True Blood

I'm so excited. This is a new show on Sunday nights on HBO. I've recorded it, but haven't watched it yet. I don't want to watch it late at night. I'm a little afraid. Stay tuned.

http://www.hbo.com/trueblood/

Gym Update

Today is Saturday. I'm heading off to the gym. I believe the last time I "blogged" about working out - I had started going in the mornings. Well, that was short lived. I'm still sticking to my commitment to go on days that I have nothing planned which is turning out to be about 4 times a week. I try to go in the mornings, but haven't done so in over a week. It is amazing that exercising is addictive. I can definitely tell a difference since I've stepped it up which gives me incentive to keep going.

Boy, I thought I would be a lot farther along by this time of the year. I still have only lost about 15 lbs. I had hoped to have lost at least 25 lbs by now. My goal is to have it off by Jan/Feb 2009 - so we'll see. There is a contest at my gym every February, and the winner wins a trip. So, I've already told Lana (trainer) I want to do it. So stay tuned.

Willpower

This mexican food restaurant and the bar are in the same shopping center as my gym. I've never been to Fat Dawg's... and boy, I think about going there instead of working out often (but remember the last time I went to a restaurant by myself?). The mexican restaurant isn't my favorite, so it's not as tempting.. except that the food smells great.. and it's hard to not go pick up something to go at one of the other 3 mexican food restaurants in Forney.

Labor Day Weekend - Vaca to Lubbock

It's August. It is time for my annual vacation to Lubbock, Texas. This is my 4th year. It started when I took Ryan to Texas Tech his Freshman year in 2004. Boy, the dorms are so old. They haven't been updated since I went to Tech in 1984. In 2005, his sophomore year, he moved into a house with some guys about 15 minutes from campus. He wanted his car, so Dad and I followed him in his Volvo from Dallas to Lubbock. That was a long and stressful trip, but that damn car made it. Believe it or not, it's still running. In 2006, he moved into the coolest apartment ever. So, once again, I was there. Lucky me, I got to move him in his new apartment while he was at work. In 2007, again, moved to a new apartment. Not as cool as the other one, but clean, all bills paid, and his own bathroom. Here we are, 2008. His last semester. This time - he has already moved. So, we get to have fun. I have tickets for the first Tech game of the season.

All Packed

Ok... this isn't the only bag. I took my laptop bag, my workout bag, a makeup bag, and of course, the "drink" bag a.k.a. the cooler. (Only diet coke and water... and, of course, wine for when I arrived in Lubbock. No drinking and driving on this roadtrip)

Got My Map

The decision here.. do I take Hwy 20 or Hwy 114? In the old days, it was Hwy 114. I have not taken that hwy in the 4 years Ryan has been at Tech. I was encouraged by a co-worker that it was the "best path" better than Hwy 20. My arguments: 1) Hwy 20 is closer to me; and 2) Hwy 114 has too many small towns and is notorious for ticket traps. This to which said co-worker acknowledged that he did get pulled over, but only received a "warning". My point exactly. So, Hwy 20 it is.

Oil Changed/ Car Clean

Finally, Got my Music

Actually, I had the car packed, and headed out. I was stopping at Kwik Kar off Hwy 80 and Beltline for an Oil change and car wash. Then, to the Exxon for Gas.. the on the road, baby. While at the Kwik Kar, I realized that I didn't pack any CDs. I was doing great on time. There wasn't a wait at all at Kwik Kar. It only took 20 minutes to get the CDs. I listened to Madonna first - "Holiday- Celebration - let's come together like every nation". I used to listen to her "cassette" in the 80's while I was at Tech. I also listened to Phil Collins.. " Please give me one more night, just one more night.. 'one more night cuz I can't wait forever".... "Sussudio... give me a chance, give me a signnnnn.. Sussudio... uh oh!" and my all time favorite, "I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord, I've been waiting for this moment, all my life, oh Lord ". Brings back memories of clubbing in Lubbock. Well, those of you who know me, know that my CD player is finicky. CDs have a tendency to get stuck. They will play, but for some reason, I cannot remove them. I had John Mayer in my CD player for a while, then last year on my way back from Lubbock, it was Fergi. This year, only 2 hours into the roadtrip - a Motown CD got stuck. It's still there. Lots of Dianna Ross and the Supremes. Needless to say, I sang alot of C/W songs on the way back home.

Time to Stop

Love's Truck Stop in Ranger, TX.
Love it! It's become a tradition on this road
trip. Which is probably another reason I love
Hwy 20.

Game Day - Tech vs. Eastern Wash

Sharp Objects

During the Tech game, there was a guard standing behind us in the stands. Everytime someone walked up with a "corny dog" - he would stop them, and make them give him their stick. (You know, the stick that holds the "corny" dog) Right there. No waiting for them to finish the "corny" dog - they had to pull the stick out right then. He was very nice about it, but it was very weird. Weird for the person who felt like they were doing something wrong for eating a "corny" dog, and weird for those of us who had to witness it many, many times. I tried to get a picture of the guard holding the "deadly" sticks, but he was behind me, and I just looked very obvious. In his defense, the sticks did have pointed ends, and apparently, they must have been used as weapons in the past. My question is then why did they serve them on those sticks if they were so dangerous????

Ryan's Apartment

View from the balconey


View from the living room

View in the Hallway