May 26th, 2007 by Kateastrophe
Two years ago this Monday - May 28th, I made the best decision of my life and I married my best friend for time and all eternity.
May 23rd, 2007 by Kateastrophe
While I have been overwhelmed with Memes in the past . . . I was kind of relieved when Brillig mentioned to me that Cherann had tagged me AND given me “linky-love” as dear Brills lovingly calls it. I have been a bad blogger. I must have writers block or something, or it could possibly be that work has finally become busy and challenging, with the complete initiation of the new minion . . .who knows, but I haven’t been feelin’ the blogging this week.
Anyway, back to the point . . . I am supposed to list five blogs that I read but aren’t on my Blogroll (which is growing day by day.) This is actually going to be somewhat challenging, because I try hard to immediately add a new blog when I decide I love it. (I am such a blog whore.) So here goes . . .
1. Cherann, I’m ashamed to admit it, but you are number one. I read you and haven’t added you to my list. BAD KATE! Bad! You have fun things to say and I do love reading you. I will remedy the situation toute suite!
2. Lizzy the Botanist is a newly discovered blog, linked through my other BFF, the amazing Jewels of Blonde Canary. She is super funny and has all these hilarious nicknames for everyone and her son Nash “Radical” is SUPER cute.
3. Amy Furstenau I “read” for her amazing photography. Most of the pictures are of her gorgeous daughter Estee, but she has other stuff in there too. I’m uber jealous of her uber talent and I uber want to be like her someday. Uber.
4. Follow Ling Ling As She Gives Lymphoma the Beatdown is the most uplifting, heartbreaking blog I’ve ever read. If you read it, you must start at the beginning to understand what’s been going on. I put a disclaimer: HEARTBREAKING. I sat and cried the first time I read it. It is however, also very hopeful and wonderful, so, as hard as it is to read from the beginning, trust me, it’s worth it.
Honestly though? Four is all I can-can come up with. I try really hard to pass the love on to everyone. But hey, any lurkers out there . . . come ye forth! I LOVE finding new friends in cyberland. Just today I discovered that one of my favorite bloggers might be my long lost twin!
And uh . . . I tag . . . uh . . . everyone! It’s good to share the blog love right?
May 18th, 2007 by Kateastrophe
Flashback to about four years ago . . . I was living in Utah working at a small graphic design firm with some of the funniest, most unusual people I’ve ever met. We had so much fun every day, and you never knew what adventure was around the corner.
At the time, I was (and still am) into Shakira. We used to listen to her music at work and make up dances. (Don’t ask.) It was kind of our office soundtrack.
One day, I returned from lunch, sat down at my computer, unlocked it and found this as my desktop.
One of my co-workers had hacked in to my computer . . . downloaded the Shakira album cover, scoured my hard drive for a picture of me that had a similar angle and viola . . . you have the ugliest picture in history.
Apparently, I arrived to soon for him to give my face a tan.
May 10th, 2007 by Kateastrophe
Exactly two years ago this week, I was having a complete melt down because my wedding dress arrived from the shop dirty and with a giant, permanent crease in the skirt. It was also supposed to pour rain on the day of my bridal shoot at Thanksgiving Point and I was a total bridezilla, complete with fangs.
So I guess it’s also a Kateastrophe . . .
Anyway, despite a horrid hair day and pouring rain, I was allowed a few minutes of perfect photography weather and some pretty amazing bridal shots. My favorite, ironically, wasn’t taken by the photographer. My Mom shot this with her little digital camera.
I loved my wedding. I seriously want to get married again (to Matt of course) just to have another wedding.
May 7th, 2007 by Kateastrophe
I am an Auntie yet another time over (third time in a month!!)
Internets, meet Avella Renee (or Ella, as she’ll be called). She was born this morning and weighed in at 8lb 12oz and was only 19 inches long. So round and chubby and precious!
Ella, meet the internets.
May 1st, 2007 by Kateastrophe
As I proudly announced, I am currently on a little vacation home . . . to Provo, Utah, home of the Mama, the BYU Cougars and don’t forget, the Timpview Thunderbirds.
My home town . . . I always liked it growing up but sort of had an itch to leave. I had many opportunities (great, wonderful, rare opportunities) to leave, but I could never bring myself to do it. I swore I’d never attend BYU, yet I did, and I loved it. I swore I’d leave after I graduated from college, but it took me almost two years and a dumb boy (ok fine, I married him, it worked out) to drag me away. I grew to love this place more than I can say.
I like Phoenix, for many reasons. The warm winters are fantastic, the jobs are really great, I’ve met some amazing people there and I’ve had some amazing experiences . . . but.
There’s always a but.
Phoenix isn’t HOME.
Phoenix doesn’t look like THIS when I walk out on the back porch of the house I grew up first thing in the morning:
Er, sorry about the date stamp? I hate my Mom’s camera. Phoenix doesn’t look like THIS from any college campus.
Phoenix doesn’t have my big group of bestest friends (with the exceptions of Rhonda, who I am eternally grateful to in Phoenix with me, and Sheila . . . but she just BELONGS in So. Cal, so it’s hard to picture her living here now!)
Phoenix doesn’t look like THIS from the side view mirror of my car:
Phoenix doesn’t have my pseudo nieces and nephews, all who are so cute I just want to eat them up, and I feel like I’m missing their childhoods, and they won’t remember me and it makes me sad . . . and did I mention they are cute?
Phoenix most definitely doesn’t look like THIS:
Or THIS:
Or THIS:
My life is in Phoenix. I am building a beautiful new home in Phoenix that I am SO happy to move in to. I have a wonderful job in Phoenix. I have a loving, amazing husband in Phoenix . . . but
My heart misses it’s home.
April 24th, 2007 by Kateastrophe
I challenged Stacy of Jurgen Nation to come up with five interview questions for me. I thought it would be easy to answer them in a few minutes . . . but as she is the queen, she gave me some DOOSIES and it’s taken days to feel like I had any decent answers, and question 5 still isn’t complete! But I had to do SOMETHING with them! So here they are in all their glory!
1. You have an IMPECCABLY decorated house. It’s one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. But, uh-oh. You’ve just been sent to jail (for being so damned adorable). Decorate your jail cell and explain in detail. Assume you can do almost anything you want, but you cannot add space or change the layout in any way.
I’ve thought a lot about this. More than I really should have. Decorating a cell is serious stuff! It can make or break the relationship you might have with fellow prisoners! I’m going to assume, for the sake of my decorating, that I have a cell to myself.
You’ve got to work with all the iron . . . right? I mean you’re practically surrounded by it. So I’m thinking this . . . votive candles suspended between the bars. Candles make anything look elegant right?
I will definitely paint the walls. I am a sucker for color. Most likely two colors, as I’m also a sucker for accent walls. And cells are notoriously dark, so I’m trying to brighten it up. I will stick with my bedroom colors . . . Ralph Lauren Evocative Sunlight on the two side walls with Behr Heathered Laurel on the back wall.
As for accessories, I love wall art . . . to add culture and art to my cell I would like to have antiqued pictures of Michaelangelo marble statues or possibly Da Vinci cartoons (or such things). The pictures will be in varying sizes, arranged randomly on the walls in black frames and ivory mats. And plants. I have to have green plants. I am notorious for killing delicate plants, so it would have to be something like Ivy, so that I don’t kill it right away. You have to have pictures of family and friends of course, in cute little frames on cute little side tables I’ll bring in, which, since I have no budgetary limitations and I want to give it to the government (hehehe) will be from Z Gallerie. Because I said so.
I realize that nice sheets are a luxury not usually found in jail, but since I can do anything I want, I want sateen 1000 thread count sheets and soft pillows. And lots of pillows — decorative and functional. In shades of ivory and green, to match my wall colors. There would also be, of course, a gorgeous duvet to top it all off. Maybe I’ll even take mine from home, I love it that much.
I’ll need a leather reading chair . . . the big comfy kind, with an ottoman to rest my feet on (wow apparently I have a large cell.) and it will have a soft angora throw and a rubbed bronze reading light.
It’s jail, I realize . . . but at least it will be homey!!!
2. You love Mr. Kateastrophe. He’s fantastic, no? (His name is Matt - I have a Matt and he is also fantastic.) You come home one day, however, to find him waiting for you in the parlour (for we all have parlours) in his purple velveteen smoking jacket. He is sipping brandy. “Kate,” he says urgently, “we need to talk.” He then proceeds to tell you that he quit his job today to pursue his dream - his dream of becoming a Lil’ John impersonator. He shows you his new shiny silver grill. Explain your reaction and then, in painstaking detail, argue FOR him pursuing this dream, giving reasons why he should pursue this with every molecule in his body.
I am dumbfounded, for just a few seconds. I knew this day would come . . . they day that my shy, quite, introverted husband busted out of his shell and did something crazy. I warned him it was going to happen, and he swore it never would. Did I expect THIS? Not really. I expected more of a blow up of astronomical proportions in which he shouts out all of my flaws and faults that he’s never discussed. A new grill . . . that I never expected. However . . . this could be interesting! And . . . FUN!
“Matt, go for it.” I say with fervor. “You have always done what you thought was responsible and what was the right, conservative, unobtrusive thing to do. Go be dramatic! Go pursue this! We see commercials for impersonators at the casinos all the time. There’s a market for this! (I’m standing on the coffee table now) Who doesn’t want to see a geeky white-boy accountant with no rhythm go out there and rap!? And you can dance to it!! You got into that hip-hop stuff last summer while we were addicted to ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’ (Now I’m jumping with joy) I’ve seen your moves! I know you’ve got it in you! I spent four years in college training to be a Broadway star and look where I am now! I got my chance to go for something crazy . . . GO FOR IT!”
I flop down on the couch, exhausted and excited all at the same time. I can’t wait until his friends see THIS. Whether or not I really want him to do this, the thought of my easily embarrassed husband rapping and dancing and grabbing his crotch as Lil’ John will be worth every penny he loses.
3. What drink would you prepare for yourself immediately after this conversation?
Sadly, the drink I always prepare. Diet Coke with Lime. Though this MIGHT be the time for Matt to start drinking to pull his dream off. . . I’ll go buy some scotch, just in case.
4. Describe your dream cupcake, down to each sprinkle and the color frosting (or no frosting, it’s your damned cupcake).
How did you know I dream of cupcakes?!?!? I love them more than anything.
It’s a devil’s food chocolate cupcake. With chocolate chips baked in. And it’s topped with about four inches of thick, pink frosting, in a swirl like an ice cream cone. And it has one of those . . . sugar sculpture thingies . . . in the shape of a pink high heeled shoe. No sprinkles, just the frosting and the sugar. Mmmmmm sugar.
5. Oh, crap**. You win a radio show that gives you your own reality TV show. Describe a day in your life (exaggerated, as all reality television programming is).
First of all, I’d have to go back to being the Executive Assistant . . . because it’s better than a movie ’round here, folks. But I’m going to have to work hard on this one, and it’s going to be a novel of sorts, so check back later, as it’s going to take some serious time to complete. But I promise it will be good.
Hopefully I’ll have it by tomorrow!
**Stacy, pardon my editing — my Mom reads this blog!!
April 18th, 2007 by Kateastrophe
Well, well, well. I have been flattered once again and the illustrious Brillig nominated me for a Thinking Blogger Award. This award was designed to honor blogs that make you think. So, um, apparently I make Brillig think “what the crap is up with THAT girl??”
I really am honored. Here’s what my nominator (heheh, sounds like Terminator) said about me:
“Kate is a funny girl who comes across as very poised, but is apparently a big ol’ clutz. She keeps a ticker on her blog telling you how many days it’s been since her last “Kateastrophe”–always hilarious. But there’s often more depth here than first meets the eye– she’ll have you in stitches one minute and in tears the next.”
So now I’m supposed to continue the honoring . . .
Here be the rules:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to five blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the origin of the award.
3. Optional: Proudly display the “Thinking Blogger Award” on your blog if you were nominated.
So now I have to nominate five blogs that make me think . . . this is gonna be tricky, because obviously I wouldn’t read a blog if it didn’t make me think at least a little . . .
1. Jurgen Nation
Stacey goes from being side splitting hilarious (you cannot skip her “about me” section. I read it again and again and laugh every time) to bringing me to the brink of tears. Plus she’s an amazing photographer to boot!
2. The View From Here
I am loving his eloquent writing, his well thought out points and that . . . well, he’s a GUY in the blogging world. We need some more of those!
3. Girl, Dislocated
She doesn’t post very often, but when she does, you’re almost always guaranteed to laugh your butt off (or in her case a leg or arm) at her fun stories about life with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. (aka her appendages just randomly pop out of their sockets! Hours of fun!)
4. Diary of the Nello
Kelly, aka Nello, always has something interesting to say and I’m always entertained because she and I seem to share a lot of the same views and frustrations. I love reading through her archives. I could play there for hours.
5. Boobs, Injuries and Dr. Pepper
Crystal is a newer blog friend, but I LOVE her blog. I want to be JUST LIKE HER when I grow up.
There are MANY more blogs I want to honor, but I was limited to five.
Phew! At least it wasn’t another Meme, right?!?!
Hahaha.
April 17th, 2007 by Kateastrophe
First of all, allow me to say that this page was taken from my scrapbook. And I tried to be a real scrapbooker, but as you can see, that didn’t work out so much. I’m AWFUL at it.
Second of all . . . the picture. Sigh.
There I am in the middle on the back row in the GREEN SATIN DRESS WITH FLOWERS ON IT. And I did my own hair . . . if you look closely you can see that I missed a barrel curl there and it’s waving at you.
There are so many stories involved in this picture . . . where to start . . .
The couple on the bottom right. That is Don Osmond, Jr. Yes people, he is the spawn of Donny Osmond and he was in my group for Christmas Dance ala 1996. I actually knew him well, he dated one of my best friends and we used to hang out at his house. (Donny Osmond, for the record, is one of the world’s nicest guys, and a TOTAL cheese ball. But we all loved him. )
ANYWAY, back to the dance . . . Don’s date is Stacy, and for some reason he presented her with that lovely candy cane full of . . . M&Ms? And yes folks, she’s wearing a scarf. Loosly tied over her dress.
The back row there is what’s the most interesting part of this picture. The guy with the goofy smile on the far right is a future rapist (I’ll stop there) and left of me is my best friend Melinda. She’s doing a very good job of smiling through the pain because her date? TOTAL MORON.
You’ll need some background . . . on the planet I grew up in, date dances were much more than just the dance. We had to ask and answer each other in creative ways and we had day activities with our group. So let’s just say that if you didn’t like your date? You were in for a bad, bad day. With all of his or her friends. And it could possibly go on for 15 hours or so, because most people also planned something for AFTER the dance. Oh, and it was INCREDIBLY rude to say no. The first person who asked you was the person you went with. Those were the rules.
So to review, Melinda = not a fan of her date and she was stuck with him for many, many hours. My date and I (the jolly blonde) were very good buddies and we were just there having a good time.
Melinda was NOT HAPPY. That guy had been a total jackass ALL DAY LONG. We’d been there for each other through most of it, but dinner was a different story. My date had the money to go out for dinner. Melinda’s date did not . . . neither did most of the group. So we split up for dinner. I went out and the rest of the group went to some one’s house, where they had spaghetti and meatballs.
This was a bad idea for a myriad of reasons. First and foremost being that all the girls were dressed up and spaghetti is notoriously a MESSY MEAL. Secondly, Melinda did not eat red meat.
So, there she was, stuck in a room with a date she hated, her wing man enjoying a delicious fancy restaurant dinner, and she had meatballs in her food. And there was pretty much nothing else to eat but salad. So she ate salad. Then at some point, if I recall correctly, her dumb date dumped his plate of spaghetti in her lap.
Needless to say, by the time they showed up for the dance, she was more miserable than she’d been for most of the day. And that’s saying something.
So, back to the picture and how this all ties together . . . if you’ll notice there is a weird hand and arm configuration on the back row. At the request of Melinda, I brought up a FUN GAME! Let’s all hold hands with SOMEONE ELSE BESIDES OUR DATE! Then the picture will be FUNNY!!!
As you can see, my plan worked and the picture is HILARIOUS. But for very different reasons.
The best of those reasons being the butt part that my bangs have got going on. That’s hot.
