New pics

Well, since Mags didn't post them, I figured I would.

My ADORABLE niece in her first Halloween pjs:



Yes, she is only 7 months and practically walking....scary for mom and dad!

Yikes

Today I'm wearing my hair in two french braids down the sides of my head in preparation for the Halloween party I'm attending tonight. I'm wearing it this way at work because it's much easier to braid my hair wet and let it dry that way.

Anyway, it looks ridiculous! However, no one here has mentioned it at all. No one has said a thing about it. I'm sure they all probably either don't even notice (they are engineers after all), or are being polite, but when no one comments on my obviously crazy appearance it makes me wonder if I look crazy every day and they are used to it now.

That's a frightening thought.

Dear NBC Execs,

I have been a fan of your empire for a long time. Over the years offering us such beauties as Seinfeld and Friends has cemented my love for life...or so I thought. More recently, you've won my heart with the back-to-back 30 Rock/Office programming. Solid Gold.

However, I must protest at your recent shenanigans. Here are two words for you.

Bee Movie.

I cannot STAND the way you are publicising this movie. Really, really, really hate it. Between the NBeeC TVjuniors and that dumb HP add with my guy Jerry I can't seem to escape the madness. Now, I love Jerry, so I don't blame him for this tactic. Surely this is exactly the type of thing my four friends would sit around a diner table discussing how inane this marketing is.

Had you advertised this movie the normal way (movie trailers, the OCCASIONAL TV spot), the ear doctor and I would have probably gone to see it. These ads everywhere are so annoying that I'm mounting a boycott of the movie. I will not see it and I will not urge anyone else to see it.

I'm bringing down your empire, NBC! (Wuahahahahaha)

Take THAT.

The perfect crime

Friday night the ear doctor and I dressed up as Bonnie and Clyde and went to our first every murder mystery party.

And

It was really pretty fun.

I was REALLY impressed with my friends for organizing it. There were 22 different characters that they made up, created character sketches for, made hints about and organized a 4 hour event around. I don't know how much time and effort it must have involved to bring the whole thing together as flawlessly as it was, but I was very impressed.

Everyone did what they were supposed to do and at the end of the night, the ear doctor and I had solved the crime. I owe my super sleuth skills to all the Law and Order we watch.

On the way home from the party, the following conversation was held in the car:

ED: Well, that was great, wasn't it.

Me: Yeah, we pretty much ruled all at our super detective skills. This stuff isn't that hard. We could totally be crime detectives.

ED: (sarcastically) Yeah, you could totally catch hardened criminals.

Me: Yeah, I'm pretty much Sherlock Holmes. (pause) You can by my doctor Watson.

ED: Why do I always have to be the side-kick?

Me: Well, you are the "doctor" in the family.

ED: (pause) (pause) alright....Master Holmes....you have a point.

Last night

(after we'd said our prayers, talking about our days, tucked ourselves in and are just about to fall asleep)

ED: Goodnight babe. I love you. I'll see you in the morning.

Me: I love you too. (a few moments of silence). Babe, I almost prayed for the Rockies. They probably feel so bad right now.

ED: (stifles laughter directed toward his strange wife who, BTW, hates baseball).

End Scene



PS: ear doctor is home sick today in bed. He looked so tired and awful this morning that I made him call in to work and tell them he wasn't coming. I feel even worse for him than I do for the Rockies.

Something I love

At church I am in charge of organizing and holding "activity day." I love this responsibility more than I have any other job I've volunteered for.

For this job I organize 2 activity days a month for all the little girls in our congregation. If they are between the ages of 8 and 12 they are all mine for two hours a month. They are all SO sweet and just a joy for me to be around. They remind me of the girl I was at their age and give me a chance to have a positive influence in other people's lives. Its great.

In addition to calling and reminding their parents, every other week I mail them each a personal invitation to the activity. I love the idea of them going out to the mail box and seeing something with their name on it. Who doesn't love getting real mail?

Anyway, putting together the invitation has become a slight obsession for me. It's a great, low pressure, easy way to try my hand at a little graphic design. Since I've never really been trained in any kind of design (other than engineering), what I've been doing is finding other people's posters, wedding announcements, party invitations, ect. and duplicating their ideas. I figure that's OK because (1) imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, (2) everybody starts riding a bicycle with training wheels and (3) I'm not making any money off other people's ideas.

Here's what I came up with this week:

Inspired by:

Hmmmmm, maybe I should tweak the colors a little still?

What the.....

Today I indulged my personal weakness and went to McDonalds for a little afternoon pick me up.

As I drove up to the second window (where I was about to pick up my 6 piece nugget happy meal) I saw a sign printed up and taped to the glass:

Who do they think they are limiting my sauce options?!?!?! Ridiculous. Remember the good ole days when you asked to have, say, sweet 'n sour or bbq or honey sauce with your nuggets and you found a huge mass of sauce in the bottom of your bag?

Which dumb McDonald's CEO did a trade and found that they could increase profits by stooping to this sort of sadistic tactics? Clearly he did not factor into his equation the outrage I felt in my heart. I was so taken aback that I forgot to ask for my honey mustard sauce. HE is responsible for my dry little boot-shaped nugget. It is HIS fault I had to endure a sauce-free bit of my circle shaped little friend.

At least they are 100% white meat....

Plan B

I was really, really excited to go to the Zoo. The weather was going to be perfect, the day unmatched, the experience...sublime.

As we drove down Colorado St toward the Zoo we started sensing that something just wasn't right. Car after car after car turned down the side street leading to the Zoo and people were walking from distant neighborhoods toward our lovely Zoo.

Frantically I dailed my new go-to resource (1-800-GOOG-411...thanks Jordan!) and they connected me with the Zoo. We found out that my perfect Zoo day ended up being everyone in the entire city of Denver's perfect FREE Zoo day.

I have never seen the Zoo so packed! People were clawing and pushing to get through the front gates. Strollers morphed from baby-carrying devices to strategic line placement tools. The whole anthill-esque atmosphere turned both me and the ear doctor right off.

The Zoo will have to wait for another day. I was a sad, sad day for me.

The best day

Tomorrow the ear doctor and I are doing one of our very favorite things to do in the whole world.

We're going to the zoo.

Usually we go every summer and spend the whole day there, seeing the Zebras and Penguins (my favorite) and the Polar Bears (his favorite). We walk and walk and walk until we're so tired we can't walk anymore. We have ice cream and an overpriced lunch, and usually get a waterbottle in the shape of an animal filled with strange red juice pretended to be made from fruit. I love it so much, but it's usually really hot dusty and crowded.

This year, I wised up, used that lump on top of my neck and decided that we'd go in October when the crowds were probably less dense and the weather was perfect.

Well, tomorrow is the day. It's going to be 70 degrees and sunny all day.

Plus, I was talking to a little girl I go to church with and she informed me that Zebras were her favorite too, and she just went to the zoo last week and they had a BABY ZEBRA there!

Woo-hoo!

My review

Last night the ear doctor and I went to see the new Elizabeth movie.

First off, I liked the movie. It was pretty good...but we both agreed that it wasn't something we'd buy and watch again. It was interesting to learn a bit more about Euro history and attempt (again) to remember who was related to who back then. During my trip to London a few years back I had it all worked out, but that dusty corner of my mind hasn't been used since.

Second, the costumes. Beautiful! Sunning. I actually wanted some of the fabric used in her dresses just because it was so luxe and gorgeous.

Third, is Cate Blanchet(t) ever a white skinned person! After the movie the ear doctor commented to me, "well, now we know there is at least one person who is even whiter than you, babe." Thanks sweets, I think?

Perfect for me

This ipod shuffle game is so perfect for me because at work I often plug in my ipod and listen for hours on end. It's a great way to get away from the distracting ambient sound around me.

So the game is to list the first 10 songs that are played by your ipod in shuffle mode. I'm a little embarrassed that this might show that my taste in music is kind of strange, dated, and not that "cool," but oh well.

1) Lovefool-The Cardigans. Who doesn't hear this song and instantly jump back to middle school/early high school? Great memories with this song for me.

2) Pale september -Fiona Apple. I love the sadness she is able to express in her music. Just plain pretty to me. Also, she uses really interesting word choice. I admit that sometimes I've had to consult a dictionary to figure out what she's talking about.

3) Wish you were here-Incubus. Incubus is my go to angry music. Listen to the lyrics. I've totally felt this way before.

4) Fast as you can-Fiona Apple. I love the way that she plays with time signature in this song. Very creative and you don't hear that kind of thing in music today. Most things are straight 4/4 time....boring.

5) Joker-Steve Miler Band. Is there a better cruisin song in the summer song? I don't think so.....well maybe Margaritaville.

6) Sunday Morning-Maroon 5. Ok, this is the ONLY Maroon 5 song in my ipod and it has to show up when I'm playing this game?!?!? Dorky. Actually, this song makes me really happy to listen to and it is pretty different from the rest of their overplayed gross music.

7) No shirt, No shoes, No problem-Kenny Chesney. Sometimes when I'm in my office I need a song that makes me feel like I'm at the beach. Plus, the fiddle part in this song is really pretty. Who can resist a steel drum?

8) Let it be-Beatles. Amen. Last weekend we went to see Across the Universe. Whoever was able to string all these songs together into one story is very, very creative and smart.

9) Brothers on a hotel bed-Death Cab for Cutie. The back beat in this song is SO cool. The ear doctor is a drummer and is totally nuts over this drumming. This is a perfect example of something I never would have noticed without him.

10) Jackson-Johnny Cash and June Carter. I'm so glad some Cash made the list because there is a whole lot of it on the ole ipod. Love it. Makes me want to dance around my cubical.

What are yours?

Finally

Fall has finally arrived here in Colorado and I am SO excited.

On my drive into work this morning the sun was bright, the air cold and there was a light dusting of snow on the flat iron mountains. Just breathtaking.

In honor of the season I'm wearing my new gray herringbone wool pants. This weekend I splurged a little and got these beauties. I love wide leg pants and always have.

I also got a pair of black patent leather flat Mary Janes. I'm pretty sure the 7 year old Katie would approve of the shoes.

Dear Martha,

Please stop stalking me.

I know you are staking me because you are designing products made specifically to tempt me to go off my budget and buy things.

I mean, really, who were these made for besides me? My crazy love of milk? And celebrating seasons through dishes?

And putting them on sale right now is especially low.

Love, Katie

Like a log

I am a very sound sleeper. I attribute this honed skill to the genius of my mom and my own personal greed. When we were little my mom would promise a dollar to the kid who could fall asleep first. Money is a great motivator to a kid who loves Toys R Us. Anyway, this constant conditioning has molded me into the person who falls asleep anywhere: bumpy Mexican bus rides, uncomfortable plane seats, the middle of my chemistry classes, etc.

However, there are only two things that will wake me up enough in the night to actually get me out of bed. Not having to go to the bathroom (that can wait til morning) or needing to get a drink (I'd rather spit sawdust before getting out of my cozy bed). They are:

1. Having nightmares about my teeth falling out. I haven't been to a dentist in WAY too long and have recurring nightmares about rotting teeth. Scary enough to get me out of bed for 3 minutes for a middle of the night teeth brushing.
2. Twisted up pajamas. Man, I cannot STAND having my pajamas twisted all around me. It will wake me up and I'll actually stand up out of my bed so that gravity can help me unwind the boa-constrictor-like effect of long pajama pants.

So now you know.

How To

Since I was out of new books, and the ear doctor had it laying around, I decided I'd start reading the classic book "How to win friends and influence people." I didn't really feel like I needed to "win" more friends or learn how to influence people, but I've heard a lot about the book. It seemed like a good idea to read something that gets that much hype.




Guess what? I really like the book. I was almost expecting this book to be Machiavellian in it's teachings and techniques. I was worried that it would teach people to be false and manipulative. Well, it doesn't. It promotes sincerity above everything else. And, again, I like it a lot.



It has been a great reminder to me of how to be kind and more interested in other people than I am in myself. It has reminded me to SMILE more, and in smiling I find myself happier. It just helps me remember everything that I know I should be doing and don't do nearly often enough.



No wonder this book has been around since the early 1900s.

Our night

I never think it's that big of a deal when we don't make time for it. However, when we do, I realize how important and special it is.

Monday nights the ear doctor and I take time to be together. We share our personal thoughts on things a bit deeper than which show we like better this season: The Office or 30 Rock.

Last night we took a walk around the ritzy neighborhood that our apartment complex backs up to. We spent 2 hours walking around talking about our future, our dreams of our ideal home, how we appreciate each other and what kind of dog we want to get.

Just as we turned to go home we looked out at the mountains. It was just starting to get dark and the mountains had changed from their rugged three dimensional shapes to flat, 2-D cutouts in varying shades of lavender. The intense green of the golf course and the pungent smell of crisp, drying leaves completed one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen. I asked him if he'd ever seen something so beautiful. He took two steps away, looked back at me and the beautiful vista and, looking me full in the eyes, said, "Never."

Hmmmm, how I love this man.

I told him that he had to remember that moment forever so that when we are 70 and still together we'd always be able to look back and picture that day. It was a day I loved him with more of myself than I ever thought I'd be able to give. It was our day.

Swoon

One of my favorite bloggers, Leslie at A Room Somewhere found my dream dress today.



If anyone has $140 that they want to spend on a very deserving girl, head on over to Pears and Bears and pick this number up in my size. I would wear it everyday until it disintegrated. It'd be just like my favorite sweatshirt from second grade with the rainbow on the front and shoulder pads that I made my dad wash every night so I could wear it to school everyday one week while my mom was away on a business trip.

Save the earth

Well, after a week at jury duty I am excited to be back working at the job I love. To the untrained eye, it may seem like nothing changed at my job while I was away. The same people sit in the same cubicles working on the same program.

However, a closer look reveals a tiny, but very interesting change.

When I moved to the new building in which I work I immediately found my way to the closest coffee pot/communal food area. I don't drink coffee, but I do indulge in a daily cup of powdered hot cocoa. Sometimes this cup is the only thing that helps me push through that 10 am realization that I'm going to be here a L-O-N-G time today. It's a small reward I let myself have for making it into work at all. Sometimes, if I'm feeling very good, I even make the sugar free kind.

The first morning I arrived at the white particle board counter top, I noticed there were no stereotypical white Styrofoam cups anywhere readily available. I thought that was strange. My eyes flitted up to the cabinet above the coffee maker where someone had taped a condemning sign. It read:



Well, I didn't have my own cup. I support saving the environment, but giving up my morning treat was out of the question that morning. Stealthily I opened the cupboard to find a small stack of the offensive Styrofoam cups. Quickly I emptied my Swiss Miss and headed back to my cube to hide my wanton, earth killing ways from my coworkers.

Over the ensuing days I kept forgetting my own cup and with shame scurried to and from the hot water spigot. I didn't want everyone thinking I was a heartless, ozone-depleting, clear-cutting, over consumer (which, it turns out, I am).

This morning I returned from Jury Duty and found the sign had been removed and the white cups proudly displayed on the counter.

Interesting.....very interesting.

Proud to be an American

Monday I was summoned for Jury Duty. While I waited in a large white corral area with 300 other annoyed potential jurors I started to write a post about how they could improve the Jury duty experience (ie provide danish, invest in arm chairs, get screens with information like at the airport, create smaller waiting rooms, get a freakin subscription to Domino or Blueprint, ect).

However, as the day wore on and I went through the selection process for a week long felony case, my chances for creating a really funny post from this experience started to diminish.

After I was selected for the jury I am currently serving on, and after hearing the horiffic details of the case at hand all I am left with is gratitude.

I am grateful for the family I am part of and the extreme privledges I got for free. I am so humbled to live in a country with this, while very imperfect, working justice system. I am so lucky to have a job that will pay me to serve out my civic duty. I am so thankful that my country is only asking 5 working days of my time and still letting me come home each night to my wonderful husband, instead of asking me to relocate to a different country and requesting my whole existence.

Serving on a jury is an inconvenience, but a blessing.

(Sorry if there are typos, the spell checker isn't working and I am a HORRIBLE speller on my own)