Tag Archives: young adult

Football I

June 30, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley Comments Off

Texas A&M vs Kansas State - October 28, 2000

Every year, I look forward to the Fall and the start of football season. I love that Alan loves football. I learned to love football at The University of Michigan. I especially like it when Michigan or the Patriots play. I also cheer on Mizzou and the Chiefs because they are Alan’s favorite teams. We are a household that loves football.

On our 3rd date, Alan tried to get tickets to the University of Texas (UT) vs Texas Tech game, but could not get any. Later in the season, our friend Krista, who graduated from Kansas State, came to Austin and we all drove to College Station together to attend the Texas A&M vs Kansas State football game one Saturday afternoon in late October.

It was our first time in College Station and I have a close girlfriend who went to A&M. For that reason, I knew that we had to hang out at The Dixie Chicken, a famous bar on the main strip. Although Kansas State lost to A&M, 26-10, we always have a blast with Krista and going on new adventures within Texas and around the U.S. and the world.

heather and alan

Fun Around Austin I

June 29, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley Comments Off

Alan, Tracy and Debo at Saba

I loved that Alan liked to go out and do things around Austin when we were dating. Many years later, things have not changed. We both have high energy levels – although Alan has more energy and I love it – and love to be out and about.

Our first year together, we ventured out with my co-workers and his co-workers. We tried a variety of restaurants and bars together: Brio Vista for dinner; ZTejas and The Empanada Parlor for brunch; P.F. Chang’s and Chinatown for Chinese food; The County Line for barbeque; Trudy’s for Mexican food; The Continental Club and Cedar Street for live music; Saba, Malaga, The Ginger Man, Scholtz’s and Iron Cactus for happy hour.

I love reflecting on how Austin has grown, how we discover new places each year together and how our interest in everything Austin has evolved as Austin and we have grown together. I cannot imagine living any place else right now.

Both of us are curious and love to explore in our own city and while traveling. We are similar in how we love adventure and novelty.

heather and alan

Our Dogs – Joey and Phoebe

June 28, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley Comments Off

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Our first year together, we adopted two dogs. We love our dogs. Neither of us had a dog growing up, but both of us can relate to the energy of dogs. They are truly great.

Today, our dogs appreciate that we are both home with them every day. They love attention and sleeping in various places throughout the house. Although neither of us walk them on a regular basis, they seem happy and are not fat. We talk to them and give them a lot of hugs and affection on a daily basis. They know that they are loved.

heather and alan

Personal Travel – November 1999 – October 2000 – Year 1

June 27, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley Comments Off

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Alan and I started dating in early November 1999. Within 3 weeks of dating, I was assigned to a 2 1/2 month PeopleSoft ERP (a.k.a. accounting/management software implementation) project, from late-November (November 29) through mid-February (February 11) in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

The first place that Alan and I visited together was Florida, related to my career. Instead of going home one weekend, I decided to fly Alan to Florida. He had been to Florida before and had some stories to share. His lobster fishing story was quite funny and he still had the lobster tails in his freezer. We had a relaxing weekend shopping and hanging out in Ft. Lauderdale together.

The second place that Alan and I visited together was Las Vegas, related to his career. I had been to Vegas before for an aunt’s wedding in 1992, but from 1992 -1999, Vegas had changed. In fact, every time I go to Vegas, a new hotel has been built or a new restaurant has opened. It is the city of novelty.

We took 7 trips together that first year:

01. Florida for a fun weekend where I had been working most recently
02. Las Vegas for Alan’s company’s annual meeting
03.Tuscon, Arizona for an AT&T sales incentive trip
04. Kansas City for a mutual friend’s wedding
05. Las Vegas for my 30th Birthday
06. Marceline, Missouri for Alan’s grandparents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary
07. Hermann, Missouri for Oktoberfest with some of Alan’s friends from Kansas City

Surprise Airline Bump in Memphis

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Dating – Heather and Alan – First Two Years

June 26, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley Comments Off

Early dating

Alan and I dated 2 years before we got engaged. This seemed like an appropriate amount of time for me personally. I did not want to rush into anything. After one failed marriage, I wanted to be absolutely certain that Alan was the person with whom I wanted to spend the rest of my life. A good way to know if somebody is that person is to spend a significant amount of time with the person, getting to know him/her and his/her family. Alan has an amazing family. Alan’s family and his grounded and sincere group of friends proved that Alan is a good guy.

Here are the high points in the First Two Years:

1999 – 2000 – Dating, Year 1
01. Personal Travel – November 1999 – October 2000 – Year 1
02. Our Dogs – Joey and Phoebe
03. Fun Around Austin I
04. Football I

2000 -2001 – Dating, Year 2
01. Personal Travel – November 2000 – October 2001 – Year 2
02. Homeowners
03. San Francisco – Heather
04. Waverunner
05. Mom and Dad

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29 Years in 29 Days – 190 Photo Journey

June 24, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley 1 Comment

29 Years Old in Norway


Well, The Big Photo Project is moving forward rapidly. I really wanted to get 29 years of photos organized before I left for New Zealand and I did it. The topics and links to 29 Years in 29 Days:

Baby To 18:

01. Baby
02. Art
03. Grandma’s
04. Fall
05. Boston
06. Peter Pan
07. Investor
08. Softball
09. First Car
10. Cat
11. The Basement
12. Sweet Sixteen
13. Best Friend
14. Running
15. Dating I
16. 80′s Travel
17. Senior Year
18. Free Spirit

College Freshman To Norway:

01. College Freshman
02. Saint-Flour, Cantal, Auvergne, France
03. Short Hair
04. The Big Question
05. Arthur Andersen
06. Homeowner
07. 90′s Travel
08. Girlfriends
09. Texas CPA
10. Dating II
11. Norway

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Norway

June 23, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley 2 Comments

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I love Norway.

Two of my cousins met and married Norwegians. One those cousins got married in Norway, so off we went. It was a family reunion in Norway.

I spent approximately 10 days in Norway with my parents and family. My father rented a car for the three of us and we drove from Oslo to Stavanger to Bergen, then returned to Oslo. We saw a lot of scenery. The country has such varied terrain. My parents created the itinerary and I made a request to see Edvard Grieg’s property. Grieg is one of my favorite composers and I loved seeing where he wrote and played his music.

I really enjoyed the wedding and snapping photos of everyone in their traditional dress. The reception had an interesting cultural flair. I loved the “Ode To Coffee,” all the delicious homemade cakes, and the fun games that we played during the reception. The day after the wedding, a group of family members went fishing.

heather

Dating II

June 22, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley 2 Comments

My 1st office in Austin for the few weeks that I did not travel

Dating II was definitely different from Dating I. Since I traveled nearly 100% for my career, I decided to approach a high end dating service to see if they would offer me a deal. This particular dating service needed single professional women to match with the single professional men that had signed up, so they waived the $2000 up front fee. I felt like the woman on Singles who made the video of herself in her bike gear.

Anyway, I went on a lot of first dates. But most of the men did not get a second date. I did not need to string anybody along. I could usually tell after the first date if I wanted to get to know a person better.

I can really empathize with all my single friends today. As people get older, dating is more challenging for many reasons. I get it.

I have so many dating stories to tell and I laugh when I think about them. I still had some fun and I learned a lot. I preferred dating in high school, France and as a college student. I do not feel like I missed out on anything in my 20s by being married because (1) I could focus on my education and career, and (2) I avoided a lot of the young professional game playing of dating (ha, ha). Thank goodness for Alan!

Alan and I were introduced by a mutual friend. Whenever I’d be in Austin, I’d go out to lunch with my Austin co-workers on the PeopleSoft project. Several outside consultants were hired to execute many of the technical aspects of the PeopleSoft project and one of Alan’s college roommates from Kansas City was flying in every week to help out with report writing. He knew Alan had moved or was moving to Austin and I got Alan’s contact information from him. In 1999, before Facebook, it was a phone number. I called first.

heather

Texas CPA

June 21, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley 2 Comments

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I love Texas. I got here as fast as I could.

I passed the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam in mid-1998 and am a Certified Public Accountant in Texas. The exam is nationwide; however, licensing requirements vary from state to state. I have been a CPA for 13 years and am still pleased to have earned the credential. It took a lot of hard work and dedication over several years and I renew my license every year. I complete 40 hours Continuing Professional of Education (CPE) every year and take an Ethics course every other year to fulfill the yearly education requirements to practice as a Texas CPA. I also pay a hefty licensing fee to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

I continued to travel for my career and had started dating again.

heather

Girlfriends

June 20, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley 2 Comments

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I love my girlfriends. They are and always will be a bright spot.

Throughout my 20s, I visited my girlfriends and parents in Massachusetts, my girlfriends in Michigan and New Hampshire, and my family in Southern California. I made an occasional personal trip to Pennsylvania and North Carolina. For the most part, my personal trips were paid for by the company for which I worked. I spent 5 months on an accounting information systems roll out in Boston and got to see family and friends a lot one Summer and Fall.

NOTE: By early June 1998, my divorce had been finalized and by early July 1998, I had started traveling to Boston. I had plenty to keep me busy and take my mind off of the sorrow. Two of my close girlfriends had recently had babies and I got to share in their joy.

heather
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