Since September...

October-Homecoming at MU and a little lovin..well maybe a lotta lovin

November-Thanksgiving, Brit Boys, Interviews Interviews

December-Outta Atx PJ Party Blowout

January- BIG D

It is hard to believe the last time I posted was when I saw Amy in Boston and I told Blake “I love you”-puhhh 4 months later I am in a quite different spot. But y’all know that story-it is not an original.

To get everyone up to speed-I concluded my contract with Handmade Expressions in December. Threw one hell of a going a way party for myself. Moved backed home a couple days before Christmas. Left the day after Christmas to join a couple of Brit Boys on the PCH heading south from SF to SD. Caught a flight to CoMO to bring in the New Years with Mal and Gentleman Friend aka Dave. Got back to the Big D just in time to unpack, reorganize, and welcome in my job and new life at home- Sup Parentals/Housemates.

Finished my first week and half at the museum-and LOVE it. Shopdma.org is shit. My job is to make it stellar aka Product Management with some buying thrown in down the line. Janet, my boss, is not creepy and weirdly hitting on me, so we are leaps and bounds from the last one. Woot! She actually wants to teach/train me bringing me to partner level...looking forward to that.

Now-I am on a flight back to CoMO. What up Alicia! Oh and did I mention Gentleman Friend...yeah I might just really like him (playing a rather large part in my less than a year later or even one month return)....figures, once I move to Dallas I actually like someone in CoMO ha.

Scheming as always-Ashleigh and I our in works to laying down our business plan- currently in the Research and Networking phase. The concept: developing a food distribution system that connects small farmers to a larger audience. The medium has yet to be determined, possibilities: backend distribution, food trucks, portable set-ups, etc. Mobility will be key. Ashleigh is speaking with the founder of DC Central Kitchen. He developed a food-repurposing program. Basically, he buys unwanted or seconds produce from small farmers (cutting his cost by 83%) or local grocers and uses this supply in his kitchen and culinary school. The kitchen provides food and job training to addicts, homeless, etc. What is most interesting about this set-up is the layers and expansion beyond donation dependency.

It is funny how my random business development work with HME actually had a purpose...providing me with a whole hell of a lot more experience in b-dev then I ever thought I would have....plus all the research has provided much material for blog posts. Submitted some posts for pay heck yes!! Take that MIZZOU J-School-agreed you don’t need a J degree to do journalism-esp. these days.

Concluding Statements: I am enjoying the phase where I am at right now. Put. Hear this-I will be living in one place for more than one year for more than 7mos..ekkk : ) Stability. Saving money-well that’s if I can keep my trips to a min. Vegas? ; ) Also-I will be giving myself an apartment for my 24^th bday. Feel free to be apart of this present I accept cash, traveler’s checks, or whole foods gift cards.

Looking forward to getting to see y’all again. Thanks for the push to update Ams. I really enjoyed reading your post (AS ALWAYS). Julie-lets get drinks. I wanna meet Daniel Man. Krachel- I am OH SO excited about your post grad adventures. Trust me they will be awesome in all forms of triumph and struggles. It kicks all kinds of ass out here. Alicia-duh we are still friends. Not sure I would know how to not be your friend.

PS: that goes to everyone here. I will always consider us friends whether you like it or not. I am just stubborn that way, but you knew that. : )

Here’s to more frequent blogging. That was me cheersing on the plane to my self. I love you all.

See you soon.

Speak to you sooner.

Blogging more often.

Love, Samantha

Boston, Ames, Fair Trade Fanatics

She is alive and kickin. Meet Amy: she lives in Brookline, MA. Rides the subway to work, is BAMF-tious all day and is currently pursuing a masters in human reality-soon to be rights.

It was wonderful getting to see you Amy. Thank you so much for letting Alison and I stay at your place, which is totally a beaut in Boston. Dudes, y'all would have loved it. Boston activies: scurried around the city with ames, ate banana stuffed french toast and briefly met the boy. Conclusions: goofy sweat-seams to have captured Ames' heart-yes your warm soft heart we all know you have Amy!! Can't hide it from us. PS: boy is going to Colorado to meet the fam.....personally requesting multiple blog posts on this adventure.

Sadly my time in Boston with Ames was too short. I had to hurriedly leave for the Fair Trade world aka social justice headache. The conference was definitely an insight to a movement I have been quite involved in over the past several years, so I did enjoy seeing the inner-workings. You can catch some of my thoughts on the Conf at Mustardseedfairtrade.org's blog page. Presently, contemplating my exact involvement in the mvmt...

Last note before bed...I like Blake. I am sure this is of no surprise to any party here, but I thought I would officially put it out there for y'all...and I have very much enjoyed being so close to him-ha even though we are still three hours apart.

Oh and hoolies-me and you are starting a social media pr firm ps! Call me : ) I have us new jobs

Love you!!

A Picture Story

Coffee Chitchat

Old Man #1 with gray hair braided ponytail and cap-"Good Morning, how are you?"

Old Many #2 with gray einstein hair and willy beard- "Well other than being hungover as shit, I am doin ok. That vodka will dehydrate you."

Good Morning Girlies, I stopped into Epoch this morning for a latte and non-work doings, before actually workmaina. Epoch is a great place for working and drinking. They are open 24hrs and have an unsaid keep it down rule. I could have pictured us here a lot studying had we transplanted the Beaut MU to the Beaut UT.

A Texas whirlwind

The past two weeks have been a Texas whirlwind. From flying to H-town to drive with Blake to Liz's wedding, which was absolutely goreously perfect, to drive back to Austin with Blake and Mama-getting in at 2am. Then going to work on Monday to only drive to south Austin and stay the week at Barton Springs Resort than drive with Blake to Houston. Then finally a stop in New Braunfels to go floating and then back in Austin for work on Monday.

1. Definitely taking advantage of boss being out of town and not answering any of my emails &

2. My job able can easily be taken out-of-office

So, here are some of my favorite pics from the past two weeks

In H-town after Liz's wedding. I was working on a visually merchandising editorial and having major writers block, but I found the solution.

Driving to Barton Springs. This is Hill Country at its finest-sun setting with a mix of rain clouds and drizzle. I stopped off at a church and climbed up a hill to get a better view.

The Bestie is hitched. Man all kind good friends getting married this summer : ) Her wedding was absolutely goregous and perfect. Michael-le husband-broke him while up on stage. Liz comes out and his bottom lip quevers, really bottom lip queverege-how are is one not suppose to ball at that. This is Allison, Liz-le beautiful bride-and I in the bridalsweet before the wedding. Its been the three of us since 16, but now we have a Michael!!

Eastcrest Party. This is a pic from our first house party. The roommie and I cooked up a schload of food. This was the end of party vodka and pickle shots-its a russian thing. Aka these are also my couch surfing friends. Come play with us-we are fun!! haha

Thought you needed a pic from last post. This was me drinking and blogging, but in a I need a small glass of red wine to clear up my writers block way. Rather, its a "I'm gonna finish off this bottle of wine next to me and write to my girls" kinda way. Can't you feel the intensity.

Finally floating. It is official guys-I am TEXAN. I have floated "the river". It was a 12-pak of bud light lime worth of fun. Relaxing and Charming. The river was calm and occasional-woohoo- areas near the damns. Made some river firends and found lost of beer cans to toss at the end of the route. If you haven't floated-you must go. Its at least a once a summer activity.

I hope y'all enjoyed the pics cuz I know you can never have enough pictures of just ME. haha : )

Love you all and can't wait till I across your path....like I will be doing with AMES on September 9th!!-oh be jealous. Boston Boston. Love All.

New Loves

Disclaimer: I write this after several glasses of wine and a delicious dinner with perhaps a couple sour gummy worms thrown in there : )

New Loves

As I have grown into my twenties (in 2 yrs we will be in our mid-twneties *weird*) I have discovered several new loves. In life I do like it simple connected and slow. I love composting. I love cooking-baking to be exact. I love being social, something I thought I never would be as my nerdy anti-social jock high school self. I love social media-connecting with people and all new ways. I love reinventing-making the old and forgotten beautiful and cleaning out sorting out please more the better.

Its so interesting as we develop in life-and see our selves change or likes dislike loves desires... I can only imagine what they will be when I am 50...hmm loooking forward to it. I picture it best with me seeping whiskey on the rocks with julie and amy. Julie with something girlie yet quite classy and Amy with a gin we sharing beaut, men and work stories-mainly how we now have to deal with saggy wrinkly old men balls and us deciding to be cougars for life...haha I dont know what I just wrote. but I like it.

Mentioning loves....ok I have a secret to share...I am back to seeing blake. He has pulled me back in and I like it. I just can't shake the kid. He will forever make me laugh, his lips are still the best I have kissed and these days that is gettin to be a lot. He is so smart and for the first time in a long time he is letting him self love me all of me. He recognizes that for the reasons he loves was also the things he was trying to cut off-he was scared of , but he merely is embracing it.

Me I am not totally sure..with that love word, but I do as I always have enjoy being around so much, but I still have a cautious heart as I think I most def have the right too...so I think that is the reason for my continous dating...dudes I have been on way too many dates since I have been in austin. It is tiring me out. This week has been four different dates in one week...no thank you tired. But there is one guy who I really like. His name is Donald, but I think I may really only like him and be letting myself like because he moves to london at the end of september, so there are no complications...oh who knows love love love....I like loving non-suppose to love things like fresh scones not the actually kind haha.

I am so glad I got to see y'all at the wedding and we must plan our get together again soon. I am thinking a first weekend of october visit to como if anyone else is interested. And Ames I am comin to boston soon!! how does october 9th sound for me and a friend staying with you .... : )

Love

Handmade Expressions: Work Life

Inspired by Hooliee, here is a look at my work cubby. I wouldn't say office as no one really has one. We work in one of the business parks. Kinda similar to "The Office" where multiple companies work in one area. My boss, the owner of the company, the head designer and IT whiz mark work on a large table in the main room. The marketing team and sales team, both teams of 2, work in side rooms and me well I dabble away in a half Indian Castle and half what was once a conference room till came in.

Please say hi to Ruchi, she works every day up there weaving saries. She never stops. She taunts me when I become lazy and distracted and unable to produce. Next I would like to direct your eyes to the below pic. There you will see my prized window. It is a luxury to have God made light peer into your room.

My desk is a round table with multiple chairs and a phone that I don't actually use...yet. I just thought it looked more legit. haha. Usually, I have two computers going-le mac and dell. It works well for writing and researching. The mess of papers to my right is my conglomeration of ideas and research. I have a whole new respect for website creation from planning to implementation. There is sooooo much that goes into it that I never even new.

Oh and the coffee, it's Fair Trade direct from Guatemala, so plenty to drink. I love that part. We grind our own beans every day...Now to my view just outside my work cubby door-Welcome to the world and all its shit that surrounds Antarctica. The boxes are products and old signage we are taking to trade shows I believe.

The world map is in the main room. The bright yellow-green room to the left is marketing's room and to the right is the bathroom. Funny thing about that is there is a rack of towels in the bathroom, which are labeled by person. We don't use paper towels. Manish wants us to be as sustainable as we can. I think its cute and slightly...gross. Haha.

Well that's le work home. The people are great all quite sweet. Still trying to feel everyone out. It will probably take longer than usual as what I am working on doesn't directly involve me with the company. I'll keep ya updated as life at Handmade Expressions unfolds.

Can't wait to see you ladies in a couple of days!!! Oh and another post coming soon about my past weekend. It was quite entertaining, but I gotta get going on this whole work thing. Working from home today...love it.
and YOU!

just received the best b-day surprise from my new coworkers at Handmade Expressions, love it here!

Traded my TJs for Sprouts

Traded My TJs a.k.a. Trader Joes for Sprouts and I like it. TJs is a small grocer in Los Angeles that offers organic and local produce at a pocketbook friendly price. Sprouts is the Tejas version. Sprouts offers local farmer's market food in a well air conditioned visually pleasing mid-size space. I am finding-as I thought there would be-a lot of similarities between Austin and L.A.-Santa Monica. Though, what I find the most interesting is that Austinites believe they rival L.A. "offering more of the things you like without all the things you don't". Not sure if I believe Austin>LA; however, I look forward to offering up my two sense to this equation. I do have to say I am loving Austin thus far...

With one day down and at at least 95 more to go, I am sold. Austin, Texas is my Texas Treasure-my new Texas home. The city is vibrant, large, moving forward and socially minded. The people are warm, tatted and have stories to share. There is fashion and politics, recycling and unsigned artists. There are parties on bridges and moonlight bike rides. Best of all there is a love and pride of Texas that coexists with appreciating and respecting the world beyond the Lone Star State. I am home.

HOME is a couch surfing coach hosted by two housemates, a cat named Tuba that has been living here longer than any one else, a backyard for line drying and hamocking, an owner with a studio for violin lessons, variously painted walls, a magnolia tree in the front yard, a community shelf and fridge that closely resembles the Beaut as things seem to never leave and a bedroom and bathroom that are just for me. I think I am going to like it here.

Mom, Pops and I drove down Thursday night to move all my stuff in. We were welcomed by this beautiful site to your left as we crossed the river running through downtown Austin. When we arrived at the house, both my housemates were there to welcome me: Maryann, the Occidental (a L.A. school) graduate from Kirville, Texas who spent two years living in Switzerland and France after graduating college to work with the World Student Christian Federation and Menelaos a.k.a Mene. But not Mayonnaise!!-as my dad kept wanting to call him-oh dear lord please do not let my dad slip and accidentally call my new Grecian housemate Mayonnaise.

Mene is a some age I have yet to discover year old from Greece who studied computer engineering in the UK. After receiving his masters and working a couple jobs in the field he decided software solitude was not for him, so he packed his bags and began his journey. Mene has lived in China, Korea and various European countries, but most recently he spent time in Buenos Aires where he met his-as of two months ago-wife. Mene came to the United States because he wanted to be proven wrong. He hoped to discover that Americans were not their stereotype: rude, selfish and uninterested in others. In his opinion and to his delight, he was proven wrong over and over again. From Austin to Oregon to New York and to once more Austin he discovered welcoming individuals who taught him about life.

Cheers to you United States. I appreciate your hospitality to others.

With a new wife and permanent love of Austin, Mene is transitioning out of the Eclectic house and into a two bedroom home with his new wife where he hopes to discover the settled life. But, settled life is not quite within Mene's reach. The United States will have the final say on that. Mene is waiting for his green card to come through, so until then he passes time by taking free lance photo jobs, dumpster diving, biking and volunteering.

Dear United States,
Please swiftly process my new housemate papers with a green yes.
Thank You.
Your Concerned Law Abiding Citizen,
Samantha Harmon

In fact my other roommate Maryann may also be leaving in August. Today, she interviewed for a job in Budapest, Hungary with the organization she worked with in Geneva. Turns out my new home is a place of transition and interaction, enlightenment and warmth. I think I picked the perfect place for this young quester to dabble in quasi settled life-as Mene would call it. I look forward to watching my housemates' lives unfold in the month we have together and meeting more of their fabulously foreign friends.

I miss you girls and can not wait to see you at Alicia's wedding.
LOVE lots,
Sam

PS: Here are some pics from the couple weeks I was in the Big D and G-town.

The Generator, a 100% Fair Trade Coffee House in downtown Garland. Conscious Consumer plus 1 for Suburbia. The place is located at the square, the heart-or what's left of it-of downtown. Though, I believe there to be a surge coming. Hmmm...how does one acquire money they do not have to invest in property that everyone else believes to be dead. Any suggestions?

My Second Sewing Project. I would like to point out to you the matching horizontal lined seams, the extra long and roomy pockets and the gathered elastic waistband.












This is the back seat of a Mexican Restaurant in
Downtown Garland. I got all too excited about the seats. Liz was like "you are behaving like a tourist in your hometown" as I rushed over to take this pic of the seats. It is great to see unnecessary uses of the state flag again. I am home : )

Let Tejas Unfold!