Cupcakes & Handbags

Now that the heat has finally broken – and my subsequent “Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder” (self-diagnosed) and general hating of any temperatures over 72-degrees has lifted, I’m feeling pretty damn fabulous. Optimistic, even.
I KNOW, right?

So, with all this positivity and shit, I’ve become overwhelmingly busy. This girl’s social calendar has kicked into high gear – a nice reminder of what it’s like not to be a slave to A/C. Had I actually taken a breath, this is what October has looked like:

• Fostering the world’s cutest calico kitten, helping her find her forever family and then crying for a week. Dear god, I don’t even really like cats. But Bella was awesome. So, saying goodbye was just a wee bit harder than expected.
• Seeing !!! at Emo’s. Oh, how I love that band – best booty shaking music; and I’m not ashamed to admit my dancing resembles Nic’s after a few too many Goose & Sodas.
• AIA Homes Tour - which was fucking awesome BTW. Modern home design inspires me to be a better person. Is that weird?
• Running. A lot. My next race is in less than three weeks. I ran 14.5 miles this past Saturday – which if you know anything about math, is 1.4 miles longer than my actual race. Are my coaches trying to kill me? (Yes. They are.)
• Lunching with my lady friends. Wine nights with my lady friends. Brunching with my lady friends. Bitch sessions with my lady friends. Baby showers with my lady friends. Fundraising with my lady friends. (Rinse & Repeat.)
• Pumpkin road trip.
• Chopping four inches of my hair off. THANK GOD. I love my hair right now. Sassy!
• Fighting with our apartment management company. What a giant bunch of assholes up in this place! Wait, I’m sorry, I should love the fact that, in addition to the endless piddly maintenance shit that happens on a weekly basis, we just had our second major roof leak since we moved in. Did I mention this place is BRAND-FUCKING-NEW?
• Having numerous conversations with my lawyer. (See Above.)
• Starting a business and helping another friend launch her craft business — Totally exciting stuff so keep your fingers crossed. A meeting with the city tomorrow will determine next steps. Exciting!

And just think, we still have five more days to go! Yes, life. It’s (finally) looking up!

I was sitting in a yoga studio recently waiting for a class to begin when I started talking to the girl sitting next to me. We chatted about how much we love yoga and how there was a period in our lives we were obsessed about making it to practice every day. “And then, I kinda stopped. Life just happened,” I said. She grinned a knowing smile and shook her head sympathetically. Things happen, stuff gets in the way and things fall to the wayside – whether we like it or not.

I can’t continue to try and make excuses as to why I only manage to post once every three months. Really, there is no excuse. Life just happens.

I have been traveling recently – which only furthers my posting hiatus. Pretty much every month since last November, I’ve been on the go. I’m not complaining – if I had a choice, I’d live out of suitcase. Paris in November. Chicago in December. Utah in February. Whistler and San Fran in March. Canada (the other coast) in April. I’m not doing much to save the environment burning through that much jet fuel but I am keeping myself sane. Travel is my catharsis.

I have no excuse as to why I find it so hard to keep up this blog. Clearly, my goal of being internet-famous really isn’t that important. I mean, it’s only been FIVE months since I posted anything. I’m sure a lot has happened during that time but right now, it feels like a blur. Holidays, job interviews, birthdays, snowboarding, filing unemployment. Rinse, repeat. It all kinda runs together after a while.

Last night, we got back from a great five day snowboarding trip to Mr. Smith’s motherland. The conditions at Whistler Blackcomb weren’t awesome but I cannot even begin to describe how much I love Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. Sure, I love the snow of Utah and I will always feel at home in Colorado, but neither of those places have POUTINE.

Canada FTW!

For me, surviving ACL always feels like an immense accomplishment – like climbing K2 or finishing graduate school.

Though Day 2 and 3 were lovely, I still went away with the sense that I probably won’t buy a pass for ACL’09. While this year was less hectic than years past, I’m just kinda “over” this festival. Bumbershoot in all it’s perfectness might have ruined my festival-going for life. The only likely way I’ll attend ACL next year is via press pass. I’m not ashamed to admit having access to abundant shade, free food & drink, palatial portapotties (with running water) and celebrity watching is in direct correlation with my festival enjoyment levels. That’s just how I roll.

Highlights from Day 2 & 3 include shooting Stars and Band of Horses (of course) but White Denim and City & Colour were also big bonuses.  The sound for Beck was awesome but the overall set was a bit of a disappointment. And though I purposely didn’t watch a lot of performances this year, I have heard that David Byrne, Sharon Jones, Erykah Badu and Robert Plant/Alison Krauss were the shows to be at.

Oh well, maybe next year.

The legendary Chicken Cone

Backstage for Dallas

White Denim

Torquil Campbell of Stars

What life looks like from the pit.

Just got home from Day One of the Austin City Limits Festival.

I am exhausted and in desperate need of a shower but I wanted to write down some thoughts on what a good day it was.

• I was so excited to try these supposedly tasty little delights that Steph told me about called “Chicken Cones” from Hudson’s on the Bend but the line was so long that I couldn’t wait and make it to the AMD stage to shoot N.E.R.D. So, Eric and I settled on gyros from a place I’ve never heard of called Pureheart. Mistake. Tomorrow, I will work all-things-Chicken-Cone into my schedule, even if it means hauling ass to the park for the opening gate at 11am.
• The million dollar sprinkler system installed last year seemed to (sorta) help manage the dust early in the day but by 8pm, I had already acquired the all-too-familiar sore throat and black boogers that presents itself each year.
• Today’s weather was lovely. Partly cloudy and a semi-comfortable 90 degrees, C3’s decision to move the fest back to the last weekend in September was welcome respite to years past and I fully support the possibility of moving it even further back in 2009. Mid-October would be be perfect. Thanks for thinking of my temperature sensitivity needs, Mr. Attal.
• Musicians always seem kinda weirded out when they see the American Sign Language interpreters at their performances. They seem confused, intrigued and uncomfortable all at the same time. Personally, I love that they are there.
• I was giddy to shoot N.E.R.D.’s set. Partly because I have a mad crush on Pharrell but more importantly, the set just killed. Being in the photo pit with the bass reverbing between my spinal cord and my sternum felt like my chest might explode. Awesome. I probably had the biggest grin on my face the whole time. After reviewing my photos, it’s pretty obvious that I enjoyed being there.
• Hot Chip, as always, put on an awesome Electo-Brit dance party. And how can you not love a quirky painter’s jumper as attire for a tiny British man?
• Swell Season put on a moody, emotional set but I always enjoy watching Glen Hansard. Partly because he looks exactly like my friend Chip. Maybe Chip is Glen Hansard.
• Festival planners have once again done a great job with transportation to and from Zilker Park. I think I spent less than 30 minutes round trip for (free, air conditioned) travel. There are only a handful of times I feel fortunate to live right smack in the middle of downtown. SXSW and ACL are two of them. Easy peasy.
• Festival fashion (or lack thereof) is once again in full effect. God bless them all – every dirty last color blind hipster.

I am sure there is a lot more to write about but it is time for me to bust out the power washer and hose off all the sweat and dust of Day One.

I want to make out with this photo. For realz.