Janice Williams Loves Austin

December 30, 2009

Bookstores

Filed under: Austin, Reading, Writing — Janice @ 1:02 pm

I just finished my last interview of 2009. Sigh of relief. I miss radio interviews. Radio interviews were done and over quickly. At the end I might say, “Shoot, I meant to ask you about _____.” But they were done. And over. Interviewing for an article means taking good notes (trying) and thinking about the next question and trying to get enough wordage out of the interviewee to put something together on paper. I’m not a fan.

And if interviewing is hard, the writing is harder. I’m not saying I don’t like it, it is just hard. So I’ll be wrasslin’ with this one for a few weeks. I haven’t been told a deadline or a wordcount on this one. Usually I know those things in advance. Ideally, I’ll write this TONIGHT and edit it tomorrow and I won’t have to think about it again until it shows up in the issue. Ha. I haven’t written before the deadline is looming ever. And since I don’t even had a deadline, this may be on my mind for a while.

I read today that the last B. Dalton bookstores are closing. They, according to what I read, were the first chain bookstores and were bought by Barnes & Noble and are now being shut down. I think I used to buy a lot of Christmas gifts in B.Dalton’s. Calendars come to mind. But it has been a long time since I’ve been in one.

My first bookstore memory was Brown’s Books in Amarillo, right by the Amarillo College campus. It was there for years. I’m sure they probably specialized in textbooks, but I remember going in there with Mom one time when there was some book that she had had them order for her. It was a neat, small store and was very intriguing. By the time I grew up and lived in Amarillo it was either closed up or I didn’t even think about going to a real bookstore.

I probably bought most of books in those days at Hastings Books and Records. They still exist today, but they are just Hastings. They were really the cool hip place in Amarillo with a location by the theater in the mall, which was handy to browse while you waited for the movie, and a bigger store down on 45th. I bought lots of books at those two stores and bought even more records and 8-tracks.

Bookstores are dangerous for me now because I will find too many things that I would really like to have. I went to Border’s before Christmas and got a few “small gifts” that added up quickly (especially since they were gifts for ME!). BookPeople in downtown Austin is a favorite and I try to buy books there if there is something specific I want. I went there to buy the romance novel a high school classmate wrote a few months back. I loved BookWoman and started going there before we even moved to Austin, but haven’t been there since they moved locations. I’m glad they are still in business. I like all their books about female empowerment.  Bookstore-wise, I probably go to Half Price Books more than any other bookstore now. Great prices, lots of surprises, and usually a used, cheaper copy of something I want if I know what I’m going in for. They have a great section of Texas authors and Texas subjects there.

The bookstore that brings back the best memories was a fabulous place in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I was on business and found it in their old downtown area (I think). Maybe it was near the college. It was long and dark and had the wooden ladders on rollers that seem to only exist in movies now. I was just having a great time looking around and I found a paperback copy of Alamo House by Sarah Bird. I hadn’t read any of her books at the time, but my friend Beth had recommended The Boyfriend School. Alamo House was her first novel and they had it so I snapped it up and finished it before I was back in Dallas, I expect, and it is still one of my all-time favorite books and it opened to the door to every book Sarah Bird has written since then.

I don’t mind living out here in the suburbs with the only businesses within walking distance being an auto repair shop and a gas station and a Carl’s Jr. But, if I could make a wish for a new retailer near me, I would be very happy with a combo coffee shop/Mexican cafe/bookstore. Sigh. Bookstores don’t have the same sense of wonder as they once did. And I hesitate to rush out and just spontaneously buy a book anymore unless I’ve checked to see how much it costs used online.

I would make a New Year’s Resolution to visit bookstores more often, but that won’t fit well with my fiscally responsible New Year’s Resolutions. Yes, I know I don’t have to buy anything, but I would. I know I would.

December 28, 2009

Christmas Parties

Filed under: Uncategorized — Janice @ 12:53 pm

One of my New Year’s Resolutions, I just decided, is to get my website and blog off of this server and on to another one. I do not like the whole interface that Yahoo provides and it is ALWAYS hard to get to the page to write this blog on. I feel like Maxwell Smart going through all the doors with codes and keys and passwords to get here. I don’t have a lot of worry about anyone breaching my security and hacking my blog and writing terrible things. I think the two or three people that read this blog would understand.

I have been waiting for the past half hour for a Texas country artist to call me for an interview. I had forgotten the interview and scheduled a lunch and then remembered and cancelled the lunch and here I sit and no call. I wish I were at lunch instead.

But that’s not what I came to write about…

—– *** —–

I went to some lovely Christmas parties this year and I think three of them are worth reporting on.

The first was a Christmas party I did NOT go to.

My biggest job, the one I spend up to 30 hours a week doing, is for a pretty big corporation here in town. They do things in a corporate way. I am not an employee, I am a contractor, a consultant for them. I set my own hours and they pay me for my musical knowledge. It is a pretty good deal.

In late November, an email went out to everyone in the Austin office saying, “Save the date, December 9, for a company party!” I work among several employees that are full-time employees and a few that are like me. We all share a workspace. I heard the full-time employees discussing their party plans in early December and they were saying, “We have to RSVP by today, are you going?” I had not had an invitation to the party, only the Save the Date notice. Knowing how corporations are, I realized then and there that part-time employees or consultants were not invited to the party.

I truly was okay with that. If I were invited, I would feel an obligation to go and might need to buy something to wear. I’d have to try to get around to the decision-makers of the company so that they would know who I was and see that I was a team player and would love to have a full-time job with them. I would have to be memorable. And, geez, I don’t have time for that nonsense. Hire me or not, but don’t make me play games, has become my motto.

The next day I got an email from my immediate boss. She is very cool and easy to work with. I’ve known her 10 years now and she used to be Mark’s boss at one time. We both like/liked working for her. She was forwarding along her eVite to me and the other part-time contract consultants and also to the interns that now work for us. She passed it along with the note, “You’re welcome to come to this party.” By this time I figured it was a corporate policy to not invite the part-timers, so I declined.

Then the next day my poor boss had to send a “dis-invitation” to us and tell us that we were NOT invited to the company party. Full-time employees only, no part-timers, no contractors, no clients, no interns, no spouses even. By this time, even the full-timers were pretty much saying, “Why would I want to go stand around at a Christmas party with people I see five days a week?” I don’t know if the party was a success or not or if anyone went to it. In these days of belt-tightening, I think the employees would have been just as happy if the company had foregone the party this year.

So I was NOT invited to the party where I work. Funny, then, that I WAS invited to a party where I don’t work and really never have.

In 2008, I was working for Marsha Milam Music, booking bands and setting up shows. We decided to rent some space with a law firm downtown where a dear friend of ours worked. We moved in and I quickly became friends with the others that worked there. They were always completely inclusive and invited us to their office Happy Hours (where the company even paid!) and had a birthday cake and celebration for me, just like they did for all of their own employees. Last year, while I was still officing there, I was included in their office Christmas party and we had a lovely time eating and then going to see Raul Malo together. These are fun people.

We moved out of that office in April and I stopped working for Marsha soon after that. Of course I am still friends with the people there, but didn’t expect to get invited to their Christmas party. So when I was, I declined. I said, “I don’t work there, you shouldn’t include me.” But they were insistent. They were sweet, so I went to that party.

Now that was a nice Christmas party. We ate a fabulous sit-down meal at the Belmont downtown and there were door prizes and great conversation. Some of the people brought their kids with them. Everyone was convivial and welcoming. We had a gift exchange and there were lots of laughs as everyone tried to “steal” gifts and get the best thing. I stole a great big travel mug that can plug into the car power or even into a computer USB port to keep the coffee warm. I scored. Lovely people and a great party.

Between the two extremes, I had another lovely party. The good doctor that I work for had a Christmas party. In year’s past, we have mingled our Christmas party with a larger pain management clinic. We used to share offices with them and we work closely with them on some things. But the parties have been a bust because they have about 100 people there and we have about 10. We don’t know any of them and they don’t want to know us, so we hang out in our little corner.

This year, we told Dr. Stern that we didn’t want to join up with the pain management clinic. We don’t share offices anymore so it didn’t seem like we needed to. We told him just a get-together at his house would be enough, or we could just go out after work together and that would be fun.

But he and his wife planned a lovely night for us. On a Friday two weeks before Christmas, they had us all come to their country club for dinner. Everyone was there and all brought their spouses except for me (Mark was out of town working) and a doctor who isn’t married. So there were 10 of us and we had a great dinner with appetizers and desserts and drinks and lots of good conversation. The setting was lovely, right by the fireplace in a beautifully decorated room, and it was a very nice sharing of a Christmas experience.

These parties reminded me of the horrible Christmas parties Mark and I endured at ABC Radio Networks in Dallas. I think I’ve written about them before. The worst experience was when we milled and visited and suggested to a couple that we sit down at the big 10-top tables that were set up. No, they said, they already had a seat over here with their department. We mill and visit some more and suggest it to another co-worker. No, he was going over here with these guys. After more rejection, I said to Mark, let’s just go sit at a big table by ourselves and let others come to us. “The tables will fill up and someone will sit with us,” I said. We sat, alone, waiting. The raucous table next to us was filled with people from the accounting department and they had all 10 seats filled. A couple walked toward us. We got our hopes up. Without a word, they pulled 2 chairs from our table and squeezed into the packed table with the accountants. We finished our meal, ate our dessert and split. Miserable.

December 26, 2009

Our Christmas Day

Filed under: At home, Family, Food — Janice @ 1:08 am

I have had all sorts of good intentions, but it certainly has been a crazy busy month! I honestly don’t know how people with full time jobs, full time families, full time church and school and club commitments, even manage to survive through Christmas, much less decorate and send cards and buy gifts! I haven’t got any of those full time commitments and I still didn’t decorate, send cards, or buy gifts! I do play to put a few more cards in the box Monday. I thought I might get them written today, but that didn’t happen.

We had just a lovely quiet, restful Christmas Day. I often yearn for a weekend day where you don’t do anything, you have an excuse to be lazy. Watch a movie, watch a football game, snack, and nap in the afternoon. Sadly, those days just don’t ever happen! Too many things that must get done on the weekend. Thankfully, Christmas can be that day if you don’t make travel plans or commitments to others. We did not and we just enjoyed our day.

I slept incredibly late, drank a lot of coffee and ate mincemeat cookies. Eventually I got around to cooking the HEB turkey meal I ordered and it was delicious. Turkey, green bean casserole, dressing (ok, not as good as mine, but good), gravy, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. I made some rolls, but they weren’t ready until dinner so that was our dinner.

A good nap in the afternoon, some Christmas TV tonight with the movie “Elf,” and phone calls back and forth to my sister, Mark’s brother, Mark’s dad and mom and my mom.

It doesn’t sound like much, but it was a very nice day. And now, when we’ve got lots to do this weekend, which we do, it will be a little easier to do it, having had this great Christmas Day.

We’ll get a little more Christmas celebration in when we, hopefully, get to have some Mexican food with our friend Rachelle this weekend, and my best friend Beth is supposed to be in town for a few days from Canton, Ohio, so I’m looking forward to spending some time with her and her boyfriend and her Austin family.

I hope yours was good and you didn’t get caught in horrible weather like so many I’ve talked to. Merry Christmas.

December 17, 2009

Mike Mercer

Filed under: Austin, Music — Janice @ 3:56 am

I have had several things lately that I want to write about. Tonight I went to see White Christmas and I want to write about that.

But I got home and found out that my friend Mike Mercer had died and that is what is on my mind tonight. “Big Mike” is probably best known to most for being the road manager of Asleep at the Wheel for most of the last decade. That’s how I met him. I think I met Mike when I first introduced Asleep at the Wheel at ACLFest. He was a good tour manager that told me what I needed to do and say and when. Calm, in control, he made it all easy.

As I began to see Mike as I worked with the Wheel several times, I thought his name was Steve. Big Steve. Then I would be reminded that it was Big Mike, but I just couldn’t seem to get it straight in my head. He was always easygoing and corrected me when I called him Steve. He looked like a Steve! Finally, it all clicked and I really knew Big Mike.

I don’t know how far back it was that Mike had a heart attack, just within the last year or two. It alarmed me and all who knew him that a man that young could have a heart attack. But, we all also knew that he was overweight and he carried tons of stress with him each and every day. I had a visit with him at the Saxon Pub one night and talked about what he was going to do to change things so that it wouldn’t happen again. It didn’t sound much like he believed that things needed to change. Or maybe he believed it, he just didn’t want to do it. Or maybe didn’t know if it would be worth the effort. He seemed sort of resigned to his fate.

I think it was after that that he did quit working for the Wheel and I hoped that would make things a little less stressed for him. Maybe he would be on a more regular schedule and have better access to good food. He was working then for Big House Sound, still basically doing the same thing that he had always done, just doing it for a variety of bands instead of just one.

Mark liked working with Mike. He’s known him about as long as I have and I believe they are two guys that are cut from the same cloth. Incredibly hard working, and smart. Dependable, logical, and with a grasp of the whole picture like few have.

Mark and I have lost several good friends over the last few years, but most, though young, were still at least around our age or a little older. Mike was only 33, though he had a maturity far beyond what I’ve seen from most people hanging around bands at that age.

My friend John Michael texted me the news tonight. He and Mike had been roommates for four years. I know this is hard on all the members of the Wheel who had worked with him so closely for so long. I don’t know many details, but Mike had another heart attack and now will be buried in Brownfield. There will be a service for him here in Austin sometime soon.

December 13, 2009

Radio Station

Filed under: Radio stuff — Janice @ 11:13 pm

I had some friends asking about the radio station I work for. I’m sure it is confusing, even to people that know that voice-tracking exists, to picture how I do my work each week.

The man that owns the radio station I do work for (down near the coast) has offices in Austin for a video company he runs. Within that office is set up a computer and a little mixing board that connects the microphone and other equipment to the computer. Programs are available now that show you the music (just like iTunes or any other playlist of music) but also allow you (me) to record something between the songs. Not only record, but place my voice exactly where I want it to be over the end of this song and the beginning of the next song. It’s pretty simple in this world of computers. The system we use is a little more simple than what I’ve used in my previous 10 years of doing this. I prefer the more sophisticated system, but this serves the purpose.

My little microphone and board are not really in a “radio station” or in a “studio.” It’s really just an office and there is no soundproofing and that’s why I go up there at night or one weekends to do my little midday show that airs Monday through Friday.

I was there last night and I’m beginning to wonder about ghosts. This office building is just a small, typical office building, like you’d find maybe a real estate agent or a very small practice doctor. It has an entry with a stairway and elevator and wings down each side that have maybe four offices per wing. Not big at all, and not old. But I’ve been working up there now for three months. Every time I am there, I hear the cleaning crew out in the hallway. I am aware of it because I wondered at first if they had a key to our offices and if I would be interrupted by the cleaning crew. Once they didn’t interrupt me, I kept noticing it quite so much. A couple of weeks ago I was there in the early evening and even saw the cleaning crew cart with the big trash can and various cleaning products out in the hall. I almost said something about “Hey, I’m always hearing you, but I’m glad to actually see you,” when I realized that, one, that would sound pretty stupid, two, they probably didn’t speak English so it would really sound stupid, and, three, there was no one with the car to say it to anyway.

But last night I was working and, again, I hear the cleaning crew. Just that sound of the cart being bumped down the hall and doors opening. This time I started thinking about the times that I am up there. Sure, it might be normal to hear cleaning crew at 6 p.m. on a Wednesday night. But on the weekends I am up there on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and, this week, Saturday night about 9 p.m. I doubt that cleaning crews even work every weekend in a small building like that. Wouldn’t they do their final clean on Friday and call it good?

Last night I got up my nerve and went and unlocked the door and looked out and up and down the hall and saw no sign of the cleaning crew. I hadn’t heard it too recently, so maybe they were through? No, I went back to work and heard it again before too long. Now I’m beginning to wonder if it could be the sound of something else? Doors thudding as air pressure in the building changes when someone come in or out? The thing is, no one else seems to come in or out when I’m there, it is very quiet. It is a mystery and one I expect I’ll have to continue to explore. Or not. I may just keep to myself in that locked office with all the lights on.

Grocery Store

Filed under: Food — Janice @ 12:20 am

All day I had been home, avoiding the rain, fog, and chilly air, and I was wearing track pants and one of Mark’s t-shirts and my big fuzzy purple house shoes with fat, puffy hearts on the tops. This evening I had to go to the radio station to do some work and I knew I would be completely alone and no one would see me. I also needed to go to the grocery store where people certainly would see me. I told Mark that, in the interest of conformity to the norms of society, I would put on real shoes with my casual outfit.

I got out and did my radio work and ran by the grocery for a moment. In the meat department, I saw a woman in pajamas and house shoes and a coat. Not sweat pants and a soft shirt, matching, thing, white with a small pink design pajama bottoms and top. And pink, slip-on house shoes. I’m sure she pretty much had the same feeling tonight as I did, “Who cares?” I admire how she thumbs her nose at society and I may do the same thing next trip.

I have a bad habit in grocery shopping trips. I buy things that sound like a good idea. A box of muffin mix or lemon bar mix are still in my pantry from summer. Not hard to make at all, I just don’t ever think of them again. I need to post a list of “Make These” items on the refrigerator. Tonight I indulged in some pancake mix and syrup. I don’t think I’ve ever made pancakes for Mark. And this certainly doesn’t mean I will make them, either. Remind me in June that this stuff is in the pantry.

I debated whether to buy REAL maple syrup for $10 or so. I don’t know that I’ve ever even had real maple syrup, so it might be worth a try sometime. But I opted for the cheap imitation Hungry Jack syrup instead. I saw some labels proclaiming “No Corn Syrup!” since it is the major bugaboo these days, but I don’t care at all. My favorite snack is spoonfuls of peanut butter and Karo. I make pecan pies full of Karo. I grew up where Mom made our own “maple” syrup by mixing Karo and maple flavoring. Karo is my friend.

I went to the store to buy chocolate chips to make fudge because I discovered I was out. They were out too! But I don’t have to have “chips” in order to make fudge since it all gets melted anyway so I got “morsel” or “chunks” or something else that isn’t the little droplet size. All the same in my stomach.

December 12, 2009

Saturday Status

Filed under: Cats, Family, Food, Music — Janice @ 1:43 pm

I thought I would be a funeral today instead of here at home, but with the rain and the cold and the drive, I decided to not go. My cousin Effie Birdwell died in November in Mineral Wells. She is one of my very distant Cunningham cousins and a fixture at the reunion each year. She is one of our more eccentric family members, in her men’s clothing and gimme caps. She was quick with an opinion and didn’t mind letting you know how she felt about anything. She was a great historian and genealogist and that was one of her primary passions. She filled me in on many family details that I didn’t know. I never visited her except at the reunion and a committee meeting maybe. She was an interesting character and I think our family is losing some of the interesting characters. Maybe I say that because I just don’t “see” them now. Someone coming into the family in their 20s, like I did, may see all sorts of interesting characters I just accept as family.

My cats are being very loving and peaceful right now. My office has a big windowseat that faces the front lawn and the street. Nathan used to make that windowseat his home. There hasn’t been nearly as much use of it since he has been gone. But right now, Willie, the big yellow cat, is up in the window seat taking up most of the space, and Little Bit Phil is up beside him, head to head, both dozing. They were cleaning each other and doing a tiny bit of playful resting, but now they’ve both dozed off.

Phil has been so full of energy the last few days I wish we could install a meter and use some of it elsewhere. Mark was gone for a night and that seemed to amp up the energy even higher. Phil continues to amaze us by playing fetch just like a dog. He’s getting better about even putting the cloth mouse into my hand instead of just dropping it by my hand. When Mark was gone I played fetch with Phil in the living room a long time. Then I moved into the office to do my typing and he was on the keyboard, opening new windows on the screen, adding words that don’t exist to the copy, batting at the cursor on the screen, etc. I got the cloth mouse and would throw it down the hallway and keep him fetching and type as fast as I could while he scrambled off to get it. Then we went to bed and he was still full of vim. I threw the mouse a few dozen more times, trying to read a paragraph or two while he fetched. Finally, he calmed down enough to sleep for a few hours. It is sweet to see him sleeping now, but I know he is just recharging and I’ll be throwing a mouse again while I’m trying to type and cook and clean up the house.

Mark worked yesterday at Fort Hood for their “Community Strong” USO event. It was on the news this time since it is the first event of this type since the shootings last month. They do it on a regular basis for the troops and their families, but it got a lot more notice this time. The Lt. Dan Band played again. That band was formed by Gary Sinise, the actor who played Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump. He performs for the USO quite regularly, it sounds like. I think that is such a nice thing. I wish Access Hollywood and E! News would take note of things like THIS instead of their usual fodder. The Zac Brown Band also played and Mark was very impressed with them and I’m glad. They certainly have made some great songs for radio and I like every one of them, so it is good to know they are a great performance band, too.

What Mark really liked about the Zac Brown Band was their “Meet and Eat” after the show. Many performers have “Meet and Greets” where they allow fans from their fan clubs or radio station winners, etc., to come backstage and meet them and get an autograph and a picture. This band feeds their fans! Mark said they travel with two big busses and each has a big trailer. One has their gear, the other is a mobile kitchen and they carry a chef. For this show he set up his stoves and cooked a HUGE vat of gumbo. Mark and all the crew and backstage help got to eat, along with about 100 fans of the Zac Brown Band. They said that their goal for next year is to feed ALL of their fans at their shows. I don’t quite know if they can achieve that. They are on track to be playing stadiums and arenas by next year so I don’t know if they can handle thousands, but that is a neat deal. Another NICE story that someone should cover.

December 11, 2009

Comfortwear

Filed under: At home — Janice @ 12:06 am

Shoot– I’ve already missed a day on the Holidailies, haven’t I? Oh well. We get busy. I am not worrying over too many things this holiday season. I’m trying to keep the stress down and, so far, I’m doing pretty good at it. I have been typing medical reports morning and night, trying to keep up, and working at the numero uno job in the afternoon. And last night I went and did my radio station work, too. I’m busy, but not stressed.

I decided I really should do some online shopping for Christmas. If I would get on the stick and order some things online, they could be delivered to the recipient in far-flung places and I wouldn’t have to think about buying, packaging, and still getting to the post office. A novel concept, I realize, that has become commonplace in the last 15 years. I just haven’t quite been on that bandwagon too much at Christmas. Laziness, not mistrust.

I was looking at websites tonight, partly to find myself a coat. Yes, the holidays always make me realize what I need more than what I need to give. sigh. But I have noticed that many of the sites with clothes have a category for “comfortwear.” I guess for some people that is the sweatpants and sweatshirt they put on when they come home from work and wear on the weekend. I refuse to wear anything that is not “comfortwear.” I don’t wear sweatpants to work (but, yes, I have), but the pants I wear are comfortable. I have some admiration for the people I see at work in high heels and tight blouses or suits and ties, but I do not desire to be those people or have their job. Cute, new, stylish… Eventually I would like to have some clothes in those categories, but they must also be in the category of comfortwear for me.

December 8, 2009

Christmas Presents

Filed under: Family — Janice @ 11:41 pm

I am a very lucky person in that I truly get to enjoy the holiday season without the stress of overspending and having to find a perfect gift. At least mostly. Several years ago, probably during the recession of 2001, my family agreed  not to give gifts to one another. We would give to the boys, but we didn’t need to worry about anyone else. It made for the nicest Christmas we had ever had. It was more fun to watch the boys enjoy their toys and excitement without having to worry about the delicate balance of equality of gifts we gave and accepted. It was such a hit, we haven’t gone back to gifts since then. Oh, we still may give a little “thank you for having us to dinner” gift and maybe another one or two, but there is not the big worry and long list each year. We haven’t quite broken Mark’s family of it yet, but we are working on it. And his mother and brother give us lovely things, so I can’t complain, but I can feel guilty.

But what I started to write about…. It is a darn good thing we don’t give gifts because I do not understand the gifts that are given these days. There is an ad on TV or in every flyer constantly for cell phones. Yes, I would love to give Mark a new cell phone since he continues to dislike his iPhone, but what good would that do? He has a contract on the iPhone until October so giving him another phone just means added expense. And do you go and give cell phones to co-workers? relatives? casual friends? They make it look like everyone wants to get a cell phone so you may as well put it down for everyone on your gift list. So does that mean you will pick up the tab for the monthly service, too? Okay, put me down and I’ll be happy to accept your gift of a cell phone. I think the same thing with all the 2-for-1 deals on cell phones. You have to get service on each of them to get the good deal and who does that? Sure, a couple may end up getting new phones at the same time (but if it is like Mark and I we would never agree on the phone that we both need or could afford). You might get yourself and your teenager a phone, but does that truly justify ALL of the ads for cell phones? I guess they are making money hand over fist so there must be something in the equation I just don’t get.

True, I am not the target audience for a cell ad. I have had a cheap little Nokia phone that has worked moderately well for years and years now. I’m sure it is at least 4 or 5 years old. When I was doing radio endorsements for AT&T (and they were and are my carrier) they loaned me a nice Samsung flip phone to use. I liked a lot of things about it a lot. Big numbers. Easy to read. Louder calls. More ring tones. But, dang it, it wouldn’t receive or place phone calls in the building I worked in, even though the Nokia, using the exact same SIM card, would. So I abandoned the Samsung and stuck with my Nokia. It’s not that I don’t like change, I just want an iron-clad guarantee that the change will be all good and no hassles.

And that’s what I’m asking for for Christmas…  A new year with an iron-clad guarantee that it will be all good and no hassles.

December 7, 2009

Anniversary

Filed under: Family — Janice @ 12:29 pm

Nothing like starting the day creating a little panic. I mentioned to Mark that 17 years ago today he put a ring on my finger and the sheer terror in his eyes was unmistakable. Pretty funny, too. It isn’t the anniversary of our wedding, it is the anniversary of our engagement. Or at least the anniversary of our engagement RING. We got engaged, seriously, one week after we met. It just took a few months to afford the ring.

I knew Mark had the engagement ring. It wasn’t a surprise like with many couples. Even couples who pick out rings together, like we did, the bride usually doesn’t know when the final product is ready. But we bought our rings from my brother, a diamond dealer in Dallas. When he couldn’t get Mark on the phone to let him know the rings were finished, he called and told me. Later my sister “skinned him alive” for having done that, since the bride isn’t supposed to know. But is was me! His sister-in-law. Different situation. So I called and left Mark a message, but I didn’t think about whether he went to get them or not.

It was a cold, rainy December day and I was flying and reporting on traffic back then. It had been a miserable cold Monday and when I got through I didn’t feel well at all. I dropped by Mark’s house and told him I felt miserable and just needed to go to bed with some Nyquil. No, he insisted, he wanted to take me to dinner! He had a place we hadn’t eaten before that he wanted me to experience. I realized then that this was going to be my big engagement night, though I still thought Nyquil and bed sounded like the best option.

Mark took me to a lovely Italian restaurant and we had a really nice dinner. But I waited and waited and my nervous boyfriend was slow to pop the question. And he never did really pop the question. No, he didn’t get on his knee and make a grand gesture. I finally said, “Is there something you want to ask me?” and he produced a ring, but was too choked up to say a word. It was all a blur, really, after that because of course I was excited and blubbery and glad to have that beautiful diamond on my finger. We bought an antique set of white gold rings somewhat similar to the rings my Mother had and had a new diamond set in the engagement band.

Suddenly, my cold and the Nyquil were the furthest thing from my mind. We were ready to show off and we went and visited Mrs. Stone, a dear friend that loved us both like her own kids. We visited friends Zinda and Frank, too, a couple I’ve long lost touch with. I called my parents and sister and told them the news, too.

Mark claims we have about 100 anniversaries. I don’t believe it is quite that many because I do not usually make note of the true anniversary of our deciding we would get married–the day I proposed to him. I do usually comment on the day we met, but don’t expect fanfare, just acknowledgment. I’m still pretty much in awe and shock that it all happened exactly like it did and happened as quickly as it did. I wasn’t certain I was going to be an old maid, but I sure didn’t expect to fall head-over-hills in love with such a perfect guy so easily. I am ever grateful that it was all pretty easy and no debate whether I should or worry whether he would… It was a done deal fast and easy and 17 years later it is even more perfect than I could have imagined.

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