Cherik the Blog

Well, I apologize for the lack of posting.  Our lives have been up in the air for the past few months and we didn’t have the time or motivation to post anything of importance.  But, I’m happy to report that things have finally settled down and we have a plan! First, the big news:  we are moving back to Tacoma, WA!  We leave in about a week and a half, and will be enjoying the Northwest summer by the end of the month!  Everyone seems to be complaining about the chilly weather, but right now I will definitely take mid-60’s over upper-90’s any day (although Erik told me to shut my trap and enjoy it while I could).  Erik and I both have nice new jobs, which makes moving a little less stressful, and it will be so nice to have more space than our 600 square foot apartment.  Lulu will not know what to do with herself!  The only downside we can see is making the drive from Texas, which is long and boring pretty much for 3/4ths of the way.  We will be taking the southern route this time, going through west Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, and then up to Tacoma.  This way we get the REALLY boring stuff out of the way on the first day, are able stop at my parents’ house in San Jose for a little break, and can enjoy being on the west coast for most of the drive.Don’t get me wrong, I will definitely miss Austin.  I fell in love with this city on my very first visit, and it’s never easy leaving behind good friends and routines.  Some things I will especially miss are:

The Manor Rd. Restaurant Row
I really could eat at all of these restaurants for the rest of my life.  Breakfast tacos, coffee, three kinds of Tex-Mex, Southern cookin’, healthy veggie stuff, and Italian.  You can’t beat that, all within walking distance of the apartment.

All the rest of the food in Austin
As if our street wasn’t enough, the entire best-of list could easily consist of all the other food-related places we love: Mother’s Cafe, Hyde Park Grill, Amy’s Ice Cream, Mangia’s Pizza, East Side Pies, Whole Foods, Kerbey Lane, Finn & Porter, The Clay Pit, Jorge’s, Central Market, Quack’s, Freebirds, Which Which, The Salt Lick, The County Line, Trudy’s, JP’s Java, Guero’s Taco Bar, Texas French Bread, Foodheads, New World Deli, Mozart’s, Chez Zee, Thudercloud Subs…and that was just off the top of my head.

Walking Lulu through the neighborhood.
Every time she stops to say hello to the rehab parking guy, the mechanics on the corner, and Ruby and the fat Labrador; pees on specific lawns; and tries to get the hipsters at Clementine’s to notice her.  In the summer she dramatically flops over onto her backside while we pour water on her tummy.

SXSW and Austin City Limits Festival
Not because I went to or enjoyed going to these events, but because of the amazing people-watching possibilities it provided.  Erik and I spent many an evening in Whole Foods sharing a giant vegan chocolate chip cookie and playing “South-by or Local.”  Also, I like the idea of all the live music in one city.  I’m not one for really “going out,” but if I wanted to, I could.

The Alamo Drafthouse
Movies, good food, and beer.  What an awesome idea.

Shopping at the San Marcos Outlets
This wondrous place is consistently voted one of the top 10 shopping destinations in the world.  (Yeah, weird, I know…)  On top of all the good stores, there’s a gondola in the middle of the parking lot.  How many outlet malls can say that?

Thunderstorms
While Washington has its fair share of rainy days, they can’t compare to the out-of-the-blue, monstrous hail, continuous flashing lightning, hope-your-car-doesn’t-get-destroyed Texas thunderstorms that grace us in the spring and summer.

Texas pride
I hate to admit it, but being a Texan is fun.  People here don’t forget where they are, and it’s kind of amusing to salute the Texas flag, sing the Eyes of Texas, and try on cowboy boots and hats (someday, I will get the boots I’ve been drooling over).  Additionally, there’s another layer of Austin pride that is just a tad snootier, but equally prevalent everywhere you go.I will miss the vibe of this city, and the amazing friends we’ve made here, but I’m ready to be back in the Northwest.  Texas is mostly flat and hot, and I miss the water, the mountains, the tall trees, and the cupcakes in Washington. J  I am excited about experiencing seasons again, and being near old friends, and maybe even playing my tuba on a more regular basis.  Change is good, while difficult, but it’s nice knowing exactly (well, mostly) what we’re getting into by moving back.

As a Pre-K teacher, I seem to experience something out of the ordinary every day. Take, for example, the following interaction I had with a student last week during rest time:

Student: I need to spit something out. (keep in mind he’s been kind of phlegmy)
Me: Okay, but please be careful not to step on your friends’ mats.
Student: (takes pink object out of mouth)
Me: Student, what is that?
Student: Um…gum?
Me: It’s the middle of the day. Where did you get gum?
Student:  Um…over there? (points to floor)
Me: No. I don’t think so. Where did you get the gum?
Student: Um…(looks around for another alternative)
Me: Tell me the truth, Student. Where. Did. You. Get. The. Gum?
Student: Okay. (pause) The playground.
Me: (speechless)

PRESIDENT BUSH:  At kitchen tables across our country, there is a concern about our economic future.

ERIK:  No there isn’t, because we can’t afford a kitchen table.

As I thought about it at work the next day, I realized that we can’t even afford a place to live that can fit a table in the kitchen. *sigh*

It all started with ringworm.  Then it was the sniffles and a headache.  A few days later I had a fever and body aches, which eventually developed into a nasty sinus infection, eye infection, and an inner and outer ear infections over Christmas.  Some sort of virus lingered in my body for about a week and a half after I returned to Austin.  I think it’s safe to say that I’m finally feeling 100% again.     

Also, note to self: don’t get sick enough to require medical attention while visiting other states.  It’s pretty darn inconvenient and expensive. 

In honor of 2008, here are my New Year’s Resolutions.

1.  Return my library books on time.  Every month I end up with some sort of fine simply because I misplaced a book or just forget.  I hope my mother-in-law forgives me. 

2.  Take my vitamins on a quasi-regular basis.  I apparently need more of them. 

4.  Solve a Rubik’s cube. 

5.  Do more yoga.

By the looks of it, 2008 is going to be a pretty adventurous year for us!  Let’s hope so!

…and he knows how to use it (sort of)! I figured I’d better post something here so the most recent entry isn’t Cheryl’s embarrassing deli counter story.

Winter break thus far! I got to meet Nick and Heather’s wonderful baby Lilah. That was the first time I’d ever had any prolonged exposure to a baby, but apparently I looked very “natural.” Take that, awkward baby-holders of the world!

When I got home to the folks’, the snow in our front yard reminded me that 75-degree weather a couple days before Christmas isn’t exactly natural:

Last night I had to wrap some presents. Rather than waste an entire roll of wrapping paper on this big mail-order box, I figured I might as well just cover up the company’s logo on the side. Classy, eh?

I’ve been spending most of the break being lazy with all the kooky animals. Just before I wrote this, our big fat yellow lab was sprawled out by the ferret playpen, getting a vigorous back scratch. It doesn’t really show up well in the picture, but it was pretty funny (her leg was kicking the whole time):

Oh yeah, yesterday we went to see the Sweeney Todd movie. It was awesome…better than I could have hoped! Eeeeveryone knows that’s my favorite musical, but after seeing the trimmed-down screen version, the original now seems kind of padded out (and the stage razors no longer pack quite the same punch). Hopefully I can go see it again soon with Cheryl! Here’s m’Pops on the big day:

Even though Cheryl got a sassy new hairdo, there was still enough blonde left over for this precious moment tonight at Central Market. Cheryl was buying 1/4 lb. of Canadian bacon, and the deli guy who was cutting it held up one slice to see if she approved of the thickness.

DELI GUY: Is that okay?
CHERYL (to ERIK): Huh…does that look like a quarter of a pound?
ERIK: (silence)

Happy first birthday, Lulu!

I guess I should have included this picture with our earlier post about doggy daycare, but I only got around to uploading tonight:

Luckily for you, I neglected to publish pictures of the bruises on my thigh from hauling around the bass saxophone for a recent gig, or the bruises on Cheryl’s legs from her students (not to mention the bite marks on her arms from said students). Who knew these professions would be so hazardous to our health?

What else is new? I’m officially a doctoral candidate (finally), so I’m all done with my classwork and beginning my treatise. Hopefully I’ll be able to wrap everything up by next May! I’m doing a couple solo recitals on Oct. 21 and 30, so the next month will be spent practicing for those. Wait, shouldn’t I be saving this for the other website? I’m also keeping busy teaching down at Texas State and at a local middle school, so this fall should be pleasantly hectic…good thing I have the recent release (after how many decades?) of Team Fortress 2 to keep me distracted!

My life has become completely consumed with teaching. My classroom is much bigger than my portable last year, and so is my class – 18 precious four-year-olds! While I have been slaving away at 10-11 hour days for the past two weeks, I’m in a much better boat than I was last year at this time. Before school started I put together a collection of books to help my students transition to the classroom. So far, they’ve helped. Here they are:

I read this book around 10 times in the first three days of school. It’s simple enough that I even caught some kids reading it to themselves when they thought I wasn’t looking.

Yes, you see naked cartoon bottoms and Mo Willems even goes as far as to remind us to “pull down our underwear,” but it’s straightforward enough for the little ones to understand.

And some other favorites, so far:

I’m taking the night off, and I promised myself I wouldn’t get to school before 6:45 AM tomorrow. Off to be lazy!