Just Don't

So this bothers me quite a bit. I wasn’t going to say anything about Robin Williams because I actually wasn’t surprised like everybody else seemed to be. And I’m not saying that to be an asshole.

I have lived with bipolar disorder for seventeen years. Most people wouldn’t guess that—couldn’t guess that. I see my psychiatrist, take my meds, and go to counseling if and when I need it. It’s work. It’s difficult and sticky and humbling. And it’s heart-breaking to see somebody go the way Robin Williams did. Some people self-medicate like Williams had in the past. I’m not saying I agree with it, but I understand the appeal. I understand the need to feel numb and to quiet the voices in your head. And sometimes that period of numbness doesn’t feel long enough.

What frustrates me is reading Christian quotes from people who can’t understand the disease.

Stop.

It’s offensive and it trivializes a struggle most couldn’t begin to understand. Those pithy platitudes suggest the people battling depression have somehow lost their way. It suggests that they gave up on God or whatever higher power they believed in. That’s not how depression/bipolar/schizophrenia works. Depression is a sickness.

The particular quote that caused this rant is from Corrie ten Boom and says “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

Fuck off. This isn’t Nazi Germany. The bad guys aren’t easily identified by a swastika on their sleeve.

Let me tell you something. Suicide isn’t spontaneous. Those thoughts sit there and slowly chew away at your resolve. They weed out any happiness and hope that you might have and shine a big ol’ spotlight on all the failures in your life, people you’ve hurt, and betrayals that have been inflicted upon you. It separates you from your friends and family by causing you to lash out at them. Depression is a dark corner where the only discernable company is guilt, doubt, and loathing.

Imagine someone who has battled this quiet monster for years, decades. And what is your suggestion?

Jesus take the wheel?

Trust an intangible deity that (if you do believe) has given you a pretty crap hand to do all the heavy lifting?

What you view as a supportive spiritual quote I see as censure. Don’t offer advice that you’re unfit to give. Don’t presume to know their pain because you felt depressed that one time. Being depressed and having depression are not the same.

It’s a dick move. Not everybody believes in God. That’s their business. It doesn’t mean that the absence of faith explains the outcome. All it means is that the depression was too much. The monster won and at the end of the day, the world lost somebody that meant something to the people around him or her. It’s harsh and ugly. Don’t piss on their struggle by suggesting it could have turned out differently if they just thought happy thoughts.

So if you think you have the solution to depression and suicide, just don’t. People who’ve fought this internal battle daily have already heard it. More than likely they’ve gone to therapy. Medicated. Self-medicated. Used art to express their pain and sex as a distraction. Cut off all their hair, changed their diet, and experimented with God. They’ve bargained and prayed and still felt dirty and hollow inside. And sometimes—if they’re lucky—they manage to find and hold onto a sliver of tranquility by believing in God or not, but that threat of darkness will always be there.

Feel free to do all the praying you find necessary, but don’t suggest that mental illness is something that can be prayed away. The best you can do for friends with depression is get them professional help and let them know you’re there, that you’ll listen, and that you care.

Civil Rights Summit

This is my final semester of undergrad before I head to Seattle and the University of Washington. I’ve been accepted into the iSchool, and I’m extremely grateful and excited about the move. So to help decide if I want to pursue a future in a traditional library setting or if I want to do archival work, I’m interning at the LBJ Presidential Library. It has been, hands down, the coolest internship I could have found.

President Lincoln's and LBJ's hats with the Emancipation Proclamation.

This year marked the 50^th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of ’64 and the Library hosted the Civil Rights Summit. I was told that more than likely I wouldn’t be able to attend the summit, and I was understandably disappointed. So I did my work and hoped against hope that I would be one of the first people to get a ticket when they went up on the website. Three minutes of being on stand-by and all the tickets were gone. A few days before the summit, the digital archivist I work with told me her husband wouldn’t be able to see Obama with her and asked if I wanted to be her plus one. Of course I said yes!

I was working the first day of the summit and Liza, the same archivist who asked if I wanted to see Obama, turned to me and gave me a ticket to the daytime panels. Of course I said yes and went to see the panel Gay Marriage: A Civil Rights Issue. The second panel was on immigration reform. So, the summit started off strong.

I went back upstairs because there was still plenty of work to do. Liza was trying to get a ticket to see Jimmy Carter that was on hold for a UT student and there was a mix-up. What did she do with the extra ticket? She sent me back down to see President Carter speak.

I wasn’t too familiar with Carter’s work, but he left quite an impression. His current work addresses the war on women and he spoke on everything from unequal pay to sexual slavery. I was so moved by his words that I bought his book. He’s a wonderful, kind man. And, it was a privilege to be in the auditorium to witness his interview the Mark Updegrove.

I had school on Wednesday so I couldn’t go to the panels or see Bill Clinton, but I was there bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for President Obama’s visit the next morning. Another archivist asked if I was going to the other daytime panels, and I told her that I didn’t have a ticket for it. She handed me hers, saying that she had to drive her husband to work and couldn't make the panels. Another break for Vicky. Staff was thoughtfully ushered to the front of the line and we were able to get the seats behind the VIPs.

I was in the 11^th row.

First Lady Michelle Obama and civil rights leader John Lewis.

Meeting Wendy Davis.

I seriously sat stunned by the experience that I missed what the President was actually saying for the first couple of minutes. He quoted both Martin Luther King, Jr. and LBJ and stressed that without the work done by those two men and all the individuals involved with the civil rights movement, he wouldn’t be where he was and we as a nation wouldn’t be where we are. The Civil Rights Act opened doors for us all.

Putin--WTO--Obama

The World Trade Organization handles the trade between nations through regulation and negotiation.

Apparently President Putin is attacking the Ukraine economically and trying to sever its connection with the United States and any support offered. Putin is claiming that the U.S. sanctions regarding the Ukraine and Russian banks are illegal.

President Obama then responded that he will impose more sanctions if Putin refuses to call off the pro-Russian militant groups in the Ukraine.

Everything about this is strategic and sadly the people of Ukraine are the pawns. I think world leaders are desensitized by the time they’ve amassed power and tend to forget that actual people are the ones who are severely affected by the political moves they make.

It’s more than money and Putin using the WTO to cut off Ukraine from another country with its own agenda other than the supposed fight for democracy doesn’t surprise me.

[Reuters/Gleb Garanich] Pro-Russian armed man in Ukraine.

Bollywood

So my friend Sami loves Bollywood. Naturally because I love Jane Austen, she once felt I should watch Bride and Prejudice. Perhaps I’m a purist, but I don’t like my Austen contemporized, set in a different culture, to a trendy sound track, and for the love of god please leave the zombies out. Just give me Mr. Darcy and let me swoon. And not just any Mr. Darcy; it has to be Colin Firth.

Sami is a unique person.

She’s half British and has no accent. Seriously, I’ve heard her attempt at a British accent and I was offended on her mother’s behalf.

She also has a tendency to be pulled aside by airport security every time she flies across the pond.

I went to study Jane Austen literature in Scotland. My professor was British, we read a Jane Austen novel a week, and I was in heaven. Before my move to Scotland, Sami agreed to meet me in Wales and we would take a few days to travel up the United Kingdom by train.

Sami was doing a summer internship in the United States Embassy and I was so nervous about being questioned at customs for a visa that I blabbed all about Sami. Apparently, I crack under non-existent pressure.

So, Sami likes Bollywood. Bollywood and tea.

Perhaps if I enjoyed unapologetic escapism in the form of musical numbers I could appreciate it more. But there’s something about musicals that rub me the wrong way. They’re either too cheerful or too depressing. I’m looking at you, Rent.

I get that there is deep history in Bollywood that has to deal with British colonialism. But I refuse to believe this is Naveen Andrews singing.

My Sister

On Monday, March 10, 2014, my sister became the happiest I’ve ever known her to be. She married the love of her life and is enjoying the happiness and misery that only married people will have the privilege of knowing.

I, of course, was at SXSW toasting to their union and shouting, “My sister just got married!”

When people asked why I wasn’t at the wedding, I answered that having her family tag along would defeat the purpose of an elopement. The truth is I would have loved to be there to officially welcome Erin into our family, but I couldn’t afford to leave Texas. As it so happens, Texas wouldn’t allow them to get married because Alicia and Erin are a same-sex couple.

Some people don’t understand what happens when you tell a couple that their love cannot be taken seriously because of their sexuality. They think that it is a matter of respecting the sacred bond of matrimony and that marriage should be between a man and a woman. They think that their religious views should be venerated, while refusing to acknowledge that just because someone is gay it doesn’t mean they don’t believe in God.

It’s not saying, “Please respect my beliefs.”

It’s saying, “Please don’t argue when I don’t allow you the same rights as everybody else.”

I felt that Erin was my sister long before they said their vows. I felt it by seeing how hard they loved and the sincerity in their joy. I felt it every time she made my sister laugh, that loud, obnoxious bark that startles their cats, Bones and Mr. Sulu.

I am so proud to call them my sisters. I’m happy that they grabbed the world by the lapels, gave it a good shake, and said, “Dammit, we can love too.”

SXSW and the Rodeo

So the past few weeks have had me running ragged. The craziness of SXSW just ended a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still recovering. I’ve never actually done it before—gone downtown to enjoy all the free music and festivities. So to sum it up, I RSVP’d to a bunch of newsletters and events online. These venues would then email me the location to pick up a wristband that would get me into free parties downtown. Folks, I spent a week waiting in long lines for free, watered down drinks, listening to a bunch of bands I’ve never heard before. Some of the music was good, some of the food was decent, but the trick to having a good time is tipping the bartenders. I got some free stuff and had a good time with my friends, but doing it all week long was simply not possible. I was actually relieved to go into work on Tuesday and Thursday just so I could relax.

I saw Grumpy Cat and sat on the Iron Throne. I rode a mechanical bull and was proposed to by someone who was surprisingly sober—not that I was. I stood in long food lines, eating before getting more food and going back to the end of the line and doing it again. I was three sheets to the wind and silly enough to remember how fun playing with toys could be. (We will miss you Toy Joy.) I’m glad I did it and can honestly say I will never do it again.

Besides… I like ACL better.

So before SXSW really got going, Cynthia and I decided to go to the rodeo. We bought tickets and were planning on riding the rides at the carnival before watching cowboys getting bucked off of god knows what.

Things don’t always happen the way you envision them. It was raining and cold. I’ve lived in Scotland so I wasn’t too fazed by it, but Cynthia had left her jacket at the apartment so she wasn’t having as nearly a good time as I. Oh, we still rode some rides. Maybe I’m getting too old, but the rides actually hurt. The centrifugal force was putting too much pressure on my poor joints. My shoulders and hip felt the worst of it, and I was honestly happy to climb off of some of the rides.

Everything at the carnival was bought with tokens, including the carny food. I ate so much junk that I told Cynthia not to let me buy the funnel cake. (It’s okay; I got my fix later that week at SXSW).

We enjoyed the rodeo more, at least I did. See, this was Cynthia’s kind of thing—nothing new to her. But me? Oh, it was like Christmas morning. “What’s that?” “What’s happening?” “Oh, look at all the pretty lights!”

I had a great time even if I did get mud all over my Chucks and my clothes smelled like stock yard. It was a Texas adventure and I went for it.

Jihadist Globalism

I will be the first to admit that I was, and still am to an extent, unconversant in the topic of jihadism. So to help explain I went to my friend Gabby to “dumb it down” for me. Even then, I needed to do internet research while she was explaining things.

Jihad translates to struggle, and in the concept two different types were born. Greater jihad is about inner struggle while lesser jihad is about the struggle against those seen as a threat to the religion. This is the jihad that has become associated with terrorism.

The goal behind jihadist globalism is spreading Islam worldwide. The structure is not hierarchical; with globalism it has a horizontal web of leadership now.

Now, the really interesting thing about any type of globalism is the myth that it can be regulated. Most sectors in globalism can be regulated; however, jihadist globalism is not one of them. Militant Islamic groups are fighting a religious war and rules that apply to collaborative knowledge or economic ties cannot be applied to jihadist globalism.

For a better understanding of meaning in the term jihad, I recommend this TED Talk.

Traipsing Around Austin

So a few weeks ago, Cynthia and I decided we were going to do thing in Austin we hadn’t done before. I’m warning you now that this blog post isn’t terribly exciting, but I did get a little taste of some of the things I want to further check out in Austin.

For breakfast we headed over to the Texas School for the Deaf for their pancake breakfast. Cynthia is a member of the American Sign Language Club and asked if I wanted to tag along. I like meeting new people, and I like Kerby Lane pancakes, so I was in. Proceeds went to help the deaf community, and I had such an interesting time that I decided to join the club also.

One of my first real jobs was working on school buses, watching the kids that rode the short buses. Some of these kids were deaf, so it felt satisfying learning a new way to communicate again. We played a version of the game telephone, and now I know how to say, “The train left.”

After that we went back to South 1^st and tried a food truck, Mellizoz Tacos. I thought they were delicious. I had the Padre and the Shroom and was in heaven. Seriously, I think I should just dedicate a blog to the tacos of Austin, since it feels like that’s all I eat. Even tonight, Gabby invited me over for some shrimp mango and avocado tacos. And it was just as delicious at it sounds.

But back to my day out with Cynthia. After Mellizoz we wanted to go to the Bob Bullock Museum to see the Hobbit in IMAX. I wouldn’t have minded checking out the actual museum as well, but neither Cynthia nor I are made of money and Middle Earth was calling to us. There’s still plenty of time to go back, and I will.

Well, we had more than an hour to spare, so I convinced Cynthia to walk around the UT area with me. I’ll let you in on a little secret; I’ve always found UT to be intimidating with its size and hipster population that I always steered clear of it. But then I reasoned that I’ve lived in another country away from my family and friends. I’ve traveled Europe, been stranded in foreign terminals, and navigated cultures that were different from my own. UT wasn’t so scary; it was just another place to explore. Of course we didn’t have enough time to truly look around, so that too will be another place I revisit. (I really want to see the Blanton.)

So that was then.

Last week, I got off of work and decided I couldn’t possibly spend more hours in front of a computer screen even if it was for the sake of my education. I told Cynthia that I wanted to spend the beautiful day out in the city. See, we recently got a cold snap and because of the “ice” the city shut down. We like to joke about it, but there were over 200 car accidents on the first bad weather day alone.

We went to Hey Cupcake, got some pie at Home Slice, and did a little shopping on South Congress. I think it was a victory, even if Cynthia pretended she didn’t know me when I stopped in the middle of the crosswalk to take the iconic picture of the view of the Capitol.

Justice Globalism

Photo: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Every time I drive by Austin City Hall there is someone protesting against something. Sometimes it’s as little as three people, braving the cold in sleeping bags while holding signs that hope to spark outrage. But sometimes, sometimes it’s a movement, and one of the biggest one to spread to Austin was Occupy. That was a couple of years ago though.

Admittedly I’m a bit confused on the topic of globalization. It’s such a huge topic with many different facets to it. My understanding of justice globalism as a movement is to bring awareness to the wide gap in the economy due to corporate greed and its spread into political sectors and promote financial fairness and equal economic resources.

Now, with James Surowiecki’s TED Talks still in my head I’m wondering about the fine line between awareness leading to action and blind activism. And by blind I’m talking about activists, some of who don’t realize what is fully happening. I’m actually starting to see some of them as ants marching in a circle. Before I’m misunderstood I want to say that I support non-violent protests. However, I do believe that some people go out with only a handful of facts—strong, powerful facts—but they don’t see the larger picture.

Perhaps I’m a jaded individual and have a difficult time seeing the effects of protesting. But perhaps that is the danger of in-activism. If nobody speaks out against injustice, then things will remain how they are.

A few weeks ago met up with some friends at Opa! Coffee & Wine Bar to check out a band. I had the good fortune to meet a young woman from the Ukraine, Svetlana. Svetlana is actually working on her masters at St. Edward’s and while we talked about how her move here went and the differences she’s encountered, she told me about the unrest that is happening now in the Ukraine. Sometimes governments need to be kept in check by the people.

The World Bank

The World Bank

The above image is directly from The World Bank Group’s website, not to be confused with The World Bank.

However, The World Bank’s goal is to reduce poverty on a global scale. Since it was established in 1944 that means FDR was president.

At the time of its inception supporting the White House meant supporting domestic and foreign policy, and usually that policy meant the involvement in the affairs of other countries.

 I work in the Archives of the LBJ Presidential Library and just yesterday was working on an interview of President Gerald Ford. He talked about politicians that wanted to limit US involvement with other countries (Isolationism) and his impressions of LBJ. He also talked briefly about the Marshall Plan which helped European countries and in effect helped stop the spread of Communism.

Before watching this interview I never realized how involved politicians are with each other. They serve on committees together, much of which isn’t seen by the public/media. And they have committees for everything.

In 1968 The World Bank started focusing on poverty in the developing worlds thanks to LBJ’s appointment of Robert McNamara as the president. McNamara was the Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War under both Kennedy and Johnson.

While McNamara was the 5^th president, the 2^nd president was John Jay McCloy. Why am I bringing up McCloy? McCloy was later appointed to the Warren Commission by LBJ, to investigate the assassination of JFK. Who else was on this seven man committee? Gerald Ford, and he talked about this in the very interview I spent hours working on.

I’m not surprised that it was LBJ who shifted the focus from European countries to the developing world. Say what you want about how he handled Vietnam, but you can’t deny what LBJ has done for the poor. His fight for the basic needs of the people started a lot more locally than you think.

The World Bank was started with the best intentions and is shifting to please critics while staying committed to its goal. I’m not foolish enough to believe that there are no hidden political agendas. Usually The World Bank is influenced by the Presidency and voting power. The US has the most voting power at 15.85%. But presidencies change; the mission goal stays the same.

BiblioTech

As the lady said, you don’t have to come back to the library again. That’s how they’re pitching this place. Basically this is a computer lab. Yes, they have a child learning center where kids can play with some of the tech. Yes, there is a lounge area for people to read. But, again, why would people come to read when they could do it from the comfort of their own homes.

The library—and I use that term generously—is located in one of the impoverished neighborhoods in San Antonio. If you’re wondering why the computers and shiny new tech hasn’t been stolen, it’s because the library shares a building with a county office. There’s a slew of cop cars on the side to deter potential crime and there is an armed guard inside.

Something interesting was brought up when my sisters and I went to this place. One, Alicia told me that I shouldn’t have filmed it because it made the people uncomfortable. This is probably true, but they could have told me that they wanted me to stop, and considering their position of authority I would have complied. In all fairness, I “tried” to blur out their faces, but YouTube editor isn’t the most efficient software, but it’s free.

So this brings me to the second thing. No one stopped me from filming. I was looking back at the footage, and realized how creepy it was that I basically walked into the Children’s Room filming and nobody stopped me. (Obviously I cut that part out.) If you look at the footage, the guard saw what I was doing, the librarians saw what I was doing, but nobody said anything. Not that I was looking for confrontation. I sometimes act without thinking, and I know it’s going to get me into trouble one day.

Back to the “library.”

As someone who is going for a Masters of Library and Information Science, I’ve read plenty of articles on the digital library. Cushla Kapitzke wrote an article on information literacy and how technology is changing the library into a cybrary. It’s an interesting piece covering the history of the library and explains why librarians are still needed even if the actual buildings are not.

Personally, I don’t see the digital library usurping the traditional library. A library has always been a place of learning and knowledge. I understand that technology has a way of granting people more and faster access to information, but can’t there be a balance? There is a particular aura in a traditional library where people can study, read, work, and be entertained. BiblioTech was missing this atmosphere because it was no more than a computer lab. A computer lab that doesn’t even bother encouraging its patrons to return.

…

In an attempt to dispel the gloominess caused by BiblioTech, I present to you Mr. Sulu.

The Alamo

The Alamo

I thought it was ridiculous that I’ve never really been to the Alamo. “Never really been” as in I have no recollection of going there. So if I have been there, it was when I was too little for it to make much of an impact. For as much pride as I have in being a Texan, seeing the Alamo was never a priority. I think it’s something that most people do—take for granted the interesting sites that are in their backyards so to speak.

So we made the drive to the Alamo, and I was prepared to be disappointed. I think this is a mindset I will carry-on because I was pleasantly surprised with this particular adventure. The only thing that’s still standing is the church and one of the barracks. It’s kind of sad considering how large it was originally, especially since what used to be the headquarters is now a Ripley’s Believe It or Not and a Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks.

As an avid tourist, I did my duty in taking a bunch of pictures that are only exciting to me and at the particular moment that I took it. And yes, I will show some of them and explain what I was thinking when I took them.

Not really sure what kind of change this protester was seeking. All of the leaders that were once there are long gone, and it’s kind of despicable to protest a shrine.

So… do you eat the scorpion? ‘Cause—eww.

If you look closely, you can see a £2 coin.
That’s like throwing $3 into a wishing well.

(This is probably my favorite picture.)
I’ll let you come up with your own caption.

So, what did I learn? It took 13 days for Santa Anna to seize the Alamo, some of the women and children survived the battle, and kids will fall asleep anywhere.

Two Hours on South First and Graffiti

Torchy’s

On Fridays St. Edward’s school day ends at two. Which means Friday morning classes are spent watching the clock slowly creep toward the weekend. Cynthia and I made plans for after Friday classes, and those plans included going to Torchy’s. I also wanted to finally see some iconic street art (or at least one famous mural).

Usually when I eat at a place I’ve never been, I ask the waiter or the person behind the counter what their favorite plate is on the menu. I did exactly this but the taco the guy recommended was The Brush Fire which he said was really hot. I actually like my taste buds undamaged so I ordered The Independent (fried portabella with refried black beans and roasted corn, topped with an avocado and ancho aioli) and The Democrat (shredded beef barbacoa with an avocado and wedge of lime).

You know when you’re eating a meal and already thinking of what you’ll order the next time you come in? It’s that good. Yeah, that’s Torchy’s, and I’m ashamed that it took so long for me to get there. Their queso is pretty good also.

Afterward Cynthia and wandered further down South First Street. These are just a few of the things we saw including the yummy tacos we ate. Wish I had more time to spend. Honestly, South First is where you go for either good food or a tattoo. A lot of the boutiques are closed and I think if it’s an interesting shop you want to browse in, you’re better of a few blocks east on South Congress. Word to the wise: don’t call it So-Fi or SoCo. Just don’t.

On a serious note…

One of the websites I use to find interesting things to do is TripAdvisor. I plan on checking out East Austin in a few weeks and wanted to know about the must see places there. I was very troubled with a post warning people to avoid the area because it was dangerous. I wonder if posts like this perpetuate this belief that East Austin is a shady place where dangers lurk in the shadows.

My childhood was spent in East Austin, and I don’t think it’s significantly more dangerous than any other city. People should take precautions no matter the neighborhood they are in. Travel in groups, carry pepper spray, take a self-defense course, and be aware of your surroundings. Use common sense, the power of intuition, or your Spidey Sense to avoid a bad situation.

I watched a TED Talk by Steven Pinker where he claims that the rate of violence has been on the decline since the Sixteenth Century, partially because of a new social awareness and the speed in which news now travels. My point in all this is that if you’re too afraid of what could happen to you, you’ll never know of all the possibilities that come from experiencing something new.

San Antonio

The reason I wasn’t able to spend more time on South First Street was because I decided to head to San Antonio to enjoy the holiday weekend. My sister, Alicia, and her fiancée, Erin signed-up for a 5k. The Graffiti Run was held at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Few things about throwing an event like that is to have a blasted coffee tent for the spectators. It’s not an outrageous expectations. It was early in the morning and cold. I guess all the runs I’ve been to in Austin have spoiled me.

The thing about the Graffiti Run is that runners were given color packets. I tried my hardest, I really did, but I was unable to escape the festivities unscathed. I thought for sure it was going to be my sister who would be the one to douse me in color, but it wasn’t. I was there, minding my own business when I felt this chilling snap on the back of my neck and registered the shocked look on my sisters’ faces. Some old biddy got me good—magenta color all down my collar and into my Germany tote. Vicky was not amused. But it was just color and the girls and I had a good time.

Tomorrow we’re going to the Alamo because the last time I’ve been there was probably when I was in 2^nd grade. We’re also going to check out the River Walk and BiblioTech, the library without any books. Stay tuned!

Auditorium Shores

Honestly, I never stick with the weigh-loss resolutions or the ones where I strive to be a “better” person. So, my New Year’s resolution for 2014 is to appreciate life and where I’m living by going out and exploring. After my semester abroad, I realized that there were things I haven’t experienced in a city I’ve lived in most of my life, and that it would be stupid to not take advantage of living in this remarkable place. After all, there are sites that bring millions of tourists to Austin each year.

I’ve decided to do this blog for a few reasons. Like with my Scotland blog, it will motivate me to leave my apartment and go on adventures. Also, I really enjoyed the touristy things I did in the UK and Europe. Another reason for this blog is that this will be my final semester at St. Edward’s University. I’m in the process of applying to graduate schools outside of Texas, and I want something that surpasses what my memory can recall—proof of this amazing city and my time here.

My first adventure was to go to Austin’s New Year at Auditorium Shores.

 I was still a kid the last time I went to this event of music, food, and fireworks. Last year, I spent New Year’s at Stirling Castle watching the Proclaimers before they lit the sky up, so Austin had some pretty big shoes to fill.

I’m not going to lie; it was a bit chilly out there. And, I forgot the blanket in the car so I was sitting on the cold ground. Nothing a cup of hot chocolate and a turkey leg couldn’t remedy. I wasn’t really hungry, but eating a turkey leg was new for me and I decided, “What the hell,” and gave it a shot. Let me tell you something; I turned more heads with that turkey leg than I ever have primping and finding the cutest outfits to wear. And it was a good leg. 

I didn’t make it in time to see the Peterson Brothers Band play. It’s a shame because I’ve caught their act before. These brothers are 14 and 16 and play blues like it’s in their blood. If you get a chance to see them play, you’re in for some good entertainment. An act I’ve never seen before but was impressed by was the Warren Hood Band. All in all the music was great, the food was warm, and the fireworks were beautiful.

Afterward, I decided to meet my friends down at Sixth St. and ring in the New Year’s in a bar called Shotguns. I understand that Sixth St. is a popular attraction, I’ve been down there quite a few times. It’s a street with bars and clubs, and for New Year’s Eve, the roads get blocked off so the people drinking don’t stumble out into the street and get hit. Actually they usually block the streets off whenever there is a huge event going on like SXSW, holidays, and marathons, so this happens pretty often. This probably won’t be the last time that I write about the happenings on Sixth.

Expect videos and pictures of the trouble I get into for my last six or seven months here. If you have any suggestions on something I should do, leave a comment. If you’re in the area and want to go on one of these adventures, let me know. Not all of the things I do will be on Trip Advisor, and I’ll probably travel a little outside of Austin. My goal is to have fun, and if you want to live vicariously through this blog, I don’t mind one bit. Happy New Year!