It's Kinda Like The Skinny Jeans

Today is a good day.

2009-02-13T16:45:00.000-08:00

Borrowing a February 2008 post from Ye Olde MySpace blog (long since dormant) to celebrate this oh-so-special day.

Happy Start of Spring Training everyone!

"The pitchers and catchers report today.

Repeat the sentence over and over again like a mantra. Close your eyes and relax, thinking about the warm desert sun.

Take a deep breath and repeat the sentence again, imagining Felix Hernandez throwing his first fastballs of the new year to catcher Kenji Johjima.

Find your baseball Zen and listen to the pop of leather as the pitchers throw their first long tosses. Hear the crack of the bat, a spring sound as familiar as the robin's first tweets.

Soon the doors of Safeco Field will creak open. Spring is coming. Baseball's got next.

Pitchers and catchers report today."

*****

Is it sad that I literally let out a sigh of relief as I read this? OK, I think I know the answer to that. But you've got to hand it to Steve Kelley for having the ability to evoke that kind of emotion through words. The true writer/journa-geek in me thinks that is absolutely amazing.

Full article from today's Seattle Times here.

Self reflection is hard.

2009-01-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

The New York Times did a profile of Jon Favreau, President Obama's head speechwriter, this week. (Side note: How awesome is it to say "President Obama"?! Still gives me chills.) Basically, he's 26 and, for my money, has one of the best jobs EVER. Oh, and he's HOT. And single. But I digress...

Not to bore you with the details, but the whole reason I chose my major (public relations) in college was because when I asked my mom, "What's PR?" she answered, "You know, they write speeches for people. Like politicians and stuff." I've, of course, since learned that PR is a lot more than that, but looking back, the goal when I started my PR degree was to eventually start working for a senator or governor or something, writing speeches, interfacing with the media, etc. In the end, I took a different path. But politics was always something I wanted to get back to.

There's nothing like reading about someone who's your age and way more successful than you that makes you really think, "What am I doing with my life?" Favreau was working on John Kerry's campaign when he was 23. Twenty-three!!! When I was 23, I think I spent most of my time nursing hangovers and eating top ramen.

Anyway, reading the article made me think of my long-term goals and what I need to do to acheive them. The only thing is, I know it won't be easy. And, quite frankly, I've become quite accustomed to easy lately. Either way, it's given me a lot to think about.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens*

2009-01-06T16:40:00.000-08:00

*Keep reading, Lauren. That's the last of the Sound of Music lyrics. Promise (Pom Pom).

Holy crap. How bad am I at updating this thing? Oh yeah, really bad. Like Bush Administration bad.

...But that's neither here nor there.

Anyway. What better way to ease back into blogging than to use the much-adored, easiest-blog-post-format-in-the-world, the bulleted list?

(Pause for applause)

My Christmas was great and my New Years fun (and a little foggy), so I thought it would be a great time to share with you my five favorite things RIGHT NOW (as opposed to my favorite things all the time...like John Mayer, bologne sandwiches and kids in hats). Cool? Cool. Here goes...in no particular order:

1. Scarves.
Oh how I love, love, LOVE scarves. They cute up any outfit, and they're cozy for these cold winter months. My personal favorite are the lighter-weight summer scarves, if you will, but actual functional and warm scarves are great too.

2. Flat boots.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't motivate myself to wear heels. Like ever. I mean, why would you torture your feet like that if you have a perfectly cute pair of flats within reach? I'm really into flat boots lately, and I've been steadily building my collection. Comfy and practical for walking, bus riding and general city dwelling. UGGs can also fall into this category!

3. The Twilight Series.
Love it, but not in the way that those crazy 13-year-olds do. I mean, I wouldn't wait for four hours in the middle of the night for a chance to meet Edward at Hot Topic or anything. But they're an easy and engaging read and that's OK by me. (PS, is it just me, or is the guy who plays Edward not nearly as beautiful as he's described in the book? I was disappointed. But as a member of Team Jacob, I may be biased...)

4. Duffy.
On New Year's Day, I dragged myself off the couch and into the shower just in time to hear The Mountain play her Rockferry album from beginning to end (it was 6:30 p.m., in case you were wondering). She rocks.

5. Snow Cap.
Besides scarves, Pyramid Snow Cap might just be the best thing about winter. Most definitely my drink of choice as of late. Also, the fact that it's 7 percent alcohol (as opposed to the 5 percent of other, inferior beers) makes it a can't miss...

That's all I've got for now. Stay tuned for my next post about my sudden realization that I might never own matching dinnerware...

There are no words

2008-11-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

I still get chills whenever I think about the hope, promise and opportunity on the horizon. I'm proud beyond words and honored to think that I played a part in it -- that I did what I could to change not only my future, but the future of our nation and the world.

January 20th, baby... Can't wait.

And while we're on the topic of unrealistic expectations...

2008-10-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

Hilarious!

Questions

2008-10-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

(Yes, this blog is still alive. And yes, I have been really lazy about updating/completing posts. Heck, who knows if I'll actually finish and post this one...)

I've come across two questions during the past week or so that have really made me think about being single:

From my happily married best friend: "Do you think you would be happy if you never got married?"

From Liz Tuccillo's How To Be Single*: "What's the scariest thing about being single?"

My answer to the first question (after a good 30 seconds of really thinking about it) was this:

"I could be."

And the second those words escaped my lips, I started to wonder if I really believed it, or if I just said it because, if I'm going to be single forever, I don't want my friends to feel sorry for me. After thinking about it, I decided that yes, it was true. Not that I wouldn't be happy to get married, but I think I could be just as happy (a different kind of happy?) if I never did. All was well in the land of Katie**.

But then I came across the second question. What, I asked myself, is the scariest part of being single? Here's my gut reaction: The scariest thing about being single is the fear that one day, I will not be OK with being single anymore.

And this, of course, would greatly affect my answer to the first question.

If anyone's still out there reading this, weigh in. Would you be happy if you never got married? What's the scariest part of being single?

*OMG you guys, this book is SO good. And I'm only 70 pages in so far. It's like a single self-help book disguised as chick lit, all wrapped up with a pretty little humorous and witty bow. Fabu.

**Well, besides me now wondering if she asked me that question because she actually thinks I'll never get married. In her mind, this is probably a good possibility, given that she probably know the most about me and my fear of commitment. And my fear of my fear of commitment... But that's neither here nor there.

Ri-hise and shi-hine and give God the glory glory...

2008-06-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

Last week, I flew down to San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon for our all-day agency off-site on Thursday and Friday. Whenever these off-sites happen, I know I'm not going to get much sleep (corporate credit cards + co-workers you only get to see three times per year + a city full of nightlife = SO TIRED...and usually hungover), but this year, I think I really outdid myself. Dinner on Wednesday followed by beers and late-night burritos in North Beach ... Happy hour on Thursday followed by a cocktail party in Hayes Valley, drinks at Vesuvio and back up to North Beach for more beer ... Three bottles of wine polished off by four of us on Friday ... A mimosa as big as a fishbowl in the Castro on Saturday ... Home Saturday afternoon (miraculously, I took a break from drinking on Saturday night). But alas, the sleep deprivation continued to Sunday, as I was up and at 'em way too early for a 7:30 breakfast before my little sister's commencement. All of which leads me to the following...

You know you're seriously sleep deprived when:

You tear up watching So You Think You Can Dance AND The Bachelorette
You decide that a bologna sandwich and a bowl of fat free croutons constitutes dinner because you're too lazy to make anything else
You get dressed without even checking the weather report only to walk outside and realize it's raining, and you're wearing sandals
You FORGET TO GRAB YOUR DEBIT CARD FROM THE ATM MACHINE (Seriously)

I so wish my office had nap time...

UPDATE: One more to add to the list: You post your blog without a title...and then you post a title that borrows a verse from a biblical(ish) song.

Simple pleasures (or, simple minds, simple pleasures?)

2008-06-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Is it wrong that I'm SO EXCITED to go home tonight and paint my nails with my new shimmery orange nail polish?

Maybe "wrong" isn't the right word, but it's definitely a statement about where my social-life priorities are at right now:

1. Paint nails
2. Catch up on DVR recordings of So You Think You Can Dance
3. Pluck eyebrows
4. Do laundry
5. Go out...maybe...if I'm done with the laundry, that is

HA! And you wonder why I don't have more to blog about...

UPDATE: Further evidence of how fabulously monotonous my life is... I took about a week off from going to my favorite neighborhood deli (the Tower Deli on Seventh Avenue between Olive and Stewart -- I'd suggest the spicy chicken, available on Mondays and Thursdays), and when I walked in today, this is what I got (in stereo) from the Korean brother-sister team that runs the joint:

"Well heeeeeeeey there! Long time no see? Where have you been hiding?"

Yes, my daily life is routine enough that it can be tracked even by local deli owners.

But seriously, isn't a little monotony in life sometimes a good thing? I think so.

"Technology just enables us to overshare on a different scale."

2008-05-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

I previously mentioned how I'm sometimes conflicted about how much I'm comfortable revealing in my blog, knowing that, while some of my readers are anonymous and faceless, some of them are people I encounter in my everyday life.

On Sunday, The New York Times Magazine published an article by former Gawker blogger Emily Gould about how her very private thoughts became part of her very public persona. Emily's story is extremely well written, thought-provoking and heartbreaking, and I think that in today's Web 2.0 world, where everyone is online somewhere, be it MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogger, or (like me) all of the above, it's especially relevant.

An "over-sharer" by her own admission, Gould writes:

"I understand that by writing here about how I revealed my intimate life online, I’ve now revealed even more about what happened during the period when I was most exposed. Well, I’m an oversharer — it’s not like I’m entirely reformed. But lately, online, I’ve found myself doing something unexpected: keeping the personal details of my current life to myself. This doesn’t make me feel stifled so much as it makes me feel protected, as if my thoughts might actually be worth honing rather than spewing. ... I still think about closing the door to my online life and locking them out, but then I think of everything else I’d be locking out, and I leave it open."

It's an interesting conundrum, isn't it? The world communicates online, and that communication now includes much more than sending semi-private emails amongst friends. But potential employers can browse your profiles, potential dates can read your past dating blunders and potential creepy stalkers can access your Flickr photos with a few clicks.

To this point, I've managed to keep my online profile public where it needs to be public (Facebook, Twitter for work) and semi-private where I want it to be private...I think (a la MySpace and this very blog). I'm still completely cautious when it comes to what I write about myself -- I mean, do people really care that I had an Il Fornaio salad for lunch yesterday that was "SOOOO good"? -- but I admire the people who don't feel like they have to filter themselves.

It's a delicate balance, and one that I'll continue to struggle with as more and more social networks keep popping up. For the fellow bloggers out there: How do you balance your public and private life via your blog/profile/etc.?

A blog after my own grammar-nerd heart

2008-05-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

If you know what a comma splice is, despise people who confuse your and you're and actually get excited about proofreading a 20-page document, this post is most definitely for you.

From, Stuff White People Like, here's an excerpt from #99, “Grammar”:

When asking someone about their biggest annoyances in life, you might expect responses like “hunger,” “being poor,” or “getting shot.” If you ask a white person, the most common response will likely be “people who use ‘their’ when they mean ‘there.’ Maybe comma splices, I’m not sure but it’s definitely one of the two.”
If you wish to gain the respect of a white person, it’s probably a good idea that you find an obscure and debated grammar rule such as the “Oxford Comma” and take a firm stance on what you believe is correct. This is seen as more productive and forward thinking than simply stating your anger at the improper use of “it’s.”

The grammar nerd in me is laughing hysterically right now.

Reverting back to my MySpace survey heyday

2008-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

This post combines two of my favorite things: music and things that help me waste time at work.

Therefore, without further ado, I present The Soundtrack to My Life:

(Found this while trolling MySpace...yes, I'm THAT bored. The rules: Put your iTunes on shuffle and let the song titles answer the questions below)

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Crunchy Granola Suite – Neil Diamond
I suspect people would get reeeeally sick of me reeeeally fast if I answered every question with "Crunchy Granola Suite." But I guess it's worth a try...

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Be Be Your Love – Rachel Yamagata
Because I'm so loving and cuddly. Right...

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room – John Mayer
Slow dancing, yes. Burning flesh, not so much. Now if I was slow dancing in a burning room WITH John Mayer, it would be a different story.

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Bedshaped – Keane
So spot on. What I wouldn't give to teleport home and into bed right now.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Right For Me – Justin Timberlake
Figuring out what's right for me, I guess? That sounds OK.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Love Me For Me – Ashlee Simpson
GIRL POWER!!! (Insert sarcasm here.)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Geek In The Pink – Jason Mraz
Well I don't wear pink, but the other part might be accurate from time to time.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
I’ll Be Fine – Ben Taylor Band
A testament to how well they raised me?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Sexy Ladies/Let Me Talk To You Prelude – Justin Timberlake
Um, not really.

WHAT IS 2+2?
Car Crash – Matt Nathanson
Might be an indication of how great (read: horrible) my math skills are.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
All I Need – Mat Kearney
Awwww.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Telling Me To Go – Kaiser Chiefs
Hmmmm.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Tied Down – Colbie Caillat
Lately, yes.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
1973 – James Blunt
A groovy hippie?

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
You & Onions - Meiko
Kind of fitting...

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Feel – Matchbox Twenty
Sensitive? Compassionate?

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
The Two of Us - NSYNC
How freakin' funny would that be? An ode to my LOVE of NSYNC!

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
False Alarm – KT Tunstall
...And then I'll pop out of my coffin and yell "Gotcha!!!"

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
The Real Thing – Gwen Stefani
Very accurate -- fake hobbies are not my cup of tea.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Bottle It Up – Sara Bareilles
For someone who hates confrontations, this is pretty accurate. Although I don't know if it would qualify as a secret.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Look After You – The Fray
Awwww. Again.

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
Walk Away – Kelly Clarkson
And I'm out.

To blog or not to blog

2008-05-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about this blog -- about how I wish I had the time/energy/motivation to post more thoughtful, in-depth things. But I'm finding that I'm struggling to find the balance between saying what I feel (after all, isn't a blog just a public diary?) and being totally passive aggressive.

Is blogging about hurt feelings and frustrations passive aggressive when you know the person you're writing about will read it?

I go back and forth debating this in my head. On one hand, sometimes it's good to just get your thoughts out even if the one they're directed at will never read them. On the other hand, I know she will and it will likely open up a whole new can of worms. One that needs to be opened, yes. But being the non-confrontational-to-a-fault person I am, I generally try to avoid all things wormy...

The jury's out on this one.

Who are the people in your neigh-bor-hoood?

2008-05-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

Any one else have that Sesame Street song stuck in their head now? Good. Mission accomplished.

Anyway, living in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle -- which, for any non Seattle-based readers out there, is known for its eccentricity -- I've become accustomed to and friendly with the unusual characters. I say hello to the bongo guy every morning and nod to the rock-stacking guy when I pass by...and anyone who spends any time in Fremont probably knows who I'm talking about and does the same.

But yesterday, on my way home from the bus stop, I saw something so unusual for Fremont that I literally had to do a double take... I saw a guy in a three-piece suit.

Sure, Fremont is home to Google and Adobe offices, as well as a couple other smaller office parks, but the free-spirited and artsy vibe to the community just doesn't lend itself well to formal business attire. It was weird, but weird in a most-normal-but-at-the-same-time-out-of-place way.

What's the most-normal-but-at-the-same-time-out-of-place thing you've seen in your 'hood?

My dating life, in a nutshell

2008-04-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

I think this conversation does a pretty good job of summing up why I'm single:

Lauren: So do you have any romantic feelings for him?
Me: He's fun to hang out with, but I'm not sure about romantic feelings...
Lauren: Not sure? Before it was just no?
Me: I don’t know! At first it was no but now it’s probably not but maybe. But maybe it’s just the alcohol and the attention. But maybe not. See? Not sure is the perfect expression :)

Some vague insight

2008-04-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Jason Mraz.

I know, I know...enough of this Jason Mraz lyric stuff, right? But I think most people would (or will) be able to identify with these lyrics at some point in their lives.

"If It Kills Me" (From the Casa Nova Sessions)
We Sing - EP

Hello, tell me you know
Yeah, you figured me out
Something gave it away
And it would be such a beautiful moment
To see the look on your face
To know that I know that you know now

And baby that’s a case of my wishful thinking
You know nothing
Cause you and I
Why, we go carrying on for hours, on and
We get along much better
Than you and your boyfriend

Well all I really wanna do is love you
A kind much closer than friends use
But I still can’t say it after all we’ve been through
And all I really want from you is to feel me
As the feeling inside keeps building
And I will find a way to you if it kills me
If it kills me

Well how long, can I go on like this,
Wishing to kiss you,
Before I rightly explode?
This double life I lead isn’t healthy for me
In fact it makes me nervous
If I get caught I could be risking it all

Baby there’s a lot that I miss
In case I’m wrong

Well all I really wanna do is love you
A kind much closer than friends use
But I still can’t say it after all we’ve been through
And all I really want from you is to feel me
As the feeling inside keeps building
And I will find a way to you if it kills me
If it kills me

If I should be so bold
I’d ask you to hold my heart in your hand
Tell you from the start how I’ve longed to be your man
But I never said I would
I guess I’m gonna miss my chance again

All I really wanna do is love you
A kind much closer than friends use
But I still can’t say it after all we’ve been through
And all I really want from you is to feel me
As the feeling inside keeps building
And I will find a way to you if it kills me
If it kills me
If it kills me
I think it might kill me

And all I really want from you is to feel me
It’s a feeling inside that keeps building
And I will find a way to you if it kills me
If it kills me
If it kills me
It might kill me

(And no, I'd rather not explain myself -- I have a reputation to uphold, you know.)

Who says Pie Charts aren't effective?

2008-04-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

This just might be the funniest thing I've seen all....month. Definitely all day, and probably all week, at least. And man did I need it...

Study: Nearly 80 Percent Of Roommates Got So Drunk Last Night

Which reminds me, I miss the 18-24 age group...

The thin line between acquaintance and friend

2008-04-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

Talk about a gray area. Is it just me, or is the time between when an acquaintance becomes a friend one of the most difficult-to-navigate relationships? You believe that this person is the kind of person you can be friends with (read: someone you trust, who respects you, who's not malicious or selfish or heartless), but you really don't have anything to base that belief on...yet.

I am, by nature, a very trusting person. I'd like to think that this is because I've been lucky enough to surround myself with very trustworthy and kind friends, but I know even I've gotten burned when it comes to trusting the people closest to me. So now, I know who I trust and who I don't, and I move through my relationships accordingly.

But in that gray area? Much harder to figure it all out.

In her defense, I can't (and don't) claim ownership. But I can't help but think that her motives were selfish. But of course, I don't know this for sure -- she's still in that gray area.

A match made in fast food heaven

2008-04-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

Jason Mraz and Meiko would make a cutest little hot-dog-and-curly-fries combo meal...

Meiko ("You & Onions"):

I'm a hot dog
Sittin' in the fog
Waitin' for my day in the sun
And I'm all alone
Far away from home
Just me, my mustard, and my bun

And though I miss you
But time is on my side
And though I need you
But you and onions make me cry

And I'm all beef
But I have a heart
And it's splitting now that you've gone away
And I wish everything was kosher as me
But I'm not healthy for you anyway

And though I miss you
But time is on my side
And though I need you
But you and onions make me cry

Jason Mraz ("Too Much Food"):

You can say that I'm one curly fry in the box of the regular
Messing with the flavor oh the flavor that you savor
Saving me for last but you better not eat me at all
Living in a fast food bag making friends with the ketchup and salt
People say that I'm crazy for not moving on to better things
Instead I'm sitting around trash talking with the onion rings
But it's much too soon to leave this easy life
Pass me the spoon, pass the analytical knife

Cause you're about to get cut and get cut down
It's all about the wordplay all about the sound in the tone of my voice
You gotta let me make my choice alone before my food gets cold
Better shut up or get shot down
It's all about the know how all just a matter of taste
Stop telling me the way I gotta play, you're puttin' too much food on my plate

Believe it or not I super sized my sights on the surprise in the cereal box
My stomach's smaller than my eyes
So I went to see the doctor and he said "turn your head and then cough"
I didn't listen to what he said instead I couldn't wait to get off
He said I can have this but I can't have that
That I should keep wishing I was living the life of a cat because
I ain't the one whose gonna be missing the feast
Just like you ain't the one who seems to be calming the beast

Now you're about to get cut and get cut down
It's all about the wordplay all about the sound in the tone of my voice
You gotta let me make my choice alone before my food gets cold
Better shut up or get shot down
It's all about the know how all just a matter of taste
Stop telling me the way I gotta play, you're puttin' too much food on my plate

Well if you are what you eat in my case I'll be sweet so come and get some
I'm so over it

Now you're about to get cut and get cut down
It's all about the know how all just a matter of taste
Stop telling me the way I gotta play, you're puttin' too much food on my plate

Where traditional dating and online dating meet

2008-04-10T17:33:00.001-07:00

I think I've mentioned before that my preferred method of meeting potential dates is through friends. That way, at least somebody's vouching for them and you know they're probably not a psycho (and I stress the probably...because we've all been burned by our matchmakers, right?). So I thought it was kind of cool that someone thought to combine my preferred method and the method I usually have to resort to in one place.

Engage.com is, according to the Web site, "where dating gets social." The cool kids over at TechCrunch explain it better than I could:

Engage differentiates itself from traditional dating sites (Match, eHarmony, PlentyofFish, etc) by getting friends involved in the process of finding you that perfect guy or gal. If you are looking for love (and Engage is certainly geared towards those looking to land serious relationships, not set up transitory encounters), you can invite your real-life friends to become friends on Engage. Once onboard, they sit in a friends list that stays with you on the left-hand side of the site wherever you go.

Or, if pictures are more your thing:

(Courtesy of Engage.com)

I don't know about you, but I think this is an extraordinarily good idea. I've signed up but have yet to build out my friends list, so I'll keep you updated as to how it works.

On a personal note...

2008-04-10T10:20:00.001-07:00

I'm going to the John Mayer concert in the Bay Area in July!!!

Can you tell I'm just slightly excited? The stars aligned and it just so happened that, while he's not coming to Seattle (shame on you, John), he's playing the Shoreline Amphitheathre in Mountain View, Calif., while I'm in the Bay Area for work!

And thanks to my status as a John Mayer Official Fanclub member (and proud of it!), I was able to participate in a presale, scored ninth-row seats and will be rocking this t-shirt to the concert:

WOO!

Giving "The Emerald City" a whole new meaning

2008-04-03T15:12:00.001-07:00

A 20-cent grocery bag fee, huh Mayor Nichols? Well why the heck not, I say.

...Besides, anything that gives me a chance to buy a new bag is a-okay by me. Personally, I currently rock the large Fred Meyer tote but am seriously considering upgrading to something cuter.

Other fun facts:

Seattle Public Utilities estimates the city uses 360 million bags a year, or 600 per person (OMG)
Per SPU, the city would collect $10 million per year from this initiative -- Approximately $2 million would go to provide and promote reusable bags, and the rest would go toward waste prevention, recycling and environmental-education programs.
Mayor Nichols rocks at this "being green" thing. In the past year he's ended the purchase of bottled water by city departments, proposed requiring all new Seattle taxis to get at least 30 miles per gallon and hosted a conference for U.S. mayors on climate change where he persuaded more than 700 mayors to sign on to a pledge to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions based on the Kyoto Protocol.

Seems it really is easy being green (...I couldn't resist!).

Make 'em laugh

2008-04-01T17:21:00.001-07:00

If I had to venture a guess at what the most common answer to the question, "What do you look for in a man/woman?" is, I'd definitely say sense of humor. I mean, who doesn't like to laugh? I think a guy who's witty is instantly more attractive than a guy who isn't (in the same way tall guys have an automatic advantage over shorter guys in my book). I consider myself funny, and therefore I look for someone who shares my sense of humor, or at least complements it. I also think that all of my girlfriends would agree with me here.

In the words of Donald O'Connor, "Make 'em laugh."

So I wonder if men place the same value on finding a partner with a sense of humor as women do. One of my guy friends once told me that he doesn't think women are funny. I protested, and he revised his previous statement, saying "OK, I don't think women are as funny as men." While I'm not totally convinced this is true, The Seattle Times' Nicole Tsong suggests that it's just a different kind of funny:

Boys and girls are socialized early with distinct approaches to humor, said humor expert Morreall. Boys are encouraged to entertain and act out, while girls learn to appreciate a joke, not put on the show.
That dynamic is prevalent in dating. To put it bluntly, men want someone who laughs at their punch lines, while women look for someone who makes them giggle.

There are exceptions, of course, with the rise of female comics who have appropriated male humor, like the brash Sarah Silverman. Others have succeeded with a more feminine style, like funny but gentle Ellen DeGeneres. But in general, men are expected to be the funny ones.

She continues:

In a study published in the academic journal "Evolution and Human Behavior," psychologists Eric Bressler and Sigal Balshine tested graduate students with pictures attached to funny and nonfunny statements and evaluated the way it affected how men and women viewed each other.

They found that humor makes men more desirable to women but does not affect men's view of women.

So my question here is for the guys. How important is it to you that a woman you're dating be funny? And how do you define funny? Is it that she can crack a joke with the best of 'em, or that she appreciates and laughs at yours? And on the flip side -- Girls: Is a sense of humor among one of your top requirements?

If I were a TV character

2008-03-27T09:39:00.001-07:00

The glorious invention that is the DVR has made it possible for me to watch way more TV than I used to. No longer do I have to miss good shows because they don't fit into my social calendar! (I guess this is both a blessing and a curse, as many a Sunday morning is spent lazily laying on the couch playing catch up.)

But anyway, I was asked the other day which TV character I'd want to be, and I couldn't decide. Too many to pick from! Which lead me to create the following list...

If I were a TV character, I would:

Have the credit card limit of Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City
Be dating Jim Halpert like Pam on The Office (but I'd have a better wardrobe, thanks to the above)
Have the job of CJ Cregg on The West Wing
Have a wholly inappropriate but very entertaining friend like Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother
Be extremely witty (but much less depressing) as everyone on Grey's Anatomy
Have parents like Eric and Tami Taylor from Friday Night Lights
Hang out with cute baby chimps like Eugene Cussons on Escape to Chimp Eden
Have kids as funny as those adorable little Gosselins on Jon & Kate Plus 8

I know I'm forgetting some...

How about the rest of you? Who is/are your TV idol(s)?

Daily ponderings

2008-03-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

From an ad on the side of a bus:
"Love is BORN. Everything else is learned."

From Eat, Pray, Love:
"We must get our hearts broken sometimes. This is a good sign, having a broken heart. It means we have tried for something."

From Brian Solis' PR 2.0:
"(Perception is) not just about what you want me to think, it's about what I hear and in turn, share with others. You can help shape my perception and perhaps, even influence it, but my perception is defined by my experiences, beliefs, predispositions, and personal agenda. Tell me again why I should listen to you?"

It's aliiiiiive!!!

2008-03-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's been a while, huh? Longer than I thought, in fact.

See, I have this really great (read: terrible) ability to push things to the back of my mind when I don't have the time or energy to think about them. What have I been doing these past couple months since the last time I posted, you ask? Eh, a little of this, a little of that. I really don't have an answer, but I felt really busy.

Anyway...water under the bridge. I'm back with a goal of posting at least twice a week (baby steps, people...). So for those of you who care (and who haven't given up on me completely), check back soon for more random thoughts, stories and musings from yours truly.

You MUST add this to your blogroll

2008-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you guys, but I'm all for finding new and interesting ways to waste time at work...especially on Fridays. So I was super pleased when a friend of mine introduced me to Jennsylvania, a blog by writer Jen Lancaster. Jen's also written a couple of books (which I will be running to Barnes & Noble today during my lunch break to purchase), and the titles alone should give you a pretty good idea of her fabulously snarky and cynical-but-hilarious style:

Bitter is the New Black: Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, or Why You Should Never Carry a Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office

and

Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why It Often Sucks In the City, or Who Are These Idiots and Why Do They Live Next Door to Me?

I KNOW! Sounds hilarious, right? And although I haven't read either (YET), I feel confident in recommending both judging solely on the hilarity of her blog. So go buy them now, and read them both before May when her third book, "Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Find Out if Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie is Not the Answer," will be released.

(Hey, T! Now maybe you can give up on your obsession with that Celiac Disease blog! ;)

Thank you, Dr. Phil

2008-01-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

"So, you're here with a bachelorette party, huh?"

"Yep..."

"Yours?"

(Laughs hysterically) "Oh, you're serious. No, not mine."

"You don't want to get married?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well it's a proven fact that most girls start thinking about marriage at age 25."

"OK...."

"I was a psychology major."

"Really..."

"Yeah. So if you're not thinking about marriage by now, you're in the minority. You're weird."

Thank you, random guy. Thank you for psycho-analyzing me -- Pioneer Square is your office, a rickety barstool your couch and me, your unsuspecting target.

Attention guys: CHOOSE your words carefully...

2008-01-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

I'll start this by saying that my sister is much nicer than I am. Maybe "nicer" isn't the right word, but she's definitely much less cynical and judgmental. And I envy that in her. So when she gets a call on Saturday night from a guy she met months ago and never went out with but occasionally text messages (I don't even think they've talked on the phone), she answers and invites him to meet us at Pesos, even though she knew there was no potential with him. I think she just didn't know what to say, and "Yeah, you should meet up with us," was the first thing that came to mind.

So a few hours later, he's shown up...ALONE...and she's busy entertaining him because he's socially awkward and unwilling to make conversation with anyone else. (See? There's that judgmentalness coming out.) At some point during the night, he asks her my least favorite question to be asked by a guy: "So why don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Why do you ask?" she says.
He answers, "I'm just surprised no one has chosen you yet."

Chosen. Chosen?! CHOSEN?

That word struck both my sister and me as a ridiculously terrible choice. Like he was implying that if she was lucky enough to be "chosen" by anyone, she would immediately succumb to him. Like she's just one item in a catalog of women. Like you could choose her like you'd choose a good piece of steak. (Aaaand here's the cynicism...) Ugh. Realistically, I know that really wasn't what he was implying. I realize that he just chose the wrong word. But either way, it was a dealbreaker for my sister.

So let this be a lesson for all you guys out there: Make sure you choose your words carefully when asking a girl about her current single status. More often than not, it's a touchy subject.

See and be seen

2007-12-14T09:51:00.001-08:00

Citysearch.com posted a list of the top 10 new restaurants and bars in Seattle today. Now I consider myself somewhat of a girl about town -- I made it a personal rule at the beginning of this year to avoid eating a chain restaurants whenever possible in favor of local, more unique choices -- but I am ashamed to admit that I've only been to ONE place on both lists combined. (And it's the TapHouse Grill, which is more of a restaurant. And I've only been to the one in Bellevue...so I don't think that really counts. Anyway...)

I know, right?! Crazy.

So, to use a very cliched and cheesy Christmas metaphore ('tis the season, right?), I've made my list -- or, rather, let Citysearch do it for me -- and I'll be checking it not twice, but multiple times until I've made my way through both. (Yes, I'll even vow to make it to Georgetown, even thought that neighborhood's not really my thing...)

If you're curious (and too lazy to click on the link above), here they are:

Top 10 New Restaurants:

Top 10 New Bars:

Huh

2007-12-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

I recently returned from my company's bi-annual, two-day, agency-wide meeting in San Jose (more hyphenated words, anyone?), which -- in addition to actual work -- involves a lot of drinking and, consequently, not a lot of sleeping. So you'll have to excuse me if I sound a little off my rocker.

Anyway, at this meeting, we participated in a leadership activity that consisted of creating a "Leadership Map" with paints, markers and magazine pages. For me, this was AWESOME because it really brought me back to my high school days of making countless magazine collages for myself and my best friend, which we would then slide into the front of our binders. Not sure if this is normal, but we thought it was super cool and fun at the time. But I digress... So on this Leadership Map, we had to fill in four quadrants: What is Calling Me? (where do I want to go in life), What is My Growth Plan? (how do I get there), What Energizes Me? and What Strengths Do I Bring To the Table? After we had completed our maps, we had to share them with the rest of the company, talking about what each image represented.

So I set out browsing magazines, clipping out pictures of politicians (to represent my leadership skills and interest in politics), important-looking women execs (to represent my desire to succeed in my career), exotic locations (to represent my love of travel) and Justin Timberlake (he's hot -- had to squeeze him in there somehow). When it came time to share our creations with the group, I was surprised to find that every woman in the company had included something about getting married or continuing to build the marriage they already have -- their What's Calling Me section was full of images of happy couples, women in wedding dresses and the like. And not once did my map ever even hint at the possibility of "settling down" or "finding love."

It's not that I don't want to do/find those things, but -- and I can honestly say this -- the thought of including something like that never ever even crossed my mind. And for the two days since, I've been wondering why. Is it because I focused on my goals/hopes/dreams in terms of my professional, not personal, life? (This isn't entirely true, because I included other personal goals such as travel, buying a house, moving to a large city...) Is it because I was thinking more in the short term than the long term? Because I was trying to impress the big guns with my drive to succeed?

I still have no idea why, when I think of what I want to be in the future, a Mrs. isn't included anywhere on the list. I do think I want to get married, but I'll be the first to admit that it isn't as high on my list of wants as it might be on some others'. Maybe that's it. Maybe I feel like I have too much I still want to do with my independence before I settle down. Maybe I'm scared of letting a relationship define who I am before I figure out who I am on my own.

Maybe...maybe...maybe... Just add it to my long list of self-reflection points, issues and other emotional crap I'm fully intending on sorting through some day.

Ouch

2007-11-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

It's party season, people. And although some of them have been on my calendar for months (see you this weekend, girls!), some are still trickling in. I got a message from a friend from college the other day inviting me to a Christmas party that he and his girlfriend are throwing at their new apartment. Nothing formal, just a few people who graduated from the same program. Sounds good, huh?

Here's what the guest list looked like:
-- Cute newlywed couple #1
-- Getting-married-any-time-now Couple
-- Cute newlywed couple #2
-- Been-together-as-long-as-anyone-can-remember Couple
-- Me

Niiiice.

Don't get me wrong, I'm totally used to being the only single one when I get together with my friends, but something about seeing it all written out for me kinda stung.

Miss Independent

2007-11-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

I'll be the first to admit that, being a perennial dater, I'm not technically qualified to pass judgment on "serious relationships" or those who are in "serious relationships." But as more and more people around me settle into them, I find myself wondering what I'd be like in a serious relationship. If I'd be able to maintain a balance between being in a relationship and keeping the independence of I have now.

I think that some girls have a hard time finding that happy medium between the "With him every minute, I'll die if I go a day (or an hour...) without talking to him" and the "Boyfriend? Who needs him?" Does being in a serious relationship mean you lose the independence you had when you were single? The ability to run your own errands, take care of your own oil changes, pay for your own meals? I think there's something to be said for a girl who can take care of herself. Financially support herself. Kill her own spiders and change her own headlight. In fact, these are all things that I personally pride myself on. And things that I hope I wouldn't sacrifice, abandon or lose sight of in a relationship.

I have this reoccurring dream about my wedding day. The details usually change, but the gist of it stays the same: In each dream, the thought of actually going through with the wedding fills me with dread. I kid you not -- dread. Yeah, I have issues. I'm admittedly commitment-phobic. But, in the dreams, that's not where the dread comes from. The dread comes from the thought of giving up my independence, my alone time, my girl time, like I've seen so many other girls do.

My sister told me the other day that she doesn't "really ever see me getting married," and perhaps this is why. I know there's such a thing being too independent. But I've never been one to change who I am for anyone. And it that case, single (and INDEPENDENT...and FABULOUS!) is a-okay by me.

Aaaaand we're walking

2007-11-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

Before I get too far into this, I have to say that I'm aware that November (especially this cold, damp Seattle November) isn't the best time to walk, and even I will opt for my warm car instead of a dripping umbrella any day. But, as a city chick, I greatly appreciate when most things I need are within walking distance of my apartment. In fact, this has been the number one requirement when choosing my last two rentals.

That said, I was excited to stumble upon WalkScore.com, a site that rates the walkability of any neighborhood. All you have to do is put in your address, and WalkScore will not only rank your 'hood's walkability, it will also provide yellow page listings (combined with Yelp reviews, in some cases) for walkable businesses and services in several different categories.

According to WalkScore, my address scores an 85 out of 100 for walkability. And I'm pretty sure I've taken full advantage of that...walking down to the corner deli when I forgot to buy milk at the grocery store, running around the corner for some takeout when I just don't feel like cooking (which, let's be honest, is most of the time), etc.

And did I mention the ability to stumble home from the bars in lieu of hailing a cab? That's worth an 85 out of 100 right there...

My new favorite pickup line

2007-11-15T14:26:00.001-08:00

I've never been a fan of pickup lines, but every once in a while one comes along that at least makes me smirk. This one made me full out chuckle. I can't take credit for it, though. I happened upon this gem while clicking through People.com's Sexiest Men Alive photos (yes, yes...a guilty pleasure), so credit goes to Brothers & Sisters' Dave Annable:

Dave: "Excuse me, how much do you think a polar bear weighs?"
Really-freakin-lucky Girl: "I don’t know."
Dave: "Let's just say it's enough to break the ice. I'm Dave, how are you?"

Genius? Or is it just me?

Oh, and Dave? Feel free to use that line on me any time...

The best compliment I've ever received

2007-11-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

"I could marry you someday."

Five years have past, but I know that I'm still your number one girl. And I know you need to get the normal 25-year-old-boy things out of your system before you're ready to respect someone as much as I know you respect me.

It's OK. Just knowing that makes it OK.

Maybe we'll never make it. Maybe we will. Regardless, you're my "backup" and I'm yours, and we'll always be able to laugh about it, right? Because it's funny that, to us, the idea of a backup has a slightly deeper meaning.

Oh, the offseason

2007-11-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

When I started this blog, I said that I'd use the space to write about life, dating, random pleasantries and...baseball. So every once in a while, you'll see a baseball-related post here. Read it, or scroll right through to get to the next. Your choice. I'm a baseball nut and, being from Seattle, a forever-loyal Mariners fan. I've got opinions and I can hold my own in a conversation with any guy.

*TANGENT ALERT*
Two of my very good guy friends told me a while back that I should refrain from "talking baseball" when I first meet a man. They said it's intimidating for a guy and, should our conversation extend beyond our first meeting, will send me flying into the Friend Zone at warp speed. To any guys who might happen to stumble across this blog: Is this true? If so, please explain.

OK. Back to our regularly scheduled programming...

The Mariners announced at the beginning of November that they were refusing the option on Jose Guillen, a VERY important member of the 2007 club both on the field and off (former penchant for human-growth-hormones regardless). If you're interested, you can read about all the nitty gritty details here, but basically what it comes down to is that Guillen wanted a multi-year contract and Seattle management decided they'd rather spend that money on pitching. And boy do we need pitching. But I can't help but feel a sense of dread about next season when I think about the loss of Guillen's RBIs (he had 99 in 2007) and the assumption by the Ms brass that Richie Sexon (dud) and Adam Jones (rookie) can fill the void.

Really, Bill Bavasi? Reeeeally? Do you know what the free agent market will look like this winter for starting pitchers? Do you? Was it worth giving up a clubhouse leader and, more importantly, a major run producer for one of the mediocre, middle-of-the-rotation arms that are available this year? Was it?

I guess only time will tell. But until then, I'll try hard to keep my traditionally optimistic attitude about the Mariners intact, keep an eye on trade rumors (Santana or Willis, please!) and maybe even smirk when John, Dave, Art, Geoff, Larry and the rest of the media world start throwing around the H-word (hotseat) again with regard to Bavasi...

Procrastination

2007-11-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

I AM A PROCRASTINATOR.

There. I said it.

But it gets worse. Not only do I physically procrastinate, I mentally procrastinate. And I think mentally procrastinating is far worse than physically procrastinating. I think I've got a real knack for mentally procrastinating, too, which sucks for me. It's way too easy for me to just push things to the back of my mind instead of dealing with them.

I think I get it from my Dad. He's a mental procrastinator of the worst kind, and it's cost him a lot of things in his life. His marriage, his home, a few jobs... And I don't want that to happen to me. But I'm mentally procrastinating figuring out how to fix it.

It's a vicious circle.

Catholics, Atheists and me

2007-10-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

The Associated Press published a study today about people's belief (or non-belief) in ghosts. And imagine my delight when I read that, according to a sampling of 1,013 adults all over the United States, I -- as a single woman -- am more likely to receive a visit from a ghost than most other people...

"The most likely candidates for ghostly visits include single people, Catholics and those who never attend religious services."

Why? You got me. But next time something goes bump in the night, I might think twice before dismissing it as the loud guy who lives above me.

I'm crazy hot

2007-10-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Raise your hand if you watch How I Met Your Mother on CBS? To all those not raising your hand, you're all dead to me. OK, not really...but if you're a 20-something like me, you will definitely be able to relate to this show -- men and women alike. Seriously.

This week's episode delivered once again with womanizer Barney Stinson's explanation of the Hot/Crazy Scale. Basically, as Barney describes it, the Hot/Crazy Scale is a method of determining if a woman's hotness outweighs her craziness. Watch the whole thing online here, or just skip to the fun part by taking The Barnacle's quiz to figure out if you fall into the "danger zone." Per Barney, fall below the red line and you're toast.

Don't get me wrong, I see how this could be construed as offensive to women. But ladies, think about this: The same Hot/Crazy Scale can easily be tweaked to work for us, too. Think about it...you're on a date with a really hot guy who's kinda sorta starting to drive you crazy halfway through your lobster tail (because of course you ordered the lobster tail...). Figure out if you should hang in there or duck out while he's in the restroom with the Hot/Annoying Scale. Your new boyfriend looks like Brad Pitt but he checks out every girl walking by. Use the Hot/Asshole Scale to help you decide whether to look the other way (I mean, he does look like Brad...) or kick him to the curb. And how can I overlook perhaps the most important one of all, the Hot/Bad In Bed Scale? I mean, we all judge men anyway, right? As I see it, this is no different.

I really think I'm onto something here...

Priceless

2007-10-22T12:19:00.001-07:00

And believe it or not, friends, you can actually get this on a t-shirt! I'm ordering one in every color...

On men and catnip

2007-10-16T14:35:00.001-07:00

I pride myself on the fact that I'm not one of those girls who lets her desire to meet a man dictate everything else in her life. Take my friend, for example (who shall remain nameless...) -- she'll decide whether or not to attend a party, RSVP yes to a wedding or commit to any weekend plans based on her assessment of the girl-to-hot-guy ratio. Now, I get that eye candy makes every thing more fun, but it shouldn't be the end-all, be-all of your social calendar.

I was recently invited to a party by one of my friend's boyfriends. He was throwing the party to celebrate her new, uber-fancy job. Unfortunately, I already had plans the night of the party, so I responded with a "Maybe," thinking I may have time to stop by after I'd finished with my prior commitment. Seeing my wishy-washy response, my friend emailed me to tell me that she really hopes I'll be able to stop by the party because her boyfriend is "inviting a few of his single guy friends."

Sometimes I think that, as a single woman, people assume that we all operate this way, filling our social calendars based on the possibility of meeting a man. To the single gals out there, how many times have you felt like someone was dangling the potential of single guys in front of you, expecting you to jump all over it faster than a cat on one of those catnip-filled mouse-on-a-string toys?

Don't get me wrong, I know I'm not going to meet anyone sitting on my couch alone or hanging out with the same people I always do. I know I need to put myself out there in order to expand my "network," so to speak, and increase my chances of avoiding Spinsterville. But I think there's a fine line between making a concerted effort to "get out there" and letting the need to find a guy dictate your life. Personally, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on this. Will I make more of an effort to stop by my friend's party as a result of her catnip-dangling strategy? Yeah, I probably will. But the difference is that I'll be doing it with the hopes of meeting new people and making new friends. I know there's a possibility of something happening, but at the same time, I'm not going to let it make or break my night.

What it all boils down to is that I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I know I can do things to increase my chances of making things "happen," whether they be man-related or not, but I also strongly believe that what's meant to be will eventually be. And with that in mind, I like to think I've saved myself from having to constantly chase catnip...er, men.

"Through a friend"

2007-10-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

These days, I'm pretty sure the only place to meet a sane, decent man is "through a friend."

"Oh, so you're dating someone new? Where'd you meet him?"
"Through a friend."
"That's great!"

"You met a really great guy this weekend? Where?"
"Through a friend."
"No kidding..."

"That sounds like a really great date. By the way, where did you meet this one?"
"Through a friend."
"Figures."

Don't get me wrong, I'm very much in support of friends playing matchmaker for other friends (who better to set you up than someone who really knows you?), but I'm beginning to think my friends don't share the same philosophy. Here's how a conversation between me one of my best friends went the other day (You should probably know that this particular friend is a man...we'll call him Bud.):

Me: "It seems like the only place to meet people these days is through friends."
Bud: "Agreed. We're getting too old for the bar scene."
Me: "Glad to hear we're on the same page. So..."
Bud: "..."
Me: "SO..."
Bud: "What?"
Me: "Why don't you ever hook me up with your single friends?"
Bud: "I've tried to hook you up before!"
Me: "Uh, no you haven't. When?"
Bud: "Ummm...Sophomore year of college! Yeah, that's right."
Me: "Who?!? You're delusional."
Bud: "That one guy...I don't remember his name."
Me: "Gee. Thanks, Bud."
Bud: "Anytime."

As the ONLY single girl in my group of friends (which, I should point out, includes an equal amount of men and women), you'd think I'd have the whole set-up thing locked down. Not so. And it's not for lack of effort on my part. I ask. I drop hints. And nothing. They talk the talk, but they never follow through. I mean, c'mon people! Throw me a bone here! (NO pun intended. I swear.)

So here's my question: Where can you meet a sane, decent man if you're A) too old for the bar scene, and B) surrounded by people who are oblivious to the concept of matchmaking?

Say church and I'll scream.

Single? Check.

2007-10-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

Slow day at work. And when I say slow, I mean "I have a ton to do but don't really feel like doing it."

Oh c'mon, you've all been there.

So I thought this might be fun. I found it while blog-hopping today (I know what you're thinking, and if it's not a word yet, it should be). Credit goes to The Gawker...don't ask me how I ended up there -- it just happened...

Apparently, this is how you can tell if a woman is single just by checking out her pad. Let's see just how accurate this is, shall we?

1. Piles of magazines everywhere, comprised of tons of pretentious ones that are clearly untouched and then severely thumbed-through Vogues and Luckys.
Kinda. I'm more of a Seattle/Seattle Metropolitan magazine kinda gal. But I do pick up a Vanity Fair or Wired every once in a while just to look fancy and smart. So check.

2. Overflowing shoe rack and nothing in the fridge.
DEFINITELY check. If you're hungry, don't come to my place. But if you're looking for a pair of "can't live without" BCBG peep toes, I may be able to help you.

3. Scented candles.
So many, I can't count. Check.

4. Slovenly heaps of little-used makeup in the bathroom.
I keep my slovenly heaps of makeup out of sight, thankyouverymuch.

5. Stuffed animals in the bed.
Just one. And in my defense, I usually use him as a pillow. Check.

6. Cat hair on the furniture.
I don't do cats, only selective cat sitting. And only for my old roommate's more-doglike-than-catlike cat Bob.

7. Cat smell.
OK...is someone trying to imply that all single girls are crazy cat ladies? I'm slightly offended.

8. Cabinets full of mugs featuring the likeness of lady who looks like those hypertrophically-limbed Daily Candy illustrations, bearing the legend "I Love Shopping" or whatnot.
Does "Purse Princess" wall art count? Yes? Then check.

9. Anything pink.
Wow. I swear I didn't read ahead before deciding to use pink text... Check.

10. Ornamental pillows.
Check, check, check and check. And that's just for the couch...

11. Unedited bookshelves, esp. if they include He's Just Not That Into You or anything along those lines.
Check. And I love 'em.

12. Nair
Really now, who uses Nair anymore?

13. Lite cottage cheese in the fridge.
I'll do you one better and say FAT FREE cottage cheese. Take that. Check.

14. Anything lite or diet around. Cases of Diet Coke. Weight Watchers 'Just 2 Points' bars.
I once had so many cases of Diet Coke stacked on a shelf in my closet that their weight pulled the shelf right out of the wall. Check.

15. Inspirational or thinspirational things on the fridge.
Nah. Not into it.

16. Framed posters.
Thanks to my $19.99 Ikea frame and obsession with vintage posters, check.

17. Handbag tree.
Let's be honest. It would take a whole forest to hold my handbag collection. Check.

12 out of 17 in case there was any doubt in anyone's mind about my current relationship status...

Back on track

2007-10-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Short little blurb to get back to what this whole blog was supposed to be in the first place -- kind of a running list of pleasant surprises and things that make me happy (and the sometimes funny stories that go along with them).

You know when someone has their iPod up so loud that you can hear what they're listening to from a mile away? Usually really annoying, right? Right. Especially when it's something really annoying and crappy.

WELL...

Yesterday morning, the guy sitting next to me on the bus was blaring none other than my favorite (so good she's italics-worthy) singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. And he was listening to my favorite song ("Between the Lines" -- check it). Let me tell you...she freaking rocks. Some might say I'm obsessed, but hey, is obsession always a bad thing?

Anyway, just something that made my morning a little bit better.

Sidenote: Does it strike anyone else as odd that a guy was rocking out to chick music? I mean, Sara's great, but it's not the most manly of music...

HOLY FREAKING CRAP

2007-10-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by saying that I'm not one of those prissy girls that freaks out at the sight of anything, well, unsightly. I can kill spiders and clean toilets with the best of 'em. And let me continue by saying that I'm also not one of those girls who depends on people (men) to do the dirty work for her (again with the spiders and the toilets). But today, oh man. I was both.

There was a mouse in my car. IN MY CAR!!!

Thank God he made himself seen while my sister was driving. Better her than me I guess. But you should have heard how hysterical she was. Probably about as hysterical as I would have been if I was driving along and looked over to see a mouse chilling on the passenger side floor.

So she drives straight to my apartment and I come out to meet her armed with rubber gloves, tongs and a large spoon. I couldn't even look at the thing, and she was still way too freaked out to even get within five feet of the car. So after making a few unsuccessful phone calls ("Please please please come get this rodent out of my car!"), I had to take matters into my own hands. My weapon of choice was the big spoon -- and the gloves of course. Needless to say I threw the spoon away. And the mouse? Safely in the ivy in front of my building. As gross as it was, I didn't have the heart to fling him across the street like I'd originally intended to do.

It's times like these that I REALLY could have used a nice, manly man boyfriend for mouse excavation duties...

P.S. The wedding this weekend? We had fun. Yeah...I've got a little (big?) crush on Mr. Groomsman. Currently trying to figure out what witty opener I'll use when I email him tomorrow. And I'm SO over-analyzing the situation. Which I NEVER do. Ugh. And again, wish me luck.

Weddings: A single girl's nirvana or nightmare? I'm undecided.

2007-09-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

T minus three hours (almost exactly) until wedding chaos starts yet again. To set the stage here, I've been a bridesmaid twice in the past two months and inevitably, no matter how prepared the bride thinks she is, she never really...well...is. Things will get crazy. I just know it. So I'm mentally preparing myself now. And by that, I mean I'm getting my happy place all lined up (Something involving a bottle of red and my favorite comfy sweater. And a post-season berth for the Mariners...but that's another post altogether).

So as I prepare to attend my third rehearsal, which will lead into my third rehearsal dinner and, tomorrow, my third bridesmaid stint, which will lead into my fourth "Why did I have that last glass of wine?" reception (tricky...), I'm thinking about the pros and cons of being a single girl at a wedding. Of course, the biggest con that comes to mind is that horrible bouquet-toss tradition. It's like someone thought, "Hey, wouldn't it be great if we rounded up all of the single girls and made them gather in the middle of the dance floor like a heard of cattle for all to see? And look how they all scramble to catch that bouquet...they must all be really desperate to get married." Yeah... My strategy is to stand in the back and pretend like I'm looking the other way.

But seriously, I'm not all cynic. The thing I do love about weddings is the chance to meet new people. It's funny, I've been single for years and years and my friends have never once tried to hook me up with anyone. But in the past two months, I've been sneakily paired with the one single groomsmen in the bridal party twice now. Subtle? I think not. But actually, it's fun and exciting...much like a blind date. OK, I take that back. Blind dates suck. But this is like a blind date that I bring all my friends to, so if the guy totally sucks, I can ditch him and hang out with them. Hmm...wouldn't that be great?

I digress.

So anyway, tonight begins night one of what will pretty much turn into a two-night, blind-date-plus-all-my-friends with Mr. Groomsman. I'm kinda pumped. Maybe it will be a pleasant surprise...kinda like the skinny jeans. (Last time. I promise.)

Wish me luck!

Let me explain myself...

2007-09-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Aaaand...post number two! At this rate, I'm fixin' to have a pretty legit blog here. And yet, I have no doubt that at some point I'll be totally over it. But until then...

Naming a blog is a hard thing. People have really, reeeeally creative names for their sites these days. So mine couldn't be anything drab like "Single in Seattle" or "The Single Life" or "Diary of a 20-something" or...am I boring you to sleep yet? No, I thought of the name for my blog while trying on jeans during my lunch hour. First of all, let me start by saying that, much like most (read: ALL) girls, I hate hate hate shopping for jeans. Or any pants for that matter. They either fit in the waist but not in the hips. Or they fit in the waist but they're too short. Or or or...I could go on. Anyway, I pull pretty much every style I can find in my size and head to the dressing room with an armful of jeans and a couple of sweaters I found along the way. The strategy: Try on the sweaters first. They're bound to be way more flattering, right? Um, no. Not today. It wasn't pleasant.

So after that debacle, I was about ready to give up on the jeans (in my current state, I didn't think I could take anymore "This is waaaay too tight" realizations) but figured that as long as I was there and already in the dressing room, I'd add insult to injury and continue with the jeans. About halfway through I realized I'd unknowingly grabbed a pair of skinny jeans. Here's how the angel/devil conversation went in my head:

Angel: "Skinny jeans? Yeah freakin' right. Not me."
Devil: "Oh just try them. How bad could they be?"
Angel: "Absolutely not. Skinny jeans only look good on those annoying size zero girls."
Devil: "C'mon. If nothing else, they'd be good to wear tucked into your slouch boots."
Angel: "I do love those boots..."

So I took the plunge. And, surprisingly, they weren't that bad. In fact (and I can't believe I'm about to say this) I kinda liked 'em. I wanted to buy them. Whodathought? Definitely not me. It was truly an unexpected pleasantry, hence the name of the blog.

So there you have it folks. Stay tuned for more experiences, discoveries and cool finds that are totally unexpected yet altogether pleasant...kinda like the skinny jeans.

Blogosphere? It's me, Katie.

2007-09-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

My best friend recently told me I should start blogging. Hmmm...OK. I clearly succumb to peer pressure very easily. But there's one condition — I'm doing this anonymously. Yeah, yeah. I know. But that's the way it is. Like it or leave me.

So here I am, a 20-something stumbling through singledom and, subsequently, the loss of most of my single friends to that over-hyped phenomenon they call marriage. My plan is to use this space to write about the surprising pleasantries a single girl can find in a world full of couples. Well that and sports. And maybe some technology-related stuff. Either way, it's all about finding humor/happiness/amazement in the little things — it's kinda like the skinny jeans. But more on that later.....