Taco Salad With Vegan Chorizo and a Side of Blogging

Yes, it's lunch time.That means I'll be shoving food into my pie hole in between sentences. Feel free to imagine that lovliness if you'd like to.

Spring break has come and gone. And for those of us in Austin, that means that the craziness that is South-by-Southwest has also drawn to a close. Once again this year I managed to miss out on all things SXSW except for the traffic and close encounters with hipsters that one must endure when she works downtown. However, now that I'm on Twitter (and there were jillions of SXSW-related twees during the week), it was hard not to feel left out of the party. I keep vowing I'll save up and purchase a badge one of these years so that I can go to all of the crazy music stuff I want to. But I'll believe it when I see it.

This past weekend, The Geej and I got the helloutta town and went on a long-overdue trip to the Pine Curtain. The purpose? To see my good friend Lisa and her nearly-four-year-old son, Henry. We also got to see my (very elderly) relatives, Aunt Mary Lois and Uncle Ray. Seriously, I have no idea how old these two are. They've got to be almost 90 if not already there. They've been married since 1940, and they're super sweet. They're also hardcore Pentecostal, but not too hardcore to have a T.V. in the bedroom turned on to Fox News 24/7. And they don't let their Christianity get in the way of their extreme racism either. I kept having to steer the conversation away from how much trouble "The Mexicans" and that "Black President" are causing. After all, there WAS a 6 yr. old in the room. But that's just how they are. I accept and love them even though I don't agree with them.

It is so beautiful up in east Texas right now. Dogwoods, azaleas and redbuds are blooming everywhere. And the TREES! I just don't realize how much I miss those tall pines until I'm standing in the middle of them.

But rather than let me ramble on and on about our trip, let's look at some pictures:

A statue of one of my favorite country and western performers, Lefty Frizzell, in Corsicana, TX.

The Geej taking advantage of some monkey bars at the park where the Lefty statue was located.

This AWESOME kids' park/playscape under the pines in Longview.

The Rangerette Museum in Kilgore. Every single time I try to go here (there's a pic of my grandmother in there that I want to see), it's closed. This time, it was closed for spring break. Sigh.

Classic East Texas Helmet Hair. If you're over 65 and NOT sporting this 'do within Gregg County, you WILL be talked about.

And there they are: Henry and The Geej. Just couldn't be any damn cuter.

Alas, my salad is finished and work beckons. Soon, internets. Soon...

Royal Masquerade Ball, 1987

Malcontent Mama threw down the prom gauntlet. I had no choice but to respond in kind. So here goes:

Me and my prom date. This guy, who we'll call "MD," was my on-again/off-again boyfriend for a big chunk of my junior and senior years in highschool. He was a year older, and went to the rival highschool across town. He was really rich, and his mom hated me because I wasn't. Anyway, ours was a pretty typical highschool relationship, complete with drama and numerous breakups. He was already a freshman at U.T. when he agreed to come home and attend prom with me. I remember being SO relieved with how big I was able to get my hair for prom. That is some HAIR, now.

My dress was a silk charmeuse tunic with a large sash. It was purchased at a hoity-toity store where a couple of friends of mine worked. The shoes were dyed to match the sash, of course. It wasn't the typical "prom dress"--especially not in late 80s northeast Texas. It was more of a "cocktail dress," and I thought it was tres glamorous. It was pretty but not overtly sexy, and as I didn't have any curves I really wanted to show off, it was fairly appropriate. I do recall hearing that a friend of mine was talking behind my back, criticizing it at the time because of its atypical-ness. Yeah, I wasn't much into taffeta. So sue me. I have looked at photos some friends from this prom, and I gotta say, the white tux with tails, cane and top hat, and the ubiquitous "pouf" dress of this era don't hold up so well under scrutiny nearly 20 years later.

MD and I went to dinner at a swanky place downtown, and somehow managed to order a bottle of wine, no problem. Then we went to prom, and I remember it being fun but really geeky. I didn't want to stay for long because a) I wanted to make out with MD and b) I was sort of embarassed to have my "college" boyfriend attending my highschool event--embarassed for him, not for me. I don't recall anyone being "coked up" as Malcontent Mama recalled, but I do recall ecstacy being taken (not by me...I don't think) and BUTTLOADS of winecoolers being consumed. And I recall this photo being taken in front of the seriously stupid backdrop.

I love how I'm digging my fingernail into the top of his hand in this photo. Says a lot, really.

After spending an adequate amount of time at the prom, MD and I went back to his house. We were supposed to go to some school-sponsored after-party thing and went to change clothes. Of course we ended up getting naked and showering together, but we didn't "do it," although I really, really wanted to. I was still a virgin at this point, and wanted to be deflowered in a major way...on prom night and everything. But it wasn't to be. Sigh. We eventually ended up getting dressed, making a very brief appearance at the "after party" thing (lame...several people asked my why my hair was wet, heh heh), then out to his parents' lake house where a bunch of his college frat brothers were already there, drunker than cooter brown. I recall there being a couple of other girls there as well. There were no parents around, so it was sort of a free for all--hot-tubbing, making out on the trampoline, bong hitting, etc. I ended up spending the night with him out there (which was cool), but left the next morning, hungover, virtue still in tact. I wish I had a really scandalous prom story, but alas. I was fairly boring and typical for my era.

He's now an attorney back in my home town. Married to a nice gal he literally grew up with...they have a couple of kids. I haven't seen him in 100 years, but rumor has it he's losing his hair.

Okay, Jules. It's your turn. Dig 'em out, and show 'em off.