August 29, 2011

With the heat continuing to rise, it is difficult to believe summer break has ended.  Instead of embracing this fact, I was able to extend it just a bit longer this evening.  With my Monday ending at an unbelievable 6 p.m., I opted for a bit of relaxation at Barton Springs Pool where I met Kate and two of her friends visiting from Ireland.  I wasn't able to hop in for a swim as I forgot to bring a towel, but laying on the lawn was about as relaxing as an early Monday evening could be.  Although the temperature was well above 100 degrees, there was a cool breeze coming off of the pool making the air feel much less stifling.  With less people than usual, it was also serene and quiet, intermittently punctuated by the sound of the diving board popping, followed shortly by the sound of a splash in the water.  If there was a soundtrack for the end of summer, I think these sounds would be on it. 

August 28, 2011

I'd originally planned on beginning the day running, as in continued running I'd begun the night before.  This was not in the cards for me and, instead, I began the day sleeping.  In fact, I spent nearly the entire asleep, although I did keep it interesting my sleeping in various places.  My first bout of sleep was followed by brunch at Jack Allen's Kitchen on Highway 71.  Afterwards, I took a warm nap in the shade by the pool.  Despite being in the shade, I was so drained from the sun I needed a post-nap nap inside.  After dinner and some lounging while spectating, I trudged back to bed.  I'm assuming the mental acrobats, and perhaps the running, from last night are what led to an entirely exhausted me today.  Nothing wrong with a lazy, sleep-filled Sunday, though!  

August 27, 2011

Tonight was a lesson in limits and respecting those limits.  After my last 30K in Johnson City, I began experiencing some inner knee pain with my left knee.  I tried a short recovery run a few days after the race and could barely finish.  I decided to hold off on running to allow the knee to heal before tonight's 60K and opted for yoga, instead.  As I toed the start line tonight, I was nervous as to how my knee would hold up.  Before the first aid station, which was four miles into the race, my knee began to ache.  Every step was painful.  After finishing the first 15K loop, I took some ibuprofen and began my second loop.  I've learned these races involve a fair number of cost-benefit analyses:  forgo filling up water to save time versus ensuring I have enough until the next station; solid food versus a packet of peanut butter; finishing the 60K this evening versus being able to run 50 miles at Cactus Rose.  Painfully, in a power of will kind of way, I made the decision to drop out of the race at the 30K mark.  While I felt a great deal of disappointment in not finishing a goal I'd set for myself, I am proud of my resolve to respect my ultimate race goal and listen to the cues my body was giving me.  Plus, I should keep reminding myself that running a 30K, at night, at the height the hottest summer on record, is nothing to scoff at.  Off to recover, I go. 

August 26, 2011

Austin is such a small town, yet I'm always surprised who I run into in the most random of places.  About a month or so ago, I sold my car so I could buy my Land Rover, Brutus.  I put an advertisement for the car on Craigslist and made a deal with the first person to respond.  His car had just decided to call it a day, so he was looking for something cheap and dependable.  After an amazingly quick and painless transaction at the University Federal Credit Union on the Drag, we shook hands and went our separate ways.  Today, however, I ran into him at the original Kerbey Lane Cafe.  We caught up, me asking how the car was treating him and he asking how school was going for me.  Had he not mentioned he parked in front of me outside, I'm thinking I may have tried to drive off in my old car out of sheer habit.  I felt a slight twinge of nostalgia as I drove past my dear old Elana. 

August 25, 2011

One last vestige of summer on my first "Friday" of the new semester:  a rendezvous to Shady Grove for the tail end of their Unplugged at the Grove series.  Similar to Blues on the Green, Shady Grove teams up with local sponsors to provide free live music on Thursdays during the summer.  Tonight was Uncle Lucius.  There are a few bands out there with deceiving names, which always keep me from checking them out.  When I found out the name of tonight's band, I was bit suspicious of what kind of music they might be playing, and at Shady Grove no less!  Contrary to images that come to mind at the mention of "Uncle Lucius," the music was a relaxing folk sound with warm vocals and a good mix of slow, quiet songs with upbeat tunes.  Laying on the somehow green lawn of Shady Grove, praying for a cooling breeze, and enjoying a Live Oak Hefeweizen allowed me to forget the end of my last free summer.  Where did this summer go?

August 24, 2011

Seeing this invoice upon opening the box, whoever it was who opened the package left on my doorstep this morning must have had a visceral reaction and left the box where they found it.  I suppose I should react the same way, but instead, I just rolled my eyes.  Without intending to sound jaded, arrogant, or otherwise, today just didn't seem like the first day of class.  I have so many other things to think about right now, lecture, readings, and casebooks are the last things on my mind.  It seems this mindset has developed gradually over every semester with more of my time being taken up by obligations other than lecture or readings more often than not.  In fact, lecture seems like a bee or fly buzzing irritatingly around my ear.  Looks like this will be one long year. 

August 23, 2011

The day before the first day of class is probably one of my most productive of the year.  Over the course of the preceding months, my to-do list generally just grows exponentially every week.  For whatever reason, I don't get much done during the summer.  Perhaps it's the heat, or maybe it's because I feel as if I have an infinite amount of free time and figure my list will get taken care of eventually.  Knowing I won't get a single thing crossed off the list once school starts, however, I go into overdrive the day before the start of the semester.  Today was filled with trips to FedEx Kinkos, printing, binding, stuffing envelopes for clerkship applications, cleaning my apartment, organizing, and generally just getting my life back in order.  My stress levels will be much lower tomorrow with such a clean slate to begin the year with.  

August 22, 2011

When I was little, I hated birthdays if they weren't my own.  It would take every ounce of discipline young Kim could muster not to allow the jealousy to ooze out when her friend's parents wheeled a fantastic new bicycle into the living room, complete with a basket, horn, and tassels.  Thankfully, and as I've said before, I now love birthdays, especially birthdays other than my own.  Perhaps this is because none of my friends get bicycles or other fun toys anymore, but I'd like to think there's an element of maturity on my part tucked into the mix somewhere.  Tonight we celebrated Danielle's birthday, perfectly timed between her fantastic post-bar exam trips.  We took over the front window at El Chile on Manor, discussing things so ridiculous I can't even remember all of the topics of conversation.  Always a great time when we combine groups of friends, here's to Danielle on her birthday!  Happiest of birthdays to my dear friend!

August 21, 2011

Do you walk into your office to find bottles of bourbon?  Because apparently, I do.  Before heading to Houston, I stopped at the Journal office to get a few things done for articles, staff, work, clerkships, and the start of the new semester.  Little did I expect to walk into my office and find myself greeted by this massive bottle of Bulleit Bourbon, courtesy of my predecessor.  Rachel has hinted at the stresses of my particular position, but this has really made the point more than words ever could.  I'm thinking I'll treat the use of my new security blanket as I might treat Advil:  don't use it unless absolutely necessary.  I'm a fan of the strong spirits, but I'm thinking Bulleit might have me sidelined if I'm not careful.  Many thanks to Rachel for an unfortunately apt gift to begin the new semester!

August 20, 2011

Acting as the punctuation mark of a wonderfully long vacation is the pile of laundry that forms after unpacking my bags.  I know I packed half of my closet for the five day trip, but I really don't remember wearing most of those clothes.  I'm confused as to how I have a topplingly full basket, as well as a basketless pile of laundry right next to it.  My return from San Juan conveniently coincides with a quick trip to Houston, which is where my mom's washing machine and dryer also live.  Rather than having to schlep all of this to the laundry room at my apartment, hoping the machines aren't taken and people aren't thieving, I threw my laundry in the back of Brutus for tomorrow's trip to Houston.  Within three short hours, this behemoth of a pile of laundry will be washed, dried, and folded.  Convenience at its finest!  

August 19, 2011

After another relaxing day spent at Isla Verde beach and a round of homemade fish tacos, we ambled down beyond the city wall to catch the San Juan sunset.  The golden rays stretched longer and longer across the clear blue-grey skies and across the now calm waters.  We walked along the wall and down a pier at the original city gates, watching the sky grow darker, with more luminescent shades of gold, and warmer.  The scene was overwhelmingly beautiful, distinct from even the most gorgeous of Texas sunsets, void of the pollution-stained pinks, purples, and blues often part of what many describe as the most beautiful of evenings.  Rather, San Juan's sunset is purely natural.  

August 18, 2011

An early morning road trip found us on Isla de Vieques, a short road trip from San Juan and a rocky ferry trip from Fajardo.  Despite its stunning beauty, the island felt almost untouched by tourists.  We took a publico, a mix between a taxi and a bus, to the other side of the island to take advantage of more remote beaches.  For most of the afternoon, I peered out over my sun-kissed knees at perfectly blue water and a nearly cloudless sky.  I had suddenly found myself in the perfection of paradise, completely secluded from anything with any capacity to cause an inkling of stress.  We had the entire beach to ourselves:  no beach balls, no screaming children, no loud music.  Just us, the beach, and the relaxing sound of waves coming in and off the beach.  I'm not sure I've ever been more relaxed in my entire life.  

August 17, 2011

With the aid of our trusty now-Puerto Rican citizen, Alex Savage, we began our first day of our vacation with a trip to Old San Juan to see the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, one of the Old City's fortresses.  With the rain that came later in the afternoon, this is where we spent the majority of our tourist hours today.  The fortress was built in the 16th century and sits at the northwestern-most point of the island, at the mouth of a gorgeous bay.  It is a huge structure, with all of the original staircases, watch towers and windows, and an awe inspiring view of the wide open ocean.  We meandered about, as I snapped plenty of photos, wondering what it must have been like to live in San Juan when use of the fortress was more integral to survival than it was to a tourist's experience.  The views and history were incredible, and fitting, welcomes to paradise.

August 16, 2011

Traveling can be a chore, but it can also be the trove of amazing stories and random experiences.  Danielle and I's trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico began mid-afternoon today.  Our first story began as I inadvertently brought a butter knife through security.  How it found itself in my carry on, I'm not sure, but by 2 p.m., it was well on its way to San Juan.  Most of our time, when not on a plane, was spent in the Orlando airport, which proved to be a jackpot of stories.  I counsel against flying through Orlando for a number of reasons.  First, it is the reasonable way station for Disney World goers.  Second, Floridians seem to be an interesting, exceedingly outgoing, and spontaneous group of folk.  In between random outbursts of howling, strange yelling across the terminal, and apparent track meets from one end to the next, Danielle and I simply slid into a "whatever" mindset, relaxing our way into our vacation.  

August 15, 2011

Whenever I get my oil changed or my car inspected, I steel myself for the standard phrase: "Ms. McQuire?  Can you come out on the floor, we need to show you something."  There is always a filter that needs replacing, tread that has worn too thin, or some other likely ridiculous service my car simply must have.  Unless they tell me my car will blow up in some form or fashion, I usually politely decline to allow them to take a vacuum to my wallet.  Today, for the first time in nine years of taking my car to get serviced, I did not hear this phrase or any variation of it.  In fact, Brutus received a wonderful compliment from the fine folk at Midas, who told me everything looked fantastic and he was "a fine, really nice truck."  I'm curious if they put the smiley face on my service reminder sticker because they knew how happy I was not to hear the dreaded phrase or because Brutus makes them smile.  I'll put my money on both.  

August 14, 2011

As a big fan of brunch, I like to scope out brunch spots I've never been before.  I've been to Moonshine for dinner, but had yet to try their brunch buffet.  I'm not the biggest advocate of buffets, as they're difficult to execute:  the bread goes a bit stale, the eggs can get dry, and plenty of people have picked through the food before you have.  This being said, Moonshine still had me hooked, although more so for their breakfast cocktail menu than for the brunch menu, but I digress.  While the food was unique, the real draw of the meal was the company.  We met up with Camie, my grandmother's best friend who I say I've "inherited."  We've become very close over the past two years or so; she helps me feel as if I'm still connected to my grandma, while also being a wonderful source of support in my life.  I'm so lucky to call her my friend. 

August 13, 2011

Despite the lack of rain this summer, it was decided a float on the Comal River was in order, followed by a quick trip to Gruene, Texas.  After a late start, we spent a few hours meandering down the surprisingly quick-floating and relatively high-watered Comal.  The beer was cold and the people watching was spectacular.  After building up an appetite under the sun, we made our way to Gruene for dinner at the Gristmill.  The Gristmill is a huge restaurant, with a capacity of somewhere around 1,000 people.  With live music, beer-margaritas, and delicious queso, it was a great end to a quintessential summer day.  

August 12, 2011

A very bittersweet day.  On the one hand, it was my last day of work at a place I've really loved working; on the other hand, it was my last day of work at a place I've really disliked working.  The preceding week has been a countdown to this last day of work, focusing on the latter experience rather than the former, thinking "this is it, I'm almost out of here."  To celebrate the good experience, and the end of a terrible one, I was ridiculously spoiled with some delicious drinks and good times this evening.  A light dinner at Blue Dahlia, followed by mojitos at Dogwood, and ping-pong playing and hula-hoop spectating at Lustre Pearl made for a perfect Friday evening.  It was a fantastic way to end the work summer and begin my week and a half of relaxation summer. 

August 11, 2011

When people find out how much I enjoy eating out by myself, I get the strangest of looks.  It may seem strange, granted, but there is something entirely relaxing about enjoying your meal, people watching, and taking a moment to sit in relative solitude without having to carry on a conversation or entertain others.  Today was the first time I've been able to do this in a while and I'd forgotten how great it can be.  With a few extra hours on my hand, I decided on a late lunch at Wheatsville: Italian caprese salad with a spicy vegetable sandwich, both of which were deliciously fresh, perfectly fulfilling, and just what I was craving.  I watched the shoppers walk in and out of the store, the hipsters biking along Guadalupe, and dodged the fearless pigeons eyeballing my lunch.  The sounds of the passing traffic was oddly therapeutic, as well, perhaps in an urban-rolling-waves-sound kind of way, and helped me release any tension I'd built up recently.  With a stressful week behind me, it was a wonderful "reset" moment. 

August 10, 2011

A runner's worst nightmare:  a first inkling of a twinge of knee pain.  To be honest, the pain first started the morning after The Falls 30K, but I figured it was a function of running for four hours straight and would disappear with some rest.  It seems I was wrong.  The pain persisted and turned nearly blinding on my run this evening.  Pounding the trails and scaling the inclines at the Greenbelt was no easy task, as the pain would shoot through my knee at unpredictable moments.  As I am won't to do, I let my stubbornness dictate the course and I finished the run.  Five painful miles or so later, I am limping to my car and deciding whether I should ice with frozen edamame or frozen gel beads.  I've thankfully begun to learn my lesson and I will be resting as much as possible before the next race.  There's no reason to risk an incomplete series, and Cactus Rose, for the sake of getting in my usual runs.  Thus, I'll be back on the yoga mat for the time being.

August 9, 2011

As you may well know, I love birthdays.  Whether it's your birthday, my birthday, or a stranger's birthday, I love it.  Unfortunately, I can't come up with a distinct memory of celebrating Kate's birthday.  Moreover, I don't think I've ever seen Kate on her actual birthday as she is always in Montauk, soaking up the sun and relaxing on the beach.  To remedy the discrepancy, Kevin and I decided to put together a surprise birthday party for her this year.  We surprised her with balloons and birthday cannolis at Contigo, a fantastic bar and restaurant on the east side.  Somehow we managed to pull off the surprise, despite Kate's sharp intuition, and had a great time celebrating her birthday.  Although this is coming a full week late (except for the birthday phone call and text!):  happiest of birthdays to the person I am extremely blessed to call my best friend!  

August 8, 2011

Trying to walk or jump as normal after spending an hour jumping on a trampoline is a depressing endeavor.  Life just isn't as exciting when you're not a foot off the ground every few seconds.  When I was a little girl, I would daydream about having a house with trampoline floors.  I was never quite sure how it would all work out, but I was intent on making it happen.  With this history, I'm surprised I'd never thought to inquire about so-called trampoline parks.  A trampoline park is my childhood daydream come to life, without the mortgage payment or shaky living logistics.  It is a huge room with nearly wall-to-wall trampolines of different elasticity, making for plenty of entertainment and an almost instant reversion to acting like a child.  With trampoline parks around, it looks like I can have my second choice in flooring:  hardwoods rather than trampolines.

August 7, 2011

Now with the experience to back it up, I confidently can say there is nothing quite as relaxing of a Sunday as one spent sipping wine at a Texas vineyard.  With a five hour window between noon and 5 p.m., we decided on three vineyards, but only made it to two.  Our first stop was Stone House Vineyard, which is about six miles off of Highway 71 outside of Austin.  After tasting half a dozen or so wines, we decided on a glass to enjoy on the shaded patio while trying not to be too affected by the heat.  Their red wines were smoky and bold, while their white wines and rose were buttery and perfectly shy of too dry.  Next was Spicewood Vineyards, which I decided I wanted to visit yesterday after seeing their colorful signs on the way to the race.  Each of their wines were surprising, unique, and entirely too amazing.  Each was my favorite over the last, although the chardonnay was a slight frontrunner.  A glass of riesling and a cheese plate later, I was spilled into the car to get back to Austin safely and just in time for a recovery nap, the third vineyard being entirely unnecessary.  A deliciously perfect Sunday! 

August 6, 2011

Some of the makings of an incredible trail race:  water, Born to Run, sun screen, and the promise of a new medal to hang up with the others.  Today we ventured out to Pedernales Falls State Park in Johnson City, Texas for The Falls, the second in the Capt'n Karl's night race series.  I was more nervous about this race than the last due to the increased heat, but I was determined to best my own time.  A three, two, one countdown and the race began.  A single track down to the now-dry falls, across the cracked riverbed and up along the fence line, a four mile run under the slowly setting sun.  A quick dousing with cold water at the first aid station and back against the fence.  After a few miles meandering through the trees, up and down some hills, and I found myself at the second aid station.  Four miles through more technical trail, a few climbs, and a fully set sun, and there appeared mile twelve with one aid station left before the finish.  Next up was a solid three and a half miles, a quick splash of water, followed by the best three miles I've ever run.  I crossed the finish line at four hours, a solid half an hour faster than my last 30K.  This truly was the best race of my still-short trail running life, without a doubt.  With this in my pocket, I'm looking forward to a 60K at The Shoe! 

August 5, 2011

Driving in Houston is something I wouldn't wish on anyone.  Drivers are obscenely dangerous, aggressive, and drive faster than if they were in a Nascar race, not to mention the seemingly constant traffic.  There is one exception to this rule, though, and it is in Rice Village.  One reason for the discrepancy are the police officers in the area, who will pull a driver over for a suspicious use of a left turn signal.  Because of this, drivers are more cautious, less insane, and the drive is actually pleasant.  Another reason for Rice's exceptional driving experience is the neighborhood itself.  The homes are gorgeous, the trees are lined with old, and often overarching, trees, and and there is always something going on in the area.  Driving through Rice Village almost makes one forget they are actually in Houston; too bad it takes a few blocks to be so reminded.

August 4, 2011

An all-is-well emergency circumstance took me to Houston this evening, which gave me the opportunity to catch up with some fine folk.  Although Houston really has developed its own unique social culture of late, there are pockets of Austin throughout.  We found ourselves at Cedar Creek Cafe, a bar and restaurant I thought could have been plucked straight out of east Austin and placed in the Heights.  Not only did the ambiance scream Austin, so did the clientele, which ranged from hipsters to a kitten-pushing, Kenny Rogers look-alike.  To be sure, Cedar Creek can't quite stand up against Austin, but the company I was with more than made up for any discrepancy.  

August 3, 2011

Today has been a lesson in perspective.  When I woke up this morning, I realized the odd smell in my kitchen was coming from my broken refrigerator.  I decided to keep my cool (pun intended?) and just call in a maintenance request while I was at work so it would be fixed by the time I got home.  Going about my day, however, proved impossible once I got a phone call requesting I come open my apartment for them, as their key was not working, and wait for the repairs in case they needed something else from me.  To be succinct, a few calming breaths were necessary.  Perspective, I kept telling myself, was the fact of incredible famine and drought in Africa compared with my curdling tzatziki sauce and wilting triple-washed lettuce renders my day one full of non-issues.  Perspective, I forced myself to remember, is my understanding I can take the afternoon off to deal with the "issue," and still get a paycheck and have a job the following day, while others cannot.  Perspective is knowing I am able to drive down the street for lunch, rather than being forced to go hungry.  So, from my perspective, today could have been much worse.

August 2, 2011

For someone who loves Austin so very much, and who understands how parking meter revenue can help the city, it may come as a surprise to know I am the worst at consistently paying parking meters.  Sometimes I forget to pay for more time and sometimes I just fail to pay at all.  Rarely do I pay for the entire time I actually occupy the parking spot, though.  If I were to add up the money I have paid in parking tickets, I'm pretty sure I would faint from all the zeros.  This summer I started playing a stupid game to see how long I could go without paying my meter without getting a ticket:  I would pay for the first three hours, but not the fourth.  It started off as sheer forgetfulness, but then it became a challenge.  Not wanting to jinx myself, I didn't tell anyone about my criminal activity, not wanting to hasten the appearance of a little white envelope under my windshield wiper.  For whatever reason, I decided to spill the beans today and, low and behold, this is what I find once I left work this afternoon.  Moral of the story?  Don't tell secrets.  ...among other lessons.

August 1, 2011

Everyone seems to make their way back to Austin sooner or later.  I've come and gone a number of times, so it is no surprise to me when I find out people are making plans to move back to the Promised Land once again.  Tonight was Randy's triumphant return to Austin after spending quite some time in Boston, a few years at Berklee and a few years doing jobs having zero relation to his degree.  In honor of his homecoming, we grilled and relaxed at Nadia's.  Tonight was full of reminiscing on the value of a great sunrise, the days each of us first met Randy, and even shenanigans from our days in high school.  It will be nice to have Randy around again, life perhaps will be a bit louder and more rambunctious, but nice nonetheless.

July 31, 2011

With a few races to my name, I've had my fair share of experiences both with good spectators and with bad spectators: holding a "You're almost there!" sign within the first mile of a 13 mile race is bad spectating; clapping and yelling a simple "way to go!" is good spectating.  I haven't been one of these athlete harassers in quite some time, though, and forgot how tiring of a job it can be.  Of course, it is an entirely different kind of tiring than actually being in the event, but post-spectating naps aren't entirely out of the question either.  Today I cheered on at a triathalon at the Texas Ski Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas.  The transition area was a short walk from the start and finish line, but figuring out about what time those transitions should be happening, paired with the relentless sun, and my unfortunate choice to forgo breakfast and water (really?) took its toll on my energy stores, more so than any race I've ever done.  Early afternoon found me passed out like a sack of bricks for an incredible and wonderfully long nap.  The whole experience gives me a greater and renewed appreciation for the folks who make it out to the Middle of Nowhere, Texas to cheer us on for hours.

July 30, 2011

Sunsets are, in my opinion, one of the most gorgeous natural happenings on this planet.  As an added bonus, it happens every single day.  With busy days filled with work, training runs, and happy hours, I usually miss or fail to realize the setting sun.  I finally caught it tonight, though, with the aid of the 360 Bridge look-out.  The sky was an interesting mix of white clouds, blue skies, and a strange band of darkness, stretching from downtown all the way to west Texas.  As the sun set, the sky was filled with a melange of pinks and gold tones, which paired beautifully with the glittering water of Lake Austin.  I have to wonder if other cities experience such incredible sun sets.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm so lucky to be able to call this city and this state my home sweet home.

July 29, 2011

I've come across some pretty interesting legal research questions in the past few years, but most of them are easily answered in a few short hours with the aid of Lexis or Westlaw.  No need to move much further than to reach for a cup of hot coffee or to find a working highlighter.  Today, however, found me at the Texas State Library and Archives to answer a completely novel, and a particularly interesting, question:  why did the Texas legislature make a distinction between "beer" and "ale?"  My research began on Westlaw, but I quickly realized my question would take me back decades, resources for which have yet to be put online.  So today, with great care lest the archive librarian blow an already short fuse, I sorted through minutes and documents of the Texas Alcohol Commission, the Texas Brewer's Association, and the original bill files from the late 1800s through about the 1950s.  I didn't find a definitive answer today, but hopefully it will be lurking in one of these remaining dusty old boxes.