So I realize, throughout all this car hoo-ha, that I promised a post about my plans for sustainable transportation. Instead of sharing my potential bus route, however, I thought it would be much more titillating to share a few articles about leading a sustainable sex life. What to do if the bloke you think is hot drives a carbon-emitting hoopty? Just say no! And just say yes to green sex.
As an advocate of saving the planet, and an employee of a sustainable architecture/design firm, I find it hilarious that the "green" fad has so suavely finessed its way into our underwear(less) lives!
Fun for all.

I have my car back, thanks to an independent, city-contracted towing company, who wishes to remain anonymous. These nice folks just "happened'' upon my car in their vast parking lot of, yes, wallowing cars. How nice that they let me know, after 4 weeks, that they had received blanket authorization from the city to tow my car, and had been storing it (at an abhorrent daily rate) all along. These supernice people in charge of the car storage facility lovingly accepted their fee (cash only, of course) to retrieve my car, before promptly running out to buy crack.
Houston, I have been shit on, for doing nothing more than parking in my own parking spot, and I am not done complaining about it!

Above: Some unnumbered circle of hell, east of downtown.


Above: My poor baby.


Above: Universal language for "I need to buy enough crack for my entire family."




It is shitting in Houston.

Houston consumed my car. During my lovely LA vacation, I received a call from my (confused) boyfriend, that my car was not parked where I had left it. Indeed, upon returning to Houston, I discovered that my car simply vanished from the street where it was parked. Sadness! I even walked up and down the street, to see if it had inexplicably "moved." No such luck.
Several city-contracted towing companies were rumored to have towed within the neighborhood, which hosted a street fair on the evening in question. They remain my primary suspects, though the city claims no car meeting mine's identification was ever "entered into the system." The city's representative in the towing department, who was certain there was no mistake, recommended I report my car stolen. So I did (I have since spoken with several people who have commented on the city's prowess at towing and losing cars).
A puzzling note: though I always found my 2003 Dodge Neon to be quite charming, there was positively no reason for anyone else to be fond of it. It couldn't be a terrific value on any black market; it is not a cool joy-ride; and there was absolutely nothing valuable in it. I hope it is not wallowing in a parking lot somewhere. I hope it did not fall into the hands of someone malicious or violent, or with poor personal hygiene.
Sadly, the reality of the situation is that I don't have a car, in Houston, where driving is regarded like breathing or going to the bathroom. I've been surviving on carpooling while investigating options like: public transportation! a neeew car! Questions about how I might minimize my impact on the yummy Houston air quality are streaming through my head, though the fruits of my investigations will wait for another post (wait, another post? that is like christmas). For now I lament the disappearance of my old, useful, dare I say cute, traveling implement.

Fear and Loathing in South Texas.Fa la la.

Fantastic hotel carpet!

Taking pictures while driving (to Austin).

Houston, TX

TEXAS!

My Houstonian relatives are liberal christians. I'm still not clear what this means.

a stop sign adorned with knitting, Montrose (neighborhood where we will live)

Texas Pride gas station

Doug the apartment hunter, palms

a letterpress collage at the Museum of Printing History

Fun: I am moving to Houston, TX! I just got a new job at an architecture firm! Oooh la la. The position includes marketing, copy-writing and design for a super-eco-awesome firm.
Estimated time of arrival in TX: June 2007.
More Fun: My sweet fella Doug is moving there, too! Watch out Texas...
Not So Much Fun: Giving Notice of Resignation. No, I don't like this very much at all.

This will be my 14th (or 15th? NO! 16th!!) job in life Ever. Since I can't put all those crappy jobs I've worked on my resume anymore, and since I don't want to forget even a single hour of paid indenturement, here's a complete list of jobs I've had since I became a human (minus the lemonade stand).

Julie's Contributions To Society:
1. Cashier at the Big Kmart
2. Attendant at Plaza Ford Ideal Dry Cleaners
3. Office Assistant at Krigel's Jewelers
4. Sales Associate at Jewelry Arts Prairie Village
5. Jeweler's Apprentice at The Vulcan's Forge
6. Bank Teller at Capitol Federal
7. Electrician (a 3-day experiment)
8. Office Assistant, Career Services (entering college era)
9. Gallery Attendant, college gallery
10. Data enterer, children's library
11. Tutor, Writing Center
12. Gas Station Attendant, Quik Stop (free ice cream!)
13. Publicity Representative, Visiting Writers Series
14. Sales Associate, Hannoush Jewelers
15. Marketing Intern, Iowa Arts Festival (exiting college era)
15. Assistant Director, KC Artists Coalition
16. super fantastic Marketing Coordinator, Houston!

The air purifier madness continues! Most of them are nondescript, white (or, for the trendy, stainless steel), and appliance-looking.

This little guy takes the cake, though. A fake tree. Brilliant.

Unfortunately, the square footage rating on this one isn't quite enough for our apartment. I will have to shop for the oak tree version.