The happiness continues..

I had a pretty exciting and fun week/weekend.. On Wednesday, I invited Jenn over to go for a run and then we hung out the next day as well. Jenn invited me to a show at Cine El Rey and I hadn't been there since I was in high school. We saw 'Phantogram' and they were pretty great and the venue wasn't too crowded. After the show we headed to Suerte Bar in downtown McAllen. Normally, I don't go downtown in the valley but it was right next to the venue and everyone from the show ended up going so it was a different crowd. It wasn't your normal downtown crowd. It ended up being really fun. They had awesome drinks with chamoy in them. I also ran into a lot of people I had seen since high school/middle school. I had fun with Jenn though, I really missed hanging out with her so I enjoyed her company and I was glad she invited me out. We ended the night at my house instantly knocking out as soon we got back. 

I've been feeling a lot more comfortable in my body and I was able to wear this bodycon dress that I bought about four years ago. I'm really proud of the changes I am seeing and I hope to continue to keep up with this healthier lifestyle.

This weekend consisted of a lot of family time. Mia and Jade made their First Communion on Saturday and as the big sister I had to make sure and be there for support. They looked adorable and they were really happy to see me there. After the communion my sisters got to choose any restaurant they wanted to eat at so they were very excited. They ended up choosing Luby's, lol. It was a nice day with the family. On Sunday, my Aunt Patty called me and invited me to the Cinemark Bistro for a girls movie day to watch 'The Other Woman'. It's not a movie I would normally watch but I thought it was hilarious and enjoyed spending time with my aunts, mom and grandma. They want to make it a monthly thing and I think that's a great idea. I want to continue to spend as much time as possible with my family. 

I ordered this great Mac Demarco shirt off of Etsy. I am in love with his albums, voice and I just simply can't get enough. I thought this shirt was super cool and immediately ordered it. It was sent to me really quickly and the seller included a pizza bumper sticker and a little note thanking me for buying the shirt. I thought that was really awesome of him and made the purchase a little more personal. The shirt was made for Mac Demarco's album premier party and only five-hundred were made and fifty were sold. I think that makes it just as unique as Mac Demarco himself.

On Saturday, I went out for drinks with Eddie and his friends for his brothers birthday. I was insanely nervous to meet them because I tend to be really shy when I first meet people. It ended up being a pretty cool night though. We went to Roosevelt's around nine and sat outside conversing and drinking beer. Later, we went to Gamehaus and I had fun playing skee ball with Eddie because every other machine was broken. All in all, it wasn't so bad after all. Everyone was really nice to me and I had a lot of fun with Eddie. 

I hope you all are doing well. My life has been pretty perfect and I owe it all to my wonderful family, boyfriend and friends. My views have gone up so much lately..I can't thank you enough for reading. It means so much to me, I hope I continue to keep you interested. I'll try to write more often and included a lot of pictures and videos. 

Lastly, I'll leave you with this song by Mac Demarco called 'My Kind of Woman'. It's always in my head and I can't stop singing or humming it. Remember, Mac is a little weird.. you'll see if you watch the video. I hope you enjoy it. 

Love

Deb

Goodbye weekend, so long darling..

I had a wonderful time this weekend spending time with Eddie. On Friday, I headed to Eddie's after a day of shopping with my little sisters. I took over a couple of goodies that I had ordered for him which was King Krule's album on vinyl and 'Inside Llewyn Davis' on Blu-Ray. I like getting Eddie random little surprise gifts and just being the best girlfriend ever (kidding, but not really because I am). We hung out for a bit then went to stuff our faces at Rudy's BBQ which was a great idea to do before going out drinking (kidding). We then headed to Roosevelt's at 7 to hang out with Eddie's best friend Pete who was in town for the weekend. We drank a lot and had interesting conversations. It was a really good night. I slept over at Eddie's which means cuddling, movies and laziness all day. I finally left the next day in the afternoon to get ready to go to a Quince with my boyfriend and his family. I got a really cute white/pink dress from BCBG. The quince was nice and as nerve-wrecking as it was to meet Eddie's family they put me at ease with their kindness. We didn't stay out too long because Eddie was tired. We went back to his house and just hung out the rest of the evening which is always the best. Easter Sunday was good spending time with the family. I participated in the adult egg hunt and got fifteen dollars and a bunch of lottery tickets. I also ate tons of bbq. The rest of the evening I spent with my boyfriend of course. We put in many hours of game play on Pokemon. We are playing Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver right now on our Nintendo DS's. It was one of my favorite games that I played in high school so it's really cool to get back into it. After much game play, cuddling and kisses I headed back home. As soon as I got here I knocked out. I guess I was still exhausted from the weekend. Now, after about four hours of sleep I'm completely awake and it's not even five in the morning yet.. oh well. Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I'll leave you with this video.. I am in love with Mac's music. If you haven't had the chance to have a listen yet I suggest you download or buy 'Salad Days' by Mac Demarco. 

P.S. I need to discuss how perfect last weeks episode of 'Portlandia' was. This is a personal reminder to do so. Also, Louie is back in May! If you haven't watched the show then you are definitely missing out.

Love
Deb

Ode to Viceroy - Mac Demarco

Hello weekend..

Today I had to work on a bunch of assignments for school that I had been putting off for awhile now. I am all done now and it feels great. I had a test, paper + presentation, assignments plus fiction writing. I'm so glad I finally got it all out of the way. After a busy day filled with homework and Ferdinand I got to hang out with Eddie. We talked, watched Parks, HGTV and cuddled. Tonight's episode of Parks and Recreation was absolutely perfect. I am so sad that this season is coming to an end and I'll have to wait until Fall. Oh well, I had a pretty great day today. My boyfriend is off for the weekend so I plan on spending a lot of time with him. I am going with him to a quince on Saturday which should be interesting meeting more of his family. I'm kind of nervous and don't know what to wear but I'm sure it will be fun. It's also Easter this Sunday which means plenty of family time as well. I hope you have a great and fun-filled weekend. 

Love 

Deb

I like cheesy action movies with you..

Oh, to be with the one person you love is such a joy. I felt awful today and all I needed was to see my boyfriend and be in his arms again. Eddie and I enjoyed each others company while talking about our day and watching 'The Last Stand' together. It's a cheesy action film that I probably would've never seen on my own time. But, you make sacrifices for the one you love (only kidding).  The movie was cheesy and typical but I actually wanted to know what was going to happen in the end.. so, I guess you could say I was slightly interested in the film. My boyfriend loved it, of course. After a nice evening with him I came home and watched 'The Words' because it was on HBO. It had just started so I figured why not sit down and watch it. It exceeded my expectations, I didn't think I was going to like it at all. The story of an old man's stolen words and a young man's success who found them. It immediately caught my interest and I'm glad I watched the film.

As of right now, I'm just listening to records while I sit and write in bed. I'm going to try and get some homework done in a bit. I am far more interested in reading my book though. I am still reading 'This Side of Paradise' and I plan on finishing it this week. The story of the lost generation seems to relate to me in many ways. Anyways, I just discovered my syllabus from my favorite literature class while attending UT Austin and I really want to re-read them all soon. I hope you all had a great day. I'm going to get some reading done.

Love,
Deb

Positive Changes

It's only been 14 days total since I've changed my routine. I started running and doing a work out video four to five times a week. I've also changed my diet and haven't been eating fast food as much. Of course I didn't get to work out this weekend when I was in Austin but I'm really proud of the changes I'm already seeing in my body. My waist is smaller, my muscles are getting more defined and I'm definitely regaining the strength and stamina I used to have. I feel much healthier and I even look better. My friends made me feel really good this weekend saying they noticed the change without me even mentioning it. So far I've lost 6 pounds. I'm not exactly where I want to be but I'm sure I can get to where I want to be within the next few weeks. I just need to lose eight more pounds, keep toning up and continue to eat better. I hate being that motivational person but if you want to lose weight it's up to you. It can be done really easily. I just take one hour a day to run and work out and it has changed my lifestyle so much. It's much easier to change to a healthy diet and lifestyle in your twenties so I suggest starting now if you aren't already. I want to be healthy and happy for a long time so I figured why not keep up with this routine and do so. Have a good day.

Love
Deb

My weekend in Austin..

I know it may have seemed like I was ranting about how much I dislike Austin but that's entirely untrue. I just dislike the people that I met while attending UT, like my roommates, friends from high school that attend and a few others. I love Austin. The city will always hold a special place in my heart. This weekend I was able to do a lot on my own and I enjoyed it. I went to my favorite local places which are Waterloo and Book People. I spent hours just browsing and then I headed to Whole Foods to get some snacks. Then I went to Zilker got my own little bench and read for a couple of hours. It was such a beautiful day. Now, that I'm off social networks I feel like I'm actually enjoying what I'm doing and it's not necessary for me to tweet about it. I do like writing though because it helps me process my thoughts. Most of my trip I was packing up my apartment and it wasn't too bad. The rest I spent in my own company or with my friend Vivian. I hadn't seen her in awhile so it was good to hang out and talk to her about everything. She is the one friend that I can always go to with my problems. Overall, I'd say it was a good weekend. I did my favorite things, supported local businesses, had a lot of realizations and then came hauling butt home to see my wonderful boyfriend. It's strange how a few days apart can seem like an eternity when you're not near your loved one. I got some goodies for Eddie and I was really excited to give them to him. I got him Tom Waits second album and William Faulkner's selected short stories. I've really been into Faulkner lately so I got 'As I Lay Dying' for myself. I do suggest reading 'A Rose For Emily' if you are curious about him. He is an interesting writer with unexpected plot twists. Anyways,  I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Thanks for reading. 

Love,
Deb

Re-evaluating

I'm moving out of my apartment right now and looking through old things. It's weird how much I've changed and matured just this past year. I've let go of a lot of my friends but I feel like that has made me grow as a person. I've realized who I actually need in my life. Too many people have taken advantage of me because I tend to be overly nice at times. I'm really tired of being stepped on by people which is why I always drift away from them. I've also learned that the people I once thought were important or mattered to me or I guess "considered best friends" never really cared for me at all. I've made many attempts to mend the relationships that I've turned my back on but in the end I realized it doesn't even matter. I'm much better off now than I ever was before. I have a great boyfriend, loyal dog and a wonderful family. What else could you ask for? I can't say that before this I've ever been this happy. I don't think I truly understood happiness until now. I'm ready to move away from Austin. It has done nothing for me. Coming back and hanging out with friends has made me realize that even more. I'm ready to graduate and move on to the next chapter in my life with the people that I love most. I really miss Eddie. It's kind of crazy that I've been away from him for just a day.

Sorry for the rant..

Deb

Thursday was wonderful..

My Thursday started off pretty late in the afternoon. I got out of bed and forced myself to run and workout even though I was dreading the heat. I then showered and got ready to hang out with my boyfriend. I paired a cute grey polka dot top with a light blue skirt and black flats. I've been going with a more natural look in my make up lately and I really like it. It's quick, easy and brings out my eyes. Later that evening I went to Eddie's to watch 'Parks and Recreation' new episode about prom. It was okay, it has some funny moments but it could have been better. After Parks we went inside and watched some HGTV. We grabbed some dinner at Wing Stop because I always have a wing craving. After dinner we headed to watch the new film by Wes Anderson, 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' which was just lovely. I had been waiting for such a long time for the movie to come out and when it did it took about a month to get released here in the valley. It was definitely worth the wait and an instant favorite of mine. I hope you all had a great day. I'm going to try and sleep now.

love

deb

My long overdue travel post..

Seattle, Washington with Eddie 

Day One
December 13, 2013

Venturing off to Seattle, Washington with my boyfriend of four months was the most wonderful trip. We loved every second in the city and being in a long distance relationship really gave us the chance to spend some time together. It was a charming yet industrial. It was also foggy, dark and chilly but that made it all the more beautiful.  The city is filled with pleasing views, skyscrapers, charming neighborhoods, evergreen trees, coffee shops and intellectual people. Our flight to Seattle was quite long. It was exciting and we were very anxious for our arrival. Once we landed we quickly made our way to the tram station for our ride to downtown Seattle. The tram allowed us to get wonderful views of the city. We saw the industrial neighborhoods of Seattle, Seahawks Stadium, downtown views and of course plenty of trees. 

Once we reached downtown it was already dark in the city. The sun sets at around 4:15 p.m. in Seattle. We walked around the city with our luggage and found the nearest car2go to check-in to our adorable cottage Eddie booked on AirBnB for the trip. It was quite an experience driving through downtown Seattle to the Ballard neighborhood we were staying at. Even though we did at times get stuck in traffic we enjoyed the breathtaking views of the grand city. We finally reached our cottage and it was even better than the pictures. Ballard was a quaint and lovely neighborhood. We settled in and after a long day of traveling then we decided to get a bite to eat in the neighborhood. I picked the restaurant 'Ristorante Picolinis' that was only a five minute walk from our cottage and it was just beautiful. Candlelight tables, music, good conversation and great food. It was quite the romantic spot. After dinner we decided to get some lattes at Ballard Coffee Shop which became one of my favorite places in Seattle. The coffee shop offered moderately priced coffee, lovely views by the windows, pleasant staff and they played some wonderful tunes. The only thing I disliked about the coffee shop was the early closing hours. After coffee we walked across the street to Sonic Boom Records. What an amazing record shop! CDs, vinyl’s, books, tapes, box sets and much more were found in the store. You could also find a bunch of Nirvana memorabilia since of course they are from Seattle. After looking through CDs we decided it was time for a drink in a nearby Irish bar. The dive bar was dark and the bar service was pretty great. A few locals bought us a drink and we were able to try the local lager which was fantastic.  The bar was a lot of fun but after the long day we had it was time to head back to the cottage.

Day Two 

December 14, 2013

It was great to wake up without a hangover for a busy day out on the town. Eddie and I got ready and went to one of the four-hundred and twenty Starbucks in Seattle. While at Starbucks we met up with someone from Craigslist to buy tickets to see King Krule that evening at Barboza in downtown Seattle. I really wanted to take Eddie to the show so I was glad to score some tickets on such short notice. After the meet-up we headed to get some lunch before our adventure began. We made a stop at the greatest fast-food establishment I have ever been to. This place was a Seattle staple called Dick's Drive-In and they serve burgers, fries, sodas and milk shakes. Eddie and I were instantly in love. Oh yeah, it was also insanely cheap. If you are ever in Seattle you must make a pit stop. After a quick lunch we headed to the downtown Seattle area to go to the EMP Museum. The museum was a bit smaller than I initially expected but we had a lot of fun walking through because it was very interactive. I would definitely go back again! The museum was right next to The Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass which unfortunately we didn't get to see. After the EMP we drove to the Seattle Public Library. The library was absolutely wonderful. It was colorful, filled with books and was just great to spend time in. After a couple of hours wandering through the library we decided it was time to head back and relax at the cottage before the show. Eddie and I rested for a bit and listened to music then got ready to head out to see King Krule. Barboza was located downtown and it as a small, dark and intimate venue. Eddie and I grabbed a seat in a booth towards the back and we had a great view of the stage as we sat together drinking and enjoying the show. King Krule is pretty spectacular live. Our night ended back in Ballard at The Sloop Tavern where we drank Manny's, conversed, got really drunk and walked back to our cottage to finally get some sleep. 

Day Three

December 15, 2013

Sunday was a very lazy day for my boyfriend and I. We stayed in bed all afternoon cuddling and enjoying each others company. It wasn't until mid-afternoon that we finally got out of bed and started getting ready to spend another day out in Seattle. We walked in the Ballard neighborhood area to grab some lunch at The Hi-Life. The food was alright, the restaurant was pretty cool. I would have loved to grab breakfast here instead. After lunch we walked across the street to Ballard Coffee Works for some vanilla lattes. Later that evening we made our way back to downtown Seattle to visit the famous Pike Place. By the time we made it over there it was pretty late so everything was pretty much closed. It was still nice to walk around the city with my love. We even made a stop at City Target which I was very excited about. City Target is AMAZING! It had three stories, escalators, elevators and was literally the greatest Target that I have ever had the pleasure of shopping at. We then made our way to have dinner at a Japanese restaurant in the area. After dinner we did a little more walking around the city and then headed back to the cottage to return to lazy mode. 

Day Four

December 16, 2013

Monday was our last full day in Seattle so we wanted to take advantage of it and wake up early. We woke up around nine to get ready and by the time I was ready we made it to an early lunch at 'Kiss Cafe' in the wonderful Ballard area. I've never been to a cafe that praises pickles so much and as a fellow pickle lover (that's what she said) I was so excited to try them. They were probably the greatest pickles ever and they came in a cute little mason jar. The cafe was small but provided great service and wonderful food. After a quick lunch we headed to downtown to the 'Seattle Aquarium' which was pretty amazing. I had never been to an aquarium before so I was instantly fascinated when I saw an octopus up close. The rest of the exhibits were interesting and I really enjoyed my time staring at these weird yet wonderful sea creatures. Upon leaving the Aquarium we stepped outside to a boardwalk which led us to marvelous views of the water and Seattle Great Wheel. The weather was absolutely perfect outside. No rain, nor overcast. It made for a beautiful day in Seattle. After several hours spent downtown it was now time for Eddie and I to check-in to our new room we booked on AirBnb. The room was perfect. The bed was comfy and our host provided everything we needed. The balcony overlooking the hazy Seattle skies in the evening was icing on the cake. Once we checked in it was time to visit The University of Washington. It was a pleasure to be on such beautiful school grounds. Although UW is a public campus it felt like I was walking through an Ivy League campus with all the delicate landscaping and fine architecture. Suzzallo Library was my primary reason for visiting the campus and it did not disappoint. It was most definitely worth stopping by for. It was exquisitely built and I could envision studying there for hours constantly getting distracted by the striking views before me. We then walked over to the University of Washington Bookstore which was beyond what we expected. It was filled with collegiate apparel and goodies of course but it also had an actual bookstore that we spent a great amount of time in. It was time now to head back to our room and I began to start feeling ill. I napped for quite a bit and then we woke up and got 'Dick's Dive-In' for the last time. We spent the rest of the evening in bed which is just what I needed after that long day in Seattle. 

Day Five 

December 17, 2013

It's never fun waking up sick especially when you have to catch an early afternoon flight across town. I moved slowly and luckily I had packed the night before. We rushed to a Car2Go then rushed to the tram that took us to the airport. Eddie and I almost missed our flight. We had to run in, print our tickets and then wait in long line to get through TSA. We thought we weren't going to make it back home but luckily we did. Our flight took off on time but we had a layover in Oakland, CA and then a stop in Las Vegas, NV. It was almost eight hours later and we finally arrived back in Austin, TX after midnight because of the time difference. I was quite sad for my arrival back into Texas. Seattle, Washington was the perfect escape and just what my boyfriend and I needed. This trip really inspired me to apply to graduate school at The University of Washington. There is just so much more to explore in the state of Washington and I feel like it would be the best move for me. I hope to move to the west coast with Eddie in about a year. Wish us luck!

love 

deb 

Great week so far...

This week has been pretty fun and it's almost the weekend. I caught up with all my work for school (I go to school online) which means a lot of free time. I am able to spend more time with Ferdinand which I know he loves. I've also spent a lot of time with my boyfriend (Eddie) which is always the best. We went out on a Tuesday to Roosevelt's at 7 to avoid crowds and just relax and drink. It was quite lovely. This week I ordered Ernest Hemingway's - The Short Stories and I've already read the first story which exceeded my expectations but I still have forty more stories to go. I also started my book for the month with Eddie and we decided on 'This Side of Paradise' by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Last month was 'The Old Man and The Sea' by Ernest Hemingway which is an easy read that I would suggest to almost anyone. I'm also reading 'The Doors of Perception' by Aldous Huxley which is interesting but also really philosophical. I'm only about halfway through but I'll let you know if it's worth reading. Other than that I've been keeping up with my workout program and I've really seen a difference in my body which is awesome. It keeps me motivated to keep on going. Although, the valley heat is back and it's more unbearable than ever. I've started running five days a week and it's hard to keep up with this awful dry heat. That's pretty much all I've done this week and tonight 'Parks and Recreation' returns with a new episode and so does 'Portlandia' so I'll be glued to my television watching my favorite shows. I hope you all have had a great week so far.. I know I have. 

love

deb