Don’t Talk To Strangers

I first heard of Brandon last year, through my good friend, Ashly. Actually, I first heard of Ashly’s “online friend” all the time last year…this online friend being Brandon. After the two set off on their epic roadtripping adventure a few months back, I actually started to talk to Brandon. I guess he’s now my online friend too.

Either way, the world better watch out for these two amazing people…I have no doubt that they will change the world one day. Such amazing thinkers, interesting and interested people, intrigued by people and really just wanting to change the world into a better place…whatever that means.

So speaking of these guys being amazing, Brandon has been pouring himself into his “Don’t Talk To Strangers“project. Even after 1 short year, the results have been incredible. Check out the link in the previous sentence to learn about the project / to be inspired.

He also just put together the following piece. Love it.

Jam Sesh.

I love going out to explore all the amazing things Austin has to offer. However, one of my all-time favorite things to do is to spend a night in, jamming. There’s something so calming / refreshing about busting out some music and not having to worry about anything else, at least temporarily.Here’s a small bit of a jam sesh I had with Eddie a few weeks back!

Oh and p.s. one of my favorite things about jamming here in Austin that’s way different than jam seshs in Oregon…why? There’s no sheet music! I used to get together w orch. friends and we’d sight read through music…never impromptu though. Here, it’s the opposite. The person I’m playing with, usually a guitar player, will play whatever, I’ll hear it and then add whatever to it that I think sounds good. Really great learning experience for me as well, as I’ve really never improvised as much as I’ve just read music. Woot! (=

…and p.p.s. I realized that my violin was facing away from the computer, AKA it’s a bit hard to hear. Next time It’ll sound better. (=

Stereotyping Texans + Oregonians

Before you read on…please read the title of this post…and the following definition of stereotype…then read on and enjoy! (=

Stereotype: an exaggerated belief that can be positive or negative but generalizes without allowing for differences

So…I went out in downtown Austin / W. 6th street for the first time last night in a long time last night. …and I realized some things. One of them…I am now able to stereo-type Texans. When I first came here a year ago, I couldn’t have done that…much less have told you which part of the state each major city was in. However…after living in this state for a year…I’ve put together some stereotypes…love this stuff. Love trying to figure out people / cultures. Check out what I’ve pieced together:

Sorority / Fraternity / Greek life person: Way different looking that Oregon Greek life people.

Girls: (anywhere other than at a bar) Nike running shorts and a Tyler’s t-shirt…if not a Tyler’s t-shirt, then some other HUGE baggy v-neck tshirt

At a bar: Generally these girls are with a large group of other similar looking girls. They are all usually wearing a ton of makeup and little dresses (I think a requirement is that they must be shorter in length than the Tyler’s tshirt they wear the other 80% of their existence). They will all generally look similar (same hair style, clutch purse, heels, etc.) You can generally find these groups of girls either crowding the dance floor or crowding the bar. You usually don’t see them in the sitting parts of bars. There are usually not guys with this group…well…guys that came with them, anyway. (;

Texas Greek life guys: Light colored jeans or kakhi shorts that fall slightly above the knee. Boat Shoes. A button up shirt or polo. Generally a pastel color. They are usually in the standing area of bars. They go out in groups, but not as large of groups as the sorority girls. They generally hit on the sorority girls who are at the bar…not so much the dancing ones (these girls are usually in the “F. guys…I just want to dance in my shoes w my girlfriends” mood and the frat. Guys know better). Fraternity guys generally don’t try to pick up girls at bars who do not fit the stereotypical sorority girl mode. Basically, what I’m saying is in the last year I’ve been here, I haven’t seen a fraternity guy try to make a move on a girl not wearing: heels, a pound of makeup, or a little dress.

Aside from Greek life, I’ve been pretty good about geographically stereotyping Texans as well. Please know that I say stereotyping. Meaning it doesn’t apply to everyone.

Dallas: Corporate. Sterile looking. Fancy. I don’t necessarily want to say closed minded…but maybe sheltered. It seems like the only people in Texas who like Dallas are people from Dallas. But these people seem to LOVE Dallas. Maybe it’s kinda like how Salem people love being from Salem, but everyone else in Oregon hates Salem. I can honestly say I haven’t met a single non-Dallas Texan who has anything good to say about Dallas…but the Dallas-ites…Dallasonians? Dallasans? Umm yeah…people from Dallas…they really like being from there. I’ve been there once…didn’t get a great vibe at all, but I’d have to spend more time up there to actually judge.

Houston: Very eclectic…but for the 4th or so largest city in the states,there’s going to be a a lot going on. When I frst think of Houston, I think: oil money and nice museums. There are some extremely insanely wealthy areas of Houston that are literally just dripping money, probably a lot of oil money…and it’s just insane, I’ve never seen anything like it. However, there are also areas of Houston that are extremely poor and on the exact opposite spectrum of the rich Houstonians. There’s also a TON of diversity in Houston…between the oil industry and all of the hospitals, medical things there…there are a TON of people working there from all over the globe. While Dallas is corporate / stark, I’d describe Houston as perhaps business casual. Not so hoity toity like Dallas, but definitely professional looking. Black and white perhaps. Lots of khakis. Button ups. Black dresses. Heels.

Katy, Texas: The only way I can describe Katy is: ALL AMERICAN. Stereotypical suburbia. McMansions neighborhoods. I’ve made a few friends who come from Katy and are great people whom I really get along with. But man…Katy, Texas seems ALLLLL AMERICAN. Katy is a suburb of Houston and basically the way I see it…the all-American white people got freaked out by too much diversity / non white people in Houston and moved out to All-American Katy.

Austin: Ah, Austin. (= So I’ll start by saying something my friend from Katy told me. He was asking me / we were talking about what the culture / people are like from where I’m from, Portland / Oregon / Pacific Northwest. The thing he said which I never really thought of but agree with is that people from up there are very…creative / bohemian / artsy / laid back / whatever / go with the flow type people. That is kinda how people are in Austin, which I think is why I have seemed to find myself compatible with this city. However I was thinking about what Rollie had said…and never really realized that people were brought up differently. Before moving to Texas, I just kinda assumed that all people were brought up in a creative / laid back / whatever / bohemian type community, however, after moving here and understanding the lifestyle of places such as Dallas and Houston, I realized that this isn’t the case at all. He was saying that a lot of people not from Austin come to Austin and try to adapt to / adopt this type of bohemian / free spirited lifestyle, but people who are ACTUALLY from Austin, or from the NW are just kinda innately like this. (one way to tell the difference us in dress. Innately bohemian / indie people get their indie / bohemian clothes from local stores, goodwill, buffalo, make it themselves, etc. Transplant bohemian / indie ppl get the same style clothes from super expensive stores / boutiques / etc.)

ANYWAY… neither the NW / Austin way nor Dallas / Houston way is better or worse, just a different way to living. Interesting to think about as I never thought my way of being raise could be seen as different. However, after coming here and befriending people with a totally different upbringing, I’ve learned that what I consider normal and standard is anything but…and really quite subjective.

I’ve also learned that I love Oregon people. I really don’t feel like I am menat to be there right now – I am feeling like I need / want to be in Austin right now. I really really really do miss my friends and family a lot (especially now that my sister is home from London for a few months!) I miss the people and the memories…but I don’t miss / want to be there…if that makes sense. Anyway, the point is, if I had to be away from there, Austin is the place for me to be. I love the liveliness of this city…the beautiful sunshine and HUGE sky that seems to go on forever. I love the festivals and the AMAZING music scene. I love how active the city is and how people are always OUT doing things…almost reminds me of Europe / Mexico / Latin America. Oh and p.s. I of course must say I feel super lucky to be a huge fan of my job. I get to work for an amazing company and put my time and effort toward helping students study abroad. I couldn’t ask for a more rewarding job, really. However…Oregonians. We’re all just on the same page. And like I said before, perhaps it’s because it’s how we’re raised. And perhaps because we all have shared experiences and similarities that cannot be shard with anyone else around here.

Yesterday a friend I’ve gone to school with since elementary school – college was randomly in Austin for a visit…and it was great. Actually it’s funny, she is one of my sister’s best friends and a few years older than me…but something about us Oregonians…and perhaps specifically us in the South Salem / Sprague community…we’re all super close. I think we can all agree that we have this amazing community…people in my class, both plus and minus probably 3, 4 years…even if we weren’t friends in high school…we all somehow seem to find each other in totally random places and hang out…and befriend each other. I don’t know what it is but there is something special about our Sprague community that I love. Anyway, Vanessa lives in Houston but was in Austin for the weekend to meet up with some family friends from…you guessed it…Salem/Sprague! She and I went to Barton Springs for the day and caught up which was wonderful. I went out with Kaylyn + Julia that evening which hasn’t happened for MONTHS. I really do appreciate these girls though…they are from Oregon too (of course! (= haha slightly differently though as I didn’t meet them until I moved here!) However…to be honest…out of all the people I have met since I moved here one year ago, they are the only ones who I have really remained friends with. That whole revolving friends thing…I think we’re just at a point in our lives where this is the time that people are moving and doing new things…jobs, work, relationships, etc. Heck, I am right there too – I left my home / family / friends / life in Oregon one year ago to pursue my career so I’m just as much part of the nomadic stage…it’s just strange to have such nomadic acquaintances / friends when for the previous 22 years is has been just the opposite…

Anyway, this is a novel, it’s Sunday, it’s sunny, and I have a swimming pool and good book calling my name. (=

The Only People

One of my job “responsibilities” (if you could even call it that) is to keep up with the blogs our students keep – hardly a responsibility – I love this stuff! Although I’d rather be the one off in the world having this amazing adventure, I think being able to have the vicarious experiences is almost as good. (=

So I was reading a student’s blog…iIt was so great to read of her experiences – brought back tons of memories and amazing sentiments from the 2 short years ago when I was there. Also made me ready to jump on the next plane down to Mexico! (=

Anyway, one of her posts really struck me – it was a quote that I just fell in love with – so much depth and truth in a small paragraph. Check it out…take it in…read in 15 times…enjoy:

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