It's My Preogative.

GIVE QUEEN ISABELLA POLYPS!

2011-10-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

This pretty much killed me.

A Friend In Need.

2011-09-28T20:45:00.001-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/#!/helpshawndemarleyandlily

My friend Shawnde is in need of our help. Her husband died very unexpectedly last weekend and now she is taking care of their two small babies by herself. She has family and friends with her now, but she is going to need financial help in the coming weeks and months. If anyone can donate ANYTHING, it would be much appreciated. Shawnde is a very special person and an amazing mother and friend. It breaks my heart to think about what she must be going through. We made a FB page for her and you can click on the link above to donate to a paypal account set up in her name. Thank you so much in advance!

Summertime and the Livin's Easy

2011-09-12T23:34:00.000-07:00

What a crazy few weeks. The last weeks of summer always seem so rushed. I think everyone is trying to get all summer-related activity out of the way before fall/winter set in. So we've been busy with weddings, BBQs, football games, and general summertime fun. Good times but man, am I beat! Throwing a 10 month old into the mix really cranks the exhaustion level up to 11. But it only means that I've learned to treasure sleep and accept it for the truly wonderful and amazing thing that it is.

I get a break soon though. Some much needed R&R is coming my way shortly. Details to follow!

XO

Blech!

2011-09-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

I thought that plain nonfat Greek yogurt would be the perfect low-fat mayonnaise substitute in a tuna salad. BOY, WAS I WRONG. Totally disgusting. Don't try it. Ever. I feel gross.

I am trying to drop the remaining post-baby pounds. I've got about 10 to go. I'm not doing much differently in the eating department (I try to eat low-fat because I am now sans gall bladder) but I have been trying to get just a little more active. Which is proving difficult because A) I hate aerobic activity and B) I hate sit-ups. I do enjoy yoga, but I don't really have the time/patience for it at this particular moment in time. So what's a girl to do?

I'll tell you: Admit that my new "normal" weight is 10 pounds heavier than before baby came and STOP TORTURING MYSELF. Yep! Gonna go eat some mayo now.

OOPS! I did it again.

2011-09-04T23:41:00.000-07:00

...I played with your heart, got lost in the game, oooh baby, baby.

Sorry, I had to go there. I think those are the right lyrics. Anyhow, what I mean to say is that I went and deleted, or rather "deactivated" my Facebook account. AGAIN! I know, I'm a punk. I just need a break from the FB.

My reasons being:

1) I was spending way too much time on it. This is ALWAYS my number one reason when I delete any sort of social network membership. Because yes, I have done this many times before. I've become something of a serial deleter and creator of social networking accounts. And I'm OK with that. But back to my reasoning: Practically speaking, I only have so much free time. I mean, we all only have "so much" free time, it's not like I'm some rare exception--but at this particular point in my life I have very little free time. And I found that I would spend my sacred free time checking Facebook. And that became the routine. And I felt a bit trapped by that routine after a while. So in true Aquarian style I just up and deleted my account one morning. And so it goes.

2) I want to read more. Books and magazines, that is. And oh yeah, watch more TV. Yeah, I said it. I don't discriminate when it comes to opiates/masses.

3) There is a lot of vitriol on FB. I don't deal with it very well. And I can't really name one particular instance (or status update or photo upload or friend request, etc.). It's more like a collective mosquito buzz of cynicism that started to aggravate my mind after a while. Sometimes the Internet brings out the monster in people, for some reason remaining faceless really ups the douche factor. This is the same reason I had to quit my job at a call center, because people are so much ruder on the phone than in person. Some people are good at blocking out that kind of noise. I REALLY wish I was one of those people, but I am not. I'm a super softie. It's true. And it may be that I'm in a transitional period in my life right now. I just need to refocus my energy for a bit and make sure it's not being expended on things that frazzle my mind more than it already is!

4) I really enjoy writing and blogging. Hopefully this will give me an opportunity to bone up on my writing skills. I also love this blog, and continue to come back to it. So I hope I can gussy it up after a long hiatus.

That's about it. I know there's no real reason for me to explain away my desire to leave a simple website, but it does feel better to write a list. Writing a list always makes things better somehow. Right?

Well, if anyone even checks this thing anymore, I thank you. I have been super bad at maintaining it. Hopefully this will not be the case in the future! Thank you for indulging me!

That being said, i'll probably be back on Facebook next week sometime.

LOVE,
Katie

ROBYN

2011-05-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

I LOVE HER! You should too.

Day of the Living Dead

2011-02-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

Yaaaaaaaawn.

Wow, I am really wiped out today! Thank god for coffee.

Lattes.

Yum.

Start back to work tomorrow. Here's hoping I can stay awake for my shift!

I hope everyone is doing well!

XO
Katie

Happy New Year, Merry Christmas, Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-01-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

Well, here I am! I have a renewed interest in this blog after realizing how long it's been since I've done a proper post.

I've been posting a lot on June's blog--trying to keep it updated for friends and family. It's easy to forget about one's own self and especially one's own blog. But I don't want this thing to disappear into the black hole of forgotten blogs, so I vow to keep it going!

So like I said before, the past two months have been a complete whirlwind of baby madness. Ways I have found myself describing the experience: Exhilarating, exhausting, exciting, heartwarming, sweet, awesome, rad, frustrating, challenging, isolating, crazy, happy, sad, hilarious, and most of all heart-bubbling-over-with-pure-love-for-this-crazy-little-person.

Colic is not fun. I will be the first to tell you that. It started right around three weeks, peaked at about seven weeks, and has been on the downward curve ever since. They say magically it subsides at three months of age. Right now we are at 2.5 months and it's getting much better, although it's still hard to get out in public. Unless she's sleeping. She is a very happy baby, she's just a homebody who likes to cry. Which is fine by me, let me tell you--my house has never been cleaner. It has been a huge challenge and I don't think I will ever get used to hearing her cry so much--it is hard to deal with when there's not much you can do to console. But I just pop some earplugs in and power through it. Like I said, it's getting much better since we made it over the hump. And then I can go buy a June (and myself) a T-Shirt that says "I SURVIVED COLIC". Yes!

Phew! I've been meaning to write about my experience with colic for a while now but I didn't want to do it on June's blog. Not that I'm trying to hide the fact that it's a part of her life, I just think it's more my issue than hers. She's just doing what she's been born to do, crying is her thing right now.

But in all honesty I have nothing that interesting to post about myself... yet. My life has steadily revolved around the baby for the past few months. But slowly--very slowly, glimmers of my former hobbies and interests have begun to return. One thing I've found is that it's really hard to have interests when you're tending to a newborn. There is not enough time to devote to music and movies and TV shows. Internet is convenient because it's quick and speedy and you don't need to commit any set amount of time. Part of me has really started to miss my music obsession. It has always been such a huge part of my life. I mean, I haven't even heard the new Kanye. For shame!

Thankfully, I'll be heading back to work soon, a place where I get paid to keep up on music. So that's good. And then maybe I can update this blog more often--when I find the time. Which I might not have that much of once I start back to work. But we'll see!

So that's that. Baby is waking now. Talk to you later!

I'm Alive!

2011-01-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

I am still here and have not forgot about this blog. Just been pretty busy lately!

Been planning on updating but haven't had much time. Here's a quick and dirty version:

November--Had a baby. She is very cute. Exhausting!

December--Baby still super cute but cries a lot. Colicky, OH NO! Doubly exhausted. Don't really take her out in pubic unless she's sleeping to spare the ears of fellow humans. But freaking adorbs even when she cries.

January--Baby even cuter than before. Less colicky, smiles a lot, still cries every time we go out in public. Not near as clingy and to tell you the truth I kind of miss how clingy she used to be. Funny.

That's it for now. Long version soon!

Oh, Eugene.

2010-11-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

I've lived in the greater Eugene area for 21 years. The saddest change that this town has gone through is when the IHOP across from Jiggles turned into that Chinese Buffet about 10 years ago (and RIP Jiggles, as well). Believe it or not, I spent a good deal of my teenage years bumming around that IHOP. Smoking cigs, drinking coffee, having long, drawn out conversations with my friends about the most random of topics. Eating cheese fries. Getting to know the workers. It was kinda like our home away from home. Then they had to go sell it and turn it into Golden Sun Buffet. Sad.

That's all...

Food For Thought.

2010-11-02T08:20:00.001-07:00

Is civility dead? And is social media/technology to blame? Something I've been contemplating for a while--I was pleased to find this on my television this morning.

This is a part of the same series, aired the day prior:

It's That Time Of Year...

2010-10-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

When I can't stop eating Halloween candy! Arrrrrgh!

M&M's
Mounds
Milky Way
Butterfinger
Snickers

And so much more... God. SO good.

Y'all Gon' Make Me Lose My Mind!

2010-10-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

My car has been in the shop for the past two days. I am completely home bound! This is about the time that I miss living closer in. I've been passing the time by getting on the Internet, taking multiple walks, and cleaning the house. And oh yes, catching up on horrible television. Really exciting. Anyhow, I am ready to have my car back. I didn't know how much I missed it until it was actually gone. When I didn't have access to my car downtown it was totally fine. Mass transport and close walking distance made it easy. Now that we live out here in Santa Clara it's a much different story. I can walk to the coffee stand and 7-11. I can walk to Freddy's but it's quite a haul for someone who's 9 months pregnant.

This just makes the case for the EMX to make its way out River Road. Right? I mean, I could easily get downtown, and downtown people could easily get to Lone Pine Farms. Win/win! I can take the bus right now, but it would take me forever to get where I need to go. And I'm not in the mood to sit around and wait. So my vote is for EMX to come out to Santa Clara. It really needs it! Plus, EMX rhymes with DMX. Bonus.

Butterflies!

2010-10-19T04:06:00.000-07:00

I've had some serious butterflies in my stomach lately. Actually, I don't know if it's Braxton-Hicks or butterflies or someone poking my stomach or maybe some sort of digestive issue. Could be anything at this point!

I hope it's just butterflies. I could really use a few more weeks to get ready. But they come when they're ready, those babies. I feel like she's good in there for a while. But who knows. I just can't wait to see her! Ack!

Bangs

2010-10-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

I cut bangs at 4am this morning. This insomnia is hilarious!

I have been keeping busy lately, trying to get everything organized. It has been amazing weather the past few days, we are lucky that summer is extending so far into fall. But this is kinda the way it goes in Oregon, yes? I always remember October being a lovely month.

Oregon is great. I just wanted to share that I love Oregon. I think it's taken me about 20 years to admit it! I love other states too. I wouldn't mind living in California again. I wouldn't mind living in Hawaii. In fact, I would love to live in Hawaii. I love the tropical climate. And the beach. One day!

I really have nothing else to talk about. My life is pretty boring lately. It's the calm before the storm, as they say!

Borderline.

2010-09-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is my borderline post. Meaning I don't know if it belongs on June's blog or on mine. So I'll just make it mine. Because it has to do with me. Sorta.

Had my midwife appt. today and she said that I might have 9 lb. + baby. I was like, uh, yay? No, I was really happy to hear it. My family is known for pushing out the big babies. I think we must have super-sized uterus' (uteri?) or something. Ooooor the other possibility is that we like to eat a lot during pregnancy. Which would make perfect sense because she also told me to lay off the carbs. Which, in my mind, is a nice way of saying that I'm gaining too much weight. Sigh. I knew this day would come. My days of shoveling food down my throat willy-nilly have come to an end. My diet is good, it's just that I like to eat. A lot!

But Listen, all in all, I am feeling really, really good. Nothing hurts that bad to speak of, and I am just tired more than anything else. But I feel great. Even though midwife says I need to get off my feet, I really feel like being ON my feet and walking so much has helped me to avoid a lot of the normal aches and pains. Even so, I am ready to take it easy (at least till she arrives), cut some carbs, and get this party started! Wheeeeee!

Happy Tuesday!

2010-09-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

Lately Tuesdays have been kinda like my Fridays. So today is a good day. I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures and noticing that fall is in the air! I like fall. I like dry fall days, in particular. I still love summer the most, but fall is a very close second. Winter and Spring tend to morph into each other here in Oregon so they don't really count in my book. And that has been the weather check-in for today.

I am going to stop working on October 16th. Which is good, because we have got a lot of stuff to do here at home to get ready for the baby. Plus, I know I keep mentioning this, but my feet are disgusting right now. SO SWOLLEN. Like elephantitis feet. Just call me the elephant woman. I think it's just from being on my feet so much at work. So hopefully that will stop after I quit. We will see. Not that it really matters in the least, it's just that... Well, I've always taken pride in my ankles. Not joking. And it saddens me to see them in such an unhappy state. I'm not quitting because I don't like the way my ankles look, I am stopping because I my body is telling me to. And I'm not leaving for good, just for a few months. Then I'll go back part time.

That's pretty much it for right now. Seeya!

Apples

2010-09-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Our apple tree yielded FIVE good apples this year. Next year I will be a better apple tree farmer. I didn't think the tree needed like, care and stuff. I thought the apples would just be plentiful and effortless. Now I know better! But damn, these five apples are pretty delicious. Makes me excited for next year!

Oh, The Weather Outside Is Frightful!

2010-09-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

Brrr! All of the sudden it's raning and cold!

Hello Internet world! I've been fairly bored lately, so that's what the lack of exciting posts is about. It's funny being completely exhausted after a day of doing absolutely nothing. On my days off I have exciting plans to clean the house and take a long walk and etc and etc. But it never works out that way. And I feel OK about that.

But seriously, nothing that cool to report. School's in session for a lot of kids. I see yellow school buses passing in front of my house each day and it makes me kind of sad. Just because that means summer's ending. Which sucks, because I never really felt like I experienced a proper summer. Next summer, though!

I wish I had something cooler to report but I don't. So I think I will just leave it at that!

Mark Ronson is SESSY

2010-08-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

He is the hotness. Google him if you're unaware.

New Blog

2010-08-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I took my own advice and started another blog specifically for baby stuff. If you're interested, it's where I'll post about her from now own. It will be nice to have a blog devoted to my strange interests and thoughts, then have a seperate blog for the baby haps. Anyhow, here's the address:
http://lilmisslocke.blogspot.com/

Hope everyone is well!

Insomnia

2010-08-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

I thought I might mention that I've fallen victim to some serious insomnia lately. So that's why I'm here, posting at 4:37 am on a Friday morning.

(DISCLAIMER: Before I hear a deafening chorus of "GET USED TO IT's", I should also mention that I'm fully aware of the sleep I will be losing in the very near future. I know that this aspect of parenting will suck. Moving on.)

Sometimes I wish she was already here so I could at least have something to do. I'd probably just stare at her. But it would sure beat staring at the computer screen. I wonder about her disposition. Is she going to be shy? outgoing? Happy? Stubborn? Silly? Serious? I want to know what she's going to look like. Is she going to be tall? Short? Dark hair? Light hair? Curly? Straight? Brown eyes? Blue eyes? So many questions.

I had an appointment with one of the midwives today. I had my blood drawn. They gave me a looney tunes band-aid. I was able to hear the heartbeat. It was galloping and loud. It made me smile.

Today (or rather--yesterday) was one of those hazy late summer days. I love those days. Today was the first day mother nature signaled to me that a change is coming. Or maybe today was the first day that I picked up on mother nature's signals. Sometimes it takes me a while. Anyhow, I felt like Fall was coming, and for the past six or so months, I've been equating Fall to the birth of my soon-to-be daughter. So in other words, it's actually starting to feel real for me. Realer than before, at least.

I know I write a lot about the baby, but she has taken over my mind. It's hard not to think about her being that she is lodged in my belly at all times. I try to mix it up but it seems that the closer I get to meeting her, the more I think about her. Maybe I should start a blog that I can dedicate to her for family and friends, and then keep this one all sassy like with Bobby Brown and stuff. I might just do that.

I have to try and get some sleep now! Thanks for indulging me.

Perception

2010-08-19T05:13:00.000-07:00

It's a lovely word and interesting subject.

That which most closely relates to the unfamiliar from our past experiences, makes up what we see when we look at things that we don’t comprehend.

¿Quién Es Esa Niña?

2010-08-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

I dedicate this picture to my niece Mia. Just because I think she would think it's REALLY funny and tell me how weird I am. I know Mia, I know!

Daydreamin' and I'm thinkin' of...

2010-08-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

...Hapuna Beach!

One day we will be reunited!

Already?

2010-08-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

Two trimesters down. One to go!

Wow. I can't believe how quickly time is flying.

So excited to jump into all of this unknown ahead of us!

One More Thing!

2010-08-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I would mention that during our last ultrasound a few days ago, they found that the placental tear is all healed up and completely gone! Which rules. Such a huge relief. Even though towards the end of the pregnancy it's not such a big deal (as long as you're not bleeding) it's nice to know that it's gone and one less thing to worry about. Until we have the baby. Then we get to worry about a million more things! Yay! Anyhow, just thought I would pass on the good news.

Cross Town Traffic

2010-08-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

We have it so good in Eugene as far as traffic goes! I was just talking to someone at the Saturday Market about how I live out in Santa Clara. They told me that they just wouldn't be able to handle the traffic out in these parts. I had to laugh. For those of you who have ever driven through Portland during rush hour traffic, then you know what a hair-pulling experience that can be. See also: Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco. Anyone who feels that traffic in Eugene sucks should be forced into a "Tour of West Coast Rush Hours" to gain some perspective. I can get wherever I want within 15-20 minutes and barring the occasional red light, rarely am I stopped in traffic. People in bigger cities would KILL for that privilege! The Delta/Beltline interchange is the one rush hour exception, but if you know this city well enough, you know how to avoid it. I also think it's genuinely hilarious how the news has all of those cameras set up for the morning traffic commute and it's never backed up. Eugene traffic updates are about as useful as the weather report in Hawaii. It has taken some time to get used to the commute from Santa Clara to work (being that my old commute was less than five minutes and now it's more like 15) but other than that, living out here has been totally manageable as far as traffic is concerned. And as an added bonus, gas is cheaper. And so are eggs and motorhomes.

But if you wanna talk horrible Eugene drivers, we can chat until the cows come home. Get out of the fast lane. The freeway is not the route you take for a leisurely Sunday drive!

Glass half full, out.

Loving This Song. Loving Q-Tip. Loving Mark Ronson. Loving this MNDR girl.

2010-07-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

Oh wow. There is just waaaaaay to much hotness going on in this video.

Thanks to Sam G. for introducing me to it!

XXXO

2010-07-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

I can't get this song out of my head:

This album is growing on me. Didn't know what to think at first, but I definitely enjoy it now. But Big Boi's album is better. So is Janelle Monae's. Don't mind me, just trying to figure out my top 10 list. Hmm....

Kathi Lee and Hoda. Pssshh.

2010-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

I'm watching Kathie Lee and Hoda and it's Tuesday (but they call it Boozeday). Five minutes after they announce it's Boozeday they start going off on Lindsay Lohan's alcoholism and how many problems it's caused, basically judging her from afar. Whatever Kathie Lee and Hoda! Not that I agree with Lindsay's actions, but come on! Don't be all about getting wasted on a Tuesday morning and then freak out over Lindsay Lohan's jail time. Stupid.

Sure about that?

2010-07-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

People (total strangers) keep making comments like "So, any day now?" to me. I have to laugh because I'm not due until November. When I tell them that they get a funny look on their face. Like I'm fibbing. The other day I went to Dari-Mart and the lady asked when I was due. I told her November. She said "Twins?" I said "Nope, just one." She said "I wouldn't be so sure about that." Whatever, lady!

People are funny. I don't get offended. It just makes me laugh. I don't think I look that big but I have a long torso. I am a larger framed person to begin with so maybe my belly bump is more of an optical illusion at this point. Either way, it doesn't really matter. But the comments always remind me of this clip from "Away We Go".

I have a whole new appreciation for this film now!

How Many B's Wanna F This N Named Snoop Doggy?

2010-07-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I saw Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube at the Cuthbert. It was SO fun. He pretty much did every song I wanted to hear... Except he didn't play anything from Tha Doggfather, one of my favorites... But oh well, it's not like he doesn't have a HUGE selection of hits to choose from. The best thing about it is that I remember everything and am not totally hungover right now. The worst thing is that I couldn't indulge in the gin and juice and give a MF moment of silence for a small chronic break. But oh well, there was an ice cream stand so I was cool. It was probably one of the best shows I've ever been to, best show I've EVER seen in Eugene by far. Weather was great, crowd was great, people were loving it. Lots of love in Eugene last night. Only because it's Snoop Dogg. I mean, come on. Snoop! Everyone loves Snoop. And everyone knows the words to all of his songs. And he's just such a character and it's effing Snoop! Fun times.

Ice Cube was good, too. Pulled out a lot of the classics. But he was no Snoop.

Whirlwind Week!

2010-07-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hey all... It's been a while. Had lots of fun this past week hanging out with my sister and her kiddies. They are SO CUTE and fun to be around. I miss them so much already. Hopefully they will get a chance to come visit after the baby is born in November for Thanksgiving. Even though both of the kids were struggling with the stomach flu (the awful one that's been going around lately) they seemed to do just fine and be excellent travelers, as always.

Nothing else to report other than summer is officially here! I could not be more excited. Finally I can take off my hoodie that doesn't even fit and just wear long tank tops, my new best friends. Nothing else in the way of the baby other than she is kicking, punching, and moving like a crazed little lady. She's on some Bruce Lee shit! D has been able to feel her a bunch as well. I wonder what the hell she's doing in there? It's all so interesting. We have to go in for another ultrasound in a month because of a few side issues (related to the stuff that happened earlier in the pregnancy) so hopefully we'll get some clear pictures of what she's been up to in there. But according to the midwife things seem to be looking up. The important thing is that the baby is OK and healthy. Anyways... That's all for now. Peace out!

Oh hey!

2010-06-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of Mia last month during a visit to NYC w/my sister, mom and mom's husband. This is such a cute picture... She's gonna love it when she gets older, I bet.

Nothing new to report over here... Just getting ready to relax during my week-long vacation. My sister is coming w/the kids for an entire week and I really can't wait.

Right now I'm watching "This Is It" (The MJ comeback-concerts-that-never-happened documentary) and it makes me wonder how amazing these shows would have been... When this movie came out I thought it was just another attempt to jump on the RIP MJ cash bandwagon. But I totally understand why they made it now. I wondered how he could pull off a "comeback" considering his physical and mental states at the time. But watching this movie really makes me understand how and why he's the most popular artist of all time. He's like the hardest working entertainer EVER. Dancing, singing, creatively controlling the entire show... It's really inspiring. And it also lets you forget for a moment the circus that was his personal life and focus on his crazy ability to captivate an audience. This was going to be some serious shit! It would have been really special to see it in person... Thankfully we have this rehearsal footage to at least give us an idea of what we missed out on. Too bad things ended the way they did. RIP MJ.

OK, It REALLY is a...

2010-06-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

GIRL!

We were both really excited to see she was totally healthy. Finding out the gender was an added bonus!

Now it feels just a little more real... Time to get this ball rolling!

XO

Katie

It's a...

2010-06-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

CAN OF BEER!

Sorry, couldn't resist. This pictures makes me laugh. And also reminds me to loosen up. I can get so worked up over things and sometimes I just need to take a chill pill, B. Here's to a relaxing weekend!

Internet Fail!

2010-06-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

So I lasted a few days. I didn't check facebook, twitter, bank account, nothing. Except email. Then I caved and checked facebook. That was yesterday. And then I caved and checked twitter. That was today. I haven't checked my bank account but that's only because it's depressing. So basically, I have no willpower when it comes to the alluring powers of the internet! Oh well. At least I tried. Sigh.

Time to go check Perez!

Personal Challenge!

2010-06-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

Remember that show Double Dare? You'd have to take a personal challenge and then wind up with a funnel of some sort on your head, running around on a floor covered in banana peels?

Well, this week I've challenged myself to my own personal, um... challenge. I'm going to see if I can go an entire week without using the Internet (EXCEPT to check my email every few days, and also I'll need to look things up at work, but just song titles and stuff). But I am not going to let myself check any of the gossip sites I frequent, nor am I going to Twitter, Facebook, or use Blogger. It ALSO means that I'm not going to be able to check my bank account balance online--which is something I do religiously. Nor will I be able to pay bills online. I'm hoping this experience will be a double-edged sword. I can see how much time I'm wasting/saving on the web. I'm going to see how long I can last. I'll report back and let you know how I did. See you then!

On a much lighter note...

2010-06-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

I cracked and bought maternity pants today. And dammit they feel so good! For some reason I thought I could go the whole time without having to get maternity pants. Here I am at month five eating my words. Can't believe it's only five months away. So super excited to meet our baby. SO excited! Like, beyond words excited. Wish I could press the fast forward button on this pregnancy sometimes, but I'm willing to wait it out. Not like I have a choice, right?

In other gestation news, we had yet another midwife appointment yesterday and it went well. Soon (in three weeks) we will find out the gender. I'm pretty curious at this point--it will be nice to know what we're in for. I am definitely not the type of person who can wait. I'm always the person peeking at the Christmas presents. Just imagine how I feel about my uterus! First and foremost the ultrasound will tell us if my "condition" (I hate that word--but I suppose it's useful) has gone away, which will be excellent news. The gender thing is just an added bonus.

More later, must run!

M.I.A. "Born Free"

2010-06-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

I haven't watched the video for this song. I'll watch it when I'm ready. I generally don't like watching violence in any form. Just a personal preference. No, this doesn't mean that I'm unaware of the genocide occurring around the globe. Nor does it mean that I don't understand the concept of injustice. It just means I don't like seeing anyone get their brains blown out in graphic detail. And this is my one beef with M.I.A. Her political viewpoints are admirable, but I don't necessarily agree with her SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR THROAT attitude as of late. This isn't a free speech issue, because of course she has the right to say whatever she wants. NOR am I knocking her gusto, because obviously it's the reason she's here today. I'm just saying that it seems like every time I turn my head, M.I.A. has spoken out about this issue or that issue and most of the time it has nothing to do with her politics. She's talking about Nas and Jay-Z like 10 years after the fact. She's speaking out against Lady Gaga. Who cares? For me, it takes away from her political prowess when she has to fluff it up with the popular media every five seconds. She's oversaturating herself. It's overshadowing what I came to initially love about her--the music.

That being said, I will always love her no matter what.

Scary Internet.

2010-05-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get so disenchanted with the Internet. I miss the days where we didn't rely on it so much. It can be a major pain in the ass.

Face to face communication is a dying art form. Trust me, I deal with kids that obviously spend WAY too much time on the computer. Very minimal social skills. Zero eye contact. I wonder how it's going to affect my kid. I do want to limit how much time is spent on the Internet. I just wonder how much of a struggle it's going to be since the Internet is EVERYWHERE. I really feel like it's causing the seams of humanity to come undone. Turning us into robots. And I am certainly not immune. I mean, I'm not writing this with a pad and pen. It's on a computer, which pipes directly out to--you guessed it, the INTERNET.

Does anyone else ever feel this way? Or am I just an oversensitive Anthropology major?

I Like the New Eminem Song...

2010-05-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

But the singing chorus annoys... Just seems really cheesy. I understand he's reached a turning point in his life and needs to express it musically. It's what he does. But I wish rappers would just rap their choruses. Or hooks. Or whatever you want to call then. And singers can sing their choruses. I don't know. The lines have become so blurred. R & B? Naw, RAPPIN' BULLSHIT.

But sometimes it works. Actually, a lot of the time it works. But not this time! Like I said, I like everything EXCEPT the chorus. It seems so un-Eminem like.

Blah Blah Blah

2010-05-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days where you feel like writing but can't come up with anything of interest to write about?

That's me...

It is my sister's birthday today, so shouts out to her and her 27 year old self!

More later... That is, if I can think of anything.

Oh hell yeah!

2010-05-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

I LOVE THIS SONG (And not just cuz it's an interpolation of "The O.C." theme song. No, not at all.) Loving his new(ish) album.

Hello.

2010-05-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hi there. Not much going on. Just watching "The Wiz" and relaxing. Been waking up at like 3, 4, 5 and 6 am for no reason in particular. I think it's just my body preparing me for the inevitable. Needless to say I've had a lot of time to think about stuff lately. Just stuff--nothing of any real importance. Mostly LOST. I think about the baby wiggling around in there. I think about songs I like. I think about trying to sleep. But mostly I think about LOST.

The whole pregnancy thing has been pretty cool so far. It's crazy how different pregnancies progress at different rates--with completely different symptoms. I don't know... It's just strange. But awesome. I had morning sickness (but it was really more 24/7 sickness) for about two months, but it's definitely tapering off. Which is awesome because now I can't stop eating; an activity I couldn't fully partake in during the first trimester. And eating is fun. So yeah... Things seem to be moving along in the right direction thankfully. The biggest lesson I've learned is to stay positive and just accept the fact that I really have no control over whatever life throws at me. I have a really good feeling about everything though, and that's saying a lot coming from a professional worrier.

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. I wish I had more to report, but I don't. I hope that everyone has a good weekend and a fabulous Mother's Day.

XO
Katie

PS Wow--I just realized that this is my second Diana Ross related posting in as many weeks. Hmm...

I'm Coming Out!

2010-04-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'll just put it right out there: I'm pregnant. Due date is November 4! A lot of people know already, but I haven't said anything on the Internets. I am 13 weeks. We've heard the heartbeat a number of times, so we know that he/she is swimming around in there somewhere. We can't wait to meet our newest friend, but for right now I'm enjoying the relative serenity (and increased appetite) of the second trimester. It was a little rocky at first (had a big scare that led to a week's bed rest) but the midwife says everything is looking really good at this point. We have appointments pretty frequently because of it, but that's OK because we get to hear the little WOMPWOMPWOMP of baby's heartbeat each time. Which is music to my ears.

Anyhow, I wanted to update. This is the reason I've been M.I.A. for the past 3 months. I'm not just being a social recluse! Promise!

My Nephew Fills My Heart With Joy

2010-04-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

He's the cutest one year old I know.

Back, Back, Forth and Forth

2010-04-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

I was at Old Navy today trying on clothes and overheard a THIN little girl complaining to her plus-size friend about how fat she was. Ugh, it just got my blood boiling. The plus-size was nice enough to say "You're not fat, you're totally pretty!" and the other girl was like "Yeah, but look at my muffin top! Waaaah!" I wanted to tell the little girl to get real. But I guess she needs to figure that out for herself. But I thought I would go home and write about it, with the hopes that the thin girl would somehow come across my blog and realize how lame she sounded. Which will probably never happen, but I can dream. So thin girl, wherever you are (probably scarfing down some Coldstone Creamery and complaining about how fat she's gonna get), this one's for you:

I've worn bigger sizes. I've worn smaller sizes. I've been through many a weight shift. I've had to work hard to lose weight. There was willpower involved. And I know I'll gain it back at some point, and that's fine. At least I know now that I have the ability to change it if need be.

The older I get the more I realize how silly it is to get hung up on body image. I've spent plenty of time complaining to boyfriends and family members about how I wish my boobs were bigger or butt was smaller or hips weren't as wide. Then one day I realized how annoying I sounded. I also realized how weak it made me sound. And, at least in my mind, a weak personality is far more unattractive than a few extra pounds.

Which brings me to my point: my ultimate pet peeve is when petite girls complain about how fat they are. Give me a break. Even though I may look thinner now, I'm still a tall and awkward size 14 at heart--and every size 14 can tell you how annoying it is when tiny people complain about how wide their hips are or how much cellulite they have. Not sure what causes people to do such a thing, but it's just plain silly.

So here's the deal: Don't complain to a person who's obviously bigger than you about how fat you are. It's tacky. Ideally, don't complain to anyone at all. It shows weakness. If you don't like something about your body you have the choice to change it. And if you're totally thin and still think you're fat, you need help. Seriously! You probably have an eating disorder of some sort. You can blame society all you want but it's ultimately up to you to make a difference, this is what I've learned.

That is all.

Write this down with an ink pen on your wrist or palm. Or even the outside of your hand.

2010-04-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Before you say anything to anyone, ask yourself these three questions: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

I know, easier said than done. But it's always worth a shot. And this concludes today's edition of Daily Affirmations with Katie.

Disney Rascal

2010-04-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

I went to Disneyworld with my mom about six years ago. It was a pretty awesome trip. No, my niece did not come with us (she wasn't even born), it was just my mom and I. Two adult ladies enjoying The Magic Kingdom. I know that Disney represents all that is wrong with the world to a lot of people (and most people in Eugene)--but I grew up at Disneyland. Seriously! We lived an hour away. So that meant a lot of trips to Anaheim. I also grew up watching Disney movies. And I think that's OK. And I haven't turned out to be a racist or sexist homophobe with blurred ideas on gender. Quite the opposite. Not saying that Disney has done the best job promoting gender and race equality, but I don't think anything they have created has come from a place of hate.

But enough of that, let's talk Disneyworld.

That's why my visit to the Holy Land (AKA Disneyworld) was so exciting. As a kid, going to Disneyland was always the biggest, hugest event. But just imagine hearing about another theme park--just like Disneyland--but like 70 million times bigger--and in this exotic place called Florida. I remember other kids having gone to Disneyworld and being SO jealous. All the pictures and souvenirs they brought back just seemed so much cooler than anything you could score at Disneyland. Not true in reality, but they just seemed cooler.

So at age 25 my childhood dream finally came true and I made it to Florida. I was finally able to take an obligatory picture next to Epcot Center (aka the big golf ball) and finally rode the OTHER Splash Mountain and Space Mountain to see which fared better. Results? Disneyworld's Space Mountain is better. But Disneyland's Splash Mountain prevails. It is the happiest place on earth, I have to agree. We stayed for the Electric Light Parade and watched the crazy fireworks show one night, and I started to tear up during "When You Wish Upon A Star". I looked over and my mom was crying, too! Classic! I don't know, it was just overwhelmingly awesome. I even met an Australian dude and went to Animal Kingdom with him. He was cute! And it was rad. Me, the Australian dude, and his two friends smoked cigs and drank beer by the pool after hours. And no one bothered us. See? Awesome!

Anyhow, imagine my surprise when one of my favorite bloggers writes about his recent trip to Disneyworld as a childless adult. And he's not even ripping it to shreds!

Check out this account, it was music to my ears:

DISNEYWORLD IS PRETTY SWEET. AND NOT EVEN IN AN IRONIC WAY.

Really Feeling The New BADU

2010-04-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Flashback a few years: (ME) Hey Erykah! You know what would be ideal? If you made an album that was a hybrid of Baduizm/Mama's Gun/Worldwide Underground, with a hint of New Amerykah Part One and a dash of the millions of Chaka Khan covers you've done! And one part "Tyrone" from your live album, just for good measure.

Flashforward to last Tuesday, release date of New Amerykhah Part 2: Return of the Ankh. (ME) Hey Erykah! You did it! You really listened to my prayers and made one of your best albums EVER! Thanks Miss Badu! You really are my favorite singer of all time.

The end.

It's Just A Little Crush...

2010-04-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

I worked a lot of retail department-type stores in my late teens-early 20's. And I have to say, the majority of them tend to use the same Muzak station, so at this point I have memorized my fair share of adult-contemporary hits. Needless to say, I can still walk into a Fred Meyer, Albertson's, Safeway, or ShopKo and immediately know the words to any song that might be playing on the overhead. The oddest thing about many of these songs is that they weren't even massive hits back in the early to mid 90's (since that's the only era of music that Muzak seems to recognize). I have no idea how these songs remain relevant in the grocery stores for over a decade when they weren't even that big a deal to begin with. I guess they refuse to update their playlist. That or whoever programs the music is a 90's soft rock purist?

Today I was at Albertson's and heard this gem:

Totally had a Fred Meyer shoe department flashback when it came on. This was a Fred Meyer essential. I really feel like it would be great to find Fred Meyer employees of past and present and poll them on what their favorite Freddy's jam is. Then make an awesome mix-tape. Anyhow, back to the video. I mean, who the hell is/was this girl? And why does it always get stuck in my head every time I hear it?

Here's another ShopKo Klassic:

It's a little known Scottish outfit called TEXAS! Yeah, this band was a LITTLE more popular than Jennifer Paige (they even recorded a remix of this song with none other than Method Man. I just found this out on their wikipedia. Uh, WTF?) but still, what's with the incessant playing of this track, ShopKo? I remember hearing it at least once a day. Not a bad song, but damn! Enough is enough! I bet they're playing it right now. I will bet money. I specifically remember endlessly folding t-shirts in the men's department and rolling my eyes every time this song came on. Made me wanna take that red smock off and walk out the door!

There are more, but these are the two that will be forever branded into my memory. If I remember more, I'll add to the list.

I GIVE UP.

2010-03-12T10:28:00.001-08:00

I realize that there's practically no other way to see pictures of your friends kids or hear about whether or not a friend is coming to town other than facebook. I just logged on to the store's account and noticed one of my good friends is coming to town this weekend. I didn't even know about it. Which sucks. But I guess I should just get used to it. So I started another fucking account. Which I will probably delete in a few days. So enjoy it while it lasts.

Oldies but Goodies

2010-03-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

I just came across some old mix tapes a friend made for me almost 15 years ago. Back when sharing mix tapes was a necessity and not just a scenester flourish. And he actually sent these mix tapes.... in the MAIL! Snail mail. It's the old school MP3, I guess. WOW. I feel old! Anyhow, I used to play the shit out of these tapes. I forgot how good they were. Mix tapes are just so much better than mix CD's. And about a kajillion times better than an iTunes playlist. There's just something about a tape made with love. Anyhow, consider the following my mix tape "greatest hits":

This song means a lot to me. I just love it. It's the best song. I used to listen to it over and over again. I gave my friend a lot of credit for making a song about mix tapes the mix tape opening track. Thoughtful.

Little known Pharcyde song that just so happens to be one of their best. I love the drum loop/piano/horn sample and the scratching. Another song I could listen to on repeat (and have--many times). Pharcyde is king.

JEEEEEEESUS, the Notorious just PLEEEASE us witcha lyrical thesis. This song just brings back some happy memories. I particularly remember riding around in my friend Monelle's El Camino listening to this song and arguing over who gets to be Mase and who gets to be Biggie. This was included in the first batch of mix tapes, which were more radio friendly. But awesome just the same.

I don't think this song was on any of the mixtapes, but it should have been. One of my favorite Aceyalone songs. Just listen to how fucking good it is. And here's another one...

I love that there's no hook. He's just going for it. This album was one of my favorites. Too bad it's totally out of print now. I used to have it. But it was stolen. Lame. And furthermore, what happened to you, Acey? The recent hip-hop doo-wop thing you were trying to do was alright. But it obviously comes nowhere near your former hip hop self. Oh well. Just come back to us, Acey!

Perhaps THE greatest mix tape hit, it's hard for me to think of a more banging Roots song. I don't think there is one. But if you think of one, let me know.

So I just wanna say thanks to my friend who made these tapes. Because it introduced me to a lot of new stuff. And if I had never met him, I highly doubt I'd be interested in half the music I love so dearly today.

That's it for now. Give hip hop a hug today!

Flower Power

2010-03-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

I planted a bunch of flowers today. I hope they don't die! I know it's early yet but the lack of rain and warmer conditions inspired me to dig in.

Other than that I'm really fascinated by this Nicky Minaj character. I'm particularly obsessed with the way she raps on this Mariah Carey track. A track, by the way and of course--I LOVE. Some fans of more hipster friendly music might assume that I have questionable musical interests. To that I say, NONSENSE! We can't all like the same thing, now can we? Imagine if everyone only liked "INSERT HIPSTER BAND HERE". Annoying. Now, imagine how boring life would be without Mariah. Really, just think about it. Yeah. Sad.

If You Love Music...

2010-02-26T12:06:00.000-08:00

Then you should probably click the link and take a listen to this:

MOST PEOPLE LIKE THE GORILLAZ. THEY ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITES AND PROBABLY ONE OF YOURS, TOO.

March 9th can't come soon enough!

Today

2010-02-20T22:48:00.000-08:00

Was a good day. Was able to work on the yard and get it all souped up. I remember watching my mom and dad work on our yard in Veneta on many a sunny day. They would always enjoy a cool and refreshing Corona with lime after the job was done. I remember thinking "I can't wait to have my own yard so I can mow the lawn and pull the weeds and then sit back with a beer after it's all done just to soak it all in". Even though I replaced the Corona with some coffee today (it was a little cold to hang outside with a block of ice in one's hand) we still mowed the lawn, pulled the weeds, drank some cofee and soaked it all in. And it felt good! So dammit, in my mind I've pretty much made it. But I can't wait till it gets just a little warmer, so I can finally enjoy that Corona with lime.

Scraps and SNAPS: Kitty Police

2010-02-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

Dusty and I had a great idea. We've been kicking around the idea of getting another cat. If we were to acquire said cat, there's no doubt in our minds of what his/her name will be: SNAPS. All caps, too. For some reason we thought it would be fun to tape a reality show, COPS style, called "Scraps and SNAPS: Kitty Police". We would dress them up in little cop hats, give them some walkies, and put fake gun holsters around their kitty waistlines. We would then let the cameras roll to see how they enforce the feline law around our neighborhood.

Say for instance a tomcat is roaming around, probably drunk, and tries to steal some cat toys from an unsuspecting cats' hidden stash underneath the weeds directly behind the water meter. Scraps and SNAPS come barrelling around the corner and throw a couple warning shots up in the air. They lock eyes for a brief moment, but the tomcat freaks and runs away. Scraps and SNAPS deliver the stolen goods back to the fine, young, lady cat from whom they were stolen. She gives them a knowing kitty wink and saunters away. And their job is done.

I'm gonna shop it around to a couple of networks. Maybe we can get a pilot?

I hope that if we get SNAPS, he looks like this:

Birthday Weekend Camping!

2010-02-15T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here's our yurt!

Jumping off the bed is a must-do once inside your yurt.

Sunset Bay near Coos Bay. So pretty!

Jumping off driftwood is a must-do while at the coast.

I never actually caught the name of this lake, but it was directly below our campsite. Really pretty...

We built a campfire one night. I think Dusty just looks shocked that it actually worked (it had been raining pretty hard the day/night before, but it cleared up nice on Friday.)

Don't these look like the Dharma houses? Is that a reach? It's housing for the Coast Guard.

Taken during an early morning hike.

Damn It Was/Will Be a Good Week/Next Week

2010-02-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

LOST premiere on Tuesday, Bassnectar on Thursday, friends coming over tonight for dinner, short work week, YURT, birthday! And it's brilliantly sunny, to boot!

Speaking of LOST, the season opener was super sexy. It's like the twilight zone of the South Pacific. LOST is deffo my favorite show EVER OF ALL TIME. My sister is a big LOST fan, as well. I remember after the season finale a few years back, she called me while I was waiting to go to class. We ended up getting so deep into the show that I skipped, layed in the grass behind McKenzie and talked LOST instead. For like, 2 straight hours. It was rad. I don't know if that story has more to do with my dedication to LOST or lack of dedication to school. Probably a little of both.

And on a related note: Jack Sheppard is looking damn good these days! I know everyone thinks he's a bitch, but he's a hot bitch. I have loved him since Party of Five. Now that's dedication.

Also ALSO: Check out the singer Nneka. You will not be disappointed!

Anyhow, hope everyone's having a good week!

Katie=Obsessive Atmosphere Lyric Analyzer.

2010-01-30T23:45:00.000-08:00

I know everyone says this, but whenever Slug raps I'm always like "ME TOO!" I swear he's psychic. Atmosphere gets my vote for top musical duo of the 00's.

What I Love About Saturdays

2010-01-30T14:00:00.001-08:00

America's Next Top Model marathons. Laying on the couch. Coffee. Coffee mugs. Warm blankets. Laziness in general.

God bless the weekend!

寿司, 鮨, or 鮓

2010-01-25T12:42:00.000-08:00

I LOVE SUSHI! Doesn't matter the type, Trader Joe's take-away or fancy restaraunt style, it's all so delicious. Yay!

SNAPS TRES

2010-01-22T16:47:00.001-08:00

A little sunbreak goes a long way!

My Health Care Overhaul

2010-01-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! Some good news regarding health care. Well, at least for me (though i'm not quite sure about the rest of the country. Thanks a lot, MASSACHUSETTS!)

Peacehealth (c/o Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend) has agreed to reduce my medical bills by a significant amount because I applied for the bridge assistance program. Bridge assistance helps financially strapped patients pay their bills--even those patients WITH health insurance, such as myself. Needless to say, I'm very happy with the outcome.

Even though the initial cost of the surgery seemed awful inflated, it's at least down to a non-eyebrow raising amount now. Totally manageable for our financial situation, as well.

Anyhow, if you ever find yourself in an emergency medical type-dilemma and suddenly owe a shitload of money to Peacehealth, APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM! For as greedy a reputation Sacred Heart has, they are also very charitable Catholic hopsital. So tonight I'm going to thank the blessed trinity and pour out a little liquor for the father, the son, and the holy ghost. It's the least I could do!

Winter Camping

2010-01-21T22:48:00.001-08:00

I usually go to the coast for my birthday weekend, I love how calming and low-key it is over there. This birthday (my 31st!) we are getting a yurt for a couple of days. Apparently it's just like camping, but there's a heater. So I'm really looking forward to winter camping. Something I've always wanted to do, but haven't. I love the ocean so much. Pretty much my favorite place on earth. Can't wait!

The picture above is not the yurt we'll be staying in, but it's close enough... I'm catching some serious ending-of-return-of-jedi vibes. Maybe some ewoks will throw us a kick ass party while we are there. Crossing fingers.

Snaps Part II

2010-01-16T16:40:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures I've taken of our house. I've left out the bathroom (totally boring), the spare bedroom (totally not finished and full of boxes) and our bedroom (totally messy). Here we go:

Back patio. Pretty exciting, eh? We have a little shed off in the distance. Moving on...

Sideyard. Or is it side yard? Regardless, here's one of our two trees. I like it. It will look nice in the summer. This is where I plan on putting a garden in.

Front yard. Yes, we are surrounded by fence. It's kinda nice, because the road is semi-busy and there aren't any trees for privacy.

Our little yellow house from the front.

The music room.

The music room, pt. 2. We call it the music room for a reason!

The living room couch. Awesome.

The hallway. Looks longer than it actually is.

The living room and my favorite yellow wall.

The teensy weensy kitchen.

The picture window.

Living room, taken from kitchen.

There you have it! If I ever clean the bedroom I'll post some pictures of that, cause it really does clean up nice.

Yay for Music

2010-01-14T20:07:00.000-08:00

I just got a surge of musical energy after hearing some new music from Hot Chip (LOVE THEM) and M.I.A. (WANT TO MARRY HER). It all sounded sososo good.

Perhaps one day when you're all ready I can tell you about the time I saw M.I.A. up in Portland, AKA: The MOST AWESOME NIGHT OF MY LIFE. This lurid tale involves an Oregon football game loss, vodka, more vodka, the most amazing live show I've ever been to, more vodka, Josh Martinez, Animal Farm, bums, crackheads, karaoke, MAX trains and mistaking an old folks home for our hotel at 3am.

Ah, the memories. 2007 was a good year.

Snaps

2010-01-11T21:38:00.001-08:00

This was on one of those REALLY cold days that provided us with gorgeous sunsets. The stained glass was given to me by my mom's husband. I just liked the way the sun filled it up with light.

Crazy dew-filled spiderweb in the front yard. Taken before work one moist morning.

XO
Katie

Calgon, take me away!

2010-01-08T13:39:00.001-08:00

Monte Carlo

It's such a gloomy day weather wise, so I've been daydreaming of living elsewhere. Here is my all-time top 5 list of places I would LOVE to be living in right now:

1. Saint-Tropez, Côte d'Azur, France.
2. Kona, Big Island, Hawaii
3. Bora Bora, preferably in one of those glass-bottom bungalows in a lagoon.
4. Catalina Island, LA, California.
5. Monte Carlo--the city, or city-state, or quarter, etc. (Not the hotel in Vegas. But that could be cool, too.)

Duh.

2010-01-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to a lot of Nina Simone lately and wondering what the hell took me so long to get into her? Sad. Fortunately it's never too late to find out about superior music.

That's all.

Top 10 albums of 2009 and shit.

2010-01-01T18:56:00.001-08:00

1. Q-Tip--Kamaal The Abstract*
Best Song: Barely In Love
2. The Grouch and Eligh--Say G & E!
Best song: Comin' Up
3. Zion I--The Takeover
Best song: Juicy Juice
4. Lady Gaga--The Fame Monster
Best song: So Happy I Could Die
5. The Bird and the Bee--Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future.
Best song: Polite Dance Song
6. Mos Def--The Ecstatic
Best song: The Embassy
7. Florence and the Machine--Lungs
Best Song: Dog Days Are Over
8. Major Lazer--Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do.
Best Song: Hold The Line
9. Junior Boys--Begone Dull Care
Best Song: Parallel Lines
10. Jay Z--The Blueprint 3
Best Song: On To The Next One

*OK, so this is a strange number one. This album was originally supposed to have been released back in the early 00's, but for whatever reason it was delayed. Most of these songs have been floating around the internet for quite some time--but it wasn't OFFICIALLY released until this year. So since it's Q-Tip and it's a fantastic album, there's no way that I'm not going to make it my number one.

MY FAVORITE SONG OF THE YEAR:

Drumroll, please....

Very honorable mentions:
Mayer Hawthorne--A Strange Arrangement
Ghostface--Ghostdini The Wizard of Poetry In The Emerald City
The-Dream--Love Vs. Money
Rick Ross--Deeper Than Rap
Method Man and Redman--Blackout 2
Stephanie McKay--Tell It Like It Is
N.A.S.A.--Spirit of the Apollo

Mildly disappointing albums that I thought were going to be much better (but still aren't half-bad):
Lily Allen--It's Not Me, It's You
Kid Sister--Ultraviolet
Basement Jaxx--Scars
Chali2na--Fish Outta Water
Aceyalone--Aceyalone and the Lonely Ones

Albums I feel kinda strange about putting on my top 10 because they are essentially dance mixes of everyone's old music:
Chromeo--DJ Kicks
A-Trak--Infiniti

Albums I feel are better than honorable mentions but not quite top 10 material--so they will remain in this strange list purgatory for now:
Felt--Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez.
Maxwell--BLACKsummers'night

Albums that I really liked upon first listen but totally forgot about because I was too busy listening to Lady Gaga:
The XX--The XX
La Roux--La Roux
Amerie--In Love and War

Albums that I still need to listen to because I've only heard a few songs from each (but really like what I've heard so far):
Drake--So Far Gone
Wale--Attention Defecit
Clipse--Till The Casket Drops
Raekwon--Cuban Linx 2
Melanie Fiona--The Bridge

And if you're still with me, here are some of my favorite songs of '09. Enjoy!

PHEW! That's about it for now. Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Takin' Care of Business in 2010.

2010-01-01T18:43:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

If This Isn't The Face Of Christmas Bliss...

2009-12-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

Then I don't know what is. Click the picture to enlarge, it's so worth it!

OMG. Totally forgot.

2009-12-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

BIG LEBOWSKI!

That's definitely on my top 5 somewhere. Oh hell, I'll just turn it into a top 6 list.

Just saw Sherlock Holmes, it was pretty dope. Though I think my mom and her husband expected some Masterpiece Theatre type shit. They have no clue who Guy Ritchie is. At least my mom knew he was once married to Madge. Oh well, they liked it, too. Robert Downey Jr. was smoking hot as always, and Jude Law was very pretty as Watson. Go see it!

Oh yeah, and Merry Christmas! XOXO

My Top Five Favorite Movies of ALL-TIME.

2009-12-21T17:57:00.000-08:00

5. High Fidelity
4. Run Lola Run
3. Forest Gump
2. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1. The Color Purple

Interesting side note: High Fidelity and The Color Purple would also appear on my "Top Five Books of All-Time" list.

I was just watching Forest Gump and realized that I never talk about movies or books on this blog. I'm not a huge movie buff (note that none of these films came out in the new millennium), but I love a good flick just like anyone else.

I'd have to put more thought into my book list, but maybe one day I'll post it up.

Random.

2009-12-19T17:50:00.001-08:00

There's a gal with my name who works over at the other indie record shop in town. She was also a cultural anthropology major, we graduated from the same program. We took a lot of classes together. It's just kinda funny, she's eastside Katie. I'm westside Katie. Westsiiiiide!

So it begs the question: Are girls named Katie who majored in cultural anthropology meant to find jobs at record shops post graduation? I think so.

Ugh.

2009-12-16T20:22:00.001-08:00

Not having a gallbladder really sucks sometimes. Every time I've tried to eat anything even slightly fatty, I feel queasy. Sucks. I just had two (small) pieces of Trader Joe's Vegetarian Pizza and now feel like crap. And that's not even REAL pizza. I shudder to think how I'd feel after eating Pipeline. I told D this is the most expensive diet I've ever been on. It's true. And sad. And dumb.

But I suppose anything is better than being in pain from a bum gallbladder. C'est la vie, right?

I'm just venting, that's all.

Feelin' Sentimental.

2009-12-11T15:24:00.001-08:00

I've been listening to XM Radio 90's on 9 ALL DAY LONG and I am feeling so very 90's right now.

I forgot how much I used to love this song.

It's funny how I was such a club kid at the age of 12.

Sweet!

2009-12-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

My niece and nephew. So cute!

Everything's Coming Up Roses.

2009-12-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy with life that I've really been neglecting this here blog.

So everything is going pretty well post-surgery. I've been getting used to this low-fat thing. I sometimes salivate when Carl's Jr. ads come on the TV, but the need to run out and grab a Six Dollar Burger lessens with each day. I think I'm going stop eating red meat for good. I haven't had any since the surgery, and except for those pesky hamburger ads, my desire to eat it is very minimal. It's pretty much the hardest thing for your body to digest, so what's the point if my digestive system is now completely ass-backwards? Feel me? All in all I really see having my gall bladder removed as a positive thing. It's an opportunity to start over and treat my body well. I have even managed to lose a few pounds in the past few weeks, which is an added plus.

I'll admit, it's been hard getting back into the swing of things after such a crazy experience. As it was happening I didn't think much of it, but in the weeks to follow I had quite an interesting time readjusting to everyday life. It was hard. It's a real shock to your system. Perhaps if I knew about the surgery beforehand I wouldn't have had such a tough time getting back to normal. However, my energy level is really close to what it was before the surgery, which is a relief. It's no fun being a gimp. I'm thankful that I have caring people in my life who understand what a Sensitive Sally I tend to be. Anesthiesia does crazy things to you!

The house is looking very nice, we use every chance we get to fix it up (thus the lack of posts). And by "fix it up" I mean "unpack". I can't wait to have a housewarming party. About the house: I love not sharing a wall with anyone. I love having a little yard (to admire for now, since it's been so cold lately). I love putting my quarters in the piggy bank and not in the communal washer and dryer. I love having a dishwasher. I love vacuuming at midnight and playing the music AS LOUD AS I WANT. I love not being woken up by screaming drunk people coming home from the bars. I love not having to make awkward small talk with the crazy bums congregating next to my car every morning (though admittedly I will miss a certain few bums who I've grown quite fond of over the years). Speaking of my car, I love being able to warm it up in the morning before I go to work without fear of someone jacking it. I DON'T love how long it takes to get certain places compared to when we lived Downtown, but I'm getting used to it. I miss the atmosphere of Downtown, but I don't miss the drama. And by drama I mean close proximity to bars. Make of that what you will. All in all, I like it out here. It actually reminds me of many things I love about my hometown, Veneta. Regardless, this is just a starter home for us, our goal is to eventually move back Downtown (when we can afford it)--but for now we are enjoying our first place. It's rad.

That's about it for now. I'm going to finish watching the Duck game and then go to bed. I hope these bitches win. I would like to that think that my tuition went towards something of merit. I hope that you are all well and staying warm!

XO
Katie

UPDATE: The Ducks are going to the Rose Bowl! Hell yes!

Songs Currently Stuck In My Head.

2009-11-27T17:13:00.000-08:00

1, 2, 3. Why don't he, you and me go 180 degrees and I'm caught in between.

Roadrunnah, roadrunnaaaah. Goin' hundred miles per houraaaaah.

Make em say uuuuuuuuuuh, nah nah nah nah!

I Can Die Now.

2009-11-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

Technical Difficulties

2009-11-22T09:46:00.001-08:00

Hopefully you can leave comments now? I think I fixed the problem...

Pretty Much The Cutest Little Otter EVER.

2009-11-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

My story... Then no more talk of gallbladders.

2009-11-13T13:57:00.001-08:00

I thought I would write down my experience. Then I will never mention gallbladders on the Internet again.

So, for the past few weeks I've been dealing with pretty nasty stomach problems. I thought it was just really bad case of heartburn, but as it turns out I was passing stones left and right. And that shit HURTS!

So Monday morning, I woke up with these awful pains again. Normally they go away within a half hour or so, but this time it lasted. I knew that this one was going to get ugly if I didn't get down to the hospital. So we drove down there and got right in at urgent care. They took a bunch of blood tests and gave me pain meds right away. When I say that it hurt, I mean it REALLY hurts. I've heard that the pain of passing a stone is comparable to childbirth. It's awful. The pain meds helped quite a bit, then they took me in to get an ultrasound which clearly showed gallstones.

So the urgent care Doc came in a half hour later and told me I needed surgery. He said my gallbladder was shot and I was passing stones, that I had pancreatitis, and also that my liver levels were all screwy. So I was wheeled up to my room and another Doctor came into explain what happened. He said that I had gallstones which were floating down the old ducts and one of them got stuck in my pancreas. This caused inflamation of my pancreaas (pancreatitis) and liver problems (basically--I had jaundice). So that explained a lot.

So they couldn't do the surgery right away because my levels needed to stabilize first. So I had to stay the night at the hospital and wait. The next day came and I was hauled off to surgery that morning. It was so weird. One minute I'm wheeled into the surgery room where somebody is putting Vaseline all over my face, and the next minute I am passed the FUCKOUT! I woke up in the recovery room with all these people buzzing around me, talking doctor talk, and asking me how I feel. It was sooooo strange. I won't lie, I woke up in some extreme pain. But luckily it subsided with the wonder of pain medication. As for the surgery itself, it is technically called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. I youtubed the procedure. It was gross. Don't do it. Ugghhhh.

So I was taken back to my room and talked with D and my family. I'm sure I made zero sense. Things are a lot funnier when you get morphine. Morphine packed a punch. I was like "WHOOAAAAA this shit is CRAAAZZYYY MAAAAN!" I also learned that you have no internal filter when you're drugged up. I think I mentioned to everyone at least 8 times that I was so "fucking thirsty I could die" I couldn't eat anything the day before my surgery and I couldn't drink anything the night before my surgery.

So I basically chilled out in my room that night and the bulk of the the next day. I had to be hooked up to the IV the entire time, which was actually really lame. Because you can't go anywhere or do anything without it becoming this huge ordeal. But whatever, it helped me get better. And the nurses were awesome, I had a really good experience at the new hospital. Everyone was really cool and made me feel very comfortable. They eased my nerves and made me forget what I was there for at times. So nurses are awesome, but I've known that for quite some time. Have you hugged a nurse today? They basically run the hospital.

I also learned that most of the females on my Mom's side have had their gallbladders removed for the same reason as me--gallstones. So there must be some sort of female gallstone malfunction in my family. I was slightly upset that I didn't get to see my gallstone. I guess it was the size of a golf ball, and there were a few smaller ones as well. It's just such a weird thing to think of, that nasty ass thing being created by my body's functions and just kinda hanging out and wreaking havoc on the rest of my organs.

So here I am. It's Friday, this happened on Monday, and I still can't believe it. I'm getting around much slower than normal but it's a start. It feels like I did 8,000,000 sit-ups and then had someone punch me in the stomach 30 times. That's why I'm walking around like an old lady. Things in my body are adjusting to not having their pal Gally the bladder around. It's gonna take a while but I'll be able to do it. I have to change my diet a lot. Low fat for the rest of my life. My body can no longer process fat the way it used to.

Anyhow, this has been a strange and amusing experience and I'm happy it's almost over with! Everyone has been so incredibly understanding and kind about the whole thing, I am really thankful to have such great people in my life.

So that's that. No more talk of gallbladders. I hope everyone is having a great day, out there in the real world!

A Life Less Gallbladder.

2009-11-12T17:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been two days since my surgery and nothing that exciting to report. Well, I could report a lot but it's probably stuff you don't really want to hear. I'm pretty tired. I still can't get over the fact that I had my gallbladder removed this week. It was so abrupt. I've been pretty bored lately, so I've been googling a lot of information on anything gallbladder related. It's quite a wonder, that little bladder. Googling pictures of gallstones and youtubing video clips of the surgery I went through makes me happy this entire ordeal is behind me. It's kind of nice not having to anticipate something like this happening. If I knew about the surgery beforehand I probably would have been a lot more nervous about it all. But they had me pretty drugged up in the first place, so I was like "Whatever! Give me more pain meds!"

Oh yeah, and I also learned that my Grandma, Great-Grandma, and three of my great aunts on my mom's side have all had their gallbladders removed. So genes play a big role in this whole thing.

I'll be here all week, folks.

Gallstones?!

2009-11-11T11:23:00.000-08:00

My IV and greasy hair.

IV drips. Isn't it so Grey's Anatomy?

Applesauce. This is the first food I've had in 2 days. It was DELICIOUS!

I had gallbladder removal surgery yesterday. Apparently I had a gallstone the size of a golf ball. It was a total shock. I am really drugged up and super bored at the hospital so I thought I would take this time to post some really unflattering pictures of me. The kicker is that we were supposed to get the keys to our new house on the day I was admitted to the hospital. Funny, huh? I've been in the hospital since Monday morning, it's now Wednesday and I hope to get out of here by tonight. Anyhow, I'll write more later. Cuz I have a lot of time on my hands. But all in all I'm doing well, but surgery sucks.

Forget Everything I Just Said

2009-11-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

Because I JUST found my absolute favorite 80's pro-sport team music video ever.

PRO: Features the obligatory sax solo.

CON: No pretty jackets. Or cowbell. But what it lacks in sateen, it more than makes up for with hilarious sexual innuendo.

I feel like the Rams wanted to take a different route. They wanted to make a video without all that pansy-ass Hollywood bullshit. Just straight up 80's football rap. In return, they seem to have created one of the most homoerotic tunes of the genre.

Behold, RAM IT!

Do YOU know how to ram it?

BASEBALL BOOGIE TONIGHT!

2009-11-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

Nothing new to report except that I found this amazing video. It's one of those things that I can't stop watching. Obsessively. Reminds me of a simpler time when sports stars weren't afraid to sing/rap while wearing pastel satin jackets coupled with very tight, white baseball pants:

But it's still nowhere near the perfection (Cow bells! Sax solo!) of the Super Bowl Shuffle. See below:

I can admit that I only like the Super Bowl Shuffle more because it's sounds just like "I Want Your Sex" but instead of George singing we get the Bears rapping. The Baseball Boogie is quickly becoming my favorite. Why don't more pro teams make music videos? I mean, it's a true sign of team unity. Pretty much the most unifying thing a team can do. Right?

Yo! Yo! Yo!

2009-11-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

So, needless to say, things are going good. It's gonna be a hectic few weeks as we move from downtown to Santa Clara.

Other than that, it's business as usual.

I've been off Facebook for a few weeks now. It's been an excellent experience! For me, social networking sites have always been a ridiculously easy way for me to waste time. And not just time I would have otherwise spent staring at my belly button, I'm talking actual "need-to-be-somewhere-soon-but-first-let-me-check-my-FB" time. So it was negatively cutting into my schedule. The worst was when I would check it first thing in the morning. Like, before I even brushed my teeth, ate breakfast, took a shower. That was a red flag for me.

Anyway, must get going. Busy day in front of me. Bye!

For lack of a better word: RAD!

2009-11-04T12:42:00.001-08:00

I am officially a homeowner today! We signed about 4 million documents, and in return we get a house.

So excited!

We get to move in sometime next week. Can't wait to get out of this dump. Say hello to the newest resident of Santa Clara. Guess that makes me a Santa Claran?

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful fall day. I wish they could all be this gorgeous.

Yay!

BRING BACK BLOUNT

2009-11-01T23:19:00.000-08:00

But first, someone magically fix WT3's injury? Please?

I love that guy.

I think I'm becoming a football fan.

I don't know what's heppening to me!

Plus de merde.

2009-10-30T00:05:00.001-07:00

So YouTube has this great feature where it saves your previous searches. I thought it would be fun to post some of my recent findings. For one reason or another, I've looked these videos up recently. Heh.

You're only sixty pounds when you're wet and wearin' boots.

Oh, hi Mark.

Junior McDreamy!

La vida loca!

Love the cowbells.

Oh yeah...

2009-10-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

You wanna know about my Halloween costume? Here's one major hint. Ok, it's a dead giveaway. Enjoy your fright night! I'll be down at Autzen trying to stay dry. Bwahahahahahaha!

Musica!

2009-10-29T08:57:00.001-07:00

After reviewing some of my previous posts, I now realize how incredibly boring they are. Buying a house is exciting, but only to the person engaging in such an activity. So I thought I would spice things up by listing a few of my favorite new/semi-new musical selections:

1. Chromeo--DJ Kicks

I am a huge Chromeo fan. Of course I'm going to love this mix. It's craftfully done and just cheeky enough to meet my standards. Check out all the mixes on !K7 records. They're great. I really adore these two boys. My heart boils over with affection when I hear their cute little French-Canadian accents.

2. Basement Jaxx--Scars

Much like the last Basement Jaxx album, Scars has completely grown on me. Though it's nowhere near the awesomeness of Remedy, Rooty, or even Crazy Itch Radio , it's still pretty good. I figure that you can always judge a Basement Jaxx album by how good the first track is. And on Scars, the first track kills. Here it is:

3. Junior Boys--Begone Dull Care

Junior Boys were always one of those bands I'd hear on Pandora and think "I should check out more of their stuff". So I did. And I loved it. This album came out earlier in the year. It's definitely up there in terms of quality. Excellent mood music. I reccommend listening to this album while enjoying a nightcap or reading a good book. Or doing it. Total baby-making music. They're like this strange mix between Chromeo (synths/vocals) and Portishead (overall vibe)--minus the cheesiness (Chromeo) and scratching (Portishead). At least that's my understanding. A co-worker of mine has dubbed them "Slomeo", which I think is hilarious and true.

4. Q-Tip--Kamaal The Abstract

I had heard much of this album a few years ago via the internets, so it's really nothing new, though it was just officially released a few months ago. This album was supposed to come out in 2002-ish (I think?) but was shelved by the label because they didn't think it was going to be a commercial success. Assholes. It almost seems like the perfect follow up to last year's The Renaissance, which is funny considering it's nearly 10 years old. You really can't go wrong with Q-Tip. It's impossible. I caught Q-tip doing this song on Jimmy Fallon w/the Roots backing him up, though I can't find the link for that performance because NBC is an embedding nazi. But it was perfection, trust me.

5. Ghostface Killah--Ghostdini, Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City

I really loved this album upon first listen. I'll even let the occasional auto-tune usage slide. It's waaaay more R & B than anything else Ghostface has ever done, however I am ALL FOR R&B/Rap songs done well. Ghostface can tell an interesting story, as we all know. I love it. Here's my favorite track:

There are more, believe me. I just can't think of anything else right now. As for future releases; I am SO excited for the next installment of Felt (Murs/Slug) w/Aesop Rock producing. I hope it's my album of the year. Also, I'm really excited for the new Justice album, which should come out sometime early next year.

Anyhow, hope everyone is having a fabulous day! Adios.

Funny.

2009-10-19T23:18:00.000-07:00

This picture cracks me up for a variety of reasons.

Hi!

2009-10-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

Today's the big day for the appraisal. I'm really excited to hear the news, good or bad. Hopefully everything will go well because D had his car broken into AGAIN last night. They just stole a portable CD player, which sucks, but at least it's not irreplaceable. I'm so ready to leave this apartment.

I deleted my Facebook account a few days ago. I was just getting annoyed with the whole thing.

I still have my Twitter though.

CLICK HERE FOR MY AWESOME TWITTER ACCOUNT.

And now for a few random thoughts:

SIGNS THAT I AM GETTING OLDER:

For the past year or so, I've been listening to talk radio almost exclusively. Dr. Laura, NPR, I have their program schedule memorized. Boring!

I go to bed right after Jay Leno.

I've been reading a lot of Sunset magazine.

A late night these days ends at about midnight. After about two beers. Snoooooze.

I refer to my neighbors as kids. They're probably in their early 20's.

I buy coffee in the morning, and microwave it twice throughout the day to warm it up.

Updatey Daterton

2009-10-12T15:52:00.001-07:00

Things are looking good. One last hurdle to jump (appraisal) and we are golden. However, this last hurdle is probably the biggest, so it's too soon to be totally certain about anything. So that's about it.

Today I ate a bunch of Chinese food, cleaned the house, hung out at the laundromat, listened to an hour of Dr. Laura, drank two cups of coffee, and drove past our almost-maybe-sorta new home like an obsessive stalker. If this house were human I would have had a restraining order filed against me a while ago.

Other than that, nothing new to report. I'm going to get Brother Ali's autograph for Dusty and then I'm gonna go eat some broccoli cheese soup at Cafe 440. Putting that winter coat on a little early this year! Can I get a hell yeah for extra pounds?! ... Anyone?

Katie