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[martab7]

A Solicitation For More Friends

Before a few moments ago, I had every intention of beginning this post on how one may find comfort in learning how to make friends in a new city simply by reading a self-help book or finding articles online which, by the way, are quite daunting in number. I initially wrote that these resources almost always seem to cater towards millennials suggesting a new app to download. For a brief moment it seemed like a novel idea after researching upcoming local events only to realize that I would be going alone. Sure, going stag is not the end of the world nor would it be a difficult feat, one just secretly wishes to share the experience with some that would find it equally enjoyable. But as soon as the thought crossed my mind to try one of the suggested apps, I began to wonder if I classified as belonging to the coddled generation. 

Dear lord…is it true?!

Unfortunately for me, the overwhelming majority of studies and leading research institutions have concluded that I do, in fact, belong to the most hated generation.

Welp. Not much I can do about why my parents decided to bump and grind in the early months of 1988. For posterity’s sake, let us assume it was the intoxicating power of Whitesnake’s ballade “Is This Love” that quivered their feathers into submission unto one another.

This unsettling thought did, however, let me stumble onto an interesting article by Patrick Hipp in which he attempts to reconcile his own frustration on the matter. One rather humorous thought was

We were fully formed adults by the time we got our first cellphones. That, by itself, is enough to separate us from the Millennial tribe.

Ha. I mean, I did get a cell phone during high school but it was shared with my sister who recently informed me she found out I was gay by reading a text I sent to a friend. SMH. I thought I was being sneaky. (What a loser I was.)

Welp…So, with all this in mind, I said, “F*** IT.” Why not supplement my stag outings and adventures with some random apps to find a few friends. And so I signed up for Skout, Zoo-something, Bumble BFF, and a few others. I went full force putting myself out there. Then came the time for me to write a little bit about myself to attract someone to notice me all within the 300 or less character limit. OH shiz… Damn, I hate this part and always never know what to say. Is it permissible to just list the things I do like? 

Eventually that is what I did and, to my surprise, it worked! Ha. I got a few hits from both gay and straight individuals. And thank God, Gaia, Zeus, or any such entity, that I only had 1 unsettling meet-up with someone who turned out to be quite the drinker. (I had to call upon an existing friend to bail me out. Luckily he was already at the same venue. Phew!)

The new experience here was using these different apps for the sole purpose of making friends and trying to make some lemonade out of lemons. (Ha, lemonading! I sort of get it now. I can be a bad gay. This is even after watching Titus' feature on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.) And I am glad it turned out to be a great little adventure for myself. What is even better is that we have been checking off more new experiences! Hopefully I can get my act together and share them with you later this week. But for now, here’s to you Brynn and Dexter! 

(Disclaimer: I do have friends in Houston. My intent with this endeavor is to find more friends to build a clique, or posey, to call my own.)

[martab7]

1 Pizza and a fight, please, Mr. Harvey (Part 2)

Picking up from where I left off...

Three hours passed and no word from Jose. I must have passed out from waiting because the next thing I remember was seeing the time of 3:15 AM on my phone. There were no missed calls or unread texts...nothing. Then just by some weird coincidence, my phone rings.

“Dude, I am stuck on the highway, the exit is completely flooded! I am probably going to sleep here tonight because I don’t want to leave my car and risk going through the water.” 

WTH?! And where was his boyfriend? Apparently his boyfriend had left him to see if he could make it back to the house and save what he could. By this time, Jose had not heard any news from his boyfriend and was getting worried. Since neither of us could do something, we decided to check in on each other the next day.

Several hours later, around 8 AM, I get another call with Jose telling me his car battery died and that his boyfriend was on the other side of the highway with a truck ready to jump start his vehicle over the median. And while the water was temporarily draining somewhere, he was able to drive his car back to the house and gather as many belongings as he could to stay with me in the city. Thankfully my neighborhood was not experiencing any flooding with the exception of I-69. They eventually arrived at my place soaked and tired, their car packed with their now drenched possessions. What they needed was rest and dry clothes. 

After several hours of R and R, we set out to check out the areas that were safe to drive and hopefully grab some grub. The streets were empty and all the stores were understandably closed with the exception of a few gas stations and The Red Lion Pub. Jose and I popped into the pub with the hopes of getting some food to go. Unfortunately the kitchen was closed because the entire staff, besides the owner, was unable to come in. Everyone, including the owner behind the bar, told us to just have a drink and relax for a while after hearing Jose’s story of the night before. Everyone was very nice and offered their support. And while it was a shitty time for most of us, we were all there just to do something normal, have a drink. (Shout out to The Red Lion Pub. Thanks for being open!)

(Obviously a photo of the bar I found on Google) 

We later experienced this sense of community, a form of communitas for a lack of a better word, when we found a open grocery store. The lines were long and everyone was there gathering supplies for what could be another 5 day city shutdown. It took Jose and his boyfriend almost 3 hours just to get through a line in checkout. Perhaps the wait was worth it because a questionably intoxicated gentleman offered to pay for their groceries! (Thank you anonymous guy!)

As the days went by, not much happened. We continued to remain indoors watching TV, binge eating, and playing Minotaurs, a Lego board game my old roommates got me for Christmas back in the day. 

The two eventually went back to their home Tuesday afternoon when the rain finally stopped. Here are a few pics of my apartment and Jose’s house with the damage we received. They had to pull out their carpet, throw away some of the wooden furniture they had, and bed, along with several other things. Walking around his neighborhood the next day you could see everyone trying to save their cars that were halfway submerged from the flooding. It is weird to think that Jose’s neighborhood was one of the lucky ones...

[martab7]

1 Pizza and a fight, please, Mr. Harvey (Part 1)

Last Saturday began like any other Saturday, me waking up at an ungodly hour of 7am on my day off. However, this time, there were 2 catastrophic events that were in queue to grace their presence with us Houstonians and the other Texas coastal areas: the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight and Hurricane Harvey. 

By Saturday, everyone in the path of Harvey had made their preparations gasing up their vehicles to evacuate, clearing out stores around of bottled water, clearing liquor stores of their alcohol, and buying junk food. What I quickly learned was that for those who decided to stay, like myself, it was customary to prepare for a hurricane by preparing for a hurricane party. Who knew?! While the city was being torn to shreds, others trapped in their homes would be celebrating their safety and boredom with solo cups of cheap wine and Bloody Marys. I don’t mean to make light of recent events, but it was something that I did not know was a norm for people living in hurricane county. Needless to say, this weekend would be a new experience for me in many respects with several surprising moments.

The Missing Pizza and the Fight

So when the time came to watch the highly anticipated, overly hyped boxing match between Mayweather and McGregor, only exacerbated by the latter’s pompous and cocksure personality, we decided to watch in the comfort of my under furnished apartment. Jose and his boyfriend picked up some pizza while I brought the wine. Unfortunately for us, 2 large pizzas was not enough for us 4, or should I say 1 of us who’s stomach can devour a baby goat and still ask for seconds. Ok, sure, let us ordered another pizza and call it a day. It’s not like our area was getting showered with the hurricane just yet, delivery is not out the question. “Dude, where is there a pizza place around you,” Jose asks. “There is a place off Richmond next to the my apartment,” I answer. Well, after several attempts in locating a place on Google Maps, Jose decides to order from the first pizza place that is on Richmond St. ... Richmond St in some city in Kentucky!!!! 

***face-palm*** 

After an hour of waiting, we finally get a call to meet the delivery guy next to a Costco because he cannot find our apartment with the direct address we gave him. And while speaking with him circling the property and the Costco that is adjacent to the apartment complex, the driver gets the idea to ask us which city we were in at which point it dawns on us that Jose ordered from the wrong pizza place. Lesson: Double check where you are ordering food and don’t trust your gps when a hurricane is rolling towards you.

And so we sat back at the apartment with a stomach growling so loud that it almost sounded like it was protesting the announcer of the match to be Michael or Bruce Buffer. Tsk tsk... And sure enough, the fight ended as expected, 25 minutes in and McGregor started becoming slopping losing his energy. Sure, he was getting some good jabs and hits at the beginning but Mayweather is not a neophyte to boxing. On the contrary, he is coming off a unprecedented career with a 49-0 professional record. What was McGregor thinking he was going to do? Maybe he was just thinking about the payout for winning or losing. Shoot, give me a few million to take a punch from Mayweather. I would take it and shut my mouth afterwards.

As the fight came to a close, and the ref waived his arms for McGregor to submit to defeat, Jose’s boyfriend gets a call to rush home in Pasadena where the flooding water was reaching several feet high!

[martab7]

A Flea(less) Market, A Grapefruit, and Ghostbusters

Let me first begin with something I apparently have not learned in the 10 months I have lived in Houston; invest in tank tops! 

Trust me, if you are going to be here during the summer or for the better part of a year, tanks are a must. Not only will they compliment your oh so lovely shoes that you bought last week, or the sandals from yesteryear, but they will save your life and quite possibly your furniture.

Yesterday may have been the 100th day in which humidity slapped me across the face only to leave me its oh so glorious wet spot on my back where my sweat seemed to gather. Thankfully the good Lords around paved way for movie theaters and their relentless AC. I don’t know where we would be without them...seriously.

But ok, rant aside, let’s quickly get to this weekend’s adventures to a flea(less) market and a few experiences.

First, if you love grapefruits and/or know of any “tricks” you may have seen demonstrated on YouTube, I implore you to see Girls Trip. If you have, you already know what I am talking about. ;-)

Second, do a little more investigating if there is flea market event happening in your downtown area. These pop-up events rarely what they seem to be. Sure, it was interesting walking through a farmer’s market under a piñata-like canopy, but if there are no vendors selling tejano music on cassette, a chihuahua running with a chicken head in its mouth, or someone selling children’s brooms on sale fabricated from tree branches and brush from their backyard; could you still call that a flea market? I don’t know. Perhaps I am more accustomed to the markets where you get your DJ equipment and police scanners on a taco discount. In any case, this single photo shows you just about everything we we found at the Discovery Green Flea Market event. Hmm, pray for a better turnout next month? Why not.

[UPDATE] While leaving downtown in an uber, we found what could have been the real flea market. The sounds of tejano and smell of grilled beef filled the air. Too bad we caught this too late and looked like a closed event. Womp womp.

And then there was this find in the streets of downtown, a viewing of Ghostbusters packed with viewers. While I could have sat there all night enjoying the nostalgia and throwback to a good film, my stomach called for food while my back screamed to be cooled down. Looks like I have to catch a schedule for these movie showings. Another Houston lesson: you never know what you will find around the corner.

[martab7]

Gnoming Around In Houston

Hey you! It’s been a while. I know. Much has changed since I last jotted down my adventures for you, but here I am hoping to slowly get back into the swing of things. Planned return? No. Novelty entry? Perhaps. Therapeutic? Ha! Yes, most definitely therapeutic. 

In any case, here I am making the attempt to get back into sharing my first experiences with anyone and everyone. From learning a new skill and playing frisbee in a park to landing a job across the state; from chasing Pokemon with a tired out phone to being a figurative bunny on a bayou; and from living with so many lows to coming into a new stage in my life with so many highs, I can undoubtably say that so much has changed in the past year and a half. 

To quickly get everyone up to speed about my mission, I am here as part of a New Years Resolution I made 4 years ago: to commit myself to doing at least 1 new thing each week. Whether it be watching a new movie, trying out a new bar, drinking a new beer, making a new friend, or jumping out of a plane, crawling in a cave, or maybe ride a new roller coaster, it did not matter so long as the experience was new to me. But have I held true to my resolution this year? Was it even a resolution for me for 2017?

You bet your bottom dollar it was!

While I do regret not writing about my adventures, and misadventures, I will quickly share with you this new experience I had today with a few good friends of whom I am so thankful - particularly this week - to have made in my new home, Houston. (Shout out to Jose and Sue, @suejpark !) 

Here is a picture of some chilaquiles with salsa verde we had at Biskit Junkie for breakfast. Oh man, let me tell you! If you are in the Houston area, particularly in the Montrose area, give this tiny gem a try. You will not regret it. It is a small cafe with self ordering stations, huge potholes for parking spots, and a wooden tribute to the American flag for a wall. Yes, a wall. But hey, give this place a shot. I’m sure the biscuits and chill vibes will make you give a second take.

[martab7]

Just one of the cosplayers at PAX South.

[martab7]

Afternoon at the planetarium with Neil Degrasse Tyson. #newyearsresolution #houston #hashtag #wonderfulday (at Burke Baker Planetarium - The Friedkin Theater)

[martab7]

Public percussion instruments. Must start a drum circle here. #newexperience #newyearsresolution #houston #outexploring #explore #getout #hashtag #favoritespot (at Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern)

[martab7]

Hmm... (at Harrisburg Arts Museum - The HAM)

[martab7]

What a cute patio area. (at Local Foods - Upper Kirby)

[martab7]

Happy 250,000 miles, Betsy! I doubt you have another in you. Thank you for being a part of many of my adventures. We have had our ups and everyone knows we have had our downs, but, Baby Gurl, you have a special place in my heart. I love you but I can't wait to say goodbye and get something new. #betsy #ilovemycar #250000miles #milestone #hashtag #love #travel #adventure

[martab7]

Afrojack. What what?! #newexperience #firsttime #newyearsresolution #houston #afrojack #club #hashtag

[martab7]

#firsttime at an EDM show. What what?! #newexperience #edm #houston #newyearsresolution (at Stereo Live Houston)

[martab7]

What an awesome Thanksgiving break trip to Cali. I am quite certain that I will be back. Definitely a well deserved trip for myself and I can't wait for my next trip. Hmmm where to next? Chicago? New York? The Netherlands? #firsttime #newexperience #newyearsresolution #travel #thanksgiving #thankful #sf #sanfrancisco #goldengatebridge #bayarea #friends #iwillreturn #besos4besties #b4b #hashtag #finally #backatitagain #wheretonext (at San Francisco, California)

[martab7]

at San Francisco, California

[martab7]

Amazing SF Sunday with great friends! All new experiences checked off my list as well as others. Thank you Luke and David for being wonderful guides! I can't wait to make it back for more memories. #firsttime #newexperience #newyearsresolution #friends #sanfrancisco #sf #travel #castro #brunch #kitchenstory #mobydick #asiasf (at San Francisco, California)

[martab7]

Great way to start the morning. #goldengatebridge #sf #sanfrancisco #newexperience #newyearsresolution #travel #besos4besties #b4b #friends #hashtag #firsttime (at Golden Gate Bridge)