Tomorrow's forecast for my lovely little corner of the world:
Sunny, very hot with the temperature approaching the record of 99 set in 1944 and humid
I like how they tack the 'and humid' on the end, as an afterthought. Like, 'oh and by the way, the air is going to be so incredibly moist you'll feel like you are walking through a puddle and will have the urge to rip every layer of your skin off in some attempt to escape the misery.'
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
So much goodness
I knew this summer was going to be incredible, and there is still so much to look forward to, but less than two weeks into June I am already blown away by all the Good Times that have been had.
The Awesome really started with Winnie's visit about a month ago. Despite the universe's best efforts (our foiled plans include barbecue at Bucky's, calzones at Barley's, getting our nails done at my favorite place, and seeing Sabrina at the Midnight Movies in the park), we managed to have a wonderful time, the highlight probably being a three-hour dipnon-esque dinner at Smoke on the Water and subsequent beer pong at Craig's.
The good cheer followed us to Cincinnati, a destination reached by myself and Winnie via the beautiful Smokey Mountains. We took turns driving, napping and reading aloud to each other. And then, the wedding, which produced an impressive amount of memories considering the short time span: the hotel concierge trying to give Hannah and me a room with just one king-size bed, running on the country roads with Hannah, Kristen's date forgetting his pants for the wedding, Ryan Walsh throwing a classic Walsh party in his hotel room, getting to swoon over my recently-single crush-to-end-all-crushes, and just getting to spend precious time with Hannah, Kristen, and Courtney. Sigh.
May wasn't done with me yet- Memorial Weekend brought me the fulfillment of a lifelong dream: seeing Sister Hazel live in concert. The price tag on this once-in-a-lifetime experience? (seriously these guys have got to be like 90 by now; they may not be around much longer) $7.50. As far as dream fulfillment goes, I call that a bargain. And you know how much I love bargains. But the show was great; it was the first concert I've been to where I knew every word to every song since I saw NSYNC in ninth grade (For the record, if they ever do a reunion tour, I should warn you all now that I am quitting my job and following them across the country. Sushi, I expect no less from you). And afterward, we snuck through backyards, Stacey and I holding hands out of fear, following the boys against our better judgment (against our lesser judgment, too), and roasted marshmallows on the grill while we listened to the sounds of Gavin Degraw drifting over from the park and into Craig's windows.
Which pretty much brings us to June but that's a whole new set of stories...
The Awesome really started with Winnie's visit about a month ago. Despite the universe's best efforts (our foiled plans include barbecue at Bucky's, calzones at Barley's, getting our nails done at my favorite place, and seeing Sabrina at the Midnight Movies in the park), we managed to have a wonderful time, the highlight probably being a three-hour dipnon-esque dinner at Smoke on the Water and subsequent beer pong at Craig's.
The good cheer followed us to Cincinnati, a destination reached by myself and Winnie via the beautiful Smokey Mountains. We took turns driving, napping and reading aloud to each other. And then, the wedding, which produced an impressive amount of memories considering the short time span: the hotel concierge trying to give Hannah and me a room with just one king-size bed, running on the country roads with Hannah, Kristen's date forgetting his pants for the wedding, Ryan Walsh throwing a classic Walsh party in his hotel room, getting to swoon over my recently-single crush-to-end-all-crushes, and just getting to spend precious time with Hannah, Kristen, and Courtney. Sigh.
May wasn't done with me yet- Memorial Weekend brought me the fulfillment of a lifelong dream: seeing Sister Hazel live in concert. The price tag on this once-in-a-lifetime experience? (seriously these guys have got to be like 90 by now; they may not be around much longer) $7.50. As far as dream fulfillment goes, I call that a bargain. And you know how much I love bargains. But the show was great; it was the first concert I've been to where I knew every word to every song since I saw NSYNC in ninth grade (For the record, if they ever do a reunion tour, I should warn you all now that I am quitting my job and following them across the country. Sushi, I expect no less from you). And afterward, we snuck through backyards, Stacey and I holding hands out of fear, following the boys against our better judgment (against our lesser judgment, too), and roasted marshmallows on the grill while we listened to the sounds of Gavin Degraw drifting over from the park and into Craig's windows.
Which pretty much brings us to June but that's a whole new set of stories...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
My favorite email
I have to say, I am a very blessed girl. Really, my life is filled with a myriad of people that sometimes I just can't believe I have the pleasure of knowing. But of all these characters, it must be admitted that there is one above all others whose emails fill me with endless delight, and they are the ones belonging to my dear friend and former 'boss' Ben. Here is why:
Today, I received a note from Ben updating me on all the happy-haps in his life. There are too many quotable quotes to mention, but the part that really set this piece of correspondence apart was the postscript, which read:
PS: You have a thing going with David Beckham on the side and you didn't tell me about it!? Karen, I thought we had a deal about boy stories. I saw the attached photo while I was flipping through GQ...looks like you two are pretty serious! And I thought nerdy boys were your type. Is he even Catholic?
And attached was the picture below:
What's so special about a picture of David Beckham shirtless, you ask? Fair question. Allow me to get a little closer here.
Yes. That is a picture of my face tattooed on David Beckham's torso. I rest my case.
Today, I received a note from Ben updating me on all the happy-haps in his life. There are too many quotable quotes to mention, but the part that really set this piece of correspondence apart was the postscript, which read:
PS: You have a thing going with David Beckham on the side and you didn't tell me about it!? Karen, I thought we had a deal about boy stories. I saw the attached photo while I was flipping through GQ...looks like you two are pretty serious! And I thought nerdy boys were your type. Is he even Catholic?
And attached was the picture below:
What's so special about a picture of David Beckham shirtless, you ask? Fair question. Allow me to get a little closer here.
Yes. That is a picture of my face tattooed on David Beckham's torso. I rest my case.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Baby brain
The past week or so, my world has been revolving around tiny blue things. Alycia's baby is due at the end of June and her little boy, John Paul Aeneas (is that a Hillsdale name or what?) will be my godson. I just cannot wait to meet him! To tide myself over until he gets here, I've been busy spending my life savings on clothes, toys, etc- I told Alycia that I hoped she didn't plan on buying anything for him because I've inadvertently outfitted him for his first year of life. Seriously, every time I go shopping for something ELSE, I end up walking away with more baby stuff- and I don't even know that it happens. I'm driving home and I realize "Wait, that is not a black cardigan in that bag; it is seven tiny onesies in a variety of masculine colors! I've been tricked!" It's like when you pull into your driveway and the last thing you remember is getting off the expressway, with no recollection of how you got there.
Anyway, Alycia's shower was this weekend and I had so much fun planning for it. Our friend Heather was so gracious as to host the little soiree at her place, since my apartment is roughly the size of a chest freezer and can seat exactly four people comfortably. We did everything up in blues and browns and tried to make things as classy as Alycia is. We passed the afternoon chatting with a bunch of wonderful women, playing a few little games and opening presents- I was at a party later, and one of the guys asked Sarah and me "what do you do at a baby shower, anyway?" and Sarah answered "pretty much you eat a lot of food and sit around oohing and ahing at all the cute baby things the mom gets." Pretty accurate. All in all, everyone had a great time and Alycia walked away with a carful of baby gear, so I put this one in the 'win' column.
We had a delicious menu: peanut butter and chocolate chunk brownies, sugar cookies, apple cake, beer bread, spinach and artichoke dip, sausage balls, a fruit basket and a vegetable platter, along with pink lemonade and coffee.
Here's the fruit bassinet that Heather made- she did a great job, and even trimmed it with blue and brown.
I made this bouquet of 'roses' out of baby socks. It came out way better than I expected, though it was still sad compared to the pictures I copied. It was one of the more annoying crafts I've attempted lately but it worth it.
The beautiful hydrangeas that Heather found and the favors I made that I FORGOT to give to the guests! We were cleaning up after everyone left and I realized they were all still sitting there on the table. I suppose if that's the worst thing that happened, I can deal.
The little blue and brown foot cookies- so yummy, though, as Sarah pointed out, it feels a little weird to be eating feet. But not weird enough to stop any of us, apparently.
Clothesline of onesies and bibs.
The burp cloth I made for John Paul. I embroidered his name and then ironed the ribbon on using adhesive. I loved making this and it looked really cute in the end.
The mommy-to-be and me underneath the banner I made (doesn't she look sickeningly good for being almost eight months pregnant? We were out at a bar last week and a total stranger came up to Alycia and said "I just have to tell you, you are the cutest pregnant woman I have ever seen!" It's disgusting).
I feel so blessed to be a part of John Paul's life, and that I get to be here for all the excitement. But for now, I am taking a serious break from crafting and looking forward to some good things- namely, Winnie's arrival tonight, and Cody's wedding this weekend. Pillow talk in a sketchy motel, here I come!
Anyway, Alycia's shower was this weekend and I had so much fun planning for it. Our friend Heather was so gracious as to host the little soiree at her place, since my apartment is roughly the size of a chest freezer and can seat exactly four people comfortably. We did everything up in blues and browns and tried to make things as classy as Alycia is. We passed the afternoon chatting with a bunch of wonderful women, playing a few little games and opening presents- I was at a party later, and one of the guys asked Sarah and me "what do you do at a baby shower, anyway?" and Sarah answered "pretty much you eat a lot of food and sit around oohing and ahing at all the cute baby things the mom gets." Pretty accurate. All in all, everyone had a great time and Alycia walked away with a carful of baby gear, so I put this one in the 'win' column.
We had a delicious menu: peanut butter and chocolate chunk brownies, sugar cookies, apple cake, beer bread, spinach and artichoke dip, sausage balls, a fruit basket and a vegetable platter, along with pink lemonade and coffee.
Here's the fruit bassinet that Heather made- she did a great job, and even trimmed it with blue and brown.
I made this bouquet of 'roses' out of baby socks. It came out way better than I expected, though it was still sad compared to the pictures I copied. It was one of the more annoying crafts I've attempted lately but it worth it.
The beautiful hydrangeas that Heather found and the favors I made that I FORGOT to give to the guests! We were cleaning up after everyone left and I realized they were all still sitting there on the table. I suppose if that's the worst thing that happened, I can deal.
The little blue and brown foot cookies- so yummy, though, as Sarah pointed out, it feels a little weird to be eating feet. But not weird enough to stop any of us, apparently.
Clothesline of onesies and bibs.
The burp cloth I made for John Paul. I embroidered his name and then ironed the ribbon on using adhesive. I loved making this and it looked really cute in the end.
The mommy-to-be and me underneath the banner I made (doesn't she look sickeningly good for being almost eight months pregnant? We were out at a bar last week and a total stranger came up to Alycia and said "I just have to tell you, you are the cutest pregnant woman I have ever seen!" It's disgusting).
I feel so blessed to be a part of John Paul's life, and that I get to be here for all the excitement. But for now, I am taking a serious break from crafting and looking forward to some good things- namely, Winnie's arrival tonight, and Cody's wedding this weekend. Pillow talk in a sketchy motel, here I come!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Jillian Michaels, This is War
The weather here has been totally bizarre lately. It’s been raining like crazy the past couple weeks, but it’s always intermittent- we never just have a rainy day. And it’s not like it’ll be gray and drizzly with periodic showers- no, Mother Nature has a serious case of bipolarity these days. Literally eight times a day, the sky will flip-flop between gorgeous blue skies and sunshine, to torrential downpours. It adds a certain challenge to getting dressed in the morning.
Anyway, when it’s not sheeting rain, it’s unbearably muggy (lots of rain + hot pavement = sauna), thus making running outside even less appealing than usual- which, hey, who knew that was possible. So, in an effort to stay indoors as much as possible, last week I ordered Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred on a whim. This whim had more to do with the free 2-day shipping that comes with my Amazon Prime trial and less to do with a motivation to ‘get shredded’, but regardless, the DVD found its way into my mailbox, and frankly, I was a little excited when it arrived yesterday. It’s a twenty-minute workout- how hard could it be?
Um, it was the longest twenty minutes of my life. I’m pretty sure Jillian’s abilities extend beyond the realm of fitness and into the manipulation of the time-space continuum, because I felt like I was doing push-ups for hours. I KNOW HOW LONG 30-SECONDS IS, JILLIAN. It’s the time it takes to microwave one banana nut muffin. It’s how long I brush my teeth in the morning. It is NOT HOW LONG 200 PUSH-UPS LAST.
I mean, I wouldn’t describe my body as sculpted or anything, but I don’t think I’m a terribly unfit person, either. I run (mostly against my will) faithfully several times a week and I do some sort of crunches/push-ups/Pilate's pretty regularly. But honestly… I think I might have been dead for a little while last night.
Let’s just ignore (the irony, perhaps?) that I was using beer bottles instead of dumbbells. I’m too cheap to buy weights when I have a perfectly good case of Blue Moon’s summer brew sitting on my counter, okay? Let’s also, for my sake, ignore the fact that I was doing the easiest moves on the easiest level of the DVD. You know how on most workout tapes, the easiest levels are for people who literally have never raised their arms above their head before, and you, with a boost of self-confidence, because at least you’re not THAT guy, can skip to level three without breaking a sweat? Yeah, that’s not how Jillian rolls.
In any case, I’m feeling surprisingly undead this morning so maybe those jogs around the block were doing more than I thought. But now that I know the supposed "20 minutes" of shred is really a period of time long enough to comprise its own ERA, I'm not exactly looking forward to seeing Jillian, or any of her perky, six-packed compadres again.
Anyway, when it’s not sheeting rain, it’s unbearably muggy (lots of rain + hot pavement = sauna), thus making running outside even less appealing than usual- which, hey, who knew that was possible. So, in an effort to stay indoors as much as possible, last week I ordered Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred on a whim. This whim had more to do with the free 2-day shipping that comes with my Amazon Prime trial and less to do with a motivation to ‘get shredded’, but regardless, the DVD found its way into my mailbox, and frankly, I was a little excited when it arrived yesterday. It’s a twenty-minute workout- how hard could it be?
Um, it was the longest twenty minutes of my life. I’m pretty sure Jillian’s abilities extend beyond the realm of fitness and into the manipulation of the time-space continuum, because I felt like I was doing push-ups for hours. I KNOW HOW LONG 30-SECONDS IS, JILLIAN. It’s the time it takes to microwave one banana nut muffin. It’s how long I brush my teeth in the morning. It is NOT HOW LONG 200 PUSH-UPS LAST.
I mean, I wouldn’t describe my body as sculpted or anything, but I don’t think I’m a terribly unfit person, either. I run (mostly against my will) faithfully several times a week and I do some sort of crunches/push-ups/Pilate's pretty regularly. But honestly… I think I might have been dead for a little while last night.
Let’s just ignore (the irony, perhaps?) that I was using beer bottles instead of dumbbells. I’m too cheap to buy weights when I have a perfectly good case of Blue Moon’s summer brew sitting on my counter, okay? Let’s also, for my sake, ignore the fact that I was doing the easiest moves on the easiest level of the DVD. You know how on most workout tapes, the easiest levels are for people who literally have never raised their arms above their head before, and you, with a boost of self-confidence, because at least you’re not THAT guy, can skip to level three without breaking a sweat? Yeah, that’s not how Jillian rolls.
In any case, I’m feeling surprisingly undead this morning so maybe those jogs around the block were doing more than I thought. But now that I know the supposed "20 minutes" of shred is really a period of time long enough to comprise its own ERA, I'm not exactly looking forward to seeing Jillian, or any of her perky, six-packed compadres again.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Random Thoughts on my Friday "lunch break"
Alone at the office on a Friday afternoon- kinda fun, mostly freaky. Fun until I think about all the sketchy guys that walk past our building on a daily basis. And the fact that the police call the neighborhood across the street "Little Havana".
Yesterday was the first day of summer in the SC. Yes, while all you saps in the North are just now breaking out your t-shirts and admiring the little flower buds tentatively showing themselves, spring is already a thing of the past down here. And frankly, I'd forgotten how hot it gets here when it's, well, HOT. The answer, in case you were wondering, is VERY. I know this because when I got into my car after work, my skin immediately melted anywhere it touched my leather seats. Seriously, it was gross. But tonight when I get home, I am putting on something loose-fitting and scandalous, making a margarita, and drinking it while reading a trashy romance novel on the porch. Ah, summer.
Nicknames: I don't know why, but I call less than 25% percent of the people I know by their given name. Is this a girl thing? Is it a me thing? Right now, off the top of my head, here are the names of some of the people I consider friends- Javi, Shaakar, Boy Scout, Hannie, Beaver, Nay-Nay, Hal-bear, Babs, Big, Little, K.O., Ryry, Marky (known as "Bry-Bry" in some circles), Mallo, PD, Pearl, Codiz, Piko, JoJo, Sushi, LB, Sofi-Pie, Hei-Hei... and this is not like an occasional name I drop. This is how I address my correspondence to these people; the way their names are saved in my cell phone. And I have a few names of my own- most notably, Karebear, Maren Killer (which Kristen so lovingly shortens to just 'Killer' at times), and K-Millz, which seems to be the current favorite. I just think it's strange, is all. Will I grow out of this phase?
I hate when I'm flipping through the stations on the radio and I stop because some fetching tune catches my attention and I'm like "oh yeah, I like this song!" and then two seconds later I realize it's a commercial jingle. And I feel embarrassed/highly worried about my taste in music. And then I think "I wonder if there's a full, director's cut three-minute version of the Purina Dog Chow song...?" (There isn't. I checked)
And lastly, very rarely do I admit to the extreme case of boy-craziness I've been afflicted with since I was just a wee lass (second grade, in fact- I had a massive crush on Ryan Sontag. He's married now and plays minor league ball. Sigh... I should have made my move when we were cast as the shoemaker and the shoemaker's wife in our class production of The Shoemaker and the Elves).
However, it has to be said: I really think there are a disproportionate number of good-looking men in Greenville. Maybe it's because I spent the entirety of my adolescence and early adulthood in Monroe and Hillsdale, respectively, but almost daily I only narrowly miss involving myself in a fatal automobile accident because I can't take my eyes off the gorgeous guy in the car next to me... or the guy passing me in the other direction, or the guy in my rearview mirror. Seriously, they're everywhere, and a large contingent of them have taken up residence in my apartment complex. It's nice and all, but for once I'd like to just take my trash out without putting on make-up. Ya know?
Yesterday was the first day of summer in the SC. Yes, while all you saps in the North are just now breaking out your t-shirts and admiring the little flower buds tentatively showing themselves, spring is already a thing of the past down here. And frankly, I'd forgotten how hot it gets here when it's, well, HOT. The answer, in case you were wondering, is VERY. I know this because when I got into my car after work, my skin immediately melted anywhere it touched my leather seats. Seriously, it was gross. But tonight when I get home, I am putting on something loose-fitting and scandalous, making a margarita, and drinking it while reading a trashy romance novel on the porch. Ah, summer.
Nicknames: I don't know why, but I call less than 25% percent of the people I know by their given name. Is this a girl thing? Is it a me thing? Right now, off the top of my head, here are the names of some of the people I consider friends- Javi, Shaakar, Boy Scout, Hannie, Beaver, Nay-Nay, Hal-bear, Babs, Big, Little, K.O., Ryry, Marky (known as "Bry-Bry" in some circles), Mallo, PD, Pearl, Codiz, Piko, JoJo, Sushi, LB, Sofi-Pie, Hei-Hei... and this is not like an occasional name I drop. This is how I address my correspondence to these people; the way their names are saved in my cell phone. And I have a few names of my own- most notably, Karebear, Maren Killer (which Kristen so lovingly shortens to just 'Killer' at times), and K-Millz, which seems to be the current favorite. I just think it's strange, is all. Will I grow out of this phase?
I hate when I'm flipping through the stations on the radio and I stop because some fetching tune catches my attention and I'm like "oh yeah, I like this song!" and then two seconds later I realize it's a commercial jingle. And I feel embarrassed/highly worried about my taste in music. And then I think "I wonder if there's a full, director's cut three-minute version of the Purina Dog Chow song...?" (There isn't. I checked)
And lastly, very rarely do I admit to the extreme case of boy-craziness I've been afflicted with since I was just a wee lass (second grade, in fact- I had a massive crush on Ryan Sontag. He's married now and plays minor league ball. Sigh... I should have made my move when we were cast as the shoemaker and the shoemaker's wife in our class production of The Shoemaker and the Elves).
However, it has to be said: I really think there are a disproportionate number of good-looking men in Greenville. Maybe it's because I spent the entirety of my adolescence and early adulthood in Monroe and Hillsdale, respectively, but almost daily I only narrowly miss involving myself in a fatal automobile accident because I can't take my eyes off the gorgeous guy in the car next to me... or the guy passing me in the other direction, or the guy in my rearview mirror. Seriously, they're everywhere, and a large contingent of them have taken up residence in my apartment complex. It's nice and all, but for once I'd like to just take my trash out without putting on make-up. Ya know?
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Stephen Colbert meets Liturgical Dance
DISCLAIMER: I am not to be held responsible for the fact that this song will be stuck in your head for approximately the next 37 hours.
Whatever you're doing right now, STOP immediately. Look around to make sure none of your cubicle mates are paying attention, plug in some headphones, and then watch this video.
I laugh. So hard. Every time.
Whatever you're doing right now, STOP immediately. Look around to make sure none of your cubicle mates are paying attention, plug in some headphones, and then watch this video.
I laugh. So hard. Every time.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Taxes, Tea Parties, and Family Life
The title of our radio show today was "Taxes, Tea Parties, and Family Life" and I laughed when I heard it, because it so aptly describes my life at the moment.
Taxes. Thanks to a very generous refund from the federal government (thanks guys!), I was able to pay off my car today, thus checking one goal off my list for 2009. I'm about the only debt-free 22-year-old I know, and yet I still can't get approved for a credit card to save my life. Hello, credit card companies of America- THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR SYSTEM. (Sidenote: why hasn't someone invented an 'all-caps' button yet? I want to just highlight a block of text, click a button, and BAM. All CAPS.)
Tea Parties. Yesterday was not a good day to live where I do- namely, directly across the street from Chief's restaurant. They held a 'tea party' protest in the afternoon, and I'm pretty sure every conservative in Greenville was there... so pretty much everyone in Greenville. It took me twenty minutes to drive the half-mile from the highway to my apartment. But then I got home and my mom had snagged me some wings from Chiefs, so my world was right-side up again, which brings me to...
Family (and friends) My parents and brother were here for Easter and we had a great time in Charleston, camping and eating more seafood than a blue whale in November. The parents are still here, and I am fully enjoying regressing into my lazy 16-year-old self. For instance, last night I put on freshly laundered pajamas, and climbed into my bed, which was not only MADE UP, but with clean sheets. Ah, bliss. Ryry is back in Chicago, relieved to be away from us and free to read 18 hours a day. Here is my favorite picture of us from the weekend- It's a classic Ryan/Karen shot, where I am all huggy and affectionate and he is all, well, not.
My oldest brother is leaving today for a several-month gig as a ranger on Mt. McKinley in Alaska, doing avalanche rescues and all kinds of fun, safe stuff like that. He'll follow that up by biking across western Canada with his girlfriend. Hmmm. I honestly can't decide which sounds less appealing. I am nothing like my brother.
And lastly, today is the birthday of my BFFUTSOLFOHBFA (five points if you can Name That Acronym) Sushi. When we met in fifth grade (at my best friend's birthday party) my first impression of Sushi was "Wait, she's not Japanese?" and then "Why is she wearing flannel?" Actually she's Indian (Sushi is short for something that I can't spell), which explains the first part, and she's also the most American person I know, which explains the second. I don't think she wears a lot of flannel these days, but she did introduce me to a whole host of important cultural things. Namely, the Disney Channel, Smirnoff Ice, and lentils. We logged a lot of hours in her room watching footage of NSYNC's television appearances and eating pop-tarts, for which I will be eternally grateful.
Mostly, though, I love her for being a loyal friend to me throughout the years, which has expressed itself in things like her forgiving me for calling her a slut in 7th-grade (I didn't know what it meant!) and patiently enduring my three-year crush on a boy we're all pretty sure is gay now (Sushi probably knew it at the time). So happy birthday Sushi- after a dozen years of putting up with me, you deserve a good one.
Taxes. Thanks to a very generous refund from the federal government (thanks guys!), I was able to pay off my car today, thus checking one goal off my list for 2009. I'm about the only debt-free 22-year-old I know, and yet I still can't get approved for a credit card to save my life. Hello, credit card companies of America- THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR SYSTEM. (Sidenote: why hasn't someone invented an 'all-caps' button yet? I want to just highlight a block of text, click a button, and BAM. All CAPS.)
Tea Parties. Yesterday was not a good day to live where I do- namely, directly across the street from Chief's restaurant. They held a 'tea party' protest in the afternoon, and I'm pretty sure every conservative in Greenville was there... so pretty much everyone in Greenville. It took me twenty minutes to drive the half-mile from the highway to my apartment. But then I got home and my mom had snagged me some wings from Chiefs, so my world was right-side up again, which brings me to...
Family (and friends) My parents and brother were here for Easter and we had a great time in Charleston, camping and eating more seafood than a blue whale in November. The parents are still here, and I am fully enjoying regressing into my lazy 16-year-old self. For instance, last night I put on freshly laundered pajamas, and climbed into my bed, which was not only MADE UP, but with clean sheets. Ah, bliss. Ryry is back in Chicago, relieved to be away from us and free to read 18 hours a day. Here is my favorite picture of us from the weekend- It's a classic Ryan/Karen shot, where I am all huggy and affectionate and he is all, well, not.
My oldest brother is leaving today for a several-month gig as a ranger on Mt. McKinley in Alaska, doing avalanche rescues and all kinds of fun, safe stuff like that. He'll follow that up by biking across western Canada with his girlfriend. Hmmm. I honestly can't decide which sounds less appealing. I am nothing like my brother.And lastly, today is the birthday of my BFFUTSOLFOHBFA (five points if you can Name That Acronym) Sushi. When we met in fifth grade (at my best friend's birthday party) my first impression of Sushi was "Wait, she's not Japanese?" and then "Why is she wearing flannel?" Actually she's Indian (Sushi is short for something that I can't spell), which explains the first part, and she's also the most American person I know, which explains the second. I don't think she wears a lot of flannel these days, but she did introduce me to a whole host of important cultural things. Namely, the Disney Channel, Smirnoff Ice, and lentils. We logged a lot of hours in her room watching footage of NSYNC's television appearances and eating pop-tarts, for which I will be eternally grateful.
Mostly, though, I love her for being a loyal friend to me throughout the years, which has expressed itself in things like her forgiving me for calling her a slut in 7th-grade (I didn't know what it meant!) and patiently enduring my three-year crush on a boy we're all pretty sure is gay now (Sushi probably knew it at the time). So happy birthday Sushi- after a dozen years of putting up with me, you deserve a good one.
Ain't she cute?
Friday, April 3, 2009
A Love Letter in Springtime
Dear Publix,
I just wanted to say, you were right- shopping with you really is a pleasure.
For the past nine months, our budding relationship has grown and blossomed, like the redbuds outside my window. I can't help but think back to our first chance encounter during the Florida trip of '07. Even then, I was enamored with the playful yet legible lettering on your storefront, and your brightly colored resuseable shopping bags, priced reasonably at just 99 cents.
Your wide aisles are well-lit and carefully laid out, and your speaker system buoys my spirits with selections such as the instrumental tribute to Backstreet Boy's "I Want It That Way." It's classics such as these that set my heart to soaring.
Publix, your pimply-faced checkout boys never fail to respectfully call me m'am and compliment me on the amazing deals I've scored. You never get mad when I use dozens of coupons, instead happily accepting them each in turn, lowering my total until I am in the single digits. Your middle-aged managers are always polite and, though I never take them up on it, your baggers always offer to carry my groceries to my car, even if it's only two boxes of Wheat Thins.
That's another thing, Publix- Wheat Thins. You are the only reason I can afford their $4.20 price tag. Your buy-one-get-one sales, combined with coupons from the newspaper inserts, mean I never have to sacrifice more than a dollar for all eight and a half ounces of that seven-grain goodness. And it doesn't stop at reduced fat crackers, no sir- you alone can quench my desire for Velveeta Shells and Cheese, Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix, and the whole array of Coffee-Mate's seasonal flavors.
Publix, you have about a thousand convenient locations in the greater Greenville area. You are, literally, always there for me. While some might consider this behavior 'loose', I just call it accommodating. My rock, my fortress...
I know we haven't known each other that long, Publix, but I really think we have something special here. My frugality and your generous spirit make us a killer team and together I think we could do great things. Like stock the pantry at St. Vincent de Paul. I don't mean to freak you out or anything, Publix, but it's spring, and I wanted to tell you how I feel.
Until next week's sales ad hits circulation, I remain faithfully yours,
Karen
I just wanted to say, you were right- shopping with you really is a pleasure.
For the past nine months, our budding relationship has grown and blossomed, like the redbuds outside my window. I can't help but think back to our first chance encounter during the Florida trip of '07. Even then, I was enamored with the playful yet legible lettering on your storefront, and your brightly colored resuseable shopping bags, priced reasonably at just 99 cents.
Your wide aisles are well-lit and carefully laid out, and your speaker system buoys my spirits with selections such as the instrumental tribute to Backstreet Boy's "I Want It That Way." It's classics such as these that set my heart to soaring.
Publix, your pimply-faced checkout boys never fail to respectfully call me m'am and compliment me on the amazing deals I've scored. You never get mad when I use dozens of coupons, instead happily accepting them each in turn, lowering my total until I am in the single digits. Your middle-aged managers are always polite and, though I never take them up on it, your baggers always offer to carry my groceries to my car, even if it's only two boxes of Wheat Thins.
That's another thing, Publix- Wheat Thins. You are the only reason I can afford their $4.20 price tag. Your buy-one-get-one sales, combined with coupons from the newspaper inserts, mean I never have to sacrifice more than a dollar for all eight and a half ounces of that seven-grain goodness. And it doesn't stop at reduced fat crackers, no sir- you alone can quench my desire for Velveeta Shells and Cheese, Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix, and the whole array of Coffee-Mate's seasonal flavors.
Publix, you have about a thousand convenient locations in the greater Greenville area. You are, literally, always there for me. While some might consider this behavior 'loose', I just call it accommodating. My rock, my fortress...
I know we haven't known each other that long, Publix, but I really think we have something special here. My frugality and your generous spirit make us a killer team and together I think we could do great things. Like stock the pantry at St. Vincent de Paul. I don't mean to freak you out or anything, Publix, but it's spring, and I wanted to tell you how I feel.
Until next week's sales ad hits circulation, I remain faithfully yours,
Karen
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
So I'm a bit on the frugal side...
Ben, on my need to find a dress for summer wedding season:
"As for a dress, my humble advice to you is this: the likelihood that you will find a beautiful gown increases exponentially when you allow yourself to consider pieces whose cost exceeds $5. Open your mind, Karen; let the beauty in. Embrace the aesthetic bliss."
"As for a dress, my humble advice to you is this: the likelihood that you will find a beautiful gown increases exponentially when you allow yourself to consider pieces whose cost exceeds $5. Open your mind, Karen; let the beauty in. Embrace the aesthetic bliss."
Monday, March 16, 2009
Bullseye
Lately, Patrick has been trying, rather unsuccessfully I had thought, to teach me to play darts. Hand-eye coordination games have never been my forte; in the past, I've typically excelled at sports like distance swimming, which requires only brute force and determination, and fighting with my brother, which again, requires only brute force and determination. So you can imagine my delight when I had a breakthrough victory this past weekend and, in Robin Hood fashion, pegged my first dart with my second dart. Check out my handiwork below.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
I heart Jimmy Fallon
Things that make me feel better when I'm sick:
-ramen noodles
-ice cream
-hot baths
-my mom
but mostly... Jimmy Fallon. His interview with Tina Fey made me laugh until I cried.
-ramen noodles
-ice cream
-hot baths
-my mom
but mostly... Jimmy Fallon. His interview with Tina Fey made me laugh until I cried.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
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