This is a Story of the Most Amazing Dining Experience.

James and I decided to go to Texas Land and Cattle for dinner on Friday night.   This place is close to our house, and is reasonably priced for a steak.  We have been going to our local Texas Land and Cattle for about 3 years.  In at least the past year, we have noticed a decline in the restaurant, and as such have been making a lot of steak at home.  We didn't want to cook so we decided to take our chance.

I will start from with the moment that we walked into the restaurant.  We were cheerfully greeted.  I was fighting a migraine, and so the slightest amount of politeness is appreciated.  (Don't you like it when people are nice to you anyway, but especially when you don't feel good?)  The nice woman who greeted us, we found out later, was the general manager.

Our server was Phil.  I think that Phil is THE BEST WAITER I HAVE EVER HAD.  He was so friendly and knew what he was doing.  When he brought our tea, he also brought a carafe.  (James and I should have humps like camels, but ours would be filled with iced tea.)  Every time he walked by our table Phil would top off our tea.  AWESOME! (This was just one of the awesome things he did. Over all A+.)

TXLC has recently changed their menu. There are more things to choose from.  At first I thought that this may not be a good move for their business.  If they can't get a steak right, why would they branch out?  My concerns were satisfied when our food arrived.  James had the rib eye.  It was...DELICIOUS.  I had the chicken fried steak (they call it country fried steak--maybe they want to make sure you know its beef and not chicken).  It was... GREAT!

James and I had an opportunity to let Barbara (the GM) know that the changes she has made were noticeable. This morning, James and I were still talking about what a great time we had.
I highly recommend visiting Barbara and Phil at the Texas Land and Cattle on MoPac at Bee Caves Road. (Click on the link for exact directions.)  I may have to start budgeting for a weekly visit.

Here is your lesson:  If someone does a great job, let them know, and let everyone know too.

Barbara & Phil--You are Pretty & Smart!  Keep up the good work.

PS:  I have sent the link to this blog post to Barbara, and to her corporate office.

Do You Know How To...?

There are instructions on how to do something every where.  Don't know how to wash that shirt you're wearing?  Well, you have a few options.  First on most washing machines there are instructions on the lid.  Select the amount of water you want in the wash tub, select the temperature of the water, select the cycle. There is even a fabric guide.  Washing machine doesn't have the instructions?  Look on the label!  The label will even tell you how to iron it.
The point here is that there are instructions everywhere.  Anything that you need to do, there are instructions on it.  If you don't believe me then just google how to do something.  More than likely you will be flooded with pages upon pages of how to do X. 
I have been busy looking for a full time job.  There are a lot of instructions on how to look for a job.  Do the instructions give you the right information?  I hate to say it, but I have never gone this long without the next opportunity, and it has only been three weeks.
Unlike washing that shirt the instructions on the job search are not clear & direct.  I like clear & direct. I am not getting clear & direct.
In the next few weeks I will be working on making my daily goals clear & direct.  I think that if I keep one part of this adventure clear & direct I will better handle the 1,000,000 + instructions on how to look for a job.

How Do You Eat an Elephant?

I am well into my first week of not having a job. Wednesday morning was the first breakdown.  I was on my way to running an errand, and since I slept late I didn't see James before he left for work.  I called him on the phone, and he talked me off the ledge.

I have been digesting the things that I learned in the DBM wrokshop.  I basically have not been working for the past three months (even though I have been collecting a paycheck), and the tasks ahead of me are ENOURMOUS.  Its hard not become overwhelmed. 

So here is my plan.  I am going to get up at a decent hour everyday.  I am going to eat breakfast.  I am going to go somwhere (even if its around the block), and I am going to get to work on finding full time work. 

So, How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.   Don't worry-I am not into eating REAL elephants!

Julie & Julia

Here is the first post on the road to the Oscars. 

I saw Julie & Julia via DVD.  I loved it!  This movie played a small part in why I started this blog.  If you don't know the basic idea here it is:

An office worker named Julie Powell needed to feel need in the world, and was inspired by Julia Child to write a blog about her adventure cooking of through Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  The movie chronicles the ups & downs of both women.  Julia Child as she persues her passion of writing a French cookbook for the American cook while living with her husband in Paris.  Julie Powell as she finds that she is able to make an inpact in the universe even though she is a lowly secretary working in a government agency manageing the September 11, 2001 tragedy for the victim's families. 

It was nice to see the history of Julia Child.  The movie showed that she had a great love affair with her husband. I learned that she was not perfect.  She struggled with jelousy of her sister when she conceives a child.  She struggled with pride over wanting to be not only the very best woman, but the very best student in the cooking school.  She struggled with not having enough be enough.  I was glad to see Julia Child was not perfect.  Julia Child was a real woman.  I really like Julia Child.

It was nice to see a woman like me in Julie Powell.  I often say that I work to live, not live to work.  It was nice to see that there was another woman that is searching for something more than just punching a clock. Julie Powell learned a lot about herself through blogging, and that also rings true for me.

I would recomend seeing this movie.

Meryl Streep who played Julia Child is nominated for Best Actress.

Work Hard & Be Good

My mom drove me to school everyday until I went to college. When my mom dropped me off in the mornings, she would tell me “Work hard, and be good.” When I went to college she would tell me “Work hard, be good, and have fun, but not too much fun.” This was the bouquet that mom sent on my 20th birthday (the reason for the cookies is because she had her cell phone turned off all day on my BIRTHDAY!, but more on that in future posts). Please note that the cookie florist got the message mixed up, but you get the picture. I think that when I drop my future kids off at school in the mornings I am going to tell them “Work hard, be good, and you’re pretty and smart.”