Erin Shaw Street

The Stars and Stripes, Are Big And Bright

I have spent time in Texas before, but it's always been quick trips - one day meetings and fast flights out. Before this week, the longest period of time I've spent here was driving cross country after college on my way to Phoenix. I remember it being unbearably hot, stopping at a wax museum, and for a photo op with a gigantic metal bull.

Well I've done two of the three this week as I'm spending most of it in Lubbock for work.

Parts of the trip are a little ... uncomfortable. Although I'm used to blastingly hot weather, the huge Texas sky seems to beam more heat, and the clay seems to capture the steam. The interstates twist in unending confusing loops, and the GPS is leading me to one ways and dead ends.

It took three flights to arrive in the tiny airport in the middle of nowhere. I have cacti pricklies stuck in my fingers (a new friend handed me one without realizing how many little stingy things - pardon the term - it had). No idea how to treat that.

That said, there are some unexpected delights:

The Buddy Holly Museum: OK, maybe not unexpected, but excellent. I loved walking through rooms of Buddy Holly artifacts, from his Cubs uniform to the guitar on which he recorded his last songs including "Peggy Sue."

Although I'd grown up with Buddy Holly around the house, the museum helped me  make the connection between Holly and his real influence on rock and roll to come, namely The Beatles, Stones, and even Elton John (who started wearing his colorful glasses in a homage to BH).

Wineries: Who knew that West Texas produces wine? Apparently they do, and some of it is quite good. I had the pleasure of visiting Llano Estacado Winery and Cap Rock Winery. What a refreshing break from the heat, and the loops, and the cacti.

Burruitos: OK, it's Texas, so no surprise that there is excellent Mexican food. But Mexican food that smiles at you?

I'm fairly sure it was cooked in lard, but it was good.

There are more highlights, and pictures to boot, but my uploader isn't cooperating and I'm up past my bed time.

Tomorrow begins another adventure underneath this endless sky.

My run in with Coldplay Live - Birmingham

Shane always says that I have the best luck, and I guess it's true that crazy things do tend to fall in my lap. I swear I don't try to get into the shenanigans that I do.  Like tonight.

We'd gone to see Coldplay and Pete Yorn at the Verizon Amphitheater. On any other Alabama May night it would have been 97 degrees, but it just so happened to be about 49 degrees tonight.

Although I was enjoying the ever so cheekily British humor and stylings of Chris Martin and his band mates, I was freezing and kept thinking we should just leave. Finally, after wavering a bit and convincing myself that it was OK to head out early, I decided it was time.

Then, as we were walking out, we were stopped about halfway out by security who told us we couldn't move. But the electric blanket was at home!

Within moments I was again thanking the stars for aligning just right. The band walks out into the audience and gets up on a tiny stage not more than 5-10 feet from us. We were literally in the front row of throngs of people to see them, all quite by accident.They played three songs from up here, including the Monkees' classic "I'm a Believer." I tried to ask Chris if Apple would care to have a play date with Nate but I don't think he could hear me.

Still, it was a nice visit. 

The moral of the story = sometimes it's good to be cold, and to be old, and to leave early. Or just to be in the right place at the right time.

Ye Olde iPod, Norfolk, and a headstand gone awry

 Last night I bid farewell to a longtime friend -- my 6 and a half year old, second generation ipod. Although many had laughed at the world's oldest ipod (saying things like, "does it have a crank?") ye olde ipod sang me through many a flight, drive and workout (OK maybe not that many workouts).

Since I have a playlist for everything (including labor and the long detour I had to take after a portion of I-59 went up in flames) this 2003 ipod was well used and always by my side.

In the past year I'd found new uses for it, using it to record all my interviews and even DJing a fundraiser a few weeks ago.

You went out with a bang old girl. And I'm looking for a shadow box in which to frame you.

In completely other news, here's what else has been happening this week:

Vosages Haut Chocolat Barcelona Bar

In honor of my trip to Spain one year ago, I bought a .5 oz bar at Whole Foods today and it is incredible. Made with hickory smoked almonds, sea salt, and deep milk chocolate, the bar comes with instructions on how to fully enjoy:

"Breathe ... Close your eyes and take three deep ujjayi breaths.
See ... There should be a glossy shine to the chocoalte bar, including a good temper.
Smell, Inhale the chocolate, fruit, herb or spice notes deeply through your nose ..."

And it goes on. The best part is that is actually *that* good. I first discovered Vosages chocolate by sampling their Bacon Bar, and have been reading more the company in "Yeah Dave's Guide To Livin' The Moment: Getting To Ecstacy, Wine and an Ipod Playlist."

The Chrysler Museum

I visited this museum in Norfolk, VA earlier this week and was blown away by its "Art of Glass" exhibition. In a small world moment I saw a beautiful work by Stephen Powell, whose sister is a former colleague. Also ate Turkish food for the first time ever at Pasha's. It was delicious.

Yoga Headstand: Achieved, Rotator Cuff: Banged Up (Again)

I've been working on getting into a headstand for a while now. Here's a little secret: a headstand is a little more difficult than, say, down dog. The other night, after being completely stressed out, I decided to work out the drama in some poses. Great idea, except for the part about going for the headstand. After one brief moment of upright glory I tumbled over, only to meet the shooting and familiar pain of the rotator cuff muscles I messed up during trapeze lessons.

One painful massage, several days of Aleve and non-stop ice and heat later, I'm going to save the super yogi poses for later.

Finally, today two great things happened today. One, Nate finished his first season of soccer. Great because he got over soccer after about one game, so the rest of it was pretty much us standing by the side of the field sizing up snacks of the day. Ah, the legendary Shaw athletic ability (minus some notable exceptions).

The second was I met three great Birmingham bloggers today. All happen to be moms, and we shared some great conversations over sushi today. Check out there sites here:

Fabulously Frugalicious

Will Blog For Shoes

Kristen Stewart Photography

Today's convo really got me fired up about launching a brand new blog. Yeah, I've been talking about it forever, but I think I might just have gotten the good swift kick I needed to get to take some more steps in that direction.

One step at a time.

The Elvis Tree

This has been a year of lost control. We all seem to be breathing a collective sigh, waiting for the clock to turn 2009, hoping that the economy will bounce back, our friends will get jobs, we will keep jobs.

For me it's been a year of great highs -- eating tapas with Cliff and Luis and my parents in Spain; watching Nate turn into a funny two and a half year old, reconnecting with my writing, and most recently watching yogi greet the Florida sunrise, with my toes planted in the sand of my home state. And of course watching Obama win.

It's been a tough year too, including lots of time spent like everyone else wondering where in the world we are going. I said goodbye to some friends, including one who personified the good fight.  I hit some bumps.

But the first list -- the good things -- is longer.

And so, trying to get over my predictable anxiety over getting all the gifts wrapped, the table set, the cheese ball made (OK so I wasn't freaked out about this one but it did cross my mind), the house cleaned, and life and its uncertainties figured out, I decided to give it all up for The Elvis Tree.

This pink flocked tree came to me yesterday while in Michael's as I bought some last minute Christmas things. (OK, I went nuts getting 70% off glittery purple leaves and such to go on the main tree). There it was -- a 3-foot tall, pre-lit $11.99 little wonder. Not having a clue what to do with it I immediately put it in my cart. Of course.

Then it struck me. After we'd successfully assembled Thomas the Train, his table and dozens of Thomas' friends (OK Shane did the assembling but I was also in the trenches), when I was up to my ears in wrapping paper remnants and to-do lists for the next two days, it came to me: The Elvis Tree.

In a year where so much has felt out of control, The Elvis Tree was something completely in my power. I rounded up my Elvis ornaments, 45" singles, some leftover glittery decorations, a peanut butter wrapper and banana for good measure, and boom. Now granted, I think I might have inhaled some serious asbestos because all that flocking made me cough, but it felt good. Not the asbestos part, but the part where I hung my Velvet Elvis in our dining room, which I had once reserved for only Lennox and Waterford. In an hour I had reclaimed a little part of my world in my own way.

(Though not pictured in this photo, Elvis has a special friend named Paul Bear Bryant untouched Pepsi bottle, which accompanies him as an homage to our heroes.)

Elvis usually lives in corners of our house, in our office, laundry room, my closet ... but this afternoon I decided it was time for him to come on out. And so The Elvis Tree was born.

I think we will leave it up until Elvis' birthday, January 9. Or maybe forever -- not so sure.

This is by no means sacrilegious. But when a little pink tree calls, what else can be done? I feel the tiniest bit better.