Wakey, wakey...

And then I saw this....

Thank you Universe, for sending me a wake up call.

Not only do I have roof over my oversized head, complete with running water and a stove below it,  I have money in the bank, I have a jar with pennies on top of my fridge that has food in it, I have a healthy body and medication or means to get medication if I needed it, but I also have great friends, have had amazing opportunities, and at least two people who know me better than I know myself.  Sometimes you(I) need a little ass-kicking - this image did it.

Daily gratitude: Today I am grateful being able to realize when I'm being a jackass, I'm grateful for everything I've listed above, and I'm thankful to have mirrors like Angela - the ones you can't hide a anything from.

~ A Charlie Gal

Daytrippin'. A rock and a hard place.

Every now and then something comes over me, and I have to get away.  Most of the time I don't have the means to get to where I want to go, but the other day something hit me - I can go somewhere that isn't thaaat far away and still have get the itch scratched. You may or may not know that since about mid-August I've had a serious romance with the idea of going to a southwestern, desert city (originally focused on NM and then later AZ.) Yes, I realize I'm from Texas....maybe the major drought finally got in my brain. (There may have also been a few other factors, but we'll put this all on the drought.) Either way, I've been dancing with the idea of hot days, chilly nights, multi-colored sunsets, and sand-dusted boots. Well this weekend I got all that, minus the chilly night depending on where your from.

Now, the majority of my besties don't live in Austin, however good ol' Al does. I have to say, he gets the "Ride or Die" award of 2011. So this weekend was no different. Sometime during last week I said to myself, "Self, quit thinking of doing stuff and DO STUFF." Then came that get-t-f-o-here thought again. Somehow, my mind landed on Enchanted Rock. I planted the idea in Al's head and next thing you know it was an unplanned plan. We grabbed a map (notice the word map - NO GPS), grabbed a Texas breakfast (tacos and coffee, duh) and hit the highway.

This doesn't really show how giant Enchanted Rock really is. It was not intended to be a crouch shot either. dah.

From the bottom

Up she goes. 

At the top...looking like a beast. 

My new favorite app....iBeast.

Cave crawling with a Shiner. shhhhut it. 

Who is this guy?

Squeeze. 

Hence the title of this post. 

 If you would have asked me two weeks ago whether or not I'd willingly enter a cave (big or small) I would have said absolutely not! But ehhh, what's the worst that can happen right? All in all, I say Freds., you are a charming little town; Enchanted Rock, you are lovely; and Al, enough with the Christmas carols! I kid, I kid. Hands down, one of the best Saturday's in a while.  Take that southwestern, desert city! And you know why?....

Because at the end of the day, I love Texas. 

~ A Charlie Gal

 p.s.

Al loves Texas too! 

Scapegoat

I blame social media.....and Drake. 

More on that later. 

~ A Charlie Gal

Stew on this.

I know what you're thinking, but sorry to disappoint you. This post is NOT about a guy. In case you don't know why please refer to "You Are What You Tweet." (Yes, I translate social media posts to my *gulp*..... blog....*cringe*) Even though it may seem like I'm a "Dear Diary" writer sometimes, let me make this clear...I'M NOT (at least not online).

The reason of this post is simply to remind myself (and you my dear 2 readers) exactly what the picture above says - no matter the circumstance. I often catch myself reminiscing on parts of my past and missing them. Not just missing them - really, really missing them and even thinking of how awesome it would be to go back for just a few hours. But I can't. And it's true, how can anyone focus on their future if they are too busy focusing on the past? And why should we focus on the past? Did you ever think about that?

Timing is everything, and when the universe put this image in front of my eyes, I definitely needed to see it. I love how that just happens sometimes. Sometimes its huge or as in this case it's pretty small, but it stuck. I'm not genius, but I do know that when something sticks you better stew on it. 

Has this ever happened to you? What was it? 

~ A Charlie Gal

p.s. And if you are still thinking I'm referring to a guy in my past get over it. Those ship sailed, sunk, and stayed at the bottom of the sea. 

Good morning

Today something strange happened. I woke up before my alarm and had a rush of energy. So much so that I hurried and got dressed, cooked breakfast, and then decided I'd ride the bicicleta to work instead of drive. It was the perfect day for that too. Nice and chilly, but not unbearable. Hopefully this will be the first of many productive mornings. 


Daily gratitude: Today I am thankful for being able to make my own decisions - even if they are as simple as deciding to ride instead of drive. G'Day! 

~A Charlie Gal

p.s.
In case you are still looking for you energy this morning here is a little top 40 bubble gum to get your blood pumping. Don't act like it doesn't make want to dance like a 12-year-old girl! (Twist, that's mostly for you!)

"G, do more"

I am a dreamer. Shocker, right?

I'd like to think that my ambitions are only a few steps away from where I am currently, however I'm also a 1/2 realist....hmmm maybe a little more than 1/2. Either way, I've recently been making a list of "stuff" I plan on doing at some point in my life - and by "life" I mean in the next 5 to 10. Some silly, some big time, but all are honest ambitions. No, I will not share.  

I'm lucky. I've never had a person in my life who told me I couldn't do something. If I ever heard that from anyone it was my own pessimistic inner voice who was quickly slapped by my optimistic inner voice. (No I'm not a schitzo or a Gemini.) I'm also lucky because for as long as I can remember I've been surrounded by people who made me want to do better. It started with my sister, then my best friend who we shall call LettuceHead (long story), then shifted to my dear college friends, mentors, and so many more. I've found that it is so important to have people in my life who keep me standing on tiptoes reaching for the cookie jar on the top shelf.  Needless to say, I'm surrounded by people with day-jobs and jam-jobs and every day I whisper to myself, "G, do more." (Yes, I refer to myself as G sometimes....initials gosh!)

I was trolling the interwebs trying to figure out how I could "do more" while remaining sane, and came across this thing called "The Happiness Project." Not long after, I found a list called "Secrets of Adulthood" I admit, it sounds cheesy, but this 20-something searching for something wasn't going to pass it up...just in case, you know. No, this post didn't open up the sky and leave me questionless, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't resonate with me. It makes me smile to know that some of what was listed I realized on my own. (Maybe I'm more of an adult than I realized.) I recommend reading the article, but I realize time is of the essence and I'm pushing your attention span with this one. Here are a few of the ones that got me...or made me smile. 

- "The days are long, but the years are short"

- "It's okay to ask for help"

- "What you do everyday matters more than what you do once in a while"

- "If you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough"


Here are a few of my own:
- Bad things happen sometimes and they're usually extremely inconvenient.
- When someone says they need to have a "talk" with you, it's usually not something you want to hear....but sometimes it is, so don't jump the gun. 
- Just because someone doesn't call often doesn't mean they don't think of you often.

So how can I do more? How can I join the ranks of 20-something Austinites (and elsewhere) doing so much? Guess we'll just have to wait and see, huh? It gives me comfort to know at least two people will read whatever I give the world. 

~ A Charlie Gal

Alters and Alterations

Alters.

I was born and raised in San Antonio, TX and oddly enough it wasn't until after leaving home did I begin to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos. Why? I'm not quite sure, although I bet it has something to do with the fact that I'm extremely stubborn and don't like being told what to do. ("Mandy embrace your culture!" 15-year-old Mandy responds, "LEAVE ME ALONE, I DO WHAT I WANT!")


Anywho, yesterday (11/2/11) was Dia De Los Muertos and although I celebrated this holiday over the weekend with some special friends,  yesterday I took several moments throughout the day to remember those I've loved and also lost...

Our alter from Sunday night's Dia De Los Muertos Dinner.

 My grandfathers, both of which I barely knew. One was a fire fighter and the other had the most awesome hat collection you will ever find....he also smuggled moonshine back in the day. (Rumor has it for Bonnie and Clyde.) 


 My Aunt Dee - she made me lay in the middle of the street with her in Las Vegas and told me when I was 15 that she didn't know what I was going to be,  but she knew I was going to be "somebody". I still don't know exactly what she meant, but I hope she's happy with this "somebody"....... and the "somebody" who has salsa stains and bad manners at all the wrong times. 


My sweet cousin Noxah. He lived across the country and worlds apart from me. I can only hope to be as brave as him one day. He was a warrior in every sense of the word and had the most beautiful smile in the world.  So much of what I do is for you, Noxah. 

The person I thought of most was my Grandma Dorothy, my Grand. 

I used to think that I was the only person who knew how special she was, that we had a special connection or a secret that no one else knew - but everyone who knew her felt the exact same way as me. I spent summers in her garden making mud pies and looked forward to spending the night at her house more than I did my friends. We told each other secrets, danced in her kitchen like no one was watching, and sang as loud as we could together. And then, after all that, we'd recite the rosary with the TV and watch her "stories". It was impossible not to feel her love, and when I say feel I mean you fellllt it. I can go on and on about how she lifted my spirits or how she sang to me through heartbreaks no one else knew about. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her, hear her voice, and wish I could just smile at her from across the room and convince her to have a tea party with me. "Pal,  let's have a chat."

"Together again" ;-)

Alterations. 

I've said this before and I'll say it a million times again I'm sure - this year something in me changed. Today someone told me "With change come opportunity, embrace it." I agree 100%. I'd also like to add  that changing does not mean forgetting. People change, relationships change, but this isn't something to fear. You don't have to create an alter to remember people from your past, and just because you may not be making new memories with someone does not mean the old ones fade. Bring flowers when everyone can still smell them. Honor your alters and embrace your alterations.

~ A Charlie Gal