Monthly Archives: February 2011
Escapes and the Ultimate White Girl Problem
| February 23, 2011 | Filled under Random Thoughts |
My internet friend Jessica started Whiny Wednesdays where, in the interest of sanity, you have the opportunity to get some things off your chest. I’m jumping right in today because I made my proverbial bed this week and now I’m going to lie in it. But I want you to hear all about it first.
Last weekend I had an awesome adventure – one I’ll be blogging about on the food blog later today – that required a mini-road trip through the middle of nowhere. Actually, I don’t think we made it to the middle of nowhere because we weren’t on the road that long – more like the outskirts of nowhere – and our end destination was decidedly “somewhere”. But that’s not the point.
The point is just that we weren’t on the road very long before I looked around and saw…nothing. I mean, I could see pastures and a little bit of livestock and a few houses. But mostly, there was nothing.
It didn’t help that at the end of our trip we were about 20 minutes away from one of my favorite places on Earth.
My life is so demanding lately all the time that all it takes is driving me out to somewhere I can’t see anything but grass to make me feel better. I’ve been saying this since I moved here over a year ago but saying it and doing something about it are vastly different things. Why don’t I do something about it? Because at this point it would be harder for me to stop than to just keep going.
I could write a whole blog post on the changes I want to make in my life, and someday I will. But today I just want to whine about it.
I wrote about how I want to make time to write again - that hasn’t happened yet. All I really want to do is run away to this little cabin with my laptop and not come back for a month. Or until my next book is done.
Do you ever throw off your sleep schedule early in the week and spend the entire week exhausted? Because that’s where I am right now. I’ve snoozed for an hour two days in a row and I’m miserable. But I have lunch AND dinner plans today so I should be really excited, right?
Don’t get me wrong – I am. But I made this dinner reservation a week ago and have been “working” ever since to find people to go with. Obviously Mrs. Bdub was in right away – but we still had two more seats to fill and not a lot of time to do it in. And then I procrastinated until last night and want to be offended that people aren’t exactly lining up to make last minute plans.
Let’s just complicate this further by pointing out that I picked a fondue restaurant and it’s essential to find people who not only have the time to go but who also have the right fondue chemistry. It’s like one of those logic problems where you need a diagram just to figure out who was at the table wearing blue but not orange and arrived before Karen but after Jim. But Karen and Jim arrived together.
Like I said. Ultimate White Girl Problem.
And on top of it all, I’m having nightmares about work and all the things I need to get done.
What are you whining about today? Are you in need of an escape too?
The Story Siren’s 2011 Debut Author Challenge
| February 18, 2011 | Filled under Random Thoughts |
I’m signing up for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge hosted by the Story Siren.
It’s not what it sounds like. At least to me. But it IS pretty cool.
The challenge: To read 12 YA books by debut authors in 2011.
Why do it: Obviously to read (and review) these books. I understandably have a passion for YA fiction so anything I can do to support debut authors is definitely right up my alley. Besides, odds are high I’ll be reading the books anyway, might as well join up with a billion of my bffs and do it, right?
Besides, all the cool kids are doing it. Well, maybe not ALL of the cool kids. But if you look at the list of people who are doing it? There are tons. So there have to be some cool kids in that bunch. I think at least 3.
I haven’t decided which books I’ll be reading just yet because the list is long and they all look really awesome. But you can expect a review of at least 12 (if not more) books across the span of the year. And who knows? If I get really excited about any of them I may just give one away.
Anyone else participating in this challenge or ever participated in a similar challenge?
Footwear Friday – Spiked.
| February 18, 2011 | Filled under Random Thoughts |
Is anyone surprised I want these shoes?
Anyone?
Just checking.
image credit: ChristianLouboutin.com
Letters
| February 15, 2011 | Filled under Random Thoughts |
Dear Linus,
I’d like to modify your quote re: the Great Pumpkin to include Valentine’s Day. It will now go as follows:
“There are four things I have learned never to discuss with people : Religion, Politics, The Great Pumpkin, and Valentine’s Day.”
Thanks,
Kate
Dear all,
My car was in the shop for a little over a week and while it was there, so was my favorite chapstick. When I got the car back, I celebrated by tweeting about how glad I was to have the chapstick back. Only the auto-correct on my phone changed it to chopstick. And NO ONE called me on it. When I discovered the mistake, I sent out a blast to let everyone know I really meant chapstick. The immediate response from the general population was that I am apparently eccentric enough to form a relationship with just one chopstick. Not a pair. Just one. For the record, as long as they’re clean I could care less about the implements I use to put food in my mouth. I don’t have any unusual attachments to my silverware (or woodenware as the chopsticks might be). True, we all have our things. A single chopstick is not one of mine.
Smooches,
Kate
Dear Colbie Callait,
Stop trying to happen on my John Mayer station. You are not welcome here. And cut your hair.
-Kate
Dear Rihanna,
I know this isn’t your fault, but the fact that I have to buy your entire CD to get the one song I want rather than being allowed to buy the single from iTunes makes me dislike you a little bit.
Just thought you’d like to know.
-Kate
Dear Comcast,
Die. That’s all.
-Kate
Dear Body,
You are not as tired as you’re pretending to be. I know I was asleep before 10 last night. Wake. Up.
<3 Kate
And in case you need a pick me up today, here are two blogs I've just started following that I absolutely love:
Catalog Living. Have you ever been looking through a catalog and wondered, “who puts a giant piece of driftwood on their kitchen table?” Or, “Does anyone really have antique bicycles just chillin in the family room?” Catalog Living follows the antics of Gary and Elaine – the people who live in your catalogs. I dare you not to laugh out loud while you read this.(Fair Warning: I’ve never seen a swear word here, so enjoy often and publicly).
White Whine. We have white girl problems, sorority girl problems, and now you can have some whine to go with them. These have me cracking up. (Fair Warning: foul language included).
Habits.
| February 13, 2011 | Filled under Random Thoughts |
Remember when I used to liveblog award shows? I don’t miss those days much. I tweet a little, but mostly I just enjoy the ride.
Things I do miss? Writing. I just haven’t made enough time for it lately – not even just blogging.
One day this week I happened across some of my earlier writing – stuff I did in high school. It was atrocious. But it made me laugh and suddenly I had the fever again. I wanted to re-write the story I wrote 7 years ago.
Obviously I won’t be doing that anytime soon, but I will definitely be getting back into the regularly scheduled writing.
What’s something you haven’t been doing much of lately that you really miss?
Stuff from All Over: Scrubs Friday Edition
| February 4, 2011 | Filled under Stuff From All Over |
1. I’ve officially registered for the Rugged Maniac 5K. This isn’t your average 5k. This course is a hilly, motorbike trail full of obstacles. Like 7 foot barriers and tunnels, oh, and did I mention fire? Because there’s fire.
I’m excited to be finished with the race. I’m excited to work my rear off and be in enough shape to be able to fling myself over a 7 foot barrier. But I’m also terrified because, well, it’s kind of a terrifying prospect, isn’t it? Did I mention the fire? Yes, this race actually requires you to leap over a pit of fire. Which I will do. But I will be terrified. But I will not keep talking about how scared I am because there’s a “No Whining” rule.
2. Scrubs make me happy. I think that’s enough said.
3. As noted previously, I go through phases with Twitter. But then there are people who just tweet obsessively. When they stop for any reason (cause maybe it’s hard to keep up with all the time? and maybe they needed to sleep?) I get really anxious. Why hasn’t this person tweeted in 13 hours? Is it because they have a life and were sleeping or did something horrible happen? Are they mad at me (because that’s relevant)? I should probably point out that there has never been a time when one of my twitterpated friends took a short break from tweeting because something was actually wrong. Usually they’re just asleep.
4. Have I mentioned yet that I’ve picked up a new hobby? (I know I haven’t, but I asked you anyway.) I’ve started quilting. By which I mean I am still in the process of cutting out my pieces because I decided to start with my full size quilt instead of a smaller 3 by 4 quilt. Anyway, I’m cutting and cutting and cutting. And I love it. But if you recall, I was working on a t-shirt quilt from my old sorority t-shirts and I finally finished it! It’s HUGE and snuggly and I love it.
5. Sometimes bananas make me gag. Other times I have no trouble eating them. I never know what the result will be – it’s just trial and error. But sometimes you really need the potassium and a banana is the best thing to eat for that. For example, this one time I went snowboarding (and hilarity ensued) but I also was in a lot of pain. And gagging down bananas. It was really miserable. But also really funny because I can’t think of another food that does this to me.
6. This is just getting ridiculous:
Happy Friday. Here’s what I ‘m looking forward to this weekend: Dinner and A Movie. What are you most looking forward to this weekend?
The Way I Talk
| February 2, 2011 | Filled under Random Thoughts |
Okay, so I know a lot of people have done these but I just had to jump on the party bus and add mine to the internet as well.
You read the words below and answer the questions and then we all get to have a good laugh when I pronounce my words funny. What I found more entertaining than my awkward pronunciation of the word “ruin” was watching L have his issues in the background.
Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught
What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you change the TV channel with?
Just so you know, I’m Northern Virginia born and bred (and yes, the Northern part is important). I spent 5 years in southern VA for college and grad school but have been “up north” ever since. I definitely consider all of Virginia to be part of The South but I know some NoVA residents would firmly disagree with me on that. They would be wrong, but that’s not my problem : )
A note about the word crayon – Prince Regent used to say it like “crown” and my parents were always so confused it took them a minute to figure out what he was asking for when he wanted his “crowns”. We lived in Kentucky while he was learning to talk so he definitely picked up a bit of a drawl (which I don’t care where you’re from, you have to say that with the “a” so stretched out it sounds like a two syllable word). It has since mostly vanished.
Anyway.
Are there any words you would have added to the list?
