Random things from the weekend:

[oyceter]

1. I've largely stopped getting into screaming arguments with my mom. I still have arguments with my mom and get exasperated with my mom and sometimes feel pressured by my mom, but the uncomfortable screaming arguments followed by silent treatment and fuming on both sides has lessened considerably. This isn't, of course, to say that it will always stay that way (though that would be nice), but one hopes it is because I am learning better. Last summer there was a screaming argument, but I didn't scream, for once, even though I talked VERY LOUDLY. And no silent treatment!
   
   I just realized because I was with high school friends over the weekend and I always had giant fights with my mom back then.



2. I am actually pretty ok with how I've grown up (so far), and I don't really feel the need to fit in with old high school classmates or college friends anymore. And not because I'm being rebellious and anti-cool (that was me in most of middle school), but just because I realized I can make that choice. Huh.



3. My friend who I've know since fourth grade is married! Eek! Not a new realization, but a re-realization.



4. My other friend who I've also known since fourth grade is married and has a 17-month old kid who is incredibly cute and looks like him! Eek! This re-realization is sponsored by the letter Q.



5. I like my job a lot, even though it is often stressful. And apparently since having it (or something), I am getting much better with the small talk. And I am just glad that I am not feeling slowly penned into doing something that I dislike and feeling all my options disappearing, which may be my worst fear in life. Well, that or ending up friendless and miserable and mean and cruel. But yes, thankfully, only good things to say about my boss and my team.



6. It's always weird seeing how much people from your childhood have changed, and how much they've stayed the same.



7. I am still always the last person in the class to know about gossip. Then again, I don't really mind this, because while I like some gossip, I don't like it all that much. This may also be because I get all my gossip from my mom, who gets it from another classmate's mom, who gets it from that classmate.



8. Sorry, anleedruid, but I still like rats better than chinchillas! Although chinchillas are funny and roll around in dust!



9. I survived an entire weekend without cracking open a book once. Well, except during the airport stints. Still. I blame this on being jetlagged.



10. Texas serves Belgian waffles! And they will give you lots of honey if you ask for it! This may be the only things about Texas that I like better than California (apologies, Texans. I am deeply attached to CA). Wait, no. I had barbeque there as well, next to a restaurant with a giant armadillo with longhorns attached. That was cool too. And I had these things called "kolanchi" or "colanche" or something I can't spell. Basically, they were little rolls of bread, but filled with BBQ or scrambled eggs and jalapeno or Czech sausage! Coooool.



11. I did not, alas, get to have grits, hominy, hush puppies, collard greens, or assorted other Southern food. I guess Texas only partially counts as the South? I didn't get to have Mexican either =(.



12. The Superbowl still bores me. So I made my friend scrambled eggs with green peppers, onions, and a wee bit of tomato pesto for flavor. It was tasty! Southwestern Italian? But yes, I felt quite proud of myself for being able to throw things together from an unfamiliar refrigerator.

Comments

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

I am still always the last person in the class to know about gossip.

Oh, God, me too. Years later I'll be all "...wait. They don't like each other? Really?" Terminally naive.

[oyceter]

I know! That's what I do! Except the really sad thing is I do that and my mom will know the gossip too =(.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Probably "kolache". http://www.texasmonthly.com/food/kolache/kolache.6.php

You sound contented. This is very good.

[octopedingenue]

Whoa, those have a name? I always thought they were just The Pastry Things They Have At Breakfast At Continental Breakfasts In Texas Motels.

[oyceter]

You found the name! Yay!

I am indeed contented ^_^.

[octopedingenue]

Grits, hominy, hushpuppies, and collard greens are more Deep South than Texas food. Texas food is more barbecue, chili, assorted Tex-Mex (fajitas, chili con queso/carne, fajitas, nachos, fajitas, sopapillas, can you tell I love fajitas, etc.), chicken fried steak, beans and cornbread, chicken and dumplings, Frito pie, lots and lots of beef, putting pecans in every dish ever, etc. Vegetables...uhhh...black-eyed peas? Fried okra. Jalapenos.

I am glad you got to have fun and thinkythoughts and that you like your job! It's a warm fuzzy feeling.

[oyceter]

Ahhhh, I see! (frito-pie??)

Now I'm sad I didn't get more Texas-style food, though at least I got kolaches and BBQ. So that is good.

[octopedingenue]

Fritos + chili + shredded cheddar cheese (+ onions sometimes) all mixed up together = FRITO PIE, FAST FOOD DINNER OF KINGS! Served at football games in a plastic cup or more traditionally in the single-serving Frito bag slit open with chili mixed inside.

My college dining hall served Frito pie for the first time this year. It was so funny looking at people's confused faces! And at the Frito pie itself--which was served with melted Velveeta (NOOOOOO) and sliced black olives (surprisingly good! must steal this for future reference!).

I miss fajitas so muuuuuch. Most Mexican places here have them, but they're dry spare things that do not squish properly. And there is a little hole-in-the-concrete-wall restaurant across the street in my hometown that serves the best bean and cheese burritos on the planet. Every time I go there (which is almost every day) I think, "I get the bean burritos every time I come here, I should really get something else for once..." and then I buy two, and inhale them while making helpless moaning noises.

[oyceter]

Ohhhhhh interesting! I must try this some time! I was quite excited when I had the kolaches! (my favorites were the BBQ and the scrambled egg ones)

[yhlee.livejournal.com]

You beat me to it. :-) Although I was still flabbergasted that my New Yawker friends had no idea what a hush puppy was. Then again, I didn't know what kosher was...

And oyceter, Texas forgives you. With its generous heart.

*flees*

[oyceter]

And I thank Texas right back ;). It is actually quite fun there, though not my choice for living. But I can definitely see why other people would!

Also, the food was quite tasty.