Yee haw!

Ok...so...it's come to my attention in the last several weeks that I have become ...quite ...the ...HICK! What??!??! When did this happen and how do I reverse the effects??!??!

I blame it on "living in the country." It's kind of a running joke in our house that since we've moved out of the Austin city limits (not the studio where the show is filmed or the park where the festival is held, but the ACTUAL city limits) we officially live "in the country." Some examples of my descent into hick-ness:

Last month when in the midst of conversation I could find no better word to describe "someplace off in the near distance" I let slip the word "yonder" out of my mouth. I have been reminded of it ever since.

A few weeks later, when leaving a message of support for friends whose child is in the hospital, my son promptly bursts into laughter and teases me about how "southern" my accent sounds.

Finally, a few days ago, when discussing the plans for a pool and entertainment area we're having designed for our back yard, Joshua again laughs at my choice of words. He was saying how all the extra areas around the pool were a bit extravagant, how we didn't need all those tables and chairs. I was explaining that the pool guy was just using those furniture pieces as references so you could "see" how much space he was designing, that we weren't going to have that many tables and chairs, that we'd probably have more chaise lounges or "sittin'" chairs. I meant, as opposed to barstools or dining chairs or chaise lounges, those deep chairs in which you just sit and relax.

As soon as I said it, "sittin' chairs," I knew it was true. I'd become a little more country and a little less rock 'n' roll. I guess I'll just have to tuck in to all the traditions of the country like making strawberry jam, baking my own bread, sewing a quilt or twelve, and waving to the black cows for good luck.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Get Out and Vote!

Chasing Pavements

Ok...so you know I love to travel although I don't get to do it very often. Whether taking a short trip from Lubbock to the "apple factory" in Idalou, a Saturday afternoon road trip to Palo Duro just to ride the tired and aged horses through the canyon, a "girls-ONLY" trip to N'Awlins or Vegas, baby, yeah! (those are definitely the best kind!!), or the most relaxing kind of trip...off to an idyllic paradise in the South Pacific...(sigh)...I'm a sucker for the getaway. I think it was programmed into my psyche at a young age because I 1) was a "military brat" and 2) had a father who loved to drive around "just to see what's out there." "It'll be an adventure!" he'd say, when we were on our way to San Francisco, or Prince Edward Island, or...Idalou.

Since I haven't been able to travel much these days, not as much as I like and that will soon have to be remedied!, I do enjoy a good travelogue. We recently watched "Long Way Down" which is the second trip that Ewan McGregor (yes, the actor) and Charley Boorman (his "best mate" and also an actor) filmed. I would so love to do this. Even though I've never driven a motorcycle in my life. Nor do I have the contacts, sponsorship, or team that they had to pull this off. Minor details.

If you'd like to see some other good travelogues...look into "Long Way Round" (Ewan and Charley's first trip circumnavigating the world from London to New York), "Long Way Down" (their trip from the northern-most tip of Scotland to the southern-most tip of Africa), "Pole to Pole" (Michael Palin of Monty Python fame travels from the North Pole to the South Pole) as well as the other travels of Palin. I've seen "Around the World in 80 Days," too, but I've yet to watch the others.

Something about these trips evoke the wanderlust in me...and it reminds me that I need to renew my passport!

I'm off to look at a map and plan my next adventure. And pack. And look for more traveling companions. And find a sponsor.

Happy birthday, Dad.

I've been a little sad today. It would have been my dad's 59th birthday.

I've stumbled on to this, it made me smile and so I just had to share it. Hopefully I can, because I've never tried to embed something in my blog before so I hope this works.


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

If it doesn't, see the video here: http://www.vimeo.com/1211060

Anyway, I like it. I think my dad would have, too. He loved an "adventure" and although this may not have been something he would have done himself, he would've appreciated it.

I just like that there are loads of random people randomly dancing with some random stranger (apparently named Matt) in random places. The video description says "14 months in the making, 42 countries, and a cast of thousands."

Also worth mentioning, you can see Matt's first trip in 2006 and the Outtakes here: http://www.stridegum.com/#/home/


I want to make my own now.

Who's in?