KXT Fall Pledge Drive

KXT is a public music radio station here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. You can tune it at 91.7 on your fm station. It  has the best of new, local and classic music. I am a big fan and love the songs they play on a consistent basis. It's probably the best radio station that I've ever listened to. I know. Big statement. It is also the first "public" and commercial-free radio station that I've ever listened to. I really didn't know what I was getting involved with by starting to like this radio station so much. I really wasn't ready for this.

Let me explain. Since, it's commercial free, they get the money to run the station from sporadic (thank you Clueless) pledge drives throughout the year. You know, instead of getting money from advertisers like those other sell-out radio stations. Ha "sell-out". How hipster of me.

So what's the big deal, right? What's wrong with a couple of innocent pledge drives??

I'll tell you what's wrong. They are starting to make me feel guilty and causing me to have anxiety on a very low level. Why? Well, obviously because I'm not pledging anything towards this service that I enjoy. Robert and I are not destitute. We have the means to get by. However, we do not have the means to donate to all of the charities and pledge drives that come up in our lives. I would love to be there, but we are just not there yet. If I donated $50 to KXT, I think Robert might really wonder about my sanity. (he probably does anyway, so I should probably just do it.) I have to keep whatever points I have with "being responsible with money" bit because quite frankly, I'm not responsible with money. BR (Before Robert) I would have donated to KXT and then be charging up the credit card later in the month because I don't have enough money to eat. Yeah, it's weird, but husbands don't like that. So, I hold in my urge to donate to things and buy presents for people for no reason, but this whole KXT pledge drive thing is really getting to me.

I'm driving along to work listening to KXT and then the dj comes on and starts talking about the pledge drive.

"Do you enjoy the service that KXT provides?" - dj

"Yes!! I dooo." - me in my head

"Where else can you hear the newest Wilco and Death Cab for Cutie mixed in with The Clash and The Beatles??" - dj

"Nowhere else. Nowhereelseeeeeee." - me in my head

"That's right. Nowhere else, but here at KXT. And we bring it to you commercial free. But, you know we can't do it for free. If we are going to keep this music coming to you. You have to do your part and help out KXT." - dj

SILENCE - in my head

"We know that there are about 100,000 of you listening right now. If all of you called RIGHT NOW and just gave $10-$20 this pledge drive could be over and we could just bring you back commercial free music." - dj

"They can see me. They know I'm listening. Sitting in my car, not pledging. Just listening to FREE music. I'm FREE LOADING MUSIC." - me in my head.

"Here we have Barbara Gomer from Rowlett, TX that just pledged. She says, 'that she's been waiting for a radio station like this for years.' And Luke Nelson from Denton, he says, 'you guys rock. you're the only radio i listen to.' " - dj

"Why can't I be like Barbara and Luke?? WHY?"- me in my head

"You can be just like Barbara and Luke. Just call or go online right now. If you enjoy KXT and if you want to continue listening to this great mix of songs that you can't get at any other station, do your part. Do your part today and show KXT that you appreciate what they bring to the community." - dj

This is when I turn to 106.1 and have to subject myself to Bruno Mars. I'm just not ready for this public radio relationship pressure. 

Small packages

They say "good things come in small packages".

This could just be true.

Yesterday, my cousin had a precious baby girl and today a good friend was blessed with a precious baby girl too. 

All these babies being born is enough to put someone in a good mood.

Welcome to the world little babies. You already have big fan clubs and you don't even know it yet. 

craving

more space....

Nothing like wide open space, but I'm talking about more space in the home. 

Lately, I'm feeling the need for more space. Our lease is up at the end of October and I think I'm ready for a change. But, finding a place that is affordable, updated, properly located etc. etc. can be so hard. I've only scratched the surface searching and I'm already sort of frustrated. Baby and I drove around for a very abbreviated time yesterday before we went and picked up a late lunch to-go at Matt's and it was already stressful. We drove down a depressing  street adjacent to where we currently live. There was, no joke, a wild dog running about. It really topped off the atmosphere of the street. Old, sad houses with messy yards, one after the other. I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose. "I don't want to live on this street." I said to Robert. I'm not trying to be snobby or hard to please here, but seriously? No. We continue to drive down a couple blocks. Robert points out a for lease sign, I immediately shoot it down. "No." You know when you just can look at something and be like "NO"? Guys don't get that. Robert then JOKINGLY calls me Darien  from Wall Street. We had just watched this a couple nights ago. For those of you that don't know Darien is this awful chick that ONLY is with guys for money and requires the BEST of everything. 

Needless to say the joke didn't go over too well. :) I'm too sensitive for jokes like that, especially on a Sunday.

Also, I'm wearing a shirt I bought 3 years ago at Wal-Mart. Darien. pppppfffffftttttt.

also craving...

a puppyyyyy or dog. especially a wittle wittle pug 

It's just been too long. I need a puppy.

I'm not getting a puppy. Robert says no. I know he's right. I want a dog, but not the mess and cost that it comes with. 

Someday....

also craving and ALWAYS craving...

vacation

Breaks from real life are so necessary. 

I'm very excited for 3 of my best friends who are leaving for Paris and Munich in 8 days!!!

Okay, I'm very excited for them with a tiny splash of jealousy ;).

Back to Monday....(large sigh) 

good one

Songify comes to work

My bosses are sort of like streo-typical parents in the way that they know about something like a year after it comes out. You know, like, "Oh have you heard of this thing called the iPod??" and "Have you heard about this band called Cold Play??" Except with your parents you can be like, "YES, Mom, that's been around forever!!!" With your bosses you can't do this. You have to nod politely and act excited. This takes so much energy sometimes.

One of my boss's got an iPad and is up all in my business getting me to download these "new" apps that he thinks he discovers. Today he comes to my cube buzzing about this Songify app. Have I heard about Songify? Yes. Not because I'm cool, but more because I have friends that are nice that send me things that they think are cool and funny. One of these was a song by Songify. Of course, I was sent this many months ago, so I know alllllll about Songify. But, I pretended I didn't and I let him upload the app on my phone and record a phrase and the Songify app made a song about it. Laughter. He He He Ho Ho Ho. We are all entertained.

Then my other boss comes in the office. He has an iPad now too and he's talking about Songify too. Help.

"Alexis, have you heard of this thing?"

Don't make me pretend again that Songify is the coolest thing in the world.

Luckily, I don't have to because he starts playing me a song from Songify out of a phrase he put in there. I can't type the whole phrase because there are names involved, but basically the song was " _____ _______ is a dick!" _____ ______ is the name of a guy that he was suing, but isn't suing now, but he still likes to make up songs about how he's a dick. This is awkward, but I laugh, he is really pleased with himself.

Some things just shouldn't enter the work environment. Songify might be one of them, but it's too late for that now. What will tomorrow's hit single be?

I love the 80s - What We Wore

As previously blogged about, I've been excited about an upcoming 80s pub crawl. Well, it was last weekend and it was a whole lot of fun. I really love my friends and I love what they are doing with TYSO. People really rolled out for this event and did not "half ass" dress up. The full ass dressed up! I love when people do that. It definitely takes the party to the next level.

I thought I'd share with you "what we wore". You know like a fashion blogger.

Bob and Al - What We Wore - TYSO 80's pub crawl

When I found this little beauty at Good Will for $7.99, I knew it was something special. I confirmed this by texting a picture to Sarah and getting her nod of approval. 

sidenote: WHO designed this? and WHO thinks these long short things are flattering? I don't know. I just don't know. 

Next up, I'm going to show you Bob. You won't recognize him. He definitely won the costume contest in my mind.

"What on earth?" might be what you are asking yourself. He was Robert Smith from "The Cure". You can't have the 80's without "The Cure".

There's the real Robert Smith. 

Good job, Baby!! You really creeped the eff out of everybody!!!

Other fun people and fun pics

note the homemade corsage. 80s prom shout out

yes, yes, yes and yes

omg. miss pac man. 

I'm really proud of my friend, Lindsey, she's in the middle there embodying, Gem of Gem and the Rockers. You can't tell my this picture, but she's the kind of person that NEVER dresses up for anything. Well, obvi, she went all out last weekend. It was pretty bad ass. Oh and see that star on her eye. Bob drew it. A sight that I never thought I'd see: my husband drawing a star on Lindsey's face with white eyeliner. Thank you, TYSO 80's pub crawl. Thank you. 

Jackie O. - Historic Conversations

disclaimer: It wasn't my idea to blog about Jackie O. I received some heckling from the peanut gallery that I need to blog about something; to which i wanted to respond, "you blog about something if it's so easy." Bitter Betty Blogger am I. ha. ppppffffffttttttt. Then, I caved and thought m.a.w. Might as well. Might as well blog about Jackie O. 

Okay, so as we are aware, unless you don't watch television, Jacqueline Kennedy recorded 8.5 hours worth of interviews that have now been transcribed into a book. This book shot to number 1 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble yesterday. Surprise, surprise. America's fascination with the Kennedy's lives on. I'm right there with America, I'm fascinated. The Kennedy's have always been a big deal. 

Let me tell you what I found out I'm even more fascinated with: JACKIE'S VOICE. If you saw Diane Sawyer's special two nights ago, you know what I'm talking about. I finished watching it last night. I cannot get over that voice. I've seen countless pictures of her, but I had never heard the voice behind the face. It's like this whispery, soft, movie-starish voice. I can't put it to words. But, I do know that I've never heard anything like it. What a voice. I really wish I could talk like that, but I sound like a booming man compared to that Jackie Kennedy voice. Her voice is like delicate orchids and my voice is like big redwood trees. If I was Ursula, I would have forgotten about Ariel and Prince Eric and gone after Jackie's voice and gone for JFK. (it's necessary that I squeeze in a Disney reference when I can).

That delicate, elegant voice did possess a sort of strength behind it. The strength of a woman who had miscarried 2 babies and buried a husband. The strength of a woman who kept going. I loved her candidness in the tapes. I love her intelligence. I'm proud that she is in our nation's history and I definitely plan to get around to reading her tapes. 

Big Gulps? Huh?

Sometimes in life and sometimes in the life of a blog there is nothing to say. I definitely go through these phases in my blog life where I really just can't find anything to put out there.

Which is weird because I was voted "Most Talkative" my senior year of high school. Which is weird because I wasn't really THAT talkative. Apparently, the Carlsbad High School class of 2001 disagrees with that.

pppfffffffttttttt. Anyway, why does one have a blog when they can't even blog?? WHY?! My few readers could be thinking surely you must have something to say. Anything?! Why are you taking up room on the world wide web if you're not even going to blog about "Fall" or "Football" or "Fashion"??

I don't know. I just don't know. Kind of like I just don't know why I was voted "Most Talkative". Unsolved mysteries. 

I will tell you that during these phases of blankness, mediocre terrible ideas on what to post/blog about pop into my head. I won't review them, but they are lame and probably weird and nothing anyone wants to read. Usually these ideas pass and I'm just left with nothing. Nothing to blog about. I intend to post about stuff that Robert and I do like normal bloggers do. You know like his 10 year high school reunion?? Blah Blah Blah. But, I don't and time passes and no updates on the ol' blog. My blog remains in the catatonic state of nothingness and time. marches. on. BUT, I'm still here and still maintaining an active blog in my head and hoping for it to transport to the screen. With that I'll leave you with the lyric from a timeless song...."hold on for one more day...." - Wilson Phillips. Hold on for one more day, the day will come when I post again. Oh yes, the day will come again. 

In Shock

I won a blog give away? The best part is I won a blog giveaway from one of my very favorite blogs. I know you are dying to see what I won....click here.  Whoa, I'm just in shock. Winning something is fun. I'm not used to this feeling.

If you read blogs, you know that the cute and more sophisticated bloggers have really fun and wonderful giveaways on their blogs. I usually don't enter them. I just figure I'm probably not going to win and I don't read blogs to get free stuff. I read them because I enjoy reading them and what they write and share enhances my life. This could not be more true about Apollinas (where I won the giveaway). I found her blog via foodgawker, which I've talked about before. This beautiful cake caught my eye.

wow.

and oh I'm not done

wow again.

I had never heard of a blue velvet cake or seen a cake this fun and beautiful. I immediately began go back and read all her other posts and from that point on I was addicted. I knew that this blogger had an eye for style and beauty like none other I'd seen. I definitely didn't want to miss out on what she wanted to share with the world and I added her to the list of my "Blogggzzz I Read". Little did I know, I was going to gain so much more from reading her blog than awesome insights on fashion, design and baking (which is already a lot for a blog to give). 

The following post titles I'm going to list have helped me through some rough patches and bad days. They've helped me change my perspective when it really needed it. For this, I am so grateful to Apollina, the soul behind this blog. She has touched a girl's 28 year-old heart all the way in Dallas, Texas. 

Here's the post titles. You can type them in in the "search box" on her blog for a quick find. 

-Back from My Trip

-Sisters

-Try something new this weekend

-Cliches to live by

-Last Month of my Twenties

-Some Observations of Women

Read these. Trust me, it's good stuff. 

When I didn't think I could love this blog anymore, I found out that, oh yes I could. I commented on a scrumptious looking cake that she had made and posted about that was inspired by Stella McCartney's spring line. She shared with her readers Stella McCartney actually ended up tweeting about her cake. That's huge! Anyway, I commented how awesome it was that her cake was known by Stella and how much I enjoyed her blog. Then the coolest thing ever happened. Apollina herself emailed me! I was so excited, I really felt that someone famous had personally contacted me :). We ended up having some email convos about our faith, The Bachelor and yoga. At that point I felt that I had truly made a friend. I've shared this blog with some of my good friends, they've become readers and one of them has emailed with Apollina too. Now we are all friends! :)

I feel very special and blessed today that I won this particular giveaway!! Thank you Apollinas!! Thank you for everything :).