Spooky Spaces: Halloween Decoration Guide

Guys. I love, love Halloween. Really, I love all of the holidays between October and December to an unhealthy degree and Halloween is the first chance I really have to go all out! Because J and I are in different cities this year, we've gotten to pick two different themes to run with. He is clearly into the Zombie/Scary theme...

J's door for reference. Courtesy of Target Dollar Spot! 

And I'm more into the Spooky/Witches/Black cat scene. (Alternative themes include: Day of the Dead and Slasher Chic of course).

So for the Spooky/Witches/Black cat theme, I'm thinking glittery black candles, gold accents, and some aged-looking wood to give it a Knockturn Alley-type feel.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

When J and I first started decorating for Halloween, I remember a bunch of the stuff available being super cheesy (all orange, black, and pumpkin) so it's been nice to see some variety pop up! I also love the fact that a ton of stuff (the tea light candle holder, the black glitter candle, and even the flask) can be used for other things since they aren't so overtly Halloween-y.

Best of all, this lets me combine my love for Harry Potter and Halloween into one fun theme! I think this'll make the perfect place to post up drinking warm cider and watching Nightmare Before Christmas (Is this a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? I'm not sure we'll ever know).

How to Shake Off the Mid-Day Slump

Hey guys! I wanted to apologize for not responding to your great comments! I've been fighting off a nasty bug and have been spending a ton either sleeping or wishing I were sleeping. I'm heading back to work today and I'm hoping to have at least a somewhat productive day, unlike Tuesday.

On Tuesday, I was at work sifting through cases and writing summaries and I noticed I was working slower and slower. Finally, I just couldn't focus at all. I drank coffee but it didn't help. I re-read the same sentence 10 times and I still didn't fully comprehend it. It was that kind of day. The problem with those kinds of days is that they can derail your productivity for the week. I didn't have 8 hours to lose to inefficient, groggily skimmed work methods. I needed to get my head back in the game.

Whether or not you're sorting through research, studying for a final, or even cleaning the bathroom, we all have those days. These are some ways I've found to shake off the funk and get back on track!

• Listen to upbeat songs. Maybe even dance around a little. Dance can trigger an endorphin release that can perk you up and brighten your day.
• Try on some moves for size. Office yoga might just be the thing you need to relax an work through some of the frustration of the day. 
• Eat a sugary snack. I like to recommend fruit because it's a healthy option as far as sugary things go but some days, you might just need to mosey on over to the store and buy a slice of cheesecake. And that's okay, too.
• Take a walk outside. If you can get out for a bit, the fresh air can definitely liven you up. Coupled with the increased blood flow from your physical activity, it might result in a better mood once you're back on task!
• Read something engaging. Trying to read dense material when your brain is out to lunch isn't helpful for anyone. Instead, accept that these are going to be lost minutes anyway, and take 15-20 minutes for yourself. Read something that interests you or that makes you laugh. It can get your brain thinking and engaging again!

What do you do when you fall into the workday slump? 

Playlist for Fall

I like to make a new playlist every time the season changes. I've read that music is great at invoking memories and I like listening to a song years later and thinking, "Hey, that reminds me of Fall 2008." Plus, I've always liked the idea of creating soundtracks to my seasons. Spring is usually acoustic and mellow songs. Summer brings the party jams. Fall, then, is an interesting hybrid of both. There's the songs that are perfect for sitting next to a bonfire and then there's the songs perfect for dressing up for a Halloween night out on the town. (Winter is just Christmas music added to the Fall playlist).

Though I'm still working on rounding out this season's, I wanted to share with you guys my playlist so far! Warning, though, I have super eclectic taste in music so it's hard to describe what type of music is likely to appear on the playlists. For the most part though, it's just sounds that remind me of the season.

I hope you enjoy!

Life Lessons from the Courtroom

As part of my job, I get to go to hearings a few times a week. The first few times, I was mostly just overwhelmed at the sheer amount of things I'm going to be expected to remember. Then, once it started to feel more familiar, I started paying attention to the behavior of the attorneys and witnesses. What started off as a list of 'What To Do/What Not To Do' became a list of more generally applicable Dos and Don'ts. Who knew life and courtrooms had that much in common?

So without further ado....

1. Be still and listen.
2. People try to help you more often than you think. If you're not careful, you might miss it.
3. Being the loudest doesn't make you the most powerful (or the most effective).
4. Be the river, not the stone.
5. Know before you speak. If you don't, at least think before you speak. If you can't, don't speak.
6. Don't get ruffled by the whispers.
7. Pick your battles. Not everything is a war.

North Carolina Wedding Weekend

On Friday morning, J and I packed our bags and sleepily made our way down to the airport for a wedding weekend in North Carolina! Though we didn't get to sleep in, we did (or I guess, *I* did) pick up a salted caramel latte (which comes in 2nd place to the reigning favorite, Pumpkin Spice) and entertained ourselves with giant checkers, until I realized I was going to lose and waved the white flag.

We had a quick layover in Charlotte before bumping over to Raleigh. When we landed, the first thing I noticed were how tall the trees were. I know that sounds a little ridiculous but Texas is all about those big, open spaces. I'd almost forgotten that trees could grow so tall and that they could be colored yellow, orange and red. In Texas, trees are either green and blooming or dead. There really is no in between.

His aunt's house (where we were staying), is this gorgeous wooden house with rustic details hiding around every corner. Since we landed kind of late, we only had time to eat dinner and then curl up with wine and fleece blankets on the living room sofas before his cousin put on American Horror Story: Hotel. (I'd never seen any AHS before so I didn't really know what to expect. Even then, I was floored by some scenes. Like. What.)

The next morning, I had these grand plans of taking pictures of the trees for you guys but it ended up raining all day long. The sky was a gray overcast and the rain hitting the roof was enough to about lull me back to sleep. So it was back to the sofas and the fleece blanks for Saturday morning football until it was time to get ready.


























The wedding was about an hour's drive away on an island in the middle of a lake. By the time we arrived, the temperature had been steadily dropping all day but there was a break in the rain. I was able to snap some photos of the tiny details before the ceremony began.

When you need a ferry to get to your ceremony, you know you've made it

It was a beautiful wedding but the wind coming off the lake kept reminding me of the fact that I was absolutely freezing. J lent me his suit jacket but even then, I swear all of the tiny little hairs on my legs were standing straight up.

They had an open bar (blessedly) and with the insider knowledge that wine can make a person feel warmer (though not actually be warmer), I grabbed a glass and made my way to the reception (not blessedly, still outside).

Cutest table marker in the history of weddings

We ate, drank and eventually, danced the night away. There was a fire pit a little ways away that J and I roasted marshmallows over and warmed ourselves by before hitting up the dance floor again. (Disclaimer: we are both awful dancers). Then Sunday morning, it was another early flight followed by a long day of travel before I got back to Austin.

All in all, this weekend was a blast and I'm so glad I got to spend some time with J's family. I'd forgotten how tiring traveling can be, though, so tonight, you'll find me tucked into bed at an early hour.

I hope you all had a great weekend, too!

Fan of Fridays Vol. 2

Happy Friday! This week went by fast but I won't lie, I'm glad it's over. Each day was jam-packed and I'm looking forward to a (slightly) slower paced weekend. This week, I've been a fan of:

1. The Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffin candle from Target. They have a small size for $5 and a bigger size for $10 and when I first bought it, I got the smaller size because I tend to have candle ADD. But this candle smells amazing. I burned through the first one and ran back to Target for the bigger size! They smell so so good and are reasonably priced for a candle. If you're heading to Target, you should add it to your cart!

2. Travel days! J and I are leaving this morning to North Carolina! It's his cousin's wedding and his dad invited us to go up. I haven't been to North Carolina in a long time but from what I remember, it's beautiful. Plus, they're having cooler weather than we are, so I'm looking forward to this tiny taste of fall!

3. The new Sherlock trailer! It's no secret that I love TV, yet another reason why fall is one of my favorite seasons. But there's always a handful of shows that come out in January, including the new season of Sherlock! It's been so long since I finished the last season, I'm going to have to do some re-watching to be ready for the premiere. Any other BBC fans out there?

4. This possum cuddling a toy kangaroo! I'm a sucker for all things animal related so naturally, this melted my heart. No lie, when I first adopted Keller, I had hoped he'd be the kind of Chi who cuddled with tiny stuffed animals and who carried them around the house. Because I had these aspirations for him, no surprise, he has less than 0 interest in anything fluffy (besides blankets). Go figure. In the mean time, I'll keep looking at pictures of this possum.

5. The fall fashion all over the place. You guys know how I feel about fall and it does my soul good to know I'm not the only one obsessed with the upcoming sweater weather! Laura, Jen, Lauren, and Caroline are some of the ladies I've seen around the blogosphere killing it! Seriously, if you're posting about peacoats and ankle boots, holler at your girl. I'd love to read it!

What are you loving these days? Hopefully a fantastic weekend is one of those things! Happy Friday :)

The Weekly Happy Hour: Italic

This week found us all a collectively cranky, tired mess. You guys already know how I feel about Wednesdays in general but today was especially bad. After a 3 1/2 hearing that got out late, a terrible headache and backache, and the knowledge that I have a ton of packing to do tonight, I was worn down. Weirdly enough, Nat, Karls, and Ferj all felt the same way. So "Happy Hour" became the Complaining Hour and you know what? It was just what the doctor ordered.

This week, we went to a relatively new haunt called Italic. Due to said tiredness, I didn't get too many good pictures but they had a giant, suspended glass case of wine so that was pretty cool.

They had $4 glasses of wine and happy hour cocktails (I got the wine if you couldn't tell) as well as a few starters including a giant ball of cheese for $8. Yes please!

They also give some free sandwiches with the purchase of a drink so that's definitely a selling point! Overall, it was a decent happy hour. I particularly loved the part about the wine and cheese. Like most places downtown though, parking was terrible. Foodwise, they had some olives and prosciutto (pictured above), for $8ish and $10 respectively. Besides that, they had some $17 pizza which is just a little bit more than I was prepared to pay for pizza so I filled up on bread.

If you're really into Italian food or you're looking for a glass of cheap wine, I'd suggest it! Otherwise, you might want to have a quick peek at the surrounding blocks that are filled to the brim with restaurants.

Overall rating: 3/5

Fall Favorites

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 
5 / 6 / 7 / 8 

Part of what makes fall my favorite season (besides the holidays, the weather, the pumpkin spice, the salted caramel, and football) are the clothes. Don't get me wrong, I love a sundress as much as the next girl, but there's something about boots and scarves and sweaters that make me go all heart-eyed.

Since the weather is just now approaching 'cool' in Texas, I'm only now pulling my fall wardrobe out of its boxes and starting to scope out the stores for new additions. This year, I'm digging:

• The bucket bag trend
• Mixed metals
• Leather details
• Stacked heels 
• Riding boots (my forever love)
• And chunky, funkily patterned outerwear 

I've already managed to add some good things to my watch list. I like to find good pieces and then watch their prices for a few weeks/months because usually, they'll get discounted 5-50% at some point over that time period. Then I'm ready to snatch them up!

What are some of your favorite fall trends?

How To Increase Your Morning Productivity

Mornings, especially Monday mornings, can be rough. It can be hard shaking off the tiredness and remembering where you left off the day before. Because I don't like spending too many hours spacing out, I've been trying to find ways to be more productive in the morning. Here are some things I've found that work for me.

1. Make a list before you leave work or go to bed of the things you want to accomplish the next morning. This will give you a type of roadmap to utilize before the coffee's kicked in!

2. Start drinking your caffeinated beverage of choice (if applicable) about 30 minutes before you actually need to be productive

3. Wake up at least an hour before you need to leave for work. Everyone's groggy and kind of disoriented in the morning. It's best to leave that for stumbling around your apartment, so you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you get to the office or school.

4. Ease your way into the day. Break up a big problem into tiny, manageable chunks and start knocking them off your to do list. Otherwise, the big problem will start to seem overwhelming and may discourage you from starting!

5. On that note, sometimes it can help to make a rough schedule for your day. While this may not work for everyone, I find it best if I outline my day at the beginning, using my list from the night before as a starting off point. This way, I'm motivated by my self-imposed deadlines and I keep moving instead of getting bogged down in a single project all day. My list looks something like:

• 9 - 11 am: Research
• 11 am - 12 pm: Draft memo 
• 12 pm - 1 pm: Lunch/Errands
• 1 - 1:30 pm: Administrative things/meeting with attorneys
• 1:30 - 3:30 pm: More research (sometimes continued from this morning
• 3:30 - 5 pm: Outline task list for new projects.  

6. Take breaks. Studies have shown that workers are most productive when they work for 52 minutes then take a break for 17. Breaks are great for letting your brain sit on the idea for a while and who knows, you might have a stroke of brilliance when you come back!

I hope everyone has a decent Monday!

Fan of Fridays

It's Friday! We've conquered another week! Work wise, it was a pretty steady week with my hours filled from the moment I walked in to when I left in the evenings. Socially, it was kind of hectic, but in a good way- full of friends, delicious food, and tiny but tasty drinks. We are one month out from the bar results and I think we're all growing cognizant of that fact. I had my first freak out yesterday which does not bode well for the rest of the month!

But overall, October is hands down my favorite month. It's the first month it starts feeling fall-ish in Texas. There's football, pumpkin spice, and riding boots all over the place and it's my birthday month!

Here are some things I'm a fan of this Friday:

1. They found water on Mars! It's crazy to think about how long we've been exploring the planet (comparatively) and we're just now noticing this. Makes me wonder what else might be hiding up there....

2. This month, Sephora has an Origin sample box as their 500-point gift and included was the Checks and Balances face wash. HOLY COW YOU GUYS, I highly recommend hustling on over to Sephora and getting your hands on this. It smells like a peppermint and feels like silk. Not to mention, my face has felt so smooth and clean since I've started using it.

3.  The weather is finally starting to cool down in Texas which means boots are back in my life! I'll be doing a post about my favorites soon, but just having them sitting in the closet instead of packed away brightens my day!

4. The HONY series on Syrian refugees. For those of us not directly impacted by what's happening abroad, it's hard to fathom what these people are going through and exactly what is happening overseas. Brandon from HONY is interviewing refugees as they arrive in Greece as well as Grecians who are offering their help. The result is the most emotional, powerful series I've seen on HONY. Definitely worth a look if you haven't seen it yet.

Hoping everyone has a great weekend!

The Weekly Happy Hour: Peche

For happy hour this week, we continued making our way down that 'Best Austin Happy Hour' list and ended up at Peche! It's such a weirdly shaped place (long and narrow), that it's super easy to just walk right past. The trick is to look for the giant sign shaped like a wine bottle (these people clearly speak my language).

The restaurant is decorated like the set of a fancy version of Series of Unfortunate Events, with antique pieces punctuated by the occasional, extremely strange artwork. 

Their happy hour consists of $5 cocktails (eligible ones have astericks next to them) and half priced appetizers (also marked with astericks) and everything is i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e. Karls and Nat got the Royal Bee's Knees which is gin, honey, and lemon and oh my goodness, it tastes like honey-sweetened lemonade and packs the punch of straight gin. Not ordering that drink has become one of my life's regrets (though the French75 was pretty killer, too). 

The appetizers are huge and perfect for sharing! The size of the fry boat itself is overwhelming (in a good way). 

All in all, it was the perfect place coming off of a less-than-perfect week. Stressful weekends, never ending doc review, and the looming rainclouds that are the pending bar results were weighing heavily on my mind and it was nice to be able to vent about it. Plus, since we've all started working, it's been hard finding times that our schedules align. All of this work-life balance people talk about is no joke.

What are some ways that you all keep in touch with friends during the week? I'm excited to hear how other people handle the mid-week slump!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

10 Things to Have in Your Work Bag

During the week, I use my work bag as a combo purse/life saver. There's the typical stuff (phone, wallet, keys) but over the past few years, I've narrowed down the top 10 things that have been the most helpful.

Note: I have used and can personally vouch for all of the above products. They're bomb. 

1/  2 / 3 / 4 / 5

6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

Favorite pens/pencils

Pretty sure this goes without saying, but the amount of times people ask you for a pen is truly shocking. Paired with the fact that you'll want to write something down at the most inopportune times, there's no replacement for having trusty pens on hand. 

Small notepad

I love using small notepads to jot down some work ideas and sticking it in my work bag in case I want to reference them at home. It's also great to pull out at meetings or at court (if applicable) and it's size won't discourage you from taking it everywhere.

Planner

I could devote a whole post to planners but for now, I just want to say that whatever works for you, stick with it. And stick it into your work bag. You'll want to keep track of deadlines, meetings, appointments, etc. and you'll want to be able to whip it out and reference it immediately. 

Eye drops

This is especially a must for the contact wearers in the group. Especially during allergy season, my eyes/contacts are prone to drying out and there's nothing more embarrassing than looking like you're on drugs when really, you're just uncomfortable. If it applies, spare contacts are a good thing to have on hand as well. 

Advil

Because headaches will always come at the worst times. 

Headphones

If you're lucky, your work might let you listen to music in which case, these are a gift from the heavens for being able to research for long stretches of time. Even if your work isn't as music-friendly as others, these'll be nice for the walk from the parking garage. 

Blotters/concealer

I have a bad habit of rubbing my eyes, or blinking too extremely or something, and the end result is that the dark circles under my eyes are on display for the world to see. I hate looking like I've just stayed away for 7 straight days at 5 pm so I always carry some blotters and concealers with me. Also key if you're going anywhere trendy post-work! 

Hair ties and bobby pins

I concentrate best with my hair out of my face. I have no idea why. But I still like to wear my hair down on occasion so I carry spare bobby pins with me to pin it back when I need to get things done! You also never know when your hair will just starting annoying you, when you'll encounter an unexpected gust of wind, etc.

Hand cream 

I don't know if it's just me, but my hands always start feeling dry after a long day at work, especially in the winter. No matter how much water I drink, I feel like I start drying out like a raisin, hands first! This is the hand cream I carry around and I promise, this is a hand cream that means business. The good news is that because it's so moisturizing, a little bit goes a long way!

Chapstick

See above discussing the "raisin effect"

These are the things that work best for me and what I would suggest using as a 'starter kit.' Along the way, you'll take away things you never use and add things I never thought of and your work bag will become your own. Keep in mind to invest in a good, sturdy bag. This thing'll become your best friend in no time. 

Keller's Sweet 16

On September 26, Keller turned 16 years old! If he were a human, he'd be zooming around in a car right now but because he's a dog, he's instead curled up under a fleece next to me, watching old Community episodes.

I adopted Keller 10 months ago and every day, I am consistently reminded of how great a decision that was. 

The Origin Story

Keller was found as a stray when he was 14, his eyes and ears clouded with infections, missing half his teeth, afraid, alone, and feeling very uncooperative. Initially, he was sent to the city shelter, where his age, his poor health, and his 'aggressiveness' immediately landed him on the euthanasia list. The big animal rescue in town, Austin Pets Alive, took him in and cleaned him up. They found out he was completely deaf, partially blind, underweight and gave him the treatment he needed. In exchange for their hospitality, my scared little dude tried to bite them. 

By all accounts, he was very unadoptable. He flourished in his foster home, becoming the sassy, very vocal, very loyal pup he is today, but after over a year, I'm sure his foster owner thought he was going to be there for life. 

Around Month 13, I was at a coffee shop, browsing through available dogs as a method of procrastination, when I saw Keller's picture and description on the website. He was old. He was crotchety and to me, he was absolutely perfect. One month later he was my dog! The first dog I'd ever had on my own and goodness, was it awful. 

The transition period was hard. He didn't know me and I'm sure he was having flashbacks to the lost time he was abandoned. He shook in his kennel and shied away from the touch. He sang the song of his people at 3 am and took approximately 20 minutes to find a satisfactory spot to pee. He hated walking on concrete but he also complained when I picked him up. For about 2 months, we lived in this stalemate and I was convinced he was going to be the one to cave first.

I was right. Eventually, he started to warm up to me. The carrying he had hated became his preferred mode of transportation. I found out he loved to sunbathe and to watch TV on the couch, never more than an inch or two away from me. Now, he is my best friend. Yes, an elderly Chihuahua Mix is my best friend. 

Every day, I am thankful for the shelter that did so much for him and I am thankful for the people who were patient and kind enough to get my boy to his 16th birthday. And if you're considering a dog but aren't sure you want the high-energy craziness of a younger dog, I would recommend checking out your local shelters for the senior pups. All of those myths about them not bonding with their new owners or about them being boring are wildly off base. 

Keller gets into more shenanigans than I would have ever guessed and every day, he politely requests to be tucked into bed next to me, and keeps me company through the mornings. He gets so excited he runs in circles when I come home and he enjoys a healthy dose of Hulu (Fall TV lineups though....). 

Happy birthday, my first dog! Thank you for being you. 

The Panic Room

This past weekend, my best friend from undergrad, Meelz, and her husband came down to Austin to drink autumnal-themed coffee drinks and visit the Austin Panic Room. 

When I first heard about panic rooms my first thought was 'That movie with Jodie Foster? Why would I want to reenact that movie with Jodie Foster?' Thankfully (or not, depending on your views of that movie), that's not what this was. The Panic Room would be more aptly called the Puzzle Room because basically, you're locked in a set of rooms for one hour and you have to solve puzzles, find clues, and break codes in order to get out.

We chose the Museum Room (arbitrarily, because we are bad decision makers) and when we got there, found out it had a 33% success rate. Properly encouraged, we were the brief by our "contact on the outside." She explained that we had one hour to find the most priceless artifact then unlock the doors to escape.

While it didn't seem that difficult in theory, 30 minutes in, we had two locks undone (and that was because one was unlocked when we got in there). What makes the room so tricky is that some clues are hidden behind locks so you don't have all of the necessary information right off the bat. And some of the clues you do get off the bat can't be understood without the help of clues to be uncovered later.

Minutes 30-45, we got the majority of the locks and it seemed like we were definitely going to escape when we hit the last lock. We were allowed to ask our "contact on the outside" 7 questions and we used our last one on figuring out how to bust this lock. I'm pretty sure we asked 10 questions disguised as one and even then, we were struggling.

With 2 minutes to go, we all collectively lost our cool and fought the urge to turn over furniture and barrel through the door. Luckily, Meelz kept her wits about her and figured out the final code. With 56 seconds, we escaped.

It took about an hour for the adrenaline to die down and after a meal at Hopdoddy's (where we were too busy singing angsty songs from the early 2000s to take pictures), she and her husband shipped off but not before asking when we could go back.

The Panic Room is definitely a fun, super unconventional way to spend an afternoon, whether it be with friends, family, or a group of strangers. So what are you waiting for? Brush up on your code-breaking skills and book your tickets!

The Weekly Happy Hour: Malaga

Like every Wednesday before it, I was really looking forward to tasty drinks and snacks by the time I got off work. This time, we tried a place downtown called Malaga. It's a tapas place and I'm not typically a big fan of tapas, so I was a bit wary. First, like most places downtown, parking is awful. I was lucky enough to get a close spot but it was only after 15 minutes of driving in big circles. Make sure to stock up on your patience before heading out to this locale.

Snapped this on my 5th go round past this light 

The restaurant itself was nice though. There were tons of people sitting out on the patio and it's on twinkle light-lit 2nd St. so why not? They have $5 sangria (4 different flavors!) and $6 white and red white. There were beer specials too, but I'll be honest, I was too distracted by the sangrias to check their price!

Malaga also has certain tapas on happy hour so we got the cheese plate to split with the table, some calamari and bread with some kind of tomato spread on top. Everything was good but the real standouts are: the free, warm, continuously reappearing bread and the sauce that came with the calamari. Still thinking about it.

See the sauce hiding on the back of the calamari plate? Total game changer.

I'm not sure that I'd go here if it was full price but it's definitely a happy hour worth checking out, especially if you're in the area (and don't have to drive!). Specials are till 7, which is great if you're having to work late.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Dog Days

(To offset some of the more word-heavy posts, here's some pictures of dogs!)

As awesome as summer is, I've always been more of a 'fall' person. That could be because a Texas 'fall' is the same as everyone else's summer. If that's the case then you guys are lucky folks, because we're going on the end of September here and it is still outrageously hot. While I may not be the biggest fan of this season, Windy definitely is so we're trying to squeeze the most out of what's left of summer by hitting up parks as much as we can.

This past weekend, we were in Houston so my sister invited us to a dog park that recently opened. Apparently, it's the most expensive dog park in the city, but let me tell you, that money did not go towards pet clean up stations. Beyond the serious need for more bags and trashcans, the park itself was pretty nice!

I guess they had just installed new grass or something, because orange fences EVERYWHERE. 

There was a water feature with fountains so dogs could cool off and plenty of grass for them to run around in. Water + dirt/grass = mud though, so don't be the fool I was and wear sandals. Tennis shoes all the way.

In typical Winnie fashion, she wanted to play fetch the entire time and ignore all the other dogs at the park. I can throw a ball from underneath a tree though, so I don't mind.

There were also plenty of little dogs soaking up the shade who seemed to be having the time of their lives, so little dog owners, don't be discouraged! This place is great for everyone.

In the interest of full disclosure, I haven't been to another dog park in Houston so I can't compare, but this was a pretty decent park. There are benches for the humans and nice spaces for the dogs.

This may easily be Winnie's favorite part of summer, but I'm still anxiously awaiting the next season, which is today!

Anxious

Credit

At the risk of getting too serious too fast, I want to talk about anxiety.

Growing up, I was an extremely anxious child. I worried about everything, from what people thought of me, to school work, to after school things, to my interactions, to every worst case scenario ever. It was annoying, but it really wasn't unmanageable. There was enough distraction to counteract the stress and life was pretty normal.

My sophomore year of college, though, was a rough one. I had a close friend do something seriously awful to me that messed me up in more ways than I can count. Her actions ended up turning my entire dorm against me (I kid you not). I was ridiculed. Bullied so much that I hated coming back at the end of the day. I cried a lot. It was really, really hard. Somehow though, I got through that year. And the year after. And each year, the immediate effects faded bit by bit.

But like all traumatic events, this one left its own kind of stain. Though I didn't put two and two together until years later, this shot my anxiety through the roof. If I was worried about my interactions before, about worst case scenarios and trust issues, that was nothing compared to the way I felt now. Tiny triggers would lead to full scale panic attacks, leaving me feeling like I wanted to rip my hair out, like I couldn't breathe, like there was a 10,000 pound rock on my chest, like my heart was racing so fast it was going to take off into the atmosphere. I'd never had a panic attack before and the first time it happened, it terrified me. I didn't know what it was, but I definitely knew I didn't want it to happen again.

But it did. Again and again. Sometimes I could identify the cause. Sometimes I couldn't. Trust, other people, and my interactions with them tended to trigger the attacks more than other things. I sincerely, sincerely felt that everyone was out to hurt me. That everyone was just biding their time to do me wrong. I was suspicious of my friends. Of strangers. I have no idea how anyone stuck by me during that time. I must've been awful.

Over the years, the suspicion faded a little, but it never went away. And that is what became 'normal' for me. I don't think I have to tell you guys this, but that is not normal. Panic attacks, and suspicion, and festering wounds are not normal.

I finally, finally went to therapy and learned how to curb the attacks. Then how to curb the suspicion and holy cow, I am happier than ever. I'm not sure that the anxiety will ever completely go away, but I have learned how to deal with it and that is all I can ask for.

There's only so long we can live as the product of others' actions. There is only so much we can allow circumstance to change us before we have to find our way back. And maybe this post doesn't really have a point, but if you're out there and this sounds familiar, I have a message for you: You are not crazy. You are not broken. But this is not the way life should be. You deserve better. We all do.

Some things I've found that help:

1. Lavender-scented anything
2. Candles
3. Coloring or any other mindful activity
4. Meditation
5. Exercise
6. Animal snuggles
7. Journaling

Let me know if there's anything that's worked for you!

Measuring Autumns

I measure my life in autumns. There's something about the first crisp breeze that brings nostalgia with it, pulling out the memories from the year before and dusting them off. Maybe it's because fall is reliably the same every year. It knocks down the leaves. It signals the start of football, of cooler days, and of sweeter drinks. It's the sameness of the season that allows me to measure the differences in everything else.

It was my senior year of high school when I realized that the first hint of autumn reminded me of something, or more specifically, of all of the autumns before it. Day by day, changes are hard to notice, but autumn by autumn, they become more clear. I could remember the person I was four seasons ago, and I knew that, one year from that moment, I would remember the person I was then. So I memorized the moment and it has stayed with me.

The cool air. Just the tiniest oasis in thick, muggy air. The promise of a new school year and all the adventures it could bring paired with an acute feeling of loss for the year that had passed. I was standing in a parking lot lit by stadium lights. I was gross. Sweaty. Holding a flute and a water jug and realizing that I could not picture my life 365 days from that moment. Day by day, I knew what my future held but viewed in giant leaps, my lack of permanency because acutely noticeable.

365 days from that moment, I would be at some unknown college with unknown friends. I would be taking unknown classes, filling my time with unknown hobbies. The only thing that was certain was that I wouldn't be there. I would never be there again.

That was the first autumn I measured.

Each autumn since has been the same crossroads of what's past and what's to come. Each fall is bittersweet and promising and comfortingly, the same. Now, like back then, I cannot imagine what my life will be like 365 days from this moment. I will be working some unknown job. I will have unknown friends. I will be helping unknown clients, living in an unknown place. The only thing that is certain is that I won't be here. I will never be here again.

Maybe that (along with a healthy dose of pumpkin spice) is what makes the moment so sweet.

Not a Student, Not Yet a Lawyer

Basically, in this weird in-between, I'm a law clerk. But like an advanced law clerk that is expected to produce solid work because I have a law degree. Mostly, I research. Then I write about what I've researched. I also review documents. Thousands and thousands of pages of documents.

So you want to be a lawyer? Say hello to Doc Review.

They always joke when you're in law school, that the first year of your associate life will be spent in a windowless room reviewing documents. I now understand it's funny because it's partially true. When you submit a request for production to the other side, who ostensibly does not want to give you helpful information, they inundate you with documents. I think someone once told me this is technically illegal, but it's all 'done in good faith.' (You can almost hear the pitiful, "I didn't know what you'd find helpful" traveling across the expanse to your ears).

This week was sort of a crash course in doc review for me. I had the task of reviewing 3000 pages to redact any confidential information. It wasn't too bad since I was the second person to go through these stacks. On Monday though, we're expected to get over a hundred thousand pages and that's when the real fun begins. I think if you amassed all of the documents I've produced in my lifetime, it would still not total a hundred thousand pages so I have no ideas what those homies have been doing the past few years.

REGARDLESS, this is the kind of work you can look forward to doing your first few months out and I repeat, it's not that bad. If you're nosy, like me, it's kind of interesting. You can get lost in the stories the pages tell and law suits always involve super scandalous things (though law school may have warped my definition of 'scandalous').

So yes, I will read every email Homie A has sent the past two years and I will wonder how his curtain buying excursion with his wife panned out. I hope you've lead an interesting few years, Homie A or it's going to be a very long week for me.

The Weekly Happy Hour: Contigo

I've been lucky enough that 4 out of my 5 good friends have stayed in the same city as me after graduation. I've been even luckier to have made some new friends since. But perhaps the best luck of all comes in this tradition we've adopted: the weekly happy hour. I know we're far from the only people to do this, but my goodness, am I glad we do.

Typically, it's on Wednesday which is the perfect day in my opinion. The novelty of the week has worn off and you've probably already spent all day thinking it was Thursday, only to be disappointed each and every time you're reminded it's Wednesday. No matter how much you love your job (and I do, so I can say this with certainty), Wednesdays are the worst. See also NeverShoutNever (verifying that Wednesdays are indeed the worst).

It's on these plateaus of days that we've decided to do our Happy Hour and I'll tell you friends, it is worth it. Not so much for the drinks or the delicious snacks, but for the company and commiseration that you get during the consumption process. It's a perfect de-stresser. A power-up for the rest of the week, if you will.

Right now, we choose our locales based on their food specials and we're using this list as our guide. If you're in Austin, I highly recommend it. It takes the stress out of picking a place.

The key to a successful happy hour though? Try to avoid a Thursday hangover. There's still two more days in the week to go!


Happy Friday!

PS- If you're in Austin, Contigo has a happy hour worth checking out. $1 fried chicken until it runs out!

Rating: 3/5