The Big D

Recently I've been wanting to discuss divorce. It might seem taboo to even think about that word, but it doesn't scare me - it's been part of my vocabulary for nearly 20 years now. My parents divorced when I was 8 years old, and their estrangement has undoubtedly (and to their credit, unintentionally) caused cynicism in my relationships. As I embark on a marriage of my own, I can't help but consider all possible outcomes, and similarly, explore the causes of unsuccessful unions.

In this podcast, I talk with two friends, one married and one divorced. We hear about all the red flags that accumulated and eventually caused the destruction of a young marriage. We also discuss the link between happily coupled parents and the resulting relationships of their children.

Is it wrong for couples to talk about divorce? How far does "for better or worse" truly have to extend? What are your thoughts?

Episode 3: Music credit: "Waitin' for a Superman" by Iron & Wine

A Captured Moment

Ok, I realize it's been a while since my last post. Especially since my last written post! I've wanted to do another few podcast interviews with my married friends, but I haven't been able to set those up yet. In the meantime, to whet your appetites, I will include a few pictures from a photo shoot we did recently. My best friend Sara got engaged about 10 days after me, so we've been able to share the stresses and excitement of the wedding planning phase, including fun stuff like informal engagement pictures! I can thank Sara and her fiance Jason for these great snapshots of me and Jon last month:

I hope everyone enjoys the photos! This was a fun day with good friends and I'm glad we were able to capture these moments. In 2 weeks Jon and I will be doing our official engagement photos with our photographer who will be doing the wedding. Looking forward to those too! 

Myane Marriage

I recently decided to interview the couples I know who are married. I've been thinking it would be great to get advice, hear their stories, and then compare notes on how a marriage works (and doesn't work). My first attempt at understanding why we all crave this life-long commitment begins with two of my greatest friends. They've been together for nine years, married for nearly one. Here is their story.

Episode 3: Music credit: "Your Hand in Mine" by Explosions in the Sky

Wedding Planner

Here is Episode 2 for all our dedicated fans: Music credit: "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes

Put a Ring on It

Hello my dedicated readership. The format of this blog will look oddly like a podcast - and that's because it is. I'm doing things a little differently this time. I wanted to expand my boundaries of expression and tap into a new form of communication. Try to ignore the sometimes-echo-y sound quality and amateur editing, and let me know what you think: Music credit: "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver

Needs Improvement

Forgive me if you can, dear reader, for neglecting your need to receive frequent updates about my life. As can be expected, I've had a busy few months after the museum opened in San Antonio. If I can be completely honest here (which I believe I can, as long as I don't incriminate anyone except myself) there have been a couple of days that I've had to ask Google how exactly I should be doing my job. Having no precedent to follow, I like to think it's a savvy and thorough move on my part.

Me and a new friend at the Member Holiday Party I organized.

I had to do a self-evaluation last week, and --not to toot my own horn, (which by the way has incredible pitch and sound quality)-- I couldn't think of many aspects of my performance that "needed improvement." I can think of several people who could be gently coerced to go on record saying I'm pretty fucking great (their words, not mine). You guys know how pumped I was/am to have a legit job, why would I execute any project that could be described as "needing improvement"? I'm the person who has all the notes written on the white board before my meeting starts, the person who keeps everyone in the loop on all projects that may or may not affect them, the person who makes time to develop a rapport with everyone from the Executive Director down to the janitorial team, the person who's bursting with creative ideas, the person who one time came up with catchy title for a program and somehow has gained the reputation of a lyrical genius, and the person who asks to voluntarily run the office-wide Secret Santa. I'm essentially irreplaceable. So, how do I say that other people need improvement in order for me to work better -- without sounding like a jerk? Let me know if you figure that one out.

Being silly with some co-workers. See? I'm hilarious AND adorable. And that's indispensable.

This year has been somewhat of a whirlwind. It started out with me working both an unpaid internship and a retail job in Austin, living with my mom, and using public transportation out of necessity. Sounds like the opening montage of a loathsome made-for-TV movie, right? Well, now I'm writing to you from the comfort of my very own 1-bedroom (but sort of efficiency-esque) apartment in a semi-shady neighborhood near downtown San Antonio (does this sound like it's getting better yet?) with my very own new-smelling compact car parked below, which I drive daily to my job in a pretty museum that overlooks the River Walk. When I think of what I have accomplished, I have to be proud of myself, and I can't complain about work [so... ignore previous paragraph]. Luckily through all these changes I've had the constant support of my loving family and incredible boyfriend.

Me and Jonny Bear getting our first Christmas tree (residing at his apartment)

I am glad to have a job that enables me to take care of myself and requires me to be responsible for myself on a daily basis. In my opinion, there is no greater feeling of self actualization than living alone and learning you can provide for yourself -- on a physical and emotional level. That knowledge begets a confidence and openness that allows you to care for people in your life in a deeper, more meaningful way.

So, let me ask myself, do I need improvement? Absolutely. I don't imagine I'll ever be in a place where I won't need improvement. I could improve by trying not to compare the success of my peers with that of my own. How? By reminding myself that every living being in this world is a different person with different circumstances. (And that those bastards most certainly never post on social media about their failures.) I could improve by not taking people's comments or actions as personally as I do sometimes. How? By trying to work through my receipt of their message in a calm, rational way. (And reminding myself they have their own stupid problems.) I could improve by being more health conscious. How? By setting a goal of running a walk-run-dance 5K with friends in February. (And planning meals other than "clean the pantry" nights e.g. clementines, ice cream, chips and salsa, black olives, corn tortillas ... yes, in that order.)

Hanging with some pals, new and old, from my young professional networking organization.

I am always thinking of ways I could be a better person. But when the question is, does my professional performance need improvement? I will find an eloquent way to say I could work better if my creative ideas weren't tabled, if other people were as passionate as I am about the work, and if I didn't already do such a damn good job in the first place.

Happy Holidays to everyone! xoxo

Now Open

Somehow it is already November. Not sure how that happened. The past few months have gone by very quickly for me, especially October which was filled with preparations for the museum's Grand Opening celebration. We all put in a lot of late hours to make sure everything was in place for the public's viewing pleasure. When all was said and done, I'd worked 7 days straight finalizing last-minute details and somehow I lived to tell the tale.

media preview event, courtesy facebook.com/TheBriscoe

Last Saturday, the morning of our Grand Opening to the public, I was running around trying to find a table and chairs that were supposed to be delivered and staged to sell memberships. Mind you I was doing this while wearing cowboy boots and a faux-suede fringed vest (because when have I been known to not deliver on a theme?) The competent staff members I had trained to sell memberships somehow were given other tasks and I had to find some semi-capable volunteers to man my tables. Meanwhile I missed the ribbon cutting ceremony because I was stationed at the front desk to receive our very first visitors. I like to think my boss' decision to put me there was strategic since I am one of the more knowledgeable non-education department staff members (I've been training with our docents to learn more about the building and our collection). Though as the day wore on an elderly gentleman pointed out that the best looking people were at the front desk. Either way, it's a compliment, and I'll take it.

The Development Team. And yes, our desk is covered in cow hide.

We must have had thousands of visitors over the weekend. Likewise, I must've told as many people where our bathrooms are located. 95% of the comments I received were positive -- everyone loved the space, the artwork, the project. Native San Antonians were proud to see another cultural institution open up in the downtown area. Tourists were pleased to have stumbled upon the event. And of course 5% of the comments were just plain rude -- people were pissed that photography wasn't allowed and angrily exclaimed "I was at the Louvre and they let you take pictures of everything there!" or they asked "How am I supposed to remember what I've seen today?!" to which I wondered, (haughtily) Does this look like Paris, buddy? and (pensively) What does this say about technology's effect on memory? [As a sidenote, I'd love to allow people to take photos in the museum and share them - but since there are lots of objects on display which are on loan from collectors, we can't allow people to photograph them since they don't belong to the museum.]

media preview event, courtesy facebook.com/TheBriscoe

Luckily the madness of Opening week was interspersed with a few enjoyable events, such as The Witte Game Dinner - a big fundraiser for the local science/history museum featuring a smorgsabord of wild meats. My boss was given 2 tickets and she invited me to tag along and rub elbows with the big name donors that have also donated to our museum. My favorite sampling of the night: the venison enchiladas. Also noteworthy: the Kahlua milkshake; a game-changer as far as dessert libations are concerned. Though I was technically working that evening, I had a fun night and it was a brief respite from the museum mayhem.

requisite picture with the pony at The Witte Game Dinner

Thankfully I had loved ones who stopped by during Opening weekend to show their support -- Jon, my mom, Nicole -- I felt very glad to have them see the project I've been working on and the goal my team has been working towards. In the end all the hard work was worth it, the weekend was successful, there was a great turn out, and our debut was well received. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to work at a museum that is brand new-- it's essentially a start-up business and working here has already given me so much experience that I wouldn't have otherwise. I'm looking forward to figuring out how my tasks will shift and adapt now that we are officially open!