiration and little pieces/thoughts all over the place.  Art/Creating defines the artist. If you are "stuck" it is miserable, so I can see someone copying something just to feel/touch greatness. But that should push you to create your own art. A lot of people don't understand artists. Artists don't understand themselves a good chunk of the time. We create and yearn to create but often are not sure why exactly. Why does it matter so much. All I can say is I believe God plants a seed in some people and its not their choice. It's what that were made for. And it doesn't make a lot of sense. It doesn't fit in a pretty little box.

Lady Jane Grey - I first met and heard about the band about 12 years ago. They are a husband/wife duo with the wife (Sarah) being the main and maybe only songwriter. She is an artist. She's a writer. I am generally not a huge fan of female vocals but have loved them since the beginning. They had taken a many year (about 6-8) break from music and are just now writing and playing again. Sarah is challenging herself to write and record a song a week (and post it) this year. So far she has 5 songs posted. Watching the process and progression has been encouraging. Her last two songs have been especially good. Good really isn't the best word. How about chest-tightening or emotion-inducing. And her last song, "Ruin" had some cello in it which made my heart skip. I love the cello work in their music. "Anyone but You" is also really good. Has a country flare to it but not in a bad way. Unless you hate country, in that case you won't like it. They play in San Antonio some so I'll try to go see a show soon. They are actually playing tonight but I can't make it. Maybe next month.

A few weeks ago Jonathan (pastor at ACL) used the David Ramirez song Fires in his message about God and specifically these lyrics:

You have a beauty like no other
A confidence that brings me fear
If I compare myself too long I might just run away
But you have a grace that keeps me here

I love that song. I don't doubt he knows God. I am doubtful that those lyrics are about God. They seem to be about a girl (from context from the rest of the song).  But we who know God should be reflecting God so maybe it's all good. I just kept thinking the song/lyrics were used out of context and I found that awkward though. I got to see David Ramirez in concert last month. Enjoyed the show but may have enjoyed the CD almost as much. His lyrics are moody, thought-provoking, painful,and sad. I like to be alone when dealing with those emotions. Plus when you watch him sing his heart you feel like you are intruding. I feel that way with  a lot of songer-songwriters who write from their guts.

Following Christ is messy. We are messy. David Ramirez seems to know God and also wrestles with God. I would say the same thing about Rich Mullins and Sufjan Stevens too, and probably lots of other artists. Wrestling with God is beneficial I believe, it means/shows you are still interested. That you find it worthwhile to question and wrestle though issues. I was sad/hurt/disappointed/pained/crushed (not sure the words) when David Bazan denied his faith. I find this song both beautiful and haunting now. But I also can't help but think of the celebration in heaven there will be when God pulls him back to himself. Wrestling is good. Seeking the truth is admirable. Questioning is necessary. I still believe in God's promises. He will answer.

My dad

So, my dad is awesome. Of course most of you already knew this. My parents stopped for a visit on their way to Phoenix to watch Lily for a bit. They were stopping in Austin for just one day and so I didn't want to put them to work or anything. They got up yesterday morning and I could hear them commenting on how hot the water was and that the sink in the bathroom wasn't draining properly. Not complaining, just commenting. So I get up and tell them I am sorry about the sink, I had just noticed it was slow a few days ago. Dad says, "do you have an auger? I can fix it." I didn't have an auger so a trip to Home Depot was in order. And I explained that my water heater was all wrapped in installation so I wasn't sure where the plate was to turn down the water temperature and I also knew I needed to drain off the bottom of the water heater but couldn't turn the knobby thing as it seemed stuck. Dad looked at it and  asks if I had a Channellock wrench. I didn't know what kind of wrench that was but we went through my tool box and I didn't have one. So, I needed that at Home Depot too. So off we went for an auger, a channellock wrench, and some linseed oil to rub into the dresser they brought me. We unclogged the sink (which was nasty), cleared out the bathtub drain while we were at it, turned my waterheater down so it doesn't boil you while you are trying to wash your hands, and drained off the bottom of the waterheater. Yay Dad. And now I own an auger and a channellock wrench which Dad said are important tools to have. Not sure how I lived all these years without them. :o)~

My visit with them was good. They left early this morning and will be in Phoenix tomorrow night. Mom isn't very mobile still - she's on crutches - but no boot or anything. Her foot is taking a while to heal. And I have a cold which is no good. Voice is pretty much gone and my cough is impressive. I *think* I am getting better though. Mom and dad liked my new bathroom mirror framing and shelf thing and I had scraped and re-caulked the tub so that looked good. And we talked about some of the projects I have coming up and they advised on colors and furniture placement and all that. Was helpful to have another couple sets of eyes on things as I don't have company over here very often to opinionate with.

beauty or broken

I got a few pieces out of the pottery kiln this week.Some were good. Most were not. Atleast in my eyes. I see them as broken. They have crazing - where the glaze fractures and is no longer safe to eat of off but is ok as a decorative piece - but I find most crazing ugly. A failure. A broken piece. This first piece I had put in the trash can at the studio and a lady stopped me and said the piece was beautiful and why would I throw it away. I explained all the flaws. She still said it was beautiful. I still see it as ugly. (it's uglier than the picture) It was suppose to be purple. it is not. the glaze cracked all crazy and then in the thicker parts bubbled. I do not like. I will trash it later tonight.

This piece is purple which is what I wanted but is the glaze is all cracked and has a naked spot under the rim. I find it unusable.

But I did have a beautiful piece come out. Its the same glaze as the purple but fired in a different part of the kiln. It did what I wanted. Loving all the shades of color in it.

A close-up.

And then this tray turned out well. It's in my signature pottery colors. :0)

I also had about 4 pieces that were suppose to be red but instead they are an icky yellow. I didn't take pictures and am hoping to re-fire in a different part of the kiln and maybe get some red. or really anything except the icky yellow. So, there are my pottery adventures for the moment.