through the linz

the last of the madness, i promise. (finally!)

2010-08-29T19:44:00.004-05:00

Holy crap, y'all. How have I NOT managed to get these things about myself finished before now?! And the fact that you keep coming back to read my blog ... well, that just shows that you have your own set of issues. KIDDING, KIDDING. I love that there are people in my life that are interested in my life, no matter how narcissistic and inconsistent these posts have been as of late. And now that my Twitter friend (until we become real life BFFs, that is) kittyhotpants has mentioned my blog on her blog, I should maybe have a post that's been written in the last three months?

ANYWAY. Here they are. Those last 20 things about me that I've failed to write for like, ever. Get excited ... or something.

81. I've dealt with depression in some form since I was 14 years old.
82. As a result, I'm a HUGE advocate of counseling and taking medication if you need it.
83. Fiona Apple songs are my absolute favorites to sing at karaoke.
84. The first time I was ever given flowers by a boy was on July 31st of this year.
85. It was a first date, they were daisies, and I was smitten. (Sidenote: Turns out bringing flowers on a first date does NOT guarantee that said boy will not be a total douche.)
86. I got two new tattoos on August 12th.
87. They're swallows on either side of my ribcage, and they are RAD. I will post pictures soon, I promise.
88. I was pre-med in college for one semester.
89. Turns out I hated (and sucked at) Biology. That's apparently a problem when you're pre-med?
90. I never used to think I was a touchy-feely/physically affectionate person, but it turns out I TOTALLY AM.
91. Thus, if I like you at all I WILL BE HUGGING YOU. You've been warned.
92. If we have a conversation that lasts longer than five minutes, there is a very high likelihood that I will quote a random movie in the process.
93. I started a major back piece tattoo on October 19th.
94. It's the tree of life, and it is also RAD. Again, pictures to come soon. If I remember. And we all know how that goes with me, right readers? HAHAHAHA ... sigh.
95. In the past month (or so) I saw Band of Horses, The Weepies, and Mumford & Sons LIVE. All of these concerts made my heart happy.
96. Mint and chocolate may be one of my favorite flavor combinations.
97. Lucille the Corolla was recently traded in for Fiona the Forester. We're very happy together.
98. In the past six months I have been a ginger, a platinum blonde, and a brunette. With hot pink and/or purple thrown in, obviously.
99. I really want to learn how to play the lap steel.
100. I am going to be a bridesmaid in my little (figuratively speaking) brother's wedding next September. Weird, but awesome.

OH MY GOODNESS I'M FINALLY FINISHED WITH THIS DUMB LIST! I know my three faithful readers are as thrilled as I am. But let's face it; this probably doesn't mean it's the end of somewhat/entirely narcissistic posts here at Through the Linz. That would go against the very nature of a personal blog, now wouldn't it?

And that's just silly.

oops.

2010-07-30T11:36:00.003-05:00

Heh. So, maybe I haven't blogged in awhile? This is why I promise nothing, people. Besides, I'm sure you were glad to have a break from reading ALL ABOUT LINDSAY. But let's be real - I'm obviously not going to muster up the energy to write about something else until I finish this 100 things about me, dammit. So here we go. A few more. Because you weren't REALLY glad to have a break from reading about me. I'm clearly that rad.

59. I'm a smartass. In case you haven't noticed. (And really, if you haven't ... have you read my blog AT ALL?)
60. I will unabashedly sing along to pretty much any Britney Spears song.
61. Except for that crappy "I'm still a girl, not yet a woman" (or something like that) song. But you have to admit the rest are pretty catchy.
62. On August 12th I get to start getting some pretty major (and way rad) new ink on my body. Hopefully my entire back will be done by the end of October. YESSS.
63. I believe that the cake portion of a cupcake is simply a vehicle to get the icing into my mouth.
64. At my family reunion over the 4th of July weekend I was the ONLY vegetarian. Guys, there were like 100 people there. Thanks, TX!
65. If I'm really tired, a little buzzed, or extremely irritated ... well, my filters all kind of disappear. Apparently this makes some people nervous.
66. The glasses I wear at work are of the red, cat-eyed variety.
67. I always paint my toenails red.
68. Except for last week when I decided to paint them hot pink on a whim. I'm actually kind of digging it.
69. Typing the number 69 made me laugh. *snort*
70. I snort if you make me laugh hard enough.
71. I have friends on Twitter that I wish I was friends with in real life. Some day, y'all. Some day.
72. I did not love sunshine and being outside until I moved to Denver.
73. I have obviously invested in large quantities of SPF 70+.
74. My coworkers have figured out that if there's a workload management issue to be handled, my oldest child, Type A personality comes out and I get kind of bossy.
75. But I get shit done (and I get it done WELL), so they don't mind. Too much.
76. Even though I have blonde hair now, I definitely still have a ginger soul.
77. The door guard at my office calls me Crash because of all the effing longboard accidents I've had lately.
78. I'm on my office kickball team which is part of a federal kickball league. It's surprisingly AWESOME.
79. Our team name is "Drunk Again and Looking to Score," and our league is what they call a beer-drinking league. As in, people take their beers out on the field and set it down when needed. (I'm looking at YOU, OIG.)
80. I have a special relationship with my label maker.

Alright. Only 20 more to go now. Knowing me, it might be another month until that happens. Or it could be tomorrow. In other words, don't hold your breath. Not that you would, anyway.

Back to work. After all, the government is watching.

c'est moi, pt. 3

2010-06-13T21:42:00.002-05:00

Hey, y'all. Sorry I've been gone so long. Except remember that one time I was gone for like nine months? So, yeah. I really haven't been gone that long at all. We'll just say I lost my momentum there for awhile.

Anyway, here's the continuing list of 100 things you never wanted to know about me. But here you are reading my blog. Suckerrrrs.

29. A lot of times, I'm really forgetful. It's not personal, I promise.
30. I do my best to write hand-written thank you notes for stuff. I'm fairly certain my mom would kick my ass if I didn't.
31. I will get my PhD one day.
32. Probably in Political Science/International Relations.
33. My favorite number is seven.
34. I was in my 7th grade English class when the O.J. Simpson trial verdict was announced.
35. I got my first tattoo when I was 18. It's a tiny bear claw on the inside of my left ankle.
36. I got my second tattoo when I was 23. It's a dove that's in between my shoulder blades.
37. I got my third tattoo when I was 24. It's the word "amahoro" (the Rwandan word for peace) on the inside of my right wrist.
38. The Qdoba around the corner from my apt is my favorite fast food in Denver.
39. I go there about once a week and now know the manager and that he grew up in El Paso and his elderly mom lives in Albuquerque.
40. I'm a pacifist.
41. But I would still punch Sarah Palin in the face given the chance.
42. I was a math major in some capacity for almost three years.
43. And I had a total of seven major changes in undergrad.
44. Some days, I'm so lonely in Denver I can practically taste it.
45. I don't regret moving to Denver.
46. If I ever meet your parents, I guarantee I will get along famously with them.
47. I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder when I was 23 years old.
48. When I take my Adderall, within 45 minutes it feels like a cloud has been lifted off my brain.
49. My friends in high school used to tell me I was black on the inside.
50. It's probably true.
51. I think in this day and age, it's silly to be afraid of meeting someone you met on the internet. As long as you're not stupid about it.
52. My all-time favorite book is "The Brothers K" by David James Duncan.
53. I read it every summer, even though it's over 600 pages long.
54. I prefer Diet Coke to Diet Dr. Pepper.
55. But I'll take Diet Dr. Pepper with Cherry over both of those.
56. I'm 99.8 percent sure that I can make you laugh.
57. My friends make fun of me because I usually have at least one camera with me. But probably two.
58. Technology blows my mind, so I don't even try to think about it.

Ok. So I think around 30 new things is probably good for now, right? And if you're really lucky, I'll put up some pictures from the Denver Chalk Art Festival and the concert out at Red Rocks in which Sting played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Just in case you were wondering - those rumors that Sting wears tight pants? Totally true.

mourning a loss.

2010-05-25T13:10:00.004-05:00

I just found out today that a very dear friend's grandaddy passed away on Saturday. I cannot even imagine the heartbreak she and her family are feeling, and the particular heartbreak her grandmother must be feeling. My friend's grandparents had been married for 61 years as of February.

If how we live on earth is a determination of what the afterlife will be, I know for certain his kind and gentle soul is in a place without pain that is filled with light. Sweet Bob, you will be greatly missed.

c'est moi, pt. 2

2010-05-24T00:12:00.002-05:00

Y'all! It's more about meeeeee! I know you're super excited, so I won't make you wait in suspense any longer. And here we go, numbers 11-28. I like to keep you on your toes.

11. I have been a faithful Mac user since 2004. I will never buy a PC for myself again.
12. My diplomas are ALWAYS the first things I hang whenever I move. Seeing as how they are (by far) the most expensive things I own, this will probably always be the case.
13. My chocolate chip cookies will rock your world. It's a true story.
14. I was a live-in nanny on Long Island for nine months.
15. No, being a nanny in NY was NOT awesome. In fact, I absolutely hated it.
16. The word "y'all" is my favorite contraction.
17. The word "rad" is my favorite adjective. IT'S GOING TO MAKE A COMEBACK.
18. I have a total of seven piercings in my ears.
19. I have my nose pierced, too.
20. My very first car was a brite blue VW Beetle called Vern.
21. His best friend was Bob the dashboard hula girl.
22. Now I have a very sensible red Toyota Corolla called Lucille.
23. I work for the federal government, specifically the Department of Veterans Affairs.
24. I still don't know how that happened.
25. I most definitely have a sweet tooth. Like, a lot.
26. I saw the Eagles in concert last Thursday. And it. was. RAD.
27. My Myers-Briggs profile is INFJ.
28. But in the past few years I've embraced some of my 'E' characteristics, even though I'm definitely still an 'I'.

So. There are some more things you (maybe) didn't know about me. It's fascinating stuff, I know.

Until next time.

c'est moi, pt. 1

2010-05-17T16:14:00.006-05:00

A friend of mine recently began doing a "100 Things About Me" series on her blog. She's done it before, but as she so aptly pointed out - it's been a few years. Shit changes. Except she didn't use the word "shit" because she's way classier than I am.

In any case, I've decided to follow in her footsteps and redo these things about me. Don't worry, I'm not going to do all 100 things at once. The government might catch on to my blogging-at-work ways if I tried to attempt that. But the way I figure it is, if you're even taking the time to look at this blog you probably like me at least a little bit. So you won't mind if I talk about myself more than usual.

And if you DO mind, go to this website instead. It's hilarious.

So here we go. Numbers 1 - 10.

1. I have my B.A. in English Language and Literature from Baylor University.
2. I have my M.A. in Church-State Studies from Baylor University. I obviously love obtaining liberal arts degrees that aren't the most beneficial when searching for a job.
3. I am the oldest of three kids, and totally fit the oldest child profile.
4. Standing at 5'9'', I am the shortest sibling. My brother is 6'8'' and my sister is 6'1''.
5. I'm almost to month six of being a full-on vegetarian. I love it.
6. I prefer red wine to white wine.
7. May 22nd will be my one year anniversary of living in Denver.
8. I have an affinity for cheesy Hallmark movies, embarrassing as it is.
9. I think good grammar is sexy. But sometimes I still end my sentences in prepositions.
10. My desk at work is always impeccably clean and tidy, but I'm messy (not dirty) at home.

So. There you have it. Only 90 to go.

tgif.

2010-05-14T16:56:00.002-05:00

You know how the saying goes - THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY. And who doesn't love Friday? No one I want to know. I mean, there's an entire national restaurant chain named for this very saying. A chain that I haven't been to in at least a year, but that's beside the point.

I'm just particularly grateful for Friday this week. It's been a draining week. A "by Tuesday I've gone into the bathroom at work (more than once) to cry" kind of week. Y'all, I'm really not what you would call a "cryer." But I guess that's what happens when people unexpectedly let you down on top of the fact that you hate your workplace. Needless to say, I'm ready for it to be over.

And speaking of over, I am officially off the clock. Bye, bye blogosphere. I'll see you soon.

in honor of tomorrow's weather forecast.

2010-05-11T15:43:00.003-05:00

I'd like to remind you that tomorrow is MAY 12TH. So. That pretty much covers it.

ode to my mom.

2010-05-09T13:45:00.005-05:00

So it's not really an ode. BUT YOU GET THE IDEA.

As all of you know, It's Mom's Day today. So I just want to give a big shout out to MY mom, who I obviously love a lot!

She knows that when I call and call her "mama" instead of "mom," I'm sick or upset about something. She taught me the value of a well placed "Jane, you ignorant slut" comment, and laughs like she has a secret when I tell her she was kind of skanky in her youth (it's true though - have you SEEN the (lack of) length of those skirts?!). She has supported me every single time I've changed my mind as to what my future life plans are, and trusts me to eventually make the right decision.

She taught me the value of sending a proper thank you note, though my handwriting will never be as pretty as hers. She sends me a package on almost every holiday, and sometimes for no reason at all. She exposed me to some of the best movies EVER (White Christmas, anything with Rock Hudson and/or Doris Day, Singin' in the Rain), and does the best impression of the main dude in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers that you'll ever hear. I STILL don't know how she gets her voice to go that deep.

And even though she's been trying to forcefully put highlights in my hair since I was 12 years old so that she can have her only towheaded baby back, I can tell you that my mom is pretty effing rad. Most of the time. ;)

Love you, Mom!

i smell a rat, baby.

2010-05-06T22:38:00.003-05:00

I find it kind of amazing how some people think I can't identify bullshit when I see it. Just because I'm nice and want to trust you doesn't mean I'm dumb. OBVIOUSLY. I mean, have you met me?

Space cadet? Yes, and often. Dumb? Not even close. UGH. If I wasn't a LADY, I'd totally start naming names on these here interwebs. BUT I AM A LADY, DAMMIT.

Nevertheless, I still love this week. And Friday is going to be RAD. So, there's that.

this week.

2010-05-04T14:05:00.003-05:00

If you know me well enough, you know that I am a demonstrated and self-described "fixer" and big picture (or macro, for all you social workers) person. While this is great when it comes to being an advocate for policy change (don't you know my government bosses LOVE that), it also means I have a tendency to get overwhelmed by the ugly shit in the world and subsequently shut down.

So when all these horrendous things are happening in the world (read: flooding in TN, oil spill in the Gulf, an attempted bombing in Times Square, an earthquake every other day it seems, etc.), I am SO thankful when a really good week comes along and gets me out of the sometimes quagmire that is my mind.

Unexpectedly, this is turning out to be one of those weeks. I reconnected with an old roommate. I went to bed at 7:30pm last night (earlier than ALL our grandparents, I'm sure), and woke up actually feeling rested. I've laughed more than I have in a long time, due in large part to my friend Tony. I get to go see a blues show tonight in Boulder. I get to have homemade Tex-Mex tomorrow (I may shed a tear or twelve of happiness for that one). I get to go to counseling on Thursday (and I am totally one of those people that LOVES counseling). I have a ticket to the sold-out 30 Seconds to Mars show on Friday. Betty White is hosting SNL on Saturday.

THIS WEEK IS FUCKING RAD.

Pardon my language. But it is. There's even a couple of other things that I didn't mention ... but some things you just have to keep to yourself. Right, interwebs?

Thank you, Universe, for showing me some kindness this week. I needed it. Now let's spread the love to the rest of the world. Kthnx.

may flowers.

2010-05-03T15:08:00.000-05:00

You know that old saying, "April showers bring May flowers"? Turns out it's true!

I moved to Denver at the beginning of summer last year (just as it started hitting triple digits in CenTX), so I missed springtime in Colorado. And let's face it - having lived in Texas my entire life before moving to Denver, I missed springtime in LIFE. What, with the whole two seasons in Texas ... summer and not summer.

ANYWAY.

It does a soul good to see flowers blooming and hear birds chirping and have sunny-not-sweltering days and all that other stuff that comes along with this thing called springtime. (I almost put "shit" instead of "stuff" in that last sentence, but then realized that it didn't really fit in with the theme. Plus, I'M A LADY. Sometimes.)

I think it's the whole loving the sunshine thing that's totally caught me off guard. And are we really surprised? If I don't wear SPF 70+ when it's sunny in Denver, I get sunburned THROUGH MY CLOTHES. True story. Even still, these sunny days with temperatures ranging from the 50s to the 70s are so wonderful that I just want to be outside all the time. I am totally slutty for sunshine now, y'all. Among other things. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.

So, there you have it. Denver + Spring = Way Rad.

I might even post some pictures later when I'm not covertly typing a post from my office computer. Not that I'm doing that now, government. Until then, this one will do:

the dibs.

2010-05-01T19:31:00.005-05:00

You may have noticed in my last post that I said Dibley went to live at "grandma camp." Having had a yard available his entire life, the poor lil' guy just wasn't adjusting well to apartment life and being cooped up all day. And I felt HORRIBLE about leaving him inside all day when I was at work, and then leaving him alone at night when I was out trying to be social and make friends. Dibs demonstrated his discontent by leaving me gifts in the form of pee and poop all over my apartment almost every day. Oh, and destroying three living room rugs. THREE. This is a 16 pound dog, y'all. And living room rugs are NOT. CHEAP.

ANYWAY.

My parents very graciously agreed to be Dibley's appointed guardians for an indefinite period of time, and he made his way back to Texas in mid-October. Did I mention that he rode back to The Lone Star State with a lesbian trucker and her cat? True story.

So now Dibley lives in DeSoto with my parents and their dog, Buddy. Buddy is a German shepherd/beagle mix that weighs around 70 pounds, and Dibley thinks he is approximately the same size as Buddy. Even my dog is SUCH A GUY.

Almost every time I call home, my mom has a new antic that Dibs has come up with to irritate Buddy. She's started calling these the "Dibble of the Day." (The woman needs grandkids. GET ON IT, SIBLINGS. Because they're sure not coming from me.) She sent me photos from the latest Dibbles, and I'm going to share them with you. I figure, it's my blog so I can do what I want.

Photo #1:

No, Dibley is not humping Buddy. Believe me, that was my first thought, too. (For the record, I would be totally supportive of gay dog Dibs if that was the case. I'd get him a rainbow collar and march in parades and stuff.) Apparently Dibs gets on/attaches himself to Buddy's back and then starts biting and shaking the scruff on Buddy's neck. And then Buddy starts scratching at his neck as if Dibley is just an annoying flea. I'm just waiting for the phone call telling me that Buddy JUST COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. I wouldn't blame him.

Photo #2

I love this picture because Dibley is all, "Look at me! Look at me!" and Buddy is leaning against my dad's leg looking at Dibley going, "Who the hell IS this weird kid?"

My dog can be such a little turd sometimes. I'm so proud.

truth.

2010-04-30T08:28:00.004-05:00

To be discussed later. But I should probably go do some work now. WHATEVER, GOVERNMENT.

the nine month itch. or something.

2010-04-29T18:12:00.002-05:00

Y'ALL.

It's me! Lindsay! That girl who hasn't blogged in the better part of a year! Obviously my three readers have been DEVASTATED by this fact. Or not. Either way, here's a new post! Woot woot.

Gosh, a lot has happened since August. A lot of those things aren't necessarily for public consumption, but I'm sure I can provide at least a couple of amusing anecdotes from the last nine months. Then again, I probably wouldn't be telling you anything that I haven't already declared via Twitter. Technology! And yes, I AM THAT PERSON. Whatever, it's awesome.

In any case, quick recap: Dibley went to live at "grandma camp," I chopped off all my hair and made sure it went from it's natural brownish reddish to red to bright red, I lived through my first real winter in Denver (and actually own some coats now?), I made new friends, I watched the Baylor men's AND women's basketball teams make it far in the NCAA tournament (SIC'EM), I discovered a deep hatred for the Duke basketball team, I switched apartments, and I finally started loving my city. Yep. That's it in a nutshell.

OH. I also may have torn my left meniscus in a longboarding accident. Which may or may not have happened during work hours in the sketch government-maintained parking lot. That MRI tomorrow is going to be super fun. Remind me to take out my nose ring.

Wow, I just realized how incredibly boring this post is. Do I need to write another manifesto on the merits of proper stapling and hole-punching? Probably not. BUT IT'S STILL IMPORTANT, Y'ALL.

Ok. I'm going to go now. But I'll be back. Maybe sooner, maybe later. I've learned not to make any promises when it comes to maintaining this blog. I promise I'll try to think of something interesting and/or amusing for next time. Of course I'm always willing to take your suggestions. Unless you just want me to hop up on one of my soapboxes (and there are MANY) and have a good interwebs rant. Either way.

Now I'm probably going to go watch HGTV and drink a beer. CLASSY.

nostalgia.

2009-08-05T22:23:00.002-05:00

I was talking on the phone with a friend last night, and somehow we ended up on the topic of cartoons that were on when we were kids. My friend is a few years older than me, thus missing the Captain Planet boat ... do y'all remember that? Captain Planet? It was all kinds of RIDICULOUS. In fact, here's a little reminder.

Oh yeah. That totally just happened. Why did we all love this show so much?!

new hair and a new obsession.

2009-08-03T21:14:00.004-05:00

So, I'm not one of those people who's great about getting my hair cut the every six to eight weeks as most stylists would recommend. In fact, I'm more the type to look in the mirror one morning, decide I need to CHANGE MY HAIR RIGHT NOW, and call to make an appointment for that afternoon. Yeah ... today was one of those days. Except that it started yesterday when I decided to dye my hair red on a whim. So here's the end product of both whims:

I totally love it. LOVE. IT. Candace at Hot Heads Hair Salon is my new BFF.

Also in the past two days? Discovered a cellist by the name of Matthew Schoening. Except he's not a 'normal' cellist. He plays an electric cello and does live looping to create a whole array of chords, sounds, melodies, harmonies, you name it. Think of him as the Andrew Bird of cellos. What's that? You don't know who Andrew Bird is? LOOK HIM UP. So here's the song that got me hooked - I've probably watched this video 10 times. It's so RAD.

It doesn't hurt one bit that he's pretty damn hot. Boyfriend.

And for good measure, here's Andrew Bird (whom I've seen live and totally rocked my world).

You're welcome.

dude.

2009-08-01T00:13:00.005-05:00

Why didn't anyone tell me it had been 22 days since my last blog post? As if I keep track of these things, people.

Except, I do.

I actually have a fairly legitimate excuse for the lack of blog posts for at least half that time period. I won't go into too many details (because, quite frankly they're disgusting), but a couple of weeks ago I managed to get a wicked sinus infection that eventually migrated down to my chest and all but knocked me out for almost an entire week. I do not remember the last time I was that sick ... or the last time my snot was that shade of green (ok, so there's one detail).

And well, if we're going to be completely honest here, I *still* haven't gotten my life completely in order from that week I was sick. OK, FINE. Like my life was completely in order to begin with. I still have boxes that need to be unpacked. Whatever. I'll call it modern art and be done with it.

I'm going to try and thing of something clever to post in the near future, but for now let me leave you with a couple of excellent websites that I'm sure are going to become new time wasters for me. As if I needed more of those.

First, there's the FailBlog. I'm pretty sure I've laughed to the point of snorting more than a few times looking at this website. And that was just tonight. I think this one may be one of my favorites because it's just SO BAD. Parenting Fail:

Second, there's This Is Photobomb. Similar site, slightly different concept. Again with the snorts on my end. Some of these photos are REDONK. A lot of these are kind of dirty (and therefore HILARIOUS), so I'll leave it to you to find the good ones.

If you have any ideas about blog topics, leave 'em in the comments. And hey, if it sucks, I can just delete it! Jokes, you guys. Jokes.

Maybe.

p.s. Through the Linz has officially had over 1000 hits! SO RAD.

bff, for realsies.

2009-07-09T23:13:00.003-05:00

Today I got an unexpected surprise in my mailbox from my BFF, Suzanne. For those of you who don't know Suz, let me put it this way ... we became best friends the day she full-on grabbed my ass and squeezed in the dollar theatre and I walked into the wall. I couldn't even make something like that up.

But back to my mailbox.

So there's this card in there today, and I opened it up and couldn't stop laughing for about five minutes. Even now, still laughing.

Front: "I don't know how you stay so bright and perky all the time."

Inside: "Sometimes I just want to slap you, but then I remember you know all my secrets."

It's funny because it's TRUE. Let's face it - every one of you has your own Suz or Linz. And we just couldn't live without them.

i know, i know.

2009-07-07T21:31:00.005-05:00

I think I may have a little bit of blog bipolar disorder. I mean, one week it's just blog blog blog and the next week ... you can practically hear crickets chirping through the internets. And for my loyal three readers, I apologize. But I'll let you in on a little secret - if I haven't blogged in awhile, it's likely because for some reason I've gone inside my head for some reason and can't muster up the mental stamina to actually write a blog. Plus, as my friend Girl Gone Domestic once pointed out to me, Twitter kind of soothes the negligent blogger's guilt. (It's true.)

So let me give you a recap of my life since June 22:

- Became an almost auntie! Cora Blakely Fannin was born on June 25th at 12:10am. I so wish I lived closer to Ohio so I could go visit her. Because LOOK AT THIS LIL' PUNKIN.
Looking at her almost makes me want kids ... but not quite.

- Turned 26. Found two gray hairs. Am trying to embrace officially being in my latter twenties.

- Managed to have two completely awful experiences via a certain internet dating site with stupid boys (definitely NOT men). Decided the chapter of my book dealing with said experiences will be called, "omg, wtf?! : Or How I Survived Internet Dating."

- Was moved to the Appeals team at work. I know this doesn't mean much to people that don't work at the VA, but this is an EXCELLENT thing for me. The people are much friendlier, and the atmosphere is just so much more relaxed. Considering I was considering quitting when I first moved to the Denver office, I'm feeling much better about being here.

- Got addicted to the show "Bones." Not only is it highly entertaining, I could pretty much just lick David Boreanaz from head to toe and not feel one bit guilty about it. I told my BFF (and tweeted) that his smile might as well be a wind tunnel blowing my clothes off. And I am totally serious.

- Didn't blog. Obviously.

So there you have it. My life in a nutshell (blogshell?). I promise I'll try not to be as sporadic with my blogging. But if I am, you might want to check in on me. Or just wait longer.

a gaythering storm.

2009-06-22T23:22:00.006-05:00

So I have a real post that I'm going to write tomorrow. But for today, I'm going to leave you with these videos. The first one is for real ("A Gathering Storm") - it's a video a bunch of conservatives put together opposing gay marriage. I'll let you guess how I feel about that. The second one is a parody of the conservative video done by a bunch of those Hollywood liberal wackjobs (insert sarcasm here) called "A Gaythering Storm." Loves it.

A Gathering Storm

A Gaythering Storm

A Gaythering Storm from Jane Lynch

I think my favorite part is the website at the end. It's real, by the way. If I could snuggle "Funny or Die," I totally would.

thought of the day.

2009-06-18T21:28:00.002-05:00

I find nothing wrong with eating a few bites of leftover Indian food followed by Nilla wafers dipped in melted cinnamon peanut butter and chocolate chips for dinner.

I may be singing a different tune in about 30 minutes, but for now that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

the time we went to wyoming.

2009-06-17T22:14:00.016-05:00

Remember that time I told you I was going to Wyoming? Yeah, I was totally serious about that. This past Saturday, after a lovely morning of sleeping past 5:55am, Dibley and I packed up and headed north. I said this before, and I'll say it again - it boggles my mind that I could drive to a different state in less than two hours. Living in Texas really screws up one's perception of distance.

Anyway, we drove north on I-25 (I'd like to point out that the speed limit was 75 ... suckers), hit Cheyenne (the capital of Wyoming, in case you were wondering), took a left on I-80, and stopped at the first national park we came to. And then we hiked around (I know right? I actually hiked.), took some pictures, and drove home. It sounds uneventful, but it was actually a really lovely day.

And now, whether you like it or not, I'm going to give you a little photo essay titled, "The Linz and The Dibs Go to Wyoming."

This is how Dibley roadtrips. And yes, that *is* a doggy seat belt. Shut up.

Lunch. Delicious, but made me feel like I wanted to die five minutes later.

Hi, Wyoming! (Also, did you know that you can spell out 'Wyoming' to the Oscar Myer bologna jingle? It's true.

Entrance to Medicine Bow National Forest. Famous for rock formations, so they tell me.

I won't bore you with tons of rock pictures, so here's the most interesting one. Doesn't it look precarious? And there were people climbing on it ... which would have pretty much given me a heart attack.

I wore my Chacos so I would fit in with the granola types in CO and WY. But, my god, my East Texas sensibilities are not loving the fact that I don't have a pedicure.

Dibley had fun. And yes, he is the cutest dog ever.

The Lone Tree of Laramie Range. When settlers were first coming through Wyoming, they thought this tree was literally growing out of the rock. It was such an anomaly and seemed so miraculous, that even when the railway and highways were being built, they preserved the tree and have a little monument around it. It was actually really cool.

Buford. Supposedly the smallest town in the world. Population of one. Even my introvert self finds this to be a bit nightmarish.

See that little tiny red sign in the distance? Yeah, that's a gas station called "Kum 'n Go." Surely I am not the only one that sees a problem with this. And surely I am not the only one who would not even *consider* stepping into this place. Blech.

Coming back into Denver. Is that not just a crazy-ass cloud?

OH. One more thing. I saw two huge windfarms in Wyoming, which put WY on my "Hey, You're a Rad State" list. However, Oklahoma and Louisiana still have a ways to go before getting off my "Let's Vote These Bitches Out of the Union" list. I'm just saying.

badvocacy pt. 2 and pt. 3

2009-06-16T21:42:00.005-05:00

Remember the post about badvocacy? Well, you should considering it's only two posts down.

It turns out that the post about badvocacy and Invisible Children sparked quite a conversation over at Texas in Africa, a conversation that - again - is worth taking the time to read.

Pt. 2 of the conversation is Jason Russell's (who is, in fact, the co-founder of Invisible Children) response to the initial post written about the policy and actions of Invisible Children. His response is well-written, and addresses what he believes are some of the flaws in the original argument made against some of the actions of Invisible Children.

Pt. 3 of the conversation is the original authors' (Dustyn Winder and Erin Bernstein) response to Jason's post. Dustin responds for both himself and for Erin, and addresses some of the points Jason made about sources and credibility.

Both sides are respectful of each others' arguments, but there's definitely some tension underneath this conversation. Which is completely understandable, given the nature of the topic.

Having read through all three posts, I'm inclined to give more weight to what Dustyn and Erin have to say. It's not that I don't think Jason Russell is credible or that he has the best interest of the people of Uganda at heart, it's that he's actually associated with this organization and has a vested interest in protecting the name and brand of Invisible Children. And yeah, it *is* a brand. Which is kind of the point.

So do something good for your brain today - take the time to read through these posts. And if you have the energy, come back to Through the Linz and let me know what you think. I'd love to know.

for the love of office supplies.

2009-06-15T20:44:00.004-05:00

If you know me longer than about five minutes, you figure out pretty quickly that I can tend to be a little ... compulsive about some things. It's not everything - my bedroom at home may be a complete mess, but my desk at work will *always* be immaculately organized and clean. (Seriously, it's a little ridiculous how OCD I can get about my desk at work - I keep a Swiffer duster and Clorox wipes handy at all times.) I may have dishes start to pile up in the sink, but my counters will always be wiped down. It's weird, I know.

That said, one of the things I'm finding I do get pretty compulsive about these days is the way holes are punched and staples stapled. Because, really, HOW HARD IS IT? Judging by the files that come across my desk at work, hole punching and stapling are the hardest jobs in the government.

This is not just me being anal retentive (it's a little bit of that, BUT NOT ALL OF IT); what I'm seeing on a daily basis is just full on BAD. I mean, holes punched an inch away from where they should be, papers stapled haphazardly, stuff all bent up and falling out of files ...

IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.

Most days, I have to break my own heart a little bit and just deal with these ugly files. But sometimes it's so bad that I have to stop and completely rebuild the file (there are reasons I have my own tape dispenser, two staplers, and two kinds of hole punchers). And I'd like to point out that it's not just this new, younger generation of government employees who are incapable of the easiest tasks - I've seen poor hole-punching go back as far as 40 years. It's a travesty.

This afternoon I spent about the last 45 minutes of my workday rebuilding three separate files, and I'm almost positive I was muttering to myself the entire time. Yes, I *am* slightly compulsive about these things, but COME ON. Repunch the damn holes if the paper is literally two inches over from the rest of the papers in the file.

Also, how hard is it to put tabs going from left to right rather than any effing place you feel like it? And no, I don't need a tab telling me that this page was where you decided to take your lunch break and think about that guy you're crushing on. (I'm over exaggerating on that last one ... but not by much.)

If you're ever wondering why the government always seems to be in shambles or in a state of disrepair, wonder no longer. We can't even hire people who know how to use a hole punch.

you're going where?

2009-06-13T10:00:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, on a whim, I decided that today Dibley and I would take a little roadtrip to Wyoming. That's right, Wyoming.

It turns out I now live in a city that is less than two hours away from the Wyoming state border. And if - like me - you're a Texan, I'm sure that the thought of being able to drive less than two hours and get to an entirely different state is boggling your mind right now. I mean, if I had driven from Waco to El Paso (an entire DAY'S worth of driving) I would have been half way to Los Angeles!

So anyway, The Dibs and I are gearing up to visit Wyoming, take some photos, and pretty much just do whatever the hell we want today (and by "we" I mean "I" because clearly Dibs does not have a say in the day's activities ... because he can't talk?).

If you don't hear from me in the next couple of days, you might want to think about calling to check up on me ... you never know, I could be wandering around a Wyoming state park with nothing but The Dibs for protection. Yikes.

badvocacy.

2009-06-11T19:11:00.002-05:00

Did you know that I have a friend who's an Africanist? I do. Not only did she just graduate with her PhD (!) and accept a professorial job at Morehouse College in Atlanta (have I mentioned the Africanist is a white chick?), but she's also lived in DRC and is fluent in French and Swahili.

I have the raddest friends.

All that to say, when she blogs *anything* about what's going on in Central or Eastern Africa (or any part of Africa, really), it's worth taking a few minutes to stop and read what she has to say.

Lately, she's had a few posts about bad advocacy (or "badvocacy") and how it can be more detrimental than helpful to the very people supposedly on the receiving end of the advocacy. Because I'm a huge nerd, I already knew the truth behind a lot of the things she's blogged and truly believe that badvocacy is becoming (already is?) a real problem.

Today (from the UK where she's researching Somalian pirates, naturally) she had two guest bloggers come and write about the badvocacy of Invisible Children and the reality of the situation in Uganda. It's a fantastic post, and worth the 5 to 10 minutes of your time it will take to read. You can find this post by either clicking on the Texas in Africa link on my blogroll, or you can just click here.

I'm so glad that I have friends that are a) so RAD, and b) willing to be one of the few voices of dissent in the midst of popular cultural phenomena.

Until next time, peace out homeys.

p.s. If you want to continue your quest for knowledge about badvocacy, I recommend reading "The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity." It's primarily about aid given to Somalia, and can get a little dense at times, but still a worthwhile read nonetheless.

p.p.s. I do not recommend reading this book while sitting in the actual "Hotel Rwanda" the night before going to see a mass grave/bones from the 1994 genocide at a church in podunk Rwanda. Learn from me, friends. Learn from me.

the daily dish

2009-06-09T23:28:00.003-05:00

Can I tell you a secret? And by secret I mean something that a few dozen people on Twitter and Facebook probably have already figured out.

I miss Waco.

I know - it's shocking, right? I mean, I was expecting to have a little bit of separation anxiety (I did live there for eight years, after all), but I was not expecting what I'm feeling right now.

And what am I feeling right now, you ask? Right now I am feeling a sense of utter, utter loneliness. It's a feeling I haven't had in awhile, and one I certainly didn't miss. I've never had a problem making friends, but I forgot how hard it is when you don't start out in a new place in the context of academia. And let's face it, I've never been good at the bar scene or just walking up to people I don't know and introducing myself. My introvert, INFJ self prevents that most times.

I guess I should clarify - it's not so much Waco I miss, it's the people in Waco. And of course I miss my BFF and Flossie Sisters, but I was expecting to miss them. And I know that they're pretty much in my life forever, so that lessens that sense of loss a little bit.

I'll tell you who I wasn't expecting to miss (and by miss I mean to feel this acute sense of loss and deep sadness) - the people at the Waco VA. I mean, I knew I was going to miss them ... but DAMN. I *miss* them. Pretty much every day from 8am to 4:30pm I realize what a great little community I had built at the Waco VA, a community that completely took me by surprise. And let me tell you, I'm learning more and more every day that kind of community/work environment is so RARE. I don't laugh at work anymore, and find myself counting down the hours until I get to leave. There's no ridiculous quote board, no cup phones over the partition, and no DRO that knows just to laugh when I get all worked up over something. Work has become just that. Work.

And when I get home, it's just me and The Dibs. And sometimes the loneliness is palpable and I feel as though I can taste it ... or that could be the liquor from my newly established liquor cabinet. Either way.

So yeah, totally being a Debbie Downer in this post. And if you're in Denver and reading this - BE MY FRIEND. I WILL MAKE YOU COOKIES. Just ask Amanda.

who doesn't love free stuff?

2009-06-05T19:54:00.004-05:00

So through the power of Twitter (don't knock it 'til you try it), I've not only discovered the tweets of some amazing people, but I've also found some fantastic giveaways from sellers on Etsy!

Here is today's:

Sweeter Than Me highlighted the artist Megan Stelzer of Megan Stelzer Designs on her blog. Megan has some amazing handmade jewelry! Head over to this link and enter her contest for some free earrings!

Seriously, you guys ... especially if you're one of my many friends who's having a kid in the near future, I'd seriously consider getting on Twitter and searching for their giveaways. There are TONS of giveaways for organic/handmade/healthy baby and kid stuff. You should look into it.

Alright, that's all for now. Peace out, homeys!

yes we can? maybe?

2009-06-04T23:09:00.003-05:00

So, I know who most of my readers are and I know that most of you have probably already watched or read the transcript of Barack Obama's speech given earlier today at Cairo University in Egypt. But if you haven't, here it is. I recommend that you watch or read it if you haven't already - I think it's going to be a valuable landmark in President Obama's tenure, no matter if you agree with what he's saying or not.

And for the record, I actually *do* take issue with the way Obama approached some of the issues in this speech and the premise on which he made several of his points. If you're one of my more conservative friends, I'm sure you're thinking that hell has frozen over because bleeding heart liberal Lindsay isn't agreeing with a Democrat?!

Yeah ... that happens more than you might think.

Anyway, I'm not going to get into all the nitty gritty about everything I did and didn't like about Obama's speech; I feel like a lot of that is best reserved for actual conversations in which both sides can be heard and express opinions. Even though this is my blog and I have the luxury of saying whatever the hell I want, these topics and this conversation are ones that I'd rather have with actual people and not my computer screen. That said, I do want to briefly address one aspect of Barack Obama's speech that I am having some problems with.

Now, let me preface this little rant with something: My little Master's degree in Church-State Studies heart goes all aflutter and my brain starts racing a little bit when people start talking about the issues that I actually know something about - namely, religion and the state. I mean, hello, look at the title of my degree. It's kind of obvious. So when I read the little abstract on CNN about what President Obama's speech was about ("Obama, in Egypt, reaches out to the Muslim world"), I immediately had opinions about it. And I hadn't even read the thing yet. But even after I did, I was still feeling a lot of the same things as when I had my initial gut reaction. So here it is:

I really take issue with the fact that a secular nation-state (the United States) takes it upon itself to address an entire religious population (Muslims) that spans the entire globe, and does so via another nation-state (Egypt). (And yes, the U.S. *is* a secular nation that is *not* founded on "Christian priciples" - whether or not you choose to believe it is your own problem). I don't know ... something about the way Obama kept referring to the U.S. and Islam as though they were even remotely similar entities does not sit well with me. Plus, even though Obama acknowledged that the majority of Muslims do not fall into the terrorist, fundamentalist camp that Westerners tend to place them in, there were still those undertones there.

Like I said, this is a conversation to be had and not necessarily a blog to read or write. Even though I kind of just did. Whatev.

Either way, here are some of my favorite quotes from the speech (which you may have already seen on facebook because I was posting as I was reading - yeah, I'm that awesome on a Thursday night):

"When innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience." (Uh, yeah. Glad we're finally acknowledging this.)

"It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end. It is a sign neither of courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That's not how moral authority is claimed; that's how it is surrendered." (I'm using this when justifying my pacifism from now on. Wonderful.)

"And that's why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons." (I wasn't aware we had this commitment to begin with?)

"And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well educated are far more likely to be prosperous." (YES.)

In the end, even though I disagree with some of what President Obama said in his speech, I'm still glad I voted for him and I still believe that YES WE CAN! Ain't nothing wrong with a little hope and idealism, people.

i'm alive, i promise

2009-06-03T21:32:00.002-05:00

Well, for the three of you wondering, I made it to Denver safe and sound without any major incident. And can I just say ... I'm putting Kansas right below Louisiana on the list of states I'm voting out of the union when I'm in charge of the world. (Though that's sounding a little too Rick Perry-ish these days.) It's so flat. And boring. And flat. I mean, it takes a lot for a state to make Oklahoma look like a wonderland. At least Oklahoma has a song. But (clearly) I digress.

My mom, dad, and sister were rockstars through the whole process and stayed for three days to help me move in and get the big stuff taken care of. And yet I'm still unpacking a week and a half later. I've never been great at unpacking. I actually have a goal this time around though - my new couch and chaise (aren't I fancy?) are being delivered on Friday, so I should probably get some of these boxes out of the way.

And in case you were wondering, The Dibs is doing great in Denver, too. I was expecting him to have a hard time adjusting to being an inside dog, but he's adapted surprisingly well. I made a little set up in the living room by one of the windows that faces the park/street, and he just sits there all day watching people and cars go by. If he's anything like me, it doesn't take much to entertain. Plus, it took him all of one day to be potty trained; he's a pretty rad dog.

I realize this is one of my less entertaining posts, but I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive and kicking. After this weekend I should have some pictures of an unpacked and put together apartment (cross your fingers).

So for now, here's some ideas for future posts:
- Considering training for the Denver half-marathon in mid-October. Slightly terrified at the level of fitness this requires.
- Waco VA vs. Denver VA ... a surprising winner in this battle.
- Your mom.

I know I'm not great with keeping up with this blog all the time, but I'm pretty fantastic at keeping up with Twitter (yes, I tweet. Shut up.) multiple times a day. So if you want to follow me over there just visit @throughthelinz and prepared to be blown away. Or at least laugh a little.

Peace out, homeys.

one for the road

2009-05-18T20:52:00.005-05:00

Dudes. I apologize for the long delay between posts ... and here I thought I was getting good at this whole blogging thing. I'm going to use the whole moving to Denver in TWO DAYS as my excuse. Which is a pretty good one, I think.

So to tide you over until I have time to write a for real post, here's a couple of things to keep you entertained:

1. "Why Gay is OK": An article written by a Methodist (woman) pastor in Dallas in response to stupid FBC Dallas' David Jeffress' sermon titled, "Why Gay is Not OK." Man, I'm glad I'm not really Baptist anymore.

2. "Our World at War": A really poignant photo essay from Time magazine about how war affects people from around the world. Photos #9 and #10 are my favorites. I'll give you one guess why.

So there you have, gentle readers. A brief post until more meaningful ones can be written. Wish me luck ... I'm outta here (as in Waco and the state of TX) in approximately 48 hours!

news, news, news!

2009-04-26T19:28:00.005-05:00

Well, gentle reader(s?) ... I apologize for not having updated in the past week. And here I thought I was getting so good about it! But I'm back and I have some BIG news! Most of you already know what I'm about to say, but let me reiterate it one more time.

I AM MOVING TO DENVER! A CITY WITH ACTUAL SEASONS!

Now what you may not know are the details, so here they are (in list form of course):

- Yes, I am keeping my job with the VA, I'm just transferring offices.

- Why am I transferring offices, you ask (besides the obvious of just getting the hell out of Waco)? I was accepted into the University of Denver's MSW program that focuses on International Policy and Advocacy. How perfect is that?! I won't actually be starting until 2010, but I think it's going to be AMAZING and really allow me to pursue my ultimate goal of working with women in developing countries that have suffered violence in conflict.

- Now, usually a person has some significant notice when they're going to transfer offices ... except when you work for the government. They gave me a MONTH to get my shit together and find a new place to live. But I certainly wasn't going to complain, because I'M MOVING TO DENVER.

- It's looking like my last official day in Waco will be Wednesday, May 20th. I report to work at the Denver VA Regional Office the day after Memorial Day (May 26th). YES.

- Yes, I have found a place to live and it should all be finalized at the beginning of next week. And can I just tell you? IT'S SO RAD. Here's a picture of the building:

It is LITERALLY across the street from the largest park in Denver (City Park) and my windows (of a corner apt!) will be overlooking the park. I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED.

So there you have it, dear readers. I'm moving to Denver, and I can't wait for this new adventure to begin!

confession.

2009-04-19T21:25:00.004-05:00

I just watched Clarissa Explains it All (Melissa Joan Hart) and Joey from Blossom (Joey Lawrence) in an ABC Family movie.

And I liked it.

... all the time!

2009-04-17T22:53:00.004-05:00

So, my sister and I just went and saw 17 Again ... along with the youth of greater Waco.

The previews already made me laugh, but I was a little wary as to if it would actually be funny the whole way through. And you know what? It was. I really liked it. And I can totally see why the teeny-boppers of America are all kerfuffled over Zac Efron. He's just so pretty (but when did I get so ooollllddd? He's a baby. Geez).

p.s. We saw a trailer for My Sister's Keeper ... holy crap. I almost cried in the two minutes of the preview. I'm going to have to take a box of kleenex to that one.

i'm just saying ...

2009-04-15T22:00:00.009-05:00

So apparently today there were all these "tea parties" around the United States ... no taxation without representation, blah blah blah. (Funny how we claim to be a hallmark of democracy for other nations and yet somehow we're being taxed without representation. That seems a little unlikely, Republicans.)

Anywho, a dear friend of mine (who happens to be a very intelligent, wonderful woman ... who is also a Republican) went to one of these tea parties and took a picture of the following protest sign:

I'd like to draw attention to the first half of this protest sign ... in doing so I'd like to point out that REPUBLICANS were in control for the past eight years and if any epic failure was caused regarding social security, medicaid, education (need we really bring up No Child Left Behind? I think not), and the postal service (WTF? I still get my mail ... maybe conservatives don't?) it was most likely at the hands of Republicans, not Democrats.

I'm certainly not saying Democrats are perfect (far from it, in fact), but any lasting failure is sure hard to accomplish when you've been in power for less than 100 days. I'M JUST SAYING.

Also, this was my other favorite protest sign from the Dallas Tea Party:

Focus in on that classy brown cardboard sign for a second ... see where it says "NO - SOCIALIZED MEDICINE"? Yeah, I always find it incredibly ironic when Republicans start going off about socialized medicine. Here's why:

You know how it's usually conservatives who are most outspoken about taking care of veterans (which clearly I believe in, seeing as how I work at the VA and all)? And how everyone got their panties in a twist when Obama was talking about how to generate more revenue for the VA, etc, etc? Well, here's the kicker ...

THE VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, PEOPLE.

So clearly it can be reasonably concluded that it's the Republicans who don't care about our veterans (or people in poverty, or children ... but that's a whole different post) if they don't want socialized medicine. Again, I'M JUST SAYING.

reasonable doubt, indeed.

2009-04-14T22:24:00.002-05:00

For your enjoyment - a paraphrased quote from a file at work today (credit goes to Evan on this one):

The examiner asked me if I was a hunter, and I told him I have hunted deer since I was 10 years old. He used this information to say that my hearing loss was due to my hunting and not acoustic trauma when I was in the military. I've hunted maybe less than 10 times since I got out of the Army, and the examiner never asked me what weapon I used to hunt ... I didn't know that a bow and arrow could cause acoustic trauma.

Best. Veteran. Ever.

today's news.

2009-04-13T18:59:00.003-05:00

1. For some reason every time the movie Rudy comes on AMC I stop to watch it. Even though I own it. It just ended, and I cry every time. Every. Time.

2. I had to buy a new tire today. Turns out my tires haven't been rotated in awhile and the one I had to replace was balding and cracked in places. WTF? And why are stupid pieces of rubber so damn EXPENSIVE?! Stupid tires.

3. And when I was driving to the tire place my check engine light came on. Again, WTF? Is my car deciding it's time for me to shell out exorbitant amount of money in the time span of a week?

GET A GRIP, LUCILLE. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. (Unless it has to. Sigh.)

4. The good news is that re: 2 & 3 I get to start working overtime this week, so I guess we all know where that money will be going. Awesome.

5. I had a file today in which the doctor stated that something was a "mute point." Glad to see all those years of education paid off.

6. I always tend to get haircuts spur of the moment. Like Saturday. Here it is (and no, I cannot take a picture without making a weird face).

why, yes. yes i did.

2009-04-12T20:29:00.005-05:00

What did I do, you ask? Well, I went to the new Goodwill store in Waco and found these two gems and promptly purchased them.

I'm pretty sure this Hanson cd is the only one I listened to for about 4 months when I was in the 7th grade. I was so cool.

Who *wouldn't* want Air Supply's greatest hits? No one I want to know, that's who.

for funsies.

2009-04-10T19:45:00.002-05:00

So, did you know that Beyonce's video for "Single Ladies" was inspired by a video from the 1970s? It's pretty hilarious. Like, a lot.

Here's Beyonce's video:

Here's the inspiration with Beyonce's song dubbed over it (and yes, Chicago's song "You're the Inspiration" did, in fact, start going through my head just then. BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT SONG.):

You're welcome.

sigh.

2009-04-08T21:46:00.001-05:00

I fully realize that not everyone pays as much attention to headlines about women's rights and sexual violence as I do, but this article caught my eye the other day.

"In Afghanistan, the sacrifice in the political game is women and children," female Afghan parliamentarian Fawzia Koofi said.

Critics say they fear that Afghanistan's new Shiite law will set the nation backward.

Koofi says that is exactly what happened when the Afghan parliament recently passed a bill intended to give the minority Shia community their own identity. But critics say the latest draft strips Shia women of rights as simple as leaving the house without permission from a male relative and as extreme as allowing a man to have sexual intercourse with his wife even when she says, "No."

Obviously it's just abhorrent that something like this is happening in Afghanistan. But I'll tell you something you may not know - as far as marital rape goes, the situation isn't much better in the United States.

If a married woman goes to the hospital and reports that her husband raped her ... well, unfortunately even the hospital staff aren't going to take her seriously (unless there is there some very obvious bodily harm). Once questions start being asked and the woman tells the hospital staff/police that she had sex with her husband just a few days ago but then he raped her last night, it's virtually impossible to get a sexual assault exam. There's just no way to differentiate any physical evidence from a few days ago from the night before. That woman is left with almost no options, and quite honestly - probably no one who believes her. She's left in a shitty situation with virtually no chance to prosecute her rapist ... who also happens to be her husband.

I don't know if that all made sense to you, but it boils down to the fact that even though marital rape isn't condoned by law in the United States, it doesn't shape up to a much better situation than in a country (such as Afghanistan) where it is.

So, sigh. I just have to keep reminding myself that I can't fix the problems of the world. But it sure is hard to remember sometimes.

for funsies.

2009-04-07T23:29:00.003-05:00

I officially have a new favorite protest sign:

I think that if Jesus were to speak in today's vernacular and/or slang, he would in fact say, "LOVE, bitches." That's the kind of Jesus I'd want to know. For realz.

And if you were wondering, this is a protest sign from a protest (clearly) in Vermont when the issue of gay marriage was being brought before their state government. Even though the governor vetoed the bill, the state house and senate overwhelmingly overruled it and now gay people in Vermont are able to legally wed (and in Iowa, too!). YAY! I love equality!

Also, I'm a little ashamed to admit this ... but this picture and news update are courteous of Perez Hilton's website. Don't judge me.

did you know?

2009-04-06T18:59:00.002-05:00

Did you know that 15 years ago today one of the worst atrocities in our generation began? Did you know that the better part of a million people were killed in 100 days? Did you know that the world stood by indifferently while genocide occurred in Rwanda, literally in front of our very eyes thanks to the global media?

I've been to Rwanda. I've seen the faces of women who were brutally raped because they had the "wrong" tribe on an ID card. I've heard the story of a man who was shot and left for dead in a mass grave, but somehow managed to live. I've seen the skulls and bones of those who were massacred in a church, a place that was supposed to be a refuge. I've driven through the thousand hills of Rwanda - literally the most beautiful country I've ever seen.

Today Rwandans properly reburied the remains of several thousand people who were killed in the genocide, and mourned the loss of those they loved.

Today I wish my friends in Rwanda amahoro, peace.

ode to naps

2009-04-05T15:04:00.003-05:00

I do not remember a time in my life when I wasn't a napper. There's just something about snuggling up in your bed (or on the couch) for a brief time in the middle of a day and letting your body rest. It's pretty rad.

However, I find it quite amusing when people say they're going to take a nap and then 15 minutes later they're back. Guess what? THAT IS NOT A NAP. In my book, a nap shall last at a minimum of one hour. That's right, one hour. Otherwise, what's the point? I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who will disagree with me, but that's the standard I go by ... and I'm a world-class napper. So there.

Now that I have a "real grown-up job" it's a little harder to work in a good nap. But that doesn't mean I don't try on an almost daily basis. I'm lucky enough to work at a place that has "flex-time," meaning I can come in anytime between 6 and 9:30am as long as I work my full 8 hour tour of duty (and yes, I work for the government and we only use military terms to describe things ... imagine how my pacifist self loves this). I've never been a morning person, so imagine my surprise when I found myself arriving to work everyday between 6:30 and 7am.

And then I figured out what was going on in that crazy-ass subconscious of mine.

When I get to work that early, that means my workday ends between 3 and 3:30pm. So I'm home by 3:45pm. And you know what that means? I can still take a proper nap and I still have the entire evening in front of me and haven't completely wrecked my sleep schedule. It's a beautiful thing!

Now, there are times when things don't quite work out that perfectly. One day last week I totally crashed and didn't wake up until almost 8pm. Then I just felt groggy and gross, and on top of that I was having some really screwy dreams during that nap. About a co-worker and her mom's scooter? Seriously weird.

So yes, my three readers ... you are friends (maybe? the internets are far-reaching) with a champion napper. I know you're so proud. And in the spirit of this post, I think I'll go take a nap right now.

Until next time.

today's news

2009-04-02T23:09:00.004-05:00

1. I just found out that my sister was chosen to be SING Chair for her sorority (ADPi) next year! Way to go, Nikki! Even though I wasn't in a sorority myself (and, in fact, mock them on a regular basis), I realize how big a deal this is for a person who goes to Baylor. I'm a very proud big sister!

2. Baylor lost in the NIT finals against Penn State. They put up a good fight, but my fellow game-watchers and I decided it all went downhill after the totally BOGUS technical foul called on Coach Drew for TAKING OFF HIS DAMN COAT. Seriously ... those refs must have had money on Penn State to win.

3. Today at work I had a file in which the claimant said that every time he was treated at a VA facility he was drugged and implanted with experimental devices that track his movements, and that he's saturated with sitcoms via broadband. (close captioned) I kid you not.

4. And finally ... tomorrow is payday for the government employee. Sometimes selling out really does pay?

Peace out, homeys.

up.

2009-03-31T23:19:00.004-05:00

I seriously can't wait to see this movie. Not only does it look precious, the part with the dog and the talking collar makes me laugh out loud every time I see it (yeah, I may have seen it more than once ... or a lot. DON'T JUDGE ME). I think any dog owner will understand what I'm talking about.

the g-parents.

2009-03-30T20:39:00.003-05:00

I just got off the phone with my grandparents, and I'm a little perturbed. They decided to tell me that they went this weekend to plan their funerals, including picking out caskets.

The practical side of me realizes this was a wise thing for them to do. So many families are left with unplanned for funeral expenses which only makes the death of a loved one harder. From that aspect, I appreciate the fact that my grandparents are ensuring that we aren't saddled with a debt along with the grief that will come with their deaths.

But the emotional side of me was totally freaking out at the thought of my grandparents dying. In fact, as they were telling me about planning their funerals I found myself with tears welling up in my eyes and I was thisclose to openly weeping. I'm really close to my grandparents; they're the only ones I have. In fact, my Grandad is the only blood grandparent I've ever really known (though my Mimi may as well have been my grandmother forever).

I can't imagine life without my grandparents. Surprisingly, they always end up being my rocks in the toughest times of my life even when they don't know what's going on. I have a really special relationship with both of them, and in my mind they have to live forever. Clearly I realize this isn't going to happen - they are both already 83 years old.

I don't know ... I just don't know what to do with this new information. I'll probably just ignore it and shove it in the back of my mind, which goes against all the counseling advice I've ever received (I'm sorry, Kathleen!). But for now that's what I'm going to do.

So the moral of the story is this: I love my grandparents very much. They're going to have to live forever.

The End. Love, Lindsay.

p.s. Grandad, even though I love you more than you know - it would be nice if you stopped telling me to get married. LIKE THERE ARE ANY DECENT MEN IN CENTRAL TEXAS ANYWAY.

For Funsies

2009-03-29T21:30:00.006-05:00

I love A Softer World. You should check them out.

clinique 3-step skincare review, pt. 1

2009-03-29T17:57:00.007-05:00

Remember how I told you that I was going to write about my new facewash? Yeah, I totally wasn't kidding. Here's the thing - there are so many times where I type in a product name with the word "review" into Google search, and I come up with either 1) stuff the company wants you to read, 2) those stupid websites that only have links that make money for the owner of said website, or 3) nothing. So I decided to write my own reviews and tag them in a way that will maybe pop up in search engines and do someone some good.

So yeah, my facewash. I have a couple of friends who use Clinique's skincare line, and have been very pleased with it up to this point. I'm not unfamiliar with Clinique; I've used their makeup for almost as long as I've been wearing makeup (my mother will argue with me on when this actually started to really happen ... but I know it was before college ended. SO THERE, MOM). I've just never used their skincare because a) it's slightly pricey, and b) I heard from someone that one of the steps reeked of rubbing alcohol.

Despite any reservations I had, last week I decided to suck it up, stop being cheap (after all, I have one of them there "grownup jobs" now), and try out Clinique's 3-step skincare line. Let me tell you, I have been SO HAPPY that I did. Because I'm so happy, here's a list:

1. If you decide to try this product, I highly recommend going to a Clinique counter and getting them to tell you which parts of which steps you need to use. I was totally off-base with what I thought I needed, but those ladies know their stuff. I ended up with the Combination Oily/Oily Facewash, Level 2 Clarifying Lotion, and the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel.

2. I love love love the facewash ($15). It's the first facewash I've ever used that completely lathers up with only one pump and makes my face feel like it's actually clean. It's kind of revolutionizing my life.

3. My assumptions about the Clarifying Lotion ($11.50 for 6.7 oz, $20 for 13.5 oz) were absolutely false. It does not, in fact, reek of rubbing alcohol. I don't even notice the smell ... I just notice how cool and tingly and amazing my face feels when I use it. Ahhhh.

4. The gel moisturizer ($12.50 for tube, $24 for bottle) may be the only moisturizer I've ever used that I haven't wanted to throw away in the first week. It doesn't make my face feel oily, nor does it leave my face feeling tight and/or dry. Loves it.

I'll write Pt. 2 after about a month of using this skincare line and let you know how it's going and if I'm still all gushy about Clinique. By then I should have some news on what it's actually doing for my skin, other than making it feel tingly and clean.

Until then ... peace out, homeys.

i'm back, bitches.

2009-03-28T22:26:00.004-05:00

I decided it was time for a fresh start, a new blog. My former blog has been sitting dormant for several months now ... and quite honestly, reminds me of parts of my life I'd rather not revisit on a regular basis. So here I am.

With my old blog I often felt as though I could not post anything unless it was lengthy and had some kind of substance and depth. I decided that could get boring. So on this blog I'm going to write about whatever I feel like. Even if that means telling you about the new face wash I'm using and how much I love it. (And yes, you will be seeing that blog post soon enough.)

I also decided that it's too bad if I offend people with what I write on my blog. After all, it is MY blog (though I'll try not to be an asshole about stuff). If you disagree with what I have to say, feel free to leave a comment! I'm all about having good discussions. But just so you know, I will absolutely delete your comment if you're going to be an asshole.

So there you have it. See you on the flip side.