things that make you go, "ewgh"

Another crazy day at the faculty/staff gym. Today when I entered the room in the row of the three elliptical machines there was a man in a sleevless work out shirt parked in the center one with the other two free. So I scampered onto one of the free ones and caught wind of the nastiest smelling B.O. I Gagged. Yet determined to get my workout going on time I stuck it out, having to completely turn my head to the side and just about into my sleeve in order to help filter the putrid smell. Why!? Will someone please tell me why!? Why do grown men forget to use underarm or take showers? What the heck do they eat to cause such a stench? I don't know.

There there's the sasquach(*sp) that works out nearly everyday as well in his tank top and shorts. He's got this tuff of hair springing forth from his back. Oh, it's gross. Some one needs to introduce him to Nads or wax or some form of hair removal. Seriously. It's just gross. I'm not for super hairy guys, a little hair is normal, but sporadic tuffs of hair is just plain 'ewgh.'

"look behind you, Darcy"

So working out in the lesser of the meat-markets has been a definite plus. But it also has it's disadvantages as well. Right before climbing off my elliptical machine in the front of the room to trade with Grace who is one the bike directly behind me, I get a text message. It reads: "look behind you, darcy." I turn and see the ancient oil-tanned thin hippie-of-a-man who bikes the upright bike (of which I will never ever touch again with a ten foot pole, because he drenches it every time with a thick puddle of sweat that streams off every limb of his body, oh, it's true, even the tops of his hands gloss up and there is literally a thick shine applied to the bike during and after he uses it). Honestly, it's absolutely disgusting. And what's more is that he doesn't bring anything to listen to, so every once in a while he pulls out of the gaze and starts to stare at you with his gloss beady eyes and then shoots you this creepy grin. Ewgh! Yuck. And yesterday when he finished his sweaty ride he grabbed for the rag and disinfectant spray and off his arm flew a slew of sweat in my direction, unable to move from my strapped in position, I was struck by it across my arm and hand, ewgh! I nearly puked. Blah! Ewgh!! *shudder*

On that same day, on the other side of me was a nerdy man in his early to mid 30's. He sits down on the bike and starts peddling. His screen is black. He leans over, "excuse me, do you know how long they've had these machines here? Oh... (when having discovered the black screen) do you know how to make this work?" Who do I look like? Miss informative repair woman? 'I think that you've unplugged it somehow.' was all I offered in his direction. Despite my inserted head set he decides to try to spark up a conversation with me... when I grunt my reply of "huh?" and he sets of to repeat himself, I grant him a mere "oh" and proceed to reinsert my head set after staring dumbly at the TV on my screen. He returns to the newspaper he's reading, and then later pipes up: 'Mr so-in-so was endited today, did you hear?' Honestly, I could care less. *shrug*

work out!

I was so excited a couple of weeks ago when I finally bought a membership to the RecSports Gym at the university, but even more excited when I discovered the staff/faculty Exercise room and bunkered up with Grace in her locker in the staff/faculty locker room. Now a couple weeks into my at least five days a week exercise regiment I am triply excited to find that my faithfulness to work out so often is finally paying off... in small ways, mind you, like when I go to 'run' for the bus, it doesn't take everything out of me anymore, or like when a friend I haven't seen in a year tells me I'm looking rather thin. *wink* 'Not that you were on the fat side before,' they quickly add. But let's face it, I'm 26, my metabolism is slowing down. Things aren't like they used to be.

fall reflections

One has got to love 4 days into Autumn in Austin when it's roasting over 100F and you can spend some time down by the pool with a good friend.

This photo was Gracie's idea. That's us in her apartment window and my buff arm. Hee hee. Oops, I'll probably get in trouble for posting this one, but I think I'll risk it.

and they said, "I do"

The extensive wedding photos from 'my best friend's wedding'... has officially been posted online at The Lawrence Family's Website. Go and see and relive the happy evening once again.

Congratulations again, Matt and Nicole!

ruh-ruh-ruh-rita

Hurricane Rita has got all of Texas in a scuttle. HEB's and other grocery stores are being flocked by the masses. There's not a cart waiting for you at the front, you might find an abandoned one in an aisle if you are lucky. I was. Bottled water aisles are empty. There's just too many people in the store for an early Thursday afternoon. Too many. I waited in an extra-long checkout line and it was the shortest one in the store. I just needed to get my Milk-drinking flatmate a entire gallon of 2% milk. Anything to curb the high-pitched whine. Well, almost anything. Along the way I picked up the TP whose absence would have not been forgiven, and some other items. How about some of that nasty Crystal Light Tea powder to help mask the taste of the tap water at the apartment, seeing that I won't be drinking bottled water for a while.

For those of you in other places reading this... know that I'm safe. But feel free to still call and check in on me, I enjoy the chance to catch up with y'all. So ya, we should be ok here in Austin, at least so far. I mean, I suppose we are supposed to get up to 70 mph winds and some crazy rain this weekend, but heck, I'm from Oregon. This girl can do rain... even the TEXAS-sized rain. Now the humidity that will probably show up in the process, well, that's another matter. Ha ha, you should see my hair these days. Woo-whee! They don't say "everything's bigger in Texas" for nothin'. The freeways from Houston are packed out because of the evacuation from there... and that usual 3 hour trip is taking people over 10. That's gotta be the bunk. Where will everyone go to? I mean, Houston is huge. I heard the New Orleans' evacuees were actually flown to Atlanta, which makes sense, because a lot of them don't have cars anymore or jobs to buy the gas to get out anyways. Some of my friends here have opened their homes, apartments, to family and others' loved ones from that area. We are just praying for a safe evacuation and for menial to no damage to their residences. That may be a lot to ask for, but the Lord knows and nothing is too big for Him.

it's a lot like love

I just watched a movie by that same title... and I was totally like...

'Whoa, dejavu.'

Well, almost. And then I was like,

'Hmmm... I wonder.'

And boy, it was ever so slightly ironic that her name was Emily.
Oh and try watching it with the subtitles too.
Let's just say that it's given me something to think about...

Sweating to the...

Ok. Ok. So it's still HOT here in Austin. It's been great for maintaining a tan. Most of you who know me would be in "awe" if I were to post a likeness of me these days. YEAH! A TAN, BABY! Believe it or not.

Apart from the great pool-side weather we have been having, there were a few days in the past two weeks or so in which we had some rain. And I am speaking about TEXAS-SIZED down pours... complete with some good ol' lightning and thunder. Awh, I love it. Of course, I was eternally grateful that I wasn't stuck on campus in that rain storm or out driving the treacherous I-35. However, with the texas-style rain comes the Texas humidity. Not anything to be desired, that's for sure. So despite how when we would get rain in the good ol' NW and need to bundle up or loved to snuggle up on the couch with a good book, down here in Texas one comes to appreciate the AC on such occasion.

On the day-night that our AC in the entire complex decided to quit, was such a lovely humid night. Needless to say, our little apartment became a sauna. That particular night, my apartment-mates and I decided to have a little 'house' time and go out for bbq at Rudy's who brags to be the 'Worst BBQ in Texas.' Mmm Mmm Good. Good food. Good company. It's good to be a woman. There's nothing like getting a full upgrade on your meal for the price of less than what's normal. Oh Yah.

After dinner we 'ventured out to Wal-Mart to get the supplies needed for Chubby's "Texas Spirit" project. (note: "chubbs" is not chubby in the least, she's a super tiny thin half-Asian girl,... so the name is not cruel in the least). After a grueling too many hours in Hell-mart we headed home to our sweat-shop to begin our labors. Beginning around 10:45 pm we pressed into the night cutting, pasting, drawing, shaping, molding, until we came up with the BEST, and I do mean BEST 3-D project ever. We made a miniature of the UT Stadium complete with fans in the double-deck crowd, football players and Bevo on the field, and well, I'll just have to see if I can get a photo up about it. Uhm, yah it did take us all of six hours to complete in our sauna-of-an-apartment.

Trying to retire at after 4 am in the sweaty-nasty-steamy apt was painful... having to rise at 6:45 am was even worse, but I don't think I could have slept in anyways, it was just too dang hot there. So I dressed, and headed off to work and was deliriously drunk on fatigue the entire day. All loopy and exhausted in the Texas heat. ok, so I was thinking of titling this blog entry, "I HATE Rainier Management!" because they are Slow, NON-Responsive, and need I say more for an apartment management? If I was any older I would have died in such heat. We don't pay $1050 a month for such poor service... awh, but we do. We've got roaches, a stove that doesn't work, AC that keeps breaking, AC without a thermostat (HI, MED, LO, and OFF...just doesn't cut it). So I am tempted to create a T-shirt that reads: "I HATE Rainier Management" complete with their logo to flash about to any unknowing prospective renters.