Flamingo Jockeys Unite!

Just Chillin'

I actually got to be a flamingo jockey for Randall Kent (my husband's uncle) of Stagecraft, Inc., during the Houston Halloween Show and Expo.  It was hilarious. I had a blast. Yes, I'm a ham. I admit this fact. I have embraced my inner-goober and was allowed to 'ride' a flamingo throughout the George R. Brown Convention Center. I haven't had this much fun in awhile. I met (and got pictures with) at least one celebrity, Bridget Marquardt of the TV series "The Girls Next Door" (pictures to follow soon). There were models everywhere running around in skimpy Halloween costumes or nothing at all (well, they were in full body paint but that's it).  There were raffles, prizes, elaborate costumes, acrobatic performances in mid-air (suspended from the ceiling of the expo), stilt-walkers, fashion shows, bands, open bars. It was Halloween on speed! It was a little overwhelming.

The Gang 
(Back left to right: Darcy and Kris Szecsy,
Middle left to right: Chris and me,
Far right: Uncle Randy)

Gypsies in the Palace

There's really no good excuse. My sincere apologies for not posting. Being a vagabond with a baby is a lot more stressful than I thought. We are living with a friend's mother. Oh yes, you read right. Not even our parents, nope. We are living with someone else's parents. Awkward, is an understatement. Yet, in this age of instability and uncertainty, humanity has a way of surprising us. Basic human kindnesses are a rarity in this life, therefore to find a family willing to house another (with a baby) that they barely know transcends to near sainthood in my book.

So, while we've been scrambling to find a house and not overstay our welcome, I'm STILL trying to secure a job in one of the so-called 'hottest job markets' in the country.  I think the hype here is highly over-rated. Jobs are scarce wherever you go. The odds are against me, even with a Masters degree and international experience. But, I digress. What is really irking me right now is the Home Loan Process. Foreclosures are decreasing. This is a good thing. Yes, trends show a slow, sluggish shift. Nonetheless, it's a shift towards the housing market pulling itself up.  And, I understand-truly I do-the need for banks not to repeat their mistakes and make sure that buyers can afford a home loan. However, banks and FHA have been hyping up their eagerness to sell homes and help get families back into homes but, that's not the feeling I'm getting. In fact, I have never had such a difficult time buying a home nor had to jump through so many ridiculous hoops just to have a roof over my head. Their actions speak for themselves, which say, "We don't care that you have excellent credit or never missed a payment. We REALLY don't want to sell you this house or give you any money and we will find every reason to deny you. Go away."  Their treatment of us has left me feeling like Dennis the Menace knocking on Mr. Wilson's door. Seriously?! Is it so ANNOYING to you that I might actually want to buy your HUD home? A home YOU can't get off your books and are losing money.

So, to sum up, I apologize for my absence but I've been fighting with Big Money and Uncle Sam. On a different note, does anyone have suggestions on companies or employers that might be hiring in the Greater Houston Area? If so, please forward my profile to them (http://www.linkedin.com/in/caseylaycock).

Okay, enough plugging and onto more exciting prospects. I have to get a Houston Citypass. Instead of paying the full fee to see any of the places listed below, you can get a Citypass and save up to 50% on e-tickets for them.  It's really the only economical and logical way to see Houston on a budget.

Houston Attractions:
Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Children's Museum of Houston, George Ranch Historical Park, The Health Museum 

Looking for farm-fresh, locally grown foods? Check out Canino's Farmer's Market for amazing deals and homemade tortillas that would make your momma cry. No, seriously. She's in tears right now. They're THAT good.

Enjoy and Happy Halloween!