multi-tasking, or why I am addicted

so I was supposed to have a day of rest today. you know, the 'prepare thy self for the week of hell' kind of day. i lazed around till 1pm. couldn't take it any more, shower, dressed and got in my car and went on a spree of errands. like most people I know, I hate errands. seriously wish I could just have my very own Rosario to do all my bullshit errands. Someone to go to the grocery, go to Target, go to Walgreens, go to the Depot to get Propane- you know, all of those necessary things that make life happen.
So here's what I have gotten accomplished today, on my day of slack. I swear I am not looking for anything, but I need to start making declarations of doing nothing, and I will get a hell of a lot of stuff done more often.
1. First stop to Starbucks to dose up on Caffiene.
2. Write out all bills for August.
3. Stop at Post Office and MAIL all bills before August 1- this, is indeed a record. Seriously sad, but true.
4. Barnes and Noble- searching for this book...http://www.cookingtohookup.com
5. Tuesday Morning- rumor has it they have sheets on wicked sale
6. Meet up with some co-workers to plot world domination
7. HEB and pick up groceries for week (meet co-workers at HEB- again with the multi-tasking)
8. Home Depot for Propane Tank Exchange
9. Grilled Steak for dinner
10. Facial and took a bath
11. Colored hair- other color was looking slightly green- again proving that I should not attempt blonde highlights. Yes, I go through this every stinkin year. But, one of these years I will get it right. (Colored hair while giving facial and in bath- see I save time)
12. Two loads of laundry.
13. Few thank you notes written.
14. In bed, before 11, with clean sheets, shiny hair, shiny face and gasp, ironed clothes. Was working on my schedule for tomorrow when I realized I need to blog this. I am sick and addicted.

What more, is that despite the fact that I havent picked up needles in a month...www.knitty.com , this inspires the hell out of me.

Gnite. See you when I see you.

sheesh

life is insane right now.
starting the HUGE Casa's for CASA fund raiser- had the Preview Party this evening- total smashing success. Gearing up to start new things and really slammed at work. Life is just keeping me full. That is good. But, its not leaving me lots of time to play here. I will pop in here and there- I feel like I am neglecting!

If you feel like doing something good donate here http://www.casatravis.org/make_donation.html
If you want to buy some luxe sheets go here www.horchow.com
If you want to see one of my favorite resturants click here www.7austin.com

-k

for once in my life

i have nothing of any merit to say.
but instead of not posting.
i decided to post my speechlessness.

Non-negotiables..

There are certain things in life that we can't live without. Food, air and water. Well, duh.
What about the good things. The things that make us all tingly, and make us all freaked out if we go too long without. For me, the list is pretty short:

1. Tweezers
2. my iPod
3. a book
4. my cell phone
5. really comfy flip flops
6. a really good bra
7. Altoids chewing gum.

These are the day to day items that I can't live without.

On a bigger scale, I think about things that I would like to have in my life overall... love, a family, children, a dog, a house...those things far outweigh the iPod.

Well, kind of.

:)

Is a band without its lead singer still "the band"?

I just was listening to my Launchcast on Yahoo when I heard a Journey song. Except it was Journey WITHOUT Steve Perry, which, in my opinion, is not Journey. Its kind of like Van Halen with out Eddie. Or the Cure with out Robert Smith. Does it work? I mean, Menudo has switched out band members for years, but who really cares about the musical stylings, as long as they look good in tight white jeans.

I just think you shouldnt screw with a good thing.

For the most part, I am almost always morally opposed to bands doing covers of other bands songs. Dont screw with what works. Except for Faith No More version of "Easy"- thats just amazing.

My random music thought for Thursday.

My friends and my favorite art...

Today, I had a great day with my girlfriends. Nothing in particular happened, but I realized how wonderful it is to have a strong powerful network of women in my life. I have friends all over the country that make me laugh, and remind me that life can be pretty damn great.
We ban together when one of our own is wounded. We help those that need our support, we rally against those who dare to hurt one that we call our own. I am proud to call these women my friends. Hopefully you know who you are. You are the women that have called me during the past month, have emailed me, have sent me messages, have posted positive things on this blog. You reminded me that despite all the crap, something good would come out of all of this. You were right. Something fantastic has come out of it.

The painting above is done by my favorite artist Kathy Womack She is an amazing artist with a gallery here in Austin.Her paintings really capture the spirit of girlfriends and just having fun.

So I thank each and every one of you, that have stood next to me during this crazy time- Love you all!

Sweet

Things in my life that are really good as of Wednesday Morning...
1. Accepted a kick ass job offer. Start end of August.
2. My house is really, really coming together.
3. Casa's for CASA is a week away and looking really good.
4. I am going to take a vacation in a week.

Praise the lord and pass the diet coke!!!!

They are all going to be bad but one...

Truer words were never spoken. Deep into my drink the other night, i was discussing relationships with my compadre Adam. He is so cool, that he gets his full named typed on the internet. He and I are the exact same age. In his 28 years, he has been in a Metal band, managed a restaurant, worked as a bartender, and has completely gutted a house, and remodeled it, entirely on his own. And he sounds like Boomhauer from King of the Hill. He is, as some say, a "Coonass" - Down here in Texas, y'all know that means, he is from Looziana. Ok, that's enough about Adam. Anyways, we were discussing members of the opposite sex, and our inability to figure out each others gender. Seriously confusing. I have known one of Adams girlfriends. He has known, sadly, three of my dating disasters. What can I say? I play the numbers game. One of these times I am going to get it right. Right? Well that's what we were talking about. Surely, after all these practice dating disasters, one of these things is going to work out. I mean, that's why you date, to get to the person you are supposed to be with. To be with the person that actually wants to spend time with you. Am I wrong here? Have I read too many romance novellas? Adam has had some doozy of girlfriends. The only one I have ever met, lets call her Crazy. Because she was. I will admit that most women have a percentage of crazy running through their veins. This woman was full octane crazy. She would throw drinks at him because she felt undervalued. I am not kidding you, those were her words. She would yell at him, scream at him, hook up with guys in front of him to make him jealous. Oh yes, she was a grown up. Luckily, she was banned from all of our favorite bars, and we don't see her anymore. His next girlfriend, well she told him she didn't want a serious relationship with anyone. Two weeks later she meets a guy at Starbucks. 7 weeks later she is married. Hell, who knows what happened there. So, I guess his statement holds some truth- all relationships are going to be bad except for one. Lord help me, all these practice ones are starting to wear thin.

I am being stalked

by an 11 lb cat this morning. I woke up to Harry staring at my head. Moved to the couch and he has been sitting on top of the couch staring at me like I was a big ole chunk of tuna. Threw his butt outside and he is staring at me from the patio.

This is going to be a LONG day with the cat. Only saving grace will be the doctors appointment later on today.

My new respect for silence

Seriously. In the past few weeks, I have really come to appreciate good quiet minutes of time.
Right now, I am enjoying a few peaceful moments before I head to bed. Organizing my thoughts, getting ready for the day ahead of me.

Its going to be a good day tomorrow.

Monday Morning Musings....

* still at the silly day job. waiting for the axe to drop.
* my car got towed last night- illegally. that was a pain in the ass.
* phone calls to cancel plans are polite and appropriate
* its ok to have steak in the morning. Atkins says so.
* sleeping till 9am is not a good way to start a Monday.
* wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt to work on a Monday is a great way to impress your coworkers.
* Altoids gum is the best thing ever invented, followed shortly by Altoids mints.
* Pink is my favorite color to accessorize with.
* I think I am going to join a convent. I wont have to worry about my hair, my bills or men anymore. I have the Catholic part taken care of.
* Getting older is weird. 23 years old is really really young.
* This week is my 5 year Anniversary in Texas.

Happy Monday

drumroll please....

a new project is in the works....


http://bossykate.blogspot.com/

go check it out will ya?

Easy Like Sunday Morning....

Got 4 and a half hours of sleep last night. Actually feel refreshed. I read an interesting article on people with insomnia last night- said something to the effect that people with insomnia like to sleep with the lights on- me too. Wonder if there is a correlation there? Doesn't matter- I got SLEEP!!!!
It's very quiet this morning at Casa Kate- housemate is sleeping, Harry is out stalking nature, and the only sound I can hear is the clicking of my keyboard, and the whirring of the ceiling fan. This, dear internet is a PERFECT morning. I am working up the energy to go to yoga- and I will be rested and well stretched. What more can a girl ask for?

Things to do today?
1. Yoga
2. PUT AWAY ALL LAUNDRY- why is it so much fun to wash and dry, but such hell to hang up?
3. Read a few chapters in Harry Potter
4. Water the plants in the yard
5. Possibly have margs with a friend.
6. Possibly go grocery shopping if friend cancels

Sounds like today could be a really good day. I hope everyone is enjoying it.

Who are you?

Simple question really? Who are you? Who am I? Who are the people that come to this site everyday? Are you a mother, a father, a wife, a husband, a lover, an enemy, an employer? Are you a friend, a co-worker, or a stranger? When we look at ourselfs, what do we see? Many of you know that music kind of follows me around everywhere. My friend John calls me a walking iPod- because I can associate a song with just about everything. I think its a good thing to have. I woke up this morning thinking of an old Broadway song- "Who are you now" and it started me thinking about this whole darn topic.
So here, in a few words, is who I think I am at 7:38 am- if you have a blog- feel free to tell us who you are. If you dont have a blog, leave a comment, otherwise, just take a few moments to think about this question.

Who are you?

I am Kate.
I am a daughter.
I am a sister.
I am a friend.
I am a volunteer.
I am sometimes more thanjust a friend.
I am sometimes a pain the ass.
I am emotional.
I am driven.
I am me.


The lyrics from the song I was thinking about--

Who are You Now- from Funny Girl

Who are you now,

Now that you're mine?

Are you something more

Than you were before?

Are you warmer in the rain,

Are you stronger for my touch,

Am I giving too little

By my lovin' you too much?

How is the view,

Sunny and green?

How do you compare it to

The views you've seen?

I know I am better, braver and surer too,

But you--are you now--

Who are you now?

Are you someone better for my love?

and this continues with my mood ..

Another man that makes my heart happy....

this is what I am listening to right now....
Volare, oh ohCantare, oh oh oh oh
Let's fly way up to the clouds
Away from the maddening crowds
We can sing in the glow of a star that I know of
Where lovers enjoy peace of mindLet us leave the confusion and all disillusion behind
Just like bird of a feather, a rainbow together we'll find
Volare, oh ohE contare, oh oh oh oh
No wonder my happy heart sings
Your love has given me wings
Penso che un sogno cosi non ritorni mai piu
Mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu
Poi d'improvviso venivo dal vento rapito
E incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito
Volare, oh ohE contare, oh oh oh oh
Nel blu, dipinto di bluFelice di stare lassu
E volavo, volavo felice piu in alto del sole ed ancora piu su
Mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiu
Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me
Volare, oh oh
E cantare, oh oh oh oh
No wonder my happy heart sings
Your love has given me wings
Nel blu, dipinto di blu
Felice di stare lassu

My Way Friday..

So, in an effort to find a bombshell for the week, I started to listen to some swingin music. Threw on a little Dino, tossed a little Sammy for some swing. All of a sudden the best damn song came on-ok- t Ole Blue Eyes "My Way"

So, my swingin bombshell of the day is the man that man all of our grannies drool back in the day. Yep, he is the one Nancy called Daddy, and all the goombas talked about back in the neighboorhood, Frank Sinatra. http://www.sinatrafamily.com/

Gotta love me some Frank.

ugh

late night last night.
dead tired.
really tired.
having a hard time convincing myself to get in the shower. showering would be good as I smell like a bar.
I went to bed wearing this shirt. actually my shirt is cooler, but you get the idea.
it has taken me 14 minutes to create this post, and I am still not showered or dressed.

weird

well, its 1:02am. i am up. big shock. would rather be doing a number of other things right now than blogging- sleep being in the top three of them. the other two... well, anyways. blogging is almost as good as sleep, yeah, thats the ticket.

so my dear internet, i have had one heck of a day today.
worked at the company that is going up in flames on a daily basis. without going into the gory details, a leader of the company had a temper tantrum today and punched a cube. really grownup if you ask me. then i went to my other part, part, part time job this afternoon. after not working since may, i got a raise. ok, a teeny tiny raise, but there was a review, and a raise. something that HAS NOT HAPPENED AT OTHER COMPANY. i am not bitter. nope not me.
was really quite busy today at the hotel. made some money- always a good thing. sometimes there isnt anything quite as good as manual labor. now, dont get me wrong, i dont want to do it all the time, but sometimes its good to break a sweat- (again, i am going to the gutter- what is wrong with me?). i digress. made some good money, came home, checked my emails.

three potential job opportunities were waiting for me in my email dear internet. three. 1-2-3. holy saints above, i may not become homeless. ok, i know most of you never thought I was going to become homeless, but in my head, there is still a chance that it will happen. or i will need to sell plasma, or my eggs, or something. you just never know.

next thought. i realize that this has become an interesting vehicle in which to speak to my friends. generally, i realize i am speaking to a certain group of people, forgetting that others may be reading it too. that being said, i am not saying ANYTHING that I wouldnt tell my mama. Well, almost anything. If she reads something that she doesnt like, I can always tell her I was drunk when I wrote it and I didnt mean any of it. But, I realized tonight, that I am opening myself WAY up to a lot of people-internet you sure do know a lot about me. and right now thats kind of freaking me out. i realize that I dont have a lot of secrets. there is no mystery. a girl should have some mystery. do i care? i don't know. should i care? i don't know. i guess we all have a little bit of crazy brewing inside of us- i just tend to publish mine for an audience. what i wonder is this- do my musings impact your general perception of me. ok-this is more a multiple part question. 1. if you know me personally- do you feel you know me better because of this piece of net i call my blog? if you know me personally, do you wish that maybe I wouldnt put so much of my life out here. (keeping in mind that i really do not put the super private stuff online). 2. if you only know me via a messageboard- do you enjoy reading about my life, or do you not really care one way or the other.
3. If you found me through blogger- do you feel that this is the right amount of information, or am I starting to be like those other sites that talk about the most banal topics just to fill blog space.

This is what runs through my head at 1:17am.


and finally tomorrow. what a day I have tomorrow. here i thought i was going to have a day of slack, and now I have an interview, a CASA mixer tomorrow night, and a special treat at lunchtime-lunch with some girl friends!!!

Maybe I can figure out my life so that I can just have my hand in a bunch of pies, and just get paid to work on projects. That way I can do CASA, see my friends, work, heck, maybe even get a date in once in a while. Seriously. I have an opportunity to do some marketing for a wireless company. I have an opportunity to do some work for a man that owns a consulting business. What else can I do? What is this I see... is my life actually coming together? HOLY SHIT.

Now thats what I call weird.

why should life be boring?

Someone just left my office- yes, I still have that at least, and said on their way out "you are the least boring person I know". I took that as a compliment. We had been brainstorming some ideas to get a client out of a pinch, and my partner was taking notes on a standard yellow legal note pad with a bic pen. I, on the other hand, am taking notes in a really cool bound notebook, with a retro picture of a pin-up girl on the cover, using a fountain pen. I like to just take life and make it a little nicer. Take my hair for example. It grows REALLY fast. Like, I can keep a stylist in business easily it grows so fast. So I tend so change my hair styles. A lot. I change the color of my hair. A lot. Blonde today, brunette tomorrow. Like to keep things changing. So, despite the fact that my life is a little chaotic right now, at least I cant say that its boring.

My how time flies...

5 years ago today(2000), I was at my grandma's funeral.
4 (2001) years ago today, I was living in a teeny tiny studio apartment in SOCO, working at the Hotel San Jose.
3(2002) years ago today, was still living in my teeny tiny apartment and having a blast at the hotel.
2(2003) years ago today, I was interviewing at the company I am at today. Was sitting in this very office interviewing.
1 (2004) year ago today, was happily rolling out new software. Just bought a new car, getting ready to move into my house.
Today. Waiting for the end to happen. My how times have changed.

and yes, i am just this cheesy and whoarmonal... this is jill, me and her kiddos.

there is a light

Dear internet,

this is surely to be my gayest post ever. and by gay, i mean, LAME. my friend jillian, who left Austin almost 2 freaking years ago to go live in Michigan, emailed me today. when jillian left, i seriously thought part of me had fallen off- like the good part. like my right boob. when we met we clicked instantly. she was like the big sister i never had, because my mom just never gave birth to her. seriously. she is smart. she is funny. she taught me how to knit. she held my had when my jackass boyfriend broke my heart. she sat me down and made me watch endless hours of Colin and Nigella. She was the good thing for me in Austin. When she left, I dont think I ever told her how much I hated to see her go. Course, today, I think she will probably read this. She poor babied me when I bitched about work. I listened to her when she got frustrated with being a mom in the burbs. We would go to movies together. In all honesty, we werent face to face friends for that long- but it was long enough to make a lasting impression. i miss my friend. i miss her sense of style. i miss her laugh. i miss her. ok, can you tell, i am an emotional wreck. I HATE that I am not a part of her kids lives as they are growing up. anyways, i miss my friend.
i didnt realize how much i freaking miss her until about twenty minutes ago when i found the BEST red lipstick in the world and thought about her. Ok, this is lame, but it needs to be said.
last week i was driving home one morning and I drove by her street on Brodie. I literally turned into her subdivision, drove to her house and wished that she still lived there, because I thought that in her own way, she could help me make sense of this crazy mess of a life I call my own.
She emailed me today, and I just realized that no matter what happens- even if I have to move back to michigan(god forbid), i will actually have a friend there. and it will be ok.
we can be the two bitches at starbucks making fun of everyone else.

thanks jill. i know you didnt mean to- but you really helped me today.
miss you.
miss boo.

there should be a do-over box

for the past 5 days. I won't go into specifics, but Lord have mercy my mouth and my fingers are going to get my ass kicked if I am not careful. If I have a thought, oh, I shall express. If I have a feeling, Lord knows I will emote. KatieG is just about fed the fuck up. Yes, I said fuck. Please shield your eyes if you haven't seen the likes of this word before. Work sucks. We are in forever limbo. I feel like those little heathen babies the Catholics used to pray for back before Vatican 2. Home sucks. Roomate is moving out. I am having a hard time being sweet to someone who is sticking me with half the bills. Bills suck, because I havent won the lotto yet to pay them. Men suck because I can't figure out their gender. Don't even get me started on the guys in my life. Certain friends are about to blow a REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE THE GIRL IS BUSY. SHIT HAPPENS. PEOPLE GET BUSY. DOESNT MEAN THAT THEY DONT LIKE YOU. C if you are reading this, I am yelling at you. Dont go out tonight and find a bimbo. It will only come back to bite you in the ass. As for me? I am in dating limbo. I should probably take my own advice, but really, I am not thinking that anything is happening. I should just solidify my role as the crazy single cat lady on the corner and yell at the kids that touch my grass. Yep, thats the plan.
Back to my original point. My mouth. I can't keep it shut. Its really hard to keep the inner thoughts inside where they can be edited. I am telling everyone what I feel about every topic. No holds barred. I finally understand what that means. I need to hold the bars. Or something like that.

So my open apology to you, dear internet. I am sorry. If I said something that was harsh- I probably meant it, but could have phrased it better.

Deal with it. Deal with me. Love me or Kiss my ass.

Smooches,

kate

another sunset, another success

thats the way I need to look at life. every day that i live and breathe is a success. every day that I get up and am somewhat productive, that is a success. everyday that i help someone else, that is a success.
tonight the sunset was a gorgeous orange. a brillant explosion of reds, yellows and oranges. its like God tooks the good part of the 64 pack of Crayolas and smeared them on the sky. I was too busy just sitting staring at the sky to go and grab my camera. it seemed like a shame to lose a minute of the glory. its nights like that that i remember how small we really are. how little we are in the big scheme of life. how our footprint really impacts so few. but, what we do can be soo good. thats what i need to remember. its so easy to get wrapped up in the bullshit of everyday life. its easy to get caught up in the he said, she said crap of the day to day. its easy to fling shit at your fellow friend- hell, i caught myself in the middle of a petty bitchfest today. but you need to remember that life is too damn short to play these stupid games. we can do so much more with our days.
the sunset reminded me of this.

Sunday Night Groove

Heather Headley.
AMAZING VOICE.
Songs to buy on iTunes:
* He Touched Me
* This is Who I am
* I Wish I Wasn't


Working on my new project tonight- sketching out a website for my mom, and working on some leads for another business opportunities. Life hands you opportunities- its up to us to manage them and run with them.

austin lost his mojo

Oh dear god, i have now watched Austin Powers 1 and am 3/4 of the way through the 2nd Austin Powers. In this one, he has lost his mojo. Its strangely sad. Either that, or I need to get a life. I think it really might be the latter.
I managed to haul my ass out of my house at one point today and went to SuperTarget- i was surronded by domestic bliss. Couples walking hand in hand with their Starbucks. Families escaping the crappy weather and heading to Target. Was an interesting reminder of my singletondom. Bought my little list of goods and ran out of there as quickly as possible.

Wish I had something better to report today- not really. Sometimes a quiet day is a good day.

Back to more crap TV.

its time for a make-over

yep, NQM is getting her July re-do.

Y'all have been warned.

A sleepy good morning to you.

Its cold this morning. Really cold in the house. Like I had imagined that the temperature dropped to 45 degrees outside. Nope, the thermostat was just jacked down to 65 degrees. Gee, Not sure how that happened. Insert eye roll here.
I'm having a good quiet morning this morning. Roomate is still sleeping. The house is silent. I love it. Dear internet, did you know that almost 60 people a day read my blog? I think its crazy that so many people pop on my site to read my ramblings. I really didn't think I am that interesting- a lot of people in Austin don't seem to think so. I have a quiet little diatribe building up in my head right now- looking for the right choice of word-will be sure to post this in a bit.
Last night was an interesting night. I was blissfully laying on my couch at 9pm when I was struck with the sudden urge to hear the band The Lucky Strikes . I grabbed my roomate, hopped in the car and drove to the place where they were playing. Two Purple Monster Margs later I was happy, with good music in my head and a buzz in my heart. Or something like that.
Was supposed to go out to the lake, but given the current torrential downpour, I think I will head out to http://www.mozartscoffee.com/moflash.html>">Mozarts and ease into my day. Take some knitting and call it a day.

Will be reading the new Harry Potter just like everyone else this weekend.
Am listening to a weird combination of music this morning- Heather Headley, Vivian Greene, Angie Stone and John Legend.

Music I am digging right now...

Ok, the first album- West Coast Jazz- is awesome- Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker- great stuff to listen to on a steamy summer night on your porch with a cold drink. The second CD is "Different Strokes by Different Folks-" AMAZING CD with awesome people doing Sly covers. Gets your booty shakin if you have a mind to shake thy booty.

I also am alway smitten with Diana Krall and Jane Monhiet- two groovy chicks that know their way around a tune. My last girl music crush is on Madeline Peyreaux. You can check out some of her groovy stuff at Amazon.com

Thats what I am listening to today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Morning Internet

I was having some pretty amazing thoughts last night before the sleeping pill kicked in. Yep, I broke down and took a sleeping pill. Not really my favorite thing to do, but needed to forget about life for a while. Anyways, just before I fell asleep, I was struck with this amazing thought to blog- and its gone. Here are some random thoughts floating through my head. Tomorrow is the 5 year anniversary oh my Grandmother dying, and almost my five year anniversary in Texas. July has always been a big month for me. Broke up with my boyfriend in 2000, my Grammy died, I packed up my shit and moved from Michigan to Texas. Its been a wild ride ever since.
When this whole work thing finally ends, I will be more relaxed. At this point I am just a damn basket case. I am worrying about money, stability, etc. I just want a little calm in my life. I just want a little quiet.
When all else fails-listen to Mob Hits 2-for some reason this CD calms me down, and makes me smile. Maybe because most of the songs remind me of my Grandfather- who knows.
I just realized I still have a "blankie". Yep in 2001, my mom made me a GORGEOUS lap quilt with great colors- reds and yellows. I just realized and i made sure part of me was touching it, that I am no better off than a 5 year old with my blankie. If I sleep on the couch- I need my little quilted friend.
One last thought, and I am going to go so something responsible, like balance my budget or something. This past two weeks has been especially hard because there is a group of people that I call my friends that I cant talk to them about what is going to happen. I am not at liberty to express to them the changes that are being made, and so as I sit quietly in my office, they have NO IDEA what is going down. I feel like in a way I am betraying them, but its not my right to say anything at all. Also, in light of what has been going down for the past two weeks, I havent been very sociable. Don't really feel like talking to anyone. Don't feel like going out with my friends. Don't really feel like doing anything. I feel really removed, and yet I don't care. I just need to focus on moving forward and just dealing. Anything after that- I just cant worry about right now.
Yep, this post is all about me. Its my blog. Deal with it.

My bombshell of the day...

The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first.
-Ginger Rogers

I have been lax in my "bombshell of the day/week" here at NQM lately- go figure that life gets in the way.

So I offer to you tonight dear internet- a bombshell, a quote and even better- a drink recipe named after Ms. Rogers herself!

Ginger Rogers Cocktail

1/3 French Vermouth
1/3 Dry Gin
1/3 Apricot Brandy
4 Dashes Lemon Juice

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.

How can you go wrong with this combo?

5:17 am Thursday Morning

and I am awake.
really, really awake.
Things I am pondering in my life right now:

1. Where to find a job that will make me happy?
2. Where can I find enough volunteers to staff a HUGE event for CASA in August?
3. Where can I find a guy that makes sense?

Seems like an inappropriate time to be thinking of all three topics if you ask moi.

dear internet,

are you there? its me kate. (i swear if you laugh at this post, i will find YOU and smack you). anyways, back to my point.
Wednesday is a HUGE day for me. HUGE HUGE HUGE.
I have an interview of epic proportions.
I am being nominated to be VICE PRESIDENT of the NonProfit Board that I volunteer for.
I will possibly lose my you-know-what tomorrow.

so i must bid adieu to you and you and you....

when all else fails....

there is always West Wing. My favorite show of all time. I guess there is another marathon on again right now.

Considering I don't have much else going on- guess I will watch tv.

What would M.S. do?

You know, I have been bitching and moaning and whining for quite a while now. Life occasionally sucks. People break up, people lose jobs, arms, toes, etc. People get married, divorced and widowed. Life changes. Its a natural progression of this crazy thing we call our existance. Without change, I would still be in Oscoda, Michigan. Probably fatter than a two ton bus and working at the local grocery store. Who knows/ Change happened, changes happen, changes are going to keep on happening. Without change, I would have never taken a chance and worked for Grand Hotel. Without change, I would have never have ended up in the great state of Texas. Without change, I wouldn't have gotten inspired and started writing this amazing blog. Yes, dear Internet- I know that you wait every day to read what amazing snippet of thought I decide to push out towards the cosmos.
How did I get to this new fangled sense of thinking, when only two hours ago I was whining and crying on my patio? Which by the way, looks damn good, thanks to some stress induced weeding and grooming. But I digress. I sat down and played some Journey. Some good ole fashioned "Don't Stop Believing"- Steve Perry reminded me that I was that damn small town girl- and she didn't stop believing, so who the hell am I to give up before its even over. Secondly, I thought of the woman I look up to. Yep, M.S. Talk about getting SCREWED. She busted her ass for DECADES working, planning, organizing, making things just so, just right, only to have someone smack her ass, call her Sally and throw her in jail. Did she languish? Hell no. Did she pout? Probably, but did she shrivel up and die? Hell no. She is back and better than ever. She is moving forward despite a WICKEDLY horrible setback. She didn't let anyone hold her back. She reorganized, and moved forward. Internet, I know that I don't compare at all to MS. But hell, I can take a lesson can't I? I can pick myself up, dust myself off, re-pot a plant and make some spaghetti sauce. I can do what I am good at. I can use the talents that I have and try to figure out what I can do next.

Who knows, maybe someone at MS will hire me- doubtful, but a girl can hope can't she?

So thats my deep thought for the evening my dear Internet. As Steve Perry says it best .....

Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere

A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night

Working hard to get my fill,
everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice,
just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

(chorus)

Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'
Streetlight people..........

final update on the goals- or why I need a life

my goals for the weekend- update on Sunday 11:58pm

1. be a slackass. So successful at this. I was even a slackass at my friend Melindas house tonight.
2. go out on the lake. Never made this happen. All my friends crapped out on me.
3. get sleep. Like a baby- all weekend. Even squoze a nap in today
4. watch a sporting event- even if it is baseball, i need to see some athletic competiton -hockey yesterday
5. do pilates, or yoga. yoga this morning, and pilates yesterday
6. read. Finished the crappy Janet Evonovich "Ten on Top", started a new one on "Cooking for the Masses"
7. go for a walk. Tonight- with my friend
8. take a nap. Today and yesterday
9. take some pictures. took one today- pretty much sucked.
10. continue the job search. prepared for an interview this week, sent out 6 resumes
11. relax-oh boy did i. i have the look of a contented cat right now.


tomorrow is monday. fresh week. need to set some goals for this week.

1. be proactive at work
2. water my plants every day
3. exercise at least 4 times
4. find 5 new volunteers for CASA
5. Cook dinner at home at least twice
6. Look for new roomate

Happy Sunday, or in case you were wondering...

Just got back from Yoga Yoga. I think I am going to be really really sore. However, I can now stretch in some very good ways that will make some people happy. (Mom, ignore that comment).
Few changes in the Casa duh Kate- housemate has decided to strike out on her own. She claims feline allergies and too long of a commute to her school. Oh well, time to look for another one. Strangely this news didnt even stress me out. I have been v.calm this weekend.
There is still a guy floating around my life right now- its interesting. Thats all I am going to say on this topic (since he supposedly has been known to read this blog). Two points in his favor however- he reads like a fiend (and didnt laugh when I told him my affliction with romance novels), and claims to have a fondness for football. We shall see, we shall see.

My parents have been really supportive about the job situation- which is always, as Martha says, a good thing. They didnt even freak out when I threatened to sell all my crap and move back north. Probably because they know I am full of CRAP!

I have two interviews this week- one for a job I am curious about, one for a job I really really want.

Gosh I wished Starbucks would deliver. I would chew off my right arm for a Venti Iced.

Happy Sunday.

again with the goal update

saw some hockey.
read a book.
went for a long walk.

i am soo good on my goals this weekend. maybe next weekend world peace.

its calling my name

in my fridge right now there is a pitcher of cranberry/white grape juice.
in the freezer there is a bottle of Stoli.
together i think they would make a damn good combination.

my porch, sunset and a beverage of the adult variety. ohh laa laa.

the goal update

slept 10 hours last night.
all is looking up.

have I mentioned that i havent gotten 10 hours of sleep continously in probably 6 months?

my goals for the weekend.

1. be a slackass.
2. go out on the lake.
3. get sleep.
4. watch a sporting event- even if it is baseball, i need to see some athletic competiton
5. do pilates, or yoga.
6. read.
7. go for a walk.
8. take a nap.
9. take some pictures.
10. continue the job search.
11. relax

i wonder if anyone would notice

if i just crawled under my desk and napped? its not that im tired, but i am kind of whooped. mentally, and physically.
my giveashitter is done broke.

right now here is what I would LOVE- Fried Chicken, Diet Coke, Tater Salad and a nap. Followed by lolling in a pool, followed by another nap. and maybe a back rub. or maybe a bath, most defintally a nap, and then some more fried chicken.


i am currently experiencing "short-timers" disease. I do belive that is what happens when you know your ass is about to walk the plank, and you really dont care anymore. Its like when you are getting ready to dump your boyfriend and you stop shaving your legs. Or when you get ready to switch hair stylists, and you give a 5% tip- You just dont care. I just dont care. I am here, I am in my seat, and thats about as good as it gets.

This weekend, I want it to be all about me. I want to be lazy. I want to take a nap. I want to read my books, I want to listen to music. I want to swim, I want to snuggle. I want to make out. Oh, did I say that out loud? Anyhoo- its Friday, and I dont have shit to do. I freakin love it.

IT WASNT HOT LAST NIGHT

Dear Internet,

It wasn't hot last night. I know that may not be a big thing to many of you out there in Canada, but here in Texas, its generally hotter than Dantes center circle, but last night it was mid 60's. It was gorgeous. Rainy. Not hot. Good.

so here's the scoop

or of much of it as I feel comfortable posting on the internet.
Things are changing very quickly for me professionally. Not in so good of a way. Will be shortly having a lot more time to dedicate to NQM if ya know what I mean.

It's probably a blessing in a dark, deep Freddy Krueger like disguise. Yep, thats the ticket. I am going to spin this in a good way. It will force me to make some changes I wasn't quite ready to make. So there, I am going to make them.

I'm scared and frustrated, and feeling really let down. I had hoped that things were going to work out differently, but alas, tis not to be.

So, I continue on the search to find the thing that makes my heart zing.

Wish me luck.

Awesome Night Last Night

Had a Friends of CASA http://www.casatravis.org meeting at my house last night. We totally restructured our entire organization- from hierarchy, to handbook. Very successful. Its awesome to work with such bright, energetic women.

Worked on my flowers this morning before I came to work- everything is really struggling-we are now in the 9th day of 100 degree weather, and my little flowers are suffering. Need to figure out a good schedule to keep them on, and in the shade.

Trying a new power pilates class tonight- need to learn new ways to stretch and work out!

Back to the billing grind.

are we sure its not monday?

cause it freaking feels like it.
busy morning. lots of people actually want to talk to me. who would have thunk it.. oh, thats right, they just want me for work. hee.
swam laps this morning, had some energy i needed to burn before I started swinging at everyone. when i was still grumpy, i ended up walking 1.5 miles before going to work.
So, here it is, 11:52 am. I am watching the clock, wishing I could read my new book -The Magdalene Legacy: The Jesus and Mary Bloodline Conspiracy. Looks to be really good.

Lush

Geranium
Originally uploaded by kateelizabeth.

I am actually pretty proud of this photo. The red is really vibrant.

Geraniums remind me of summer, and Mackinac.

just some thoughts

dear internet,

it's the 4th of July. this is typically one of my favorite holidays of the year- next to Christmas and Halloween. this year, i'm feeling less than celebratory. not quite sure why. no particular gripe or grief. i am just blah. this weekend has been quiet- for the most part I have been at home. went to a BBQ last night- got to spend some time with friends, and yet I felt somewhat removed from everyone. thats not saying that I ostracized, but i just felt like i was on the perimeter looking in. actually, i was. in the past 3-4 months, i have felt like i am at the outside of all my "groups". everyones lives are progressing forward, and yet, i just am just staying put. friends are buying houses, friends are moving forward in their careers, friends are getting married, having babies, or getting puppies. everywhere there is progress. how have i moved forward? what have i done to push forward. what changes can i make, so that this time next year, I can celebrate. will I be at the same job? will i be in the same home? will i still be single? who knows. what can I control?

yucky post.

Its good to be an American.

Yep, its pretty good to live here. We can work and get paid, we can pray and not be persecuted, we can speak without being shunned. I like it here.

Happy 4th of July!

Check out my new thingie...

To the right-------------> there is a new little feature on NQM, the Flickr badge. You can click on it and see all of my digital photos that I have taken. Groovy stuff.

one last post..

i just came across this quote about 2 seconds ago, and I wanted to share it:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover"
Mark Twain.

So true- think I need to take Mr. Twains advice.

Ok, this is probably a creepy picture, but I just heard the song "Private Eyes"- and its in my head. Private EYES- theyr'e watchin you, making your blah blah blah. Ok, cant quite figure out why the song is sticking to my head. Oh well.. I digress. I really shouldn't take midday naps- now I am awake, singing a Hall and Oates song, and looking for pictures of eyes!

remember when we were little

our moms used to play the "how long can you be quiet game"? Well, my mom made me play it all the time- guess I was a bit of a talker back in the day. Ok, so I am still a bit of a talker now. Which brings me to the roundabout point to this post.
I woke up around 9ish this morning. I did not say a SINGLE word to anyone till 4:45pm. Dear Lord, that is a record.
I have been thinking today. I have been reading. I have NOT been talking. This, dear internet, is a personal accomplishment.
Course, now I have lots of things to say- just need to find someone to tell them to.

Happy Second of July!

my first day of total slack

the phone has been ringing- do I answer? nope.
my laundry is filled with clean clothes- am I dressed? not yet.
picked up a book at noon, and havent stopped reading in 4 hours.
was supposed to be at a friends pool party, about 2 hours ago. like I said, today is all mine.
feels soo good to just be. i am relaxed, i am sleepy- it's a good thing.

Im Reading Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down.
I am Listening to Sarah Harmer-

Its Hot

It's really hot. It never got this hot in Michigan. Certainly not. I would've remembered this.
On my way home from the office (gee, what a great day off had to go in), the thermometer at the bank said it was 105. 105. You CAN COOK THINGS WITH THAT TEMPERATURE.

I wish we could all just walk around naked. That would certainly liven things up, and cool it down. Can you imagine the streets of your hometown with NAKED people walking around? Ok, I just thought of my ass walking around naked, and in order not to scare small children, I take back what I said about the nakedness.

How about we all have people running around us with big fans, ala Cleopatra style. I could have legions of minions fanning my glistening (girls don't sweat) body with big fans made out of palm fronds. They would mist me with mineral water, and I would be so cool and happy!

Seeing as how that fantasy probably would never ever happen, I am stuck with hopping in the pool, taking cold showers, and drinking an inordinate amount of water.

Have I mentioned that it's hot?

its hard to imagine

but there are things i cant do.
i cant dive. i cant ice skate, i cant drive in the back seat of a car- major carsickness, and i cant really play bar games.
Yep Bar Games. I lack the skills to play darts, shuffleboard, and most importantly POOL. I just don't see it. Many have tried to teach me, and I just dont see the direction in which i should hit the ball. I personally don't care- the world isnt going to stop revolving because I cant play pool, but its pretty damn funny when I tell people that.
heres what I can do- i can cook, i can make people laugh, i can knit, and garden, and i give good hugs.

i guess there is some balance after all.

this post is directed at a very specific target.

dear internet.
Yep, I am blogging this.
great night.
thats all.
keg