The Hil Street Journal: April 2007

When the Moon Hits Your Eye!

Free Pizza at Pizza Hut on May 1, 2007! 3-5 pm. This is what vacation time is saved for, folks!

Homo-ners!

Look at these young kids (pic taken in June 2003). So young, so in love. Can you believe these kids are BUYING a house today?!?!?!

Congrats, Ellie and Will. Sorry I embarrassed you with an old picture.

Field Day!

Friday, our team at work participated in United Way’s “Day of Caring.” We left the office for a day and staffed a local elementary school’s field day. It was fun to get out of the office and spend the day at the park! Morgan, Trisha and I staffed the tug-of-war station. (It was definitely a three person job.) Through Ryan’s work, he mentors a kindergartener.

Coincidentally, the boy Ryan mentors was at the school we volunteered with on Friday! Ryan has a picture of them together, so I studied the picture and went to field day ready to meet him.

Morgan and I found him right off the bat (the kid was wearing the same shirt on Friday that he was wearing in the picture Ryan has). Morgan and I took far-away stalker-like pics (shown here) and then I introduced myself. He really was not interested in meeting the weird lady who knew his name.

All in all – field day was a blast! Kids have so much energy. I was exhausted that night and slept very soundly.

Morgan and Hil

Stalker Pic

"Who is this weird lady approaching me" pic

Hil pic

Water baloon station and volleyball pic

Tug of war

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

Today, I'd like to honor the administrative professionals in my life:

Ellie, who says "It's a pleasure to assist in professionally administrating the office," is a marketing and administrative assistant in Loouisville.

Katie works in Dallas and she loves the ladies she works with! She says everyone is very encouraging.

Alicia and Brigid work here! They are fantastic. Alicia makes me laugh with stories of her two-year-old, and Brigid calls me “Doll Button.” (Every girl needs to be endeared every once in a while.)

Thanks to "The Office," administrative professionals are more glamorous than ever before. America's Sweetheart, Pam, is an Administrative Professional!

Today – you are honored! Have a great day! Get a pedicure! Have a glass of wine!

Contributed Piece!

Contributing reporter, Amanda, requested this story be posted on the Hil Street Journal. This story CLEARLY made it through the editorial gatekeeper (me) because it involves two of my favorite things: music and cats.

Weekend!

Sorry for the hiatus. The Austin PR awards are Thursday, and yours truly is working on the “onsite voting.” That means I’m organizing a whole bunch of mundane stuff like ballots and ballot boxes. But it’s keeping me busy. Too busy to blog, apparently.

Friday we had dinner with some friends we haven’t seen in a long time. It was great to sit and talk with them about music, vacations and life in general. They got us interested in the Discovery Channel’s “Planet Earth.” There was a marathon on Sunday, so we watched four episodes.

This weekend, Ryan and I went to a popular South Congress restaurant for the first time, Enoteca Vespaio. Enoteca is a casual café attached to a hip, expensive-er restaurant, Vespaio. The food was lovely! We split a cheese plate, bottle of delicious vino, salad and pizza. I recommend this place to all Austin residents and visitors.

On the other end of the food spectrum: Some friends of ours have decided we want to start a “buffet club.” That’s right – Friday nights, we hit the cheesy, cheap, chain buffets. This is going to be HILARIOUS. I’m charged with organizing “Golden Corral” night. That will give me blog material!

April 19, 2005

Today is the 12th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. As our nation is mourning today over another terrible, violent tragedy, we remember the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and internal daycare all too vividly.

May the victims of both tragedies be in our thoughts and prayers.

Office Art!

I got an e-mail from my friend, Weslie saying this link "is the best thing ever."

Yes, yes it is.

Since Jim can't be my boyfriend, at least he can be my wall art.

To Abby!

Last week, Deirdre’s 16-year-old Chihuahua died. This post is in honor of Abby (left). You will be missed. You lead a long life! You were a funny pup, Abby!

Overdrawn!

I am mad at my bank.

My bank will be referred to by a code name to protect its identity. The code name is: “Deep Holes Filled with Water - Movie with Funny Minnesotan Accents” Bank.

I was overdrawn last week on my personal “fun stuff” checking account (that’s the account I don’t share with my husband. It goes to pedicures, sushi, wine, haircuts, yoga, makeup, lattes and other bits of general merriment.) So, I was overdrawn for two days before I checked my account. When I saw the overdraft charges online I was like, “eeeek!” So I transferred some money, called Ellie to complain about my stupidness, talked to Morgan about how I had to forgo date night due to my folly, then ate a bunch of cheese puffs.

I had let it go. It was my mistake. I let it go until I got a letter on Saturday.

The letter was from my bank, “Deep Holes Filled with Water - Movie with funny accents.” The letter (LETTER) said: “please deposit funds to cover the overdrawn items immediately.”

Immediately. Immediately? IMMEDIATELY?

By immediately, you mean enough time to put my name on this letter, type out how much is overdrawn, print the letter out, go to the printer, trifold the letter, place the letter in an envelope, find a watery sponge to release the envelope sealant, close the envelope, run the envelope through the meter and have it sit in the mailbox to be delivered to me four days later.

Sounds immediate to me!

I had conceded to my mistake. I thought, “You got me! This is how you make money on free checking – from overdraft fees.” So I was OK with it until I get this letter where “Deep Holes Filled with Water - Movie with Funny Minnesotan Accents” Bank pretends to have my best interest in mind. They could have gotten to me sooner if they really cared …

“Deep Holes Filled with Water - Movie with Funny Minnesotan Accents” Bank could have e-mailed me! I have online banking. I have e-mail. I know they have my e-mail address because they e-mail me a couple times a week asking if I am interested in a credit card, refinancing or a home loan.

Or, “Deep Holes Filled with Water - Movie with Funny Minnesotan Accents” Bank could call me! I know they have my number because they have some fresh-out-of-school bozo named Veronica calling our house once a week asking if we want financial planning.

They have ways of getting in touch with me in a timely manner. When an overdraft fee going straight to the bank’s pocket is in question – they should not make it so obvious!

I feel like I’ve been Punked!

Catch 22!

Today’s post is in honor of my good friend Morgan! Today is her 22nd birthday!

Morgan and I have a lot in common, but what truly brought us together is our love of fresh produce. We often buy apples for each other to taste. We have a rating scale:

yuck!
pretty gross
edible, but not ideal
meh
tastes like an apple
this is a good apple
this is a very good apple
honeycrisp

Are you looking for a new apple to try? Here are some recent apple critiques, communicated between Morgan and me via e-mail:

Winesap: by Morgan, Food Editor
Unbelievably tough skin
Suspiciously white on the inside
Very juicy
Mild taste - on the tart side
The tough skin must be protecting the soft-ish, more mealy inside, as it cannot withstand much pressure on its own.

Overall rating: meh

Pacific Rose: by Hilary, Other Food Editor
Good consistency.
Juicy, yet crunchy at first.
Sweet, but lacking in other flavors

Overall rating: This is a good apple.

Morgan, this image of apple-shaped birthday candles is for you. May your birthday be as crisp, flavorful, and delicious as a honeycrisp.

Today is Holocaust Rememberance Day

These are pictures from Ginny and my visit to the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston. The tall glass pillars are etched with six million numbers symbolizing the tattoed numbers of those who were killed in the Holocaust.

Sunday School - 1st and 2nd Grade!

This morning, I taught Sunday School to 1st and 2nd graders. My lesson was to teach the “story of the cross.” I was a little nervous because I knew it would be hard to answer questions like this:
“Miss Hilary! Why did they kill the nice man?”
“Miss Hilary! Wouldn’t it hurt to be up there on the cross like that?”
“Miss Hilary! That’s gross!”

The kids were surprisingly not focused on the gory details. Instead, they argued over who received the most money in their Easter eggs and who had already lost more teeth. Here are some funny quotes from this morning:

“Instead of learning about Good Friday may I make a paper airplane?”

“Jesus will never grow old and die because he is alive all the time up in the clouds.”

“You got one dollar in your Easter eggs? In my Easter egg I got candy and cash. One dollar and 48 cents.”

“I can draw Easter things very easily because I have been doing cursive like all year.”

“My little brother really, really can’t write. He’s three."

“Did the disciples get drunk on bread and wine? I am pretty sure they did. Yeah, I think they got drunk.”

“Where did Judas kiss Jesus? That’s weird.”

I’m glad the kids at my church are so open with their Sunday School teachers and each other. (?) Next week: 4 year olds. I’ll share more quotes.

PETA Award for the day!

So, last night, I'm on the phone with Ellie. After about an hour and a half, we begin our goodbyes. Then, Ellie (in a whispering breathy kind of laughing voice) says, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness ..." I'm little nervous that she has injured herself or something, but I quickly realize that she is laughing a little bit. "The cats have chased a rabbit into the house. Oh my goodness. The hoppy animal is probably going to nuzzle itself into my bed. How did it get in there? What would you do?" I told Ellie to make a lot of noise so the rabbit would run out of the house. She decides to call Will and remain outside until he returns home because she is deathly afraid of any and all animals other than cats. Even cute baby bunnies frighten her.

Will gets home, looks under the couch and says, "Oh it's a little bunny. Just like the Easter Bunny! Pretty cute actually. Want me to get the golf club?"

"No!" Ellie exclaimes! ::Visions of Will clubbing baby rabbits come to her head...::

"Actually I was just going to scoot it out from under the couch to the door."

"Oh. Good idea."

So, Will saved "Young Peter Cottontail" (as he has named it) even though the three ravenous cats were dissapionted.

Interactive Blog Post!

My friend, Kevin, works for a sports/entertainment marketing firm. For Lollapalooza this year, he launched a viral website project called PaloozaHead to promote the lineup online. It's fun to play with! :)

Here’s Cam and Tab’s one month-old son, Colin rockin’ out.

Try it with your pics and post your links in the comments section!

What is that ball of fluff in my couch!

What is that ball of fluff in my couch?

Ladies and gentleman, the ball of fluff is the 17-year-old Scottish Fold Empress of the Marchbanks estate - Mercedes.

Her bed is located in the kitchen near the window, but she has moved spots. Lately, she has made her relaxing home the space between the couch and far right (passenger side) couch cushion. She doesn't mind when we sit down, she just continues to sleep.

In related house news: Ryan was outside talking to Mike and Amanda the other day, and a neighbor came by and thanked Ryan for fixing up the yard. Kudos, Eldest Marchbanks!

Preach-it sister!

This is hilarous!

Ladies – this post is for you. (Gentleman, it may make you a little uncomfortable ... or you might laugh. I don't know your individual tastes.)

An Open Letter to James Thatcher, Brand Manager, Procter and Gamble

Thanks for sending, Deirdre!

Stewart/Colbert!

I plan to vote for the Stewart/Colbert ticket in '08 for a funnier America! (Based on my voting choices, obviously, the Hil Street Journal is not a political forum ... but I have to share what NEWSWEEK Magazine is doing)

In an ongoing series, NEWSWEEK publishes letters and e-mails from fallen U.S. troops in Iraq to loved ones and friends back home. They share unedited letters provided by families of the deceased.

As a person living in the US, I do not feel like we are a country at war. We still have Super Bowls, the Oscars, running water, AC, electricity, blogs, reality TV, etc. Reading these letters brings the war (emotionally at least) a little closer to home.

Pray that our troops come home soon.

Happy Easter!

I love Easter! Today, we went to church and watched a lot of golf. I took a two hour nap on the couch while the Masters commenced. It was a very restful Easter.

This next week is going to be busy! My in-laws are coming into town Friday evening, so I have to figure out a weekend of elaborate meals. Why? Because that's what in-laws want ... they want to know that their son is well fed with nutritous home-cooked meals from their daughter-in-law who works two jobs. (shhhhh - don't tell them I don't cook everyday. I can't cook everyday, I'm not God. Or a cocaine addict.)

The weather here is cold. We were a little worried that Gene the Tree wouldn't make it - but he is doing OK. :)

I'll have more interesting posts later on this week ... the posts will be "theme related" not "Hil's life related."

Meow!

As you know, I have an old cat. Mercedes is 17 (she was my 9th birthday present). All she does is sleep – she doesn’t help with any chores. I thought old cats were useless … until now.

Happy Friday!

My name is Liz and I’m not an alcoholic!

Well done, NBC. Last night’s The Office was great and 30 ROCK was awesome as well. Did you notice both shows made references to men wearing women's clothes? Clever!

“Dream Jackson?” Hilarious! I may have to watch those again tonight!

It’s Good Friday! This is the day Christians remember the crucifixion. Not sure what’s so good about that. I do like the music though. Lots of minor chords and as for hymns … a few favorites. (Stacie – we’re going to sing ‘O Sacred Head Now Wounded’ tonight!)

I’m in my choir uniform at work today since I have to get straight to the service – white button down shirt, black pants, black shoes. As I left the house Ryan asked me what the specials were. Yes, yes. I am dressed as a waiter.

Have a Blessed Good Friday!

Remembrance!

Today is Maundy Thursday, the day we remember the

Last Supper.
Holy Communion services are taking place all over the world. These church services commence in the evening, and some churches will even have feet-washing ceremonies to commemorate Jesus washing the Apostles’ feet. Although I am involved in church activities, I will not be washing anyone’s feet this evening. :)

My favorite hymn, In Remembrance of Me, shares what Holy Communion and Christ's teachings mean in our lives today.

In remembrance of Me eat this bread

In remembrance of Me drink this wine

In remembrance of Me pray for the time

When God's own will is done

In remembrance of me heal the sick

In remembrance of me feed the poor

In remembrance of me open the door

And let your brother in, let him in

Take eat and be comforted

Drink and remember too

That this is my body and precious blood

Shed for you, shed for you

In remembrance of me always love

In remembrance of me don't look above

But in your heart, in your heart

Look in your heart for God

Do this in remembrance of Me

Do this in remembrance of Me

In remembrance of Me

Have a reverent, thoughtful Maundy Thursday.

Hil Street Box Office!

This weekend, I went to see The Namesake. Wow – what an amazing story! Through the Ganguli family, you see the sharp contrasts between family culture in India vs. US. The story elicited many emotions from me (I cried thrice!). However the movie was not that good. Directing was choppy and some of the dialogue/acting was awkward. Made me wish I read the book first.

So … Hil Street recommends you read the book even though she has not read it. (?) How pompous!

Hil Street Before and After!

Who says you have to be on TV to have an extreme home makeover?

Monday night, Ryan and Mike picked up a Bur Oak and planted it in our front yard, thus bringing Ryan's year-and-a-half front yard makeover dangerously close to completion!

Can you believe the crazy crepe myrtle jungle we purchased is the same lawn we have today?

Our Sago Palm’s name is Harriet (after my mother, who rescued it from certain death). The new tree is named “Gene” after my father because he is also tall, slender and can be purchased at a local nursery for a reasonable price. No, no … just the tall and slender theme. And the naming plants after Hilary’s parents theme.

I love the new tree. Thanks Ryan and Mike!

Winery Day!

The winery day (Saturday) was just lovely. The weather was perfect! We visited four wineries just west of Austin (Woodrose, Torre di Pietra, Becker and the Fredericksburg Winery). We had lunch at the Fredericksburg Brewery and even had our picture taken at the Bier Garten on an authentic German street! My Osburn heritage was proud!

Solutions for Busy Wives!

Ladies -

Ever have a busy day where your husband/boyfriend just gets in the way?

Ah – a solution!

Thanks for sending, Katie!

Hil Street Book Review!

I am in a book club here in Austin comprised of a few very interesting young women in a variety of careers. We meet once a month and try to vary the book selections between classic and contemporary novels. We meet on Sundays over dinner or snacks and spend about half the time talking about life, and half the time talking about books.

Yesterday we met to discuss the Patricia Marx novel, Him Her Him Again The End of Him. Reviews among the four of us were mixed. One loved it, one hated it, and two of us were in the middle.

The book was funny, but I would not recommend it to any of my friends. Spend 280 pages worth of time doing something else. The attention to detail in the novel was uneven. The first two chapters were very detail oriented, then … the end was summed up very quickly. Marx is a former SNL writer, so this would have been a great short story ... just a little thin to be a full-on book.

So, don’t read it, but if you want to, you can borrow it from me because I sure as heck will not read it again.

The Hil Street Journal

Monday, April 30, 2007

When the Moon Hits Your Eye!

Homo-ners!

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Field Day!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Contributed Piece!

Monday, April 23, 2007

Weekend!

Thursday, April 19, 2007

April 19, 2005

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Office Art!

To Abby!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Overdrawn!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Catch 22!

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Today is Holocaust Rememberance Day

Sunday School - 1st and 2nd Grade!

Thursday, April 12, 2007

PETA Award for the day!

Interactive Blog Post!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

What is that ball of fluff in my couch!

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Preach-it sister!

Stewart/Colbert!

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Happy Easter!

Friday, April 06, 2007

Meow!

My name is Liz and I’m not an alcoholic!

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Remembrance!

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Hil Street Box Office!

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Hil Street Before and After!

Monday, April 02, 2007

Winery Day!

Solutions for Busy Wives!

Hil Street Book Review!

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