Lovin' and livin' (and not as much pontificatin')

I cannot believe I've not posted on this blog in over two years!  I've kept up with my music-specific blog a bit more and yes, that's the focus of my life at this point...BUT I do enjoy posting on this blog as well. I don't need to tell all to a physical diary, but this is at least another way to keep tabs on my state of mind.  And reminds me (and others) of how clever I can be!  Haha.

Update:  still at the same day job and wishing I could quit...not that I hate the job, but I just need to focus on getting my B.A. so I can move forward with my other plans.

One of the most significant developments in my life since last post is that I have finally met the love of my life.  His name is Kevin, and right now he lives in New Orleans and teaches at Tulane University. We are planning for the future, and he's hoping to move here to Austin, which thrills me to no end.  I think he'll love it here.

I have continued on my endeavors for school and music, the bulk of which are written about on my other blog, No Future. Suffice it to say that because of Kevin's presence in my life and some determined efforts to make changes, I have attended my first academic conference about country music.  This years, my second time there, I presented a paper. That paper led to an invitation to submit to some senior scholars a proposal for an essay of a book. The proposal was accepted, so I'm working on that too!  And then last week I found out one other proposal was accepted, to present at the Louisiana Studies Conference with a paper entitled "Ninety-nine Year Blues: Country Music in the Louisiana State Penitentiary." I'm excited with how things are moving forward, but frankly I'm frustrated at the slow rate things are moving in general as I try to make this HUGE transition in my life.

Kevin has been a wonderful support and I love him SO much. I met him at the first conference I went to, and we got together several months later. With Kevin, I've found the kind of love I didn't think existed, and the kind of man who is rare indeed (and usually, taken).  I am happier than I have ever been, as far as love goes.

Physically, I've been going downhill.  I've put on thirty pounds in these two years, and I cannot seem to  break this pattern, for several reasons. First, I lost my car in an accident in September 2010, and went without a car for nearly a year. This affected my trips to the gym, and although I maintained some health benefits due to the amount I was walking, I wasn't able to keep up the pace I had set before.

Then after I got the car, I didn't seem to want to go to the gym. I'd gotten out of the habit and the new gym I joined (because of its location) didn't move me to do as much.  Too many healthy, hot guys in front of me and oddly, that did NOT make me want to work my ass off.  I wish it had.

Now I have a new car but no gym membership. I'm trying to keep healthy with hikes on the Green Belt, walks on Town Lake, and swimming at Barton Springs, but I will say every time I get on a roll with that, my scheduled gets messed up because I either leave town to go see Kevin, or he comes here to see me and things get thrown off.  I wish it didn't happen that way.  Maybe when he gets here, things will even out a bit.  I hope so!  I'm glad I met him at one of my heavier times, though, because I don't need to worry about anything like weight as our relationship progresses.

In any case, I'm doing GREAT in most aspects.  I hope to blog here a little more going foward...I think it's healthy for me.