Sisterly Conversations on: The Mushy Gushy Stuff

So, in the last few (ok all) posts in the Sister Blog, things have been humorous, sarcastic, and fun! Just like the Sisters you know and love. But in my time spent traveling the long, lonely roads to visit family and friends this summer, or even just to grab some groceries at the HEB (a.k.a. H-O-E, hell on earth), I have done some really deep thinking. I usually tell my Lil Sis, V, everything, from boy drama, to work drama, to our occasional analysis of Lifetime movies. But sometimes, when I am alone in my car, listening to my Ipod, I think of some pretty serious stuff. So I thought it would be a good idea to share some of these thoughts with my sis (and anyone else who cares to read them). However, the only way you can continue to read on and hopefully get a sense of what I am feeling when I am deep in thought is to play the below song, one that inspires my best thinking, from M83. First of all, this band (one guy or more, I'm not sure) is A-MAZING. Second of all, this song was on the MTV Britney Spears documentary, therefore it can make anything anybody says or thinks seem profound and existential. Please, press play, and read on:

I think about how far I have come since leaving my hometown and going to grad school. I think of the people I have met and the people I have separated from, but who still support me, and the people I have left for good. It weirds me out to think how I have had some type of relationship with everyone I have encountered in my life. In one time span, they may have been the most important thing to me, and now I don't even know what kinds of things they like to talk about or do anymore.

I think about the places I have been and the things I have done in the past few years. When I am able to get out of my daily routine of work and school, I can't even believe that life exists outside of these things! Today when I was driving home from dinner, I saw what I assume to be a Somali woman (due to the neighborhood) walking down the median of a busy intersection carrying her groceries in a bag...balancing on top of her head!!! I mean, come on! You never see that...unless you are watching the Discovery Channel or some M.I.A. or Michael Jackson political music video. It just made me think about how much bigger this world is than what we each have going on in our own little sector of the city. I feel like wherever I go, the things I do and the people I am with can make it the most important place for me to be. Then I think about how everyone probably feels this way. So doesn't it make sense that everything going on in the world is important and meaningful?

I think about the future of course. Look how far I have come in just a few years, I tell myself. I have met people I can't picture living life without, I have explored new things and developed new interests that seem to make my life so much more enriched than it ever has been. I wonder what more will change in 4 or 5 years from now, when I am done with school. What will my boyfriend/husband/children look like? I'm praying to have at least one of those. If not, I hope I am having a lot of fun, with a lot of close friends (preferably not friends in the convent) ! 

I think about God. A LOT. My relationship with Him is so strange...like a roller coaster really. But not a crazy one that makes you feel sick at the end. More of a calm roller coaster that goes at a pretty good speed, but has a few twists and turns in there to keep life interesting. But I think I like this type of relationship with God the most. Of course, I usually wish it were easier and that I had all the right answers, knew what was going to happen next, and could make others see God and change their lives. But that never feels right to me.  What feels right is being real with people. Just knowing them, doing what they like to do, and appreciating them for who they are. So, if you've been by my side throughout my spiritual ups and downs, thank you. I also apologize to you if I ever made you feel bad about not being closer to God. You know God in your own way and a relationship and experiences with Him are more real than what any person could ever tell you to do.

What I think about most these days, when no one is with me and my brain has time to slow down and be quiet, is of a wonderful friend I had. Her name is Lucy. If you know me, you already know how big of an impact this woman has had on my life, and how much I still think of her today and model many aspects of my life around things she taught me. I have written a lot about Lucy: memories, tributes, advice she used to give me. Also, if you know me, you are probably used to me writing so much about her and you probably think you already know what I will say! But I am probably going to say something you have yet to hear from me: death sucks. It is the most unfair, confusing, and harsh experience those of us who are still living will ever go through. I can't figure out why, I can't have that person back. Despite all the memories I have, I can't relive them. Each time I try to remember Lucy's voice or laugh, it gets a little harder, and it scares me. I can think of all the things I would have, should have done or said, but none of it seems right. The one good thing about death is that it gives you hope and passion for life. Since Lucy's death, I have done more and more everyday to push myself. Not only have I pushed myself more physically and intellectually like Lucy used to influence me to do, but I push myself spiritually the most. I have never felt so close to God as I did right after losing Lucy. I literally felt like I was in His arms and they were both comforting me and doing amazing things in my life for months after she was gone. That is a feeling that cannot be topped by much.

Relationships, God, death; all the main points of this post, and all the most profound experiences we have as humans. I think that Lucy, and probably anyone else who has every passed away, was probably terrified at first. But I believe there comes a beautiful moment, one that I know my friend experienced, where all three of those things come together and life on earth and life in Heaven connect and make sense. 

This post isn't meant to motivate anyone to do anything, to give advice, to make people happy, sad, mad, etc. It's just meant to make you think like I think (and to take off some of the burden from my sis to not have to be the only one hearing stuff like this!) And to allow you to take a step back and evaluate what makes life beautiful and worth it to you.

Love,

Alanna

Sisterly Conversations on: Hotties of the Games

Good day Olympi-fans! As you all know, today marks the unfortunate end of the 30th Olympiad, otherwise known as the Summer Olympics of 2012, otherwise known as the thing that has been literally sucking up my time for the past 2 weeks. I don't know what I will do now that they are over, but they have left many special moments to reflect back on. 

There were many olympic highs and lows for me. Most of the lows involved me sitting on my couch after a long day at work, quietly shedding tears into a Lean Cuisine while watching Michael Phelps on the medal stand for the last time, Missy Franklin reuniting with her adorable parents after she won gold for the first time (thanks for the spoiler, Today Show commercial), Aly Raisman clinching gold for the women's gymnastics team, Lolo Jones' devastation at not medaling in the hurdles, OneDirection (who Al Michaels affectionately calls "One-D") performing in Olympic Stadium on the back of an 18-wheeler flatbed trailer, commercials like this: 

and generally crying anytime other people cried/showed emotion. Seriously, this was me every night:

(Gus is a "sympathetic crier" and I sympathize with that)

Despite the many emotional lows I (along with everyone else in the world) experienced, there were also many emotional highs. Many of them were mentioned in the previous post about the faces of the games. Well, not that mummy guy. I mean seriously dude, these are the OLYMPIC games, not the HUNGER games. I think you can afford an eye patch. Or at least a clean bandage. However, some of the highest of the highs came from watching what I refer to as........

THE HOTTIES OF THE GAMES!

I mean come on....did you think I would forget? Or that I wouldn't include pictures? I'll let these speak for themselves. You're welcome.

 Andy Roddick, American tennis player

  Cameron Van Der Bergh, South African swimmer (although less attractive now that he admitted to cheating during his gold medal race in the 100m breast stroke).

 Chad Le Clos, South African swimmer (his dad provided me with another emotional low after he openly wept on camera after Chad beat Michael Phelps in the 200m fly)

Cristian Savani, Italian indoor volleyball player

 David Beckham, all around British hottie and Olympic torch bearer

David McKienzie, American indoor volleyball player

James Magnusson, Australian swimmer 

Louis Smith, British gymnast

Marcel Nguyen, German gymnast

Mitchell Watt, Australian long jumper

Nathan Adrian, future lover. I mean what? Oh...American swimmer.

 Oscar Pistorius, the wonderboy South African runner who is a double amputee! And certified hottie.

Phillip Boy, German gymnast

Ricky Berens, American swimmer (and former Longhorn!!!!)

Ryan Lochte, American swimmer/I imagine America's #1 douche lord

Tom Daley, British diver (yes, he is 18. I checked)

Well fellow Olympi-fans! That's all! The olympics are over, but the hotties remain and can luckily be seen year round. Apparently they compete in other things throughout the year. Who knew? But consider me the world's biggest diving, gymnastics, swimming and track fan because of it! What's that you say? You want me to close out this blog with more photos of Nathan Adrian? I'd be happy to oblige.

Whatcha doin' to Natalie Coughlin there, Natey? HANDS OFF.

Sisterly Conversations on: Olympic Photos from a Smartphone

2012 Summer Olympics. What can you say really??? The past two weeks have been a series of sporting events that have been in a class of their own. If you've been living under a rock, specifically one that does not receive Wi-Fi or cable television access, you haven't seen the Fab Five U.S. Women's gymnastics team win gold, or witnessed Michael Phelp's "last race" (even though the Sisters are pretty sure he will be pulling a Brett Favre and will come out of retirement for the 2016 Olympics), or learned to love and hate Usain Bolt at the same time for his mix of cockiness and humility (is that possible?) each time he sets a world record. I also feel bad for you living under that rock because it's probably pretty uncomfortable...and dark.

...This Olympiad is different. We can relive the moments through YouTube and NBC.com. There's DVR to slow down and freeze epic moments, such as Tom Daley in his post-dive cool down in the shower (just as a completely random example). NBC really has a way of capturing the U.S. population's attention. The combination of seeing 18-20-something-year-olds winning their first Olympic medals after decades of practice, photo and video montages set to inspirational music by American Idol one hit wonders, and Proctor and Gamble commercial dedications to moms of Olympians have touched many of us. If you had been one of the patrons at the wine bar I was at the night David Boudia ran into the stands to hug his mom after winning gold in diving, you probably would have been concerned about my teary-eyed reaction (I only had one glass)!

So to catch you up on many priceless Olympic moments, here are some freeze-frame shots of the "Faces of the Olympians." Six months from now, after all the tourists and crazy fans have left London and Mustafina and all those other cry baby Russian gymnasts are being punished in their homelands for failing to win gold, these pictures will be worth all the memories!

Yes, you're a stud, and yes you are excited to be winning...but you shirt says BRA, dude.

Get down with your bad self! This Kenyan runner seems to be celebrating by getting his Stanky Leg on.

Whoa! Rachel Dratch, when did you start playing volleyball for Brazil?!

If I was his opponent, I'd forfeit. YOU WIN, Mummy Man. Just...stay away.

Recipe for making Alanna cry: put an Olympic runner on the stand to be awarded a gold medal after he won his race as a tribute to his grandmother who passed away during last Olympics. Gets me every time. Good job, Mr. Sanchez!

Mick Jagger? Umm...what?

Ahhh, such a classic juxtaposition: triumph vs. defeat, pride vs. sorrow, poise vs. poor-sport/get over yourself/you can't be the best at everything even if NBC says you are

Sanya! One classy lady. Bet you didn't know you had a fan club. As of right now there are only 2 members. Can we be your best friends?

And of course, the people you can never forget: Aly Raisman's parents. Man this must have been what my mom looked like during all my Spelling Bee & Choir competitions. Yep, I kept her on the edge of her seat of the same emotional roller-coaster that threw Mr. & Mrs. Raisman for loops each time their daughter landed a double back tuck back hand spring!

Well Olympifans, 2012 has been a summer to remember. So everyone have fun joining your local gym to use the swimming pool to improve your breast-stroke and reducing the time of your 15-minute mile, only to realize that you would probably feel a lot better if you just spent your time Googling pictures of Nathan Adrian or Alex Morgan. 

Signing off from London, Cheerio mates!!

-Alanna

Sisterly Conversations on: Olympic Sexual Innuendos

"She has three snatches, and they all look really good."

Good day, fellow Olympi-fans!! We are back at you live from London 2012! Really though, we're in Alanna's living room. Pity.


Today I will be discussing the inadvertent sexual innuendos that commentators often come up with in the heat of competition. The quote that begins this post is one of them, coming from some men doing commentary for women's weightlifting: a truly majestic and delicate sport. I'm not too sure what a snatch is in terms of weightlifting (or really why we are even watching weightlifting, other than the fact that we. are. dedicated.) but the remarks about her three snatches were my inspiration for this blog.


As you can imagine, many sexual refs come into play in the sport of volleyball. For example, there were many gems tossed out during the US women's match against South Korea. I almost said North Korea, but I've heard they get really angry if you mix them up. Or is that North Korea that gets mad for being confused for South Korea? Whatever. At one point, the rather attractive announcer let the whole world know that "Kim got stuffed".


........nice.


Of course there were various references to hitting, killing and spiking balls, all which sounded equal parts painful and hilarious.


Perhaps my favorite came in the women's breaststroke where Rowdy Gaines (the only person whose name I can remember....because it's Rowdy) commented on how good the female swimmer's breast looked. Of course, he was talking about her stroke (I hope) but he should take the time to add the word "stroke" afterwards next time, just to be on the safe side. Unless he really was talking about her boob.  I mean, I don't know what he likes. 

That's all for now, lads and lassies! I'll leave you with the diving Brit that just appeared on my television screen.

Ohh Tom Daley. So glad you're 18.

Sisterly Conversations on: The XXX Olympiad!

Hello Sister Blog fans! It's been a while...and we are live from London 2012! OK, we aren't really there, but they should have let us go. We've really started to embrace the culture: using British accents, watching Harry Potter in between commercials, and driving on the wrong side of the road (that didn't work out well). Day 2 of the Olymps and the Sisters have become quite the commentators. So far, we have recorded and watched approximately 20 + hours of Olympic coverage. We've seen everything from Her Majesty parachuting with Daniel Craig, Mr. Bean playing the piano, Croatian basketball players (is that an oxymoron?), and of course our favorite so far, the U.S. Swim Team performing "Call Me Maybe."

Move over Bob Costas, we'll tell you all about our faves/key players to watch so far:

A special swimmer has really caught our fancy. You may think we are referring to Michael Phelps - the man, the legend, the Subway avocado spokesperson. Really it's all about the Lochte though. Ryan Lochte that is. I mean, what is there to say, really? He's good at propelling his body through the water...umm, he can hold his breath pretty good...and of course he has lots of other aquatic talents. But there is something else about this supreme Olypian that really impresses us. We aren't really sure what it could be. What do you think?

Heyyy-oooo...

We have also become comfortable with having girl crushes on Olympians. It is completely normal and healthy (12 out of 13 psychologists approve). Take me (Alanna) for example. I've developed quite an admiration for Natalie Coughlin. I'm convinced that if I had been an Olympian/swimmer/athlete of any kind, I would be like Natalie: she is classy, sophisticated (wears pearls when she swims  !! ), and choreographed the above referenced CMM (Call Me Maybe - thanks for the abbreviation Sarah Pace!) video. *Sigh* My Hero!!

Who's a bad-ass?...THIS girl!

V has also has a girl crush/slight obsession with her old pal from UT, Destinee Hooker (yes, that is the name her mother so graciously gave her). She says she hopes that Destinee Hooker and Kevin Durant, another UT athlete/Olympian (in case you've never heard of him) get married and have ridiculously tall, attractive, superhuman Olympic babies. What I think is that she will be jealous and really wants D. Hooks to be her BFF for life.

Real conversation/commentating between the Sisters during the Olympics Women's Indoor Volleyball game:

Alanna: There's D.Hooks! You were friends at UT?

V: Yep, I stood in line next to her in the cafeteria. I was like [looks 5 feet above her in awe as if trying to see Destinee's face].

We've also been using new "Phrases of Destinee" while watching volleyball:

"You can't escape Destinee."

"Destinee is in control!"

"Don't fast forward! You can't rush Destinee!"

What V looked like standing next to Destinee in the UT sandwich line.

That's all for now, our fellow Olympi-fans! Check in with the Sisters later in the games for more of our opinions on sports, muscular physique, and tea and crumpets!

Too-da-loo, mates!

We. Love. You.

Sisterly Conversations on: Questioning my own sanity...again

V, I see your awkward apartment times and raise them by 5! Top 5 Awkward Apartment moments (when no one is watching). I am sure those of you who know me and have spent time in my fine little abode have your own list of curious things that have happened. And I am sure they are funny and embarrassing, probably most embarrassing for me. But, hey, what else is new? Am I right?! But sometimes the weirdest things happen when no one is there to witness, and that's when I have no choice but to laugh as I imagine what I look like while these things are happening to me. Who knows I could be making these stories up, but after reading the following list, I think you will want to believe they are true.


So with that being said...here are my TOP 5 AWKWARD MOMENTS at my apartment(when no one is watching):


5) Hearing my newlywed neighbors screaming next door, unable to tell if they were fighting, playing, or doing something else that involves screaming. So I, being a good neighbor friend, stood listening at the wall through a glass held up to my ear, waiting for signs of danger. I feel like they could tell I was there and thought I was weird. I mean, they would never answer when I came over to borrow an egg...


4) My very first (and only thanks to the ridicule of Kevin and CJ) Halloween party. CJ thought it would be "cool" to dress up as this character from Space Jam...

....You're right...I don't know what to say either. But the point is that CJ is not normally this color, so he got the idea to paint his entire body purple. Thus, for years (yes, years) afterward, I was finding purple smudges ALL OVER my apartment: on the walls, on the refrigerator door handle, in the refrigerator (who knows it was a crazy night). 




3) Then there is the time I watched my old Vietnam Vet neighbor walk his tiny white dog while I was watering my plants on the patio. He is usually not wearing a shirt (definitely not T. Lautz material), he always wears some form of burnt orange/UT pants or gym shorts, and is always carrying a beer. Well, I watched him putz around with his dog for a little bit. But after a while, that short jaunt around the tree got to be too much and Mr. Vietnam had to take a rest on the wooden ledge. I watched him to make sure he was okay. Then slowly, like a little shirtless, drunk baby, he fell asleep. Just like that. Chin to chest, snoozin' while his little dog did his thing. I looked around: no one else seem to notice the old man, so I just let him be.




2) I hate bugs. It is rare that they find their way into my apartment, but if they do...then they are dumb not to trust their bug senses that this is the end. Any bug that comes in meets its demise with Black Flag bug spray. Its mainly for scorpions and bees and such (bugs I've never actually had). But hey, I figure the extra strength stuff always does the trick. One morning I was just trying to eat my eggs when I see a roach crawl up my living room wall. I guess I could just leave it because that is how scared I am of roaches, but then I think about where it could end up later in the day if I leave it: in my bed, in my shoe, in my shower cap. I shudder at the thought. So I become enraged, like the hulk. I run to find a broom, beat the roach off the wall, all the while screaming things like "YOU BASTARD, *&&#@!@" (you know, things to get myself pumped up). This is awkward because it's probably 7am and the floors and walls aren't that thick. And my neighbors have ears. I'm pretty sure they were judging me. I stomp on it under the broom, attack it with the Black Flag, but it doesn't die. Then I go all Ryan Gosling on this bug and do something like this (GRAPHIC CONTENT AHEAD!)

Sorry to scare you, Carey.






1)And this has happened multiple times, but I will sum it up into a couple examples. It's one thing to have funny/awkward things happen to you when you are alone. But sometimes it gets so bad that I start to argue with myself. And not even with myself. I imagine in my head having a conversation with someone that I know. Maybe I'm anticipating talking with them later that day, or maybe I'm remembering how a conversation went in the past. But then I will randomly respond out loud. Usually I am arguing with that other person so I will just blurt out angry comments. For example, I'll be scrubbing the bathtub and then a random, "BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TO STUDY IN GROUPS," will come out. Or I might be hanging up clothes in the closet and grumpily scoff, "Ha! Why don't you bring coffee cake for the office?!" Jeez...why don't they just listen.?(Disclaimer: I am not schizophrenic!)


-Alanna

Sisterly Conversations on: Awkward Apartment Visits

I guess the idea for this blog was supposed to be a "conversation", in which someone writes a blog entry and then the other person focuses on something from that entry and writes a new one based on said focus. Or, if it wasn't it is now (take note, Alanna).


I will start by saying that everything in the previous "bragging on little sis" blog is true. I refute nothing. I am a genius. I am hilarious. I do give death stares. I do look like my sister (supposedly.......). I would like a Beaver Nugget. However, one thing that was not mentioned is that I am awkward. Alanna and I once ran into some douche she used to know at Express (a fascinating story in itself) and when he asked me how I was, I responded: "it's hot." Direct quote. I am a master of the awkward run in, awkward hugs, awkward silences, the awkward laugh, awkward small talk, the awkward eye-contact-when-you're-staring-at-someone-so-you-quickly-pretend-to-be-staring-at-something-over-their-head maneuver. I am also a master of the awkward apartment visit.


What is an awkward apartment visit, you may ask yourself? In my case, the awkward apartment visit (referred to as the AAV) happens whenever the maintenance man, plumber or pest control man make any stop at apartment 512 (apartment numbers changed to protect the innocent). Every. Single. Time.


The first AAV happened in December while I was getting ready to go Christmas shopping on my day off. The first thing to understand about the AAV is that my apartment complex has maybe two criteria for hiring maintenance men:
1) extremely old
2) procrastinator


It never fails that I put in a request for some sort of small, girlish activity to be performed and roughly three weeks later, I can finally stop showering in my own bath water because Elmer (name NOT changed to protect the innocent) has come to unclog my shower drain of my small hair wig. 


ANYWAYS, this is basically the task that was coming to be performed on this day. Since I never know when Elmer is coming, 9 times out of 10 I am not prepared for his arrival. This day was cold so I was wearing boots. I've learned that the best boot wearing happens when you tuck your jeans into your tallest pair of socks to avoid bunchage. This was the task I was performing when Elmer came-a-knocking and I answered my door with my jeans tucked into my socks like some kind of hipster, Austinite hillbilly.


Ok, maybe not so bad. Perhaps the time I requested to have my leaky faucet fixed will provide you with a better picture of the AAV. Again, I put my request in and for a week straight, I made sure that my bathroom was cleared of any jeans, bras, undergarments, socks, Jonas Brothers t-shirts (true story), whatever, before I left for the day. Every day, for a week. The one day I was late for class and didn't have time to clean up after myself is the day the faucet gets fixed. There's also a good chance I had been wearing that JoBro t-shirt (amongst other unmentionables) and it/they was/were now laying out for the world to see. Or maybe just Elmer.


The plumber came when I needed the work that Elmer did, undone. It turns out when he fixed my leaky faucet, he made the handle turn the wrong way. It never bothered me, but it apparently bothered everyone else. This one was a true record breaker, because it took them TWO MONTHS to come fix it. In the mean time, my drain stopper had also broken. This meant that the plumber was in for an extended visit! And I was in for a treat too, since I was home with nothing to do but clean my apartment and make small talk. Things started off okay. The plumber smelled like outside and sweat and had made my carpet and bathroom tile dirty with his work boots, for which I was internally giving him a DS. However, things quickly got very awkward when he called me over from my bedroom where I had been making the bed. He asked me if I could "clear out the cabinet under the sink" so that he could work. I walked in and was horrified to find him standing at an open cabinet with TEN (10!!!!!!) different bags/boxes/cartons/buckets/barrels of feminine products staring both of us in the face. He tried to look away while I attempted to scoop them all up in to my arms at once and failed, miserably. He finally put me out of my misery when he handed me a basket that had also been under the sink to carry them in (I'm not even lying) and told me that was "good enough" and he had enough space to work. A true gentleman. The visit was all downhill from there as he tried to make small talk with me for a good half hour about the UT golf team winning the National Championship (boring) and things he learned from infomercials (also boring). I just couldn't get past the wall of tampons that had probably cascaded down on him when he opened my cabinet. Or when they spilled out of my arms. It was like there was an unspoken, large elephant in the room.


Or maybe that's just how I perceived the situation. Because I'm awkward.