Bethinks

NEW BLOG HOME

2010-03-09T21:21:00.001-06:00

Hola Senors & Senoritas! I'm blogging on my new website now: www.bethminer.com

Hope you'll follow me!

Get in my belly...

2009-10-09T14:15:00.003-05:00

I did NOT have cookies for breakfast. Unless I did.

MIA...

2009-10-02T09:32:00.003-05:00

I'm going to start blogging again soon, I swear to sweet baby jebus. I've just had the most hectic 6 months of my entire life! But changes are happening and it's time to share my stories and post funny videos of cats sneezing and more of my bad food photography. That's what I'm here for. :)

Making an entrance...

2009-07-22T22:12:00.001-05:00

I can't even tell you how much this pleases me! I teared up watching it...makes me want to get married all over again. :)

Hello Neighbor...

2009-07-20T10:15:00.001-05:00

“What makes the difference between wishing and realizing our wishes? Lots of things, and it may take months or years for wish to come true, but it's far more likely to happen when you care so much about a wish that you'll do all you can to make it happen.”

-Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers' Neighborhood)

Here I go...

2009-07-13T21:14:00.003-05:00

We are moving to Nashville sometime next year.

I'm so luckily married to a boy who whole-heartedly believes that success will come once you're good enough. That if you work at your craft, constantly learning and improving, eventually people will be drawn to you instead of always searching for anyone that gives a damn. That thought process can either discourage or inspire. I'm embracing it. I've been really out of touch with people lately because I'm trying to put all my energy into preparing for Nashville. It's a city where people go when they figure out they're too good to chase their dreams in a small town. I don't know if that applies to me yet, but I feel like I need to be around other people that want the same things I do. A little healthy competition, a little camaraderie, other artists that understand this sometimes helpless feeling.

I know I have to be ready, because once we move, my chances will be better to run into someone who can do something with my little ditties. I have to be at the top of my game with my singing, my writing, my look, everything.

After we work a full day at the office, I've been coming home and studying songwriting books, listening to mentoring sessions, getting to know who the writers are in Nashtown, and actually attempting to craft better songs than I've ever written. Catchier hooklines, better melodies, clearer lyrics. Staying up until midnight lost in my thoughts and big dreams. I'm determined to be really proud of the tunes I pack with me when we move on down the road. I think people will actually like me, as a singer, better with these new demos. Even though I've been writing them with the intent of getting them published for other artists to record. I just think they're better songs overall, which makes me a stronger artist.

I'm scared. I'm excited. I get misty every time I think about it. Is it possible to cry a blend of frightened and happy tears?

A little pat on the back...

2009-07-09T22:08:00.005-05:00

I received this message after my last newsletter went out:

Bethy,

Your updates are always so welcome. THANKS!
We had the privilege of hearing you & Cute Carl at the Ventana del Sol, before your website was up! You are such a sweet & TALENTED couple. Keep your brand....don't let managers or 'friends' push you into a realm that is not you.

I regret that I don't remember meeting this woman, but what a thoughtful note to send!! Because of her, I shall continue wearing pink. :)

XO marks the spot...

2009-07-03T23:23:00.003-05:00

Today, Carl and I reached a whole new level of closeness. I didn't think it was even possible, but our bodies and souls are more in touch now than ever before...

We are both growing a giant pimple in the same spot on our respective foreheads.

That is what real love does to you.

Do/Don't...

2009-07-01T22:05:00.003-05:00

After I posted an observation on Facebook last week, a girl suggested that I blog about my suggested Do's and Do Not's. Well, okay then...

DO LAUGH OUT LOUD
A gal that works in the office next to ours told me recently that she just hears me laughing all day long. I didn't know what to say to that at first. I was afraid she was going to say I have an offensive, brash cackle, but instead she said she likes listening to it. :) I hope all of my wrinkles come from merriment!

DON'T BALANCE TACOS ON YOUR COUCH
I learned this the hard way. A plate of tacos and salsa was sitting on the arm of our big red couch, when it was lured into the crevices. Being naive, as tacos often are, it fell head over heels for the couch's empty promises.

Dino-might...

2009-06-26T22:22:00.003-05:00

My Little Sister asked if we could do one of our outings with her brother, "Tito". What sweet kids! They actually say please and thank you for things and really appreciate simple joys, like a good meal. Tito asked if we could go to a dinosaur museum, which I thought was so cute. :) Little boys are made of skipping stones and dinosaur bones!

These Are Holy Jeans...

2009-06-25T00:03:00.002-05:00

I was at a concert the other night when a woman decided to block my view with this:

This is troubling, you guys! It would be one thing if she showed signs of just escaping a knife fight or narrowly avoiding a weedeater to the femur. But, no. She looked perfectly at ease and content with the redneck air conditioning method known as ripped jeans. I think it's more the placement than anything that I have trouble accepting...

CONTEST CLOSED...

2009-06-21T18:09:00.002-05:00

My t-shirt/CD giveaway is complete! Thank you so much for the responses. :) I'll be contacting the winners via email, but here are some of the "favorite words" that I received:

Wicked, Smile, Sweet, Shootamonkey, Grateful, Shake, Stunning, Serenity, Fascinating, Swanky, and Vajajay. :)

Well done, my friends!!

Video killed the radio star...

2009-06-17T21:33:00.003-05:00

Good thing I'm not a radio star. :) Here are some video clips from my Colorado photo shoot extravaganza with Lynsey Peterson. Videography by Eric Paton. I know I blink a lot and make some "interesting" fashion choices, but I hope you can still enjoy all the jive!

Sway/Beth Miner Photo Shoot from Lynsey Peterson on Vimeo.

The Nap Song/Beth Miner Photo shoot from Lynsey Peterson on Vimeo.

Wild Blue/Beth Miner photo shoot from Lynsey Peterson on Vimeo.

Vote for your favorite! (pink dress shots)

2009-06-13T10:40:00.005-05:00

I'm working my RubyPearl dress & Donna Lee Jewelry in these:

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www.lynseypeterson.com

Vote for your favorite! (field shots)

2009-06-13T10:34:00.005-05:00

Working my Shimmer & Bliss in these:

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Vote for your favorite! (street shots)

2009-06-12T23:52:00.003-05:00

Working my Boy Scout shirt from Buffalo Exchange in these:

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Please vote for your favorite! (horse shots)

2009-06-12T22:30:00.006-05:00

Working Lynsey's scarf in these:

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lynseypeterson.com

Bill Cosby is Awesome...

2009-06-07T19:00:00.001-05:00

Nashvegas...

2009-06-04T12:40:00.001-05:00

Nashville is calling to me...signs all around.

Little Miss Sunshine...

2009-05-31T22:33:00.002-05:00

Gotta love Youtube freeze-frames!!! I always feel SUPER attractive. ;)

I JUST WANNA BE HAPPY
TO HEAR PEOPLE LAUGHING
AND NOT HAVE TO FAKE A SMILE

I JUST WANNA BE HAPPY
DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M ASKING
TOO MUCH FROM THE BRIGHT SIDE

THE SUN NEVER SHINES UNLESS
YOU OPEN YOUR EYES TO IT
I'M OUT TO FIND LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

I BELIEVE I CAN FIND HER
SHE NEEDS A REMINDER
NO ONE CAN PRESS REWIND

LEARN TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT
KNOW THAT YOU OWN IT
LIFE IS A STATE OF MIND

STEP OUTSIDE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WORLD
HERE SHE COMES, IT'S A BRAVE NEW GIRL

Written by Beth Miner, Sweetestday Music Publishing (ASCAP)
www.bethminer.com

Beyonce at Burger King...

2009-05-29T16:41:00.002-05:00

Pretty Miss Zion posted this on FB. I always run into Zion random places, it's very strange. But I've never seen her at Burger King.

Senorita Boyle...

2009-05-28T16:13:00.001-05:00

John Pointer posted this on Facebook:

Her singing sounds so much better than I remember it...

Things that make you go hmmm...

2009-05-27T21:24:00.003-05:00

We saw this outside my favorite little bistro:

I mean, if you're gonna do graffiti, you might as well do something totally badass....like a corn dog?

Fishbook...

2009-05-26T23:25:00.003-05:00

Awkward Family Photos...

2009-05-25T09:06:00.001-05:00

From Lynsey, by way of Melodee? Which came first - the chicken or the egg? I'm just glad this found its way to me:

www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com

Enjoy!!

Good Taste...

2009-05-25T08:39:00.002-05:00

We've been anxiously awaiting Sandra Bullock's new cafe over the last few months! It's right down the street from our office and is full of charm, even doubling as a flower shop. I love the name and tagline:

Walton's Fancy & Staple
Perishable, Cherishable, Fetishable

Carl stopped in on their opening day and asked who did their branding, because it's impeccable, and one of the designers was there! She said that Sandra Bullock actually sat in on all the meetings and had sketches and swatches of everything she wanted. She obviously has an eye for good taste.

I'm a Facebook "fan" of our Austin Whole Foods and they posted a free event that we decided to attend. It was called the "Sonoma Stroll" and they invited wine makers from the Sonoma Valley in CA to set up and serve samples of their wares. We ran into our good friends, Eddie & Krista Blakley and their son, Lance, when we arrived, so we got to do the whole tour as a group! Then we dined on the rooftop while the sun set. Dreamy...

Nominee for Best Day Ever...

2009-05-21T23:08:00.004-05:00

Last Friday, I somehow ended up having a day that shall go down in history! Ok, maybe not, but it was pretty badass.

I took my Donna Lee McBride out to her Bday lunch, where aside from me having vampire skin next to hers, we were presented with a squeeze bottle of butter at our table.

Then we went to Matt McCloskey's CD Release Party - go download his record for free!! A couple hours into the shindig, Matt's wife decided that champagne was in order for such a momentous occasion, so he headed down to the gas station for a $6.99 bottle. That's how rock stars get girls pregnant.

Carl & I tried to position these CD's where they count, but mine ended up a little lopsided. I assure you what's underneath is NOT! :)

We got a surprise booty call from Jim Frinzi later that night. He and his family were down at the Broken Spoke. Having never been to such a legendary and equally classy venue, we decided that sleep could be our bitch. When we got there, we paid the doorman who had the equivalent of two teeth, then headed over to their table, which was in a prime location - right next to the "sweat fan"!!!

Ralf, Jane, Me, Carl, Jim, Kiran along with Willie Nelson (seated):

Butter, Cheap Champagne, and Sweat Fan = POTENTIAL BEST DAY EVER!!!

Growing Up...

2009-05-21T22:39:00.005-05:00

I went on a field trip with my Little Sister, Gabby, and some of her schoolmates. We learned all about organic farming and prepped a wheelbarrow of onions for the Farmer's Market! I smelled incredibly delicious after that.

There was one little white girl there who didn't even realize it. She talked like she was from the rough side of LA and I truly believed she would cut me if she found out I was wearing the wrong color undies. But since I'm uber street smart, I just avoided eye contact and kept my mace cocked, locked, and ready to rock. The street WILL NOT claim another life!!!!!!! :)

After nagging him the delightfully perfect amount, Carl took a picture for me with his Little Brother, Vicente! I have the feeling Mr. Miner will be looking UP to V-dawg pretty soon. :)

Be beautiful...

2009-05-18T12:45:00.002-05:00

I stole this from the Shimmer & Bliss blog! LOVE it!

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” ~Audrey Hepburn

Listen to Be Beautiful

Fly the friendly skies...

2009-05-16T14:21:00.002-05:00

From Peter, one of my new Youtube subscribers:

What's with the 'do?

2009-05-14T22:40:00.004-05:00

Is that a bird's nest on the back of her head? I guess "business up front, party in the back" isn't just for mullets anymore.

Ready for this jelly...

2009-05-13T22:50:00.004-05:00

Our awesome friend, Ben, has been promising to send me this picture for a couple months and it finally arrived in my inbox today! So worth the wait, don't you think?

I just don't know what I would do with something so prime and juicy that could double as a shelf. Perhaps I'd have a tea party.

Spoon...

2009-05-13T00:15:00.002-05:00

Spooning is one of my very favorite things. Along with writing silly lyrics. Lucky me! I combined both into one song:

I HAVE BECOME QUITE A VICTIM TO LOVE
I'D SHARE MY MITTENS IF YOU LOST YOUR GLOVES
WISH THAT MY BICYCLE WAS MADE FOR TWO
IF I WERE A HANGING CHAD, I WOULD BE HOLDING TO YOU

I'D LIKE TO BE YOUR MRS
GIVE YOU SLOPPY KISSES
IF WE WERE SILVERWARE
THEN EVERYWHERE
WE'D SPOON

YOU ARE THE REASON THAT I CLEAN THE JOHN
JUST TO IMPRESS YOU I PUT MAKEUP ON
YOU ARE THE HANDSOMEST BOY IN A CROWD
WHO SWEPT ME AWAY ON A DREAMBOAT TO POPSICLE-TOWN

I'D LIKE TO BE YOUR MRS
MAKE YOUR MEALS NUTRITIOUS
IF WE WERE SILVERWARE
THEN EVERYWHERE
WE'D SPOON

WE FIT SO GOOD TOGETHER, SO GOOD FOREVER

I'D LIKE TO BE YOUR MRS
I WILL DO YOUR DISHES
IF WE WERE SILVERWARE
THEN EVERYWHERE
WE'D SPOON

Written by BMiner, Sweetestday Music Publishing (ASCAP)
www.bethminer.com

For my Creative Compadres...

2009-05-11T22:43:00.001-05:00

This blog has been inspiring the snot out of me:

http://greenweddingshoes.blogspot.com/

Lovely Ladies Night...

2009-05-10T20:33:00.002-05:00

The Satellite Bistro didn't know what hit 'em last night when some luscious lasses in my life entered their dining district! These women are beautiful on the inside & out and I enjoyed having some girl time. :)

Shorty got low...

2009-05-10T00:49:00.002-05:00

My girl, Cori, posted this on Facebook and it had me laughing out loud, though I typically refuse to type LOL.

Dance moves that rock! @ Yahoo! Video

Let's go rollin' on the river of love...

2009-05-09T13:23:00.003-05:00

I got to go kayaking with my Little Sis and a bunch of other kiddos the other day! I couldn't believe how peaceful it was out on Lady Bird Lake. We even rowed along the shore and met some turtles and swans, then on the way back to the dock, there was a string band on a floating platform playing music to everybody drifting by. Magic!

Serving...

2009-05-06T10:00:00.003-05:00

Carl & I went to a Volunteer Appreciation event for CIS. We met some intriguing citizens - one who seemed to be using the event as a networking opportunity as he immediately handed out business cards to every person who made eye contact. Another guy explained in detail how a box of hair glue ended up stuck in his tree. :) You can't make this stuff up!

This lady is kind of a big deal, but I don't recall her name or title. I do remember that she served me cake:

I was suprised to see someone I actually knew! This is the sweet Alison Carmel:

They also served us a new product that I've been seeing at Whole Foods, called "coconut water". Carl described it this way; you know when you're done with a glass of milk and the glass is still slightly coated, but then you fill it up with water? That's how it tasted. :)

Worst Album Covers Ever?

2009-05-05T23:28:00.001-05:00

My 8-legged friend...

2009-05-05T11:07:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I was working from home when I saw something move on the floor. It was one of those big, brown, ugly jumping spiders. It's been a few years since I've seen one. I don't think Texas has them, so we must've brought it home from our trip, maybe in the suitcase or an instrument case.

I leaped up, but it was moving fast, so I looked around the room for something to hit him with (RIP). There was nothing within arms reach, so I turned on the kitchen faucet and used the sprayer on the living room floor.

Unfortunately, that just gave him a shower and he kept on running, so I grabbed a bottle of bathroom cleaner and started dousing him with that while he was on Carl's shoe. He then gave up and let me put him out of his misery.

Carl was amused by the 3' x 3' wet spot in our living room as well as the spider guts on the floor, which I left there in fear that he was just playing dead.

I do NOT miss all of the arachnids in the NW!

Best Gig Ever...

2009-05-04T22:31:00.002-05:00

I had forgotten about this prank until Lynsey suggested something that reminded me. I wish someone would do this for me, but I would sooo know something was up. I ain't no fool, fool.

2 cups of flower...

2009-05-04T14:59:00.002-05:00

Q. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
A. Pilgrims.
P.S. I apologize for that joke from my childhood.

Carousel...

2009-04-30T19:06:00.002-05:00

This is freaky!!!

The key to life...

2009-04-30T00:24:00.002-05:00

I read this today and loved it:

"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down "happy". They told me I didn't understand the assignment and I told them they didn't understand life."

Happy Nappy...

2009-04-29T10:04:00.000-05:00

I knew it!!!

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03297/Aging-Gracefully-Napping.html

Playing for Change...

2009-04-28T22:20:00.001-05:00

Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

Just gotta be me...

2009-04-25T13:14:00.003-05:00

That's how I feel a lot of days. Like a red umbrella. Would it be easier to be another black umbrella with things I think & do? Maybe. Could I do it? No way, dude.

Date Bobby...

2009-04-22T16:00:00.002-05:00

From my Youtube-loving buddy, Blake! :)

Tater tale...

2009-04-21T14:10:00.004-05:00

I've been working from home quite a bit lately, which I'm loving, but I have a problem with eating properly when I'm on my own. Sometimes I just forget about lunch until I'm ready to keel over around 4pm.

We also haven't been grocery shopping for awhile, and since we buy a lot of fresh stuff, we never have much food on hand. Around 1:30pm, I was hungry, so I decided to make myself a couple of baked potatoes in the microwave.

But, once I'd cooked the taters, I realized that we were out of our vegan butter. Crap. But since I'd already put SO much effort into washing off the potatoes and putting them in the microwave (exhausting!!!), I wasn't turning back!!! :)

So I used tobasco, salt, and dill.

I know. Sounds gourmet. I'm resourceful. Carl wasn't pleased with my meal choice when I told him, so he brought me home some DELICIOUS mexican takeout. yummmm...

The end.

Why Kids Need Pets...

2009-04-20T10:04:00.002-05:00

My Mom sent me this today...pretty cute. :)

Susie Q...

2009-04-17T22:09:00.001-05:00

Am I the only one who thinks Susan Boyle is just ok, at best?

Funny Folk...

2009-04-17T21:30:00.004-05:00

Carl & I went to the Funniest Person in Austin contest the other night! One of the 4 finalists who made it through to the next round was Ramin Nazir. He was flippin' hilarious. Almost as funny as the people who bombed. :)

One of my favorite jokes was when Ramin said something like, "I was eating at Hooters the other day when the Hootress came up and asked, 'does everything taste ok?' and I said, wow that's exactly how it tastes.".

Follow the instructions...

2009-04-13T15:28:00.001-05:00

Oh gosh, this made me laugh! Do you understand what happened?

Dirty Laundry...

2009-04-12T21:31:00.004-05:00

I never really felt like I fit in with my family. When I was little, I remember telling my aunt that I felt more comfortable at her house than I did my own. As soon as I could, I was so ready to move out!

I got a 6 night a week gig when I was 18 that allowed me to save up enough money to buy a vehicle and get my first apartment, because my parents, though able, refused to help me in the slightest financially. My mother would have, but my father was adamant that I do it on my own. He didn't want me to move out because he wanted me to live at home forever, so he made it as hard on me as possible. It's a very strange fantasy that he had. My brother, Matt, who is turning 30 this year, still lives at home and has never had a real job. You can imagine how that's worked out for him.

My dad & I argued all the time before I left, resulting in him angrily slapping me across the face at one point. I talked to a counselor and shared what my home life was like and she urged me to leave as soon as I possibly could. That's all I needed to hear! I haven't been "home" since.

After I left, my dad directed his anger towards Carl for "taking me away", even threatening to kill him if he ever stepped foot on his property. Carl's never been anything but wonderful to me, he's everything a father-in-law should be proud of!

I haven't been able to have a relationship with my dad for about 8 years now due to him sending me mile-long hateful emails telling me what a horrible person I am, calling me things like "shameful & pathetic" and "an ungrateful brat, at best", so I finally had to break off all contact. For my own sanity.

Even after being chided by him for so many years, I know the things he said aren't true. IMHO, most parents would be glad to have me as their daughter.

His last series of insane emails contained dozens of photos of young girls he's "dating". All of them appeared to be around my age or younger (he's 66) and to this he said, "My thinking is this. Matt gives me everything I need or want, except for sex. So I won't marry unless she thrills me every time I look at her."

ewwwwww!!!

I am incredibly lucky to have a husband that loves me unconditionally. Who supports me and believes in me. I always wanted that from my family and still do, but have accepted that it won't happen.

So I've learned to fully appreciate friends who accept me as I am and live my life with a full heart and an open mind.

ATXcellent Adventure...

2009-04-11T13:48:00.006-05:00

My Little Sister & I did the ATXcellent Adventure last weekend! The event was similar to the Amazing Race on TV, but on a smaller, more tolerable level. We had 12 clues to find a specific landmark and each time we'd find a destination, there would be a physical or mental challenge. We ended up getting 11 out of 12 in the allowed time! (3 hours) I was SO sore afterwards!!

If you can come up with all 12 answers, I'll give or make you something! I'll let you know that all of these are fairly close or in downtown Austin, since we were on foot.

1. On the shores of the Colorado, there's a fungus among us.
2. Between 9 & 10, West end swingers park it here.
3. Need some thule? How about some marmot? From sea to summit, your vacation starts here.
4. The best friend you've never met can be found near the start of this adventure.
5. You could search the whole world over and not find another place where a wall of green grows beneath the ice.
6. Wendy, John, and Michael have run off to play with their favorite friend - can you help Nana find them?
7. If you have a crush on a sweetie, you may be able to catch them here.
8. Near Hut's, but far better than the other Hut.
9. Move over Eve & Jill, these guys are riding tandem towards the springs.
10. Spring to the front of the line, this little choo-choo is waiting for you!
11. Over the last 500 years, I've seen tribes gathered, promises made and broken, and tasted the bitterness of unrequited love.
12. The train leaves the station at noon - hurry back for your final challenge!

The American Way...

2009-04-11T12:39:00.000-05:00

Carl sent me this text message today (he was at a car dealership having the oil changed):

"There's a fat lady here that was talking on the phone with someone about meat pie. Now she's drinking a Coke which she poured in her Sonic cup that she just finished."

Why are Americans obese?? I told him I was totally jealous that I couldn't be there.

My Grandma...

2009-04-10T23:18:00.001-05:00

MABEL MARIE EATON SCHAACK
11/10/1921 - 04/04/2009

Mabel Marie Eaton Schaack, 87, of Woodburn, died Saturday, April 4, 2009 in Woodburn, Oregon. Born November 10, 1921 in Sykeston, ND on the family farm. She attended college in Jamestown, ND and began a long teaching career, starting in a one room schoolhouse in her hometown.

She was married to Francis William Schaack on Sept. 17, 1945 in Sykeston and relocated to Woodburn, Oregon in 1952 where they raised 6 children. She taught in the Woodburn School District for over 25 years before retiring in 1984. She spent her life learning and teaching, earning her teaching certificate in 1940, her Bachelor’s Degree in 1965, and a Master’s in Special Education in 1977.

Survivors include: Mary Thacker of Woodburn, Catherine Reinhart of Clackamas, Susan Baldwin of Everton, MO, Angela Robles of Woodburn and Barbara Poitras of Silverton, 12 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, 2 great, great grandchildren, 4 sisters, and 1 brother.

She was preceded in death by her husband and daughter, Jane Haynes.

Houston, we have a concert...

2009-04-04T22:40:00.005-05:00

Mr. Miner & I trekked over to Houston last weekend so that he could do a gig with Daniel Wheeler & Ben Sims. I enjoyed their set, especially the surprise Britney Spears medley!

We stopped at a truck stop on the way home to get an apple juice, and as a bonus, found this t-shirt:

Birdsong...

2009-04-04T22:09:00.002-05:00

How sweet...

2009-04-04T20:47:00.003-05:00

Banner ads are annoying. This particular one caught my attention for several reasons.

First of all, have those glasses EVER been stylish? No. They weren't appropriate on the kid from A Christmas Story and they're not acceptable now.

Secondly, what the hell are they eating?? It looks like a huge creepy piece of Mickey Mouse chocolate, the size of the child's noggin, stuck to a rice krispie treat. On a stick. Hello diabetes!!

In the Boondocks...

2009-04-01T00:35:00.002-05:00

I drove to San Saba, Texas (aka wherethehellarewe, TX) to watch Carl play with a band at an awards show. But not just ANY awards show...The San Saba Awards. At first I thought they just chose a cowboy theme for the event, but no. These were genuine dudes and dudettes.

Naturally, they were serving BBQ. And I was sitting by myself while the band played, so EVERY server in the joint offered me a plate. When the first guy offered, I politely declined, explaining I'm a vegetarian. I have never seen such a disgusted look! I felt like I told him I was a child molester or something.

Only in Texas do they serve pickles & onions as a side dish:

I tried to ride the hay bale, but it wasn't in the mood.

As soon as they were done playing, we got the hell out of dodge. The one gas station in town was closed, so we started to make our way back to civilization. Our gas light was on the whole time and it made me realize that it has been a long time since I lived out far enough where there's a good possibility that you could run out of gas before coming across the next service station!

When we finally found a Texaco, I was pretty excited to see huge pallets of "Deer Corn" for sale at every pump:

Thank you, Austin, for being the only livable city in Texas. :)

Sham Wow!

2009-03-31T08:56:00.003-05:00

Jim Frinzi sent me this news article.

Moral of the story?
Prostitutes bite.

You + Me = Russ

2009-03-31T00:10:00.004-05:00

Joe & Becky McColley invited us down to San Antonio for a Russ Barenberg house concert. It was more like a mansion concert...I'm pretty sure their kitchen was the size of our whole condo!

Russ was nominated for a Grammy in 2008 for his instrumental "Little Monk".

I like boys with magic fingers. I also like to say suggestive things.

Carl & Russ got to play together afterwards...turns out Russ is in a band with a fiddle player that Carl grew up with in Oregon!

Copykittens?

2009-03-29T22:13:00.002-05:00

I'm calling this new band "LITTLE Little Big Town". Don't they look like younger clones???

Gloriana:

Little Big Town:

Go This Alone...

2009-03-26T01:00:00.002-05:00

I wrote this chorus back in December after visiting my Mom & Step-Dad, Rick, in Missouri. Rick has some health problems and was laying in bed feeling really ill. I looked in at one point and my Mom was spooning him and telling him everything was going to be ok. It was one of those moments where you don't know if you should feel happy or sad. Maybe just thankful for unconditional love.

After I wrote the chorus, I started in on the verses after reading journal updates for Ty Dahlstrom. Ty is amazing. His family is amazing. What they are going through right now is life-altering, but they stay strong together.

Inspired by two precious boys, Rick Baldwin & Ty Dahlstrom, who are not going this alone.

HOW, HOW CAN I HELP YOU NOW
HOW DO I BREAK YOU
FREE FROM THIS BURDEN
FREE FROM YOUR HURTIN'
I'D DO ANYTHING AND I'M PROMISING

YOU WON'T GO THIS ALONE
NO YOU WON'T BE ON YOUR OWN
I'LL HOLD YOUR WEARY BONES
NO YOU WON'T GO THIS ALONE

SHAME, SHAME ON THIS ARMY OF PAIN
FOR HURTING MY DARLING
WELL NOTHING SHOULD MESS WITH
SOMEONE SO PRECIOUS
IF WE SOLDIER ON WE WILL OVERCOME

THERE WILL BE DAYS WHEN YOU ARE STRONG
BUT EVEN WHEN THE NIGHTS ARE LONG
I'LL BE HERE WITH YOU

Written by Beth Miner, Sweetestday Music Publishing (ASCAP)

Shower Power...

2009-03-24T22:27:00.003-05:00

Our bathroom is a danger zone right now. It's almost like Kenny Loggins was here.

My worst fear is that someone will drop in unexpectedly for a visit and then ask to use our potty. I would have to tell them it's broken and point them to a tree outside. Maybe offer them a plastic container. Obviously they could keep it, like a to-go container of sorts.

You might be thinking that I could be cleaning it instead of blogging about it, but do you even know what I'd be getting rid of??? I'm considering leaving it this way and once it gets to its peak of perfection, start charging people for private viewings.

-I would estimate there is a full head of hair on the floor. If the hair were a representation of a Seinfeld character, it wouldn't be as thick as Elaine's and not as thin a George's. It would be Jerry. And since I use a little spritz to keep things in place sometimes, the head fur is plastered to the tile. Not something you could just "sweep" up like a good little housewife.

-My missing mane has also taken over the shower. I lose a lot of locks when I'm shampooing and have the nasty habit of sticking them to the walls in our bathing zone. Pretty much all sides are covered in a decorative array of tresses and I'm starting to see shapes in it now like you might in a creepy horror movie..."the answer is in the split ends, my indigo child." I found an abstract character taking shape the other day and pointed it out to Carl. Unfortunately, it wasn't Jesus or Mary, so my dreams of making millions on Ebay were dashed quickly.

-There's nothing particularly interesting about the grubby mirror or toilet. I'm just a messy toothbrusher...I get really into it, so it splatters sometimes. That's what she said. And the commode just needs an average fondling right now...

-But, then there's the shower curtain. Holy crap. It's taken on a life of its own. Is that brownish gunk that grows on it some sort of mold? Or mildew. I should Google the difference. This mystery substance is so raunchy!!!! And it's gotten so bad that there are only specific "safe zones" that I can touch. I honestly don't know what I would do if one of my appendages accidentally made contact with it. AAAAHHH!!! Gives me the eebie jeebies. Dear god, what if it touched my FACE?? I would certainly have to scrub with acetone and gasoline and horseradish. Maybe I'd get one of those full face transplants or lock myself in a room, grow my toenails, and pee in jars like Howard Hughes. You see how serious this is. Let's hope it never happens.

Anybody feel like stopping by for a visit?? No?

You are such a sweet little potato...

2009-03-23T21:52:00.004-05:00

I have this bad habit of starting to cook something without having all of the necessary items. I get really excited about making something with a particular ingredient and then decide I can be creative and "improvise" the recipe. If I were a trained chef, this might not be a problem, but alas no. Poor Carl. :) He's smiled through many an experimental dish.

Tonight, I settled on sweet potatoes and surprisingly, it was quite delightful!

Sweet Potatoes
Earth Balance
Minced Garlic
Green Onions
Cajun Seasoning
Salt & Pepper

I made a salad & toast to go with it!

My hippy name...

2009-03-20T23:57:00.002-05:00

I just took the incredibly accurate "What is Your Hippy Name" quiz on Facebook. And the results are in...

FREEDOM DAISY SUNSHINE

I knew 3 sisters that went to my high school and their names were Freedom, Autumn, and Rainbow. I'm rather fond of odd/unique names, so this pleased me. :)

Thursday Treats...

2009-03-19T22:16:00.004-05:00

This morning, Carl & I got up at 4:45am to be at the Four Seasons Hotel by 5:30am for a live SXSW radio broadcast. We watched Blues Mafia, North Mississippi Allstars, The Hours and Erin McCarley!

Then tonight, I took my Little Sister to Amy's Ice Cream. She ambitiously ordered a banana split with two kinds of vanilla ice cream, belgian chocolate ice cream, sprinkles, gummy bears, and hot fudge. Ugh. ;)

Isn't she cute?? (check out the arses framing her so perfectly)

The Mom Song...

2009-03-19T09:36:00.001-05:00

Wow, this song works as birth control...

The Money Man...

2009-03-18T21:32:00.002-05:00

This is Jim, the man responsible for our whole Eddie Money expose! He sent me this message last year that inspired us to start my photo series. He came by our office today and obviously had to pose:

Chotography...

2009-03-18T21:24:00.003-05:00

We stopped by Freebirds tonight for a quick dinner and as we were parking, Carl said "is that Margaret Cho?". He clarified that he wasn't joking, since he might just say something like that about any Asian girl. Well sure enough, it was her! She's in town to host a SXSW show and I snagged a pic with her:

Nannerpuss...

2009-03-18T08:58:00.002-05:00

I don't know why I love this commercial so much! That's a lie. Yes I do. It's a banana singing & dancing on top of pancakes. And its name is Nannerpuss. You'll probably need to watch it a few times and sing along to fully "appreciate" it:

Where lazy cookies go...

2009-03-17T23:43:00.004-05:00

I read about this place called the Austin Cookie Lounge in Tribeza magazine and had to go check it out! They will bake you fresh, individual cookies, with your selected dough and add-ins.

I chose vegan vanilla dough with macadamias & blueberries.
Carl had the same dough, but with dark chocolate & cranberries.
They even had organic soy milk.

So tasty. Oh and they deliver. Pure danger!!!

Square & Spongey...

2009-03-17T23:31:00.003-05:00

We went to Nicolas Schmidt's 2 year birthday extravaganza. It was a Spongebob theme, hence the headgear. Back in the day, before Carl was properly familiarized with who lives in a pineapple under the sea, he would call him "Squarebob Spongepants". :)

This was too good of a photo op to pass up:

When you're a jet...

2009-03-17T23:26:00.001-05:00

Sometimes spontaneous knife fights break out in our office.

Spicy Salsa...

2009-03-17T23:23:00.002-05:00

I caught part of Dancing with The Stars the other night and was enamored by the smokin' Melissa Rycroft...

I got you babe...

2009-03-17T22:51:00.003-05:00

I attended lovely Lori's baby shower last weekend in Castroville, Texas (west of San Antonio). Baby Andrew will be arriving shortly. :)

They gave each guest a diaper pin and we played that game where if you catch someone saying the word "baby", you get to take their pin. Notice how I'm wearing quite a few of them in the photo below? I got creative to win the game...

Give that bear some ones!!

2009-03-14T20:36:00.001-05:00

The marrying kind...

2009-03-12T23:55:00.009-05:00

The office next door to us is a staffing firm owned by Jeff McAdams. He was recently nominated for an Austin Under 40 award and was so gentlemanly to invite Carl & myself to attend the festivities!

The event was pretty joyous. Mostly because we like to make fun of people who take themselves too seriously, and they were out in full force, schmoozing in style.

I bought myself a cute little dress to wear and had on my ass-kicking heels, so I was feeling pretty good, but then I sat next to Miss Austin 2007 at dinner (see photo below). She's totally hot. Nothing like sitting next to a beauty queen to have a quick blow to the ol' self-esteem!

Typically, I feel alright being out & about with a variety of pretty people. I mean, I'm not tops, but I kinda have my own thing going. A girl-next-door who's a little wacky. I'm ok with that.

I think there are two main categories for girls; the kind you want to date and the kind you want to marry. And I'm a good wife. :)

JB, Clint, Allison, and Blake from www.higherout.com

Phonetastic...

2009-03-10T13:29:00.002-05:00

Working for the weekend...

2009-03-09T00:28:00.006-05:00

We had quite a fulfilling weekend! On Friday night, we went to the Austin Fiddle Olympics. Not quite as "thrilling" as it might sound, so we left in the middle and went to see some friends perform improv at Coldtowne Theater. That was good times.

On Saturday morning, we got up early and drove to New Braunfels to help with a service day for the Windham Family. I cleaned, organized, and scrubbed everything in their kitchen, while Carl helped redo their front walkway and move a storage shed. A white scorpion (TX is so racist) latched onto Carl at one point, so I'm glad he was wearing gloves! Here's the cute little reason for the day's events:

After much needed showers, we headed to Jamie's Birthday party in Kyle. We got him a pretty card that said something like "Happy Birthday...Let out your inner princess". It's just what we do.

I think Jamie was reaching for Carl's "moob" (man-boob), but missed the mark a bit:

Obviously boobies were a strong theme at this party. Jamie's wife even had a cake made for him, modeled after sexy Adrianna Lima. Please make note of how cool I am...my shirt has built in thumb-holes.

After that we went bowling and met radio DJ Bobby Bones there!

This evening is a bit less exciting...I haven't done laundry for like a week and it's starting to win the battle. I must fight back.

Tiger balls...

2009-03-08T21:50:00.003-05:00

The other night, we went to see our friend, Jamie, play a baseball game in Manor with his team, The Tigers. Rawrrr.

I always love to see people pursue something they're passionate about and baseball is just that for Jamie. He was a star playa in high-school, but ended up with an injury in college, so he hasn't played for years now. But he rounded up a bunch of teammates from back in the day and put together an adult team this year.

I told Carl I felt very American sitting there in a small town watching a baseball game. Neither of us know much about sports, but we always enjoy watching games. Except football...that just makes no sense to me and I'm always worried about injuries when they tackle each other. :(

You should all be very impressed by this photo. Not because it's of great quality, but because our camera is so ancient that it takes about 10 seconds to snap a pic, so I was surprised that I got an action shot out of it on my first try!

I heart art...

2009-03-08T21:31:00.003-05:00

We went to an art show last week featuring our multi-talented friend, Terrence Moline. His "Patron Saints of Sound" paintings were being featured. There were many legendary artists to choose from, but when in Texas, you pose with Willie:

I'm in a big curry...

2009-03-08T20:57:00.003-05:00

This post might be redundant. I would first like to recommend that you DON'T make this recipe! These are Cauliflower Pakoras, an Indian recipe from a vegan book that The Weber's gave us. HOWEVER, I don't think our condo will ever smell the same after cooking these. Seriously, I had two fans on, opened all the windows and doors, and lit a candle. Despite my best efforts, weeks later, we still come home and feel like we're walking into a cheap motel office.

But, I wanted to show Lynsey that I'm working on my "plating". Is it getting better??

What up, dog?

2009-03-05T23:07:00.001-06:00

Thanks for sharing, Blake!

Is that a wallet in your pocket?

2009-03-02T00:37:00.003-06:00

Carl's new wallet:

These are handmade, locally in Austin by Ballistic Sweater Girl. This one says "broncho buster" and it's made out of recycled vinyl.

The breast dress...

2009-03-01T22:22:00.003-06:00

I needed a dress the other night for the Austin Under 40 Awards, so I contacted Sunny Haralson of RubyPearl, who made my Stupid Cupid dress. She invited me over to try on a few things she just made:

This one fit best, but it reminded Carl too much of a Renaissance dress, so we passed. I love her stuff, though! I intend to buy other dresses from her, they're so funky & different!

She left me for Jesus...

2009-03-01T22:20:00.000-06:00

Stupid Cupid Slideshow...

2009-02-24T23:03:00.001-06:00

Grace's amazing hands...

2009-02-24T21:54:00.004-06:00

This is Grace Schmidhauser and she has divalicious written all over her! She performed at our Stupid Cupid event and stopped by our office beforehand to give us an impressive sample of her musical stylings. She sings, plays guitar, said her favorite band is Guns & Roses, and she's 9 years old. Totally badass. I really want to write songs for her!

Yo Chely, it's your Birfday...

2009-02-24T21:49:00.002-06:00

I took Ms. Michelle Lopez out to lunch for her Bday! Chely has enviable skin & hair. I'm a huge fan. You probably wouldn't believe the milestone year she just reached, she looks so good!

Fat Twosday...

2009-02-24T21:30:00.004-06:00

Oh man, this blog has been neglected lately. But luckily it's National Flash Your Boobies Day, so we had to leave the office earlier than normal tonight. We came home and I made some dinner for me & my baby!

Vegan field roast, garlic red-skinned mashed potatoes, and a salad with yummy little yellow tomatoes:

Truluck's be a lady tonight...

2009-02-21T22:46:00.003-06:00

I went to Truluck's for the first time the other night, with Carl & Diego! We do some work for them every month and they kindly sent us a $100 gift card awhile back. When we arrived, one of the managers came up and said "are you THE Carl Miner?", which made me heehee. :)

All three of us dined delightfully on a three-course meal (veg for us, of course). Then when the bill came, the waitress said they'd taken "very good care of us", and they comped the whole shebang! Pure class, I tell ya.

Here's Diego after consuming an unnaturally large amount of food:

Fox 7 Promo...

2009-02-16T00:26:00.002-06:00

Laundry Can Wait...

2009-02-15T23:07:00.005-06:00

Ethan Diehl just finished this "almost life-sized" painting of me! Well my rumpus, to be more specific. ;) He invited us over this afternoon to check out the finished product in person. He's planning on shipping it to the Hespe Gallery in California. It's a bootiful day in the neighborhood...

Huge douchebag leaves a message...

2009-02-15T20:35:00.001-06:00

Pretty in Pink...

2009-02-07T18:51:00.004-06:00

I've been trying to figure out what the heck I'm wearing to our big Valentine's Day Event, but then we drove by a vintage store today and I saw this dress in the window:

I fell in love with it! Apparently it's a large child size, but that's never stopped me before. The brand is called RubyPearl, made by a lady here in Austin. She has an Etsy store and she makes all of her dresses out of vintage materials. If I had a little girl, I would dress her in RubyPearl dresses every day, have tea parties, and frolic about aimlessly!

The 2008 Darwin Awards...

2009-02-06T10:21:00.000-06:00

Here are the glorious top 10 winners:

1. When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim
during a hold-up in Long Beach , California , would-be robber James
Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the
barrel and tried the trigger again.
This time it worked. And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat- cutting
machine and, after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his
insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its
men to have a look for himself.
He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was
approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car
during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman
had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver
found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting
from Sarare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his
incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone
waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the
mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable
and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3
days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head
wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the
injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close
he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the
counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer,
the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which
the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and
fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he
got from the drawer... $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives
you money, is a crime committed?]

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that
he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some
booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his
head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be
thief in the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was
made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man
grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the
woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher.
Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the
car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car
and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, 'Yes,
officer, that's her. that's the lady I stole the purse from.'

9. The Ann Arbour News crime column reported that a man walked into a
Burger King in Ypsilanti , Michigan , at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and
demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't
open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion
rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man,
frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on
Seattle street , he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived
at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near
spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying
to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's
sewage tank by mistake. The o wner of the vehicle declined to press
charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

Getting some face time...

2009-02-05T13:00:00.004-06:00

Carl & I both just started Facebook pages. And the madness continues...