USWNT vs Canada in Kansas City

Here are some pictures from my trip to Kansas City to see the USWNT play. It was also really cool to see the new stadium, which looked a little unfinished on one side.

The usher behind us was pretty funny during the game. She kept saying that she liked this team better than when the men play.

I don't know how they knew my nickname. 

Hope Solo

Rahr Brewery 5K

One of my resolutions this year was to run a race, and I did that...sort of.

The Rahr Brewery had their second annual Oktoberfest 5k and it was so much fun. My cousin, James, signed up for the race as well. We started off running, but I hadn't worked out for the past four weeks due to my ankle (and I did have a soccer game the night before), so I wasn't exactly race ready (not that I am that speedy to begin with). I had such a fun time talking with my cousin one on one, that we walked most of the race.

Afterwards, we went and had some beer (free with our race entrance fee, along with a pint glass and an awesome New Balance wicking tee.). They tapped a new keg of their fall brew and it was quite delicious. There was a huge party with healthy swag and the weather was perfect.

I went to the Rahr Brewery earlier this year to take their tour and fell in love with the place. This place is everything that is great about my hometown, it's like a giant family-friendly BBQ with live music and a ton of friendly people. It made me wish that I had gone on the tour sooner.

Here are pictures of the day. Note, when my mom read my t-shirt, she read it "ZEEK ZAK ZEEK ZAK. HOT HOT HO!" The last pictures are just of the surrounding area.

Reflection

Last year I took part in a project called 10Q. The site's tagline is "Reflect. React. Renew." and it is made to mimic the time of reflection found during the High Holidays. They send you a question everyday for ten days, you answer, they save your answers and send it to you the next year.

The questions were pretty fun to answer and they made me think. I was surprised about how spot on my predictions were for the next year. I won't share all of my questions and answers here, as some were very personal, but I will share some.

Day 2

Is there something that you wish you had done differently this past year? Alternatively, is there something you're especially proud of from this past year?

Your Answer:
I would have worked a little harder to graduate a semester earlier.
I would let things slide and forgive more because holding a grudge doesn't really help anything.
I am proud that I am taking good care of Mac, but I need to spend more time with him.
I am proud that I am more financially secure, but I need to quit wasting my money and save up to buy a house or a new car. I just need to quit wasting my money.
I am proud that I have been decluttering my home, but it is always sad that I am so wasteful.

My Response Today:
I am much better at forgiveness than I was before, but that is always something that can be improved upon.
I have been spending a lot more time with Mac, but he still needs to lose weight, as his vet let me know.
I bought a new car, we'll see how tough the payments are for me. Although I am better about budgeting, there is always room for improvements in this area as well.
My home is a much more sane, clean place than it used to be. I have been pretty good about keeping with a routine.

Day 6:

Describe one thing you'd like to achieve by this time next year. Why is this important to you?

Your Answer:
I hope to have my MLS by this time next year. I can't wait to have my free time back and get started on my career (not so wild about paying the student loans back though.)

My Response Today:
I have my MLS. I have not started to pay back my loans, which I am worried about. The student loan people called last night!

Day 7:

How would you like to improve yourself and your life next year? Is there a piece of advice or counsel you received in the past year that could guide you in this project?


Your Answer:
I would like to learn to relax again. I haven't been able to do that lately on my own without a beer or a glass of wine.

My Response Today:
I had forgotten that I had written this a year ago. It was funny because I was thinking about the fact that I never relax without a cocktail anymore. So that is worrisome.

Day 8:

Is there something (a person, a cause, an idea) that you want to investigate more fully in 2011?


Your Answer:
I would like to become better at communicating, mostly in the written form.

My Response Today:
Sadly this is still the case. Although I have realized, not necessarily in this post, that less is often more. Also PROOFREAD PROOFREAD PROOFREAD.

Day 11:

What are your predictions for 2011?


Your Answer:
FC Dallas will go to the playoffs and lose the last game. :(
I will break up with my current boyfriend. (or vice  versa, things aren't going great)
Josh and Diana will be awesome parents.
I will struggle through Capstone but ultimately get my MLS.

My Response Today:
All of these things totally happened. (Except for Capstone, that was easy.)

New Books I am Getting Excited About.

Brutal Simplicity of Thought.

Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks

The Night Circus

River Cottage Veg Everyday

The Extraordinary Cookbook: How to Make Meals Your Friends Will Never Forget 

Me First and the...Fuck you, Me First

"No one trip on my soap box on the way out."

--Janeane Garofalo 

There are certain things in society that we have all agreed upon are unacceptable. Not to be Miss Manners 2011 here, but I am noticing the breaking of these agreements more and more.

Whether it's having my gynecologist call herself “retarded” while my lady bits are being examined* or bikers feeling like stop signs do not apply to them, so they run the stop sign and cut off motor vehicles. **

One interesting thing that has happened twice this weekend (and is the impetus for this post), is not fully stopping for passing emergency vehicles. I am not talking about people who are driving along and Carry on My Wayward Son comes on, and they are daydreaming about how awesome they would be at playing it on Guitar Hero.*** I am talking about people who pull over and before all the emergency vehicles pass, they see a great opportunity to bolt into traffic ahead of everyone.

I don't look at that line of emergency vehicles as a chance to screw everyone else in traffic. **** I look at them and think, “Man I hope those people that our public servants are helping are okay.” or often the more selfish, “I hope that's not my house or anyone I know! Better move!”

This is why I don't think I could ever live in a big city, because I would probably lose my shit one day if I saw enough of this stuff go down. Although my friends who live in big cities claim that living in a small, congested place makes people adhere to these rules even more, because they will be called out.

Anyway, I know only like three people will read this, but this is a call to civility damnit! You know that shit you're doing isn't right. We've all signed off on it, join us in society, won't you?

*Well this is awkward.

**By the way, this is a very bad idea considering that 87% of drivers are now distracted at all times. This is a fact I just now made up. Seriously though, bikes, you do not have the right of way. Also not such a great idea to ride with headphones, no helmet the wrong way down a one way street. I have seen this MANY times in Denton. (But you look cool cause you're on a fixie.)

***Yup, this is what it's come to.

****I'm the best!