High school rock stars

There’s a Cross Canadian Ragweed song that says, “You’re always 17 in your hometown.” And in a lot of ways, its true. I don’t know what it is about rolling into your hometown that slips you back into that mode. You remember your high school glories. Suddenly I find myself walking with that old swagger. I look around and, while many things have changed, I find a deep comfort in how much is still the same.

I’m in my hometown right now, working at the family business. The other day, I had to make a trip over to the pharmacy. I forgot to pack allergy pills and had to go grab myself a bottle to get through the change in climate and geography.

As I went to leave, I noticed a couple cars in the parking lot. Probably 7 or 8 high school aged kids were hanging out. I had my windows up so I couldn’t hear if they were jamming out to tunes or anything.  But I recognized that swagger in their step. I recognized the attitude in how they  leaned against the cars. This town is THEIR town right now. They are the keepers of the school’s spirit.

It made me smile. It made me actually shake my head to realize none of them were even in school when I was in their shoes. It didn’t make me feel old, as I thought it would. It just made me realize that time moves on, and they are where they are to be and I am where I am meant to be. I wouldn’t trade places with them for all the money in the world.

I may be in my  hometown… but I am most definitely not 17. And I am totally happy in that fact.

We finally had our first winter snow here in Nashville. Not much at my house:

But, its still pretty. Downtown was snowing pretty good when my husband and I went out last night. I’ve definitely lived here long enough that I’m not phased by it any more. A couple years ago, you wouldn’t get me out of the house if there was even a CHANCE of snow. Now? Eh. Now I watch the weather and gauge my freak-out need accordingly. This? This was not even a 1 on my freak-out scale.

It was nice to finally see some snow, though. Last year we had an exceptional amount of snow, and I don’t want THAT again. But, the snow is pretty and I was hoping I’d get to see some this winter. Now I have and it finally feels like winter to me. So that’s a yay.

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! Oh I know, its superstitious as being a day of bad luck. I’ve not really ever noticed anything exceptional about past Friday the 13ths. So, I just say, “Hey, cool, its Friday. Let the weekend begin!”

I did learn something already today, though. “friggatriskaidekaphobia – A morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th.” (From Skeptic’s Dictionary) That’s a really big word and should mean, “Fear of getting that word in a spelling bee.” But maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, don’t let the date freak you out. Enjoy the day! Happy Snow Day to any teachers and students who may be reading, ready to enjoy a 4 day weekend. Go back to bed and make the most of it! Maybe you can sleep… here’s hoping I can, too!

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Oh I looked at Facebook periodically. And I did get some postcards addressed to be mailed. But past that? Nothing. And it was wonderful!

I’ve been fighting the last bits of a cold I’ve had since before Thanksgiving. I’m past this sicky point, but I’m smack dab in that it-just-won’t-go-away-why-is-there-so-much-snot point. And blowing my nose has earned me a strained muscle and/or inflamed ribs on one side. It’s a big case of “Ow!” when I sneeze or blow my nose now. I ask people to hug me very gently right now!

But life doesn’t stop going at full speed for a lingering cold and sore ribs. So I’ve plugged along despite it all. I’ve needed a nothing night. No laundry. No dishes. No straightening here and there. No Christmas decorating. Just me, the TV, the recliner and periodic naps. Hubby is learning new music for a fill-in gig this weekend and he followed my lead. He’d practice awhile, then he’d nap. Back and forth.

Again: It. Was. Wonderful.

Rest is, in my opinion, the body’s best medicine for all things, but rest is always the first thing sacrificed for one thing or another. A Christmas wish for all my readers: An evening like I just had. An evening doing nothing but resting. Do it. You’re body will thank you.

Last month, it was busy downtown. I picked up a lot of nights in the bar — something that paid off really well, and I am SO grateful for that fact. It’s left me on a total vampire schedule (I just can’t flip flop like most people!), but its also left me feeling very satisfied with the feeling of hard work done well.

Now, though, my workload is completely different. I have a lot of stuff I need to handle for my parent’s business — research in products and stuff. I have a CD cover to design, like, yesterday. I have a friend looking to start a blog and wants me to help him with the design of it. I am trying to do NaNoWriMo. And I’m just looking to enjoy my birthday month and Thanksgiving!

BUSY! That is me.

And I plan to love every moment of it.

Growing up in Texas, Fall basically meant football season. The temperatures would go from sweltering to warm with the occasional chill in the wind. Past that, Fall = Football. Period.

Oh okay, it meant a bunch of birthdays, Halloween and Thanksgiving. And school pictures. But past that? Fall colors were what you saw only by cutting out construction paper leaves. You saw them in decorations bought at arts & crafts fairs. Or you saw them in magazines and on TV. But in Texas? It just goes summer leaves to no leaves at all in the blink of an eye. No magical color change.

Then I moved to Tennessee.

I still remember I had just recently moved here, and I was driving to our apartment from the store and I was struck by the colors all around me. I called my brother to squeal on his voicemail about how pretty it was. I don’t know why that memory remains with me, but it does.

Fall tends to not love me back. I get a yearly sinus infection, and I end up staring out the window at the pretty in misery. But it never stops me from still anticipating the season with glee.

My first visit to a "pumpkin patch" in 2006

Pumpkin patches to visit. Corn mazes to traverse.

There’s Pumpkin Spiced Lattes to drink.

Its time to get out warmer clothing.

And the colors… oh the colors! It starts with a little tinge of color in a tree here and a tree there. Then you start to notice all the trees are slowly changing from green to reds, yellows and oranges. The leaves that have already fallen crunch under your feet as you walk through the grass, and they speckle the drive way with their brilliant beauty.  Sometimes when the wind blows, they fall around you like glitter.

My husband and I like to go on drives through the country to look at all the colors. Those construction paper leaves of elementary school have nothing on the real thing! I stare out the window — be it my living room window or the passenger side window of our truck — in awe. Mesmerized by the changes this season brings.

We’ve had our first freeze warning of the year… though the extreme cold is short lived for now. We’ll be back in the 70s this weekend, just in time for a group trip to a corn maze where we’ll laugh and get lost among the cornstalks. A hayride will make us feel like kids again, and a cup of apple cider will warm the soul as much as the tummy.

Yes, Fall is definitely my favorite season of the year. And I plan to enjoy everything I can about it before winter gets its grip on the area.

I’ll share a little secret with you. I kind of love when it gets cold.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend in college. We had our first good “cold snap” in College Station, and we were sitting people watching before class began. Our class had probably about 100 people in it, so it was in a large auditorium style room. We always sat near the back just for the purpose of people watching (and the occasional nap during class). My friend (whose name escapes me this many years later) goes, “I love cold weather. People actually dress nice when its cold.”

That line has stuck with me all these years, because she was right. Gone are the skimpy tops, the ones that usually show off those random little problem areas that we all have. Gone are grungy shorts, and dirty toe nails sticking out of flip flops. They’re replaced with sweaters, jackets, jeans and boots. For the sheer necessity of warmth, people step up how they dress. Suddenly, the summer slouches are replaced with the winter snappies.

This was something my husband noticed before we left to go out to dinner and to take him to pick up the bus. Out of necessity, I pulled out my sweater box and pulled on a deep green turtle neck. Matched with the same jeans and boots I’d worn periodically through the last few months, it made the whole ensemble look much nicer! My husband commented how nice I looked, and I found myself repeating what my friend said so many years ago, “I love cold weather. People actually dress nice when its cold.”

The last several years, I’ve had one little tradition that I am sure my husband cringes at deep down. I love, love, love the Bouclé sweaters from Victoria’s Secret. Love. Like, if I could live in them all winter I would. But that would get very expensive. Nonetheless, every year I try to catch one on sale and order it. I noticed this year they have a sweaterdress that I would love to have, but won’t get because (1) I won’t pay that much and (2) if I bought it, I’d probably sleep in it. All the time.

I love sweaters! I also love layering. It’s the most brilliant thing ever. Stylish and functional. Warm but if you get too hot you just shed a couple layers. Then, ta da! Not so hot any more… but still stylish! And coats have pockets! My purse gets a lot lighter in the winter as my cell phone and keys pretty much just live in my jacket. I might even be guilty of wearing a jacket a little longer than necessary for this purpose alone.

Anyway, I’m seriously no fashion guru, but I do love winter fashions. Everyone steps up the fashion without even trying to look nicer… they just want to be warmer. It’s total win/win!

It’s cold snappy!

Something has had to give, though, and unfortunately its been my writing. And until I can remedy that completely, I ask you this:

What do you like on YOUR hot dog?

Chili cheese dog with mustard

]]> http://www.musicianswidow.com/blog/2011/10/14/hot-dog/feed/ 5 http://www.musicianswidow.com/blog/2011/10/04/it-was-just-50-cents/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=it-was-just-50-cents http://www.musicianswidow.com/blog/2011/10/04/it-was-just-50-cents/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:22:50 +0000 Denise http://www.musicianswidow.com/blog/?p=2642 If anyone noticed my post last week looking for technical help, you know I’ve been having some serious laptop woes. It seems to either be a driver issue or a bad CD drive. Either way, my month-and-a-half-old laptop seems to have decided to fail me.

My biggest frustration has lain with the company the laptop was purchased through. Visits to local stores *cough*Office Depot*cough* left me annoyed. Either no one knew what to do, or — in one visit — wouldn’t even look at the laptop at all. It was pretty much a big case of, “Oh well that stinks. Good luck with that.” I was poised to write a nasty blog post about the entire ordeal.

However, yesterday, corporate stepped in and made it all right. I’ll be returning this laptop (they’re coming to pick it up from me at my house!) and getting a whole new one. I’m thankful. Finally, an end to this whole ordeal is in sight.

So, I went to the closest store to me one more time… this time to look at the computer options once again, and to pick up an external hard drive. I’ve only needed one for… ohhh… ten years. But I never had the money or that final push to get one. Moving all my data again was my push, and I happened to have enough money left over from my Lightroom purchase.

After looking that laptops, I grabbed the card for the external drive that I wanted. I took it to the counter to check out. The drive, with a 2-year protection plan, and Tennessee’s high tax rate came out to $74.53. So I handed the girl $75 in cash. (Sidebar: there is something crazy-satisfying to be able to pay with cash.) She reaches in her own pocket… HER OWN POCKET… and pulled out 50 cents. She asked if I had 3 pennies, that way she could just give me $1 in change.

I was dumbfounded.

To her it was just 50 cents. To me, it was a sign of kindness I feel you never see any more. I think I thanked her a dozen times. I tucked the $1 in my wallet with one more thank you. I was, and am, amazed still.

I reviewed The Chocolate Diaries yesterday. One story in that book that stood out to me was one about the author’s friend who took to buying the car behind her’s Starbucks order. The little random act of kindness that made her feel good, and that hopefully gave the other car a smile.

I kind of felt like that happened to me today. It was just 50 cents…

…it was a priceless gesture.

My husband had some time off. Time off equates to not making money, which can often be a bummer. However, this recent time off was welcomed. It meant some serious reconnecting time, in the form of a Stay-cation. Exploring our own city. Going for a bike ride on our new bikes. A relaxing, romantic evening at Arrington Vineyards was perhaps the best part of it all, though.

A very special Opry. I always love going to the Opry, but George Jones’ 80th birthday was fantastic. Definitely goes down in my book as one of the coolest Opry nights I’ve ever been blessed to attend.

My parents came to visit. This is the reason for my latest hiatus. I opted to enjoy my time with my parents, while also balancing some extra nights working downtown. I seriously have the best parents ever, and I so enjoy every time they visit. We didn’t do too much while they were here, keeping it low key. And honestly? I loved that… just chilling with my parents. Who needs to run around all the time and end up exhausted? Relax. Enjoy. Live in the moment.

Texas A&M officially joining the SEC. I, for one, am excited. I’m a little nervous that we’ll struggle a few years against our new opponents, but I am so happy we’re facing the challenge. Sure, I’ll miss many of the rivalries of the Big 12. I hope we can schedule some of them non-conference… at least every few years! But I’m excited for this new venture. I’m excited to have my Aggies come to town. I’m excited to have games shown more locally. I’m excited to see my team on the local news. I’m just… excited!

All the good comes with a little bad. I’ve been fighting allergies for the last few weeks, and my new laptop is having issues. Fingers crossed a friend can fix the later tonight. The allergies… will just probably hang around another month.

September… you felt like a long month. But you were a good one. Here’s hoping October is a good one, too!

My favorite season… a season of leaves changing colors, cooler temperatures, pumpkins, corn mazes, football, Halloween, Thanksgiving, my birthday… I love Fall!

But you know what is one of my favorite things about Fall? The seasonal drinks.

There is a deep joy that comes from Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. It’s like your favorite blanket. Your favorite pair of fluffy socks. Your favorite book to read over and over again. It’s like the trumpet that plays announcing the arrival of the new season.

Around the same time that the Pumpkin Spice Latte comes back to the world, the seasonal beers return to taps. The Fall seasonals are by far my favorites. Sam Adams Octoberfest has been a long-time favorite. This year, I’ve been introduced to ShockTop Pumpkin Wheat, which just might trump my love of the Octoberfest.

As temperatures cool, I find myself reaching for a late night cup of coffee or a cup of hot chocolate. Both usually with a pinch of cinnamon. And might or might not stock up on pumpkin spice coffee creamer for a quick at-home fix.

Its no wonder I gain weight in the Fall with all these awesome drinks tempting me! What are your favorite fall drinks??