Tuesday, March 10, 2009

a big day

Halfway through the 30 Rock Tour! (I'm a little sad about that, how about you?)

So there's been a lot of bantering about this particular gift. Apparently Lisa picked it out but was unsure that it had actually been included in the box. Day #


has become rather infamous. It looks so innocuous, right? It's just laying there. It made me a little suspicious, to be honest. I mean, I would have normally guessed it to be a shirt or something equally non-controversial. But now I don't know!

So I opened it...

And it was a shirt! (That totally counts as one I got right! For those keeping stats, that's 4 out of 15 - a little better than the .250 I was averaging previously. I'll save the math for tomorrow when I don't guess and it brings me back to a nice, evenly divisible 4 for 16.)

But not just any shirt. Come on, you've been reading this long enough, you've surely guessed by now.



It's a Superman shirt! I went to the extra trouble of hanging it up to take pictures of the front and back for all of you. No need to laud me for my dedication.

You can't tell from the pictures, but the "S" symbol and the "Superman" are velvety.


Here is the back.

So, um, I guess I don't get the controversy...I like it! It's unusual, which makes it interesting, which makes it cool. I mean, I don't think I'll be wearing it to the rodeo, but I will definitely be wearing it. I'll try to take a picture when I do. It reminds me a little of the style of the shirt Joe got for Christmas - a DaVinci-esque rendering of the leader shell from Mario Kart.

And in regards to the rodeo...

After Ashlee and I decided to get cowboy boots for our birthdays, Ashlee came up with the brilliant idea that we should go to the rodeo as our birthday outing. (I reiterate, I have wanted cowboy boots since high school, when I lived in Nebraska. So no more of this "becoming Texas" nonsense.) I was initially resistant to the idea of going to the rodeo. Seriously not my thing. But Ashlee kept cajoling me, bringing up the valid points that it would be fun because everything we do as a group is fun and that it would be a completely new and unique birthday event. We eventually agreed that we would go only if we could get tickets from somewhere (we have connections), since it would be a pricey proposition otherwise. And while I would be willing to set aside my hesitation for a new adventure, it wasn't going to happen if we couldn't obtain tickets. My other requirement was that we had to get tickets for a specific day.

If you are unfamiliar with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, then you could easily be misled by the name of the event. Granted, there is a livestock show and a rodeo, but for the majority of the populace, the Rodeo is a euphemism for 20 days of concerts, primarily country in nature. This, of course, would be my primary objection to going to the rodeo. I can't stand country music.

I'm sorry, I just can't. It's fine by me if you like country music, but it's just not my thing.

So when Ashlee made the suggestion of going to the rodeo, I checked the list of performers to see if there were any concerts I would be willing to see. Taylor Swift? Out. Jonas Brothers? Out. Tejano Night? Out. A myriad of country stars? Eh... Darius Rucker? aka Hootie? Now, there's a possibility. I don't know why, but the idea of the frontman from Hootie and the Blowfish becoming a country singer amuses me tremendously.

So we managed to secure tickets (and a parking pass!) to go see the country star formerly known as Hootie.

And we got boots.

Here are mine.



I love them! They look great with jeans. And I love how they smell.

5 comments:

Lisa said...

Woohooooo famous #15!!

Well, it became famous because I realize it looks like a hip-hop style Supa'man. A little too obviously like something *I* would run across. :) But yes, I thought, cool because it's unique! Glad you like it. ;)

We're half-way to your REAL b-day! Cool boots. Very Hootie.

raj said...

First, the boots themselves look okay, but I'm still wary about them in principle. You don't ride horses, rope steer, etc. You're a faux-cowgirl from the (city) suburbs. If that doesn't have Texas written all over it, nothing does.

Second, Hootie is an excellent choice.

Third, I'm not here with these fellas. I've got a pig in competition over at the livestock pavilion, and I am going to win that blue ribbon!

Amber said...

Often when I read what Raj writes, Alaina asks me what's so funny.

Lisa, after I looked at it for a minute, I also came to the conclusion that it was definitely a "hip-hop style Supa'man." But that's cool with me. Maybe it will help offset the Texas reputation I seem to be getting...

Alaina wants to know if Hootie rides a horse now. (You know, since he's going to be at the rodeo.) Seriously, who taught that kid how to read?!? She's always reading over my shoulder or Joe's shoulder now.

But you see, Raj, I do actually have a legitimate use for my boots - I go to church in the country where, more often than not, one must traipse across the property to different events. So there you go.

Ashlee Liddell said...

First of all, I am very relieved to hear Lisa say she sees the hip-hop style Supa'man, because that is in fact the ONLY thing I noticed when I first saw this lovely shirt....

Second, Hi Alaina! (You see the trouble is not that she can read, the trouble is she is already six feet tall and can SEE over your shoulders....a problem that usually doesn't occur until third grade or so for most kids....)

Third, I am very uncomfortable with the unstating agreement that being "texas" is a negative thing.

Fourth, I just wanted to have one more thing than Raj. That will be all for now....

raj said...

First, if Hootie does ride a horse now, you definitely need to get pictures of that.

Second, so you're telling me that when you walk from your soccer-mom minivan into a church building, the <1/4 mile you have to walk outside justifies cowboy boots. You know what's more Texas than unnecessarily owning cowboy boots? Ridiculous justifications for why you unnecessarily own cowboy boots.

Third, Ashley, you DO have one more thing than me. You still have my blog contest prize that you promised!