Kate

People are Nice.

2012-01-20T07:35:00.000-08:00

So, I don't write one of those "look at everything wise and important I've been learning about the world" blogs. Mainly because I don't learn anything that wise and important on a regular basis. Maybe I'm a natural cynic or just not paying that close of attention, but I'm not having epiphanies every other day.

But something happened to me last week that made me have (what her highness Oprah would call) an A-ha Moment.

My friend and I got into it a little bit in a planning meeting. He was unhappy with something we were doing that was completely my idea. He said some things about the format (again, that I came up with and have been executing for several months now) that were not very flattering. Like, he said it was lame and boring.

Part of me wanted to be mad and defensive, but this guy's actually a really good friend of mine. And I know him pretty well. We've worked through our share of times where our big mouths got the best of us. So, I knew what he was wanting to convey. I knew he wasn't attacking me, he was trying to make suggestions so that the whole group of us could do things better. He was trying to be inspiring and was just completely missing it with me because he was accidentally insulting me.

So I wasn't upset. I know him.

After the meeting, he pulled me aside and apologized for what he said. He had realized through the course of the meeting that the ideas he was shooting down were all mine and that it probably wasn't the most sensitive way to say/go about things.

He was trying to justify himself and apologize when I cut him off to say the following sentences:

"Hey, don't worry about it. Seriously. I wasn't offended. You probably could've said that a little nicer, but I know you, I know you weren't trying to insult me."

The look on his face when I said that was like I had just given him a $1,000. He high-fived me. It was like a moment of accomplishment for him, that he didn't have to spend more moments of his life explaining how what he said was well-intentioned if insensitive, but instead I just got that.

I just understood that he's a good guy with a good heart who cares about people. And that sometimes his words come out wrong.

He was seriously thrilled with that.

And I realized how desperate we all are for that. I get myself into that situation a lot. I don't have a filter and I'm confident enough to want to speak my mind all the time. Some good things come out of that.

What doesn't often come out of that is people seeing that I care. But I do. A lot. I care about people and I try really hard to care for people. And sometimes when people think that I'm rude or bitchy, it just makes me lonely. Like people clearly just don't understand me.

And when someone can look past the insensitive thing I said or did and remember my heart and my goodness, it makes me feel really loved.

So I'm going to continue to try to do that for my friends. I'm going to choose to always remember how good they are, how much they want to love people well, how much they care.

Wouldn't that be awesome if we all did that for each other? I know I would spend a lot more time feeling good about myself. And I would spend a lot more time feeling good about my friends.

I want people to be free and confident and feel good. I'm going to do my best to dole that out.

Disclaimer: I will likely fail hard at this. What are you gonna do?

Song of the Day: If I Ever Leave This World Alive by Flogging Molly

Alright, I Changed My Mind

2012-01-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is, but I feel really good about 2012.

I've never really seen New Year's Eve as a holiday and I think resolutions are usually just a way to set yourself up to feel bad about yourself, so I don't get all that excited about the start of a new year. It's just a normal passage of time, right?

But other people love New Year's. It's all over the place: blog posts about resolutions, topics of conversation. Everyone has asked me, "What's your new year's resolution?"

Normally, I kind of roll my eyes at this, but this year for the first time, I think I get it.

It's a new year. New. A time to start over, a time to say I can be whatever I want to be.

It's hopeful.

And hopeful is always a good place to be in.

If you read my blog, then you know I talk a lot about how much I love my life. And that's true. But I'm also 26 and I get scared a lot. I'm never quite sure if this is where I'm supposed to be. I worry that I'm going to screw my life up. That somehow I'm going to make some decision that puts the rest of my life on a crap-spiral into nothing.

That's not hopeful.

In fact, that's kind of pitiful.

So, mid-twenties, I find the New Year's hype comforting. Because it's an excuse to believe that even if I don't quite have it together right now, this year I can get there. And if I don't, there's another year after that (well, if the Mayans are wrong).

And that's worth some fireworks.

Let's do this, 2012.

Song of the Day: The Girl by City and Color

Benny the Bachelor Takes on the Crazies (Ep. 1)

2012-01-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

You know what today is?

It's one of my favorite days of the year, a time to renew hope and joy.

That's right, the Bachelor's back!

And it's starring Ben F., fresh off a rough rejection by Ashley. (Dodged a bullet there, Ben.)

The opening vignette shows Ben in all his goofy, wine-making, kayaking, piano-playing glory and it reaffirms how much I like him, despite his choice of neon tank top and badly staged dramatic posing.

Also returning to my TV screen: Chris Harrison, one of my favorite people in the world and someone I wish would hang out with me in real life (along with Jon Stewart).

The ladies appear with horses, shooting, creepy shots of watching Ben on the Bachelorette, catalogue modeling, sad-looking pregnant ladies with perky nurses, sob stories, a British girl in Scottsdale, a "blogger" who is clearly attempting to channel Carrie Bradshaw, the single mom, the divorcee, and so many cheesy limo exit strategies, I can't even begin to recount them.

I have to say, there were no real first impression winners to me. Normally, all it takes is the limo exits for me to know exactly who will win it, but really, they all sucked. Pretty bad.

But sucks at life equals awesome at cocktail parties and cat fights. Rapping, line dancing, blindfolds, push ups, delusional models talking too much, sweet grannies, crazy maniacal laughing, drunken crying, complete denial of drunken crying, and drunken crier talking to herself in the bathroom. Awesome.

Oh, yeah, and Lind-Z with the horse got the first impression rose. She sucks just as much as the rest of them.

Jenna the Blogger emerged from the bathroom just in time for the rose ceremony where the producers clearly made him keep both her and her nemesis, Monica. We also get to see more of the single mom, the grandma girl, the sweet young one from Tennesse, and many, many more. Some are crazy, some will be turned crazy by this process.

Ben told one of the girls she was a good hugger for which he has endeared himself to me until at least the next episode.

End of Episode 1 Top 3 Predictions: sweet Tennesee girl, PhD student, and Jamie who raised her siblings

Drama Predictions: High. Real high.

I. Love. This. Show.

This is Contentment

2011-11-12T09:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I'm in Boston. With my brother.

It has been epic in so many ways. I will be bringing a recap post very soon, although I'm not sure I can encompass the joy of both a big city and sibling shenanigans in words.

Sneak preview: public tranist, good Indian food, abundant coffee shops, beautiful fall weather, freedom trail tours, and play-instantly PBS miniseries on Netflix.

It's going to take all the willpower I have to make myself return to Willy and snow tomorrow.

Song of the Day: Skin and Bones by David J. Roch

Joy

2011-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's November.

Do you know what that means?

That's right! It's Month 2 of the Christmas Season!

(Just like Wal-Mart, I start celebrating Christmas on October 1.)

(I don't shop at Wal-Mart, but if I did I'm sure I would see Christmas stuff starting in October.)

(I'm not too good for Wal-Mart, I just don't happen to shop there.)

(I'm from Missouri so I can't hate the Wal-Marts, but, well, you know...)

(Target.)

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. It is full of tradition, good food, hanging out with people you love, yummy seasonal drinks at Starbucks, presents, festive decorations, many parties. It just is so wonderful.

To prove my point, I'm going to share with you a timeline of my 3-month long Christmas season and then you tell me it's not awesome.

Sept. 6: Seasonal drinks start at Starbucks with the release of the PSL, aka Pumpkin Spice Latte. I realize Christmas season is coming and I am stoked.

Oct 1: Christmas season starts. We start playing the "Pop/R&B Holidays" station on Pandora at work. Not all day every day, but it is enough to start getting pumped.

Oct. 31: Christmas Season Holiday #1: Halloween. I've always loved passing out candy on Halloween and you know I love me any chance to wear a ridiculous costume, but my love of Halloween has increased since moving to Williams. They do Halloween up right around here with kids of all ages running around town, people passing out candy everywhere, parties, haunted houses, etc. Things like Halloween are really made for small towns.

Nov. 1: Holiday Drinks start at Starbucks. Egg Nog Lattes are delicious though make me want to barf because they're so rich. And I get all my drinks in a festive red cup. My latte consumption increases 7-fold. (Seriously.)

Nov. 1: Half-price Halloween Candy. Enough said.

Nov. 8-13: I go to Boston to see my brother. This isn't really a tradition, but it is going to be awesome.

Nov. 13: Williams Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Lost Canyon. We invite the whole town to a pre-Thanksgiving dinner at Lost Canyon. Seriously about a quarter of the town comes. Again, small town awesomeness.

Nov. 24: Christmas Season Holiday #2: Thanksgiving, aka Friendsgiving. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls while watching the parade. Cooking all day. Building a fire and doing the full-page crossword. Watching all the Friends Thanksgiving Episodes. And, this year only, Friendsgiving will be taking place in a house in Zion with 15 of my closest friends from Williams. This is guaranteed to be awesome.

Nov. 27: Williams Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting. There are no words to describe this event. It is something you must just see.

Nov. 28: My brother's birthday. I always waste the good present on this one and then don't know what to get him for Christmas, but it always means that we're really close to being home and acting like kids for a couple weeks. Christmas is near.

Dec. 1-20: December Christmas Movie Marathon at the Chateau. We play a Christmas movie a night, starting with Elf and including some of my personal favorites: Home Alone 1 and 2, Muppet Christmas Carol, Love Actually, and Charlie Brown Christmas.

Dec. 3-6: Debbie and Kate Go to New York. I'm returning to the Big Apple with my roommate who has never been. So we get to go see all the Christmas cheer: Rockefeller Center, store windows, Christmas markets, Broadway shows. My heart is happy simply thinking about it.

Dec. 14: Lost Canyon Staff Christmas Party. Last year this took place at something called the Winchester Steakhouse and included a country legends cover band. I can only imagine what this year will entail. It is rare that our entire staff is forced to be in social setting together and it always equals something really great.

Dec. 15: Housekeeping Half Day at Lost Canyon. Every month, one department on camp gets our whole staff for a half day so that you can get big projects done. It also is required that you include an hour of fun and games so that we get to just hang out. My month is December. So, I get a ridiculous amount of work done and I get to force my friends to do things like play telephone charades or do karaoke. I think you can see why this is awesome.

Dec. 17: Home to Missouri. The festivities really kick into high gear. I will meet my brother at the airport and immediately start laughing, arguing, and all around being loud. It's really the truest form of me.

Dec. 18: Mizzou vs. William and Mary. My dad hasn't told me for sure that this is happening yet. (Hint, dad.) But I'm going to go ahead and put it on the calendar. We always do one family sporting event per Christmas. Some years it was Blues games, but my parents have a suite at Mizzou games now, so we've made the switch. It always includes dinner somewhere in Columbia and strong moments of reliving my college years.

Dec. 20 (approximate date): Christmas Decoration Night. We will start by decorating our tree. Not the pretty tree because my mom will already have that up, but our tree with all our childhood ornaments. So ugly, so nostalgic, so great. This night will also include the traditional Tichelkamp Nativity Challenge. Whoever gets baby Jesus wins. I have a lot of wins built up, so my record is fairly secure.

Dec. 23 (again, approximate because my family hasn't made the switch to Christmas excitement quite the way I have): Moon Family Christmas. My mom's extended family. Cousins, aunts, uncles, all at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Doesn't matter how old I get, this is still a joy. (Various other extended family Christmases may or may not be included around this time, but they are less consistent because "people have their own families now." Grandma Moon will never fail us single people.)

Entire duration of trip home: Lots of satellite TV, lots of games, lots of food, lots of snarkiness. (Probably some drama- can family time go without it?)

Dec. 24: Christmas Season Holiday #3: Mom's House Christmas. We will have our traditional Christmas dinner. The dishes were chosen when my brother and I were 5 and 6 and my mom asked us, "What do you want for Christmas dinner?" We chose what we thought were the dishes you would serve at a fancy dinner. Some additions/subtractions have been made over the years, but the core stays the same: steak, shrimp from a box, pink salad (jello concoction for those of you not from the Midwest), broccoli cheese casserole, assorted candy/cookie plate for dessert (baked on Christmas Decoration Night). Dinner is followed by presents and then playing one of the games that we received as a family from Santa.

Dec. 25: Christmas Season Holiday #4: Dad's House Christmas. We no longer do early morning wake up, present open because my oldest brother has kids that are old enough to care and they have to do Christmas at their house first. So we sleep in, wake up, put A Christmas Story on TBS on the TV where it will stay on all day, and make Christmas Day Lunch including ham, sweet potatoes, cheesy taters, green bean casserole, homemade bread, and red velvet cake and pecan pie for dessert. This is followed by presents which is followed by a wrapping paper war. We then hang out for about an hour while my brother puts his kids' presents together and we all play with them. We watch part of A Christmas Story and then shift into the traditional Family Game Night portion of the evening. This tends to include too much booze and someone crying, but we still love it and do it every year anyway. I can count on laughing real hard and eating a lot of chipped beef dip (sounds disgusting but is, in fact, delicious).

Dec. 31: Christmas Season Holiday #5: New Year's Eve. I normally spend this at home with my brother and sister, playing games, drinking wine, and being awesome. But I will be back in Willy for it this year. Not sure what will happen but I'm positive it will be fun and low-key which is always what I need after holiday nuttiness.

OK, did you read all of that? And can you still begrudge me for the 3-month celebration? It is totally deserved.

Happy Christmas Season, everyone!

Song of the Day: All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah

Today at Work, I...

2011-11-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

-Went to our morning meeting.

-Answered the question of the day (What's the last movie you saw in the theaters?) with Footloose.

-Laughed when I realized that the same answer came from about half of our staff.

-Thought again about how bad that movie was.

-Went to Clarabelle's.

-Gave my staff the vision for the day.

-Sent them on their way.

-Signed time cards and created our schedule through the end of November.

-Made coffee.

-Got excited when my coworker said she was going to Flag to Sam's Club.

-Sent said coworker a list that include 18 bottles of Soft Scrub with Bleach.

-Dropped time cards off at the main office.

-Went back to my office.

-Drank coffee.

-Looked at bedding online and tried to exactly match a color through the internet.

-Found that impossible and stressed about it a little.

-Chatted with one of our maintenance guys about Tony LaRussa's retirement and how much I want Albert Pujols to come back.

-Sent an email to a rep about some sheets. He called me back to try to sell me mattresses.

-Got excited when another of my coworkers said they were going to the hardware store.

-Asked said coworker to buy all the pumice stones that they have at the hardware store.

-Bummed out when said coworker called to tell me that they only had one pumice stone at the hardware store.

-Realized this is because we live in a small town and I had already bought all the rest of them a couple of weeks ago.

-Researched where I can buy pumice stones on the internet.

-Spent a little more time looking at sheets online and sending more emails to my rep about the 20 samples I want him to send me. Maybe if I get enough samples, I won't need to buy any sheets.

-Realized my logic was flawed.

-Went downstairs and saw that nobody told me we're almost out of our main cleaning chemical.

-Rolled my eyes a little and went back upstairs to order more chemicals.

-Went back downstairs and forgot what I had gone down there for in the first place.

-Ate a piece of chocolate while trying to remember.

-Gave up, went back upstairs, and refilled my coffee.

-Drafted a long email to a guest group coming at the end of November.

-Had to erase my attempts at humor from the email and repeat my mantra, "Funny doesn't equal professional."

-Sent email and realized I forgot to attach the 3 sheets that the email specifically stated I had attached.

-Sent email #2 with said attachments. Embraced the humor in this one.

-Created an event and reservation within our reservations manager for said group.

-Finished creating an event and reservation after approximately 4 more attempts.

-Felt good about myself because the last one I did took about 9 attempts.

-Realized that it was lunch time only because my staff came back to Clarabelle's and asked, "Is it alright if we head to lunch?"

-Wrote this blog post.

-Decided I was going to work on the actual to-do list I have for today after lunch.

-Loved my job and appreciated how completely random it is.

Song of the Day: Ophelia by The Band

Baseball and Coffee: Two of My Favorite Things

2011-10-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

Before I get to anything else: The Cardinals won the World Series last night. After being 10 1/2 games back in late August.

If you understand how awesome this is, well, then you understand how content I am today.

If you don't get it, I understand but I'm a little sad for you.

It was awesome.

And now I start the 5 month wait until I get to watch baseball again.

You know what else is awesome? That I've been at the coffee shop today for approximately 3 hours and am not planning on leaving anytime soon.

I've hung out with a friend, had an Americano, edited a video for club on Monday, spent some time aimlessly interneting, listened to some good music, and altogether had an awesome Saturday morning.

I like my life.

Song of the Day: Dirty Rain by Ryan Adams (Yes, there's a new Ryan Adams album out. And yes, it has helped make my life more complete. I love me some Ryan Adams.)

Thank You, Mr. Jobs

2011-10-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my roommate told me Steve Jobs died.

I was shocked. More shocked then is fitting for someone I didn't know. And I was saddened. I was a little surprised at how much I cared.

I love Mac products. I love the company: the way it inovates and the obvious joy it takes in creating. And how that combination equals some seriously kick-ass technology. And Steve Jobs was the face of that company for so long.

But he was not just a face, he was not just a spokesperson. It was clear, and has become more clear in the coverage of his life in the past couple of days, that he was THE innovator.

He created. And he took great joy in that. He loved the products he put out. He made exciting things, things that sounded like just dreams to other people. He didn't create for profit and sometimes he bombed hard (Mac Cube, anyone?), but he kept making things.

He devoted his life to it. And he clearly loved it.

And that changes the world.

There has been so much coverage in the last couple of days, and I have been engrossed with it. I've loved reading about the life he lived and the vision he employed. And I've been sad to think of everything we're going to miss out on with his early passing.

Of all the quotes and articles I've read, there's a couple that I've really loved. The first is his commencement address at Stanford, where he so clearly imparts what he really believes: that if you do what you love, if you follow your gut and set aside fear, you will know true success.

And then this article, that uses Mr. Jobs as an example of what true philanthropy is, which has little to do with how much money you give and so much more to do with using all of your potential to do whatever you love as excellently as you can.

I hope that I can as faithfully use my talents in this life. Thanks for the inspiration, Mr. Jobs.

Accidental Habits

2011-10-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

Houses in Northern Arizona don't have air conditioning.

It's weird to me because I grew up in humid Mid-Missouri, where we would get concerned that old people would die in the summer if they didn't have air conditioning. Seriously, we had fan drives we were so concerned.

But we don't really need it in NorAZ. It's beautiful all summer long. As long as you can open your windows, you're set.

Unfortunately for me, I don't have any windows in my room. I have beautiful french doors that open onto my deck, but no windows. And if I leave the doors open, I get giant bugs that fly into my face while I'm trying to sleep. Not cool, bugs.

So I developed a new habit this summer. Every night, I would go into my room and open up my doors. I would then get ready for bed, make sure my ceiling fan and my humidifier were on and then I would step out onto my deck and curl up into my adirondack chairs.

My theory was that if I could just get cool, then I could go back in and go to sleep comfortably. And it's cool out in NorAZ on summer nights. So it worked. I would sit out there for 15 minutes and go back in my room kind of chilly.

Problem solved.

But something else happened, too. Because my life is crazy. And I feel like I go, go, go all day every day.

But every night I had 15 minutes to sit out under the stars. Sometimes I would read articles on my iPhone news apps. Sometimes I would listen to music. But most of the time I would just sit quietly. And look at the ridiculously beautiful stars. And think about nothing.

It's pretty cold at night now, but I still go out there anyway. Because it turns out I need that time to just sit and be still. To shiver in the cold and realize that the world is bigger than me and my busy-ness. To be quiet. To look at the stars.

NorAZ doesn't have air conditioning. And it turns out that's really good for me.

Song of the Day: The Show by Lenka, performed by 12-year-old Kerris Dorsey

I Might Be Fickle

2011-09-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

I'll own it. I love facebook.

You're probably going to remind me that I have written the exact opposite of that statement before. And that I have a blog tag that says "facebook sucks."

I'll own it. I'm a hypocrite.

For real, though, I did not know it was possible to simultaneously love and hate something so much.

I check it all the time. I probably see everything you post on my news feed. I like knowing what my friends (and mild acquaintances) are up to. I'm narcissistic enough to believe that people want to hear about what I'm doing and see pictures of me.

But I think some of the appeal might be the danger in it.

Facebook is like one big game of emotional roulette. About 20% of the time after going on facebook, I feel bad about myself.

There I'll be, looking at pictures of someone's baby or wedding or what they ate that day (seriously, why do you post pictures of you food? that's one thing I don't care about), and I'll be loving every minute of it.

And then, BAM!

Someone I went to school with just got a new job as a travel writer and is getting paid $7 millionty to spend their life traveling and writing. Or there's some dude I thought I liked for 2 seconds who appears in his internet life to be happier then me, thus winning the ex-war. Or someone's living in NYC. Or Paris. Or London.

And I'm jealous. And I look around at the life that I normally love and it doesn't look so pretty.

It's like someone's on stage with their fly down. I feel bad but there's nothing I can do to make it stop. So I just keep watching and keep feeling bad.

I love facebook. But facebook sucks.

You know what I'm saying?

Song of the Day: Starry Eyed by Ellie Goulding (Warning: It is impossible to hear this song without wanting to dance around your house.)

I'm Tired

2011-09-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

You know what proves to me that I'm definitely not ready to have kids? I haven't been sleeping well for about a week now and I am so pissed off about it I can barely function.

Seriously, I'm tired, I'm cranky, I've been tearing up over nothing.

It's pathetic. And that's after one week. I don't even want to know what kind of constant rage I would be in if some tiny little person was waking me up before I was ready all the time.

It wouldn't be pretty. And neither would I. (For real, the dark circles under my eyes make me look like a rejected extra from Twilight.)

I think I just have some residual stress built up in me. Nothing a vacation can't fix. And since I have a 4-day weekend coming my way, I'm feeling pretty good.

Speaking of my 4-day weekend, my dad and step-mom are coming to visit tomorrow. They'll hang out in Williams and see Route 66 (it's really a sight to behold), and then we're all going to drive down to Phoenix where it is 100 degrees and there's a pool. And Mizzou is playing at ASU. It's going to be awesome. Missouri meets Arizona- a collision of two of my favorite things.

So, that's going to be great. And I'm going to be relaxed and sleep well and get rid of the ridiculous farmer's tan that I still have left from this summer.

I'm relaxed just writing about it...

Song of the Day: Soldier by Ingrid Michaelson

I Lied. It was an Accident, Though.

2011-09-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

OK, so a few days ago, I listed all the things my blog wouldn't be about. One of them was sports.

That was a little bit of a lie because I am bound to write about sports now and again. Because, you know, I love my Cardinals and my Tigers.

But my blog won't be about sports.

It'll still be about me. You can count on that as a constant.

But sometimes I spend my days watching football and I need to tell you about it. Like Saturday, when I watched football in my basement for 14 hours.

It was awesome. Some would even say it was the perfect day. (Some= Abigail.)

Here's how the day went:

8:00 Wake up, brush teeth, turn on College Game Day, finish making pumpkin cinnamon rolls I started the night before.

9:00 Cinnamon rolls baked and iced, channel changed to start of Mizzou game

9:15 Susie and Debbie wake up, grab cinnamon rolls and coffee, join me in our loft.

9:45 Abigail and Jill pull up outside. Abigail jumps out of the car and starts running into the house before Jill puts the car in park. Abigail might be as stoked as me.

10:30 Halftime. We move to the basement. Much better for football watching.

12:00 Mizzou game is over, we flip between UCLA/Houston and USC/Minnesota . Abigail is content. (She's a Pac-12 girl.)

1:00 Afternoon snacks come out. Guacamole and spinach dip. Perfect.

2:45 Debbie leaves for work. We all pity her.

3:45 Jill leaves to do homework. We all pity her more.

4:00 Important afternoon games are over. We nap with BYU/Ole Miss on in the background.

4:52 Susie and I wake up and watch last 3 plays of game.

4:56 Abigail wakes up. The first words out of her mouth are: "This is the best day ever."

5:00 Oregon/LSU starts. I try to explain why I don't like the Ducks even though I want to. I can't. We flip at commercials to BSU/UGA and I insist on catching a couple plays of Oklahoma.

5:30 The announcers are talking about Oklahoma, Texas, OK State, and Texas Tech going to the Pac-12. I get mad and yell some things I can't repeat here.

6:00 We order pizza and wings because, well, you know... Football Saturdays.

6:30 Jill comes back because, you know, pizza and wings.

8:00 Oregon loses. Susie is bummed but the rest of us don't care that much. We switch to the UofA/NAU game because it's funny.

10:00 Games are over, we switch to Sports Center to watch the coverage of all the games we just watched.

11:00 Everyone is asleep on couches besides me so we decide to call it a night. I start carrying all the trash and stuff upstairs to find that my roommate Katie did all the dishes we had left up there. I declare Katie a saint, wash my face, brush my teeth, and go straight to sleep.

There it is: 14 hours of football.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I think I shouldn't enjoy 14 hours of football that much.

But I do.

You see, I have this life here. And it's great. But it's not the life I grew up with.

It's different.

I'm not that different. But my life is.

So I watch 14 hours of football. Because of some kind of nostalgic weirdness, it makes me feel like me. It makes me think of my family, where they are and what they're doing. It makes me think of the streets I used to walk down and the shops I used to visit and the people that I used to see every day.

It makes me think of so much laughter. And so much fun. Of being really young and learning how to be on my own. Of home.

You see, I have this life. This life that I never even thought to dream of. That in some ways is so much more than what I could have dreamed up. And, in some ways, is so far from where I wanted to be.

I have this life that is always changing, always full of surprises.

But I'm still me. You can count on that as a constant.

And I still love 14 hours of college football and lazy Saturdays.

Song of the Day: We Don't Eat by James Vincent McMorrow (I seriously can't stop listening to this song. Look up the lyrics, they're amazing.)

Compromise is Key

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Almost 2 years ago, I moved to Williams, AZ.

I made this move for a lot of reasons: the job I love is here, some really cool people are here, we have the Polar Express.

One reason I did not make this move: to find a husband.

Intelligent, funny, goal-oriented, compassionate, adventurous, late-20s to early-30s bachelors don't really exist in Williams.

It's fine. I've made my peace with it. I don't hate Williams for it.

Mainly because I feel like Williams and I have come to a good compromise. I will sing its praises to everyone I talk to as long as it keeps providing me with cute tourists to ease the sting.

Seriously, I find it weird, but really attractive men vacation in Williams, AZ. You would think it would be all old people and foreigners (which, for the most part, it is), but what I didn't anticipate were the hikers. They love the Grand Canyon. And being outdoorsy. And cute.

They also love to shop in our Safeway.

And I love to show them some small-town hospitality over the produce.

Yep, I accept this compromise Williams. Because I don't really want a husband that bad. But harmless flirtation in Aisle 9? Yes, please.

Song of the Day: The Perfect Space by the Avett Brothers

Back to School!

2011-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a fairly self-aware person. I know I'm good at some stuff and I suck at some stuff. I have a pretty good idea of what those things are.

I was not a good student. I just wasn't. I got bored easily and I like to be able to see tangible results from my work. (Grades don't count.)

But I really like to learn. And every year at this time, I get so jealous of everyone going back to school. Part of me just really wants to throw a notebook and some G2 .07 pens (best pens ever) into my giant bag and head off to class.

I could be one of those people who collects random degrees. (Which is basically what I did the first time around.) I could take Women's and Gender Studies classes and Art History and English Lit and Creative Writing and Rural Sociology. And it would be awesome.

I could make my schedule so that I wouldn't have to get up before 10:00 and I could spend hours reading things in a library. Oooh, or a coffee shop! Even better!

I could write papers. And have well-informed opinions.

I could lay on the grass outside on pretty days and hang out with my friends at 2:00 in the afternoon. And I could have entire chunks of time that I hadn't planned anything in.

I could stay up until 3:00 in the morning, dreaming with my friends about all the world-changing things I'm going to do with my life.

It would be glorious. And I wouldn't have to rely on the 15 minutes a day that I get to read news websites to keep me intellectually stimulated.

Ah, to be young again...

Song of the Day: She is Love by Parachute

My Blog Brings All the Boys to the Yard

2011-08-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone who works anywhere in the Hospitality industry will tell you that our vacation time is different than yours.

When you're gearing up to head back to school or work, riding high on the memories of sweet summer nights, family vacation, ball games, picnics, and that awesome trip to wherever it is you went, we're all rejoicing because now it's our turn.

Sept. 1 is a little bit like our New Year. It's a time to breathe and relax, to evaluate how the summer went and to have a little bit of respite before starting to gear up for next summer.

It's also the time to reboot our lives a little. We let ourselves get away with whatever during the summer. The hours are long and you gotta do what it takes to survive.

But now it's real life again and it's funny to see everyone ease back into routines and pick up the good habits that we worked so hard to form in the first place and somehow got lost along the way.

For some of my friends, that's going to the gym or getting up early to have some quiet time.

For me, that's reading, journalling, and, most importantly, blogging.

I'm back to my blog. It kind of defeats the purpose of the blog if I have to force myself to do it. So I'm not going to say I'm going to write on it every day or anything, but I am going to write on it more. Because I like to.

But before I get to it, I want you to understand what this blog is going to be about. I know it's been a little fuzzy for the last little while, so I'm going to get back to the basics of what my blog is. And then you can decide whether or not you want to read it.

Here are 10 things that my blog is NOT (nor will ever be, I promise):

1) A blog about babies.

2) A blog about cooking.

3) A blog about interior design.

4) A blog about Do-It-Yourself projects.

5) A blog about photography.

6) A blog about my inspirational world-view.

7) A blog about fashion.

8) A blog about sports.

9) A blog about any combination of the things above.

10) Really, a blog about any specific subject.

I subscribe to blogs about all of these things. And I like them. But I'm not going to write about them.

Here are 10 things that my blog is (and hopefully always will be):

1) A blog about things that I find funny.

2) A blog about TV shows that I find ridiculous.

3) A blog about life in my weird little corner of the world.

4) A blog about the occasional thing that makes me mad.

5) A blog about books that I love.

6) A blog about music that I play over and over on repeat.

7) A blog with ridiculous title posts. (See above.)

8) A blog about the job that I wake up wanting to go to every day.

9) A blog about how I live my life and how I hope to live my life.

10) Really, a blog about me. All about me.

I may be a raging narcissist. Or it might be that the only thing I really know about in this world is myself, but I'm going to be continuing to write about my life and how I see it, and that's about it.

I will attempt to be funny along the way. It might not work.

But if you like me, hopefully you'll enjoy.

So Long Sweet Summer (Once Again)

2011-08-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

This week marked the unofficial end of our summer season here at Lost Canyon.

Praise the Lord: it's over.

Praise the Lord: it was good.

Here's the thing about sticking something out for more than a year: it gets easier. Because you figure out what you're doing. And you do the same thing again, but better.

It's pretty great.

And I don't remotely know how to recap it all for you, so I'll just caption some pictures that pretty much say it all.

First Session: Life is awesome and YL summer is in full gear. My job includes teaching the high school girls in the picture below how to clean things and dressing up with them in ridiculous costumes in order to make cleaning things fun. I'm in the parrot costume.

The weather is like this, pretty much always. Except ignore those clouds because they don't really happen here.

Once a week, there's a cabin clean-up competition and we award a prize to the cleanest cabin. Bribes are allowed. The bribes consist of pretty much this amount of candy every week.

Session Two: We got a little tired. This is Susie, Debbie, and Abigail (left to right) at the session start meeting. My instruction for this photo was "accurately represent how you feel about the fact that Session Two starts right now." I'm going to let you guess which two people in this picture work for me and which one works in the kitchen.

I did find some time to relax. When I did, it consisted of this:

4th of July: Capernaum (YL for kids with special needs) Week at Lost Canyon. We had a parade. It was awesome. See this post for video.

I also went to the Williams Parade. Which featured Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam. I love this town.

Also there: this cute baby. Whom I love.

And this one, who was really focused on his snow cone. And whom I also love. (This is before he ditched us to sit by himself on a curb.)

This summer was so awesome that I actually got to take a week off from working at Young Life camp to... take kids to Young Life camp! Yep, I got to hang out with these kids for a week at Woodleaf. They're real fun.

I spent the week laughing a lot like this:

And getting caked in head-to-toe mud like this:

And swinging in trees like this (yes, I'm a grown-up):

After that awesome week, I came back to work where I sometimes find things like this drawn on the bottom of Lost and Found shoes. High school kids are funny (and inappropriate).

And now summer has ended, so I get to do things like play in giant birthday softball games with my friends. Again, awesome.

So basically, I spent my summer hanging out with high school kids. And acting like a high school kid. And being awesome.

Such is my life.

So Close

2011-08-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

At the end of this week, the summer craziness of Lost Canyon is ending. I will be writing a celebratory post all about it. And I'm going to get serious about writing on my blog again. I promise.

In the meantime, I just spent half of the $16 I have left in my checking account on James Vincent McMorrow's album. And I don't regret it at all.

(On a related note, my life choices make me really happy. Because I make no money, have a job I love, and can buy music even when I shouldn't completely guilt-free. It's pretty awesome.)

Song(s) of the Day: Old Dark Machine, Sparrow and the Wolf, Follow You Down to the Red Oak Tree, and Red Dust by James Vincent McMorrow (courtesy of NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Series which I love. A lot.)

Life.

2011-08-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

I slept until noon today. Which was glorious and much needed.

And then I went to the coffee shop for 2 hours, where I was planning to post on my blog but ended up getting distracted by facebook and the 12 separate people who came in that I know and want to catch up with.

Such is life in a small town.

And now I'm a little late to the "team leader meeting" I'm having with my Area Director/friend Miriam and Wyld Life team leader/friend Christin. It will involve sangria.

Such is life when you're awesome.

So rather than a long post, I'll just tide you all over with my new musical obsession. Enjoy.

Song of the Day: Down in the Valley by The Head and the Heart

Bonus Song of the Day: Rivers and Roads by The Head and the Heart

I Can't Stop Being Sappy.

2011-07-10T10:28:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting in my office right now. And I have a rare moment of down time. Everybody's doing what they're supposed to be doing and they don't need me.

That's awesome...

And it lasted exactly as long as it took me to type those 4 sentences. As I was typing awesome, one of my Laundry girls yelled upstairs to ask me a question followed by 2 radio calls and a camper asking for beach towels.

I love my life.

Here's what's happening in HK-world right now: I'm in my office drinking what's left of my watered-down Americano and listening to the Britney Spears blasting through the speakers downstairs. My Laundry girls are folding towels and there's 4 servers in here folding kitchen linens and playing some really loud game that I don't understand. I just got back from checking on my tawashies, who are cleaning dorm rooms. To get to them, I had to walk through Cabin Games, where 430 leaders and campers are dressed in ridiculous outfits and running all over camp doing ridiculous things. I could see Susie and Abigail in the middle of chaos, showing our girls how to make mop water and asking them questions about who they are and where they're from.

Again, I love my life.

Even though it might be a little odd.

An example of how odd it can be: yesterday I came home and our Sites and Facilities Superintendent was in our driveway, attempting to break into my roommate's car while dressed in a full-on old western cowboy outfit. You see, Susie had locked her keys in her car and asked Jim to try to break into it. So he stopped by after he was done performing in the daily western shoot-out show that takes place in downtown Williams.

Seriously, I love my life.

At exactly this time 2 years ago, if you had told me I would be living in Williams, AZ, I would've laughed at you. I was loving living in Kansas City. I was near my friends and I was determined to find a job, to start a career that would look impressive.

And then I ended up here. Impressive, it is not. I'm not living the life I thought I was going to live. But I laugh so hard it hurts every single day. I drive two blocks out of the way to avoid the tourists gathered for the shoot-out show. I hang out with high school kids who think it's impossible to go to college or to reach for the life they want, and I tell them that they can. I live with some really impressive women who push me and encourage me and know me.

I love my life.

And even though this isn't where I thought I would end up, I'm probably not going anywhere anytime soon.

And I feel great about that.

Song of the Day: My Boy Builds Coffins by Florence + the Machine

Parades are Awesome.

2011-07-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

So Young Life has this ministry called Capernaum.

It's Young Life. For kids with special needs.

And they do a week of camp at Lost Canyon.

It is possibly the best thing ever.

I don't think I can do it justice, so I'm just going to put the 3 videos I shot of the parade we had here at camp on 4th of July. Each area got to make their own banner and march in the parade. The videos are a little long and I'm kind of obnoxiously yelling in them (shocking), but I encourage you to watch them anyway. It's worth it.

(Oh, and don't worry. We were at the very beginning of the route. There was way more people along the way. It wasn't lame, I promise.)

And a short bonus video. Of the Party in the USA dance party that broke out post-parade. So great.

Scenes from a Summer Camp

2011-06-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

I know you've all been wanting a clearer picture of what my day to day here at Lost Canyon looks like. So I'm going to spend a minute relaying a little scene that just happened here that I think pretty accurately represents how I spend my days:

I'm sitting in my office, valiantly attempting to catch up on a little bit of office work after a week of craziness where half of my department was gone taking kids to camp as leaders.

I'm half-listening to the constant chatter on our radios. (Our main means of communication: Ritron radios that someone is making noise on at least 75% of the day.)

I hear Abigail, one of my Housekeepers, pipe up on the radio, laughing a little and calling for Maintenance. I tune in because I assume something is broken in the building she's cleaning and I want to know about it. I overhear this conversation.

Abigail: "Maintenance, copy, Maintenance."

Matt (one of our Maintenance Techs): "Go ahead."

Abigail (with the clear sound of high school girls screaming and laughing in the background): "Um, hey, Matt. I'm here in Fossil (one of our dorm rooms) and the toilet's... Well, there's water running out of the toilet... The little hose thingy looked broken, so I tried to fix it and, well... It kind of sprayed out everywhere. Like, all over me. The toilet water sprayed me and it's, yeah, it's broken."

Matt (laughing a little): "Alright, I'll be right there. Are you still in the room?"

Abigail: "Yeah, I'm here."

Matt: "OK, stay there. I'll be right over."

Jim (Sites and Facilities Superintendent): "Abigail, that's reclaimed water. Don't worry about it."

(We all know where the reclaimed water comes from. You don't want to get sprayed with it.)

Abigail: "Oh, awesome. No, it's great. I'm soaked in toilet water. It's fine."

Me: "All part of the job, Abigail."

Abigail: "No, I'm fine with it. It was pretty hot, so it helped cool me off a little. No problem."

And, scene.

Yeah, this is pretty much my daily life. Never a dull moment.

And don't worry, those kids' toilet was fixed before they came back to their rooms. We're not messing around when it comes to toilets around Lost Canyon.

Song of the Day: Train Song by Ben Gibbard and Feist

Oh, And...

2011-06-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Don't worry. I still haven't cut my hair. So I still look a little bit like Michelle Duggar. But I did dye it kind of red. One step at a time...

Love Letter

2011-06-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hi, Internet. It's me, your friend Kate. I know we haven't talked for a while, but if you're my actual friend and not just someone who creeps me on the internet, then you know that this is pretty typical for me.

1) I am not a very good communicator ever. I get pretty wrapped up in my own little self-centered Kate-world. (At least I admit it, right?)

2) I work at camp. So from Mid-May to August, I actually do live in my own little self-centered Kate-world called Lost Canyon.

It's true. Camp is it's own little solar system, revolving around meals and program events, and it is pretty easy to forget that the outside world even exists. Or to even really care that the outside world exists because this little world is just so freaking awesome.

And hard.

And life-giving.

And exhausting.

And really, really beautiful.

There is a lot going on at camp, always. It's 10 weeks of 100% craziness. Of running and working and investing in people. And it's my job to care for people: My little department who always need and deserve my encouragement and guidance. My Work Crew Boss who has no idea what's happening but who has huge responsibility in my department. My Work Crew Girls who came here with the expectation that they are going to grow and laugh and learn. My Laundry Summer Staff , college kids who are looking for anyone older than them to tell them it's OK to hope and dream and be scared about all of that. Campers who have never had someone care enough about them to clean their toilets for them every day and smile and say yes when they ask to have their laundry washed. A-Team who have prepped for months so that they can make their session amazing and life-changing. My Young Life Girls who will not be forgotten for months out of my life, who show up at my work because their lives are crazy and they know it's a safe place. My Young Life Leaders, more college kids with too much time to think, who need me to just call or text and stay connected.

Yeah, that's a long paragraph. And that's just the people in my immediate little world here. That doesn't include all the people I should care for because I love them a lot. You know, my family and my friends, people who take care of me all the time.

So, while this was going to be a funny post about how weird camp-world is, I'm instead going to turn it into a love letter to all those people. The ones who care for me enough that they let me be a jerk for months at a time. The ones who love that I love my job, my life, my career. The ones who take joy in the fact that they don't hear from me because it means that I'm busy and happy and spending my life on all these people around me.

Thank you for loving me that much. Thank you for taking me back in September without guilt-tripping me about my absence. Thank you for being there as a back-bone of support, always. Thank you for looking at me being far away as a chance to travel more to come visit. Thank you for not telling me I need to get a real job (even if you think it).

Thank you for being you. And letting me be me. I am one lucky girl.

Song of the Day: Stupid by Sarah McLachlan (Not sure about the medieval theme of this video but I have a never-ending love for some Sarah McLachlan and they just used this song on SYTYCD. So I've been listening to it kind of non-stop. Enjoy.)

It's Weird What I Hold Onto

2011-05-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

Who here has read The Reader by Bernhard Schlink?

If you don't have your hand raised, you should. Because there's a portion of this book that just haunts me.

I thought the book was good when I read it, but I didn't think it was life changing or anything. But now it's 2 years later and sometimes I think about one of the characters and she breaks my heart.

Her name is Hanna. The whole book is about her trying to hide a secret. And how this one secret, this one shame, dictates her whole life.

I think the story culminates with this passage, when the main character Michael figures her out and the details of her life click into place.

He says:

She was not pursuing her own interests, but fighting for her own truth, her own justice... It was a pitiful truth and pitiful justice, but it was hers, and the struggle for it was her struggle.

She must have been completely exhausted... She was struggling, as she always had struggled, not to show what she could do but to hide what she couldn't do. A life made up of advances that were actually frantic retreats and victories that were concealed defeats."

And I just love this. Because, I don't know, I just do. It just resonates with me. I pity her and understand her at the same time. And I realize that this is precisely why I want to live my life as authentically as possible. And that this is precisely why that is so damn hard.

On a completely unrelated note, I can't stop listening to Adele's new album. I love it.

Song of the Day: Turning Tables by Adele

Bonus Song of the Day: Rolling in the Deep by Adele

I Was a Liar

2011-05-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Since I was about 18, I've claimed to love NPR.

For like 5 years, that was a total lie.

It just was, OK. I'm admitting it now. I was a liar. I didn't like talk radio. I listened to BXR. Non-stop. (Side note: I still believe BXR is the best radio station ever. I don't know what it's like now, but when I was in college it was non-stop awesome. And I miss it.)

I just couldn't do talk radio. I had the attention span of a gnat. It wasn't going to happen. But I thought it sounded cool to like it so I went with it.

However, now that I'm officially a grown-up (I guess), I actually do love NPR. And all kinds of talk radio and podcasts.

I'm no longer a liar. I think it's like in high school when I pretended I liked beer. I did not. But I kept drinking it and eventually, I did. (And still do. Moderately, I promise.)

It has taken me longer to hop on the audiobook bandwagon. I'm still not really there. (I like to read books, people. On paper.) But in my quest to continually evolve, I finally used my This American Life Audible.com credit to download a free audiobook of my choice.

I chose Bossypants by Tina Fey. Because I'd heard great things about the book and I already loved Tina and think she's hilarious. And she reads the audiobook and I figured this would be one case where having the author actually read the book to you would be a benefit.

It totally was.

Internet, get this book. It's awesome. Tina's awesome. Everything involving Tina and this book is awesome.

(Sometimes I get carried away, but seriously it was good.)

She's funny and real and sometimes sort of vulgar (all of which I love). And she speaks about being a woman, being in charge, trying to find humor in 70 hour work weeks, what [jerks] some people are determined to be, and how to live a life doing what you love and not feeling like you should feel guilty about it. But she speaks about all of these things with grace and without seeming like a crazy or bitter which is hard to do. (I know, I've tried.)

She's just authentic. And again, really funny.

I want to be sort of like her when I grow up. (Well, really more like me but with her authenticity, humor, completely realistic view of herself, and unapologetic success.)

Order it in print here on Amazon or the audiobook here on Audible.

Also, watch this TED talk. Another thing I pretended to love and didn't really. It's about how happiness leads to success not the other way around. Real good.

Video streaming by Ustream

I Forget Things but I'm a Good Sharer

2011-05-03T16:41:00.000-07:00

About 3 times a week, I open up the notes on my iPhone and I write down ideas for future blog posts. They are normally really great ideas and would be either deeply moving or riotously hilarious.

Unfortunately for us all, by the time I actually go to write the posts, I have literally no idea what my notes mean. I'm not sure what this says about me, but it can't be good. It's enough of a problem that I even think about it when I'm making the notes now and try to add more detail. Doesn't help.

But looking at my notes from last week, I came across this sentence:

I just found something beautiful stuck on a crowded plane in Miami...

And that note made me smile. Because, true to form, I don't remember what that something beautiful was. (Could I have been more vague?) But I do remember the feeling.

The feeling of being in a place that I should have been frustrated in. An overly-warm, overly-crowded plane stuck on a tarmack in Miami. Waiting to start a 5-hour flight west. Tired and a little sad to be leaving my vacation behind.

I should've been mad.

But I found something beautiful instead. I had a moment where I saw how funny and sweet and just plain pretty life is. I looked at the people around me and didn't see weary travelers, but fellow humans.

It was important enough that I wrote it down so I would share it with you.

And then promptly forgot it.

So now I write it down again. Because even though I don't remember what I saw or why I thought it was so beautiful, I do remember that I wanted to share joy, hope, love, and peace.

And that can't ever be a bad thing.

Song of the Day: Santeria by Sublime (This came up on shuffle today and I found myself singing very loudly along with every single word. It's a classic.)

FINALLY!!!

2011-04-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I'm so... no, still just excited. (But you thought I was going to say scared like Jesse Spano, didn't you? If you didn't, we're probably not that good of friends.)

I love Harry Potter.

Love.

Love.

Love.

July 15.

If You Want to Be Funny... Steal From Others

2011-04-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Because I've been struggling to be funny on my blog these days, I decided to take today to share with you two websites that make me laugh really loudly, most of the time in a public place.

1) Damn You Auto Correct

This is exactly what it sounds like. Auto correct fails on people's iphones. This is hilarious because it happens to me ALL THE TIME. Luckily, I'm pretty good at checking my texts/emails before I send them so I normally manage to catch it. But it's bound to be really bad someday.

Here are some of my favorites:

Yeah, that's funny. Do ducks have jackets?

2) Stuff Christians Like

If you have ever been involved with a Christian church, youth group, or summer camp of any kind, this website is hilarious. And I love it. Because in one of the more serious posts, writer Jon Acuff said, "Maybe the entire point of this site is to show you that not every Christian is a humorless, tankini wearing, boycott loving, close minded jerk..." Yep, that's pretty much the goal of my whole life, so I'm down with Jon Acuff.

Today's post is a list of the top 10 posts ever. I love them all. But my top 10 list would have to include this one, this one, and this one as well. (Seriously, click on those.)

You're welcome for the laughs.

Song of the Day: 4 and 20 by Joss Stone

The Joys of Working in Non-Profit

2011-04-18T14:21:00.001-07:00

OK, you know how sometimes you see people you went to school with on facebook and they're like in pharmeceutical sales or something that sounds equally boring? And they own houses? Or really cool condos? And drive really nice cars and wear fancy clothes and live in big cities and go on exotic vacations?

And then you look around your office (which contains a stuffed zebra head) at the non-profit you work at and it's not so glamorous? And even though you're entering a season where you'll be working a whole lot of 60 hour work weeks, you check your bank account and realize that, once again, you're going to need to not buy any food or gas or anything for the last 10 days of the month? And you get an email alerting you that you can view your pension balance online and you realize that even though you've been putting money in it for 2 years you only have about $700?

Oh, and then you remember your student loans?

So even though you're super content with your life and you love your job and your friends and where you live, you question your life choices a little? And then you get mad at yourself for questioning your life choices at all because you actually love your life unlike the miserable bastards stuck in the rat race of corporate America? And you wonder why it makes any sense that society would value pharmaceutical sales over kids?

Has that ever happened to you?

Yeah, me neither...

Song of the Day: Have You Ever Seen the Rain? by CCR (classic)

Change of Heart

2011-04-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

I know that I spend the majority of my time whining about the snow that never ends all winter (and spring and fall) in Northern Arizona.

That's because it sucks.

But when it stops snowing and it all melts, NorAZ is really crazy beautiful. The past week, it's been sunny. I mean, really sunny. And warm. And I've had my windows open in my office.

It is a beautiful thing.

Our Dairy Queen opened up yesterday. So now we can get mini blizzards. And our coffee shop is opening up on Thursday. So now I don't have to cry when I have an afternoon free and want to spend it in a coffee shop.

It's wonderful.

We won't talk about the fact that it might snow on Saturday. I'm just going to live in ignorant bliss. Warm ignorant bliss.

Song of the Day: Uniform Grey by Sarah Harmer

Busy Bee

2011-03-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Current Sustaining Life Forces: coffee, good music, my journal, really great friends.

I am happy.

Busy and happy.

And there's no end in sight...

Song(s) of the Day: NPR Tiny Desk Series by The Tallest Man on Earth

My Life is Fun... And Busy

2011-03-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

For the next week, on any given day between the hours of 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM, I have approximately 10 hours total that I'm not scheduled to be somewhere or doing something specific.

So, if anyone wants to hang out, I have Sunday before 2:00 free.

That's it.

I really love my life.

Song of the Day: Firework by Katy Perry (Because it's awesome. And who doesn't want to shoot fireworks out of their chest?)

I Don't Want 19 Kids

2011-03-22T12:57:00.001-07:00

So I'm worried that my hair's getting sort of crazy religious fanatic long.

You know, like "I gave birth to 19 kids" long.

So, Michelle Duggar:

Now, I know I don't have the bangs. Or the crazy look in your eye that can only come from having 19 kids but still...

I'm concerned.

Me:

Michelle:

Me and Michelle:

Yeah, I gotta go make a phone call...

Song of the Day: When I Fall by Lizz Wright

Spring Snowstorms = A Restless Me

2011-03-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

It's snowing.

On the second day of spring.

This is the time of year where I start going a little stir-crazy. Winter is long in Northern Arizona. And I'm sick of it. And sick of doing the same thing day in and day out without a break.

I'm restless.

I kept thinking I would grow out of my rambling heart, but I just haven't. Nor will I ever, methinks.

Oh, well. It will be summer soon enough and I'll get to be outside and be super busy.

In the meantime, I'll work in my office with my headphones in and take great joy in good music and hot cups of coffee.

Song of the Day: Is This Love by Corinne Bailey Rae

Pollen is NOT My Friend... And I'm Friendly

2011-03-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie to you, internet world. I used to think that people who complained about their allergies were just big, whiny babies.

I mean, there I was, skipping about Mid-Missouri, frolicking amongst so much pollen. Grass, flowers, pet dander. No problem for me! So I didn't really get what other people were complaining about. So you're sneezing a little? Small price to pay for the gloriousness of flowers.

Then I moved to Northern Arizona. Where there is no grass. And really not very many flowers. And not a whole lot of vegetation period.

Except for trees. Not deciduous trees like in beautiful old Missouri, but coniferous trees. Pines and Aspens and Junipers. They're gorgeous. And mountainy.

But apparently my body would like to reject them.

And now I'm the sneezy, whiny girl who can't breathe at all.

It is not fun.

And I'm not experienced with having allergies, so I'm not really sure what to do. I've taken every allergy medicine there is. I've been doing a sinus rinse. I've been sleeping with a humidifier on.

I know you're probably saying in your head, "Kate! Go to the doctor! They're trained to deal with this!" But as I've stated before, I have a deep rooted paranoia that the doctor will be ashamed that I would dare come to see them without being deathly ill. I feel like if I'm not requiring amputation, I should just tough it out.

Also, I'm stubborn.

So, here's hoping that the pollen count goes down so I can play outside.

Song of the Day: New Soul by Yael Naim

Ping Pong's Awesome

2011-03-07T14:45:00.000-08:00

My work gave me an iTunes gift card because my team won an event entitled "Ping Pong Olympics."

There are several reasons this is awesome:

1) I work at a place that pays me to participate in something entitled "Ping Pong Olympics." Whatever you're envisioning, it was probably more awesome.

2) I was in competition. I love competition. Especially ridiculous competition that I can yell loudly during.

3) iTunes gift cards cause a wellspring of giddy anticipation within me. What am I going to buy? There's so many choices!

4) I bought one of the Avett Brothers live albums. And it has made my day awesome. Mainly because of the song below.

5) Again, this is part of my job.

6) Yes, you can be jealous of my life.

Much love.

Song of the Day: Ballad of Love and Hate by the Avett Brothers

It's Time

2011-03-01T11:40:00.001-08:00

It's March 1.

I think you can guess what I might write about today.

It's the same subject that starts featuring on my blog often this time of year. (Like here and here and here.)

Yes, that's right, it's time for baseball.

Did you know some people don't care about baseball? It's true. It's weird to me, having grown up right in the middle of Cardinals country, but it's true. Some people don't care about baseball.

I am not one of those people. (Nor do I really understand them. I can count on getting more comments on any facebook status involving the Cardinals than anything about my personal life. These are my people.)

I'm listening to the Cardinals spring training game against the Marlins right now. While drinking a cup of coffee.

THIS IS LITERALLY MY HEAVEN.

Sorry for the caps lock. It was necessary. Those are two of my favorite things in the world. And they have combined for a glorious afternoon.

Now, I no longer live in Missouri so I don't get to indulge in trips to Busch Stadium. And I also have a job that gets crazy busy during the summer, so I normally don't even get to go down to PHX to see my Cards play the Diamondbacks.

Sacrifices have been made by my move to Arizona.

However, there is one perk: Spring Training.

I always wanted to go to spring training and got my first chance last year. It was awesome. You get to go watch professional baseball games in college-sized stadiums. I almost got hit by a foul ball last time I went. And it's warm in March (unlike Williams where it snowed a foot this weekend).

Again, the Cardinals don't play in the Cactus League, they play in Florida in the Grapefruit League. So it's not a perfect situation. But it is pretty awesome.

This Sunday I will driving down the mountain, putting on my Ssekos, and watching some baseball.

Yes. Heaven.

Song of the Day: Live Forever by Drew Holcomb

Mama T's Kicking My Ass

2011-02-24T07:37:00.001-08:00

So, I was reading an article about Dooce, the uber-famous mommy blogger (who makes $1 million a year, by the way), and she said that one of the first rules in building a following on your blog is to post every single day, no matter what it is.

Uh, whoops.

There goes my dream of being a professional blogger.

On the other side, if you're anyone besides my mom and still reading this, thank you. You have proven your love. (My mom proved her love when she birthed me and then put up with me being a messy, stubborn yeller throughout my youth.) Someday I'll get internet in my house and I'll be able to blog guilt-free because I won't have to do it at work.

Until then, sporadic blogging it is.

On a completely unrelated note, the Ladies of Lost Canyon and I have been reading the book Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne and it has been seriously kicking my ass. Mainly because I think I'm pretty awesome at giving of all of my resources (money and time), but then I read about people like Mother Teresa who said:

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work

and

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.

and

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

Oh, Mother Teresa. She's really the one that's kicking my ass. Because when Shane Claiborne called Calcutta, she answered the phone and told him to come on over and get ready to work. Because she didn't check to see whether there was a bed for him or food, but just told him to come because there was work to be done. Because she cared for lepers and the sick and the poor, but she spoke eloquently about the fact that it was not just the poor in Calcutta or the monetarily poor that need us to love them.

And, like I said, I think I'm a giver. And I am. (This is not a post on how much I suck, I do try to give a lot.) But then I realized how much I waste. And I realize how disconnected I am from people outside of those I'm comfortable being connected with. And how can I touch poverty, physical or of the soul, without touching those who are afflicted with it?

So, I'll give more, even when I don't think I have it to give. I won't rely on the fact that sometimes I buy fair trade coffee to make me feel good about my consumerism. I won't use the excuse that I work for a non-profit and make so little when I am rich by the world's standards. (And, P.S., even though I "needed to go grocery shopping" a week ago, I'm still eating full meals out of things I've found in my fridge/pantry. I'm rich.)

I will give when I don't think I can, I'll make the harder choice just because it's the right one, and I'll be connected to people in need, not just for me and not just for them, but because connection with our fellow beings is what keeps us alive.

I will do all that. And I'll let you know what happens.

Much love.

P.S. If you want to learn more about Shane and his movement, here's their website. Don't read it if you don't want to know that you need to collect the water from your bathroom sink to flush your toilet with. Fair warning. Especially on the "Practical Stuff" page.

P.P.S. One of the women I'm reading this book with said when she read it before and talked to her dad about it, he called her a Communist. My roommate Katie was reading it yesterday and pointed out a quote in the book by a Brazilian Archbishop named Dom Helder Camara that said, "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist." That made me laugh.

Song of the Day: Half Acre by Hem (please ignore the video, it's weird)

Cuteness and F Words... Story of My Life

2011-01-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

So, I'm 3 episodes behind on the Bachelor. I know, I know. So sad.

But that does mean that I'm going to get to have a Bachelor marathon. And then create a marathon post. I'm pumped. And you should be too.

I went to Tucson this weekend and it was awesome. Mainly because it was 78 degrees. And I got to hang out with my bestie Kristen.

Also, my friend Dusty sent me this picture of his really cute baby with the following caption:

He likes to sleep all day, just like Auntie Kate. If only she would come to nap with him. :(

Yeah, way to make me both squeal out loud with the sheer cuteness and guilt trip me about not getting to meet him yet. So I will be spending a portion of my day finding cheap flights to Walla Walla, WA. Because I must. Hold. That. BABY!

Seriously, I need to hold him. And baby talk to him. It has to happen.

Also, I really like having friends that put their babies in weird poses and then send me pictures. What's the point of having a baby if you don't do stuff like that?

Alright, this post was kind of about nothing. Enjoy it anyway.

Cheers!

Song of the Day: Little Lion Man by Mumford & Sons (Disclaimer: There are f words in this song. Deal with it.)

At Least It's Only Temporary...

2011-01-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

So, I live in Williams, AZ. (Please don't stalk me.)

Ever heard of Williams? Does it ring a bell? Maybe your grandparents came here in their RV?

No?

Well, it exists. And it's awesome. And 80% of the time it's a hilarious little tourist town. People come from Europe, Asia, and retirement communities to visit junky Route 66 trinket shops, go to the Grand Canyon, drive the wrong way down one-way streets, ride the Grand Canyon Railroad (which turns into the Polar Express around Christmas), and generally keep this place interesting.

But then there's mid-January through April. When nobody is taking any kind of vacation to Williams, AZ. Our 9 feet of snow just is not that appealing to people for some reason.

And, while it's nice to not get backed up at our stop sign and not have to dodge people taking pictures in the middle of the street, it also means that half the town shuts down. Our Dairy Queen's been closed for months. No more mini-blizzards at the end of a long day for the HK staff.

Worst of the worst is American Flyer, our awesome coffee shop and altogether saving grace of living in a small town, is closed until April!

It sucks.

Bad.

Today is Saturday. I had a limited list of things I need to do today: prepare some stuff for a meeting with my YL team tomorrow, blog, read, and hang out with people. I don't have internet in my house, so obviously, what I would normally do is go to Am Fly and send a mass text trying to entice others to join me.

Not that I would even need to send the text because every time I go there I run into at least 4 people I know, not including the people who work there. It's beautiful. And I can spend hours there, drinking coffee, computering, reading, and catching up on life with my townies. (Embrace it, friends. We're townies.)

That is basically my heaven.

But it's not going to happen for the next couple of months. Instead, I have to go to Starbucks inside Safeway and then to work to use the internet.

Oh, gosh. I'm sad just typing it.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? I'll be standing outside on the day it opens back up, jumping up and down with excitement.

Song of the Day: Barton Hollow by the Civil Wars (Seriously can't get enough of this duo. Poison and Wine was my song of the day a few weeks back and you must listen to it if you didn't then. It is so good.)

Love. My Life.

2011-01-17T13:39:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in a coffee shop, drinking a soy latte, blogging and staring out the window at the ridiculously beautiful, snow-covered Humphries Mountain on Day 3 of my weekend.

It is moments like this that I love my life.

You know when I don't love my life?

When I'm awake at 4:00 in the morning because my mind won't stop racing with everything I have to do and everything I wish I had.

But then I put in my earbuds and listen to the Avett Brothers and my life feels better again.

I get up and I stare out my window. I look at the pine trees, and the pristine snow on the ground. And I listen to my music. And I write in my journal. And all of a sudden stress and worry is peace and thankfulness.

Peace because my world is at peace. And thankfulness because there is so much to be thankful for.

My racing mind stops worrying that I don't have enough. Enough money, enough courage, enough. I realize that the only currency I care about is wrapped up in the people that I love, the people that love me.

In this I am rich.

I stop mentally checking my calendar. My color-coded outlook calendar, filled with more and more and more. I'm worried because there's so much to do and it's so much harder to do it all when I'm tired and weary.

But then the silence and the music and the beauty plant energy deep within me. And I keep staring. I put away the futile struggle that is a constant in my life, the over-reaching to be better. Better than you, better than I was, better.

All I really want is more of this, more currency of love, more peace and contentment.

For this I will fight.

And then I sleep. Deeply. And contentedly.

And I wake up this morning and laugh at my 4:00 AM self. My broody, funny, sleepless self.

And then I write a blog post I'll probably be faintly embarrassed about tomorrow.

And I stare out the window at my beautiful mountain and drink my latte and continue listening to the Avett Brothers.

And love my life.

Love. My life.

Song of the Day: I And Love And You by the Avett Brothers

Bonus Post

2011-01-12T10:52:00.000-08:00

Because the Bachelor post doesn't get a song of the day, but I have one, I'm making a separate post.

Song of the Day: Pretty Things by Tony Lucca, Jay Nash, and Matt Duke

You're All Psychos (Bachelor, Season 15, Ep. 2)

2011-01-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

In an ultimate moment of girliness, I actually chose to watch the Bachelor instead of the BCS National Championship. I love college football. Maybe more than the Bachelor. But I have a dislike that I can't really explain for the Ducks (I think it has to do with the neon yellow) and I could care less about Auburn, nor do I like either of their styles of play. So, I chose to watch girl fights instead.

We realized that Melissa was going to bring the crazy this week right away when we heard her say, "No, you're a psycho," in the previews. Also, before the first date card even came she was going on and on about how she's been waiting 8 years to be on the Bachelor and she quit her job (waitressing) and spent a ton of money on clothes to be there. She needs this. I love that they let these women be on the show.

Much to her chagrin, Melissa's name was not on the first date card. That honor went to Ashley, the perky dentist. She dressed up in a giant skirt of tulle that looked much like the tutu I made for my niece for Christmas and Brad picked her up in "his" jaguar.

They then creepily drove down a secluded dirt road where Brad made Ashley traipse through the woods in her heels to a light switch that they flipped on to reveal... a GIANT super-creepy clown head! Right there! Manically smiling and sitting right in front of them. How she didn't scream and run for her life, I'll never know.

Once I moved past the clown head (which I'm not sure I can ever fully do), I realized that it was actually a road-side carnival set up just for them. Which is still creepy. They road all the rides and then went ahead and went for the make-out session. Then they proceeded to sit down in the pre-set up carnival seating area and have a super serious conversation about their absent fathers and how that tragically scarred them. Great conversation, really weird setting for it. I think I could still see the clown head.

They made out again on the ferris wheel and that was that. (She's gonna make it pretty far based on that date alone.)

Next up came the group date card with 15 names on it. Yeah, 15. Nobody seemed too stoked about that. Least of all Michelle. Because she's kind of crazy and it's her 30th birthday. She made some threatening statements before the date even started and it only got better from there.

They loaded into the limos and went to meet Brad at... some giant warehouse. But it's not weird. Because they're there to do good! They're philanthropists! They find out they're going to be shooting some over-the-top scenes to be used as promos for the American Red Cross Give Blood Campaign. Awesome.

The ladies get their parts and we find out that Keltie has to dress up as a butch woman who bull-rides, Melissa is going to dress up as a cougar (in leopard print and big hair), vampire girl is in a dominatrix outfit, and Britt is going to be in a 3-way. Quote of the night goes to Britt who states, when talking about how uncomfortable she is in the 3-way scene, that she's a "big ole prude." And then giggles nervously. HI-larious.

Michelle's pissed the whole day as she watches other people be in steamy scenes with Brad on her 30th birthday. Not her 29th, not her 31st, her 30th birthday. She storms off pretending to be mad and it totally works. Brad consoles her and they move onto the post-shoot drunk-fest on the roof of the Roosevelt.

Melissa has the most awkward one-on-one time ever and tells everyone it went well. She and Raichel get into a fight about nothing. Melissa's trying to make a point about being more mature than Raichel and first says she's 31 and then says she's 32, which obviously means she's 36. And clearly way less mature than 21-year-old Raichel which is really saying something.

Michelle tells Brad he has walls up and she wants to peel away the layers. I make pukey noises but he totally goes for it and gives her the date rose. Blech.

Jackie the artist gets the next one-on-one date and Brad describes it as "the ultimate Pretty Woman experience." As in the movie with Julia Roberts. It starts with some massaging (of course) and then Jackie goes into a room with about 30 dresses with shoes and such to choose from. She manages to pick the ugliest dress there and they head out to the Hollywood Bowl for their date.

In the middle of the Jackie date, they flash back to Emily calling her daughter back home. She again proves how much she shouldn't be on this show by being so sweet in missing her daughter and having reservations about being there.

Cut back to Jackie and Brad who are having dinner basically on stage at the Hollywood Bowl. Brad flips out when Jackie says she's really only been in 2 relationships ever and starts over-zealously questioning her about whether she's open to love. It's awkward.

But not as awkward as the completely predictable solo performance by a surprise B-list band! That's right, it's Train! And they're performing just for Jackie and Brad who are required to dance around like idiots and pretend they're really into Train while cameras are in their faces. Oh, and Train is singing a song called Marry Me. No pressure.

We move onto the cocktail party and start things right with Brad and Emily having some one-on-one time and Brad endearingly stuttering throughout the whole thing. There's a rather jarring transition from that to Melissa and Raichel having a full-on cat fight, calling each other psychos and everything.

Melissa decided to go straight to Brad, crying, and tell him that Raichel is targeting her. Melissa. Come on. If you've watched the show for 8 years, you know that fighting with the other girls, crying, and naming names never works. Get it together.

Raichel is also crying and it feels pretty obvious that they're going to go home because of this.

But it's not time for the rose ceremony quite yet. Chris Harrison has a surprise for all of us first. It's Ali and Roberto. Yep, they're back. And Roberto's as boring as ever. But they're here to interview the girls and give Brad advice on who to give a rose too. After taking their advice into consideration, he gives the rose to Emily. Duh.

We have the rose ceremony next and he sends the drama queens both home, along with Keltie. I feel bad for Keltie because the only thing she got to do this week is dress up kind of butch. And in her exit interview she says, "I'm the worst dater! This was my last ditch effort. Seriously, I've tried it all: dating guys at work, internet dating, speed dating, getting set up by my friends, meeting guys at bars..." Yikes.

This season is shaping up to be awesome.

Same time next week!

The Office

2011-01-10T16:09:00.001-08:00

I was looking around my office today and realized there are several things that probably make my office different than yours (and also infinitely more awesome- just a personal opinion).

I'm going to list them:

1) Franklin the Zebra. Yes, I have a stuffed, taxidermied (is that a word?) zebra head in my office, staring at me all day. And yes, I named him Franklin.

I love him.

2) 9 cases of carpet cleaning solution and 3 boxes of hand soap dispenser refills. Sometimes we run out of places to store these things. But, don't worry! I have some space in my office!

3) These super awesome teacher signs that say "Eyes on Me!" and "Quiet Please." I'm not a teacher but I do have to deal with high school kids on a regular basis. And sometimes, I just want to go on an elementary school teacher-style power trip and hold these signs up with a steely look in my eye until people listen to me.

4) One of the most awesome and simultaneously weirdest gifts anyone has ever given me. It's a stuffed bear. Made by my first session Summer Staff girls. Made out of an old, stained towel and some dryer lint. I cherish it.

5) A knife block. Why, you may ask. I have no idea. Someone left it in my office. Maybe it belongs somewhere on camp. Maybe some group brought it with them and left it here (people leave weirder stuff than a knife block.) I have no idea. But in my office it sits.

6) A binder labeled "Illness/Bugs" filled with articles on, you guessed it, disease outbreaks and bug infestations. I love my job.

7) A super awesome balcony that affords me this beautiful view/the pleasure of being able to hear everything that anyone says in Clarabelle's/scaring people who don't know I'm up in my office/performing the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet/throwing things at people. Yeah, offices in lofts are the way to go.

8) This view out of my window of a snow covered obstacle course and, just beyond the fence you see, snow covered National Forest. Also, many stray cats and squirrels.

9) This embroidered Mountain Smith bag that I bought, embroidered with Lost Canyon Housekeeping and gave to my staff (and myself!) for Christmas. Hecks yes.

10) Radios. Or, in laymans terms, walkie-talkies. We call them radios so that they can sound like legitimate business tools. You can call them walkie-talkies because they're fun to play on.

Yeah, I know. My job's the shizz.

See you tomorrow for the Bachelor Blog!

Back to Brad (Bachelor, Season 15, Ep. 1)

2011-01-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

Welp, it's back.

I know you've missed it.

I know you've been weeping into your cereal every morning because you couldn't watch it.

ABC is gracious enough to fulfill our need for constant Bachelor-ness by bringing us The Bachelor Season 15: Back to Brad. (They didn't give this season an awesomely cheesy subtitle, so I made one up. I need it.)

I have to say, I got a little spoiled by having all the interns over every week to watch the Bachelorette this summer and so it was a little anti-climactic to have to snark my way through it without yelling and constant rewinding to hear the funny parts. But my roomies Katie and Jen watched with me and were appropriately appalled and intrigued.

One of my favorite things about the Bachelor is that they completely stick to the exact same formula/sequence of editing every single season. This episode did not stray. The first thing we did was jump right into learning all about Brad.

In case you don't obsessively watch the Bachelor as I have for years, you may not know that Brad was actually already the Bachelor in Season 11. He picked Jenni and Deanna as the final two and then famously rejected both of them and ended up alone.

ABC has decided to go the "America hates Brad" route in marketing this and had him talking a lot about how much he's changed, how he's ready for committment, how his dad abandoned him which made him push people away, and how 3 years of "intensive therapy" have made him ready to be the Bachelor again. I can't say that I'm that shocked that being on the Bachelor would require the need for intensive therapy but hopefully your therapist had some stuff to say about willingly subjecting yourself to it again.

I have to say, I think ABC's overplaying the everyone hates Brad angle. I actually remember kind of respecting him for not just picking someone to pick someone, but I guess they were worried people wouldn't invest in his "quest for love" if they thought he wouldn't pick someone again. If someone out there needs to hear Brad's therapist say that he's ready for committment on camera, so be it.

After the Brad catch-up, we moved onto the contestant vignettes where they pick a few of the crazies and maybe one normal person to focus on and tell us a little about their lives. The crazies included someone whose job it is to manscape (complete with unnecessary shots of her actually waxing some poor guys) and a model who may or may not actually believe she's a vampire.

The normal girl that they picked requires a story that makes you cry and Emily from Charlotte delivered by telling us she found out she was pregnant 4 days after her fiance died in a plane crash. Now she's raising her 5-year-old daughter and working at a children's hospital. There is always at least one person that is absolutely too classy to be on this show. I don't want to speak too soon, but I think that's Emily this season.

And then, finally, we got to return to the mansion! Oh, how I've missed the mansion with its crazy lights, unnatural flowers, and complete debauchery. Chris and Brad reunite and sit down to talk about what happened on his last season and how he's changed (this is a running theme throughout the night).

Chris also asks if Brad would be ready to face Jenni and Deanna if he had the chance which really should have been enough forshadowing. Come on, Brad. You've been here before. But he says yes, he would love to apologize, and then was shocked to discover that Jenni and Deanna are there! To confront Brad! And flash their super huge engagement rings because they're happy! Without Brad! HAPPY!

It's awkward. And awesome. Jenni's sweet and Deanna's bitchy and clearly bitter.

With that out of the way, we get to move onto the limo entrances. Apparently, they have told the women that the Bachelor is someone who has been on the show before but didn't tell them who it is, so they're all screaming and shocked when they pull up to meet Brad. There little intros are as lame as ever and evenly divided into one of 2 strategies: 1) feigning no knowledge of who Brad is or 2) Bitterly telling him that America hates him and he has a lot to prove.

The cocktail party is another whole load of awkward as Brad spends the entire night telling women that he doesn't know that he is a changed man and asking them to let him prove himself. Really unnecessary, Brad. They don't really have a right to be personally affronted by something you did on a reality show 3 years ago.

It didn't get any less awkward when the manscaper decided to remove some hair from Brad's wrist. She did the waxing and Brad provided us with the quote of the night when he said in response, "That's bare. Like, shockingly bare." Then she referred to something as the "undercarriage" and I blacked out in psychological defense against such scarring knowledge.

Ashley, the Southern girl (and I do mean girl- Is she 15? Also, why did they not put ages up next to their names like normal? I need to know so that I can judge) won the first impression rose for telling Brad that he can turn to her if he needs a friend. See ladies, asking him if he's ready to commit the first time you meet doesn't win you his heart.

The rose ceremony is exactly what you would think it would be. He kept everyone who got screentime, including vampy girl and the manscaper, and sent home 10 girls who seemed kind of boring.

Some exit crying and 10 minutes of previews that kind of ruin the rest of the season rounded out the episode. I started clapping in joy while my roommate Katie gave an impassioned speech about the death of dignity in our society.

I love Monday nights.

And This is Why...

2010-12-20T13:27:00.000-08:00

I love the Sing-Off.

And yes, that's a Boy to Man, one of the Pussycat Dolls, and Ben Folds as the judges. Hosted by Nick Lachey. American TV at its finest.

I Jinxed It

2010-12-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Remember yesterday when I celebrated the fact that it wasn't snowing?

Yeah, about that...
Oh, well. Time to bust out my snow boots.

Song of the Day: Skinny Love by Bon Iver

Recap

2010-12-15T08:05:00.000-08:00

It's been almost a month since I've written on my blog. Sometimes I go a month without writing on my blog but that's normally because my life is kind of boring.

Not so, this time!

My life is FUN!

(Seriously, it is.)

And since I will never be able to write all the posts that in the past month I've thought, "This should be a post!," I will instead just make a list of all the fun things that have happened in my life in the last month.

1) Work Trip to the WFR.

I love my job. And I love other people who have the same job as me in a different place and love it too. Because we have a relatively small staff for the kind of work that we do, it often feels like nobody really knows what you do day to day. So it's really fun and encouraging to sit down across from people who do know what you do because they do it to. We talked HK and laughed a lot. Enough said.

2) Friendsgiving!

Every year on Thanksgiving, we have a big dinner for anyone who is away from family. This was especially fun this year. We started in the morning with cinnamon rolls and the parade, followed by a delicious Thanksgiving dinner (for which I baked 4 desserts), followed by a marathon of Friends Thanksgiving episodes, and finished things off with the hanger-arounders drinking wine in our sweet hot tub. And the next day Debbie, Susie, and I went to the movies and saw Harry Potter (and two other movies that we snuck into afterwards... Don't tell on us). Seriously awesome holiday.

3) Williams Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting!

Incredible.

Here's a picture of Santa:

Here's video of the children singing a song about cowboys at Christmas:

And here's some video where the mayor of Williams yelled at me and then lit the tree. (I promise I was not heckling him. I would never.):

As you can see, it was quite the event. I love my little town. (Let's just say, there was more video. I spared you my commentary.)

4) Elf

We watched Elf after the Christmas Parade. Then we watched Elf with our YL kids. Then we watched it at home. I love Buddy.

5) Lost Canyon Christmas Party

The Lost Canyon Christmas Party was held at the Winchester Steakhouse here in Williams. There was a country legends cover band involved. I don't think I need to say anything else.

Jen loved it.
6) The Sing-Off

My roomies and I love, repeat LOVE, this show. Committed is my favorite.

7) No snow!

It hasn't been snowing! In fact, it was 64 degrees here yesterday. I have been in a constant good mood because of this. See, now I'll be able to handle snow when it does come because it won't mean 5 months of non-stop snow. Hopefully.

Yeah, so obviously a lot has been happening. I love this time of year because it always equals a whole lot of hanging out and parties and gatherings and more hanging out. There's really nothing that makes my heart happier.

Can't wait to head home next week for a solid week and a half in MO. It is much needed and I'm really looking forward to catching up with everybody. If you'll be there, pencil me into your schedule because I probably want to see you!

Much love!

Song of the Day: Poison and Wine by the Civil Wars

I Was Wrong, I Was Very, Very Wrong

2010-11-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

Remember when I said I fly out of Phoenix on Thursday morning?

Yeah, turns out I don't.

I fly out tomorrow morning.

So, that's fun. I lost a whole day. And, that means that I get to drive to PHX after Campaigners tonight so that I can get there really late and get up super early in the morning to catch my 7:30 AM flight to Oregon.

Just making it to Thanksgiving, people.

But the mega-plus in this situation is that my work trip is to the Washington Family Ranch, aka Wildhorse, aka the Canyon, my alma mater and one of my altogether favorite places on earth.

So, that doesn't suck. Nope, it doesn't suck at all.

You know what else doesn't suck? The awesome amount of fun I had with 30 of my closest high school friends and the leaders on my team at Weekend Camp this weekend.

We did stuff like this:

And this:

And hung out with this guy in a bear suit:

While the boys mainly did this (What's up, Ladies?):

And the other female leaders and I mainly did this (yes, I'm wearing a heart-shaped sign that says "Hand Check."):

And my bestie Kristen was here. There's no picture of that, but she was and it was fun.

I seriously love me some Williams kids. They are crazy and fun and crazy fun.

Also, I'm really tired. And cough-y because it's freezing cold here and I yelled really loudly all weekend.

Oh, and the Williams Thanksgiving Dinner was awesome. There were like 400 people here which is almost 1/6 the population of Williams. And most of them were church ladies. And they did a mash-up of Jesus Loves You and What I Like About You.

These are my people.

OK, I'm going to go do the 900 millionty things I need to do before I leave in 5 hours.

Yikes.

Song of the Day: Best for the Best by Josh Ritter (There's something about this song that feels good in the Fall. I think it's the guitar.)

Fear Not, I'm Still Here

2010-11-10T10:23:00.000-08:00

Remember when I used to blog?

Yeah, those were the days.

(See January of 2009 to know what I'm talking about. 32 posts in one month? I want that life back.)

In other news, it snowed here yesterday.

Yes, snow.

Already.

Here's proof:

OK, now I know that's not a lot of snow so I can't really start whining about it yet, but it's too soon! People are still being grouchy when I play Christmas music (which is everyday). It can't snow yet.

I'm still holding out hope that it will be a mild winter. Mainly because my new house has a wicked steep driveway and I needed new tires a year ago. So, let's all just keep our fingers crossed that that situation works out alright.

Lastly, I'm going to list what all is happening in my life in the next 2 weeks so you can appreciate how crazy my life feels right now:

Today: work, run home to make something delicious (undecided as to what), take deliciousness (not a nickname for myself) to family dinner, laundry MUST happen

Tomorrow: work, meet with some peeps, women's bible study/wine drinking extravanganza

Friday: morning fundraising work project with kids, get some coffee, spend a couple hours trying to get our paperwork/my life together, meet with team, go to weekend camp, yell at kids when I want to go to bed at midnight and they're too amped on soda and pizza to be quiet

Saturday: super packed day of high school weekend camp craziness, more sugar for the kids, lots of coffee for me

Sunday: coffee, weekend camp ends, get kids home, more coffee, back to camp to help at the yearly Williams Community Thanksgiving Dinner, mingle with my town folk

Monday: work, still more coffee, go to awesome albeit still unplanned post-camp-because-we're-too-tired-to-plan-club event with kids and team

Tuesday: work, start campaigners, inject coffee directly into my veins, laundry/packing

Wednesday: work, drive to PHX, stop at first Starbucks I see on highway

Thursday: Fly to Central Oregon, get pumped for some HK training/awesome work trip, realize that I left something really important to said trip in Williams (this is inevitable)

Friday: continue work trip, also continue coffee injections

Saturday: same

Sunday: get up at 3:30 AM (goo) to catch my 5:30 flight, drive to Flag for team meeting, drive to Williams, not a chance of unpacking, prep for short week of work before Thanksgiving

There it is.

My life makes me tired. And happy.

Song of the Day: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel by Sufjan Stevens (It's time, people.)

I Miss the Internet

2010-10-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

So, turns out I was really tired because I was about to fall deathly ill.

Seriously.

At one point, I contemplated who would get my Blazer and my books.

Or maybe I'm really dramatic and it was just a flu bug. Whatever.

More importantly, I still don't have internet at my new house. And the ONE internet provider we have here in Williams said that we live too far out to get it. Now, we live 1/2 mile from camp and we have internet there, so I'm going to be making some more calls.

I need it.

And I'm pretty sure satellite internet isn't going to cut it. I read a lot of reviews.

In better news, we do have satellite TV, so I for sure got to watch my Tigers beat Oklahoma last Saturday. I made my Northern Arizona friends who couldn't care less come and watch it. And I made Roxy wear this:

She was really happy about it. As was I, because that was one of the most epic games I've ever seen.

Can't wait for Nebraska this weekend.

So, to sum up, I almost died, living in the middle of nowhere equals crappy internet, and Mizzou football makes me really happy.

What else is there to say?

Song of the Day: Wildflowers by Tom Petty (Sometimes when you look for songs on youtube, all you find are weird videos like this. But I still love this song. And also I enjoy the family pictures of strangers intermixed with stock photos from a PC and Jesuspics.com. That's not weird.)

Sometimes I Look Forward to Saturday on Tuesday Even Though I Love My Job

2010-10-19T10:10:00.001-07:00

Hey everybody!

I'm really tired! Like, really, really tired.

But it's completely my fault because I've been doing things like taking weekend trips to Vegas and moving into my sweet new digs.

So I can't really complain because everything I've been doing is fun. But still, I just want to make sure you know, I'm really tired.

However, I am also very happy. And, if you know me, I think you know why.

That's right, it's Fall!!! My absolute most favorite season ever!

I'll list why:

1) The wardrobe. It's a little cold so I get to wear my sweaters and my jackets and all of my scarves. (I love scarves.)

2) The colors. I'm not in Missouri, so I'm sorely missing the beauty that is the trees in the fall, but we do have aspens here in NorAZ. And they are beautiful. They're yellow and the leaves are fluttery and it's sort of magical. So I'm still happy.

3) Pumpkin-flavored food and drink. Pumpkin spice lattes! Pumpkin cookies! Pumpkin cheesecake! Pumpkin baked ziti! These are some of my favorite foods and it is perfectly acceptable to make them all the time.

4) Football. I love college football. Especially when my Tigers start the season 6-0, get a ranking of #11, and have College Game Day broadcast from CoMO.

5) The beginning of Christmas. I don't care if you hate this, I'm easing into Christmas now. I have started occasionally quoting Elf and listening to Sarah McLachlan's Wintersong album. Not all the time yet, but it's happening and I love it.

All of these things are wonderful. Add them all together and you have me looking forward to waking up on Saturday, baking some pumpkin cinnamon rolls, watching Game Day, taking a long drive in a sweater and scarf to pick up a pumpkin spice latte which I will drink on my deck while listening to Christmas music and enjoying the trees, and ending the day by watching my Tigers beat Oklahoma and hopefully playing some games with my friends.

It is going to be the best day ever. Believe it.

Song of the Day: Romeo and Juliet by Matt Nathanson (Dire Straits cover)

Mercy's Gonna Change the World. For Sure.

2010-10-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

I don't have internet in my new house yet. So my blogging's probably going to suffer. Sorry.

To tide you over, here's a video of the beautiful Mercy from the first class of Sseko Girls (you've heard me talk about Sseko, yes?) talking about why our focus should be in building jobs and opportunity, not just doling out money.

Oh, these girls are awesome.

Mercy from liz bohannon on Vimeo.

This Post Includes a Worksheet on Sexual Purity. For Real.

2010-10-04T17:27:00.001-07:00

Hi, Internet World!

I've missed you so much.

My life is crazy. Other times I've said that and it has only kind of been true. Right now, I mean it.

Firstly, I went home last weekend. It was awesome.

I got to go here:

And hang with my extremely cute neice and nephew.

It was wonderful. I didn't tell anyone I was coming home because it was a super quick trip and I haven't seen my family since Christmas. So I did nothing but hang out with them. And eat. And go to movies. And shop with my mom (for her, I'm broke).

Also, I found a box of old notes and stuff from high school in my old closet at my mom's house.

Oh, my goodness. It was one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. It included several emails (from my AOL account: KTBeth213) written in by me in all caps, Comic Sans font, no punctuation. (My style of choice.)

It also included no less than 10 notes from the school office that said things like "Amy went home sick and won't be able to give you a ride to soccer." These were all lies and sent only because there was a cute Senior who would deliver notes to my 5th hour English class.

There were also many, many notes that served absolutely no purpose other than making me look cool as I passed them.

But the best find was this worksheet from one of my Religion classes.

Yes, it is a worksheet about sexual purity. Three of the fill-in-the-blank answers are "God," "Satan," and "Sexual Purity." And under the question "Have you given God control of your total being?," I wrote, "Nopers."

Seriously. Here's the proof.

Yeah, I was such a smart-ass. If that wasn't good enough, on the back of the sexual purity worksheet, I doodled about some boys named Tyler and Jason.

I knew about 20 Tylers and Jasons in high school and I genuinely have no idea which ones I was in love with in 2000. But I can tell you I probably wasn't daydreaming about sexual purity as I doodled their names with mine.

And lastly, I found this incredibly awesome picture of my brother and I at Yellowstone circa 1995. (Check the perm. And the walking stick.)

So, yeah. Obviously home was awesome.

However, add the absence from real life to the fact that I'm moving (into the sweetest house ever- that story will follow in a later post) and I'm trying to lead Young Life while being good at my job, and my life is legitimately crazy.

But, funny enough, it doesn't feel overwhelming. It feels good. And I'm excited.

So, bring it, life! I can take you!

Song of the Day: I Will Be Light by Matisyahu

Dave Ramsey Probs Would Not Approve

2010-09-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

I don't really have anything to say tonight, but I just bought a lot of new music and so I want to do a song of the day.

Well, maybe we should talk about how I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to buying music. And books.

It's bad. But we all have our vices, right? RIGHT? Come on, people! Affirm me!

Sometimes you have to buy Matisyahu's newest album. I mean, he's a Hasidic Jewish reggae musician. I need that. And really my one moment of thinking I need it means I buy it because, oh yeah, I can download music on my phone. Horrible idea.

Ah, well. It's better than when I used to spend all the money that I didn't have in college at Streetside Records. I can actually afford this music. So, I've grown. Let's celebrate (with more music)!

Song of the Day: Everything'll Be Alright (Will's Lullaby) by Joshua Radin (I don't think the impact of this song would be as great without the dramatic backlighting and the disco ball. Thanks to whomever is in charge of the lighting.)

PS 22

2010-09-18T17:51:00.001-07:00

This post combines 3 of my favorite things in this entire world:

1) Really cute kids.

2) Cheesy pop music.

3) One of those teachers that actually knows kids and takes the time to encourage them to be creative, fun, confident, lovely little beings.

Enjoy Mr. B and the kids of PS 22 in Staten Island.

Check out their blog here.

The Williams Fair

2010-09-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

You probably don't know this, but Williams is awesome.

And also sometimes a little sad.

Here's video proof:

Williams, AZ at its finest.

To expand a little, when we drove by at 6:45 PM, the carnival wasn't even open. When we drove by at 9:30 PM, there were legitimately 4 people on rides and another 8 milling about and they were in the process of closing up for the night. Add in the 4 carnies it takes to run the place and it wasn't exactly a crowd.

But I'm not sure you can ever count on a crowd at a Route 66 traveling carnival in Williams.

Oh, how I love me some Williams.

I Left Williams (and Now I'm Back)

2010-09-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

You know what I love?

Vacation.

You know what I hate?

Complete disregard for punctuation.

I had a seriously awesome time in Seattle with Dusty and Sara doing things such as helping them register for their baby, drinking lots of coffee, wandering around Pike's Place Market, and watching a lot of college football. If that's not a great vacation, I don't know what is.

And now it's Fall! Life is good.

Song of the Day: Worn Out Shoes by Joe Purdy.

Dignity, Shmignity

2010-08-29T21:22:00.000-07:00

Guess what I found out the other day...

Some people have friends, whom they really enjoy, that are not loud and crazy and completely ridiculous.

I know, right? Who knew?

On Thursday at work, my friend Shea asked me if I wanted to go to a wine tasting party with her on Friday. And it was definitely one of those asks that was a "please go with me to this thing because I already said I would go but I'm a little worried that it might be awkward."

I like meeting new people, so I agreed.

So we went. There were about 10 ladies there, all mid-20s to mid-30s. A couple brought their babies, everyone brought a potluck dish and some wine.

And it was very pleasant. And we chit-chatted and a couple people made some jokes. And they were all very sweet and engaged and great to be around. I had a good time.

But as we were walking out, I realized that I had just spent a rare (in my life) evening with people that did not include any of the following:

1) An extremely loud telling of a time that someone ridiculously embarrassed themself.

2) Slightly vulgar and definitely inappropriate jokes.

3) Laughing so hard that I cried/peed a little/snorted.

4) Someone telling a story of the one time when they jumped off a two-story building unscathed because someone dared them, climbed some unclimbable mountain, or biked across the country.

5) Brainstorming about starting a grassroots company that will take over the world or how to build houses in Nicaragua using native mud and string.

6) Someone talking in a fake accent, singing loudly, or befriending random passers-by.

7) Again, laughing so hard that I cried/peed a little/snorted.

Seriously, I don't know how I got so lucky, but I ended up with a whole lot of people in my life who live a whole lot of life. And bring me along on it.

We may be loud and crazy, but we're for sure not boring.

Song of the Day: Cooler than Me by Mike Posner (OK, we don't have good radio stations in Williams. So I listen to Top 40. And I'm 25. Don't judge me.)

Don't Suck

2010-08-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes you suck at life? And sometimes you're really careless with people that you care a lot about? Because you love them, but for some reason you think you can just be selfish and let them show you that they love you and not give that back.

Yeah, I've been that girl lately. (And by lately, I mean for like a year.)

And one of my dearest friends in the world finally said that to me. And it didn't feel good. But it felt good to have it said.

So, no excuses. I'm going to show the people that I love that I love them. A whole lot more. Because me thinking in my head how much I like them and value them but never calling them or sending them letters or anything does not equal being a good friend.

I literally just put a sticky note that says, "Don't Suck!" on my mirror. And I'm going to adhere to that new motto.

Here's to not sucking!

P.S. Thank you to everyone who loves me even though I do, in fact, suck.

Bold But True

2010-08-25T00:38:00.001-07:00

I'm going to make a bold statement: The best Pandora station is Ryan Adams.

Yes. It is.

Don't bother arguing, I have done a lot of research.

I love my Michael Jackson station. Missy Higgins is great but somehow always turns into Mat Kearney. Amos Lee (whom I love) produces no less than 5 Coldplay songs every hour. No thanks.

The Ryan Adams station is the perfect mix. Good, quality music that always has a perfect blend of songs I know and love and some new ones that I haven't heard but immediately put into my iTunes wish list. Also, it throws in a lot of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash just to keep things lively.

My only complaint is that it sometimes plays Walk the Line as its Johnny Cash selection twice in a row. Johnny has some great songs, Pandora. Branch out!

I know people are loyal to their Pandora stations, so feel free to attempt to prove me wrong. (On second thought, maybe I'm the only one who's loyal to my Pandora stations. Sometimes I feel a loyalty to internet radio programs. Is that weird?)

Bring it people. What's the best Pandora station?

Song of the Day: Hurt by Johnny Cash (Just another suggestion, Pandora. This is the first Johnny Cash song I ever loved. I saw the video on MTV when I was in 8th grade and loved it beyond what I could really understand at the time. Although, I'll admit I originally thought it was cool because I was really into Nine Inch Nails at the time. Hardcore!)

One of Those Days

2010-08-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

You know when you wake up at noon because the sun is shining directly on your face and you have nowhere to be and nothing pressing to do?

And you slept until noon because you stayed out late last night drinking wine and eating good food and laughing a lot with all the women who ridiculously bless your day-to-day life?

And then you check facebook and several people have written on your wall and sent you messages, people who ridiculously bless your life even though they're not in your day-to-day?

And then you eat pancakes that your roommate made from scratch and make yourself an iced chai with vanilla almond milk and it's really, really good?

And you have new books to read and it's sunny and beautiful outside?

Yeah, those days are the best.

Song of the Day: Addicted to Love by Florence + the Machine

I Giggled

2010-08-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

Youtube and the National Spelling Bee: two things that make me really happy.

Wait, What? It's Over?

2010-08-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

Ok.

Summer's over.

Seriously. The last campers left Friday, A-Team/WC/SS left yesterday, and our first off season group rolled in last night.

I'm off today. On a Sunday.

I'm not going to lie, as the WC shuttle bus pulled out, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I'm exhausted. And I'm excited for life to return to normal. I'm excited to actually get to have time to see my friends and have the energy to want to hang out with them when I do have the time.

I'm excited to have weekends and take some vacation. I'm excited to actually get off work at 5:00ish.

But it's always bittersweet. I'm a little disoriented. You see, I'm made for summer. I love it. Even when I wanted to cry, even when I wasn't sure I could make it through it, I loved it. Because you look around at these kids and it's worth it. You love them and you don't know them. But how could you not? If someone else loves them so much, how could you not love them too?

There are a million things I wish I had done better, there are a million times I wish I had gone one extra step, I wouldn't paint this summer as a rousing success from the perspective of my personal goals. But it happened. And it was good. And the good that came out of it is beyond the measure of success or not. And I got to be a part of it.

So, one off season down, one summer down, almost a whole year, and I'm feeling content for maybe the first time since I've been here. I'm ready to tackle it all again, and do it better and go farther. The adventure continues.

How does life get so good? I hope you're feeling this way too.

Much love.

Song of the Day: I Never Told You by Colbie Caillat

And So It Ends... (The Bachelorette Finale)p

2010-08-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Ali,

Welp. It's over. And you picked Roberto. I hope you can find a personality in there somewhere because otherwise you're life's going to be kind of boring. (By kind of boring, I mean you'll probably be wishing you had some paint you could watch dry just to get away from him.)

I understand why you picked him. He's pretty. And on the surface he seems perfect: sweet, loving, protective, gentle. But, I'm sorry, you are going to hate him. Because he's going to continue to pretend to be perfect and you're not. You're flawed. And he's going to inadvertently make you feel bad about being flawed. You won't like it.

I don't know why everyone doesn't ask for my opinion before entering into relationships. I clearly have it all figured out. You're welcome for the advice.

Enjoy being unemployed in San Diego,

Kate

Dear Roberto,

Look, I don't hate you. You seem fine. And you seem genuine. Like you genuinely don't have any personality. And that's fine. But it's not what I want to wake up to every morning, you know what I'm saying?

I think you're underestimating how dramatic Ali is. But good luck.

I give it 6 months.

I hope the insurance business is treating you well,

Kate

Dear Chris,

Um, please be the next Bachelor. I just read an interview where you said you weren't sure you wanted to be the Bachelor because you didn't like having your personal life exposed. This makes me want you to be the Bachelor even more. You would be the least crazy Bachelor ever. (But don't worry, I'm sure the producers would make up for it with the craziest ladies ever.)

Seriously, when you dropped the f-bomb in the finale, my heart was officially yours. I've never been to Cape Cod, but I think I would enjoy it. Let's find out, huh?

Talk to you soon,

Kate

Dear Frank,

Way to punk out and skip the After the Final Rose Special.

To busy working on your screenplay?

You're lame,

Kate

Dear Producers,

All I can say is: Thank you! What a great season.

Next time, try not to pick such an annoying Bachelorette. Also, pick more than 2 people that she might be compatible with. I know you want to pick the dramatic kids, but it's not very good if it's completely obvious who she's going to pick from the first couple of shows. (Seriously, episode 1 we knew who the top 3 would be.)

Still, excellent effort. You are in top form.

So stoked for the pad.

Respectfully,

Kate

I'm in Love, I'm in Love, and I Don't Care Who Knows It

2010-08-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I professed my love for my friends Ben and Liz and their company Sseko. And that love is real. But I'm here today to talk about an even more serious love. A love that, I would say, defines me.

World, I'm here to say it out loud: I am in love with Ira Glass.

Oh, Ira. You are everything I want.

If you don't know who Ira is (shame on you), he is a radio commentator and host of This American Life on NPR. (Side note: if you are not subscribed to the This American Life podcast, you should be. It's the highlight of my week.)

Ira is everything I want. I mean, it's his job to seek out interesting people/stories and then highlight them. And I'm not talking about the snobby, "shame on you for not realizing this is important," interesting stories. I'm talking about people you would know, next door neighbors. He seeks them out and highlights them. He tells their stories with both the dignity and the humor they deserve. I want to do that for people.

Also, he's got unruly salt and pepper hair, a great smile, and big black-rimmed glasses. And he wears suits. And he's on the radio. On NPR. And he's quietly hilarious. And pretty...

Sigh.

What would it take, Ira? I need to know.

OK, I'm going to move onto my real life. But you can stay and enjoy that picture for a while. I won't judge you.

Song of the Day: When a Heart Breaks by Ben Rector

My Favorite Roadtrip Ever

2010-07-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

So, if you read this blog or know me at all, you know I am in love. With my friend Liz. And her husband Ben. And her kick-ass company. And the beautiful Ugandan women that they employ.

So, you'll also know why I shouted out loud by myself in my house with excitement when I watched this video. (Mainly because Williams, AZ is in the United States and that means that said friends will be HERE! And also because everything that comes out of what they're doing speaks right straight to my heart, including the little camper icon.)

Watch this, start planning, and buy sandals here.

Sseko Designs...Roadtrip! from liz bohannon on Vimeo.

Good Morning

2010-07-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

I live in Williams. And Williams is a little hard to describe. But I'm going to tell you about everything I saw on my 10 minute drive into work this morning, and how that paints a pretty accurate picture of my town.

I pulled out of my driveway at 7:45 and immediately looked left, preparing for my morning wave to my neighbor. He was right where he always is, in his driveway crushing aluminum cans. Not really sure why he's always crushing cans at 7:45 AM, but I know it has something to do with veterans. Of course.

I drove on and gave another friendly wave to the old-lady morning walkers in our neighborhood.

I got out of our little subdivision and onto the street that leads into town. As I was starting to pick up some speed, I noticed that there was a man darting back and forth across the street about half a mile up. He managed to pick a side of the road to walk on by the time I got to him. I was thrilled to see that he was wearing jorts, a John Deere hat, no shirt, and sporting an awesome farmers tan. I got a head-nod from that guy and continued on.

I made it into downtown Williams and immediately got stuck behind a ginormous, extremely slow-moving RV. Let's just say they were having a lot of trouble maneuvering and I was having a lot of trouble not flipping them the bird. Route 66 at its finest.

Add in a couple stray cats, tourists wearing fanny packs in the middle of the road, and some wandering teenagers, and you have my daily life in Williams.

I love this town.

The End is Near (The Bachelorette: Ali, Hometowns, and Tahiti)

2010-07-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Ali,

Welp, you did it again. You cried. A lot. And made your patented pouty face. And literally said, "Why does this keep happening to me???"

I despise you.

And somehow you did manage to end up with the best of the lot. You can't really go wrong with Chris or Roberto. And yet, you would've picked Frank. Guaranteed.

You're an idiot.

There's always the Bachelor Pad,
Kate

Dear Kirk,

I. Love. Your. Family.

Creepy basement full of taxidermy? Horrible mustache? Bright pink lipstick and a bump-it? Cheesy potatoes for dinner? Oh, the Midwest. How I miss thee.

Still, you were screwed the minute your dad invited Ali to "see his basement."

There was no chance Ali was moving to Green Bay.

Go Packers,
Kate

Dear Frank,

Wow.

You really are working on some fodder for your independent film script, aren't ya?

Nicole? Your 21-year-old assistant manager at the Gap? I hope things work out for you.

I understand that Ali getting mad at you for having feelings for someone else is a little bit a case of the pot calling the kettle black, but still. You signed up for the Ali Show. You should know better.

Also, I didn't really like your family. It seemed like all the joking was covering up some bitterness. I would think you all would be a little closer, what with you living in their basement and all.

I bet you're a Cubs fan, too.

Go Cards,
Kate

Dear Roberto,

Um, your family was cool...

That's all I've got. You are SO boring. Come on! Your family salsa dances in their living room. You should have a little more je ne sais quoi.

Still, not shocked that you made your way back to the fantasy suite. Also wouldn't be shocked if you win it. Ali's blinded by the picture you two make together.

Get a personality,
Kate

Dear Chris,

Oh, how I love you and your slight awkwardness. I had a feeling you would make your move on hometown dates and I was right. Your family is awesome. Your dog is awesome. Your house is really awesome.

I do have a little bit of a problem with you talking so much about how you just want to be married like your brothers, but I guess timing is everything.

There's a chance you're too traditional for Ali, but I think you have a solid chance of winning it.

Good work,
Kate

Dear Chris Harrison,

It's a little sad that you are the only person Ali has to turn to. Good job giving a little pep talk, but still asking dramatic leading questions. Also, good work not rolling your eyes and pretending to care.

Can we hang out in real life?

You're awesome,
Kate

Dear Bachelors,

The Men Tell All is next week and I am pumped. Don't be shy about sharing the dirt. And Kasey, if you wanted to burst out into impromptu song again, feel free.

See you Monday,
Kate

That Guy

2010-07-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Before I post, I want to say that I'm completely aware of the fact that all I write about on my blog these days is my work and the Bachelorette. And I'm just going to admit straight out that this is because these are the only 2 things that I have time to focus on. Summer will be over soon and then I'll develop some outside interests, but for now, you'll have to read about those two things or take a hiatus from Kate-world. (And I know you can't do that.)

Post on...

I love my job for a lot of reasons, including but not limited to the fact that they give me cookies at every lunch, I sing Beyonce very loudly at least once a day, and I get to play on walkie-talkies with my friends and claim it's work-related.

But one of the main reasons I love my job is the extreme amount of people that I get to meet every week. I love people. Especially funny, crazy, weird people. And as a group, Young Life leaders are all of those things. (Also, passionate, loving, dedicated, and open-minded.)

However, we all have our moments when we are complete tools, and sometimes we like ourselves a little too much.

Which brings me to the introduction of one of my favorite general camp personalities ever. I introduce to you:

The Meathead Leader Who is Shirtless Inappropriately Often

Every week this guy emerges. You know him. He works out. A lot. And he wants to show you the fruits of his labor.

You first notice him at the pool. How could you miss him as he struts around the pool deck in his board shorts with his full-back tribal tat on display.

Oh, you notice him. And he notices you noticing. He's harboring the false illusion that you're liking what you see, while you are trying valiantly to swallow the little bit of throw-up that's working it's way up your throat.

And then you see him again. Headed for the zip-line. Still shirtless. And you decide to give him the benefit of the doubt. Because you realize you're a little judgy, and he is participating in a water event. So maybe he's just really into physical fitness. You have a change of heart.

Later that day, there he is again. Playing frisbee golf. This time in cut-off jorts. Still no shirt. You spend some time contemplating whether or not he's serious about his fashion choices or if it's some kind of non-funny joke.

You run into him later that night and, to your surprise and pleasure, he's wearing a shirt! Oh, how you start to think you may have pre-judged him. You feel convicted. He's probably a nice guy.

Oh, wait. What's that? Someone sprayed him with a water gun? I think you can guess what's going to happen. Shirtless again! Who cares that everyone else is in sweatshirts and jeans because it's nighttime in Northern Arizona? He wants to be free of anything that would keep you from checking out his bitchin' bod.

At this point, I say, judge away! Nobody should be shirtless that often. And let me tell you now, fellas, we're not impressed.

P.S. Don't ever type "jorts muscle man" into google images. You will be scarred for life.

Song of the Day: Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri

Protecting My Rep

2010-07-11T12:32:00.001-07:00

You know what I love about my job?

I love that in the last 2 posts I've talked about watching the Bachelorette on work time/computer and driving around playing pranks on people, and I'm not even a little bit worried that someone that I work with might read this and think I'm a slacker. Because they know that I work hard and that work's supposed to be fun sometimes.

But in case you need some affirmation, I work my butt off.

Glad we cleared that up.

Session 3 started yesterday, so we're officially 2/3 done with our summer camping season. It's really crazy how quickly the summer flies by. My bestie Kristen is here as a Work Crew Boss this session, so I'm super pumped for the amount of yelling and jumping and fun we will have while she's here. Also, it's an incredible blessing to have someone around who knows me, knows how my brain works, knows how to call me out on stuff and still love me really well. I like her a lot.

I'm also really happy about the fact that this is the last time I have to train. It is exhausting to have to start all over every 3 weeks with a whole new staff. But such is the life of working with volunteers, something I plan on doing for a long time.

All in all, life is good. I feel like I'm in the groove, finally. And if you want to know more, call me. (Seriously. I miss you all. Catch me up on your life, please.)

Peace out, girl scouts! (Post to follow on my illustrious career as a girl scout. It involved some horrible experiences at horse-riding camp and my dad buying 65 boxes of cookies so I could be a winner.)

Song of the Day: American Honey by Lady Antebellum

The Bachelorette Blog is Back

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

I'm BAAACK. And I'm going to catch up on the last few eps. Just so you know, my dedication to the Bachelorette has never been higher. Every week, at least 10 interns come to my house to watch the show. We normally have to watch it after 10:00 PM when we all have to work the next day, but we do it anyway. Also, I watched the Justin show-down with 3 of my co-workers on the internet in our office during a workday. So though I have not been blogging, my love the Bachelorette is still going strong. Here it is...

Dear Ali,

I'm sorry that the producers didn't put one single guy on this show that was remotely compatible with you. But they did pick the crazies. And that makes the show awesome.

You've narrowed it down to guys that probably aren't going to punch anyone, so it's getting a little boring. Still, I'm excited for hometown dates.

If you make that pouty face one more time, I'm going to jump through the TV and karate chop you in the throat. Seriously. It's the most annoying face I've ever seen.

Still don't like you,

Kate

Dear Kasey,

I'm sorry. How?... Why?... Huh?... What on earth were you thinking? A tattoo? And not just a tattoo, but a tattoo straight off of someone's ankle in a Guns n' Roses video. A shield! A shield with a heart and a thorny rose! That was so incredible. So incredible that Ali left you on a glacier.

Can't wait to see you on After the Final Rose!

Thanks for the crazy,

Kate

Dear Justin,

Next time, don't 2-time the girl you're 2-timing with. She will sell your love messages to ABC. Also, when you're trying to escape something, don't climb into the shrubbery. It won't work and it'll just make you look like a tool.

I loved every second of that confrontation.

Thanks for the drama,

Kate

Dear Ty,

I don't think you're horrible, but there was no way you were making it past this week. Maybe you shouldn't tell the girl who constantly talks about how hard it was to give up her job that you left your last wife because she wouldn't stay at home and bake you bread.

See you later, Ears!

Kate

Dear Chris L.,

The fact that you're really awkward only makes you more endearing. Falling off a mini-horse? Being a really bad moped driver? All hilarious, all endearing.

You don't have to continue pretending to like Ali. It's pretty clear that you 2 don't have a lot of chemistry. You need a girl who's a little more hardcore and a little less high-maintenance.

You're wicked awesome,

Kate

Dear Roberto,

I think you're fine, but your entire relationship with Ali is based off of making out and talking about how romantic you are. You might win, but you'll go down in flames pretty quickly.

See you next week,

Kate

Dear Frank,

You're getting crazier and crazier. You're beady eyes and your constant speculation about what's happening on the other dates is making my estimation of your drama level greatly increase.

Way to strategically place your announcement about living in your parents' basement for when Ali was wasted and wanting to undress you in a tree.

Can't wait for what's going to happen in Fiji!

Good luck on your screenwriting career,

Kate

Dear Kirk,

To my surprise, I kind of like you. You talk a lot. Like, a lot a lot. And you seem a little fratty. Also, you've talked too much about your mold disease and your arm hair falling out. Still, I think you might be the best man for Ali. Don't get your hopes up, you still probably won't win.

I think you're kind of funny,

Kate

Dear Jake and Vienna,

Not shocked and not sad that you broke up. I took notes during your entire segment in list form under the heading What Not to Do EVER in a Relationship. Thanks for the help.

You suck,

Kate

And most importantly,

Dear Producers,

First of all, excellent work on the dates lately. I particularly loved the mini-horse riding and the Turkish olive oil wrestling. The more ridiculous, the better.

Secondly, the Bachelor Pad???? I have never heard of a more idiotic idea for a show. Bachelor/Bachelorette cast-offs fighting for love and money? It is going to be SO AWESOME!

Thank you for all you do,

Kate

P.S. After the preview for the Bachelor Pad, my friend Austin literally said, "I now know for sure, there is a God." You've struck gold.

Am I Annoying? Is it Annoying to Ask?

2010-07-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have one of those days where everything in you just decides that today, just today, you can't handle being an adult anymore? Like, you still have every responsibility that you normally do and you go about your day just like always, but there is just no chance you're going to be able to do it without being obnoxiously juvenile?

Yeah, today was one of those days.

And I laughed harder today than I have in a long time.

Every month, I get a new set of Work Crew who are our high school aged volunteer staff. There's 9 of them, which is a lot for me to corral, so I also get a Work Crew Boss. Work Crew Bosses are normally on Young Life field staff and they come out for the month-long session to live and work alongside the kids.

My Work Crew boss this session is named Sullivan and she is hilariously awesome. We are kind of kindred spirits and spend a lot of our time yelling and laughing and telling very loud stories. It is awesome.

We also spend a lot of our time riding around in our electric golf cart and being really hilarious (or so we think).

We had a couple of bright ideas today. The first was to shout encouraging words at anyone we passed in our cart. This included things such as, "I like your nametag," "Your polo shirt looks really cool," "Good job driving that truck," and "Your flowing blonde locks look incredible."

Most people responded to this with a confused wave because there's little to no chance that they actually understood us as we drove past, but we thought we were awesome.

Then we found a beach ball. We came up with an idea for an awesome game including leaf blowers, but then had our hopes dashed when we found out that camp only owns 2 leaf blowers. Lame.

So we moved on to the next best thing, which was to hide in the office as the Admin. crew were coming back from lunch, jump out at them while yelling "Surprise!," and then hit our friend Shea with the beach ball while shouting, "Beach Party!!!!"

Awesome.

And then came the best game of the day.

We realized that Nate, one of the Guest Services interns, spends most of his day driving around in his cart dropping things off at various places around camp.

We, of course, started following him. As soon as he would park his cart and go inside a building, we would pull up directly behind and, if necessary, move random objects such as bikes in front of him to block him in. Then we would hide and watch.

We did it probably 5 times. And every time he would walk out, look a little confused as to why this would possible be funny, move the objects, and drive away.

And then Nate turned the cart over to Patrick. And we went for it again. Our first attempt ended with us yelling, "Be cool! Be cool!," and attempting to hide behind a brick wall while Patrick was staring directly at us.

But we do not give up easily. Let's just say a perfect storm of circumstances ended up with the cart completely wedged between a wall and our cart, and Patrick wandering around the snack bar/pool deck looking bewildered as to what to do. Oh, and he was carrying several smoothies.

I can't imagine Patrick found it all that funny, but we were laughing for probably an hour. And it was awesome.

Oh yeah, and all of this was done in the middle of a crazy and productive work day. You can make me grow up, you can give me a whole lot of responsibility, but give me a fun friend and a beautiful day, and I'm going to have to revert to the annoying youngest child that I am.

Life is good.

Song of the Day: Paperweight by Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk

Life

2010-07-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

Life continues to be crazy. And because of this, I do not get to connect with you, internet world, as much as I would like to. But I wanted to take a minute to give you a quick glimpse into what life is like right now and why I'm so in love with my job.

Here's a little story of how everything good is also hard and how an abundance of riches is always right in front of us if we think to ask for them:

I was having one of those moments last night. I was home by myself and I was exhausted and felt like I was completely and utterly alone. And I just kept thinking over and over how badly I needed a little piece of encouragement, anything to tell me why I'm doing what I'm doing. Anything that would say that what I do and who I am matters.

Like everything in life that is good, my job is also hard. I want to be purposeful. All the time. I want to be able to see what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. That's why I moved away from a home and people I love. That's why I put my college degree to work cleaning toilets.

And it feels like I've been waiting. Just waiting for summer, when everything here makes sense. When we do what we're made to do. I plan, I set goals, I get excited, I expect big things.

And then summer comes, and I feel pretty sure I'm failing at every goal I've set. My staff seems miserable and stressed. I barely know my Work Crew girls. My Summer Staff girls may or may not hate being in the Laundry. And it feels like there's nobody here to help shoulder the burden.

I'm exhausted and I feel invisible.

So last night, I prayed for encouragement. I prayed to know that there was some purpose to me doing all of this.

And then today I got to drive a golf cart in a 4th of July parade featuring every single camper (all special needs kids this week). And I got to watch them smile and cheer and chant and be excited to be in this place. I got high fives and smiles and hugs.

I spent a whole lot of time laughing because my co-workers are really funny. I got a pretty kick-ass Columbia pull-over from the Assignment Team because people do actually see that I'm here.

I remembered that big things happen here almost every moment. Kids get to be kids. They get to play and laugh. And it turns out it doesn't really matter if I'm awesome at my job as long as that keeps happening. If one kid gets to come here and know for sure that someone loves them, that's enough.

Ask and you shall recieve.

Coming Up with Titles is the Hardest Part of Blogging

2010-06-10T21:33:00.001-07:00

Remember when I used to be funny on my blog? You know, when I spent all my time writing about Twilight, nannying, and being rejected in my search for a job (and good coffee)?

Yeah, that was great.

Sorry my blog's been kind of downer lately. It's not cold anymore and I think that will vastly improve my ability to be snarky. However, it is summer and that means I'm really busy at work so we'll see.

To perk this place up a little, here's a small child repeating the daily affirmation I wrote up for myself a few years ago. It seems to really be catching on.

I Love to Love (Bachelorette, Ep. 3)

2010-06-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

This title is an homage to a quote made by Hunter that was so awesome in its cheesiness that my friend Mark left a voicemail on my work phone repeating it. I love my coworkers (and the geniuses behind the Bachelorette.)

Post on...

Dear Ali,

Again, really? I'm more and more affirmed every week in my distaste for you. I think it has to do with the fact that you giggle when absolutely nothing is funny and drink Coors Light. (The producers can put tape over the can all they want, I know what you're drinking.)

Now, I understand that they force you to keep the weatherman and hopefully Rated-R as well, but still. Any self-respecting woman would send the lot of them home and move immediately back to Cape Cod with Chris L. He says wicked and loves his mom (but not too much).

I guess that wouldn't provide that much of a show, but if you're in it for the drama then let's kick it up. If I'm going to watch people be this big of tools, I at least want to see a throat punch thrown in there somewhere.

Speaking of throat punches, that's what I want to do to you for getting to go on a round-the-globe trip with these idiots. Try to keep the ones around that are going to make that fun.

Stay classy San Francisco (no chance of that),

Kate

Dear Hunter,

No way you were getting a rose. Sorry.

Maybe next time, leave the ukulele at home.

At least you didn't cry,

Kate

Dear Frank,

You're getting boarderline creepy. I mean, it's Week 3 and you're already obsessing over the fact that she's dating other guys. I would ask you to reread your rulebook at this point. I think you might have missed some stuff.

Also, stop smiling so much. It's got a bit of a manic edge to it.

Hope you're not missing your parents' basement too much,

Kate

Dear Rated-R,

I can't help but laugh everytime I see you crutch anywhere. Especially on a group date including 15 flights of stairs and sand. I'm sorry about that.

Again, if you wanted to start punching some people, that would be fine. (I would go for Craig the Lawyer, he looks ready for a fight.)

I don't like you,

Kate

Dear Weatherman,

Try not to cry when you kiss women. It's not that attractive.

I have to say, I'm glad you're still around. Mainly because I know that the amount of time you stay on the show exponentially increases the level of meltdown you have in the limo on your way out.

Looking forward to it,

Kate

Dear Jesse from Missouri,

Denim on denim? Seriously? I told you not to embarrass us.

Come on,

Kate

Dear Chris L.,

You're still not Ed, but I wouldn't say no if you asked me out. You can just leave me a message here.

Talk to you soon,

Kate

Dear Producers,

More booze! More mansion! More creepy man-shrine time! You know what we want.

Thank you,

Kate

Alli's Back (Bachelorette, Ep. 1)

2010-05-24T22:59:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer: My life is super crazy. I make no promises to blog every week. But I will be watching. And judging.

Dear Alli,

Welp, you're back. I can't say I liked you at all last season. I found your squealing and pouting annoying the whole time. And I was really done with you when you collapsed crying in the middle of a hotel hallway.

Yet, here we are. You're the Bachelorette and we're going to be spending the next several Mondays together. Try not to cry or be a huge idiot.

Also, get rid of the weatherman. For serious.

I still don't like you,

Kate

Dear Chris L.,

You are literally the only person I gave a thumbs-up to in our snap-judgement round here at my house. The 12 people watching the show with me and I agree that you are the only one that is not a GINORMOUS tool.

I respect you for not talking about your deceased mom on Day 1. Keep being awesome.

You're no Ed, but I still think you're great,

Kate

Dear Weatherman,

Really? You remind me of Eric Alridge. That is not a compliment. Why don't you just pack it in now?

Seriously,

Kate

Dear Jesse from Missouri,

Please represent us well. It's going alright, but somehow people from Missouri always end up looking like crazies on TV. Redeem us.

MIZ,

Kate

Dear Producers,

This was the best you could do? Really? Try harder next time.

I'm disappointed,

Kate

Arrogance

2010-05-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

One of the most dramatic reactions I've ever had to something came when I was the tender young age of 17.

A dear friend of mine (who was legitimately older and wiser than me) had the audacity to tell me I was arrogant, and that it was a problem.

Oh, man. I was affronted. I couldn't believe it. Me? Arrogant??? No way. No way, no way, no way. I couldn't believe he would say it.

It didn't take me long to realize he was totally right.

Whether it's a defense mechanism, an inborn personality trait, or straight delusion, I often think that I am pretty awesome. And that I can do anything and my sheer audacity will make it all turn out alright.

For the most part, this has actually been a good thing. It makes me bolder than I would be. It makes me take risks that I wouldn't. It keeps me from wallowing in self-doubt and insecurities (although of course I have both of those from time to time).

But there is one area that I've recently come to realize my arrogance is killing me.

If you've been reading for awhile, you know that I've moved a lot. And I love it. I love meeting new people, I love being a part of a new community.

But the more I move, the more I leave, the harder it's been getting. Because for some reason I thought that I would get to just keep every great relationship I've ever had and just add some more everytime I go somewhere new.

This is a lot easier than it sounds.

I've been blessed. I've worked hard to create the relationships I have. I've loved people through hard stuff, and asked them to love me through my hard stuff. And they did it. And they became family.

And then I left.

And those relationships can't be the same when our day-to-day is so far away.

I know that I have friends that are life-long. These are people that would welcome me if I showed up on their doorstep, and it would feel like we hadn't lost a day.

But we will have. And I miss them. And it's hard to keep going, going, going.

And it's arrogant to think that they're just going to continue to love me when I'm not working to be in their lives.

So, if you're one of those people, I'm sorry. I want to be better. Love me anyway, please. Because I really love you.

And come visit.

Song of the Day: Nightminds by Missy Higgins (How I want to love...)

Desert

2010-05-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Update: I did not cry at work once on Thursday or Friday.

That's more like it.

But it did snow on Thursday and that made me want to cry. Because, seriously? It was April 29. It can't snow on April 29.

But now I'm sitting in the coffee shop with my iced soy green tea smoothie (delicious) and Lisa Loeb's Stay (I Missed You) is playing and all you can do when that happens is think about how great life is.

And it is.

I have one day off this week and work is insane and it's still cold outside. But life is grand.

Here's my attempt to share the joy...

Waterworks

2010-04-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

I have cried at work at least once every single day this week.

This does not make me a stellar employee.

One time it was because my boss asked me how I was doing. The other times it was more legit, but not by much.

I don't cry at work. I'm not that girl. So I don't know what's wrong with me. Other than that we have inordinate amounts of work to do and literally everyone else in my department is either sick, hurt, or on vacation. So there's just me to do the work of 4 people.

Still, I don't normally get too stressed out. I can work hard.

So again, I don't really know what's wrong with me.

I could use a week on a beach. Any beach. But since that's not possible until September, I'll settle for a one-day weekend. (We have a Sunday turnover that I get to work.)

No crying at work today! It's my goal!

Song of the Day: Sugarcane by Missy Higgins (Oh, how I love this song...)

Found

2010-04-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of my job is collecting Lost and Found. It is incredible what people will leave at camp and never claim. Expensive coats and shoes, phones, whole suitcases, etc.

But what's even more fun than the "I can't believe you didn't claim this" stuff is the notes/journals/books that people leave.

I have personally found more than one love note, several journal entries written by 12 year-olds, various scorecards and game rules, hilarious signs in dorm bathrooms, and many, many letters from moms.

Along that vein, one of my favorite websites is foundmagazine.com. Found Magazine is exactly what it sounds like. People find things, scan them, and send them in.

There are a lot of serious ones, old pictures, lists, etc. but these are my favorites:

Shameful

2010-04-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you all know this, but I'm a wuss. Seriously. I know for sure that in a fight or flight situation, I will choose flight. I am not proud of this, but it is true.

I tell you this in order to preface the story I'm about to share. A shameful story from my recent past.

As you know, I love baseball. And in my top 5 life goals (along with traveling to every continent and being on the Wheel of Fortune) is catching a foul ball. I go to a lot of baseball games. I want this to happen.

And about a month ago, I got a prime chance.

Cactus League Spring Training was in Phoenix and there was approximately 6 feet of snow on the ground in Williams, so a few of my friends and I decided it was the perfect time to go soak up some sun and watch some baseball. We went to Phoenix, did some shopping, and headed out the beautiful Spring Training home of the Royals/Rangers.

We payed our $7 and got our seats. As we made our way, I realized we were sitting in the 2nd row, towards the outfield, on the 3rd base line. I turned to my friends and, in a very excited voice, yelled, "This is prime foul ball territory! I'm totally going to catch one!"

Three innings later and someone I wasn't really paying attention to was up to bat. (Turns out I don't really care about the Rangers.) I watch the pitch go in, I hear the crack of the bat, and I see it. The ball is flying directly towards us.

People around me start shouting, my adrenaline starts pumping, and what do I do? I scream (loudly), cover my face, and duck. Where does the ball land? On the empty chair in front of me.

I straighten up and realize my friends are cracking up, the ball has hit a grandpa in the face, and a man sitting 4 seats down from me ended up with it.

And I was shamed. Shamed, I tell you.

Next time I want to sit in prime pop-up foul ball territory. Much less scary.

Song of the Day: More Like Her by Miranda Lambert (It's getting to the point in the year where I like country music.)

I Love Sunshine

2010-04-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a Missouri girl. Through and through. Approximately 90% of my clothing actually says Missouri on it (Go Tigers!). I have a never-ending allegiance to the (baseball) Cardinals. When someone mentions Sheryl Crowe (or Brad Pitt or Walter Kronkite), I loudly shout, "They're from Missouri!" I know that Boulevard is the most delicious wheat beer around. I boo everytime I hear the word "Kansas." I talk to people in grocery store lines. I never feel more peaceful then when I'm sitting on a bluff, staring out at a lake/river, walking through the woods (not the forest) in the fall, playing in a corn maze, or eating barbecue on someone's deck.

I love Missouri.

But I think I may be having a completely salacious affair with Arizona.

Missouri is my first love. The sweet, loving, slightly crazy first love that, somewhere in the back of my mind, I've always been equally parts resigned to and afraid of the fact that I'll end up with when it's all said and done. I'm comfortable with Missouri. I even love Missouri.

But Arizona. Oh, Arizona.

It has captured my heart. I was driving back up from Phoenix the other day and it was so big and warm and sunny and vast and ruggedly gorgeous that I couldn't stop smiling.

Arizona makes me happy. Arizona makes me feel alive in ways that I haven't in a long time. It makes me feel young and adventurous. It takes me really fun places and challenges me to do things I've never done. And for the most part, I'm so busy and focused on Arizona that I don't even think of Missouri. It's like I've moved on.

And then I drive past a lake or I hear a song or I get an email from an old friend. And I remember everything I ever loved. Only the good parts.

Yep, I'm a Missouri girl. But I'm going to keep seeing Arizona, just in case it might be right.

Song of the Day: I Taught Myself to Grow by Ryan Adams (I really like the harmonica.)

I Miss You All

2010-04-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

Having a job seriously gets in the way of my blogging.

Here's one of my favorite youtube videos of all time to make up for it.

I present to you: "Dennis Quaid is Here!"

Dum, Dum, Da-Dum

2010-03-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Little known fact about me: I love weddings. Love them. I'm not sure that I ever want to participate in one in a starring role, but I love attending them.

I used to hate them. When I was younger, I thought they were really boring. It was always a random cousin or someone's older sister (I grew up in a town where it was perfectly acceptable to wedding crash, or at least reception crash), and I just didn't care that much.

But then I got to college and people that I knew and loved really well started to get married. People that I walked through life with. People that I knew as single and then watched as they started a whole life with someone that I knew that they loved. A lot. Someone who was going to make their lives even more spectacular because they fit and challenge and grow together.

That's fun to watch.

But the real reason I love weddings is that I really love a good party.

This weekend my friend Bryce is getting married. Bryce was one of my first Young Life kids. I knew him already because he's Bryce and everyone knows him, but we bonded when he was the punk freshman who was also the super distracting boyfriend of one of the girls in my cabin at camp that summer.

Long story short, I haven't spoken to that girl in 5 years, but I'm taking a red-eye flight to Ohio tonight to see Bryce get married.

And I get to see several of my favorite people in the world in the process.

My expectations for the weekend: get approximately 4 hours of sleep divided between 2 nights, laugh until I cry, try to catch up on years worth of life, and feel extremely happy to be with people I am so completely comfortable with.

Yep, I love weddings.

iPods at Work Save My Life

2010-03-23T09:35:00.001-07:00

This song is on serious repeat on my iPod right now. You're welcome to everyone at work who can hear it, and can hear me singing it very loudly.

Bloodline by Matt Morris (ft. Justin Timberlake in this version)

Spring Awakening

2010-03-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

It's 60 degrees out. It's sunny. I bought new clothes. I have plans.

It is officially Spring.

And I have awoken.

Sometimes I am shocked by how much of my life I am willing to waste when there is so much to see, so much to feel, so much to taste out of this crazy life of mine.

Is there anything else that will belong to us so singularly as our own lives? Why would we not use up every piece of it?

Yes, I work. And I watch mindless TV. And I have meaningless interactions.

But I also sing. And dance. And love like crazy. And am loved like crazy.

I find purpose in my days. I laugh. A lot. I am inspired. And I (try hard to) inspire.

I've had this sticky note on the desktop of my mac for 6 months. It's a line from a The Ninth Elegy by Rilke that says:

Look, I am alive. On what?
Neither childhood nor the future grows any less...
Superabundant being wells up in my heart.

This is what life is. Marvelling at being alive. Being in a moment. The moment, that's neither holding me in the past or stealing from my future. Superabundant being welling up in my heart.

That's how I feel today. Superabundant.

I pray you feel the same way.

Song of the Day: I'm on My Way by Rich Price (Didn't know this song was on the Shrek 2 soundtrack, but OK.)

Sunshine is My Friend

2010-03-16T09:41:00.001-07:00

Up until approximately 3 months ago, if you had asked me how I feel about winter, I would have responded with the following:

"I love winter. It makes you feel all cozy and I read lots of books and there's Christmas and Elf and so many wonderful, magical things. Winter is AWESOME!"

I was laboring under a false illusion.

I never knew it, but I, in fact, despise winter.

I know I have been really whiny about it the past, oh, month, but I just can't help it. I feel like I shouldn't be grumpy about it because it is actually fairly warm today and completely sunny, but there is still snow everywhere. Seriously. Everywhere.

My hatred was thrown into stark relief by the trip I took to see Spring Training in Phoenix yesterday.

It was warm. And I got to wear my ssekos. And I went to a baseball game, where it smelled like freshly cut grass and barbeque. It was like heaven is going to be (I'm pretty sure).

And then we drove back to Williams and there is still snow.

Yes, it's pretty. But it is time for baseball and barbeque. Come on, Williams. Let go of winter. Let's move on. It's time.

Song of the Day: Laughing With by Regina Spektor

I Love Safeway

2010-03-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

I'm 25 years old. I drink alcohol sometimes. I do so responsibly. I don't drink and drive. I don't ever get belligerently drunk. So it is completely appropriate for me to buy a whole lot of booze at our local Safeway before I have a bunch of friends over to play board games tonight.

However, I live in a small town, where a lot of people live pretty miserable lives. They tend to self-medicate with a combo of liquor, drugs, promiscuous sex, and other unhealthy behaviors. And I'm trying to demonstrate that life can actually be a lot better than that.

Oh, and I recognize half of the people in Safeway every time I go in and I'm pretty sure they recognize me. And know where I work. And half of them are teenagers.

So I had a plan today. I went into the store, got everything I needed and left the liquor for last. I made my way to that end of the store, picked it up (under the watchful eye of a girl across the aisle looking at bread and wearing a Lost Canyon sweatshirt), and then headed to the checkout.

And I'm feeling fine at this point. But then the checkout man took about an hour to check out my stuff. I'm not kidding when I say he spent at least 2 minutes trying to ring out a granola bar. I had 6 more of them on the conveyor belt. I think it would've worked to use any of them. But no.

And he started picking all the food out and leaving just the liquor on the belt. So as the line started to build behind me, it seriously looked like I was just buying a case of beer, the giant bottle of vodka, triple sec, rum, a couple bottles of wine, and limes.

Again, I have no moral qualms about purchasing all of this, but it was just one of those situations where I just kept thinking "really?!?"

So I went to the coffee shop and had a green tea smoothie to celebrate my patience. Well worth it.

Song of the Day: Suga Suga by Baby Bash (They keep playing this on the radio and every time they do, I have to jam. Mainly because it reminds me of 2005. And who didn't love 2005?)

I Can Hear the Squealing

2010-03-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

I'm not even a little bit ashamed at how excited I am about this... (OK, maybe a little bit.)

Jacob or Edward? (I vote Emmett.)

Making it Up as I Go Along

2010-03-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

So you know how I have a real-person job, but most of the time I feel like I'm totally faking it? You know, like I have no idea at all what I'm doing but I pretend I do in a "fake it till you make it" life strategy?

Yeah, that's still happening.

The past couple weeks I've hired 4 new people to work in my department.

This is awesome. We were pretty understaffed, so we decided to hire a couple of part-time people. Then one of my full-time housekeepers decided to quit at the end of the month, so I needed to hire for that as well.

Commence faking it.

There are about 1.3 billion things that I did not realize came with the process of hiring people. Are they over 20 hours a week or under? Will they get COLA? Do they go to staff development days? What if everyone wants to work different hours? Will my staff get along or make each other miserable? Should I hire locally? Will the 20-year-olds I just hired get along with the not-quite-20-year-olds I already have working for me? Do I want someone young and flaky but full of energy, or someone older and more reliable?

Not making this process any easier is the fact that it's hard to get know people in an interview setting. Of course you're trying to put on your best face. But I want to know the bad stuff. And if I hire someone and they're completely miserable to work with, that's pretty much on me.

Ugh, it's a lot of pressure.

So I decided early on to trust my instincts and try not to get too blindly excited when someone seems fun.

So I hired Janice, who is a sweet Williams local who came highly recommended by our Sites and Facilities Supervisor. She started last week and has been wonderful.

Then I hired Liz and Abigail, NAU students and YL leaders here in Williams. They are sweet and fun and full of energy. I'm excited that I can give them an excuse to have to be in Williams 3 times a week and some money to get here. Also, I'm pumped to pour into them a little and live vicariously through them. Leading YL half an hour from where you go to school? I am familiar with that.

And then yesterday, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. I hired Susie, who is a super fun girl who interned at my old stomping ground, the Washington Family Ranch. I was pretty sold on her after she admitted to facebook stalking me the first time I talked to her on the phone. Also, I accidentally hung up on her during her interview which was pretty funny and not super professional on my part. But she's moving here from WA the first week of April and I'm pretty pumped to hang out with her.

Honestly, it's been a really fun process. It's fun to see my stamp on this place grow bigger and deeper. And it's also fun to work in a place where I can look at an interview as a chance to get to know someone and hiring someone as a chance to add to my family away from home.

I love my job!

Song of the Day: 9 Crimes by Damien Rice (It's really dreary and snowy, hence the sad song.)

I Have Written... This Post

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

So I was going to post about the Bachelor finale last night, but I just can't.

I'm home alone and it was a beautiful, sunny, warm (by warm I mean not cold) day. Tyrone Wells' new album is on my iTunes and I just don't have it in me to be snarky about Jake and Vienna.

I just finished Donald Miller's new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. I was in love with the premise. Donald's first book, a memoir, was being turned into a movie, and they kept changing everything to make it a better story. It made him realize that his life sucked, that he needed to get up off his ass and live a life that people would give a crap about.

He's funny and real and he speaks to my heart a lot.

But my favorite line in the book wasn't his. He was talking about how he's a writer who hates writing. And then he quoted William Zinsser who said that writers "love to have written."

Yeah, that sounds about right.

I love to have written. I love having stories. But a lot of the time, I hate the process. I love talking about the places I've been, but I get tired and cranky when I travel. I love being settled in a new place, gathering new people to love. But the first 6 months anywhere makes me sad and lonely.

I love to have written.

It's not even that I avoid things that are hard. I don't. I travel, I move, I love. But sometimes I become so daunted by the idea of the process, by the length of time, by the chance of failure, that I just can't do it.

But I want to have written.

And I want to have written something really incredible.

Song of the Day: Running Around in My Dreams by Tyrone Wells

I Hate Myself a Little for this Post

2010-02-27T15:01:00.001-08:00

I need winter to be over. I don't want to be a whiner, but seriously, I need winter to be over.

I can't handle being inside anymore. I can't handle it being dark at 6:00 PM.

I'm whiny and a little restless. And I want to blame it on winter because I don't want anything else to be the cause.

My life is in a weird place. I'm 25 years old. I have a career. And I love it. I love feeling purposeful. I love getting up in the morning and having somewhere to go and something to do and people to see. I love not worrying about how I'm going to support myself. I love it.

But I miss getting up in the morning and watching TV while I get ready. I miss deciding what I'm going to do with my day on that day. I miss being able to spend 3 hours in the coffee shop and staying out until 2 AM.

And yet, I hated it. I hated feeling like my days meant nothing, like I had no direction and no clue.

So here I am. 25 and mainly happy, but still sitting at a coffee shop and whining on my blog. And becoming more convinced that I may never grow out of the need to do that.

You can skip this post if you want, I wouldn't blame you.

Goats and Wolves and Bears, Oh My!

2010-02-16T09:53:00.000-08:00

I live in Williams, AZ. I have to say, this was not exactly where I expected to be living at 25 (or ever), but it has turned out to be pretty awesome.

I mean, there's so much here.

We have a Safeway, the Grand Canyon Railroad, the Polar Express (winter months only), a restaurant called Miss Kitty's Steakhouse, the World Famous Sultana Theater (local bar), carriage rides, a large RV park, several hotels, a Denny's with a bar, more than one Route 66 souvenir shop, a daily western shoot-out show (summer months only), and lots and lots of stray cats (seriously, it's a problem).

You're probably thinking, "Is there anything in the world that could possibly make this place even more awesome?"

Well, I completely understand your disbelief, but yes, actually, there is something that could make Williams more awesome.

Our town is proud to present to you...

BEARIZONA!!!

Yes, you read that right, Bearizona. Like Arizona but with bears. Our very own drive-through wildlife park, set to open in May 2010.

I have a blow-up mattress with your name on it. I'll expect to see you all in May.

Much love.

Seasonal Depression is Real

2010-02-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

So, Bryce is taking out his misguided anger on me daily by A) yelling at me about the fact that I haven't watched Lost since Season 3 and therefore can't join in this mania that is happening and B) constantly criticizing the fact that my entire blog consists of Bachelor posts right now.

I'm here to make a public apology. (Only about the blog thing, though. You're just going to have to get over Lost.) I'm sorry, Bryce.

I have Seasonal Blog Depression. (It's a real thing.) It's been a dark blog time for me. There's nothing going on in my life besides the Bachelor. It's sad but it's true. I live at 7,000 feet and there has been snow on the ground for weeks now. This would be awesome if I snowboarded or something, but I'm too uncoordinated. So, I just read books and obsessively watch Dexter.

None of that is all that blog-worthy.

Lucky for you, that all changed today.

Why, you ask? Well, the Super Bowl was yesterday. Football's over and that means one thing: BASEBALL!

I am excited.

It's 9 days until pitchers and catchers report.

This means so much for my life. I'm getting satellite TV so I can watch the games (I love being employed). It signals that Spring is around the corner which means I will be able to go outside without being worried I'm going to fall down on the ice. I get to start talking about the Cardinals to a lot of people who don't care. I will read the Post Dispatch Sports page everyday. I will start getting random texts from my friend Allie commenting on real-time pitches, plays, etc. (because she knows I'm watching the game too). And I will be wearing my lucky Yadier Molina jersey pretty much all the time.

This all makes me very happy.

Oh, it also means that I start writing about baseball on my blog. Sorry to all of you who don't care at all.

Song of the Day: Angela by Missy Higgins

Double Feature (Jake, Eps. 4 & 5)

2010-02-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

I'm baaaack.

After the vast amounts of hate mail I received last week (including from my own mother), I am going to go ahead and vow to not miss another week of Bachelor posting. In my defense, I would like to point out that I don't have cable and sometimes my internet's spotty. But it's not like I'm going to completely miss an episode. I would never do that.

To reward you for your patience, I'm going to recap both episodes this week. You're welcome.

The first episode started with a stroke of Bachelor producer genius. That's right, RVs! Road Rules made it awesome, the Bachelor brought it back. Although the RVs did signal the end of the mansion which I always miss. All the good crazy comes out in the mansion.

I immediately decided that I would want to be on the RV with Ali, Tenley, Ella, Jessie, and Katherine. It definitely seemed like the party bus. Side note- if I were rich, I would buy an RV. Don't judge me.

The girls rolled along the PCH in their party buses while Jake trailed behind on his motorcycle. (And apparently, Jake drove the same stretch of highway all the way to San Fran. Or they just used the same shot over and over and he actually flew. Whichever.) The first stop was at a Vineyard where they were all going to be "camping." (Million dollar RV does not equal camping).

Gia got the first one-on-one date where we found out that she likes spin the bottle and Jake was given the nickname "Mr. Dateless" in high school. Kids can be so cruel. I'm always surprised that I end up kind of liking Gia because I was pretty sure I would hate her. But she seems alright, and Jake definitely seems to like her (ass).

Moving up the Cali coast, the next stop was Pomona Beach and a pretty awesome group date. Dune buggies and sand surfing, heck yes. Actually, the sand surfing I could live without. I don't like get sand in my mouth. But dune buggies? Yes, please.

They ended the group date with a fancy dinner at some kind of weird rock-covered inn (with a theme that I wasn't really getting) that we were supposed to think was luxurious. I'm not buying it. It became really clear that Ashleigh was going home this week when her one-on-one consisted of nothing but awkward silences and inappropriate touching.

The last date of the episode was the most dramatic kind of date there is. Yep, the 2 person date. In case you didn't read your rule book, at the end of the 2 person date, Jake has to send one person home and give one person a rose. However, Jake decided to flout the rules and sent both Ella and Katherine home. I knew Ella wasn't going to win, but she was still my favorite. Sorry you had to exploit your child for nothing!

Sending 2 people home before the rose ceremony meant Jake only had to send one more person home at the actual ceremony. We got to the ceremony, he handed out 5 roses (in the exact order that I guessed), and then he got all flustered and left the room to seek counsel from Chris Harrison. Long story short, he decided to go ahead and send both Ashleigh and Jessie home (fine by me, they were boring).

Ali spent some time whining that Vienna got another rose, and that was that.

Episode 2 upped the drama.

The road trip officially ended in San Fran which (we heard about a million times) is where Ali lives. I'm a little tired of Ali at this point. I liked her from the beginning, but she needs to shut her mouth. Don't worry though, I hate Vienna more.

The first date envelope came and it was addressed to Tenley who reacted with a whole lot of bouncing and squealing. They went to Chinatown and wandered through all the shops, followed by dinner on top of some kind of lighthouse/tower. I have no idea what it was, but it was pretty. Not that I could concentrate on anything other than the gloriousness of the mock turtleneck Jake was wearing. Gotta love a man in a mock turtleneck.

Tenley is for sure making it to the top 2, although I don't know if she'll win. She's what Jake would say he wants, but that doesn't seem to mean anything in Bachelor world.

The next date card came and Corrie hilariously said it was for Vienna and Ali. The looks being passed were priceless and I was giddy for the drama. But alas, it was a joke and the 2nd date actually went to Gia and Vienna.

It does suck to be the only girls not to get one-on-one dates and it has to suck even worse if you have to share your date with Vienna. She immediately started awkward bombing all over the place about how everyone hates her, and she cried. All in front of Gia. She is bringing the crazy. Jake had one-on-one times with both the girls where he got pretty physical with Gia and not at all with Vienna. The producers have to be making him keep her.

And Vienna snuck into his bedroom. And it was awkward. Super awkward.

Corrie got the next date. Going into the date, I thought Corrie didn't have a chance. Then Jake asked her if she was a virgin on national television and I thought she had it made. Talk about awkward.

Ali got the last date and it was all about San Fran. Did you know she lives there? I probably could've done without seeing her straddle Jake in a public park, but I like her a lot better when she's not with the other girls.

The rose ceremony was fairly uneventful. Jake sent Corrie home which seemed like kind of a douche move after he made her talk about her sexual history (or lack thereof) on TV. Also, that means he kept Vienna. So we have to watch him go to her hometown and have her introduce him to her dog as its new daddy. It's not something I'm looking forward to.

My guess is Vienna will go next followed by Gia.

Bring the drama, Chris Harrison!

I Know, Delays Suck

2010-01-26T06:45:00.001-08:00

OK, I know how much you all look forward to my Tuesday morning Bachelor Blog. And believe me, I look forward to writing it.

But this week, it's going to have to be delayed. I'm sorry, but it could not be helped. You see, I don't have cable. I watch it every week at my friend Mandi's. And tragically, Mandi is out of town right now.

Also, I've been obsessively watching Dexter play-instantly on Netflix. There were a lot of things hindering me.

But fear not, Mandi will be back tomorrow and I'll get to the end of the play instantly seasons of Dexter very soon.

The Bachelor Blog will come at you later this week.

(Sorry to my mom, who already emailed me this morning wondering where my Bachelor post was.)

He's Bringing Sexy Back

2010-01-23T23:22:00.000-08:00

I love Justin Timberlake.

It's just a thing of mine. Summer Love comes on and I can't help but just straight jam.

It started with the N'Sync Disney special in the summer of 1998. I was firmly in the middle of my Korn/Limp Bizkit phase (seriously, I was hardcore), but I loved that special. I taped it and watched it over and over.

I realize that N'Sync is cheesy boy band to the extreme, but JT has become seriously legit since. People sometime argue that, but they would be wrong.

And to prove it, here's the duet he sang with Matt Morris on the Haiti telethon. I can't stop listening to it, a) because I love this song (Jeff Buckley sang it first and always best) and b) because it's freaking haunting. Try arguing with me now! (If you need more proof, you can borrow his Live at Madison Square Garden DVD from me. Yes, I own it and it's awesome.)

The Claws Come Out (Jake, Ep. 3)

2010-01-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I spent all day in the car today, driving back from Malibu. I am tired. But I will not let that deter my Bachelor Blogging. I know how important it is to you all.

I got a text from my friend Mandi today saying, "Bachelor tonight? Someone's pregnant!" Apparently, there have been previews on ABC of someone telling Jake they're pregnant. Now, I'm a savvy enough (and veteran enough) Bachelor viewer to not believe the tricky preview editing. I was right, nobody revealed any buns in the oven this episode. But that did not mean we were lacking on drama.

There were 3 dates tonight. The first was a one-on-one with Vienna. Here's the thing with Vienna: I find her a little personally annoying. Also, she's 23 and it shows. I would be on board with not liking her. However, the other girls have decided to gang up on her in a move that feels a little bit like hating the kid that reminds the teacher they didn't hand out homework. Of course that's annoying, but it's just kind of dumb, not malicious. She's clearly just a bit of a snotty princess who doesn't realize it. I feel a little bad for her.

Not bad enough that I think she should get a rose, though. She didn't really have anything interesting to say the entire date, but they did go bungee jumping and Jake for real almost peed his pants. I mean, he was shaking and probably crying. I love that he's kind of a nerd.

She got a rose, she got to stay, the other girls spent the rest of the show alternately whining about her, talking trash about her to Jake, and being mean to her face.

Next was the group date which was, wait for it, a trip to John Lovitz's comedy club! Hmmm.... Not the best date they've ever come up with. However, it was awesomely awkward when they made each of the girls get up and do a stand-up comedy routine in front of an audience. None of them were funny, a couple of them were kind of vulgar, Ashleigh cried and then told some blonde jokes, Michelle was awkward, and Corrie spent her whole time mocking the other girls. I do not see a future as a comedienne for any of them.

They all went to booze it up at some hotel afterward, and it was horribly unfun for any of them. During one-on-one time, Tenley finally told Jake about her cheating ex-husband (who has to feel like a huge doucher at this point) and Ali talked trash about Vienna (why are you talking about other girls in your one-on-one time?).

Oh, yeah, and Michelle went home.

Yeah, and it was everything I wanted it to be.

First, she cried because she wasn't getting any time with Jake. Then, she finally got it and told him she was again thinking about leaving, to which Jake was internally saying "please do." She then spent a few minutes talking about how it was her turn to find love and have babies because her brother already has. (Is there a line we're waiting in that I don't know about?) She has yet to come across as anything other than desperate or crazy.

She finally asked Jake if she could kiss him so that she could see if there was chemistry. She then molested his face, while he tried valiantly to keep it as chaste and closed-mouth as possible. It was SO awkward. I loved every second of it. Then she told him she needed him to beg her to stay, to which he replied she should probably go home. She cried and acted shocked. She is so nuts. I mean, multiple restraining orders nuts. She needs her own show.

After that, Jake called it a night and peaced out, which seems fair.

The last date went to Ella who is the sweet, southern single mom. They went to Sea World and Jake (producers) surprised her by bringing her son Ethan. As much as they're exploiting children and you probably shouldn't bring your son on a first date, I love it when they do this. The kid was seriously cute, and Ella continued to show that she was about 90 times more mature than the other women. Seriously, they're all talking shizz about Vienna and she's talking about having a father for her son and knowing what she wants in a man. I still like her, although I'm not sure he'll pick her.

The cocktail party was short and sweet. Jake called Elizabeth out for being a tease, which is a term I normally don't like, but actually completely applies in this situation. She got pissed and cried, and this was somehow all Vienna's fault. (Again, I don't even like Vienna, but seriously?) He ended up sending Elizabeth and the one girl left whose name we didn't even know home.

It's down to nine and getting even more dramatic. I love Mondays!

Freedom!!!

2010-01-14T18:39:00.001-08:00

Before I blog, I would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome Phil G. to my blog. It's good to have you, Phil. Now update your blog so I can stalk you in return. Thanks.

Let's post.

I went to a day-long personal finance seminar instead of working today.

Yep, you heard me right. Me. Financial seminar. All day.

Actually, everyone I work with was required to go because we were hosting it at Lost Canyon. It was literally entitled Financial Freedom. You would be correct if you were thinking that it was hosted by a man in a navy blazer and khaki pants. You would also be correct in thinking it included a heavily animated Power Point presentation.

I was excited about this day for a few reasons. The first was that I knew it would give me the motivation I needed to get my finances together now that I have a real person job (ugh). The second was that I had this weird premonition that it was going to be awesomely reminiscent of retreat days in high school.

I was not disappointed.

It was absolutely the grown-up equivalent of retreat day. I got to wear weekend clothes instead of my normal toilet-cleaning clothes (or Catholic school uniform in the analogy). When I first got to work, I ran to the auditorium and spent some time asking the cool kids to sit by me. We claimed the good row, stocked up on snacks, and spent an appropriate amount of time giggling and whispering (not too much so we didn't get in trouble).

I don't think I need to say more, this day was clearly awesome.

I told you, high school retreat day all over. Although, I didn't have to spend any time trying to hide the Smirnoff Ice on my breath, so there has been some growth in the last 7 years. (Mainly that I would never drink Smirnoff Ice anymore.)

And, as a bonus, I actually did figure out some stuff about finances. That's good. (Although I need an entire other post to talk about how I'm such an extreme commitment-phobe that even long-term saving stresses me out. It's not pretty.)

I'm headed to SoCal this weekend, to bask in the warmth with a few of the ladies here. And then we're going to come back to a week that is supposed to bring us 4-7 feet of snow. Yes, feet. The Williams Police Chief has literally been meeting with FEMA to prepare. One time in Columbia, we got 8 inches and didn't leave the house for 2 days. My life has changed.

Wish me luck.