Translucence http://www.translucence.org/ en 2009-11-07T08:51:21-06:00 We made a list... http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/11/we_made_a_list.html Of things to do around the house. You know projects like "clean out the garage" and "organize the pantry" and then we realized that nothing really brings home the reality of being an adult like a list of projects to do around the house that is so long your weekends are planned out for the next year.

]]> Translucence 2009-11-07T08:51:21-06:00 Halloween? What to expect? http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/10/halloween_what.html I just posted this to our neighborhood Yahoo! group. We hear Halloween is a big deal in the new neighborhood, but I have questions.

Hey neighbors, this will be our first Halloween in the neighborhood. I'm expecting a run on Reese's cups, but what else can we expect?

Will trick-or-treating be Friday, 10/30 or Saturday, 10/31?
When do the kiddos start hitting the streets and until when?
And, of course, is this neighborhood prone to any zombie attacks? I know we are fairly close to the cemetery so I need to stock up on survival equipment if there is a zombie problem no one told me about. Thanks!

]]> Translucence 2009-10-26T08:24:24-06:00 Settling in... http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/10/settling_in.html
Front yard
Originally uploaded by translucence_photos. Well, the renovations are complete, the yard has been sodded and I'm actually starting to work in the yard. I guess we can finally say I'm settled in and ready to start building the list that every homeowner has to do.

Clean out the garage, repair the fence, etc.

Remind me to never tackle this kind of project again! But, it turned out great and was totally worth it. LOVE the house!
]]> Translucence 2009-10-25T11:57:17-06:00 You can't drain what you don't have http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/10/you_cant_drain.html Man am I furious. I just read the headline "Will new executive pay rules cause a brain drain?" and I could barely contain myself. So what? Clearly the brains at the tops of these firms and banks that have received federal money were full of either a.) crooks or b.) incompetents so who cares if they leave? My only fear is that they'd get hired somewhere that I have my money!

ARRRRGH! The hubris in the financial sector still has me so fired up I'm about ready to grab a torch and a pitchfork and storm down Wall Street.

I still think the executives that came up with these schemes and approved them ought to be run out of the industry or strung up on a flagpole somewhere.

Unbelievable!

]]> Translucence 2009-10-22T20:46:32-06:00 Some random "facebook status" updates http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/10/some_random_fac.html Nearly 400,000 Texans lost their health insurance this year. Why are people still opposing reform? We clearly need something!

My favorite commercial right now. Cracking me UP!

I'm going to try and get some voice over work after seeing this...I could totally do that commercial.

]]> Translucence 2009-10-20T18:21:11-06:00 Bring it on, El Nino! http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/10/bring_it_on_el.html It's cold and rainy in Austin. After the hottest summer I've been through here, I was considering moving away but the cold and rain is greening things up and making me love Austin all over again. Now if I could only find my sweaters!

]]> Translucence 2009-10-10T09:48:42-06:00 GLEE http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/10/glee.html There is nothing wrong with the fact that I could spend an entire day watching these episodes over and over and over.

What an amazing show. Amazing writing, acting, singing, the whole thing. Wow...Fox. Who knew?

]]> Translucence 2009-10-05T10:45:12-06:00 Renovating a home? http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/09/renovating_a_ho.html Ask me a for a long list of things to check on. I may has well have been the general contractor on this project. It has consumed our lives since we began and the overruns, the change orders, the mistakes and the just plain not showing up to fix stuff is creating a simmering rage in me that I did not know existed.

If I hear "one more week" one more time I'm going to start chucking 2x4's at people!

]]> Translucence 2009-09-19T18:07:29-06:00 All moved in! http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/09/all_moved_in.html
Curb Appeal
Originally uploaded by translucence_photos. Well, the house is almost finished. We are still waiting on the master bath to be done. The tile is the hold up. It's on special order. Living in a construction zone for three weeks has not been fun, but we are SO CLOSE to being finished.

The grass is starting to come back after the drought and construction crews trample it. I'll post more photos soon.
]]> Translucence 2009-09-17T11:32:29-06:00 Never been more ready http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/08/never_been_more.html For summer to be over. Today was our 60th day with temps 100 degrees or more. It's officially the hottest summer on record and the 24 consecutive month of above average temps. We are under water restrictions and can't water the lawn but one day a week, can only wash cars on approved days and my air conditioner is struggling to keep the house at a livable temperature.

Over it.

]]> Translucence 2009-08-20T23:44:07-06:00 Everybody loves the governor in Alabama http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/08/everybody_loves.html Even the Russian Red Army Chori and Finnish rock band the the Leningrad Cowboys. Seriously.

]]> Translucence 2009-08-08T09:00:19-06:00 And finally some good news http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/08/and_finally_som.html Austin catches prolific graffiti "tagger" KUDOS and he's in jail facing felony charges. (AAS)

Ultra-conservative Ben Stein loses NY Times column. (A360)

More companies are signing on to IE6 no more! (IE6 No More)

]]> Translucence 2009-08-08T07:36:10-06:00 Don't you forget about me. RIP John Hughes http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/08/dont_you_forget.html The diarist of my formative years, John Hughes has died. John Hughes taught me what being a teenager was about. I'm genuinely sad to hear of his passing.

Hughes defined teenage angst for a generation...my generation. Summed up for me here:

Dear Mr. Hughes, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...and an athlete...
...and a basket case......a princess...and a criminal. Does that answer your question?...
Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.


RIP John Hughes, the diarist of my time.

]]> Translucence 2009-08-07T07:46:53-06:00 Why am I so cranky? http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/07/why_am_i_so_cra.html Oh...no reason...
summer2009.jpg
Hate.

]]> Translucence 2009-07-31T16:40:27-06:00 Why we don't watch TV http://www.translucence.org/archives/2009/07/why_we_dont_wat.html I was going to write about how our TV gathers dust. We only watch what's in our hulu.com queue and the quality is great and it's nice not being tied to TV.

Then, Jon Stewart summed it up for me.

]]> Translucence 2009-07-27T23:35:53-06:00