Images of (my) Christmas

Lights in Round Rock. These lights were synchronized with Christmas music.

With all the moving and chaos over the past few months, we decide on a nice relaxing evening; or in otherwords, we didn't plan anything. It was nice to not have the stress of decorating, buying or cooking for the holidays. One thing we did enjoy was the Christmas lights. I don't know what it is, but there's always something magical about driving around and viewing the Christmas lights. And Austin does not disappoint; there is even a list of the best lights in the city. Even though we only made it to a few of those on the list, I think we saw some great displays. My favorite was the house that synchronized their lights to Christmas music. Somehow they used a radio frequency so that cars driving past could hear the music on their radios while watching the lights. I appreciate how much time they put in for all us viewers. 

The tree at Zilker Park.

Now this is a flashy nativity.

The extent of our Christmas decorating. Maybe next year I'll do a tree.

It is finished

I have an overwhelming feeling to cry, yell or just pass out from stress (not sure which one to choose first). My final obstacle of writing my letter of intent is finished, with a few hours of the final day to spare. What a journey a 500-word essay can take me through. The past few years have led to my decision to go to graduate school. And over the past months I have been trying to explain my journey and why I want this so much. I'm hoping that my letter can convey my passion and conviction that teaching college is my path. I've written all I can, and now it is out in the universe floating on positive vibes.

Light up the night

For our second free event, we attended the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for its Luminations night. It was a chilly 40 degrees in Austin, but we figured since we're used to Utah winters, we could brave it :) When we arrived, there was a banjo band playing in the courtyard next to a clear spring pool, kids creating crafts and people following the luminaries towards an area with Christmas music. We decided to walk along the paths, where they had quite a few benches to sit and enjoy the evening. This is definitely a place to return to when it's spring and the flowers are blooming. As we left, we stopped at the Hey Cupcake! trailer to get one of their amazing cupcakes, which I intend to blog about in the future. It just so happened we were the last customers, so they gave us 4 for the price of 1!!! I would say that was a perfect way to end the evening.   

A cool walkway covered in vines.

Sitting on a large, wooden bench.

A pool of spring water.

Adrian and I above the walkway.

Luminaries lighting the path.

Getting more for less

Who knew saving money could be so exciting? While I've tried to use coupons and search out deals, it always seemed like a hassle that got in the way of relaxing and having fun. But while searching for a job, I have resolved to be more frugal with my money. Of course, I don't want to miss out on exploring the new city I've moved to. Luckily, through a job club, I found out about this amazing blog (definitely makes me appreciate bloggers even more) that highlights all FREE things to do and deals in Austin!!

Free Fun in Austin is my new go-to site for fun. While the site is specifically geared at families with children, a lot of the activities are for people of all ages. In addition to having a calendar of FREE stuff to do in Austin, they also point out restaurant and online coupons. I am just way excited!! They also filter in discounts from other sites like Groupon.com and Restaurant.com, which makes it a lot easier than checking tons of sites everyday for deals.

As our first activity from the blog, Adrian and I attended Christmas Tidings at the French Legation Museum. The museum is tucked away in a neighborhood just minutes from downtown; in fact, from the grounds there is an amazing view of the city. I learned that the main house is the oldest house in Austin (still extremely sturdy). It's a small museum but one with lots of history and beautiful grounds. Nowadays, the grounds can be rented for events and weddings (jot that down next to possible locations :). With this event a success, I'm already making plans for what free stuff I'll be doing for the rest of the weekend.    

Me enjoying the beautiful grounds.

This is the oldest house in Austin. Now, the veranda is used for weddings.

There is an amazing view of the city. This is just a small glimpse of the capitol.

S'mores in the Austin winter

It's winter!! For Austin that means the temperature has drifted down to 35 degrees — at night. No snow, but there is a frigid wind that makes people head indoors for something nice and warm. Sunday night, Adrian and I decided to head downtown and check out one of our new favorite coffee shops, Halcyon. I love the modern look and artsy vibe of this place; plus, on a previous trip I had noticed they had s'mores on the menu. Since we needed something to warm us up, s'mores seemed like the perfect option. They provide everything needed, even a mini-fire. We enjoyed the whole experience, and there were quite a few people in the coffee shop that did the same thing. This is definitely a unique activity that everyone in Austin should try at least once. I'm sure we'll enjoy this no-hassle s'more cookin' again, especially since I didn't have to worry about my hair or clothes reeking of campfire afterwards :)  

Just trying to get that nice golden coating.

Cookin up our marshmallows.

Adrian enjoyed his s'more.

The new apartment

Just some photos of the new apartment. Look at all the space I have to work with!! This may take a while to furnish.

Kitchen

Bathroom — I already decided on the color scheme

This will be living room/office

Walk-in-closet!! Room for everything & more

And, of course, a drawer full of makeup!

Starting to feel like home

So I have now been in Austin for over a month. Crazy!! It feels longer and shorter at the same time. Overall, very nice. I do feel like this is my new home, especially now that I have an apartment. I'm way excited to not be living in a hotel anymore. And the new place is about twice the size as my one in Salt Lake. Of course, since I don't have a lot of stuff, it's just empty space; But it's my empty space and I like it. I'll take some photos and post them.

As for what I've been doing. I'm am just about done writing my letter of intent (read about that dilemma) and applying to grad school. I've been exploring the city, which is quite awesome. There is so much good food. I want to call out some of them specifically later. There is such a variety. The people are also really nice. I've made some good connections with designer types.

Also, I love that the coldest its gotten during the day is 50, and 30 at night. Sorry to all my Utah friends who have had to fight the snow. I'm pretty grateful I got out just in time :)

Today ...

I have passion for ______________.

You know what's difficult? Writing. Yes, it may seem that I am writing right now, but not exactly. I'm talking about setting down my plans for the future, describing my passion and what I want to do with it. That kind of writing is difficult. The one thing standing in my way of filling out my application is me writing my letter of intent. I've started it but trying to decide what to focus on is difficult. 

I enjoy journalism, visual design, multimedia, magazines, news, teaching, mentoring, learning. I feel like when you decide to go to graduate school they want you to focus on one or two subjects. I've never been like that, hence the double major and minor in undergrad. Trying to focus my broad passion for journalism makes me want to scream. I want to be able to create my own area of expertise. Nowadays journalist are better off if they know how to write, design, take photos and edit.

Maybe that's what I need to focus on. Journalism should be more of a changing genre; the news is always changing. I don't see why I can't be an expert at everything :) Sure it's a lot of work, but I get bored if I focus on one thing for too long. I need to be expanding and learning. And if there's anything I've learned since being out of school, it's that our focuses change and what we thought we were going to do for the rest of our life isn't what we want to do anymore.

A few people may be lucky enough to know exactly what they want to do and go with it. I've always known I liked journalism, but the exact way I want to work in journalism has changed and so has the world of journalism. I'm sure I will attend grad school and hone my ideas even more. Until then, I have given myself the deadline of Nov. 15 to finish writing and send in my application. Wish me luck!  

On a new adventure

It's been a crazy week but, finally, I am out of Salt Lake City and on the road towards my new life. Since the drive to Austin is 24+ hours, Adrian and I decided to make it a vacation and spread the trip over three days. For Day 1, we visited Kolob Canyon and Zion National Park. I've lived in Utah for about 11 years and never made it to any of the parks in southern Utah. They are amazing!! Especially during this time of change, it's great to have an opportunity to go somewhere peaceful and just marvel at the wonderful works of nature.

The drive through Kolob Canyon only took about an hour; yet, it had some of the most amazing red rock formations I've ever seen. Around every turn ascending the canyon, the view continued to open up and expose more breathtaking views. I was definitely grateful that we didn't bypass this short, scenic drive.

With only a few more hours of daylight left in the day, we headed to the main part of Zions. Access to the majority of the park was limited to shuttles that went back and forth along the path. The shuttles were actually a very efficient way to see the main views of the park. We even had time to take a short hike up to the Weeping Rock. I wish I had more time to hike up to some of the other sites, especially the lakes. All in all, it was a great first day. Tomorrow, the Grand Canyon. 

Presenting Beautiful Kolob Canyon

Adrian and me in Kolob Canyon

Amazing Cliffs in Zions

Mini waterfall by the Weeping Rock

Take a dart and throw it at a map

Since I announced my move to Austin, one of the most popular questions is, "Why Austin?" Sure it seems random because I only announced it a few weeks ago, but this decision has been a long process. The timing of my move is quicker than I even thought; I wasn't planning on moving till next summer. But when everything is yelling at you it's time to move, you go.

At the beginning of this year, I made my decision to go to grad school; the first question was where. I was definitely wanting to leave Utah because I've been here for so long (11 years!!). Adrian first suggested Arizona because that's where his dad lives. Then we were looking at San Antonio. Then Austin. My family lived in Arizona for a year when I was younger and the only things I can remember are the intense heat and the fact that everyone had a pool; Arizona was not my first option. So I began to look into Texas.

I will admit that one of the main factors in deciding where to live was weather. I have lived the majority of my life in places with snow (Indiana and Utah). Winter to me equates to hibernation and cold. I loved going to California for Christmas and seeing lights on palm tress. When I went online and searched for the weather information on Texas cities, Austin was the most moderate. Sure there's the humidity and it does get fairly hot in summer, but very little, if any, snow. Winter is actually the nice, cool season!! I could go for that kind of a switch. Plus, compared to the other major Texas cities, Austin doesn't have many of those pesky natural disasters like hurricanes.

Once we decided on Austin and I looked into the University of Texas, I become excited. The university has a lot to offer: great professors in what I want to study, great resources, a progressive attitude towards journalism and diversity(!!). I'm excited to visit the school when I arrive in Austin. Hopefully everything will work and out and next year I will be attending as a grad student.

Other perks to Austin are the great community and social activities. Austin is known as one of the top spots for live music. Pretty much every night you can find a band playing somewhere. Plus there is a great downtown area, 6th Street, that they sometimes shut down for festivities. As for culturally, Austin has many museums, including the Blanton Museum, Mexic-Arte Museum and George Washtington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. I am extremely excited to be around more diversity and cultural activities.

The more I learn about Austin, the more excited I become. I'll be closer to a beach. Austin has bike trails, natural springs and a lake. Wow!! There is so much to do. My official moving date has been set for Oct. 25. In a week I will hop in my car, filled with all my belongings, and head off to my new adventure in Austin. And once I'm settled, anyone can come and visit. By that time, I'll be the perfect tour guide.

Up, Down and All Around

Wow. It's amazing how many different emotions you can go through in a day. From getting up and getting ready for the day to stress over living arrangements to coming up with solutions to having a great evening with friends. All that and it's still the middle of the week.

Wednesday brought more ups and downs. The room we thought we were renting in Austin ended up not working out; probably for the best since the lady kept going back and forth. But now we are back looking for apartments. No stress like more stress. The minute I found out, I went into solution mode. I went back online, searching through Craigslist and other apartment sites. I sent out emails and am hoping some of them work out. If not, I do have a back up plan. No matter what, we're moving to Austin and nobody is going to stop us!

I was so glad my friend Oscar had his birthday on Wednesday because it was the perfect excuse to go out to eat and enjoy the company of friends. Sometimes socializing helps to get away from all the troubles. Plus I always enjoy an excuse to dress up. Happy Birthday Oscar and thanks for being born!!

Oscar and me

Adrian and me not thinking about anything serious

GRE here I come!!

In addition to moving to Austin in the next few weeks, I am also, finally, finishing my application and taking the GRE for grad school. Friday, Oct. 22 at 12:30 p.m. I will be taking the test that determines my future (well, not totally but right now it feels like that). One good thing about not having a steady job is the time I have had to study. I bought the study books (Princeton Review, Cracking the GRE and the ETS study book) back in April and tried to study around my two jobs, but I never gave it enough time. Since last week I have studied every day during the week (I have to give my brain the weekends off). It has been invigorating and difficult.

I have always been strong in English, so the book has given me good test strategy tips. It also makes me realize how I need to continue to expand my vocabulary; perhaps I need one of those word-a-day calendars. Reading has always been fun for me, and I can feel my brain getting excited about the learning. The verbal part I am ready for.

Now, Math, on the other hand, makes me feel like I'm going back to middle school. The only math I took in college was basic statistics and, nowadays, I pull out my phone calculator anytime I need to do basic math. I think it took me the majority of last week to get my brain reacquainted with numbers. Luckily, one day it did, so I'm feeling a little bit better. Though today and tomorrow I begin relearning Geometry. Wish me luck.

Since I made the date I am on deadline, which is a familiar situation. This is when I work my best and when my endorphins kick in; I'm counting on it. So even though the problems may seem enigmatic and my understanding ephemeral, I am intransigent on doing my best. And I am sure my work will be redoubtable.     

And now for the bad news

Apparently with good news there also has to be some bad. Adrian's temp job that he was supposed to have for the rest of the month has ended (oh, Utah and it's crazy right-to-workness). It brings up money issues again. We're both trying to work temp jobs till we leave but, obviously, they are unreliable. It just overall sucks because it's money that we needed and were halfway depending on. More stress to add to the pile. I wish that we could head to Austin now and start looking for jobs. I've heard that right now Austin is one of the top places to find jobs. We've already been browsing online and it seems to be true. This situation of job or no job seems to have been a constant in Utah for the past few years. I'm not going too crazy about it because we've been here before and somehow gotten through it. Sometimes you just wish you could fast forward to a solution; the solution being moving. Right now we just have to continue on our schedule and be extra tight with money; and hope that tomorrow brings another job.

And for a little pick me up, here's a video with a perfect message for anytime you're feeling down or going through something.

A place to call home (for a couple months)

Good news!! We will have a place to stay in Austin for November and December. It's not in the price range we wanted for a room, but at least I know it will be nice. We will be renting a room from a lady named Cyndi (who is a friend of a daughter of an artist who Adrian's dad knows). One nice thing is she has an Italian Greyhound, which is the breed of dog that I want.

It will be nice to be around pets and living in a house. I'm a little apprehensive about living with someone I don't know (I never really had that feeling with college roommates; I must be getting old). I think it's just the whole stress of a new situation. At least this one decision is made and I can focus on other things.

Movin' on up (or actually, down South)

My prior attempt at blogging didn't quite work out. It was helpful for me, but I didn't blog often. My goal is to remedy that with a new blog that is more general about the going ons of my life. And this is the perfect time since I will be moving to Austin in 3 weeks from Salt Lake City.

No, I have never visited Austin. No, I do not have a job there. No, I do not have family or close friends there. It is a completely new experience, one I'm glad I'm sharing with my boyfriend, Adrian. It is a daunting task to up and move to a new place, so I'm glad Adrian will be with me. Already, the stressful decisions have begun.

Currently our apartment is almost bare. A few weeks ago I sold off all the large furniture, except for the bed. Last week we had quite a successful yard sale, and then took all the remaining stuff to charity. Towards the end of the month, I'll begin boxing up what remaining things we have. The rule is that we can only take what will fit in the car or in a few boxes to ship. So with all that taken care of, the biggest stress is housing.

It is quite difficult to pick a place to live when you have no idea about the area. I've talked to people who live in Austin or have lived there and tried to get as much information as I could. Online I've searched through so many apartment sites and talked to realtors. I'm finding out about differences in deposits, fees, utilities and amenities. And it seems the more I learn, the more confused I become. There are so many options and I feel like I'm missing the crucial key to understanding them. We would like to stay with someone for a few months before we sign a long-term contract so that we can have time to explore the city, but that's still up in the air. Right now I'm throwing out lines and hoping something catches. So, basically, I end with a prayer that we won't be living in our car when we arrive in Austin.