#10 and #30

Wednesday, Rachel and I went to Austin to go Mount Bonnell and canoeing on Town Lake. Two things that I've always wanted to do while living in Austin, but never did.

The trek up Mount Bonnell was less than a work-out, but the view was spectacular!

What would have happened to Austin if the Mormons hadn't been flooded out?!

How many steps does it take to reach the top?

The peak

The views

Tankmates for life!

Downtown

We drove to Zilker park, where I parallel parked for the first time since my driving test. After forgetting sun screen, we picked up a canoe and rowed down Town Lake. Among other sights, we saw turtles, ducks, swans and their babies (looked it up - cygnets). Adventures included: picking up some booty (trash) and saving the day for a poor dog who lost its tennis ball in the river! :) Top it off with some snow cones!

Best steerer ever

Wearing my kiddie life vest

The day was completed with a late lunch at Shady Grove, where I drank a "Shady Thang" and ate a "Hippie Chick Sandwich."

YUM

It was an awesome Austin-packed day. Thanks Rachel!!!

#47

I brewed beer!

Last February with the Mr. Beer Kit that Eric got me, I began making a nice "Golden Lager." I know brewing beer should come naturally to me, but I actually had to follow directions.

Anyways, on to the brewing!

I stored the keg in my most obvious cool, dry place = the upstairs guest bathroom. Unfortunately, I'll probably only be able to make beer during the winter when it's cold....but there'll always be enough Shiner in the fridge no matter the season :)

After 2 weeks, came bottling/carbonation = add sugar and shake.


After another 2 weeks, the bottles went into the fridge for "conditioning."

And thanks to Felix for the name "Bruzo," combination of Bruce and Zoe.....(drumroll, please).....Bruzo Brew est. 2010! (You'll Get Smush-Faced)

Custom beer labels

So last Saturday, the moment of truth was upon us! Will it taste awesome? or like....just some bad beer?

Icy cold goodness

TASTES AWESOME!!!

Passing it around

CHEERS!!!

Cloudy or Clear....it tasted all good


We had to watch a beer-themed movie

Chugging... motivated by "Das Boot"....Ian won...but just barely ;)

I did plan on saving at least one bottle...but we drank it all....and it was very, very inebriating.....

And so the beer brewing was a total success! Thanks to all that came and drank! LONG LIVE BEER!!!

#12 and #17

Last Saturday, my best friend Kristen got married! ....To quote the very end of my poorly rehearsed toast: "To Kristen and Jon!"

Jon is awesome...and so is his cake

However the day before, w went to Spa D'sante, where I received a spa treatment AND 1 1/2 hour massage:

"body, sole & mind
Let us relax your mind with a sedating hot oil scalp massage, followed by a warm, gentle rinse. Then, let us take you away with a healing foot rejuvenation treatment followed by a one and a half hour rejuvenating body massage."


It felt really good....I can't remember anything other than that.

#23

I went to the Texas Renaissance Festival on November 28, 2009 with Eric, Aaron, and Nat....this blog is better late than never, right?

We left at 8 am, and drove some 4 hours through country roads and all to get to Plantersville, Tx....

With turkey sticks and corn on the cob, and we enjoyed the parade.

It's Ded Bob!

SHOP til you DROP

Fake jousting rocks....except our jouster fake lost....he just fell off his horse!

Blacksmithing

Awesome replica weapons....these are from Lord of the Rings...Legolas

Awesome wizard....I'll need to dress up next time ;)

#2

I had almost forgot this was on my list.

Today, I organized all my college stuff into 3 boxes, and my medical school stuff into 4. Don't ask me why I need to keep it. Although "pack-rat" may come to mind, at least it's contained in neat stackable boxes!

It may not seem that important, but when STUFF sits around haphazardly this long, it gets annoying.
Now the STUFF will just sit around non-haphazardly.

See George Carlin on "STUFF"

#50

I was Donatello, the teenage mutant ninja turtle, for Halloween!

- Already have: green shirt, yellow tank, bō staff (wrapping paper roll), green flip flops
- Old Navy: green beanie
- Target: yellow boyshorts
- Party City: green tights
- Walmart: Brown shell (dog bed), Brown spray paint
- Hobby Lobby: needle and brown thread, brown fleece material, purple material, elastic, craft wooden letter D
- CVS: green nail polish
Too much stuff to do:
- @ Mom's house :) Cut and sewed the purple mask and brown material for the knee/arm/wrist bands (with a lil' mom and sewing machine help)
- Hand-sewed the elastic to the bands to make them wearable, colored the white elastic with a brown marker
- Cut out holes for the purple mask
- Sewed brown fleece to back of dog bed and stuffed with paper towels
- Pinned strips of brown fleece to dog bed to make it wearable like a back-pack
- Eric spray-painted a wrapping paper roll darker brown, and I wrapped strips of purple material around to make the bō staff
- Used a strip of brown fleece for the belt, but didn't have enough time to super glue the letter D to it :(

...and voilà

Donatello fights the mighty Bebop and Rocksteady!

Awesome Halloween:
- Spurs won against Sacramento Kings, and Ginobili beat down a bat
- The Saint - an awesome gay club complete with costume contest, me downing a Long Island in 5 min, and DANCING!!!

Photo courtesy of Nat....and I lost my belt somewhere on the dance floor

#32

In July, I went to sunny Destin, Florida...sorry for the delay in this post, but I have serious procrastination issues

Monday, June 29

• 4th year orientation = holy frijoles I've got a lot of shit to do + beach thoughts
• Take-offs and landings are the best part of airplane rides
• Expected "turbulence" = Phantom turbulence minus mid-flight drink orders
• Leftover TGIFs = stinky backpack
• Emerald Grande = damn nice hotel

Tuesday, June 30

• "Private" hotel beach = musky green water, seaweed, large rocks = fun
• McGuire's Irish Pub = thousands of dollar bills everywhere + sharpie + stapler + STEAK

Wednesday, July 1

• DEEP SEA FISHING = too much sun + red snapper + sore arms the next day = AWESOME
• Eric + biggest catch = master of deep sea fishing
• Red Snapper restaurant = Place to eat your catches minus slaving over hot stove yourself
• Pat O's Hurricane = not as good as a margarita

Thursday, July 2

• "Back Porch" beach = clear waters + waves + white sand = GOOD BEACH...picture = eric = small dot in the middle
• Thunderstorms in Florida = freakin mini-hurricanes
• Ciao Bella Pizza = decent + filling
• Harry T's Long Island Iced Tea = biggest plastic cup ever
• Club Aqua = Bikini contest = weird

Friday, July 3

• Wave runners = 38 mph = waves minus sore butts minus fall-outs = miracle
• GOOD BEACH again = need those water goggles
• Para-sailing = relaxing 10 minutes
• Dewey Destin Seafood Restaurant = Shrimp and Spinach Alfredo minus filling = need to eat other people's food

Saturday

• Commander's palace restaurant = Replacing your full glass of water + Sorbets in little dishes = Fanciest restaurant ever (25 cent Cosmo = earliest I've ever had alcohol)
• Shopping for souvenirs = headache
• Reading "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" on the plane ride minus Kleenex = Not a good idea