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Austin

Please Support the Austin Zoo and Sanctuary After Recent Robbery

Austin Zoo and Sanctuary

Babe, a former 4H project and survivor of the slaughterhouse 

When I first moved to Austin, an ignorant fool told me that the city had a zoo, but all it boasted were “some goats you can feed.” This equally ignorant fool believed the unfactual statement, thought that feeding goats couldn’t possibly be fun (oh boy, was I wrong!) and never bothered to look into the Austin Zoo. I wasn’t that much into zoos anyways; I love animals and zoos just seem like a depressing purgatory.

Austin Zoo and Sanctuary

Luckily, a co-worker recently explained to me that the Austin Zoo is actually a sanctuary and that it had an impressive array of animals such as bears, primates, big cats, kangaroos, pigs, birds, tortoises and yes, goats- beautiful, wonderful goats– almost entirely rescued from dire situations.

This piqued my interest immensely, and we found ourselves at the zoo over the 4th of July weekend.

First of all, if you haven’t been there yet, GO!

Don’t be an ignorant fool like me. You do not need offspring to (more…)

July 7, 2014 by
Austin

Reasons Why Austin is the Best Place Ever

austin, tx

I stopped reading Vice last year after I spotted an article titled “The Woman Who Trains Dogs to Have Sex with Humans” on my Facebook feed, so I haven’t actually read the infamous “Reasons Why Austin is the Worst Place Ever” article that wafted through the Internet last week.

I did, however, read many of the responses to the article and saw that people were quite upset by it. And understandably so. Even though I’m sure the article was pure clickbait, it’s always difficult to hear someone trash your hometown or the town you choose to call home.

As much as I don’t care for the city I grew up in (a small town in Central New York), it is my home and I get upset when anyone takes a giant, stinkin’ crap on it (which happens often). It’s where my family is from and where they chose to raise me.

No town is perfect, and Austin is certainly far from perfect.

I’m not blinded by the shining self-love that emits from this city, nor do I wear rose-colored glasses to shield it.

I’m not (more…)

July 1, 2014 by
Travel

Stories of Strangers on the Train: The Veteran

train stories

I met a lot of people on my recent 96-hour train trip.

I shared a story about the old man who looked like the main character in Up. He was traveling to Chicago from San Antonio, heartbroken after arriving the day after his sister had passed away. He was tiny and had an infectious giggle. Though sad, you can tell he is a man who loved his family and life.

The next story I’m about to share is of a man on the opposite side of the spectrum.

Today’s post is about the American vet with post-traumatic stress disorder. Or the drunk who just got out of prison.

Some of you who may follow my Facebook page have already heard this story, but I’d like to share it in more detail here.

_______

A man gets on the train at 5AM.

He’s drunk.

He’s loud.

He can’t sleep. In fact, he hasn’t slept in days.

He looks down at my sleeping body and wakes me up to say, “Hey, Girl. What’s up?”

I mumble that I’m sleeping, and he takes the cue to leave me alone. For now.

As I drift in (more…)

June 26, 2014 by
Travel

Stories of Strangers on the Train: The Old Man

stories from the train

Last week, I took a 48-hour train trip from Austin to New York. Some of you have been following my adventures on social media (thanks for coming along for the ride!), but I wanted to share some more stories on my blog from the tracks. Amtrak didn’t pick me for their Amtrak Residency, so I decided to make my own.

When I boarded the train in Austin, my eye immediately noticed an elderly man that looked like the lovable character in Up. He was so tiny, with his pants up above his waist, and he wore oversized horn-rimmed glasses. He sat in silence by himself and stared out the window, lost in thought. One could only imagine what was going through his mind as he watched the Midwest glide before him. I wanted to talk to him, and I smiled each time he passed me, but I was too afraid to make conversation. I took a photo of him with the caption, “I want to know his story,” and I truly did want to know. What was he thinking?  What did each line on his face represent? Friends online invented (more…)

June 18, 2014 by
Austin

Big Ol’ Divorce Yard Sale!

Yesterday I came across this sign near my house:

divorce yard sale austin

I took a photo of it on Instagram and it got a lot of shares and comments. Who doesn’t appreciate a sense of humor when it comes to tragedy?

I discovered that the creator of the flyer is a man who goes by the name America Y’All.

From the American Y’all website: “America Y’all was started as a way to inspire others and most importantly ourselves to get up and get out. We made it our mission to explore the land around us, all the while documenting our experience. What started as a husband and wife rambling’ through this beautiful country is now just the journal of one. Young love, magical moments in awe-inspiring places, and now divorce and its effect on a footloose soul. Start from the beginning or jump in now; the focus of American Y’all is in a transition period, but I hope you’ll follow along.” 

He has a snazzy Instagram feed. You can learn more about him at his website and even buy yourself a “America Y’All // Live Free” shirt.

Rock (more…)

June 9, 2014 by
Writing

Do You Feel Sad When People Don’t Hit ‘Like’ on Your Posts? That’s Normal.

Alone in a Crowd

source here

I told myself that the second I was no longer a poor, starving artist, I would order a subscription to the New York Times Weekender.

At 30 years of age, I can proudly say that I’m no longer poor or starving, and I guess the artist part could be argued as well.

However, once you’ve been a poor and starving artist, you figure that you can just as easily end up back there, and you have difficulty justifying expenses like haircuts.

Because I now get the Sunday edition of the Times, you’re going to see posts from me that often start with “I read this New York Times article recently…”

It’s annoying, I know, but bear with me. I had a fairly low SAT score, so I like to sound smart.

I read this New York Times article recently called “For the Love of Being Liked.”

In it, the male author explains how he proudly shared a pro-feminism photo and was completely dismayed when no one hit ‘like’ on his social media channels. His wife, who has a larger following, shared (more…)

June 4, 2014 by
Travel

Hipster Travel: Sunken City, the Neighborhood That Fell Into the Ocean

IMG_0470

Last weekend, I jumped in my car and drove to LA, like a goddamn fool.

I’ve been a huge pussy about flying and after crying like a little bitch about whether or not I should buy a last minute flight or make the 42-hour roundtrip car ride to LA, I decided to toughen up, throw some clothing, snacks and water in the car and head West.

I forgot how invigorating, then mind-numbing and then ass-hurting the drive to Los Angeles is. There is nothing quite like driving through the American Southwest. It is full of wondrous nature, breathtaking landscapes, terrifying truck drivers and even more terrifying rest stops with fluorescent lighting that makes you feel like the bimbo blonde wandering aimlessly in an 80s horror film. If you can survive the sleep-deprived truckers, the rest areas of night terrors and the monotony of the drive, then you feel like an American bad-ass after completing the trip.

The reason why I drove to LA is because my Dad lives out there (and I used to live there). (more…)

June 3, 2014 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

Do You Have Anxiety? You’re Not Alone, Child

anxiety

 

source: The New Yorker

I often write about my anxiety on this blog.

Maybe you’re sick of reading it, or maybe you can relate. Maybe you’re a hypochondriac like me. If you are, share a soothing comment down below; it’s nice to know I’m not the only nerveball out there.

My anxiety has been ragin’ strong over the past year, and I’m not sure at what point I will finally recognize it’s an issue.

Last night, I was afraid to go to sleep because I thought I wouldn’t wake up. That probably should have tipped me off as a problem, but it didn’t.

Going to the doctor’s office last week because I had a 99.3 temperature and diarrhea and having the nurse tell me that I’ve voluntarily been to their office eight times in six months should have sent off a warning signal in my brain.

But it hasn’t.

I just continue to let my fears and anxieties consume me like a person with tape worm at a buffet. It can put me in a bad mood and sometimes it makes me not want to get out of bed.

There (more…)

May 15, 2014 by
Austin, Travel

I Think We Created a New Fashion Trend: Formal Tubing Wear

New Braunfels river tubing

This weekend, we celebrated my boyfriend’s half birthday.

I had a written the story as to why we celebrated his birthday in May instead of on his actual birthday in November, but when I read this post to him, he said, “You don’t have to put EVERYTHING on the Internet.” And because I don’t want him to break up with me, I decided to not tell the story. I love you, Geoff. Please don’t break up with me.

Because we celebrated Geoff’s birthday in May, it enabled us to do one of his favorite activities in the world: tubing. However, his tubing birthday extravaganza had one stipulation: everyone must wear formal wear.

This is why I love my boyfriend. He’s weird as shit. I thought I was weird, but he takes the weirdo cake and devours it whole. You’re awesome, Geoff. Please don’t break up with me.

We rented a house in New Braunfels for the weekend that could fit 12 of us, and we ended up renting a mansion right on New Braunfel’s main drag (and within walking distance to the Comal River (more…)

May 13, 2014 by
Fashion/Design, Hipstercrite Life

For the Two Women in My Life

I grew up with a single mother.

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Across the street from us, my grandmother.

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These two women helped shape who I am.

They are not perfect women, but no woman is perfect.

As they age, their imperfections amplify.

And they are aging.

I can’t stop that.

I hear it in their voices.

I see it on their faces.

The two women, the two imperfect women who made sure that I led a life different from their own, are not ageless.

They’re imperfect and they’re aging.

These were two traits unfamiliar to me as a child.

Neither woman could own either characteristic.

Both women were my world.

And they continue to be, though the dynamic has changed.

It changed sometime when I was not looking.

These two imperfect women are not indestructible.

And I can’t stop that.

If I could, I’d take all their emotional or physical ache, their moments of loneliness, their times of frustration, their seconds of confusion and seal it in a box, sending it out to sea.

I (more…)

May 8, 2014 by