Weighty Issue

When I was young, I had a metabolism like you wouldn't believe. I simply couldn't gain weight - something that bothered me slightly in my awkward teen years but which I ultimately accepted. Hearing catchphrases like "real women have curves" or seeing women my size being compared to a 13 year old boy still stung quite a bit, but I did my best to not let that stuff affect me. And besides, I felt like I didn't have a right to complain. After all, being rather slim put me in a conventionally attractive category though I was actually technically underweight. I developed a few snappy comebacks for when insensitive people would ask me if I was anorexic, and for the most part didn't spend much time thinking about my weight - a good thing since I quickly learned that very few people will be sympathetic to thin people with body issues not of the eating-disorder variety. Even now I worry about how this blog will be received by people who truly struggle with their weight. I hope it will be taken for what it is, which is my personal experience with how weight is wrapped up with identity, and my attempts to figure out what it means to look and feel the healthiest I can.

Anyway, after about 18 or so I didn't think about my weight at all. I was skinny and assumed I always would be. But then I hit about 25 and something changed. I started to notice some curves I had never really had before and, feeling curious, I stepped on a scale for the first time in years. That's what I discovered I had gained 15 whole pounds without noticing. That's also when I realized it was a bit silly to have thought all my pants just shrank at once. I know, I know, but weight gain was just something I hadn't considered. It wasn't that I was out of touch with my body exactly, but I'd always had a bit of trouble telling how much space I took up. It's strange. If you'd have asked me if I was taller or shorter or bigger or smaller than someone I wouldn't have had a clear answer unless the difference was drastic. Now I was all too aware.

I'm far from overweight, but being stick-thin was part of my identity. It'd be like waking up one day and not being a redhead. I was thrown for a loop, and found myself thrust into a part of the female experience that was completely foreign to me. Discussing calories, and dress sizes and whatnot. I hated it (and still do) because it's so cliche and boring. All the comments - snarky or well-intentioned - about my skinny-ness stopped, and on a bad day it's easy for your brain to run away with what that means. I used to find those comments unwelcome but now I...missed them? I wonder if growing up with my size being an open topic of discussion for everyone helped to make me more sensitive to such matters in the long run.

In a way I'm happier with my looks nowadays. When I compare myself to old pictures I prefer the less wan and boney Jen (though I feel oddly protective of her when someone else says they think I look better now).  But in a way I'm not happier, because thinking about my weight at all is decidedly not the path to happiness for me. So even though I think I look better, I miss the carefree days of slipping into my size 1 jeans and not having to worry about a muffin top. Again, not because I looked better necessarily but because I didn't obsess about how my clothes fit. I didn't have to be aware of the space I filled. Dressing a whole different body was strange at first and not something I expected to be dealing with after puberty. But you know, you adapt. In addition to picking out different clothes, I had to actually start paying attention to what I ate and drank. After a life of ignorant, gluttonous bliss it was annoying but educational.

I put on a handful more pounds after that initial 15, the after-effects of quitting smoking, drinking more than my fair share of beer and getting on the pill, along with just getting older and filling out a bit. I'd learned to embrace those pounds...except for that last handful. Because while I am happy to be curvier, I refuse to accept that slow creep of weight gain as the decades pass and I know that as I head into my 30's it's not going to get any easier. As a result, I started focusing not on weight loss but on getting in shape. I've started exercising 5 days a week and cooking healthy meals at home. These changes were so immediately rewarding on a mental and emotional level that the physical aspect was almost secondary. But, slowly but surely, that handful of pounds I was unhappy with dropped off. Well, most of them at least.

A funny thing happened though when I saw that number on the scale drop. I felt elated. Ugh, how typical.  I keep telling myself that if that number goes up because I get more muscular then that is fine with me. I hope I mean it. It's such an easy thing to obsess over, a metric to measure yourself by. I'm glad to be approaching my 30's having once been made fun of for being too thin, and also having been a bit softer than I'd prefer, because hopefully those experiences will help me keep perspective and remember that how I feel is what really matters. I also know that I have my metabolism and genetics on my side, and that I have it far easier than others. The recent hoopla about Lady Gaga's 20 pound weight gain has strengthened my resolve to think about weight in a healthy, non-obsessive way. Is there really such a small margin between concern-trolling about someone being underweight and then calling them fat? I refuse to apply such harsh standards to others and I refuse to apply them to myself. My goal is simply to be in better shape health-wise in my 30's than in my 20's. I think I'm on my way!

Things I hate!

Presenting, in no particular order, things that make me want off of this planet

Lip injections - You're not a porn star, you're a real estate agent. Stop it. You look ridiculous.

Luxury SUVs -  "I want an SUV....but I want to pay MORE for it!" or alternatively "I'm one of the few people that actually has a practical need for an SUV...but how will people know I'm rich?!"

People who honk at me when I'm taking an unprotected left -  Sure I'll just go straight, instead of to my house, because you're an inpatient dick. Fuck ooooooofff.

White people preaching about racism - Notice i didn't say "talking about" I said "preaching". Absolutely have these important conversations and open up dialogue when you feel someone's comments or behavior are hurtful. But don't try to co-opt minorities' anger as your own. You might think you understand, but you don't. You're from the suburbs.

Undecided voters - If you're reading this you're probably my friend so no i don't actually hate you of course, and i know there's more to politics than social issues. BUT you can't claim to be a pro-choice person who believes in gay marriage rights then vote for Romney. You just can't, I'm sorry. I said so. Just because you may not need an abortion or to get gay-married doesn't mean you don't have an obligation to support the issues you claim to believe in.

People who think feminism is a bad word - At its core, feminism means you believe women should have equal rights to men. No more, no less. Feminism encompasses varying schools of thought and feminists do not fit into one mold (talk to two of us and you may find completely opposing views on prostitution and strip clubs for example) and we especially don't fit the angry "feminazi" stereotype. You know who coined that offensive term? Rush Limbaugh. If you say you believe women are equal but defensively stammer on about how you're not a feminist, I'm going to give you side-eye forever and ever.

Overpriced food - Not to be confused with expensive food. I have no qualms about dropping 100+ dollars on a nice meal, but don't serve me two scallops you asshole. I mean I guess that's technically "scallopS" plural, but you and I both know I just got fucked over.

Overly hoppy beer - Not everything needs to taste like a goddamn bouquet. Where's the maltiness, the balance? You leave a bad taste in my mouth and it makes me sad.

Leaked celebrity nude pics - Or in this case, people that create a market for them. I've seen otherwise progressive, gentlemanly friends of mine go gaga over some starlet's hacked Iphone photos. A woman's naked body is not there for you to look at unless she has given you permission, you entitled butthead! The concepts of privacy and consent don't go out the window just because someone has a job where they're in the public eye.

Margarine -  Eat real butter. Not too much of it, but c'mon. Life is too damn short.

rock and roll lifestyle update

Sorry for not posting for awhile (I'm sure you were all waiting with bated breath...not!) but I just haven't had much to write about. Things are pretty much humming along smoothly and I'm feeling really happy and content lately, but that doesn't always make for exciting reading. I'm on month 2 of Healthmonth and other than my booze rule I'm doing really great. (Not that I'm some drunken party spaz, I just manage to go a couple drinks over - literally a couple - most weeks. Gah, I just love wine. And being social!) I added some more rules centered around things I've been meaning to do for awhile - bring lunch to work a couple days a week, make time to read actual books, floss every day, etc. - and I continue to find the site really helpful for instilling good habits.

I'm feeling in better shape than I have for a long time and even lost a few pounds, though that's probably due to the PLAGUE I had. It was a horrible sore throat that was strep, but wasn't strep, then was maybe mono but not. I'm actually surprised I didn't whine about it here because I was a miserable grouchy mess for over a week. I was on a liquid diet for like 5 days and it was the worst, most painful thing ever.

Other recent highlights in the world of Jen: I got an awesome review at work. I went to my first drive-in movie. I got 3 dresses from Modcloth for 60 bucks. I'm about to start officially shopping around for car. My life is so exciting! That sounds like sarcasm but I promise it's not. Things are pretty damn swell. And they will be even BETTER now that it's not hot as hell outside anymore. You guys, I am so looking forward to Fall, and not just because of the copious amounts of pumpkin ale I'll be imbibing. Ok...a little bit because of that.

More kitchen adventures

I cut my thumb pretty bad the other day you guys. I'm always so careful when using my big chef's knife to chop veggies, but of course I let my guard down while hastily slicing a lemon with a small serrated knife. I felt really stupid. And bloody. So much blood. I'm not very squeamish so I'm pretty sure it was the endorphins that made me feel all faint, forcing me to sit on the kitchen floor and recuperate. So anyway, it was painful and the healing process is annoying but it was almost worth it because it was in pursuit of...

The best pasta salad ever!

BAM! How's that for a segue? Quit thinking about my bloody thumb now! I skipped the lemon juice due to post traumatic stress, but here's what I did put in it.

-Half a bag of rotini (cooked and drained - I didn't have whole wheat but I like to use that whenever possible)
-1 tablespoon dijon mustard (dijonnaise if you have it. I used this stuff which I've been putting on sandwiches and in everything else. Bake some chicken with it! It's sooo good)
-A squeeze of mayo (that's if you didn't use a dijon/mayo hybrid and also it's totally optional if mayo freaks you out)
- 2 tablespoons pesto
-Enough balsamic vinaigrette to make things a little saucy

While that cools, throw the following items in a saute pan with a pinch of salt and some pepper:
-Baby bella mushrooms (chopped)
-Baby spinach
-2 or so cloves of garlic

Add veggie mixture to pasta then toss in some:
-Diced raw zuchinni (gives it some crunch - it's great)
-Finely chopped raw red onion
-Feta
-Freshly grated parmesan
-Some lemon zest
-Red pepper flakes
-Capers if you have them

I didn't have these following items but would definitely recommend them as well:
-Roasted red peppers
-Toasted pine nuts
-Artichokes

The great thing about pasta salad is that you can throw in whatever you want! Definitely chill it for a few hours (I fridged mine overnight) then add in some protein if desired. I baked a chicken breast with lemon pepper and served it warm on top of the cold pasta salad. It'd also be great with shrimp!

Workin' on my fitness

I've been making some lifestyle changes recently and I'm feeling really good! Naturally I want to brag about, er I mean share them. One of the tools I've been using is Healthmonth, a site where you set goals, track your progress and play against your friends. You can play for free or pay 5 bucks a month if you want more than 3 rules. It's in beta and can be a bit buggy, but overall I find it pretty user friendly (others may disagree with me on this). The best part is that quantifying my goals and being held accountable is really helping me stick to them. Its also really nice to get encouragement from your friends and encourage others. I'm not sure how the end-of-the-month game play will shake out but I already plan to play next month. If anyone reading is interested in joining our team, leave a comment or shoot me a note! It's not just for fitness-related goals either. You can set goals to meditate, practice your musical instrument, whatever you want!

So, my goals for August are as follows:

Work out for 20 minutes a day 5 times a week
I'd already been on track for this one (even hitting 6 days some weeks) but I wanted to ingrain the habit and keep from slacking off. So far it's going great. I do mostly calisthenics at home, and a lot of work with a resistance band. Whenever possible I ride my bike - sometimes to count for one of the workouts and sometimes in addition to my regular workout. This will be far easier to do once the weather cools off a bit. I may incorporate a cycling-specific quota into next month's goals. We'll see!  I plan to change things up periodically by incorporating some yoga, increasing the cycling and maybe even doing some (ugh, embarrassing) Zumba. There are some fitness videos on Netflix Instant so I plan to see what they have to offer. My plan is to keep my workouts consistent but changing ever-so-slightly. For example, I added burpees to my home workout yesterday with exhausting results.

I haven't lost any weight, which isn't really my goal anyway (hell I'm even cool with gaining weight as long as I'm fit and toned - if I lose a dress size that's a nice bonus) but I swear my clothes are fitting better and I feel slimmer and more energized. My focus is on changing my body composition - essentially, more muscle, less fat and I think I'm accomplishing that. I've been working out for a couple of months now with quite a bit of strength-training related exercise so I know I've built muscle. Which means that if I weigh the same, I must have lost some fat. Rock on!

Cook dinner at home 5 days a week
This is definitely one I'd be slipping on if I wasn't faced with losing points on the website. Previously, I was cooking 2-3 nights a week and eating out a lot. Prior to moving into our house in February, we were eating out every day! I really enjoying cooking and, while it takes more effort on some days when I'm burned out from work, it's something that simply must be done if I want to spend less and eat healthier. I try to use methods to make some of the days feel low-effort, like firing up the crockpot and doing things like making batches of empanadas to freeze and cook at a later date. As a bonus, meals out now feel like more of a treat.

Drink no more than 10 drinks a week
Up until about 2 years ago I drank however much I wanted, whenever I wanted. I didn't have a "problem" with alcohol more than any other person in their early 20's, but I knew it was too much. I felt groggy, dehydrated, bloated, and depressed from spending perfectly good days hungover on the couch. In the past year I've cut down substantially, first limiting total number of drinks per day  (to 1 or 2 on the weekdays with no rules on the weekends) then cutting out weekday drinking altogether. That latter step really helped break the association I had with getting home from work and cracking open a beer. As a result I feel totally comfortable about my relationship with alcohol - great for my health and my self-esteem.

This 10 a week thing is the first time I've set an actual weekly limit but it's more out of watching calories than watching alcohol intake. I know it isn't the lowest number on earth but hey I'm young and social, and a night out with friends can easily rack up 6 drinks so it's a start. On the plus side I'm now tracking my consumption on the weekends, something I never did before. On the slightly negative side, I've begun to have a couple of drinks during the week to use up my "quota". I'll be tweaking this rule next month - if not formally then at least in my head because I really do like weekday drinking to be off limits aside from occasional social events. I'm also trying to drink less beer and choose wine as a healthier choice but goddamnit I love beer. I really really love beer you guys. A lot of what makes cutting down challenging is that I genuinely believe any meal is improved with a nice glass of wine or beer., not because I'm out to booze it up but because it's delicious! Unfortunately my metabolism and my waistline beg to differ. I don't know if I plan to continue to cut down, but it's likely over time.

So there you have it! My rules are not super challenging (I almost feel silly writing this out when I see how much ass my friends are kicking) but I'm really trying to think of this as a method to instill permanent habits that will add up to an overall lifestyle change, and the best way to do that for me is to start small. I've also been working on some dietary changes in a non-structured way, like eating less bread and pasta and incorporating more fresh veggies and fruit. I refuse to "diet" (my doctor specifically told me not to since I'm at a healthy weight and BMI) and I eat pretty healthy already (no sweets or mindless snacking to speak of) but loading up on protein and produce while cutting out refined flour and sugar is a healthy change that anyone should consider. One non-health related thing I've been doing for awhile now is tracking my budget with Mint.com. To be honest I always go over my budget (hm...maybe I should look into that) but just the fact that I'm tracking it is making me spend less than before. That plus the health stuff adds up to a happier, less stressed Jen. I feel more in control of my life than I have in a long time. My mood is better, my relationships are better and my chronic stomach issues have even drastically improved recently. I really hope I can stick with all of this. Feel free to comment with what works for you!

Gregifer Goes West

Greg and I just spent 5 days driving through the West Texas desert on our second official vacation together. I hadn't been on an honest-to-god roadtrip (meaning longer than a daytrip) since I was a kid; it was everything I hope it'd be and more.

We set off on a Tuesday night toward the Hill Country. Our plan was to eat in Kerrville and stay the night, but due to traffic we got there kind of late. After grabbing a glass of wine and relaxing a bit we powered on to Junction. There was nothing open and the place seemed kind of desolate (a drive downtown involved deer darting in front of our car...downtown) so we backtracked a bit to Segovia, where we ate surprisingly good truck stop food and crashed at an (also surprisingly good) Econolodge. That's right, we're fancy y'all.

The next day we had breakfast in Junction at Isaak restaurant. Home to some good biscuits, an older waitress that was concerned about Greg's sore throat, and the coolest sign ever.

                                          I want this sign!

From Segovia we headed to Sonora for one of the few officially planned activities of our trip: The Caverns of Sonora. Billboards on the way advertised it as Texas' most beautiful show cave. I was skeptical as we had recently seen Natural Bridge Caverns, which is better known. My skepticism grew after finding out that the flighty eccentric man that sold us our tickets was to be our tour guide.My concerns were quickly put to rest though as the tour guide was friendly, funny and knew his stuff. And most importantly the cave was simply gorgeous. At times (like now) I regret not bringing my camera in, but the pics probably wouldn't have come out very well. Plus I enjoyed being in the moment. I highly recommend doing a Google image search for Caverns of Sonora though so that you can see what I am talking about. I was impressed by the variety of formations and in awe of the helectites - an unusual formation that the cave is known for. If you ever get a chance to go I highly recommend it.

We continued to head west, stopping along the way in Fort Stockton. Now for the only negativity in this post: Fort Stockton sucks. I mean really. It's a real shithole. I hate to be mean but if you are ever in the area just keep driving. The historic cemeteries were the highlight and even they were kind of...meh. We didn't stay long!

We arrived in Marathon Texas just before sunset. I had been using my Iphone to peruse Yelp and Tripadvisor for restaurant and bar recommendations, and came across a glowing mention of the White Buffalo Bar at the Gage Hotel. Looking back it's funny how I thought I picked the place out - had we gone in blind we quickly would have discovered it was the only place to go anyway. But what a place it was! I've been describing it as an oasis in the desert, which is very apt I think. It had a gorgeous patio, great cocktails and one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life. Bonus: without realizing it, we'd knocked another burger off of Texas Monthly's Top 50 list, which we've been working through the past few months. There's not much to do in Marathon but if you're ever nearby make a point to stop by the bar for dinner and drinks.

                                          Poor white buffalo

                                          Patio at the White Buffalo Bar

                                          Astonishing burger. You guys don't even know.

From Marathon we drove onto Marfa to see the Marfa Lights. I'm not entirely sure if I saw what people were talking about but I think I did? Regardless the stars were just magnificent. I'm not sure that I've ever seen so many. Also memorable: the fact that it was chilly in July! I put on Greg's sweater while we alternated between looking at the stars and trying to catch a glimpse of fleeting phenomenon.

We stayed the night in Alpine as our motel options in Marfa were pretty limited that time of night. I talked the guy behind the counter at the Ramada down 30 bucks and scored us a suite for pretty cheap. Totally unnecessary...except for the fact that it was the only available room. That was probably the best night's sleep we had on the trip.

We spent the next afternoon in Marfa, one of the main destinations of our trip. It was nice and all, but it's a pretty damn sleepy town. We could have made more of it had we planned a bit better, but all in all I have no regrets other than an awful meal at Alice's Cafe. I pity anyone that comes to Texas and thinks that's good Tex Mex. They should be ashamed of themselves! We totally should have hit up the Food Shark food truck despite the long line. Oh well, live and learn. We did some walking around downtown Marfa, doing the tourist thing and snapping photos. This included a visit to The Hotel Paisano where James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor stayed while filming Giant. They have a little exhibit set up. The gift shop was surprisingly awesome and the hotel itself was quite pretty.

                                          I'll call this the Marfamobile

                                          I think he's into me

Ready to move on, we decided to drive south to Terlingua. This wasn't on our original itinerary, but after discussing our trip with a friend who was planning an upcoming West Texas trip as well, we decided to add it to our "maybe" list. I'm so incredibly glad we went, as it was the highlight of our trip and such a memorable experience. Bonus: the drive down was awesome, all winding roads and mountains.

Terlingua is an old mining town - now called the Terlingua Ghost Town since the mines were abandoned. It has been established as a tourist destination, but it's still very remote and it didn't feel gimicky but genuine. The ruins are still standing - it's eerie and very cool. Some of the townspeople have restored and converted the old buildings into houses. There's plenty that can be said about Terlingua, but really you just have to go there. If we had it to do over we would have stayed another day for sure.

                                          Rain rolling into Terlingua

We arrived in the early evening just in time to snap a few photos and watch a thunderstorm roll in over the desert. We sat on the porch of the Starlight Theatre (which is now one of my favorite places on the planet - more on that later!) where we had a unique vantage point to watch the rain move in from miles away. I've heard the porch is a spectacular place to watch the sunset, but we got the storm instead. I'm not complaining though - it really added to the ambiance of our time there.

When it got too blustery, we hunkered down inside the Starlight Theatre for some food and drinks. I could live at that place! The decor is awesome, the bartender is friendly as hell - he called me by name the whole time..."Jen, did you see these new tank tops for sale?" "Jen, have you met Jason over here?") The food was yummy too. We split two apps of venison sausage with cheese and jalapeno and chicken-fried antelope with lone star beer gravy. At this point Greg's head cold was really acting up, but he hung in there while I had a few drinks. It was a mellow place to hang out and we spent a total of a couple of hours there.

Now, our hotel had the most uncomfortable bed I've ever slept on, but it almost added to its charm in a weird way. Greg and I chuckled about how much we tossed and turned but hey it was a good deal. As an example of how laid back Terlingua is: when I asked what time checkout was, the lady behind the counter (and presumed owner) said "eh...I don't care". Awesome.

                                          The front of our hotel

In the morning we went to the cemetery since we didn't make it there the night before due to the rain. You guys, I cannot say enough about this amazing cemetery.

There's a lot of history there, due to both the mining trade and the flu epidemic of 1918. It is at once run down and well kept. By this I mean that you can see tipped over crosses made of rotting wood (we saw a headstone that was a cross mounted in a paint can) but you can also see the tell tale signs of recent visits - people are regularly coming to leave tokens on the graves of their loved ones - bottle caps, coins, candles, flags. Modern cemeteries are usually fairly uniform and sterile, so the Terlingua cemetery with its homemade headstones and its intrinsic personality really left an impression on me. The cemetery is also a hangout on Dia De Los Muertos, when people come there to drink and spend time with the departed. I've always loved the Mexican culture's way of mourning and celebrating the dead. Terlingua isn't exactly Mexico but it's pretty damn close and you can tell. (We actually had to go through a few border patrol checkpoints on this trip which surprised me). Anyway, what I wouldn't give to be in Terlingua on the Day of the Dead.

What I wouldn't give to be in Terlingua right now actually! If you ever get the chance, just go. The town hosts a well-known chili cookoff that is probably a blast to attend, but I'm glad we went during a quieter time.

After a filling breakfast at a tiny mom and pop cafe called India's, we continued on our way via a lovely drive through Big Bend State Park. We chose the park route instead of doubling back on the same highway and I'm so glad we did. The mountains and desert are so gorgeous. Texas, you never cease to amaze me.

                                                    Big Bend!

We stopped in Langtry, home of the infamous Judge Roy Bean and read some historical markers and took a somewhat iffy drive near a big canyon that is this close to the Rio Grand. There was literally no one around (and nothing open) and Greg had to assure me that the dangerous border towns people speak of are the ones on the Mexican side.

A quick stop in Del Rio for some good BBQ, then it was back to the Hill Country. After all of the desert driving, I was glad to be back in familiar territory. We stayed in Kerrville, took some fun pics at Stonehenge 2 in the morning then headed to Boerne to eat at The Peach Cafe (formerly the Peach Tree, a childhood favorite when I lived in Boerne). If you ever get a chance to have brunch there I highly recommend it! They have these cheesy roll things you guys. Mmmm cheesy roll things...

                                          Aforementioned cheesy roll things

Where was I? Oh, so making the most of our remaining day, we drove up to Enchanted rock to take a peek then back to Fredericksburg to spend the afternoon. Unfortunately I have to say that Fredericksburg was kind of a bust (other than the magnificent pie at Fredericksburg pie company). It's just too damn touristy now. The stores weren't my thing at all. Tacky tacky clothes and way too many people. I did have a good glass of Texas wine though and the salsa shop was cool (funny moment: Greg popping a big dollop of salsa in his mouth right as I read the label and saw "ghost pepper"...he was ok though. He's tough.)

We hit up the Espada aqueduct in San Antonio (since we missed it on our last trip there) before driving on home. The original plan was to stay another night, but we were beat and ready to sleep in our own bed. I love traveling just enough to miss home and not a moment longer - it was perfect. Greg is the perfect road buddy and I like to think I'm a pretty good copilot. I truly am the Chewbacca to his Han Solo. Seriously though, what a great (and fairly cheap!) trip. I'm finally adjusted to being back to my routine. I joked for days that I left my heart in the desert :) I'm so glad we went and that we have those kickass memories to share now.

Like Christmas Morning!

In the interest of keeping this journal from being too boring, I try to post when I actually have something to say that others might want to read instead of just using it as a brain dump. As a result, I haven't posted in awhile. But then again not posting is boring too. Oops! Some recent highlights: Summerfest was hot as fuck, my Austin trip with Alexa and Kathryn to see Foster the People was super fun, Greg's job hunting again and I'm looking forward to some kickass weekend plans to hold me over until some official time off at the end of July. So yeah, nothing earth-shattering has been going on, but I'm happy and things are good.

One thing (or several things actually) I can share that might be of interest to you: before Alexa and I drove to Austin, Greg asked if we were going to go to Austin Books and Comics. I scoffed and said "yeah right" but lo and behold we ended up there (and for quite awhile too!) along with Toy Joy and Waterloo records....basically the places we'd have gone if Greg had been with us. So naturally I was thinking of him and had to buy him a bunch of presents! Check them out.

Look at that thing! It's hideous and its arms spin around and I'm pretty sure it's possessed. I almost didn't buy it because I didn't want to look at it.

Also disgusting. We soaked it in a bowl of water and it's all big and soppy and strangely ridged and textured. I hate it.

This is Herbie the Fat Fury, a comic book character Greg likes. I thought it'd look good in the office with all of his other toys :) He doesn't really collect action figures anymore but I figured this was a good exception because it's so odd.

This record sucks. I got it for 50 cents. Look at that cover! They are holding carnations.

This record actually has some good songs but I bought it mainly for the cover. It's cute at first glance...but also kinda racist.

LOOK AT THIS FUCKING RECORD COVER. It's a Christian record where they tell stories and crap and it's terrifying.  I figured we could listen to it for kicks but I underestimated the creepiness of a super fundamentalist Christian lady ventriloquist talking with her "son" about the dangers of alcohol. Greg said "Whatever is going on here is really scary to me". He wasn't kidding - it was unnerving.

Check out the back! Don't you ever take your dummy golfing and make him pose for "family" portraits?

Anyway, my boyfriend is a weirdo OBVIOUSLY. And I guess I am too for buying him these awful, awful things.