as you may recall from my ‘06 post, the family on my mom’s side gathers together every other year at a dude ranch in the hill country to catch up, reminisce and basically love the crap out of each other. i’ve been attending these reunions since i was a wee little pants, so you can imagine that i was utterly disappointed when i couldn’t make it to the one in ‘08 (dang mexican wedding!). consequently, it had been four years since i had seen some of these folks. FOUR YEARS! that’s like… college! i.e. a whole clustercuss of things has happened! obvs, i had a lot of gabbing to do.

one of the best parts of the reunion for me has always been the drive up with my parents. it’s nice to spend some quality time with my teeny branch of the family tree before we join up with the whole leafy bunch. the drive this year may have hit an all time high cos we stopped in fredericksburg!!!! i KNOW you know what that means, but you may not be prepared for the summer bonus: fredericksburg peaches!!!

look how soft and plump and gorgeous those peaches are!!! i want to kiss them all on their fuzzy little faces!!!! just like babies! except i don’t ever eat babies after i kiss them. obvs.

and, here’s the part you knew was coming, we chillaxed at the auslander!

thanks, mom and dad, for raising me to respect tasty business and beverages! i would not be the nommer i am today without yr love and guidance. oh and dad, here’s a new facebook profile pic for ya:

and here’s the new profile pic for MY TUMMAH!!!!!

oh reuben, when we’re apart, i dream of you. and when we’re together, i consume you. you know, like any healthy relationship.

we finally made it to bandera and pulled into the flying L ranch, which looked exactly the same (well, the front of it did. they added a mini-waterpark in the back that i chose to ignore cos it ain’t no schlit).

after several reunions at the flying L, we decided this one would be our last, cos it’s time to move on to better pastures. but i sure do have a lot of memories stored up in this place, and i’m glad i got to see it one more time.

we met up with everyone at dinner, and once i saw all of those familiar faces, my heart felt right at home. of course, some of those faces have gained a few more wrinkles, but i was mostly concerned with THE CHILDREN! SO MANY ADORABLE CHILDREN!

here’s my cousin justus with his awesomely mustachioed uncle jason:

and here’s me with my two new besties, willow and madeline.

i don’t know why i even bothered getting in the picture, cos i cannot compete with that amount of cuteness.

and GUESSWHATGUESSWHAT. there was a BABY AT THE REUNION!!! OMG!! that almost never happens!!! meet the impossibly precious michael, proudly displayed by his sister, aislinn:

it makes me sad to know that the next time i see michael, those adorable cheeks will be a little less pinch-able. on the flip side, he’ll be able to carry on a conversation and use the potty by himself, so that will be nice.

the weekend was filled with our usual reunion activities, and by that i mean, lots of talking and lots of picturing taking. throughout the weekend, i experienced little moments of amazement, just from seeing different generations together– my family *being* a family.

here’s justus with his mama, karen. when we were kids, karen and i would play on this old spinning exercise stand that her grandmother, mattie, kept in her house. p.s. back then, i thought karen was the COOLEST. and guess what, she still is.

here’s bill, the oldest nelson at the reunion, hanging out with james, his nephew. james is hands down the most affable member of our family, and also apparently does not know how to apply sunblock.

it made my heart happy to see all of those other branches and realize i’m still connected to them, by blood but, more importantly, by love. i was surrounded by faces that reflected my own experience, making me miss the parts i’ve lost (my grandparents) and celebrate their reincarnation through the experience of my younger cousins.

it’s strange to type this, but here’s the oldest living generation of nelsons at the reunion, which includes my mom and my uncles:

and here’s the “second” generation, me and my cousins (you’ve probably noticed by now that i call everyone a cousin, cos the proper name is just way too much trouble). it’s still hard for me to believe that we’re not the youngest ones on the block anymore!

and here’s our huge family portrait, with everyone squinting uncomfortably on the texas sun, per tradition:

other traditions of the reunion include:

the bbq, where we ride down to the river and eat and swat away mosquitoes:

note that my uncle david is wearing an old nelson reunion shirt. tres retro!

thankfully, i see these lovely ladies fairly regularly, since two of them (joanna and caroline) live in austin. julia, in the middle, lives in DC, where she, as our family like to say, “saves the world on a daily basis.”

if there’s one thing our family knows how to do, besides talk and take pictures, it’s appreciate texas.

check out madeline’s red boots. THEY LIGHT UP! i told her it runs in the family, cos i have light up sneakers. she was not impressed, which makes sense, cos light up boots are WAY cooler than sneakers.

the other tradition we have is taking over the tiny ranch bar every night so we can keep dishing and drinking (obvs).

scott likes to take advantage of the pool table, although i think his favorite sport at the ranch is throwing horseshoes. btw i love that i grew up throwing horseshoes. that’s like, LEGIT TEXAS Y’ALL.

specific highlights from this year’s reunion include:

1. THE CUTENESS

oh man THERE WAS SO MUCH ADORBING GOING ON!!!

first, we had michael, who is precious 24/7.

then we had willow and madeline, who were INSTA-BFF and v. v. excitable. cousin sarah took full advantage of this in order to capture some amazing photographs, the best one being THIS MASTERPIECE OF PHOTOJOURNALISM:

that’s right, i asked them to make their fighting faces. AND THEY BROUGHT THE FIERCENESS. HARD. then they got in trouble for being too hyper. sorry, ladies, but sometimes we just have to be martyrs for the cause. the cause of the blog.

justus had a blast burning roasting marshmallows during s’more time, but then he balked at the prospect of actually eating the blackened gooeyness.

karen (mom): here’s yr marshmallow, justus!

justus: it’s dirty!!

karen: no, it’s not. you roasted it, so it’s dark on the outside.

justus: IT’S DIRTY! i need a clean one!

karen: well, it turns brown when you put it over the fire. here, try it.

justus: (takes tiny bite, makes the same face i do when i eat an onion) I NEED A CLEAN ONE!

so awesome.

2. THE TUBING

on saturday, a big group of us decided to participate in the #1 summer sport in texas, tubing. madeline was READY FOR ACTION:

she even had a cute hot pink life jacket, skillfully modeled here by her dad, scott:

the nelsons definitely have strong family values, and by that i mean, they value awesome. it was easy to see that everyone was a total tubing professional, including heidi and frank:

james and my mom (YES! MY PARENTS CAME! i was impressed):

and me (obvs, you know i have major summer skills) and dad, who is the king of sun protection. as you can see.

caroline forgot her bathing suit at home, but never fear: the super s food mart in bandera has EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY NEED, including swimsuits, sunglasses, hats, neon floater sunglasses strings, high school musical purses… basically, caroline’s entire ensemble in this picture (ok, she didn’t get the purse. as far as i know).

highlights of tubing included several of my cousins jumping out of v. tall trees (and my dad not having a heart attack), the fact that james and i stayed in our tubes THE ENTIRE TIME because we are masters of the river, and the moment when my dad, who vocally hated on my choice of lone star lite (y’all, it’s the ultimate tubing beer. if you lose it, no big deal. if water gets into it, it tastes the same) by saying, “that’s not even beer” and then, once we were on the water, ASKED ME FOR ONE. of course, i gave him a can, because i love him, but not before i insisted that he ask me for “a beer,” thereby acknowledging that lone star lite is, in fact, a beer.

3. MAFIA

on saturday night, a small group of us gathered in the bar to play mafia, because we are a family and we’re allowed to do completely dorky things when we’re together and ENJOY IT.

this picture pretty much sums up our two hours of playing:

jim, being the lawyer, had to question and cross examine EVERYTHING, while caroline, his daughter, deflected his skepticism with the power of her mafia narration.

the game had its high points:

and its low points:

(i asked amy and julia to make a face that expressed their feelings about the game at that point. obvs, they were upset. or plotting someone’s murder. or both)

as well as its SHOCKING POINTS!

btw, how sweet is aislinn’s sparkly cowboy hat?

in one of the most intense moments of the game, james accused jim, HIS OWN FATHER, of being the killer. here’s how jim reacted:

if there’s one thing the nelsons have taught me, it’s to take a lot of pictures. oh but also, to take fun v. v. v. seriously. as you can see, we did just that (and then some).

it was so, so wonderful to spend the weekend with my family, my dear, crazy, totally amazing family. and then, to finish off the weekend, we stopped in gruene, where i got to spend a little more time with my two favorite members:

nelson family, i’ll see y’all in 2012, but until then, STAY CRAY!

even though i love my little posh pad (esp. when it’s decked out with holiday decor, i.e. buckets of glitter and cupcake ornaments and, of course, riggins on the tree), there’s nothing like being home for christmas with my mom and dad. there’s a sweetness and a comfort and a peace about being with them and celebrating christmas in our own little way.

what’s up, eskimo pitre family! i picked up this photo cos it looks wintry, NOT because i endorse snow. fyi weather dudes.

in addition the fact that mama & papa pitre are just about the greatest parent pants in the universe, here are a few other reasons why i love being home for the holidays:

1. free bagels!

2. getting to wear the totally sweet “reserved for sarah” 80s periwinkle grandma robe ALL DAY LONG if i want to. try not to be jealous.

3. seeing all of my favorite ornaments, including the cottonball nativity scene i made in first grade (you guys it’s amazing how life-like a cottonball can be).

4. waking up in the morning and hearing my mom and dad talking in the kitchen, just like when i was a little pants. for me, that’s one of the most comforting things in the entire world.

5. going grocery shopping with my mom, cos she lets me put frivolous deliciousness in her cart like brie and fig spread!

8. totally nerding out and reading as much as i want to, with no pesky friends trying to get me to go out. MUHAHAHA!

oh winnie the pooh footie jim jams, i miss you.

6. endless coffee. my dad is like, my own personal barista. even better, i can tip him with hugs!

7. watching movies with uncle scott, cos he gets even more excited than i do (hard to imagine, i know).

 8. reading all of the christmas cards received by my parents and catching up on old family friends. sure, it’s a lot of “who is that again?” but it always leaves me feeling warm and nostalgic inside.

9. listening to our favorite holiday albums, notably “christmas in manhattan” (it makes me feel classy, in spite of the fact that i picked it up a few years ago at randall’s for five bucks and it’s essentially elevator music DON’T TELL ANYONE) and the squirrel nut zippers (my mom’s favorite). 

10. just laughing at silly stuff, like last night when my dad was talking about what my mom ordered at the restaurant and said, “yr mom got the phlegm and LOVED IT!” (um, yeah, he meant to say “flan”).

11. looking at old family pictures, as evidenced by the ones included in this entry.

12. the mattress pad my mom puts on my bed so that it’s warm and toasty when i crawl inside and i end up sleeping with a smile on my face like sugar plums are dancing over my head (that would be acceptable, too).

i could go on, but SWEET FANCY SANTA CLAUS IT’S SNOWING OUTSIDE!! it’s like a christmas miracle! except i hate being cold so what the cuss!

anyhoo, pants world, on this christmas eve, i hope you are all enjoying yr families and the magic of the holidays and snuggles and giggles and tasty business, just like me! i love you guys!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD PANTS!

today is my grandmother’s birthday.

and, this may sound kind of weird, but after a person passes away, their birthday, in my opinion, gets even better.  transcending presents and cake, the day takes on a deeper meaning, a sort of sacred quality… and only certain people know about it. it’s like a secret holiday!!

so every year, on this day, i celebrate my grandmother. sometimes i look at old pictures, or talk to my mom, or dress old dolls in costumes she sewed for me.

today, i decided to celebrate her– little, precious glimmers of her– on my blog.

* helen nelson was born in ponder, tx in 1918. i love the name of her birthplace… it’s like, she was destined to be special.

* she also went to college, which i think is pretty amazing– first to lee college in baytown, and then texas women’s university, where she majored in art. i’m lucky enough to have two of her paintings.

* mama helen worked for the USO and met my grandfather at a USO dance. i love to imagine them dancing together, so stylish and classy!

* when i was born, she gave me a cross-stitched sign that read, “if mother says no, ask grandmother” and hung it above my door. and she meant it.

* she was originally known to me as “mangaw,” my mangled attempt at “grandma.” later i changed her name to mama helen.

* every christmas, she decorated one of her fake indoor trees with ornaments she made using pictures of me. and that’s it. it was the sarah tree. and yes, i was the only grandchild (on both sides!).

* she had the most beautiful handwriting, full of curls and loops.

* she made GLORIOUS clothes for all my dolls out of glittery fabric and tons of sequins. mama helen really believed in sequins, so i have her to thank for my love of all things sparkly.

* her favorite movies were “the fugitive” and “the rainmaker,” and we watched them together about 20 times (at least!). she also loved “little women,” and i cherish the christmas day when three generations (me, my mom, my grandmother) went to the theater to see it together.

* when we first got our dog, biscuit, mama helen insisted that biscuit stay outside whenever we visited. then, slowly but surely, biscuit would start appearing in the house for short periods of time… and then, one day, i caught my grandmother sneaking bits of food to biscuit straight from the stove. after their secret friendship was exposed, mama helen and biscuit were inseparable.

* she collected bird figurines like nobody’s business.

* at her memorial service, i found out that mama helen had supported a friend’s daughter through college. she had never told anyone.

as you can see, she was amazing.

i was, and am, utterly blessed to have her as a grandmother, and today i celebrate her and the impact she made on my life.

happy birthday, mama helen. i love you!

mama helen and my mother

did everyone have a nice holiday? tell me tell me tell me!!!

well, i have to admit, it was lovely to be offline for the last two weeks, esp. cos i’ve got lots of stories built up to share with you. most of them revolve around pantsers and food… which i guess isn’t really different than my usual entries. but anyway!

i spent the first half of my break at home in round rock with my parents and my uncle scott. it was total suburban bliss– i stayed in my jim jams til ten, shopped with my mom, read comics and went to sleep before midnight. OFF THE CHAIN!

the big news on the homefront is that my dad got a GIANT UNIVERSAL REMOTE which is going to CHANGE HIS LIFE.

note that he is throwing away three annoyingly tiny remotes because THEY ARE DEAD TO HIM.

seriously, though, that is a real remote. i didn’t believe it at first. and now i kind of want one. just so i can wave it around and pretend to switch off, say, people or whatever.

not only was my dad a v. happy camper, he has also learned (after much training) how to pose for my blog. thanks, dad!

another highlight of our wild and free holiday was an extremely intense game of scrabble. granted, it was no greenhouse yahtzee, but there were still some twists and turns, including my dad TOTALLY CHEATING WITH A DICTIONARY. cheaters never prosper, dad! cos guess who emerged as the ULTIMATE VICTOR? watch this video (edited by henri, thank you!) and find out!!!

here’s a shot of our finished game, which i realize doesn’t look *that* impressive. but i totally scored, like, 39 points with “jelly.” it’s on video, suckers!

my dad, being an engineer, kept a meticulous record of the score. LOOK AT ALL OF MY TALLY POINTS!!!!

sorry dad. i wish you could change it all with yr new remote but you can’t.

christmas day was, of course, fabulous, because there are PRESENTS! AND TASTY BUSINESS!

scott was totally stoked over his longhorn shirt.

mom and dad have been married for so long, they accidentally gave each other THE SAME KIND OF LOTION. it’s like the gift of the bath & body works magi!!!

i got really excited about this *massive* xmas bag with my name on it!!!

it was full of new towels!!! which i realize doesn’t sound v. thrilling but in actuality, i really need them. getting older and boring is awesome!

the gift that most surprised me was not one, but TWO dance cards!!!! i’ve probably mentioned this on PD before, but i’ve been collecting them since i was a gilbert blythe-smitten high school girl… not to the point of, say, ebay mania, but more like, discovering one in an antique store once every two years. these new additions were particularly exciting cos they BOTH came with their original pencils!

i also received two YA books i requested, which i immediately began reading even though there were other people present. my mom actually had to tell me to put the book down, just like the old days! la la la!

after prezzies, it was time to make our christmas dinner! my contribution this year was, hold the phone, MAC ‘N’ CHEESE! i decided to follow the example set by miss amber o. and use the recipe in amy sedaris’ hostessing book. y’all, this woman KNOWS her tasty business.

i mean, LOOK AT THIS. LOOK. AT. THIS.

honestly, you could stop right there and i would be happy. but, you know, the macaroni is in the name, so people would notice if i left it out.

the finished result was of course DELICIOUS!!!!!! SWEET FANCY MOSES I WANT TO EAT MORE RIGHT NOW!!

it’s safe to say that a new pitre holiday tradition has been created, mostly likely followed by family obesity. yay!

after the *insanity* of christmas day, we returned to our relaxed schedule of movies (i liked “benjamin button” but wish i could sue adam sandler for 1.5 hours of MY LIFE BACK STUPID BEDTIME STORIES), eating, reading and shopping.

during the latter, i made a STARTLLING discovery that i just *had* to share with you guys.

no really, you will not believe this. esp. if you were a junior high girl in the early 90s.

5-7-9 IS STILL OPEN!!!

I KNOW!!!!!!! I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!!

ufortunately, they no longer carry oversized bejeweled t-shirts with brightly colored leggings. JUST KIDDING! YES THEY DO!

it’s good to know that my seventh grade outfits are finally, FINALLY cool like i knew they would be. eventually.

so now it’s yr turn! i want zany family stories! favorite presents! the works!

LINKS

check out the humble beginnings of all of yr favorite sesame street characters. does miss piggy know that this info is public?!

if you’re looking for some good YA (as i always am), check out this exceptional list from not yr mother’s book club. i’ve read about half of them already, so i can say with confidence that this represents the best of 2008.

cakespy posted their top 25 sweet moments of 2008, and i think i just ate my hand off. no seriously.

another squeeable installment of different animals being friends: a bassett hound and an owl!!!! p.s. beryl = best name ever.

i saw this on the news right before christmas and was immediately SO SAD that i don’t travel via the houston airport anymore. AIRPORT KARAOKE WAVE OF THE FUTURE!!!!

randy sent me this fantastic list of top ten worst media moments of 2008. and then i realized that i am not so sad to see 2008 go.

thanks to john for sending me this ridiculous movie, which i am only posting due to its brilliant name: attack of the killer pants!!

my fellow americans,

with the election of a new president, we all know that change is in the air. now is the time for all of us to search deep within ourselves for the passion and drive necessary to make our country a better place. as individuals, we must all do our part, which is why today i implore you to join me in my campaign to implement Afternoon Tea into the schedule of every american.

now, i realize that some of you may be resistant to this idea. you may scoff and say, “but afternoon tea is a british tradition! and therefore unpatriotic, because our forefathers fought against british imperialism so that we wouldn’t have to pay taxes without representation! and also so we could have good dentistry! therefore, afternoon tea is, like, terrorism!”

fear not, my fellow patriots! i am simply proposing that we do what america has always done: steal an idea and make it our own! this will not be british tea, oh no, but American Afternoon Tea!

to illustrate, allow me to describe the recent afternoon tea my mother and i enjoyed at the driskell hotel in honor of her birthday.

if you’re not familiar with austin, the driskill hotel is SUPER POSH (in fact, it’s where bill pullman stayed!) and totally decked out for the holidays.

hello, IN A MOVIE.

which brings me to…

Reason #1: Afternoon Tea makes you feel RICH

in the midst of this severe recession, we all need a morale booster. afternoon tea allows us to enjoy a brief respite from the workday and emerge with the feeling that we are totally $$$. voila, an increase in consumer spending, which leads to a better economy!

after all, when the meal begins with champers, you know you’re MADE. a toast to mom, the posh birthday lady!

Reason #2: Afternoon Tea gives you manners!

afternoon tea involves a lot of tiny plates and utensils, not to mention sharing. it is, in fact, impossible to HAVE tea without asking (politely):

“could you please pass the sugar?”

“could you please pass the cream?”

etc. etc.

and, if you expect to smother those delicious scones in (your choice of) lemon curd, devonshire cream or rasberry jam, you must learn to graciously maneuver tiny spoons!

can you imagine a loud, oafish person handling that dish? OF COURSE NOT!

raucous and rude behavior has no place at afternoon tea, which is why i am also recommending that schools implement a tea hour in order to reduce juvenile delinquency.

Reason #3: Afternoon Tea is tasty business!!!

the refreshments at afternoon tea are so delectable, so divine, that they MUST be served on a three-tiered silver tray.

as you can see, Afternoon Tea includes all of the major food groups: Fruit (chocolate covered strawberries), Dessert, Bread, Meat and Vegetables (duh, lettuce in the sandwiches!). don’t think of it as spoiling yr dinner, think of it as your Patriotic Duty!

Reason #4: The tiny portions promote healthy lifestyles!

everything at Afternoon Tea must be served in miniature form, which prevents people from stuffing their faces and ending up with a stomach ache (not to mention heart disease, obesity, and all of the other lame reasons why we can’t bring cupcakes to public schools anymore).

tiny portions also promote elegant and dainty eating!

in conclusion, i firmly believe that implementing Afternoon Tea into our nation’s daily schedule will boost the economy, end childhood obesity and produce extremely polite and happy citizens!

plus, it will make my mom happy. i mean, just look at her!

come on, america. do it for my mom! and yrselves! and yr tummies!

and, above all, for our country.

on the actual day of thanks, i went over to my cousin jim’s house. and when i say “cousin,” i mean “person i am somehow related to.” i don’t actually have any first cousins, but my mom’s side of the family is so big, they really make up for it. the house was packed with about five different tables to seat the forty or so people that had gathered (some of these folks i haven’t seen since i was a little girl, and it was one of the few times in my life when the value of nametags outweighed the dorkiness).

in fact, this was pretty much the thanksgiving of my dreams. henri says that my ideal holiday is the first ten minutes of “home alone,” which is totally double true (esp. the pizza). i love the crowds! the chaos! the confusion! in fact, jim’s house was SO packed, henri said “wow, i can see how they forgot about kevin.”

speaking of forgetting something important, i left flossie at home, but sadie came to the rescue and allowed me to take gems like this:

my dad sooo knew that picture was going on le blog.

i think the main reason i love all of the chaos of big family gatherings is that i grew up as an only child, so our house was always rather quiet (and calm, which i generally prefer). but it’s not just about the boisterous atmosphere… it’s also the INSANE NUMBER OF DESSERTS!

LOOK AT THAT! LOOK! AT! THAT!

also, i was sitting right next to that table. cos i am full of strategery!!!

the third reason thanksgiving was so great (after family and food) was that there was a baby there!!!!

and i got to play with her! and pinch (gently) those massive cheeks! hi ruthie!

ruthie’s older sister, bailey, was there too. i wish i could’ve taken her home, i.e. the Cutest Leftovers Ever.

my uncle scott and i spent the next two nights with my parents in round rock, where we did the usual things: reading, watching movies, talking… oh, and scaring the pants off of each other via facial masks.

RAAAA!!! i’m so lucky that i got my mom’s gene for Zombie Face.

we also put up the family christmas tree, a tradition that always gives me major squee.

and yes, we do all wear santa hats. and we LIKE IT!

even though it happens ever year, i cherish unfolding each ornament, esp. when i discover that it’s one of my all time favorites. then i do a litle dance while shreiking the name of the ornament, like it’s been lost for a hundred years and was just discovered in, like, the remains of the titantic.

this year was kind of a major milestone, though, cos i brought some of my childhood ornaments home… for my own tree, in my own apartment. it’s almost like i’m a grown-up or something.

yay! the tree is ready! so let’s have christmas now!

after all of our decorating, we drove over to downtown georgetown for the tree lighting ceremony. since georgetown is a pretty small place, it felt more like a little neighborhood block party, which only added to the charm. the town square was decked out with lights, and yes, there were carolers!

most of the stores were open late, so we explored charming little places like this bookstore, which YES had a tree made of BOOKS!

and of course, a ton of antique stores. the pitres love their antiques!

seriously, though, how inviting does that window look? so many sparkles! and colors! and whimsy!

we ended the night with a serenade from some carolers dressed in, CHECK, victorian gear! the only thing missing was the roaming band of broadway bound tweens singing their hearts out and dressed like orphans. you know what i’m talking about.

after such a wholesome holiday, it only seemed right to drive to san antonio with erica and henri so we could be as touristy as possible on the riverwalk. i knew it was going to be a good night when we got a surprise bottle of champers from some of erica’s old hotel co-workers. cheers to US!

also, thanks to erica, we got to stay in a posh hotel room!! with an awesome view! rather than jumping on the bed, henri, being the mature adult that he is, decided to build a fort with the couch cushions.

the riverwalk is always a fun (and yes, cheesy) place to visit, but during the hoidays, it turns into a WINTER WONDERLAND! well, i mean, minus the snow. fake snow, however, would definitely be cool (san antonio, are you reading this?).

i asked erica and henri to pose for a “we’re on the riverwalk!” picture, but instead of taking the picture, i played that prank where you hit “record” instead of taking an actual picture and then after about a minute, yr subjects realize they’ve been posing and feel like idiots and everyone wins with the hilarity! esp. when henri and erica are involved, cos they LIKE looking like idiots.

we tried to check out as many touristy places as possible (except the rainforest cafe. we walked in… and walked right back out. there’s only so much THEME one person can take), but my favorite was the dueling piano bar!!!

first of all, i cannot BELIEVE people paid $23 just to have their phrase written on a mirror board. i think i’m going to put a white board up in my cubicle and see how much money i can make from my co-workers.

second of all, I LOVE DUELING PIANOS!!! even though they didn’t play nearly enough billy joel for my taste.

we ended up sitting with a husband and wife who were out celebrating the wife’s birthday. another good thing about piano bars: it is v. v. easy to make friends when you’re singing yr heart out to elton john.

esp. when the husband is REALLY EXCITED that it’s his wife’s birthday and repeatedly asks you to wish her a happy birthday. NO REALLY IT’S HER BIRTHDAY TELL HER HAPPY BIRTHDAY! IT’S HER BIRTHDAY!

in other words, the riverwalk and its people totally met and then, amazingly, surpassed my expectations.

and so, in summary, i had a great thanksgiving because:

there was so much family!

there was so much pie!

there was a baby and a toddler!

i went to the riverwalk and enjoyed its culture!

the end.

p.s. did you guys have a good thanksgiving?

*i really wanted to start this essay with the webster’s definition of thanksgiving but i just couldn’t bring myself to that level of high schoolness.

LINKS

ready to salivate over thanksgiving food all over again? check out what michelle made… uh, michelle, want to come over to my house next year?

i loved this jezebel entry about food descriptions in books, cos, hello, that’s mostly what i remember about books, esp. the ones i read as a kid. like, the maple syrup ice cream in “little house on the prairie”! or the ice cold milk in “the boxcar children”! heck, even the turkish delight in the narnia book… and i don’t even *like* turkish delight.

BEST JENGA SET EVER (thanks for the link, john!)

check out this preview for the new electric company. i kinda want to learn to read all over again!

panda parade!

yeah, that’s right, i’m 29 years old. and that’s a cabbage patch mug.

i love you, mom! thanks for coming over and taking care of yr sickly only child, who is still lying on the couch and letting all of yr sweet, sweet TLC purge this grossness out of her system.

later i’ll microwave some soup, but it won’t taste as good as when you microwave it for me. and that’s just the straight up truth.

today, you will understand even better why he is an amazing father.

before i let his responses speak for themselves, i’d like to mention a few of my favorite things about my dad. just in the name of full disclosure. like, if i was that “in step” dude that interviews people on the last page of “parade” magazine, this is what i’d put in the sidebar.

1. Friendliest Guy In The Entire Universe

my dad has never, ever met a stranger. everyone he meets suddenly becomes his new friend, whether it be the grocery store cashier, the kerbey lane waiter or the lady working a booth at the street fair. a few months ago, while waiting in line for the shuttle in georgetown, he gave out his sunscreen to every single person in line. the other day, he got so involved in a conversation with a sales guy at the domain that my mom and i had to literally drag him out of the store. it’s actually a quality i have *always* admired about my dad– even in the hair-trigger embarrassment days of adolescence, i was never ashamed of my dad’s ability to reach out to people.

2. Everyone’s Second Dad

my dad (as well as my mom, who, yes, i will be interviewing later!) is basically like a second dad to all of my friends. my parents have always taken an active interest in everyone i care about, which makes me feel even more loved as their daughter. oh, talena needs a coat? dad’s got one. josh needs his bike fixed? mr. al will drive right over! henri’s moving? mr. pitre can help him pack! yesterday’s military photo of my dad sitting at his desk, ready to serve you, really says it all.

me and my super-dad, celebrating my new master’s degree.

3. Mr. Safety Pants

there is NO ONE who cares about safety more than my dad. i have heard MANY a lecture from him about what NOT to do, including our infamous discussion about the dangers of wearing flip flops on a plane. his precautions have been so ingrained in me that i constantly wear sunscreen and never forget my bike helmet, even though it looks incredibly dorky. i just have this fear that i’ll get hit by a car and die and the cops will have to tell my dad, “no sir, she wasn’t wearing a helmet.” that might be harder on my dad than my actual death.

4. The Man Who Reads Everything

both of my parents gave me a passion for reading, but my dad is the Ultimate Fan of the historical marker (and really, educational signs in general). there have been many days where my mom and i have left my dad miles behind us at the museum and then spent an hour in the gift shop, waiting for him to finish reading every single word on every single sign. don’t even get me started on what it was like to drive through Civil War battlefields with him. this may sound like a complaint, but i actually love this about my dad. he stores up everything and then always has a new fact or piece of history to share with me.

5. Engineer Extraordinaire

given his engineering profession, my dad is a v. methodical planner pants, a trait he passed on to me (although he designs platforms and i design winery tours, etc.). when i was small, he built me an AMAZING bed with cabinets and drawers underneath. before i moved into my room at wiess college, he created a blueprint of the space, complete with to-scale paper cut-outs of my furniture, so we could determine the perfect and most efficient layout. i have constantly benefited from his practicality and precision, except for the time he tried to help me with my math homework in elementary school. “sarah, let’s just say that this number equals x…” “DAD, i’m in the fourth grade. i have NO idea what you’re talking about.”

anyway, enough from me. let’s get back to the interview, esp. cos there are some juicy parts coming up!

so dad, after the military, you eventually enrolled at LSU. what made you decide to go there, and what inspired you to pursue civil engineering?

During the final year of my enlistment, my dad retired and moved back to Pineville, Louisiana purchasing the house his mother moved after he went in the Army. LSU had an extension there and since the G.I. bill at the time only provided a monthly stipend $130 I had to find a cheap school. At time I still thought highly of Louisiana. So I filed the necessary paperwork to get an early release from the service to attend the 1968 fall semester at LSUA (one benefit in being an administrative specialist as long as I was, is that you know all the regulations that you can benefit from plus good contacts with other administrative specialist higher up who can help grease the wheels).

Why I became a Civil Engineer… some where I got this idea of working for the Bureau of Reclamation, building dams. Of course later, working for Conoco during summer vacations, I discovered that one could make a lot of money doing some pretty interesting projects in the oil business.

Four of my college buddies. We were attending a wedding of a classmate in Victoria, Texas. Starting on the left is Frank, Dennis, Leon and Me. Frank and Dennis were my roommates. Sad to say we lost contact with each other after we graduated.

how did you and mom meet?!!!! tell me about some of yr early dates!

I met your mom during my senior year at LSU’s main campus in Baton Rouge. We lived in an apartment complex that was between the Mississippi levee and a rail road track. She lived by the rail track and I lived near the levee. On the way to school on my bike I noticed her and her friend Alice walking to school. She was so cute, with big blue eyes. One day, having sinus problems on a cold morning I drove my car. When I saw them I stopped and asked if I could give them a ride, which they accepted. First impressions were not good as she thought I was about 4 years younger and a hippie (long hair and bike) and since she lived in the end where most married couples lived I thought she was married. Fortunately for you, we cleared that up and started dating. Our first date was a Halloween party.

Not having much money (some things don’t change in college life), our dates consisted of LSU foot ball games (students got in free), movies, parties in our apartments, during warmer weather pool parties, eating in cheap places (some just had white butcher paper for tablecloths), hang outs in the student union and once a trip to New Orleans for Mari Gras. We used to write each other letters and cards (we had P.O. boxes at the student union). Like you, your mom was involved an organization similar to Big Brothers and Sisters.

ha ha, that is awesome that mom thought you were a hippie, when nothing could be further from the truth.

Sue not long after we were married. Isn’t she cute?

give me the sequence of events between when you and mom got married and when i was born. where did you guys live? what did you do as wild twentysomethings?

Upon graduation, we found out that Conoco had reassigned me from the New Orleans office to Lake Charles. We were disappointed as we were looking forward to life in the “Big Easy.” You mother got a job as a high school library in a mostly African American high school (Louisiana was still resisting the changing times). Since we had to start work in Lake Charles a month or so before our wedding, your mother moved in to the apartment and I moved in to a room house (an experience). After the wedding we befriended the two other newlyweds in the apartments on either side. Lake Charles wasn’t much, but there were parties, theater, fishing and sailing (I had a sail boat at the time). There were many trips to Houston (Astro World), New Orleans for fun with classmates, weddings of classmates, and an occasion return to LSU for football games. We got tired of the long absences that my job required and I was able to get transferred to Houston. After a few months I decided to leave the industry and work for Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, a Civil Engineering firm.

Sue and I in front of our first apartment (actually we had the unit upstairs)

Your mom and I lived in a two story townhome in the San Felipe area where all the young married and singles lived. She initially worked for the Harris Country Public Library system followed by a position with the Houston Public Library. We were justly classified as “DINKS” (Dual Income, No Kids). Most complexes had a party room where they held a function during week. One favorite was in a complex called Woodway Square called “75 cent spaghetti dinner night” where for 75 cents you got a spaghetti dinner plus drinks (extra cost) and you could party afterwards. They had a great New Year’s party. Not long after moving to Houston, we went to England, Scotland and Holland for two weeks. Then there were the skiing trips to New Mexico and Colorado. Vacation to California (we went twice).

i am totally starting a 75 cent spaghetti night, cos that sounds awesome.

On vacation in California.

dude. dad. you guys were TOTAL HIPSTERS.

We also participated in many activities with my co-workers at the civil engineering firm such as weekend camping in New Braunfels, to canoe and tube the river, Star Trek conventions (where we saw Gene Roddenberry present his proposal for the next Star Trek series), clubbing (House of Pies was a favorite late night stop afterwards) and movies. Houston is where we purchased our first home. During this time I brought a yellow MGB sport car for your mom and we both enjoyed it. Deciding to return the oil industry, I accepted a position with Marathon Oil Company, which after a short time in Houston was transferred to Lafayette, Louisiana where you entered our lives.

star trek conventions = why i was born a nerd.

Sue and I during our “DINK” period.

ok, now let’s put me, yr fabulous only child, in the picture. how did it feel to become a dad?! at the risk of sounding narcissistic, what was it like to raise me as yr daughter?

I remember clearly the night of your birth. I couldn’t be with your mother during the delivery but as the doctor was bringing you to the nursery he stopped by with you and slowly uncovered you to, I guess, ensure me that you had arrived healthy with all your parts. A little baby girl with red hair, that took my heart away. In the nursery, you really stood out with that red hair among all those Cajun babies. When my dad was looking at you through the glass he turned and said, “Now you will worry about her all your life”. It was the beginning of “Mr. Safety Pants”. You were and are a wonderful daughter and we had so much fun raising you. Being your dad has been and still is the most wonderful joy of my life.

tell me about some of yr favorite “dad” activities and memories.

I have many favorite “Dad” activities and memories. Reading to you at night, teaching you corny jokes (How do you fix a broken tomato? With tomato paste!), you riding on my back, swinging, watching you and your friends play.

When you started to school, dinner time became very special as your mom and I would listen to your adventures of the day. It was a high point of the day until you left for college.

In your younger years there were the brownie camp outs, family reunions where we played for hours in the pool or rode horse, school plays and activities, Halloween, camping trips with our church friends, trips to the Schlitterbahn, playing with our dog Biscuit and of course the many birthday parties, Christmas and the numerous sleepovers.

Dad and Sarah, ready to trick or treat!

Going to Disneyworld for the first time when you were five brings back so many warm memories. You hugged every Disney character you saw. You had no fear for any of the rides, like Space Mountain, which I found very scary. After you learned to read (at an early age I might add), when we would travel, we would just stock up on books from the library and you would read them on the way.

Sharing adventures with Sarah in Williamsburg.

Memories from your junior high and high school years include the many family vacations we took from D.C., to Alaska (remember the float plane trip over the Glaciers to the fishing lodge), taking you and friends to the movies, to eat, the mall, Astroworld and my office for your yearly downtown bus trips(before you could drive), sending Biscuit upstairs to wake you up for school, watching all the Alien movies in one day before we went to see the last one, the many sleepovers, the video movies you and your friends would make, your expression when I surprised you with your first car, your writings and your many scholastic achievements.

One of the numerous parties and sleepovers.

yeah, we really knew how to do slumber parties, didn’t we?

Our Alaska Adventure.

When you left for college, for the first two weeks every time I would walk by your room I would get this lump in my throat and my eyes would swell up. It is always tough for a parent to let go, but that is the way is supposed to be. I am so proud of you and your accomplishments and how you continue to develop and maintain friendships.

Proud day in the Pitre family, Sarah’s graduation from Rice.

As foot note, I am always pleased to read or hear the achievements and activities of your high school and college friends as they are truly some special young people. Our lives have been blessed and enriched from knowing them.

how would you compare yr childhood to mine? when i was growing up, did i ever remind you of yrself?

As you read above, you can see that your childhood was very different than mine. Your mother and I strived to ensure that you had a normal childhood. You were very different from the child I was.

what sort of ideal did you strive for as a father? what were the values you sought to instill in me?

I wanted to be a different father than my Dad’s generation. When you were a baby I helped your mother by also changed your diapers, bathing you, rocking you sleep, reading to you and playing with you.

Card by Sarah

We wanted Christ to be a part of your life. His values are timeless. By going to church as a family and participating in its activities as a family, we hoped that you would continue once you left home and started your own life.

When you started school we wanted to provide you the best education and the opportunity to participate in all the activities you were interested in. This provision included our encouragement, support and time, in other words being there for you.

We tried not to be too strict, giving you freedom to do things as you matured.

We wanted you have confidence that comes from knowing that we loved you no matter what and would always be there to support and encourage you.

Drinking beer in Germany during our Europe trip (after your Rice graduation).

since everyone knows that you are mr. safety pants, why don’t you give me yr top list of safety tips.

I guess being in an industry where I have witnessed some pretty spectacular and serious accidents, safety has been ingrained in me.

• Before doing any task, check to that you have the proper tools, you know how to use them , any required safety equipment, and think through the task if any think could go wrong and try to address it.
• Driving – maintain your car and check your tires frequently. Keep a good distance from 18 wheelers, remember that everyone else thinks they are the only ones on the road, you never have the right-a-away, just because the light is green doesn’t mean the other guy will stop, the most dangerous driver is the person driving the big SUV, drinking coffee, talking on the phone, putting on make-up or shaving, or even reading the paper (they are out there).

in the last five years or so, you’ve really gotten into cycling. what drew you to bikes? how often (and for how long) do you ride? and when will you work in a bike shop as “friendly mr. al,” the guy who fixes all of the kids’ bikes for free?

As noted above I started riding in college and always had a bike. During our time in Lafayette I got interested in running and used run about 6 miles day 4 or 5 times a week. Just as we moved to Houston I developed bursitis in my hip. After it healed I tried to run again but it would flare up plus I was traveling so much that I stopped running. Later reading about the MS 150 (the two day ride from Houston to Austin) I decided that biking would provide me the exercise running use to. So I brought a bike and started riding. I have done numerous charity rides plus two MS 150s. Since I retired I ride about 60 to 80 miles a week (20 – 30 miles 3 times a week). I must say I love living north of Austin for all the great places to ride.

No “Mr. Al’s” bike shop yet but maybe in the future.

My two special people welcome me at the end of my first MS 150.

so, you’ve recently (sort of) retired for the 30th time. what are you gonna DO with yrself, dad?!!

I have to catch up on all the things we need to do to house and complete our move in. But your mom and I have joined senior university in Georgetown and are looking forward to attending some of the classes. We plan to get into some sort of volunteer work and do some traveling. Biking will still be one of my major activities.

what is yr secret power?

Don’t a have any.

dad, that is SO not true. i’ll tell you what yr secret power is: yr amazing ability to befriend ANYONE. no matter who they are, or what their state of mind is, within one minute of talking with you, they will want to be yr life-long friend.

do you sleep in jimjams? what kind?

I sleep in box shorts (not the white kind) and a tee shirt.

what is yr #1 favorite food?

Apple pie.

what is yr top restaurant recommendation in austin? what’s the best thing on the menu?

I have enjoyed all the restaurants we have been to with you and couldn’t just recommend just one. Now around here we recommend the Monument Cafe in Georgetown. All the food is good.

tell me about yr top area of expertise.

My area of expertise is the design, installation and construction of offshore oil and gas processing facilities and structures.

Me, multi-tasking offshore

what was yr favorite item of clothing as a child?

When I was about 13 or 14 my mom brought me some white buck skin loafers, which was the in thing of the time. I loved and wore them till I finally out grew them.

what was yr favorite toy as a child? (the moody bonus question)

I don’t remember (too many years ago).

what do you plan on doing when you’re 80?

I hope I am still riding my bikes (with my grandkids (hint, hint,)), and living someplace where I can walk, ride a bike or public transportation to stores, restaurants, etc.

what is yr best karaoke song?

Never done karaoke and would not subject any one to my singing.

dad, that is not true. i think yr favorite song begins, “beans, beans, the magical fruit…”

do people ever tell you that you look like someone famous? who?

No one ever has.

tell me something scandalous!

In the 9^th grade I and several of my classmates got kicked out of school for a day for making a disturbance in class. If it hadn’t been for my 8^th grade teacher who came home with me to calm my dad down, he would have killed me.

The Pitres walk Abbey Road in the summer of 2001.

dad, this has been an absolutely wonderful experience for me (and for the rest of pants world, i bet). i am so proud to call you my father, not to mention utterly thankful for the example you’ve given me. i only hope i can follow in yr footsteps and love people as selflessly and sweetly as you have loved me.

i love you!!

yeah, that’s right, i’m talking about “baby boom.”

i remember LOVING this movie as a kid, cos it featured glitzy new york city and a cute baby and homemade apple sauce which looked DIVINE. at the time, i thought it was perfectly natural that a woman would give up her uber powerful corporate job and retire to a quiet town in vermont to raise her kid and make applesauce.

i mean, obviously, right?

now, of course, i can’t help but wonder if j.c. ever got bored with small town life. what if she missed having an assistant bring her coffee? or making decisions that actually affected more than, say, two people? or walking into a room and having people see her as “that big shot CEO lady” or even just “j.c.” as opposed to “mom”?

jezebel posted two separate entries related to this topic today, one about how difficult it is for moms to juggle jobs and kids (file that under Big Duh Science) and the other about a new policy in britain that gives more maternity leave to mothers but reinforces the idea that women should always be the primary caregiver. uh, i’m guessing “baby boom” made more of a splash in the UK than “mr. mom.”

given the current state of the economy, it seems more and more likely that both parents will have to continue working after they start a family. oh, and don’t even get me started on maternity (or paternity) leave.

it makes me wonder about how i will feel, whenever i have kids (which is far, far into the distant future, let me assure you, unless i randomly inherit a baby like j.c.). what sort of choices will i have? what if i want to stay home but can’t afford it? what if i stay home and suddenly feel, well, like i’m suffocating, because i’ve lost a v. real part of my identity?

when i look back on my childhood, i know i was extremely fortunate to have a mother that was able to hang out with me, 24/7. sure, she took me to mother’s day out for a break now and then, but for the most part, mom was always there, whether i needed a PB & honey sandwich or a narrator for the 367th reading of “blueberries for sal.”

would my childhood have been different if my mom had worked? of course. would it have been worse? i doubt it, considering that my parents are both so amazing.

but would it have been harder on them? certainly. did my mom ever regret staying at home rather than pursuing a career? i don’t think so.

these are all questions that people, parents, have to answer for themselves… then again, financially, sometimes they only have one option.

since i was never a “latch key” kid, i harbor a real curiosity about how parents who both work make time to give their children the love and education they need. i know it’s certainly, definitely possible, but i want to know *how* you do it… without retiring and making gourmet apple sauce for a living.

so, pants world: what do you think is necessary to create a positive and nurturing environment for kids? what lessons did you learn from yr parents, especially with regards to balance?

and, for those of you with kids… or about to have a little one… how did you make these choices, about working or staying home?

of course, if j.c. wiatt was transplanted to 2008, she’d probably just hire four nannies, throw in an adopted kid from a third world country and call it a day.

LINKS

weburbanist is gonna do an eight part series on bansky. and i am v. glad.

the new italian vogue, featuring all black models, is totally awesome. so, tell me, fashion world, why don’t i see any of these fine ladies on the runway?

BWE compiled a list of movies that made more money on their opening weekend than eddie murphy’s latest disaster, “meet dave.” and WOW, “baby geniuses”? really? ok, that’s just sad.

now, the bellas and edwards of the world can find love online thanks to lovebitten.net. you better believe i’m gonna start trolling for spike… (thanks matt for the link).

apparently, it’s now a big trend to take children’s drawings and try to recreate them. so far, though, this guy is my favorite. maybe it’s because i soooo drew that pink princess room. plus, i love the recreation of a child’s perception of tables…

have you guys heard of this blind 5 year-old girl who is, like, a mini mozart? wow.

check out this PB&J mechanical munchie machine!!! uh, can i get a mac & cheese munchie machine? what about one for sweet potato fries? (thanks to moody for the link).

do you guys know what a beguine is? i didn’t, until i read this fascinating article in the times travel section.

jezebel has a clip from one of the greatest eps of “intervention” ever. and by greatest, i mean the best possible marriage of hilarious and depressing.

there are a lot of benefits to finishing graduate school, like being able to put yr shiny new degree on yr resume and NEVER HAVING HOMEWORK AGAIN and people calling you “master.”

wait, people don’t call you “master” when you have a masters degree?! are you serious? WHY DID I WASTE ALL OF THIS TIME?

anyway, all of these benefits are great, but my favorite part is CELEBRATING THE FACT THAT I’M DONE.

cos i am reeeeally good at celebrating things. so good, in fact, that i managed to pack ALL of my favoritey favorites into one weekend. read this list and be amazed:

1) my parents

2) my friends

3) tasty business

4) alamo sing-alongs

5) radiohead

this was no cookies and punch reception, people.

friday night, my parents took henri and me to a posh dinner at mars on south congress. i’d never been there before, so it was even more exciting!

we started off with the tuna tataki, which was EXQUISITE.

for the entree, i ordered the butternut squash gyoza with sake cream sauce. IT WAS AMAZING. OMG. looking at this picture makes me want to lick my monitor. and that is gross.

of course i saved room for dessert, cos hello, it wouldn’t be a poshdeluxe celebration without baked goods!!!! although i will forever love the donut holes at parkside, these glazed donuts (with espresso gelatto) absolutely took my breath away. LOOK AT THEM.

ok great now i’m starving. thanks for nothing, lean pocket from lunch!

it’s been so wonderul to have my parents close by in round rock, and on friday, i was especially grateful for their presence (and not just cos they bought me food). they’ve always been so supportive of me– honestly, i’ve never met two people who are more encouraging, to *everyone*, than my parents. when i saw the pride and happiness in their eyes, i felt like a million buckaroos.

yay, now all three of the pitres have masters degrees! we are, as meredith likes to say, so freaking scholarly!

since i knew i’d be seeing many of my VIPantsers over the weekend, i decided to ask them for advice, cos their opinions and perspectives mean the world to me.

i started with mom and dad:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ-6vTSBhyg]

see? aren’t they the best?!!

then i asked henri, cos i think he is v. v. smart, and he’s also business-savvy, which i am not.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R85gjkD66B8]

i’m starting to feel like a children’s book character, gathering advice from adult figures, but ha ha i’m an adult, too. i just forget sometimes.

josh met up with us at the stephen f. austin for a drink so my parents could ask him a billion questions about his new job and his engagement (another great thing about my parents– they are like second parents to all of my friends). josh has been there for several major milestones in my life– the first day at rice, the first day in austin (he helped me move, bless him) and now graduation– and i feel lucky to have a person like him as a constant in my life.

plus, he totally knows how to enjoy a sing-long, which is where we went next.

thank you, josh, for always letting me take ridiculous photos of you and then singing to weezer’s “buddy holly” at the top of yr lungs.

the alterna-90s was the perfect theme for the night, considering the nostalgia invoked by songs like “mr. jones” and “smells like teen spirit.” as i danced around and sang angst-filled lyrics, i thought about how far i’ve come since seventh grade slumber parties and late night journaling sessions at dietrich’s.

the show ended with “it’s the end of the world (as we know it)” which was, well, wildly appropriate.

afterwards, i asked josh for advice, which he gave while wearing his glasses.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKmQby9qFCw]

the next day, henri and i drove to houston to see RADIOHEAD!!!!!!

not only is radiohead (still, after all these years) my favorite band, but they also happen to be intrinsically connected to graduation for me. back in may of 2001, i ran back to my dorm room after the rice ceremony to sit at my desk, still wearing my cap and gown, and buy a ticket online for the radiohead concert later that summer.

and so, of course i had to see radiohead after graduating from grad school. it’s just in the stars.

i don’t usually like “big” shows, but there’s something so fitting about seeing radiohead in a place where you can sit comfortably, surrounded by yr friends, and let the music wash over you.

note my awesome new bling, a graduation gift from my parents. cos P stands for pitre, poshdeluxe, pants, pretty much everything that is awesome in the universe!!!!

while we were waiting for the show to begin, it started to sprinkle, so henri, matt, meredith and i took shelter under a blanket. it totally felt like an elementary sleepover where everyone gets under the bed sheet and tells ghost stories with a flashlight.

i realized that all i need are these faces, cos even under a blanket in the cold rain, i had the time of my life. some people throw massive catered parties to celebrate their graduation, but i’ll take my best friends and a blanket any day.

josh, erica and teresa showed up to join our little party, which just made me happier. yay!! radiohead with people i love!

and THEN mark lewis came! i sweart, it felt like, “POSH DELUXE, this is yr LIFE!!!” the best part was that mark and meredith finally met in person… it’s the greatest feeling, when two of yr most cherished friends meet each other with wide smiles and outstretched hands and say, “i recognized you from the blog!” ha ha.

the radiohead show did not disappoint. LIKE I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT. it was AMAZING. first of all, the sound was incredible, and i give radiohead’s engineering skills full credit, cos the acoustics at the woodlands pavilion aren’t always that great. second, they had INCREDIBLE LIGHTS!! WOW!!!

look!!!!!

and they changed colors!! and displayed designs! look!!!

the colors would change in time with the music, so the show was a feast for both the ears and the eyes.

even though i love ALL of their albums, i was especially gratified when they played not one but TWO songs from “the bends.” here’s a video of “planet telex,” which was part of the encore. you can see the lights go CRAYZEEEEE.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoZdBcStMao]

when i listen to radiohead, my mind reels… sometimes just about life, sometimes about specific memories attached to songs. every track from “amnesiac” reminds me of falling asleep in european hostels, cos i bought it when kendall and i were in london after college graduation. “the bends” takes me back to freshmen year, when life was exciting and scary and frankly, overwhelming.

as i stood there and let the music seep into me, i thought so much about that summer, seven years ago, when i saw radiohead for the first time. i had just come back from europe, rented a house in montrose with mary, and had absolutely no job prospects. i didn’t have a clue about my next step, and somehow, i found that exhilarating. the music soared around me, and the world was open to receive it, open to receive *me*.

and even though so much has happened since that concert, i felt the same way as i stood there, a girl with a master’s degree but no master plan, a girl with a lot of possibilities and a lot of (sometimes conflicting) directions. but i’m not really the same… i’ve learned things and made mistakes and collected even more incredible, amazing people in my life. and that realization made me feel a little bit stronger.

i looked up at the moon as the music and sounds of the crowd rose up into the sky, and i felt precious in my insignificance.

as the crowds streamed out of the gate, i took advantage of mark’s concert attendance to ask him for advice.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTWh7LdG_Bg]

the next day, a group of us accompanied matt to st. arnold’s brewery to support him in a beer brewing contest he entered. his final score was incredibly high, and all of us practically exploded with pride (meredith especially).

go matt! you are a master brewer, and i will enjoy the fruit of yr labor anytime you need me.

i love that my graduation celebration included celebrating someone else for their fantastic achievement, esp. because it makes me appreciate the support of my friends and family even more. in fact, the weekend went from a celebration of graduation to a celebration of ALL of the wonderful things in my life, and for me, that’s even better than a new diploma.

before we left, i asked one more friend for advice: meredith.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ZdsHEub_g]

after gathering all of this advice, i feel like the richest girl on the planet.

because yes, meredith, the world IS my dance party. and i’m going to enjoy the pants out of it.

LINKS

have you guys seen the new trailer for joss whedon’s “dollhouse”?!!! ZOMGGGG. (thanks erin for the link!)

no matter who you’re voting for in the presidential election, i think we can all agree that misogyny in this country has yet to be conquered.

becky sent me this link about meatloaf cupcakes. i’m not sure how i feel about that.

she also sent me this kool-aid, like, database. remember saving kool-aid points?!! so you could get awesome kool-aid prizes?!! yeah!