Archive for November, 2009
I am thankful when cats are incorporated into things.
Posted by hilstreet in friends, fun, My animals on November 25, 2009
As I sat down to write my “what I am thankful for post,” I found myself at a loss. I love my friends, my church, and queso, but I have already read those blog posts. What could I contribute?
Then I got an email from Kevin. And I found what to be thankful for this holiday season.
ABOUT:
Boozecats was inspired in part by Lisa’s frantic search for a photo of herself that did not contain beer. I realized every one of our pictures has beer in it somewhere, so I decided to edit them all out using cats. This site was made to showcase boozecat images and to encourage others to make their own. Submit a photo of your own or rate the ones on display and talk about how awesome this is. Remember: this is awesome. Don’t forget.
AN OUTSIDER’S PURRSPECTIVE:
Boozecats is a site that photoshops cats into pictures where booze used to be. This is why I joined the Internet.
Yay!
u r famis!
Pardon my bragging … but my friends are famous, y’all!
My PR colleague, Trisha has been on fire. She helped to get my good friend and robot expert Emilie quoted in MSNBC!
Also, you may have seen the YouTube video of the kids who can drive a car with an iPhone App. They work here! Trisha got them on CNN:
Last (but certainly not least) Sarah’s company, Two Blue Peas, was in Oprah Magazine, y’all! Her sales are rising to prove it. Got babies on your Christmas list? I don’t care if they are naughty or nice, they need to look good. Buy stuff for them from Two Blue Peas!
Mai friends r famis!
Give Thanks
Posted by hilstreet in austin, texas, faith, music on November 23, 2009
Yesterday, Husbanks and I participated in music at the Austin-Area Interreligious Ministries (AAIM) Annual Thanksgiving Service at First Baptist Church.
I first became involved with AAIM two years ago when Saint John’s Tom Spencer became CEO. Then, I was a spectator, wondering how to get involved in interreligious dialogue, what it meant, and why it was important.
Since then, I met other members, went to fund-raisers with our ministers, attended Mosque, traveled far east and participated in worship in Tao and Hindi temples and shrines with my coworkers, and had more than my fair share of interreligious dialogue spurred by a favored professor. This Sunday, I realized how far ingrained this practice has become to my everyday philosophy and prayer life as I strive to be a Micah 6:8 woman. And what a blessing that is! If I were done learning, if God revealed everything to us all at once … what a dull life! I am glad Jesus lets many mysteries be.
First Baptist Senior Pastor Rev. Roger Paynter (Baylor grad!) began the AAIM service welcoming all faiths. He asked that people listen to each other and not only listen to stereotypes. We were then reminded of the real reason we gather together: because of events like Fort Hood. All too often, extreme actions are reduced to a person’s religion. Yes, the gunman was a Muslim. But he wasn’t all Muslims. Sunday, Imams stood next to Baptist clergy, Methodist clergy, and Rabbis ready to talk and learn and stand for peace. Not to withdraw in fear.
An Imam spoke at the event. He told the group that interfaith groups like AAIM are his strength when people make hateful comments to he and his family. I realized it is my strength too. When someone tells me “Christianity isn’t for me because Christians are …” I remember that there are groups having dialogue, ensuring misconceptions be cleared, generalizations removed, and relationships started anew.
The more I learn, the more loving I become. I hope I never stop learning!
At an AAIM function a few months ago, Dr. Betty Sue Flowers reminded us that “tolerance shouldn’t be the goal – tolerance isn’t enough. Love should be the goal.”
This Thanksgiving season, let’s learn and love! Thanks be to God.
Vegas Pics!
Full and happy after dinner at Craftsteak!
After seeing The Beatles Love. Can you tell our lives are changed forever?
Telling everyone about our evening via Twitter.
Alcohol Laws in the Bible Belt
Growing up in the Bible Belt, you run in and out of dry counties. In Oklahoma, beer legally must have less alcohol compared to other states’ beer. Is that true, Blair? Or is that a bunk excuse Ellie and I used when we moved out of Oklahoma and had one too many brews?
Regardless, my Bible-Belt upbringing has hindered me from being well-versed in “Alcohol Laws.” Also, I live in Texas where some people (you know who you are) believe that prohibition was a good idea. Here is the proof that I am not well-versed in alcohol laws.
Exhibit A: I have had brunch champagne or white wine in my cart at the grocery store before noon on a Sunday. This is illegal in Texas. You must remove the champagne from your cart in front of everyone in line behind you at Whole Foods. You mumble, “I just came from church … I’m having friends over for a brunch…It’s a baby shower…” and they look at you more judging-ly. This once happened to Husbanks, but replace “champagne” with a “case of Budweiser.” That looked worse.
Exhibit B: Liquor is only at liquor stores in the Bible Belt. When I visited New Mexico for the first time, I was amazed at all the mini liquor bottles at the corner store. They made me uncomfortable. They shouldn’t have – the mini-bottles didn’t say anything rude to me, but they made me nervous because I felt like I was late to the airport. This is what happens when you grow up in the Bible Belt and only see mini-bottles on planes for the first few years of your life. Sidenote: One time, Kevin hung out with a guy at a party who was only drinking from mini-bottles.
Exhibit C: Beer and wine and liquor have different curfews in Texas. There are times in the evening when you can buy beer and times when you can buy wine and times when you can buy booze and I can’t tell you any of those times because they confuse me.
Exhibit D: In Louisiana (what up Logerots!), you can get minis at the corner store and the passenger in your moving vehicle can drink them. I hope you are going to an airport, because again, minis remind me of planes.
Exhibit E: Ever been to a restaurant in a dry county and ordered a glass of chardonnay? You have to “join a club.” That makes no sense to me, unless it is a “small bottles remind me of planes” club. Then I am running for an officer position.
Flowchart of Friends
Everyday I email with a group of people, some of whom have never met. It’s a virtual pen-pal group put together by Steph. She sends us trivia every day.
Let’s start the story in Oklahoma. In 8th grade I met my future BFF, Ellie. Ellie and I went off to college in different directions. I moved to Texas and Ellie moved to Tulsa. Ellie went to the University of Tulsa and was a Theta. When she got to Tulsa, she became friends with the GTS (Girls That Smoke): Steph, Ingrid, and Jill. Nicknames were formed and friendships were made. Suz also went to Tulsa and was a Theta. Ellie and Suz met because of Ellie’s ex, John Von … Something (I can never remember).
At Ellie’s wedding, Suz, Steph, Jill, Ellie, and me bonded at Table 3 (and Will and Husbanks, but they are not part of this story, OK?). But we need to back up again …
After college, Suz moved to Seattle and Husbanks’ and I introduced Suz to his sister’s A&M college roommate, Amy. Suz and Amy became friends, and Suz introduced Amy to her good friend, Weslie. Ryan and I were visiting Stacie and Kyle one year on Suz’s birthday. We met Weslie that day and became fast friends. Suz has since moved to Tuscon and married Bill (Ellie’s brother). And Suz’s brother, Joe, went to school in Austin, so Suz introduced us to him. But back to the core players …
Right now, all the players live across the U.S. Ellie in Louisville. Jill in Rolla, Missouri. Ingrid in OKC. Steph in Tulsa. Suz in Tuscon. Weslie in Seattle. Yours truly in Austin.
Confused? I made a flow chart of who met whom. What? I am in Corporate America. Leave me alone.
Point is … this weekend Ellie, Weslie, Jill, Ingrid and I will all go to Vegas to celebrate Stephanie’s birthday! Ingrid – I am excited to meet you. Suz, Weslie, Stephanie, Jill … will I recognize you? Ellie – meet you in baggage claim.
#stephs30th
What Happens in Vegas …
What happens in Vegas may not stay in Vegas this weekend … I have a feeling that a group of hard-working young ladies on vacation with smart phones might share every hilarious detail of how they play hard. With that in mind, I ask you this:
What Should be the Twitter Hashtag for Steph’s 30th Birthday Vegas Weekend?
Marriage Survey
College-roommate Katie posted this marriage survey. Husbanks and I know two cool couples getting married Saturday, so this survey is in honor of them.
Guys – in six years you will achieve the intense marital zen you are about to witness …
Survey!
1.What are your middle names? Ryan and Louise.
2. How long have you been together? First date was in 2001. I wanted that to happen much more quickly but who is still bitter about that?
3. How long did you know each other before you started dating? For the longest year of my life.
4. Who asked who out? Ryan asked me to go see Janet Reno speak. He thought that would be a funny first date for two good friends.
5. How old are each of you? All hail the King and Queen of the Twenties!
6. Did you go to the same school? I don’t know how the two of us met at a southern Baptist university in Texas, but we did.
7. Are you from the same home town? No.
8. Who is the smartest? Yes.
9. Who majored in what? Husbanks: Entrepreneurship and HR, Hil: Religion and Journalism/PR
10. Who is the most sensitive? I need to cuddle.
11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Austria … does that count?
12. Who has the worst temper? Me again.
13. How many children do you want? Stop asking me this, it makes me sweaty.
14. Who does the cooking? Me.
15. Who is more social? Hus … ”two drinks or more” … banks
16. Who is the neat freak? Husbanks.
17. Who is the most stubborn? If you even think it’s you, Husbanks, I will hunt you down.
18. Who wakes up earlier? Hollis.
19. Where was your first date? The Black-Eyed Pea. Second date? Ben Folds with Matt Emmons. Third date? Texas State Fair with Katie then Haunted House with Stacie. We can’t be alone, I guess.
20. Who has the bigger family? Me.
21. Do you get flowers often? No. I get things like car titles. And respect.
22. How do you spend the holidays? We split them. And I handle it really maturely.
23. Who is more jealous? I got jealous.
24. How long did it take to get serious? Who wrote this question? A 16-year-old? We were good friends for a year (see #3) so I think we were sewius the minute he dumped whatever her name is.
25. Who eats more? Me.
26. What do you do for a living? I do PR and he does Schwork.
27. Who’s better with the computer? Excel? Husbanks. Blogging or COMMENTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR WIFE HAS A HOBBY? Me.
28. Who drives when you are together? Ha. Husbanks. I am not a good driver.
29. What is your song? “Oh Yoko” by John Lennon.
Pet Blessing
Posted by hilstreet in faith, My animals on November 2, 2009
This weekend, I was able to participate in an activity that combined my two dearest loves: spirituality and domestic animals. On All Saints’ Day, our Associate Pastor performed a Pet Blessing for the pets of Saint John’s United Methodist. It is a Methodist tradition to hold pet blessings to honor all of God’s creatures. In the lovely Austin autumn weather, our pet processional ended with a blessing and a good word for our four-legged friends.
Hollis and Martin are not acting any differently post-blessing … but I am sure their little souls are more peaceful. Bailey was immediately relaxed after his prayer time.
Emilie and Deirdre at Bailey’s Pet Blessing
Hil and Emilie at Hollis and Martin (in the blue box)’s pet blessing
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@HilM- HilM: Our baby sleeping on a prayer shawl from Bethany UMC, Austin at #swtxac in Corpus. http://twitpic.com/5acwsn June 12, 2011
- HilM: Great friendly service from Corpus Christi @OMNIHOTELS. They are making it very easy to travel with an infant. June 8, 2011
- HilM: RT @pastor_cynthia: Baptized a mother and her two kids this morning AND got to preside at Table. #Ihavethecoolestjob June 6, 2011
- HilM: Good morning @SWTXUMC! Is there an Annual Conference hashtag? Holy Conferencing 2.0. See you in Corpus! June 6, 2011
- HilM: @the_masters Would Adam Scott be the first person to win a major with a long putter? #masters April 10, 2011
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