The beginning?

I've been inspired to write a blog! Mostly from other people who keep blogs, but also from a variety of other random places. The book Brownsville by Oscar Casares (who is a professor at UT) was recommended to me by a girl I used to work with, who took Dr. Casares's class and who knew my love of Brownsville. SHAMELESS PLUG: The book (and city) are fantastic. Anyway, one of the short stories in Brownsville is about this dude who keeps a little book of simple little things that he does each day. I think that's a fantastic idea, especially since my memory sucks, and I usually can't remember what I ate the day before. Just kidding, I always remember food. More like, I can't remember when I last got my tires rotated or when I saw the dentist, or whatever.

Anyway, the main reason I want to start a blog is this: I may not be the deepest, most enlightened, most interesting person of all time, but my life is freaking awesome. Awesome things happen to me. Not big awesome things, like winning contests or getting promoted. Little mundane things bring me so much joy, except these don't always stick in my brain like I want them to. This is my attempt to remember little things, like conversations, jokes, recipes, suggestions, whatever, that have unexpectedly brought me joy.

For instance, today Scott and I went to go see this exhibit at the galleria featuring art.... made with red bull cans. The contributions included a family of armadillos, a dress/headdress, a dog and fire hydrant, a statue of liberty doing a judo kick move, an airplane, and all sorts of other stuff... made from red bull cans. It was SWEET! Check it out here!

A variety of awesome things happened today in mass, for example. First, during the homily, the priest referenced a Peanuts cartoon that had Charlie Brown all bundled up to go play in the snow, but then he couldn't fit through the door, leaving Charlie Brown sad and frustrated. The priest then compared that to our lives: we get so ready to go follow God, but we are so bogged down with material things and other stuff that we can't fit through that metaphorical door. I thought that was pretty cool.

So that part of the homily took about 5 minutes. So the priest sat down and everyone was like "AWESOME." Or at least, I was. But then the deacon came up to the pulpit and starting asking everyone to get to mass on time. I thought... "seriously? a lecture?" But then this family of 5 came in at that exact moment (a good 30 minutes into mass) and made everyone in my row move over. Irony. I laughed. Awesome.

Behind me sat this cute little family: a mom, dad, a little boy about 8 years old, and a little girl, maybe 6. Immediately after the closing hymn is over, this conversation happens:

Boy: Dad, can we pleaaaaaaaaaaaase go to Souper Salad? Pleaaaaaaaaaaaase?
(I laugh, what little boy ever wants to go to Souper Salad?)
Dad: No, son, not this time.
Boy: Dad, pleaaaaaaaaaaaaase?
Dad: No, no, no. If you keep asking, I'll sing that song I made up last time. Remember?
Girl: Can we have pancakes?
Boy: I want Souper Salad! Dad, can we please go?
Dad: Do you want me to sing that song I made up last time we were there?
Mom: Kids, let's go before your father starts singing.

I was cracking up the whole time. What an adorable awesome family. I wonder what the song was about.

Also, Diana told me she fell asleep in the library and drooled everywhere.

Yay!