There must be a light under the bushel!

Why Texas?

One thing I have learned about myself is that boredom=shopping. I spend money when I'm not busy. I'm not a browser. If I go, I want to buy. I don't particularly enjoy shopping. If a friend asks me to go along to the mall for fun, I usually give an absolute no for an answer, unless...I'm in the mood to blow money. I'm pretty good with money overall. I spend more than I should, but not enough so that it's really a big deal.

Last week and the next two weeks is the time I've alotted to work on my thesis. I don't want to. I don't feel the pressure yet, so I'll procrastinate. So, since I don't have anything that I must do, I'm bored and shopping. Not just in the stores, but online as well. I love pointing, clicking, buying, and getting things in the mail. It feels like Christmas, even though I know what the presents are.

So anyway, yesterday I'm out and about shopping. I really spent more time driving than shopping because I got caught up in the enjoyment of the day. The sky was ominously dark, yet there was a reprieve in the storm. The rain had abetted, leaving a threatening atmosphere in its wake. I love the awesomeness of that kind of weather.

I had an MP3 in the radio full of Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Eric Clapton, The Black Crowes, and Billy Joel. I stopped by Starbucks and got a Frappuciono (I'm not a coffee-drinker, but I've recently discovered these yummy treats!).

As I'm driving, I look at the horizon. Texas gets a lot of criticism for being flat and monotonous. We have the hill country located in central Texas, and we do have a lot of lush vegetation, but I can understand the criticism . Mountains and valleys are beautiful and beyond compare. I've visited places that have beauty so vastly different than Texas and I felt awe, but I think my state gets in the blood of some people in a way that's difficult to explain. I love how you can see for miles. I love the stretches of land and the blue skies. It's an incredible feeling to see that much of the world in one glimpse. It reminds me of the feeling that I get from the ocean, a powerful reminder of who and what we are. It may be that finding power and beauty in an unexpected place is part of the attraction for me, or it may be that I was born here and that's why I'm enraptured, but whatever the reason, I'll embrace the feelings it brings.

At some point, I'll write an entry on all the bad that Texas has to offer, but for this moment, I'll appreciate the glory.