So, I must preface all this by saying (and it is no shock if you read my lovely wife's blog) that, no, Alex and I are fine, and I am happy about her going.
We've told very few people so-far, but since Alex now has acquired a new job and we creep towards it, it is official: we are moving in August. At the end of July, our lease and my job here are up, and in keeping with our dreams of moving onto land in Bosque County, Alex and I have decided to move in that direction. So, to make it clear: we are moving to Waco. She is working for Baylor, and has secured a job that not only pays more than her current here by a fair amount, it provides benefits and permanence. From there, she is going to undertake a teaching certification program, and hopes to teach middle school science.
For my part, I'm planning on finding a decent 8-5, finishing my thesis to receive my MA in December (beautiful thing is I don't have to live in Austin to do it, since I am not taking classes nor teaching), and perhaps engage myself in teaching 4-8 grades history at some point. The point is that I don't feel the University is where I am supposed to be, though I would still love to teach, especially a subject like Texas history.
I realize to some this is a shock, and others may not want to keep up with us. That happens, but Waco for us actually will make is equidistant from a number of friends we currently don't see much, which will be nice. It is only a 1 and a half hour drive from Austin, and let's face it: it can take that long to get across town in Austin in rush hour. Not so bad, so come visit us! We've scoped out a place that is a 3/2/2 that backs up to a park in a quiet part of town...and it would be a 15 min commute for Alex. Oh, I can't wait!!
That all being said, from the 21st on, I'm a bachelor again for a while. I'll be packing up around here and getting ready to move on. I'll also be in the Czech Republic from the 5th-19th of July at a conference. Hooray!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Shout the Battlecry of Freedom
So, here I am musing right now, listening to the Confederate version of the "Battlecry of Freedom." This morning, on a whim, I was reading Wikipedia's series on the History of Texas. I have to say I really do love the history of my state. It is unique and full of unexpected twists. For example, who knew that the Republic of Texas was the first nation in the world to ensure homestead protection from creditors? A tradition we nobly carry today. Also, following Mexico's example, they were the first State in the Union to declare property in a marriage, no matter what its source, the joint assets of both man and woman, unlike the Anglo-based law which deemed it all the husband's, even if it came from the wife's family or inheritance.
I live in a place with a wonderful sense of self and a monumental wealth of history and tradition, bursting at the seams, that one doesn't have to look far to find. I ended up on the wiki page of some secessionist groups. Now, I am not saying I advocate secession, but I think that it should be something permissible in a nation that says it is an collection of states. Texas vs. White (1870) decided that that was not the nature of the Union, but do small nations not have a right to be free, when they decide that greater nation to which they belong no longer serves their best interests? I wonder.
I live in a place with a wonderful sense of self and a monumental wealth of history and tradition, bursting at the seams, that one doesn't have to look far to find. I ended up on the wiki page of some secessionist groups. Now, I am not saying I advocate secession, but I think that it should be something permissible in a nation that says it is an collection of states. Texas vs. White (1870) decided that that was not the nature of the Union, but do small nations not have a right to be free, when they decide that greater nation to which they belong no longer serves their best interests? I wonder.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Jeep Rises
Good Morning, Universe!
Well, it seems I have a habit of posting at the outset of a week and not the rest of the week. Strange, I think, but not altogether bad.
Here I sit at work, my first day of my summer appointment. I've been graciously granted 3/4 time for the next two months, which will help us an incredible amount in terms of finances. I've worked here for six years, so I guess this is my bonus, as this will be the last two months I work for the Institute for the Study of Antiquity and Christian Origins. I started working here at age 18, a freshman in college, living a block away in Jester East dormitory. Full of hope, seeing the world through rose-colored glasses...well, as much as an 18-year-old with more thousands of dollars in debt than he has age. It has been a wild ride since then. A great many things have changed. Some haven't. I would like to think that in that time I've found myself and who I really am. Certainly I found the person I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. Ironically, I found her about the same time I started working here. We've been together (and living together, funny enough) for four years as of May 25th, and we'll be married for a year on the 13th.
So, the title of the post? Yesterday, I picked my Jeep back up from my Uncle's house. My uncle, William (though we call him Willem, an anglicized form of the Czech Vilem, I'd like to point out) who lives at our family home, where I grew up, in the little village of Schwertner, Texas. My Jeep has had some issues in the last year or two, and frankly, I didn't have the time or money to get it fixed. Namely, the catalytic converter had a break-up of its material (which looks like a plaster honeycomb, if you've never seen it before) and had been choking the exhaust system. My Uncle's solution? Don't buy a new cat, just cut the old one open and dump all the crap out! Now, the Jeep rises, as she runs stronger than she did when I first got her. I am very happy and feeling great about her again. Uncle Willem gives her the thumbs-up, having looked everything over and says she will run strong for years. Now I'm looking at a host of after-market parts for her! I plan, one day when she is laid to rest, to get a Wrangler again. I loved driving them, and honestly, I will get an older one to keep up.
In other news, our remodel of Alex's parents' house started this weekend in Houston. I'd say it got off to a good start, though a bit slower than we anticipated. It is rather difficult to redo a home that is full-to-brimming with furniture-few places to put it while you repaint/refloor, etc. I am excited about this project, though, as it provides opportunities to learn new skills for when we own our own home. Also, we get to help family, and in return they're paying for Alex's teaching cert. course. No small amount, though still vastly cheaper than they'd pay a contractor to do the same work.
I'm excited to see what loveliness the week will bring.
Well, it seems I have a habit of posting at the outset of a week and not the rest of the week. Strange, I think, but not altogether bad.
Here I sit at work, my first day of my summer appointment. I've been graciously granted 3/4 time for the next two months, which will help us an incredible amount in terms of finances. I've worked here for six years, so I guess this is my bonus, as this will be the last two months I work for the Institute for the Study of Antiquity and Christian Origins. I started working here at age 18, a freshman in college, living a block away in Jester East dormitory. Full of hope, seeing the world through rose-colored glasses...well, as much as an 18-year-old with more thousands of dollars in debt than he has age. It has been a wild ride since then. A great many things have changed. Some haven't. I would like to think that in that time I've found myself and who I really am. Certainly I found the person I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. Ironically, I found her about the same time I started working here. We've been together (and living together, funny enough) for four years as of May 25th, and we'll be married for a year on the 13th.
So, the title of the post? Yesterday, I picked my Jeep back up from my Uncle's house. My uncle, William (though we call him Willem, an anglicized form of the Czech Vilem, I'd like to point out) who lives at our family home, where I grew up, in the little village of Schwertner, Texas. My Jeep has had some issues in the last year or two, and frankly, I didn't have the time or money to get it fixed. Namely, the catalytic converter had a break-up of its material (which looks like a plaster honeycomb, if you've never seen it before) and had been choking the exhaust system. My Uncle's solution? Don't buy a new cat, just cut the old one open and dump all the crap out! Now, the Jeep rises, as she runs stronger than she did when I first got her. I am very happy and feeling great about her again. Uncle Willem gives her the thumbs-up, having looked everything over and says she will run strong for years. Now I'm looking at a host of after-market parts for her! I plan, one day when she is laid to rest, to get a Wrangler again. I loved driving them, and honestly, I will get an older one to keep up.
In other news, our remodel of Alex's parents' house started this weekend in Houston. I'd say it got off to a good start, though a bit slower than we anticipated. It is rather difficult to redo a home that is full-to-brimming with furniture-few places to put it while you repaint/refloor, etc. I am excited about this project, though, as it provides opportunities to learn new skills for when we own our own home. Also, we get to help family, and in return they're paying for Alex's teaching cert. course. No small amount, though still vastly cheaper than they'd pay a contractor to do the same work.
I'm excited to see what loveliness the week will bring.
Monday, May 24, 2010
And Lo! The Facebook is dead.
This morning, at 8:05AM my facebook account died the death after nearly 6 years of life. I do not mourn its passing. Something that consumes so much time and effort, yet produces so little seems to be beyond my ability to reconcile to myself.
Here sit I, in my office at UT, land of the Ivory Towers, drinking my energy drink after a night of little sleep. Do you ever have those? It isn't because of anything in particular (well, the dog woke me up at a point and the fan clicked) but usually I can sleep. Not last night. I just laid there and let my mind wander, let my thoughts take flight. Those can be fun nights, when you're not sure if you're dreaming or awake. I like those. I can imagine things not yet come to pass, especially I wonder about the future. Over the weekend, when we were camping at Lake Buchanan, Alex and I walked past a building that was as quintessentially Texas as they come: pier and beam, 10' wide porch all the way around, and a small house, likely around 1100 sq. ft. We talked, and she agreed, that something about that size is what we hope for. That, a barn, stable, workshop, smithy, and guest cottage on about 30-50 acres. Imagine that. Wouldn't it be heaven? Maybe not for all of you, but in my time and life, I've really, truly come to love the land I come from. I would happily spend the rest of my days on it, stewarding it. There are few things I enjoy more than outdoor activities. Thanks to my lovely wife, I've been fishing more again lately, as those of you who've known me the longest will remember: I adore fishing.
There is something very relaxing in the repetition, very fulfilling in the catch, and something merciful in removing the hook and releasing a fish who is not yet old enough to be eaten. The appreciation of nourishing one's self with those that are. I think it provides a reflection on life we could all appreciate.
In a way I never knew would happen, I can remember when I developed a love for those things regarding the land and nature. I was 10. We had just bought a ranch in Bosque County, and I reveled in the new opportunities there: woods full of deer and rabbit to hunt, ponds full of bass and catfish, and so many things to explore. I could run the deer trails by heart and feel, and often, in my dreams, I am still running them, tracking. I continue to feel that way every time I am on the land, no matter where. I suppose, in some ways, that is why Alex and I are looking to move back there. When I took her to walk the countryside near where I lived, she fell in love with it in an instant. That made me happier than I rightly know how to say.
So, that being said, I am looking forward to the prospect of becoming a Texas history teacher in public schools, as that is the direction I'm thinking of. I enjoy teaching, and an academic schedule. I'd like to give something back and teach kids a little something about the state that I love.
In general, I must say, I continue to enjoy the directions that my life is tacking toward. I am excited about what the future holds for the first time in a long time.
Here sit I, in my office at UT, land of the Ivory Towers, drinking my energy drink after a night of little sleep. Do you ever have those? It isn't because of anything in particular (well, the dog woke me up at a point and the fan clicked) but usually I can sleep. Not last night. I just laid there and let my mind wander, let my thoughts take flight. Those can be fun nights, when you're not sure if you're dreaming or awake. I like those. I can imagine things not yet come to pass, especially I wonder about the future. Over the weekend, when we were camping at Lake Buchanan, Alex and I walked past a building that was as quintessentially Texas as they come: pier and beam, 10' wide porch all the way around, and a small house, likely around 1100 sq. ft. We talked, and she agreed, that something about that size is what we hope for. That, a barn, stable, workshop, smithy, and guest cottage on about 30-50 acres. Imagine that. Wouldn't it be heaven? Maybe not for all of you, but in my time and life, I've really, truly come to love the land I come from. I would happily spend the rest of my days on it, stewarding it. There are few things I enjoy more than outdoor activities. Thanks to my lovely wife, I've been fishing more again lately, as those of you who've known me the longest will remember: I adore fishing.
There is something very relaxing in the repetition, very fulfilling in the catch, and something merciful in removing the hook and releasing a fish who is not yet old enough to be eaten. The appreciation of nourishing one's self with those that are. I think it provides a reflection on life we could all appreciate.
In a way I never knew would happen, I can remember when I developed a love for those things regarding the land and nature. I was 10. We had just bought a ranch in Bosque County, and I reveled in the new opportunities there: woods full of deer and rabbit to hunt, ponds full of bass and catfish, and so many things to explore. I could run the deer trails by heart and feel, and often, in my dreams, I am still running them, tracking. I continue to feel that way every time I am on the land, no matter where. I suppose, in some ways, that is why Alex and I are looking to move back there. When I took her to walk the countryside near where I lived, she fell in love with it in an instant. That made me happier than I rightly know how to say.
So, that being said, I am looking forward to the prospect of becoming a Texas history teacher in public schools, as that is the direction I'm thinking of. I enjoy teaching, and an academic schedule. I'd like to give something back and teach kids a little something about the state that I love.
In general, I must say, I continue to enjoy the directions that my life is tacking toward. I am excited about what the future holds for the first time in a long time.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday, Monday.
Well, here I sit at work on a Monday morning. The sun coming up over the cool, quiet land of Central Texas, dew on the thistles and the rustling of the oaks as the Earth wakes. I tell you, there are few places more beautiful than this land of ours, and we would all do well to pay it some respect here and there. The gifts it gives to all of us are manifold and generous. Need a caffeine uptake? Chew on a Yaupon cutting. Got a nasty infection? Make a paste out of honeysuckle blossoms and spread it on, or make a tea for something in the throat. Hungry? Most things are edible, we have nuts and fruits aplenty, and most everything will grow here. Seriously, look it up.
The weekend was grand as forseen, though lazier than expected! Alexandra and I found ourselves sleeping away a great part of it in naps. Who knows why we were so tired! Naps are a wonderful thing, though, I must admit. Especially when Double Dave's Pizza is holding a lg pizza for $6 deal and you want to be lazy. For sure, that Corn Beef I made on Friday was excellent, but once it ran out, it was out.
Friday a dear old friend, whose wedding we are helping with, came over to work on her Bridesmaids' dressed with Alex. It was nice to sit, drink coffee, and chat whilst the girls worked. Jenn and I go back quite a ways: we met at college orientation at UT, and have been friends ever since, save a brief period of estrangement in there. There really are few people in this world whose company I'd actually miss if I had to go be a hermit, and she is surely one of them. She and Alex became fast friends after they met, as they're quite similar ladies, and now she's Alex's best female friend, as near as I can tell.
On to other thing, as you all (may) know, I am a concealed handgun carrier. This is Texas, afterall, and one is wiser to be prepared. Better to have it and not need it. So, anyhow, I carry a few guns, depending on the occasion, and lately I've been looking for more of an opportunity to carry my Colt Single Action Army (also known as the Peacemaker). It is a traditional gun, with a large caliber, and just damn imposing if you're on the other end of it, I wager. Problem is that it can be bulky and difficult to conceal for a man of my stature. Here's a holster style I just discovered though, that may work. Remember Tom Cruise's character in "The Last Samurai"? He carried something similar.
I'm rather fond of it, and with a jacket over it (or a frock coat, as my lovely wife is working on some) it would be wonderful. The strap across the chest would be visible, but that isn't illegal, only seeing the gun itself is. I rather like that notion.
This week should prove to be quite loverly in its own right, I think. Today we're waiting on the arrival of my friend, Bob Hingtgen, who I have been friends with for over a decade now. We've not seen each other that much since we've been in school, but hopefully we'll remedy that soon. He is going to come down today and stay 'til Wednesday. Then, this weekend we've got a trip to go camping scheduled. I could use that. We're headed out to Canyon of the Eagles park on Lake Buchanan. Nice place, good fishing.
Well, I do believe that's about all on my mind right now. I'm deleting the facebook a week from today. I find it ironic that most people who have complained, though not all, are the ones who make no effort whatsoever to keep up with me. Funny, isn't it?
Until later! Hope all your weeks go well.
The weekend was grand as forseen, though lazier than expected! Alexandra and I found ourselves sleeping away a great part of it in naps. Who knows why we were so tired! Naps are a wonderful thing, though, I must admit. Especially when Double Dave's Pizza is holding a lg pizza for $6 deal and you want to be lazy. For sure, that Corn Beef I made on Friday was excellent, but once it ran out, it was out.
Friday a dear old friend, whose wedding we are helping with, came over to work on her Bridesmaids' dressed with Alex. It was nice to sit, drink coffee, and chat whilst the girls worked. Jenn and I go back quite a ways: we met at college orientation at UT, and have been friends ever since, save a brief period of estrangement in there. There really are few people in this world whose company I'd actually miss if I had to go be a hermit, and she is surely one of them. She and Alex became fast friends after they met, as they're quite similar ladies, and now she's Alex's best female friend, as near as I can tell.
On to other thing, as you all (may) know, I am a concealed handgun carrier. This is Texas, afterall, and one is wiser to be prepared. Better to have it and not need it. So, anyhow, I carry a few guns, depending on the occasion, and lately I've been looking for more of an opportunity to carry my Colt Single Action Army (also known as the Peacemaker). It is a traditional gun, with a large caliber, and just damn imposing if you're on the other end of it, I wager. Problem is that it can be bulky and difficult to conceal for a man of my stature. Here's a holster style I just discovered though, that may work. Remember Tom Cruise's character in "The Last Samurai"? He carried something similar.
I'm rather fond of it, and with a jacket over it (or a frock coat, as my lovely wife is working on some) it would be wonderful. The strap across the chest would be visible, but that isn't illegal, only seeing the gun itself is. I rather like that notion.
This week should prove to be quite loverly in its own right, I think. Today we're waiting on the arrival of my friend, Bob Hingtgen, who I have been friends with for over a decade now. We've not seen each other that much since we've been in school, but hopefully we'll remedy that soon. He is going to come down today and stay 'til Wednesday. Then, this weekend we've got a trip to go camping scheduled. I could use that. We're headed out to Canyon of the Eagles park on Lake Buchanan. Nice place, good fishing.
Well, I do believe that's about all on my mind right now. I'm deleting the facebook a week from today. I find it ironic that most people who have complained, though not all, are the ones who make no effort whatsoever to keep up with me. Funny, isn't it?
Until later! Hope all your weeks go well.
Friday, May 14, 2010
A Day Off
Well, friends, I had a day off today, finally.
Yesterday I finished my last final, as noted in a previous post. It went awfully. Whereas the professor in question asked us to look over a set of exercises, which I did and then studied some like them, apparently he really just wanted us to memorize those exercises, because he put them verbatim on the exam. That has to be academically immoral somehow?
At any rate, I have thoroughly enjoyed a day off. Last night I attended my first night of Iaijutsu practice, and thoroughly reveled in that. I've waited so very long to have something to do that would give me an outlet like this. I really like the group, the sensei, and the overall feeling I get there. I think this will be a new home for me. For that, I'm glad. It certainly was strange, putting on clothes I haven't worn in five years. I wasn't entirely sure I'd be able to remember how to do everything, but in those years I've tried to maintain what I knew and how to handle a sword. I did exceedingly well, so I suppose I haven't lost too much.
Here at home today, after dropping Alex off at the bus this morning, I have been lazy for a change. I went fishing this morning when everyone was bustling to work, I sat by the river and enjoyed the rain, drank a Dr. Pepper and felt at peace. I came home, owing to the fact that the same professor mentioned above decided not to go to work today (I needed to meet him to get some things from his office), and thus didn't some other errands. Here at home, I'm just watching shows on Hulu, drinking tea, and relaxing. There's a Corn Beef in the crock pot, and my Dove of a wife gets home in two hours. I'm a happy man.
I hope all your weekends prove to be grand. Mine will be.
Yesterday I finished my last final, as noted in a previous post. It went awfully. Whereas the professor in question asked us to look over a set of exercises, which I did and then studied some like them, apparently he really just wanted us to memorize those exercises, because he put them verbatim on the exam. That has to be academically immoral somehow?
At any rate, I have thoroughly enjoyed a day off. Last night I attended my first night of Iaijutsu practice, and thoroughly reveled in that. I've waited so very long to have something to do that would give me an outlet like this. I really like the group, the sensei, and the overall feeling I get there. I think this will be a new home for me. For that, I'm glad. It certainly was strange, putting on clothes I haven't worn in five years. I wasn't entirely sure I'd be able to remember how to do everything, but in those years I've tried to maintain what I knew and how to handle a sword. I did exceedingly well, so I suppose I haven't lost too much.
Here at home today, after dropping Alex off at the bus this morning, I have been lazy for a change. I went fishing this morning when everyone was bustling to work, I sat by the river and enjoyed the rain, drank a Dr. Pepper and felt at peace. I came home, owing to the fact that the same professor mentioned above decided not to go to work today (I needed to meet him to get some things from his office), and thus didn't some other errands. Here at home, I'm just watching shows on Hulu, drinking tea, and relaxing. There's a Corn Beef in the crock pot, and my Dove of a wife gets home in two hours. I'm a happy man.
I hope all your weekends prove to be grand. Mine will be.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Scruples
I never compromise on my morals or scruples. I hold myself to a very high code of honor. This means I have the unfortunate tendency to say the truth always. Know that.
I am sick and tired of having to turn a blind eye to indiscretions for the sake of not losing employment. I refuse. I would rather starve in contentment that have a bounty bought with shame. I just don't think I am going to tolerate this much longer. How far does this have to go?
The code of conduct I was raised with (I am both a Texan and a Texas Czech, you know) does not permit this. Nor does any code which I have studied and enjoyed in my time (either chivalry or bushido).
Heads may roll, foundations may be shook, but in the end, right must prevail.
That is all.
I am sick and tired of having to turn a blind eye to indiscretions for the sake of not losing employment. I refuse. I would rather starve in contentment that have a bounty bought with shame. I just don't think I am going to tolerate this much longer. How far does this have to go?
The code of conduct I was raised with (I am both a Texan and a Texas Czech, you know) does not permit this. Nor does any code which I have studied and enjoyed in my time (either chivalry or bushido).
Heads may roll, foundations may be shook, but in the end, right must prevail.
That is all.
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