"There Are Too Many Arms!": Denise's Birthday & Billy Bob's

So, Saturday, we went out to Mira's home and later to Billy Bob's to celebrate Denise's birthday! I must say, the evening was a success. I arrived at Nisi's apartment to get ready with her, then we went to campus to pick up some friends. We got to Mira's home at around 8 pm and she had a Bucca di Beppo buffet waiting for us. It was DELICIOUS! After dinner, we had the presentation of the cake, and the start of the debauchery. Mira had jello shots in syringes for us and it was amazing! They were literally shot-shots :)  I enjoyed three cherry shots in the house, and several blueberry shots in the car. Did I say car? I meant limo. We had a limo Excursion waiting for us outside and we all piled in and we were off to Billy Bob's in Fort Worth. In the limo, we cranked the jams, did more shots, drank vodka and sprite, and popped several bottles of champagne. The drinking was so much in fact, halfway to Fort Worth, we ran out of all the alcohol and made an emergency stop at Kroger's for more champagne bottles and several sixers of beer. While the others were inside buying booze, I enjoyed a ride on the Snoopy. It was hilarious... until I realized there was a random, abandoned duffle bag on the Snoopy... I was concerned it was someone's drugs or something, so I ran away back into the limo. We got to Billy Bob's at around 10:00 pm and we were all (1) really drunk, and (2) really excited for Josh Turner. He is a handsome man. Very easy on the eyes. It was really crowded, but my new bag, Cody whisked me through the crowd to an area behind the stage where we could watch the show without a large crowd. We later met up with the rest of the group and two-stepped the night away. By the time it was time to leave, we were all tired but still animated. I had sobered up with a bunch of water and plenty of dancing. Most of the guys weren't quite done partying, and it was evident that some had had more than their fair share of booze... in fact, one of our guys started projectile vomiting outside Billy Bob's while waiting for the limo to come pick us up. It was a little depressing. We arrived at Mira's house at around 1:45, and I got back to campus at around 2:15. I uploaded photos and fell asleep at around 4am. It was a fun night, all around :)

This Friday, Gabbi and I are going to The House of Blues for my boys in Green River Ordinance! Be on the lookout for a post on that one... Saturday, Brianna & Jamie are coming in, so I'll be sure to have plenty on our reunion :) Take care!

<3 Ally

Beach House

So, Brianna and I went to see Vampire Weekend in October of '10. One of the opening acts was a group called Beach House and right away, I was obsessed. Well, a few weeks ago, one of their most beautiful songs was used on the show "New Girl" and... holy crap. I can't stop listening to the song. It's amazing. I thought I'd share it with you... give you another look into my iTunes library. Enjoy :)

Stand beside it, we can't hide the way it makes us glow.

It's no good unless it grows. Feel this burning love of mine,

Deep inside the ever-spinning, tell me does it feel.

It's no good unless it's real. Hill sides burning,

Wild-eyed turning 'til we're running from it.

I'd take care of you if you'd ask me to

In a year or two.

You say swimming in the lake, we'll come across a snake.

It is real, and then it's fake. Feel its heartbeat,

Feel what you heat. Far so fast it feels too late.

I'd take care of you if you'd ask me to

In a year or two.

I'd take care of you, take care of you, that's true...

So, yeah. Great song :)

<3 Ally

Unsolved Mysteries

Did that show scare anyone else as a kid?

Did anyone else become more frightened when Robert Stack would start talking and walking about the foggy, abandoned places at night?

Good. I thought I was the only one...

LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU, ROBERT!

<3 Ally

Rant #2: Hobby Airport + A Crap Ton of Kids = Disgruntled Ally

I woke up at 4am to get to the airport and make my 7:30 flight. Thank goodness I did, because when I got inside... holy crap. There was a line to check in bags and get boarding passes like you would not believe. There were kids everywhere. Not like, families all over the place, but kids like various class/sports trips. No idea what was going on, but everyone seemed to be from a middle or high school and they all seemed to be going to tournaments or field trips.

Imagine this. Times about 100. And not as well behaved.

The worst part, however, was the chaperone moms. They were distracted with the kids and held the line up, then they would cut in front of people to "get with their groups" who had been "saving their spots". That there's some bullshit if I ever saw it. When the kids were up to check in bags, they weren't experienced and the moms weren't very helpful, so that took forever. Finally, I got my bag checked in and tried to get in front of a large group of them so that the wait for security wouldn't be a drag. I was successful - FALSE. When I got in the line and was snaking my way through the barriers like a bawse, the moms basically did a dash straight through and under the barriers to get to the other moms. I was left there with my mouth agape then finally I started muttering obscenities to the amusement of the other disgruntled travelers. Thankfully, a TSA agent noticed my distress and the distress of the others who had followed the rules of being in a line, and opened up a security check lane and allowed us to come around through the priority screening. Huzzah! As I walked by the long ass line of kids, I caught the eyes of some of the moms who had cut in front of me and were obviously upset at our preferential treatment. I just smiled and in my head wished them a happy ---- you and walked off to Wendy's for a honey chicken biscuit. Delicious.

Upon arriving to Dallas, I got my bag and got into the Super Shuttle to take me to campus before class. Well, there was quite a delay as the man was trying to get other customers and doing circles around the parking lot, so I got back with barely enough time to throw my stuff to the ground, grab my notebook and pen, and run out of there and up the hill to the science building. Argh! So much reality.

<3 Ally

Rant #1: Lucius Malfoy, Volvo

Where do I even begin?

When I came back to Dallas, the problems began. Lucius Malfoy is my car. He is my prized possession as he takes me everywhere. He is a Volvo XC90 that I've had since freshman year but never got to bring to school until last year. Lately, he's gotten into the habit of setting off the alarm for whatever reason whenever he feels like. Does Lucius discriminate against the time of day or night? Nope. It's not like I can disarm the car and make it stop. There are certain European tools that are required for the maintenance of the car, and I don't feel like blowing myself up trying. At first I thought it was just a mean prankster trying to break in or set off the alarm because of my bumper stickers (I've gotten plenty of flack for my Obama paraphernalia), but then I thought no. Too much effort. It didn't even occur to me that it was my car until I walked outside and it was happening. It's not that I don't close the doors or forget to lock the car. Before spring break, Claire and I went to the mall for some cowboy boots. Well, the next day I had to return because one boot in the box was a 7.5 instead of a 7. I parked as close as I could to the nearest entrance and walked over to the doors. Right when I got to the entrance, the alarm went off. Frustrated, I went back and unlocked the car then locked it again. I turned around to go back and not even halfway to the entrance, it happened again. I then proceeded to have an embarrassing hissy fit in the middle of the parking lot. I disarmed the alarm, then locked it again. Upon returning to the car after my exchange at the store, the alarm was going off. Cut to later on that evening when at 3am I woke up from my sleep, presumably to roll over and fall back asleep, and heard the alarm going off in the parking lot. THREE IN THE MORNING. This isn't even once every few days, this is EVERY DAMN DAY. Last night I had to disarm and turn on the alarm close to 5 times. Finally I called AAA for assistance and they sent over a mechanic to look at the car and assess the issues. He said it was either a problem with the clicker or with the alarm itself. This afternoon, I came back from class to the car blaring in the parking lot and although I had a 6pm appointment at Volvo, I got my keys and hauled ass to the service station to just dump Lucius off as I had just about had it. I'm surprised that while I was there it didn't happen. Just now, as I write this, there are birds outside chirping. I'm so paranoid right now, that to me it sounded like the alarm going off so I panicked and tried to run outside and disarm the car. While at the service station, the man doing the paperwork said that it wasn't necessarily common, but it does happen a bit often with older XC90 models. Apparently the computer that controls the alarm system fries and shorts itself, causing the alarm to have a mind of its own. To assess and repair/replace the computer will run up to $600. More or less. How exciting is that? Well, that's my first rant of the evening. I can't wait until this is all over.

This man's name is Lucius Malfoy.
Does he look trustworthy?
Didn't think so.

<3 Ally

So, This Conversation Just Happened...

Seriously, how cute is my Brandon? And, seriously, find us some boyfriends, St. Anthony...

<3 Ally

Spring Break 2012 - Days 9 - 10

SATURDAY

Saturday was fun. Mommy and I did some grocery shopping then Becky came over in the evening for what was supposed to be a night out bowling with Jesse and Joseph. However, while driving to the lanes, Jesse called with the disappointing news that the wait for a lane was 2.5 hours! We did meet up at the 300 lanes and decided on a fun outing. New plans in mind, we all gathered in Jesse's truck and drove down to a bar off of Kirby called Kelvin Arms (on Kelvin and Dunstan). It was pretty fun. We walked in, got some drinks, and reveled in the fact that the bar wasn't boisterous and crowded. There was a room in the back for some pool and darts, so we broke off into teams: Me and Joseph vs Becky and Jesse. It was quite hilarious when we realized that not one of us was adequately skilled at pool. In the end, Becky made quick work of their remaining balls, winning the game. We then turned our attention to the dart board and tried to play an organized game. That turned into a game of 'who can actually get three darts onto the board'. Later, THAT game turned into 'who can get a bulls eye and end this madness'. If I recall, the honor fell to James who ended up joining us later in the evening. After we finished our darts hilarity, we went to a room with an available seating area (a rarity in most bars) complete with couches and stools and love seats. It was quite cozy. We all had a good time visiting and drinking.

Following the bar, we took off to Taco Cabana for some late-night eats. Becky and I enjoyed a couple of quesadillas while the boys took on the burritos. Of course they did. We continued our fun times then Jesse and Joseph drove us back to the bowling alley to collect Mommy's car. The four of us said our goodbyes and headed home. Becky and I arrived home and immediately went to sleep.

SUNDAY

Sunday, I awoke to Daylight Savings Time and a horrendous hangover. Becky was just fine and did a good job monitoring my discomfort during mass. She's the best. Ever. After mass, we walked out into the rain and drove over to La Mexicana for a fajita brunch. While there, Mayor Annise Parker dropped by but soon left after the restaurant couldn't accomodate her large party. It's good to know she enjoys excellent Mexican food. After we got home, we said our goodbyes and Becky left for her house. The rest of the day was spent watching the news, visiting with Aunt Maria, and enjoying a modest dinner while watching The Big Bang Theory on demand. I had to go to sleep early as I had to wake up this morning at 4am to catch my 7:30 flight out of Houston. That's another story for later.

"Hello? I can't see... Mommy!
Don't leave me. Stay here."

Well, the AAA man just left and it's down to one of two problems: the alarm system itself, or the clicker is out of batteries. He gave me the address of a shop here on Walnut Hill that services all cars, including Volvos, for less than the dealership. I hope to get this resolved once and for all. So, later I guess I'll be ranting about the following topics: (1) LUCIUS'S ALARM ISSUES, and (2) THE HOBBY AIRPORT CRAZINESS.

Goodnight, everyone :)

<3 Ally

Spring Break 2012 - Day 8

FRIDAY

I don't quite remember much of what happened on Friday. I remember Becky came over after work and we had a delicious meal of - OHHHH now I remember.

Mommy was home early on Friday and we went to Yumi for facials. Yes, please :) After the relaxing facial time, we went to Marshall's where I found a cute outfit for Saturday's adventures, followed by a trip to Aranda's Bakery for some Mexican cookies and other pastries, and finally we ended up at Sinh Sinh for Vietnamese take out. As it is Lent, and it was Friday, we indulged in some shrimp fried rice. SO GOOD! We've been honoring the Lenten Vietnamese takeout tradition for many years now, and along with the rice, we order spring rolls for Daddy and Vietnamese rolls for me. Well, during my senior year at St. Agnes, we finally came to realize that the Vietnamese rolls had PORK in them, and therefore, we had been eating meat on Fridays. HOW AWFUL! Not only because we hadn't been properly observing the Lenten traditions, but THEY WERE SO DELICIOUS AND WE HAD TO GIVE THEM UP!

      Me: I wish we were still living in ignorant bliss... ordering the Vietnamese rolls.
      Mommy: Mmm yep.

So, we came home, Becky came over, we ate, Becky and I watched a few shows on Hulu then we got in bed and watched one of my favorite movies:

"HOW DID THIS WIN BEST PICTURE?!"

Although Becky enjoyed the film, she couldn't comprehend how the movie had won the Oscar for Best Picture. After Becky fell asleep, I went downstairs, watched the tail end of Dateline NBC, then woke her up by threatening to take pictures of her asleep and put them on Facebook. I didn't, however, say anything about putting them here...

How flippin' adorable...

Well, time to check if the AAA man is here to disarm my Lucius. More on that drama later. TTFN!

<3 Ally

Spring Break 2012 - Day 7

THURSDAY

So, I woke up, did some work for my comps, then started to get ready for our trip to the Rodeo! I had a new dress to go along with my new boots, and once I got beautified, I hauled ass to Becky's office to get her. First off, it was raining like CRAZY that day. Thankfully, it died down when I picked Beeks up, but it got bad on the drive to the park-n-ride. We got our Metro tickets, and we were off.

First thing Becky noticed was a carnival ride of bees. Silly, yes. Second, we spotted some camels and had fun picture times with them. Then we got a delicious dinner of pulled pork baked potatoes and watched an exotic animal show at the kid's pavilion. I indulged in some good ol' southern sweet tea and Beeks enjoyed a nice frozen lemonade.

       Becky: She made it with (mumble) lemons!
       Me: She made frozen lemonade with NO LEMONS?!
       Becky: With 'REAL' lemons.
       Me: Ohhh. You sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown for a second.

The evening was just perfect. I got to meet a sloth. I was on cloud nine. Thankfully I held in the Kristin Bell-esque reaction I could feel trying to escape me. After dinner, we headed to the stadium for the rodeo events followed by the ZZ Top concert.

What you see there is a delicious trail of butter.

I'm a sloth!

"See, it's not boring anymore!
They almost DIED!"

FUZZY GUITARS!

During the dinner portion of our evening, we encountered two sharply dressed men... FROM ENGLAND. We supposed they were just indulging in a little Texan-American culture and went to sit down and discuss. Later on in the evening, they ended up sitting RIGHT NEXT TO US! Of all the seats in all of Reliant Stadium, they sat in the ones next to ours. Right on :)   Speaking of strange people sitting next to us, during the show, a boy of about 16-17 came and sat a seat away from me. I couldn't really tell if he was squatting in a vacant seat, but he was definitely alone and kept yelling things to me like "they're really awesome" and "this is so much fun, right?!" He really gave me a creeper vibe, and by the end of the evening, I was practically in Becky's lap trying to avoid talking to him.

After the show was over, we sped-walked to the line for the busses and headed back home. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long, and the evening was finished before we even knew it. Fun was definitely had by all... oh, and I feel it necessary to throw this in:

YEE HAW!

<3 Ally