Crafty, Crafty

We've taken things to a whole new level here in my cozy, city apartment. The roomie and I are in full crafting mode; brought on, do doubt, by the holiday season! Our coffee table has been covered with projects and remnants of projects for the last few days, and it's such fun! 

Our projects have included pine cone  ornaments for the Christmas tree, purple picture frames, and red jewelry chests. Here's our coffee table in various stages of craftiness:

The only down side to all this lovely, adventurous, homemade goodness, is that one of my (many) flaws rears its ugly head. I am a perfectionist. In the most awful sense of the word. I'm irrationally demanding, and boy do I like things just so. Eek! This leads me to great heights of disappointment, irritation and dissatisfaction as I go about my crafting business. Nothing is ever as "right" as I imagine it in my head. None of my projects come out quite like the vintage or clever finished product I desired. Oh, the pains of perfection!  

I'm making an early new years resolution (super early, and strange, because I never make them on the real holiday) to not be such a controlling perfectionist. Who cares if a little red bow isn't draped over a pine cone just so? Does it really matter if the Christmas ornaments are scattered in a perfect random pattern? In short, no. So maybe I should just stop worrying about it, have fun crafting and let the finished products take care of themselves! It'd probably be a whole lot more fun that way. . .

For The Birds

As I prepared to head to bed last night, I had this odd sort of foreboding. I mean, I was returning to work after a 4.5 day hiatus and it just seemed natural that maybe tomorrow would be kind of chaotic.

I wish that word covered it.

At 6:30AM my alarm goes off, to my great confusion. It takes me a moment to understand what that heinous noise is, but from the recesses of my memory (from 4 days ago) I recall what that sound means. GET UP! So I do.

I hop into my shower, cursing the crap water pressure and wonder when the plumber's coming. After a mediocre shower, I head into my room wear I decide upon one of my least favorite outfits ever on the basis that it's clean, and functional. A mere half hour later, I enter the kitchen deciding to kick this morning up a notch with a nice fried egg sandwich for breakfast. I'm excited and everything goes as planned until the moment I whisk the egg from it's carton. I gently crack it against the edge of the counter and as I go to open it. bam. raw egg explosion.

Raw egg everywhere. Down my shirt, pants, counter, stove. Hello, Monday.

Skip ahead to mid day, I leave lunch early and set off for City Hall where I hope to rectify a sticky situation involving my new resident parking permit which seems to have the wrong license plate number written on it. My lunch break ends at 1:00, so you can imagine my sense of urgency as I step up to the counter at 12:55. Determined to make it through, I explain my plight to the service person and hand over my registration. Service Lady takes a gander at my registration at which time, she points out that my parking permit has the same license plate number as my registration. That's funny because the license plate the RMV of the great state of Massachusetts gave me is a completely different number. How does that even happen?? Ever so helpful, the lady encourages me by telling me the $40 ticket I got as a result of this fiasco will easily be erased upon my fixing this little snafu with the RMV. 

I, of course, have no time to dwell on this because it's 1:01 and I have to get back to work so I can continue training the new employee no one told me I'd be taking under my wing, despite the fact that I've only been at this job for 3 months.  

I'm laughing as I write this, because, really, there's nothing else to do.

In the spirit of the past months tender, thankful moments. I'm going to let all this roll off my back and think thankful thoughts. Trains came on time today, the city hall employees were surprisingly very friendly, and my Christmas tree is up and decorated.

Three Days of Thanksgiving

I've basically been eating like it's Thanksgiving everyday for the last 3 days.

Tomorrow, it's time to crack down, me thinks. . .

cheeks cheeks cheeks

 I nixed VLogging today. There just aren't enough hours in the day to work, eat dinner, have guests, and make a fool out of yourself on camera and post it on your blog for the world to see. whew.

But all that craziness can't stop me from giving thanks! Today I'm thankful for 

babies.

OK, that might sound a little creepy. But, seriously, babies make my heart so happy. They're beautiful, amazing beings, and they smell so dang good. I hope to be lucky enough to be a mother of lots of little ones one day, but until then, I'm just thankful other people are poppin' 'em out!

 In fact, I was just at a baby shower this weekend for a friend, and was bursting with happiness that she is soon to be a momma. It's such a blessing!

This little girl in particular, the daughter of one of the woman whose blog I read (you can see it here) literally makes me tear up sometimes with how cute she is and can we talk about those cheeks.

I'm all weak at the knees. Man, do babies slay me :)

It's Been So Long

I guess I've gone the same amount of time as I usual do between postings on the weekend, but it seems  

so long this time.

So, I loved the whole vlogging thing, but in part I feel like I'm missing the writing parts of my blog. I'm still going to Vlog my last three thankfuls, but today I'm going to write mine! I gotta get some practice in before Friday rolls around and I'm back to the good stuff!

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to be thankful for today. I wanted something profound, serious, funny, smart and challenging.

Then, my day got started and it was a whirlwind, I felt sick, my body was achy and resistant to moving. So many reasons this day did not go as planned.

But. I made it through.

That's what I'm thankful for. On this day, where I was tired, grumpy, achy, and stressed about many things. I got done what I needed to do, made it through the day and even got to finish it off my doing some "baking."

I mean it was half-baking since I mostly just melted ingredients, combined them, and then chilled them. Still, it calmed my soul and made me feel like me again. So I'm thankful for making it through today because it means I'm that much closer to Thanksgiving. And it means I can make it through any day. Especially if I get to bake!

me, happy I made it through the day. And happy I'm heading to bed in T minus 5 minutes!

Lassie, or something

I keep having things I want to share with you guys, but I know having stories AND vlogs is a bit much! Still, here's just one teensy, happy tidbit of my life. Here are some lovely pictures of Josh Radin (and me loving me some JR when I went, and was thankful, a few weeks ago!)

SEVEN days!

Can we talk about what a hot mess I am in this video. I'm sorry all. Whipped this baby out in about 2 minutes and threw it up!

I'm no less thankful, just wiped from my day and looking forward to my lovely, downy, warm bed. yum

Dust Jacket

Oh dear. It seems my success on vlogging every day will be broken this evening. That doesn't mean my thanks will, however!

I will make every effort to return with a fresh vlog tomorrow, but until then let my tell you what I am thankful for today:

 Books

Books are my most constant friend. When I am stressed, scared, tired, lonely, happy, whatever, I love to read books.

I love the way they smell. I love the scratch of a page turning or the satisfying thump of a finished book closing. If I could chose only one pastime to engage in for the rest of my life, I think it might be reading. Reading a book is so much more than just one thing. It is listening to music, sailing the high seas, falling in love, falling out of love, laughing til you ache, finding a friend, dreaming you can be anything. 

I am so thankful I live in a time and place that allows me to know how to read and also allows me unlimited access to books of all kinds. 

Now to go all cheesy on you, William Hazlitt once said, "Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own."

Good reading, folks. And good night!

Bullseye

Today I missed my stop coming home after work for the first time ever since beginning a daily commute over 2 months ago. I mean, it was fine since there's stop like every 10 feet and I just got off the next one, but it felt so strange. It might have been because I'm reading this amazing book called The Lace Reader. It's not new, it came out in 2006, and I had it recommended to me ages ago, but I happened across it yesterday at a new/used book store and couldn't resist it for half off! If you're from MA and interested in book which takes place in Salem, and is a bit of a mystery you should read this (I'll even lend it to you!).


 On a side note, I may have also missed my stop because I was concentrating on not vomiting while the man across from me picked his nose none to discreetly. ugh. There better have been gold up there or something. . .

T crush

**Pardon me while I revert back to my 14 year old self for this post. I, of course, don't normally write about such trivial things (hah hah) but I felt that this particular situation called for a blog post.

If you count up all the hours that I spend on the T each week commuting to and from work, it's about 7 hours, not including the extras on nights and weekends! Naturally, us commuters often see each other on the same T over and over again as we schlep to and from work every day around 8AM and 5PM. We don't show any signs of recognizing one another. No, that would be far to personable and intimate for a New England city dweller. This does, however, provide the perfect opportunity for a T crush. 

You're probably telling yourself that I'm ridiculous right now, and maybe I am, but lets be honest: you know you have a  _______ crush. Fill in the blank: Laundry mat, bus, newstand, Trader Joe's. 

You have no real interest in meeting them because that would shatter the illusion and you maybe already be involved with someone else. Be that as it may, your heart quickens at the sight of this person throwing softener in with their tighty whiteys or debating over organic whole wheat pasta or cheese tortellini. 

Enter my T crush. I noticed him my first week commuting on the train and have looked forward to glimpses of him ever since. He's well dressed (Holy Ralph Lauren!), has beautiful dirty blonde curls, dark mysterious eyes, and once held open the crazy T doors for a little old man trying to get off (so cute!). 

I don't see him every day and, in fact, hadn't for awhile until yesterday. As I fought my way on the train after work I stumbled (literally) into the middle car only to find him sitting handsomely across from me and two seats down.What a rush.

I tried to remain completely nonchalant while I took in his glorious curls and wondered what he was so busily tapping on his smart phone. 

And then. we had a moment. 

It was brief, but so much was said (I mean, with our eyes)

Him: Oh, hey I recognize you. umm, why is the T so crowded today

Me: Ummm. I like you hair. and your shoes. and your Puma bag. Also, you have really nice hands (I'm a hand girl) and I sort of wish I knew your name but not really because it might be something boring and would totally ruin this moment for me. I wouldn't mind the T being crowded if I was pressed up against you and your sexy leather jacket. . .

(clearly, I'm a fast eye talker and can get a lot in with just a split second glance)

Then, the T lurched to an incremental start and we slumped into a light T slumber, groggily opening our eyes once we reached above ground to keep an eye our for our respective stops. 

until tomorrow T crush. . .until tomorrow

PS regulars: tomorrow will also bring another VLOG! I figured you wouldn't sit still long enough for this lengthy post and a VLOG :)

Thanks, Veterans!

Well, I think everyone can guess what (or who!) I'm thankfully for today, and rightly so! Just a few side notes: My paternal grandfather, who is a veteran of the Korean war passed away several years ago, but I'm still thankful for him and proud of him! We really don't know how lucky we are here in American sometimes. . .

On a more goofy note, tomorrow I have a fun little story to tell you about my T crush. Oh yeah, it's gonna be good, heh heh!

Official

Here it is kids. . .day 10

Great Balls of Fire

I don't think this post needs anything else, except this one editorial: sometimes I'm a total whacko. . .

Music Man

Check it:

You can check Joshua out here. This man makes me happier than any stranger should ;0) Oh, and try not to judge me on this vlog, it was early morning, I was exuberant after some amazing live music.

My top 5 fall weather songs:

1. One of Those Days-Josh Radin

2. King of Anything-Sarah Bareilles
3. Save the World-PT Walkley
4. Shelter -Ray LaMontagne
5.She's Mine - Brett Dennen

Some new, but mostly old. I always listen to these songs way more often in the fall weather. I don't know why but it just seems right...

weekend posting, oh my!

Baby Talk & Tonsil Hockey

It's 8:07AM and I've just headed out to catch the T to work. After rushing around to get some chili in the crockpot,spilling a bunch of crushed tomato on myself and generally having a rough morning. All I want to do is settle in on the T and take a nap!

Enter the rainy day T ride. Muggy, smelly, sticky, and most of all crowded. Round about 8:15, I pushed my way on my train, and wriggled down the narrow car toward the back. I managed to sandwich myself in between two girls in a coveted door alcove. Then. They got on. You know them. The couple who sort of matches, talks in obnoxiously loud voices to each other about their personal business and spends half of the ride sucking face.

As luck would have it, they packed themselves in tightly right next to me. The T lurched away from the platform with a screech and I had nothing to do but listen to their ridiculous conversation about triplets (?) and their making out. Suddenly, it became very clear that this couple was even worse than normal. Girlfriend began baby talking Boyfriend and then in a move that almost made me vomit, starting weird babbling baby, bubbly blowing noises as she moved in for the kill. Ick! If you want to blow raspberries on your boyfriend tonsils do it on your own time, lady! Or at least pick a day when I'm not pressed just as tightly against your boyfriend's side as you are. Jeez! I've never been so happy to arrive to work. . .40 minutes later. 

My name is Katy, and I disapprove of playing tonsil hockey on the T. 

I do approve of being thankful though. . .

Christopher

If there ever was a more postworthy day this month it is today. Want to know why?

Ok, OK! twist my arm why don't you. I'll tell you!

. . .

I bought my Christmas tree today! It's a perfectly shaped, three foot, Alberta pine named Christopher.

"But, Katy" you ask, "how can that be, it'll be dead by Christmas?!" Oh right. Did I mention it's fake?

The new apartment isn't really suited to handle a full size tree this year, so I've opted for a little baby one. I'm excited because every year, I want to go all Martha Stewart and decorate my tree only with white lights, pine cones, and red bows. Well, folks, this year is the year. And you will get to be a part of if. I mean, you're not invited over to help me decorate (I don't even know some of you!) but I'll definitely be posting pictures of Chris in all his gloriousness. Now I just have to wait about 23 more days before I can set it up. Let the countdown begin!


And before you go and start dreaming up Christmas schemes of you own. Take a minute and be thankful, will ya?

Give Thanks Challenge

Can you believe it already November 2nd??

Frankly, I can't but as I've expressed before, I'm super excited for what that means. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are that much closer. YAY! In preparation for these glorious holiday days, I've decided to launch a little personal campaign to be more thankful!

Check it out below:

PS: Sorry for the poor video quality. I live in a basement apartment and use a Dell. Needless to say, things are a little bit shaky in the VLOG department. Still, I'm hoping I'll work the kinks out and get better and better!

PPS: It's a tad quiet so you might need to crank it. I was being thankful early in the morn and the roommate was still peacefully slumbering. I figured the sounds of me chirping bloggily so early might not have been what she had in mind for the start of her day. . .

BOO!

I have to admit, I've never really been one for Happy Halloweens, and all that hooplah. Dressing up seems completely ridiculous and overrated to me and I usually do everything in my power not to have to dress up. Sure there was one year in college where I Poshed it up with some friends so we could go as the Spice Girls, and around the time I was 11 I decked myself out in full witch regalia-fake spiderweb nails and all.

Nonetheless, Halloween is definitely not one of my favorite holidays. This year was no different, and aside from a party I was attending on Saturday, I was perfectly happy to lead a Halloween free year.

However, somewhere between my roommate looking adorable dressed up as the T (Boston's subway system) and seeing pictures posted online of everyone in their costumes, I became inspired. Not wanting to spend any money, I perused the internet looking at others costumes and ideas for "costumes from the closet." Because I'm evidently 5 years old, I decided to patch together a ladybug costume. You know, red wings, black dots, antennas, etc. etc.

I threw myself into this craft project with unusual gusto and a paper Trader Joe's bag, swirly red earrings, and several safety pins later, PRESTO, I had myself a Halloween costume at no charge.

Here are the results. Not my best efforts, but give me a break!







More exciting than Halloween is that once Halloween ends, Thanksgiving preparations can begin (ok, who am I kidding, the Thanksgiving preparations began several months ago when someone gave me like 6 big bags of frozen cranberries. I've been waiting impatiently to make some delicious homemade cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving ever since!)