Tremendous Blondette

Beauty Queens are notorious for their waves. Well friends, I too can wave. Google Wave that is.

I now have the power, but I need contacts with which to surf. If you have Wave, I’m kmleas.

So far, I’m just logged in and playing with extensions and have sent one wave to my inviter. I call it Kiddie Pool.

I’ve been scoping other blogs this morning while I wake up. I know I need to get changed and head over to my apartment and get the rest of my stuff and close that chapter, but it’s windy and chilly and my stomach is all crazy (yay anxiety!) and I’m plotting the day.

I need to do some work today as well. Funny how shit always goes down when you’re out of the office, isn’t it? Why didn’t that shit happen last week or even say, Monday? Coulda done more about it then. I digress.

It all started with a tweet about @zachishere doing headshots today. From there, I clicked on one person, Whitney Mathews (1 T)(note: this is how I do it. This is how I spend hours online and how I learned how to find things- click here and here and here and here and now you have a path of related pages. MMM. connection.) and started reading her blog, which linked to 2 other blogs. (The D Rules and HelloLaura.com) So, I read those too.

Now I think I should check these regularly. One, reading other blogs gives me an idea of what other people write about, Two, I can determine if I need step up my word game.  Three, it’s neat to reference other people and maybe build some community among bloggers. (not that there is lack of community in blogging.)

I paused for a moment but came back to finish (wasn’t that nice of Kanye? — did I really just make a Kanye joke? die die die jokes! BE GONE! hehe) I am now in my official painting and moving outfit (smells awesome!) and I’ve taken care of my stomach distress again, so now it’s time to say good-bye and move the rest of my crap from my apartment. Yay manual labor! How I haven’t missed you in the hours since you’ve been gone.

OH yes I did. I am a cat lady afterall.

There’s still time to worship my cats.

Oliver is resourceful and makes his own bed.

I know I already shared Oliver, but come on. Oh, don't pet his tummy tempting as it is.

Couch make good bed for me too! Tebe aka Teebs or Teebsy likes to sleep on or near people.

Princess and the Pea? Lording above all. Ah Gracie Facie.

*note: I started writing this on Sunday, so the references to yesterday and today are referring to Saturday and Sunday*

Around Christmas time, radio stations tend to play Alabama’s “I Believe There Are Angels Among Us” more frequently. I realized yesterday just how genuine and good some people are. Again this morning, I saw another example. Okay, this one is embarrassing, but I haven’t been feeling well the past couple days and so when I woke up this morning, I didn’t stay awake long. Sooo, when I woke up and actually stayed awake, the news was long gone and I found myself watching Nascar Angels. It was a little bit of a trainwreck but they were giving a man a “new” truck because he little car was a POS. So the recipient of this “new” truck spends his time helping people by building houses. He volunteered after Hurricane Katrina and then again for Hurricane Ike.

Yesterday, 5 people showed up to help me paint my house. My living room, kitchen, dining room, and bedroom are all freshly painted and ridded of horrid blue-grey. I can’t even express how huge it was that the first coat and all the taping was done with the help of others. It made the touch-ups and second coat so much easier (and possible.) I couldn’t have done that much work by myself in such a short timeframe. And let me tell you the transformation is just incredible. (This is Katie from Wed/Thursday time –the future Conan?—had this painting not been done before move-in I think i would have felt less at home and excited. Now I just have to focus on arranging, unpacking, and projects. I’m all about the mood and feeling of things so the impact can’t be taken for granted here.)

Anyway, the whole painting thing–you know with the crappy monotonous tasks of taping off edges, laying drop clothes, edging, trimming, and rolling–showed me how amazing people are. They showed up on a Saturday to do crappy things just to help me. SERIOUSLY? It sort of floors me that people would do something like that for me. To me, it’s a huge deal to get the painting done.

I also realized that these people all have lives, jobs, friends, their own chores, their own volunteer work and how lucky am I know them? How lucky is the world to have them around?

It also challenges me to be the same way. To give. To help. To do crappy things to make people’s lives easier and happier. Generosity is like the little black dress: it looks good on everyone and you can wear it anywhere at any time. (did that analogy work?)

How amazing to have that impact on someone’s life. To be an “angel.” (no, I’m not going all Oprah on you.) I hope I’ve made people feel the way I felt/feel. If not, then I will just keep trying.

———–

Here’s the lyrics and a link to “Angels Among Us” by Alabama.

What have I done?

I was walking home from school on a cold winter’s day
Took a shortcut through the woods and I lost my way
It was getting late and I was scared and alone
Then a kind old man took my hand and led me home
Mama couldn’t see him, but he was standing there
But I knew in my heart, he was the answer to my prayers

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love

When life dealt troubled times and had me down on my knees
There’s always been someone there to come along and comfort me
A kind word from a stranger to lend a helping hand
A phone call from a friend just to say I understand
Ain’t it kind of funny at the dark end of the road
Someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love

They wear so many faces
Show up in the strangest places
Grace us with thier mercy
In our time of need

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love

Yes, I’ve been wearing the same clothes for 2 days in a row. They are officially my painting and moving clothes. And yes, they officially smell…bad. Dirt, sweat, paint, and “go get em attitude” sure can make a girl attractive! Soon, I shall shower and put on clean panties, socks, and a t-shirt. It will be beautiful.

I’ve forgotten Monday night, but on Tuesday I know I started moving things from my apartment to my new house. This involves walking down a flight of stairs, around a building, and to a car…and repeat. It gets old. And tiring. More than once I said to myself, “why did I stop running?” and “I don’t remember it being so taxing when I moved the last time, but I was much more physically fit.” I am remembering the definition of “muscle” and “muscle memory.” And sore. Shockingly, my left shoulder is snapping up a storm now from carrying the 6+ bags of clothes dead body style. (that was a taste of sarcasm- I have a shoulder “thing” that I should have had checked out about 4 years ago when I was weight training.)

Last night, I moved the cats over to the new house amid howls of joy. That was the sound of joy I listened to during the entire 15 minute car ride, right? Anyhow, I got them to the house, we slept on the floor for about 4 hours and then got up, showered and put on our moving clothes and started getting ready for the movers. My movers turned out to be pretty nice guys (okay, one of them was totally cute and my type, and probably a good 3 or more years younger…wait, that’s my type isn’t it? see also Chipotle cashier and Marine at OFR.) They were fast and efficient and one of them is supposed to return on Friday to buy my spare washer and dryer. (and yes, I am totally taking less money for them because he’s cute and he’s saving me from having to deal with them.)

Anyhow, most of my stuff is now out of my apartment (ugh ugh whine ugh ugh) and I just need to vacuum and clean and I’m DONE. It feels like it will never end. Meanwhile, I’m also setting stuff up at the new house. Here are some pictures of my two day fest of smelly.

Packing process of joy. Waiting for the movers. And more sorting and stacking.

You're doing something. What you doing?

Getting there at the new house...yes, same couch...for now. New couch and chair don't arrive until right before Christmas.

My dining room. Look I haz a table! Can you spot the cat?

View from the kitchen...getting there...really, I am!

My initials grace the wall in my still to be painted kitchen. Paint Your Party On (aka, I feed and beverage you to come help me paint happens this Saturday and Sunday)

I usually claim things by licking them. While I considered it briefly, I felt it best to mark my territory with Gentle Fawn (aka paint.)

I’m living HGTV. I’m going to hang drywall in the basement, title a backsplash, paint, dig up the patio, dig up the patch of earth out front, replace light fixtures, replace the kitchen sink and faucet …oh and decorate. Did I also mention I’m hosting a Thanksgiving dinner? (Football, turkey, and sweet potatoes NOT optional)

Those are the projects I’ve outlined thus far.

So here I go.

KL

Me with the key to my house. They aren't lying when they say you have to sign a lot of papers. And initial. I started misspelling my last name-- all FOUR letters of it. And Catherine is a kind of a long first name. But there I am with my key! My reward for not so awesome penmanship and a few thousand dollars. (or so) My hair looks great!

Okay, well now I’m off to go play at Home Depot and Hobby Lobby. tee hee.

Crunch Count: 52 (40 + 12)

Tonight, I spontaneously laid on the floor and started doing crunches. What was once a daily occurrence has become a “dude, weird”- BLOGWORTHY incident.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

I’ve written several times before about how I used to work out like a fiend and I used to eat healthy (different ways and times) and how I really want to get back into a healthier lifestyle.

I don’t have any excuses. I just don’t do it. I get lazy. I de-priortize. I choose my couch. Anyhow, here’s what I remembered and learned from my spontaneous crunch time.

1. I can’t do as many crunches as I used to be able to do. I was feeling it at 30. I stopped at 40, stretched, and did 12 more.
2. I used to be able to sit in a butterfly position and touch my face to my feet, and then touch my face to the ground. I was a few inches shy of touching my feet tonight. My fluffy socks are freshly laundered and everything.
   

   Face should have gone here. Clean, fluffy socks.

3. That crack in the ceiling is pretty noticeable from your back on the floor.
4. There’s a few other spots on the ceiling that appear to be patch jobs.
5. Will hips always make that popping noise? That used to happen during the glory days.
6. I was way too easy on myself. I could have done more types of exercises and more sets of crunches. I could have busted out the pilates DVD that I’ve used once.
7. The nightly crunches and stretches used to make me feel great before getting into bed and ultimately made me more comfortable…and relaxed.
8. Cats don’t understand what you’re doing when you’re on the floor doing crunches and stretches. They poke you in the butt.

1. You want to go see Disney’s “A Christmas Carol” but find it interesting that there was already a commercial for it in September.
2. You wore cowboy boots to the conference dammit.
3. Someone owes you and the heel of your black pump for dislodging the wet wad of toilet paper that was not pushed far enough into the bowl of the good toilet at work to flush away. You’re such a public servant.
4. You were driving home when you decided you wanted to do a You Might be post because of #3 and something else you hope you’ll remember.
5. You’re really going to take care of that laundry today. Gotta get ready for the move.
6. OMG. That’s right! You close on your house in 4 days! DID YOU HEAR ME?! LET ME YELL IT FOR YOU. WOOt.
7. kittens
8. You’re excited about your very detailed spreadsheet of expenses and the prospect of making it into a pivot table if you desire. cuz you designed it like a database table. cuz you’re special.
9. You’re not annoyed by the music at the coffee shop. Odd.
10. You awoke today with an odd sense of happy.
11. You do have this weird pain in your neck that’s probably from your pillow architecture.
12. You’ve been told that maybe you need to go outside and run because you are so energetic.
13. Table dancing? check
14. random giggles? check
15. borderline annoying to your friends? check

You’ve seen me go from blondette to brunette to OMG-blonde…now I’m thinking…red.

Will I do it? Should I do it?