New Address

For those of you who read this blog and are wondering why there haven't been any posts lately, it is because I have moved my blog over to WordPress.com.  I don't know why I did this, but I did.  If you want to check me out, my new blog address is http://meltingenchiladas.wordpress.com/

Bucket Lists

Most everyone I know has a "bucket list" or some sort of list of things they want to do before they die or at least reach a certain point in their life.  I am no different and do have a few things that I would like to mark off.  Some are written down in pen while others are just written in pencil since I have realized that I never know where my life is going to go.  Every time I come up with a plan, God likes to mess with it.  Don't blame Him because His plans always seem to work out better.  

One of my friends recently posted a blog about things she wanted to do in the next couple of years which inspired this post.  It makes me wonder if I really should make my dreams and desires more of a priority or at least get off the couch more to live life.  If I was to do this, the list would probably be of simple things and not major life plans because I can't forget about Him.  I may even ask for His help to come up with this list.  Stating this list publicly may just help jump start my journey and hold me accountable.  

We shall see if this actually happens because I have a tendency to get really excited about something really quickly and then cool off just as quickly just like a microwave.  What do you think about stating your list and actually going through with it?  Good idea or bad idea?

TC's.......Yum, Yum!

Growing up in Houston, I had a plethora of Mexican food options to choose from.  Because of this, I was taught to turn my nose from fast-food Mexican chains such as Taco Bell and Taco Cabana.  I did try them on the most rare occasions.  Since I was predisposed to think that they were not good, I never enjoyed anything on the menu.

When I went off to college in San Antonio, my whole perception of cheap Mexican food changed.  During my time there, I never found a sit-down Mexican food place that I truly enjoyed.  There was Alamo Cafe, but it never could hold a light to any place in Houston.  Then I learned that the very first Taco Cabana was just down the street from school and had a student discount which made it a popular place for students to escape to when they were sick of the cafeteria food on campus.  It was more commonly known at Taco C or TC's.

I was not sure what to order my first couple of times; so naturally I tried the enchiladas.  I did not know it was possible to make a bad enchilada, but this place did.  I tried a few other items on the menu which were much better than the enchilada, but I was still not fully impressed with this San Antonio instituion.  Finally, I was introduced to the tortillas and queso which has since become a guilty pleasure of mine.  The tortillas are nice a fluffy and full of flavor, and the queso makes the perfect compliment to them.  This combination is worth a trip alone.  When one is out late, this heavenly combo makes an excellent treat.  A swing by Whataburger is the only acceptable alternative.

Another thing that I really became a fan of during college was the breakfast taco.  I had always been a fan of a Mexican-inspired breakfast, but I never had pursued the perfect taco.  Since I have never been the most functional person in the morning, I had a tendency to grab breakfast and get some work done before classes.  One of the options that always seemed good were the bean and cheese or chorizo and egg breakfast tacos.  I was quite impressed by these savory morning delicacies.  The breakfast tacos at school are one of the few things that I miss from the boring food service, but I do not have to worry since they are very similar to TC's breakfast tacos.  I can now maintain my level of happiness with a good breakfast taco in H-town when ever the occasional craving sneaks up.

I have saved the best of TC's for last, it's color scheme.  It has the color pink which is the color of all the TC restaurants except the original; so what is not to love!  Some of the staff even wear black aprons with "TC" in hot pink on them. 

I'm sure all dogs go to heaven, and I am sure there are TC's on every block in heaven.

What's a Budget?

So it has come to my attention that I am not the best when it comes to managing my own money.  I know I have written about this in previous blogs, but this time my attempt to redeem myself is actually legitimate.

Let me refresh your memory if you have forgotten or do not know the story of my finances.  I have always been an impulse buyer.  I just get a high every time I find something fun that I may or may not need, and it becomes mine.  There have been new hurdles added to my struggle to save over the years also.  I have lived along since my senior year in college.  Since I am a social person, I go out to eat every time I'm asked since no one enjoys eating alone.  Well, those people who like to pull out their fancy laptops at restaurants might enjoy it since I never see them with someone, or they just might have no friends other than their computer. 

Then, I discovered some online stores that have major discounts on designer brands.  There are other small things that I have trouble showing restraint with my plastic, but I do not wish to bore you too much.  Let's just say that my impulses go beyond objects but experiences as well.  Oops!  I do hope my readers minds have not gone straight to the gutter because I have meant no such thing!  I am a lady, after all!

A few of my friends mentioned to me the website, Mint.Com, which is a free website that keeps track of all your expenses and helps you plan your budget and future goals.  I plugged in everything, planned a budget and set a goal or two.  It has been pretty useful, and it is very user-friendly.  I am very happy that I joined this site.  Hopefully, it will help me keep track of everything.  We shall see.....

It has been over a month since I have been sincerely working on this.  In the end, my credit card bills were more than past bills, except for the month that I went to Vegas.  I am sure that I am not the only that this has happened to.  I don't know exactly how this happened, but I am on the case.  Turning my spending and saving habits around will be a challenge, but I am sure that I can do this!  My savings should never be hemorrhaging!

Stay tuned!  I will keep you posted.

Bridezilla Dreaming

For those that are unaware, I am currently a single lady.  No, it is not because of my desire to dance to Beyonce's anthem right before the bouquet toss.  Mr. Right just hasn't found me yet.  I have thought about on occasion what kind of shin dig I would throw when he finally finds me.  What girl hasn't?  Well, there is my coworker.  She has imagined herself looking like a present when she is pregnant but has not thought about her wedding one bit.  She is an anomaly that I love.

Ever since my mom purchased me that bride costume that everyone else also dressed up in with the elastic sequin head band with tulle going up and down in the back for a veil, I have thought about what kind of dress I would wear and what else would go with that day.  Throughout the years, the level of detail of how what I have planned for when I finally walk down has varied.  There have been times where I have known exactly what my flowers and cake would look like. 

Currently, I only have a few basic concepts in mind.  My dad has pretty much told me where I will get married and where the reception will be.  I am not going to complain since they are lovely locales, and he does get a say since he probably is going to pay for it.  I do not have a color scheme since I do not want to have spring colors for a fall wedding and vice versa.  I do know that I would like to have at least one shade of pink since it is my color.  As for my dress, I like the simple princess styles with lace that you can dance in.  This means that I will probably need to get something with sleeves since "my girls" have been known to come out and play when it is not always appropriate.  Not much beyond those thoughts since I do not know when I am getting married and to whom.  I am really trying not to become truly obsessed with weddings, and having my wedding planned would probably not help with the constant potential planning.

A notable moment in my search for the ideal wedding concept was the fall semester of my junior year in college.  That semester I took MKTG 3382 -Promotion Management.  The main project for the semester was taking a brand, coming up with a product that would work with the brand and creating a whole marketing campaign for the product.  I was in a group with three other girls, and we were assigned Godiva.  What product did we come up with?  Yup, wedding cakes.  This meant doing research on the wedding industry which involves purchasing a few wedding magazines and reading wedding blogs.  I now know way too much about weddings for someone other than a wedding planner. Oh, did I mention that I was also doing a presentation ball that semester?  That means that I got to look at wedding dresses and try them on.  Fortunately for my sanity, my next semester was in Spain; so I wasn't too obessed for long.  It just was not a good semester to have a major crush on a particular boy.

When I log in to Facebook tosee what someone is doing that I have not seen since middle school, I have a hard time with my quest not to have my thoughts consumed by weddings.  With people posting photos from weddings and wedding-related links and blogs, it is hard not to find oneself comparing other people's "I Do's" to one's latest nuptial master plan.  Facebook stalkers can be some of the harshish critics!  If you ever post wedding photos online, you need to make sure your wedding blows any other wedding out of the water.  Yes, you might have thought it was beautiful, but the judges of the world wide web expect perfection.  (Disclaimer: If you're happy with your wedding, that's all that matters.  No one else's opinion is important.)  I also would like to point out that if a daydreaming single lady clicks through enough wedding photos online, she can find herself looking at photos from the wedding of someone that has fewer degrees to Kevin Bacon than her.

I really do want to get married one day, but I am in no rush since the divorce rate gets higher and higher every day.  My parents have not had an easy ride, but they take their vows seriously.  This commitment is an inspiration and something that I will not take lightly when it is my turn.  Also, I am not really ready to get married.  I like having Beyonce's words as my musical mantra.