Back to the 80s

We got into our time machine and flashed back to the 80s for a party with our friends on Grooms Street. Marie went the gum chewing, hair twirling, pink and innocent route. I on the other hand opted for a little more scandal with white ankle boots that everyone went gaga over. Truth be told I had to rent the entire outfit. I don't have that kind of stuff laying around you know. I did have some of what Marie wore laying around. In fact I probably wore an outfit very similar to that in high school. "But Veronica?" you ask. "You didn't go to high school in the 80s." EXACTLY. Clearly I was never voted best dressed. I digress. We both had a great time listening to the tunes of Cindy Lauper and George Michael and watching our friends Maureen and Catie prance around in their puffy 80s prom dresses. Good times!

Election Night Chills

Wow. I thought the crowd at the Cotton Bowl was impressive. What was I thinking? That was nothing compared to the chills I got Tuesday night watching Barack Obama give his victory speech in Chicago on TV. I wasn't even there and I got a little emotional. I'm not saying he was my pick as I am a fair and unbiased journalist but I don't think anyone with a pulse could have watched that without feeling a little patriotic and proud to be an American. I was a little bummed I had to spend the entire night at a Republican Watch Party, not because I don't support Republicans, but because I missed history unfolding. As you can imagine this room full of Republicans were not celebrating Obama's victory. They did cook up some good snacks for media though.

Changeling - Go Watch It

It's been a while since I've seen a movie that I thought was worth the two I hours I spent watching it. Changeling was worth every minute. Angelina Jolie nailed her part as a mom desperately trying to find her son and fight a corrupt police department. It's based on a true story. It's not a feel good movie but it will make you think.

Happy Halloween from Pumpkin Peter

Uh Huh Her

Is that "THE" Leisha Hailey? Why yes it is! Her band - Uh Huh Her - played at the Parish Monday night and I was there! I love their music but I can't say they performed very well. The bass was a little loud for my taste and I couldn't really make out the words. Fortunately, I know all the words to their songs so it didn't matter. It's a good thing Leisha (we are on a first name basis now) has her acting career to fall back on if this doesn't work out. The real rockstars were the opening act: The Fashion. If you like Punk Rock you'll love them. Talk about high energy. It was hard not to want to throw your hands up in the air and just go nuts! Only if you lack a soul could you not want to dance to their music. On another note: If you hear of a band you like playing at the Parish you have to go. It's a great atmosphere and tickets are typically not very expensive. It's a small venue so every spot in the house is a great one!

Thrill the world Austin

I'm officially a big dork. I really want to take part in this "Thrill the World Austin" event. In a nutshell: Thousands of zombies around the world will dance to "Thriller" at exactly the same time in an attempt to break last year's world records. Austin will join 83 other cities in 12 nations on 4 continents in this record-breaking event. It's on Saturday, October 25th at the Long Center for Performing Arts. There's one catch: You have to know the dance. There are two more workshops to learn the dance. We'll be there on Friday!

Tuesday, October 21, 6-10pm, The Off Center, 2211-A Hidalgo
Friday, October 24, 6-10pm, The Off Center, 2211-A Hidalgo
Click here for more info.

Flashback: Halloween 2007

Halloween is right around the corner and we have NO IDEA what we are going to be. Last year our Mariachi costume earned us a "Best Costume" award. I still believe it was my musical ability that secured the win. For all of you who saw us on Sixth Street - There are THREE amigos in the Three Amigos!! I digress - What the heck should we be for Halloween? Any thoughts??

La Dolce Vita - Until you get home

It's called La Dolce Vita or The Sweet Life. Marie and I decided to clean up a bit and raise a glass or four to a beautiful October night at one of Austin's most gorgeous venues: Laguna Gloria Museum.

It is La Dolce Vita indeed. We got to drink wine and vodka from vendors all over town and enjoy the best of Austin's restaurants for the sake of Art. Pinot, merlot, vodka, lamb, shrimp, beef, cupcakes, custards, sushi, chocolate, steak, pasta oh my.....oh...ooh...OOOH MY. The sweet life, yes, until you have to digest it all.

Red River Rivalry

I took this picture from behind the goal post at the Cotton Bowl Stadium during the Red River Rivalry. "How did you get so close?" you ask. Let's just say it's one of the perks of working in media. I was the "news" reporter tasked with covering crazy fans. Lesley (pictured below) and Jeff covered the game.
I'm not typically impressed by much but there's something about 91 thousand plus people screaming at once that gives you goosebumps. Add that to the fact that the Longhorns wooped the Sooners and are now ranked number one in the country and you have one happy Texan. DISCLAIMER: I mean no disrespect to the 'Cuse. When basketball season rolls around I'll make sure to honor my alma mater. Until then, this Texan has to hook 'em!

Care Bears crumble in tippy cup tie breaker

"Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport! The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat! The human drama of athletic competition!"

Not since the St. Louis Rams upset the Tennessee Titans at the one yard line of Super Bowl XXXIV has there been an upset like the one witnessed by dozens (or a dozen) Saturday at the second annual GG Day at Martin Stadium.

Top athletes from as far as North Austin converged for the most anticipated sporting event of year. Teams came with one goal: To take down the reigning champion Care Bears.

After a grueling afternoon of three-legged racin', balloon poppin', donut eatin', beer drinkin', and egg tossin' it came down to two teams: The Goonies and the Care Bears.

Despite their efforts to defy gravity, the Care Bears couldn't compete with the chuggin' talents of the Goonies in the Tippy Cup tie breaker.


But despite the tears and broken panty hose, it was an event that will go down in the record books as one of the best GG Day's in modern history.

Heaven on Earth

This is heaven on earth. I love Lady Bird Lake which most people still refer to as Town Lake. Nature and the beautiful Austin city skyline combine to make a perfect place to work out and play. I make it out to the trails a few times a week. Regardless of how I feel when I first step foot on the trail, I always leave feeling excited and energetic.

It's perfect for runners. Whether you're looking for a 4 mile run or 10 Lady Bird Lake has you covered.

You can really get lost here. Even though you are surrounded by people running, kids playing, bikers swerving in and out of pedestrian traffic and dogs splashing into the water, there is still a sense of serenity while walking through the trail.

Ever wonder how the lake became so beautiful? You can thank the late Lady Bird Johnson. Click here to check out the story I did about her legacy.

Dam I'm Good

Jenna (project producer) and I drove to Dallas to pick up our ASCE Excellence in Journalism regional award. We got a free meal, a snazzy plaque and $200 each. We also found out we won the National award which also comes with cash!

ASCE members were so appreciative of our work and reminded us how important it is to do stories on the state of our infrastructure despite the topic's lack of glitz and glam.

Dams are not the most interesting topics but dams are incredibly important to understand for environmental, recreational, and safety reasons, among others.

Check out our award winning series on the state of Texas Dams here!

Why Blog?

I wish I could say my life is so interesting that reading my blogs would provide you some sort of entertainment or insight into your own life.

In all honestly, the only reason I decided to start this blog is because, as the title of my blog reads, I have a good life.

I want to remember these days 70 years from now when I'm sitting in my rocking chair and can't remember where I put my teeth much less the little events that made my life so special to me.

So if you're reading this and thinking - wow, this is self serving and self promoting - remember, that's exactly what it's meant to be.

If I do manage to entertain you or introduce you to something you might not have otherwise known - well, that would be cool too.

Austin City Limits

The Austin City Limits music festival was the big story this weekend. One hundred and thirty bands played on 8 stages for three days. I had the difficult task of reporting on all the fun.

In all honesty, you do have to actually "work" a little so I didn't get to just lounge around, drink beer, and listen to music all day long like all the people who paid big bucks for tickets.

I did manage to catch Tegan and Sara. I also discovered the Octopus Project while telling the story of a bunch of excited Austin High School band members who got to do what most musicians can only dream about. Check out the story here!