Austin Powers

I realize I probably have no room to complain when the rest of the country is freezing its huevos off and it's a mere 17 degrees here at the beach in comparison, but dayum it's cold as a bitch out there. I spent my weekend off tucked away into my hobbit hole, moisturizing like a crazy lady since this time of year makes my hands crack like crocodile scales and bleed from the dryness at work, where we usually don hats and gloves and thermal underwear while walking the sales floor. Not to mention my fruit and veggie diet has not allowed for a lot of fats to keep my skin and hair moisturized like they used to be, although I sure indulged in some avos and olive oils big time this weekend (dude sumtimes a gal needz teh comfert fude). So yes, it snowed a few minutes today, and now it's just raining. But they're calling for real snow tomorrow, the kind that might stick. And my downstairs feels about as icy as outside so I spend most of my time upstairs, either on the computer or flopped down on the bed, watching the 52" flat screen TV I got for Christmas, recently mounted on my wall. Actually it was my father's, but he "re-gifted" it to me, and quite frankly I'm not complaining (for a change!).

One place that's bound to be considerably warmer this time of year is Austin, Texas, where I just purchased my tickets with Joe to visit for the first time on the week of my 40th birthday in February. Randy and Lizzie already live there so it will be wonderful to see them again, but the real reason we chose Austin this year is because that's where Joe's half-sister, the one he had no idea he had until last summer, grew up and still lives. At least we're pretty sure that they're siblings, since their stories match about their shared father, who was married to their respective mothers (his in the 1960's and hers in the 1970's) and divorced them when she and Joe were too young to remember him in their lives. Anyway, we're finally getting to meet her and her family, and I'm quite excited (I guess Joe is too). I have a sister-in-law! Well, sort of. Sister-in-common-law I suppose. But anyway, AUSTIN FLIPPIN' TEXAS! One of the hottest music scenes in the United States! Oh, how I wish I were still in my 20's again. But no, alas, I'll be flying in on my 40th birthday. Forty as in, y'know, forty. Good heavens. Did I ever actually turn 39 at some point in my life?

Anyone know a good website for finding events in various cities? I'm turning up bupkis on the web search, but then again maybe it's too early for the second to last week of February. Maybe even a raw food restaurant I can try? Okay, that's a bit too overboard. I'm freakin' eating cake on my birthday dammit. And if it's carrot cake, them bitches are gonna be over 118 degrees, fo' 'sho.