The Earth That Created Me

The New Blog

2009-12-21T21:53:00.000-08:00

I have decided that I will continue to use this blog as an outlet for subjects including, but not limited to: daily rants, philosophical questions, declarative lists and hierarchies, long reports about my mundane activities, etc. and so forth.

However, these posts will probably be rare from now on given that my focus has shifted to a more design-centric blog. Check me out at:

http://katiegarth.tumblr.com

Here I will promote lovely design, try to share some of my own mediocrity, and delve myself further and further into form and function until I am unrecognizable. Or so I imagine.

Bon Voyage!

Change of Address

2009-11-18T19:24:00.001-08:00

I think a new blog is in order; something more streamlined and concerned about the world around me rather than my narcissistic fishbowl. Updates to come.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-09-30T15:20:00.001-07:00

Friends, it is the last day of September. This is monumental because for the next month, should I be in any sort of "funk," if you will, it will be quite easy to snap me out of it simply by saying, "But Katie, it's October!"

October has always been (and always will be) my favorite month. I can't begin to describe how happy simply writing "10" as the month in the header on my notes makes me. There's something about it that just makes me feel all fuzzy inside- the golden light hitting my eyelashes, the crisp air combined with the warmth of the sun and the smell of bonfires, the caramel that's sure to get stuck in my teeth, the orange leaves- everything about October is magical.

To be fair, I may be a little biased because October is my birth month. I was supposed to be born in September, but I guess I loved the tenth month even then, because I held on eighteen days past my due date to claim worldly residency in the best month of the year. October also features (and may even sort of revolve around) what has always been my favorite holiday- Halloween. What's not to love about Halloween? You get to play dress-up, zombies wander the streets, candy is stock-piled, and cider is always on reserve. Special occasions are especially abundant in this year's October, as Where the Wild Things Are is released the day before my birthday, Heather is coming to see me, my parents are visiting, and I get to see Ben Folds the evening prior to Halloween! Talk about an awesome few weeks.

But there are just so many things that will always belong to (or at least eminate from) October. My mom made s'mores for me to take to school instead of cupcakes on my birthday, and to this day, they're still my favorite food. Bonfire is the greatest smell in the world to me, too. Couldn't you just bathe in it? Whenever I go to a fire, I return home invigorated and simultaneously cozy from the warmth of the flames, drenched in the scent of burning twigs and leaves. I never shower before bed on these nights so that when I wake up, I get to smell it all over again.

Here's to carving pumpkins, haunted houses, breaking out the scarves, apple picking, wool socks, twigs crunching under your feet, suede boots, the best issue of Vogue, jumping in leaf piles, and so much more. Happy October!

Sugar, Spice, & Everything Nice

2009-09-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

My parents came into town yesterday to see me at school. I always look forward to my parents' arrivals weeks ahead of time. They're pretty far away, and we've always been close, so I love spending time with them. Combine that with the fact that they've missed me so much they may spoil me a bit, and it always ends up being a fantastic adventure. We love all sorts of specific places here in Madison: Barnes & Noble, "foodie" restaurants like Bluphie's, The Century House, World Market...and most relevantly to this post, Williams & Sonoma.

There's always been something magical about Williams & Sonoma. Maybe it was because I grew up channeling You've Got Mail's Kathleen Kelly as some sort of idol, but there's just something so...pumpkin-spice-yellow-wood-homey-classic-bread about it. Obviously, there's no way to describe it. Just an overwhelming feeling you get when you walk into the store, no matter which store in which mall it is. It's like there's some sort of narcotic in the air, or I guess more appropriately, mulled spices. The way their shelves are arranged somehow forces me to recall images of World War II victory gardens and modern German design- simultaneously.

The ambience is, quite frankly, hypnotic. Music by torch singers, french sirens, wailing trombones- an eclectic yet cohesive collection that sucks you in like a moth to a flame. Suddenly, it's all you can do not to have three of the free samples, or buy a candy red spatula just because it's pretty, or spend your savings on a pan that produces tiny acorn cakelets.

For now, my love for Williams & Sonoma has found itself on an odd sort of hiatus- that is, dorm living doesn't allow for me to store or use crème brûlée pans or really even those intoxicating candy red spatulas. Someday, though.

Badgering Again

2009-09-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

No posts since I've been at school, I know. I just wanted to throw myself back into this place because I love it so much.

There's a shirt at the university bookstore that says "I Feel Home," with Bucky's face in place of an "o." I'm not sure exactly how accurate that is, just because my family is not here- and you have to go back "home" somewhere when you're not at school. But I will say that Madison feels like my place, if you will- driving back onto campus just felt right. When I walked back onto sixth floor humanities for the first time since May, the familiar scents and sights were an almost overwhelming comfort.

Classes started this week Wednesday. Mechanical Engineering (Architectural Graphics), Drawing II, Digital Photography, 3D Design, and Foundations of Contemporary Art. 17 credit hours (and 22 actual class hours a week) of pure joy- at least for now. Even if I'll be stressed beyond belief for much of the semester, I can't wait to dive in.

On tap for today is the Badger football season opener. Camp Randall, friends, fifth quarter, a good Wisconsin brat, and a new quarterback? This is going to be good.

The Paula

2009-08-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

I am completely in awe of my mother.

Today she and I drove my things for school from our place at the lake up to Madison, with a truck rented near our condo in Iowa. When we got to the truck rental place, the only one in town, with only one truck to use, we discovered there was no working lock on the truck. In fact, the doors "probably stay shut," the air conditioning went in and out of working phases, the dashboard compartment flopped open every few feet- you get the picture. The thing was a problem, and it had to hold all of my personal belongings for this year overnight in a hotel parking lot. Given my paranoia about everything, I was not exactly a trooper about this. "Mom! This is all of my stuff! It cannot sit unlocked in a parking lot all night! Seriously."

So I watched my mother walk into Walgreen's, buy a $0.59 can opener, ask the hotel desk for a hammer, dissemble a wooden hanger, and somehow rig a complete lock for the moving truck. From the inside. After climbing through the cab and over a futon, television, microwave, and the rest of my things. In total darkness. Wild horses could not break this lock. And this was completely normal for her, even mundane. If my mother is not a wonder woman, who is?

My mom has done everything for me. She moved away from my father so I could finish high school with my friends and go to the college of my choice. She tells me to chase my dreams and that I can be whatever I want to be. She calls me every day and listens to my stress vents, sends me care packages, and is an amazing person. I have friends who call her "Mommy Garth" or "The Paula" because she has helped them and advised them equally well. God has blessed me with an amazing role model- if I am half the woman she is, I will be a phenom.

Sadly, she leaves me at school tomorrow and I will not see her for two months. Fortunately, she'll always be just a phone call away, encouraging me and making me feel safe. I am so lucky.

Summer Fades

2009-08-21T22:26:00.001-07:00

My family and I were walking around downtown St. Paul tonight and I felt the familiar chill of the end of summer. There has always been something particularly melancholy about this annual realization for me. I'm not quite sure why; I love Autumn and enjoy schoolwork, but I guess there's something free and lazy only found between June and August and I mourn its passing each year.

Excitement is wrapped up in this, too, though. I spent this evening making a playlist to transition me back into Madison that encapsulates all of this to me. I move in Tuesday. A lot of me couldn't be more excited and the rest is looking around wondering, "Where did summer go?"

Anyway.

Free Fallin'- John Mayer
At the Zoo- Simon & Garfunkel
I Don't Know What I Can Save You From- Kings of Convenience
Lump Sum- Bon Iver
Inside and Out- Feist
Be Good or Be Gone- Fionn Regan
Pachuca Sunrise- Minus the Bear
Seven Years- Norah Jones
Moon River- Petra Haden
Twenty Two Fourteen- The Album Leaf
Keeping Me Awake- Tarkio
Sherry and Her Butterfly Net- The Most Serene Republic
Celebration Guns- Stars

Wherever and whoever you are, I hope this is a good year for you.

Katie

Gary Garth

2009-08-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." -Vince Lombardi

My dad's younger brother, my dearest Uncle Gary, passed away after a long and brave battle with cancer on Thursday in Des Moines. Uncle Gary loved the Green Bay Packers, telling puns and jokes, the Cubs, his Irish heritage, and making people smile. He will truly be missed, and already is. I like to think of him with God and my grandparents, looking down on us and helping us along the way.

Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated. I have promised several of you that I would post about certain things, and I will do that eventually, but for now I will be on a brief hiatus while my family and I sort a few things out. I am thankful for all of you and for your understanding.

We love you, Gary.

Mental Escapism

2009-08-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

hap·py place

adj. hap·pi·er place, hap·pi·est place

1. A mental state one assumes when in a state of distress: "My colleague was speaking far too loudly on the phone, so I went to my happy place to block out the sound of his voice."

2. A fictional paradise created in ones mind full of things which please them: "My happy place has free cotton candy and unicorn rides."

When you go to your happy place, what do you see?

There are many things that make me happy, but rather than thinking of them individually, I create utopias in my mind that I travel to when lonely, angry, stressed out, or sad. In one of my happy places, I am riding a Vespa through the cobbled streets of Rome, smelling the thick, floral air and feeling my hair flowing in the wind. (In my happy place, my legs would look like those in the picture, too.) In another, it is the middle of the night, and I am outside on the wet grass, bundled between blankets, listening to Frank Sinatra and watching shooting stars. Cheesy, perhaps; but wouldn't it be wonderful to really be transported there when we were overwhelmed? For now I must be happy with my overactive imagination's "journey" to these perfect locations.

Fictional Couples

2009-08-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

Each time I see a given film or read a certain book, I feel a part of the characters' relationship, in love with love (and the leading man). I have mentioned before my perverse susceptibility to obsession, and it applies here quite strongly. I want so badly for the characters to get together- and stay that way- that I am completely consumed until the inevitable happens. Here are the fictional couples that draw me in most.

Elizabeth Bennet & Fitzwilliam Darcy- Pride & Prejudice
Influenced by Jane Austen's exceptionally beautiful words and Colin Firth's charming soberness, I swoon with each turn of the page or passing moment onscreen. The tension! They judge, they misunderstand, and finally, their true characters are revealed and they are together despite what others may think. Bliss.

Luke Danes & Lorelai Gilmore- Gilmore Girls
Luke is such a man. Despite how Lorelai may wander, he is always there, wearing his dependable flannel, refilling her coffee cup, and standing up for her character.

Maria & Captain Von Trapp- The Sound of Music
My favorite movie of all time features an equally admirable love story to fit into all of that sugary-feel-good-molasses. The gazebo scene never fails to cast a dreamy, comatose expression over my face.

Paul & Corie Bratter- Barefoot in the Park
Fighting like chickens, living in a tiny apartment, and having absolutely no personality traits in common- what could be more romantic? The play is wonderful, but it's nice to have a DVD where I can depend on Robert Redford to sweep me off my feet for 90 minutes.

Michael Scott & Holly Flax- The Office
Everyone I know is a Jim & Pam person. I am too, of course- I screamed with ten other girls during the season five premiere- but when Holly entered the series, I knew I had another team to root for. Michael, once rendered unlovable, becomes loved. They are quirky, relatable, heartbreakingly real, and hilarious. And they will get back together, despite my roommates' insistences.

Carrie Bradshaw & Mr. Big- Sex & The City
Mr. Big is probably the greatest jerk alive when we are first introduced to him, but we forgive him because he changes for Carrie (and does so with seriously grand gestures). Not a love I would ever like to be a part of, but the story makes me giddy anyway.

Ron Weasley & Hermione Granger- Harry Potter Series
Magic, smarts, humor, good looks. Compelling enough to keep me hanging on for seven entire books.

Blair Waldorf & Chuck Bass- Gossip Girl
I can't believe I am publicly admitting to following this show, but Chuck & Blair are so bad that they are good. Juicy.

Kathleen Kelly & Joe Fox- You've Got Mail
Another case of misunderstanding and heartbreak before the incredibly climactic ending ("Don't cry, Shopgirl.") Both characters are humorous, bookish, and adorable, and I spend the entire movie willing them to see these traits in one another.

Wall-E & Eva- Wall-E
If you have seen this movie, you will understand.

Forgive me if this post is exceptionally sappy, but I don't really care. It is my right as a woman to have such outbursts (without having them devoted to their own section in Barnes & Noble, thank you very much).

Harry Potter and the Full-Blood Fan

2009-08-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

I am the person you are embarrassed to be with at the movies. First and foremost, I need to go to every midnight premiere (this is true for books, too). Second, I need to arrive outrageously early and fully costumed. Third, I give death stares to anyone who dares to breathe loudly during the movie or even the previews. Fourth, I cry quite easily during emotional scenes. Poor Andy and company, huh?

The most recent Harry Potter release was the first of the movies that I was unable to see the day it came out or at midnight. (Working full time will do that to you.) I finally saw it this weekend, though, and these are my reactionary thoughts. Do not read if you care about spoilers!

Since when is Draco Malfoy so beautiful? Don't get me wrong, I would stupefy him in a heartbeat on behalf of Albus, but he would look gorgeous lying there paralyzed on the ground, don't you think?
It is my life's ambition to be Hermione Granger. This is no new thought, but one that should be reiterated nonetheless.
Four words: Luna Lovegood's lion headdress.
Repeat after me. "The Hollow did not burn down."
I think I should start thinking of people I dislike as Severus Snape. "Don't dislike them, Katie! Dumbledore says not to doubt their goodness!"
Where was Kreacher? The Tonks/Lupin and Bill/Fleur love stories?! With all of the romance happening, you would have thought that could have been squeezed in. But I guess they had to leave time for the Hollow to burn down. What?!
The movies are great as movies go. But read the books. Seriously. Otherwise you will never know about the other horcruxes or Voldy's mom! Ugh.
Sorry for using the word "Voldy," J.K. Rowling.
One thing I was glad was not shown as much was Dean and Ginny's romance. My heart was breaking for Harry. And there was too much of Lavender, that psycho! Ron is mine, then Hermione's.
I really, really wish I weren't a muggle.

Expecto Patronum!

Katie

From a Loyal Customer

2009-07-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read "Letters from a Nut" or the infamous email from a Texas woman to a Proctor & Gamble brand manager? They are wonderful. After I wrote the following blog, I realized I would like to send some form of this in a letter to Barnes & Noble themselves in hopes that the ridiculousness of it all evokes a response from them. Before you read this, please note that I do not take myself seriously at all.

One of my true loves in life is Barnes & Noble. I have claimed many times that I could live there among the books, coffee, and scones, sleeping each night in one of their deeply set armchairs. On date nights, Andy and I go there instead of the movie theatre, wandering the aisles and holding hands, discussing our favorite authors and forcing ourselves to narrow our selections drastically before heading to the check-out counter. Apparently, though, I am an anachronism, some super-woman from the future transported back in time just to shock the clearly superior male species, as only they could possibly be suited to enjoy the fine pursuit of literature.

Seriously, Barnes & Noble? Your website suggested I may enjoy "Women's Fiction." Apparently bookstores now need a subcategory to suggest that I don't get any silly little ideas about reading into my brain (which is apparently made of cotton balls and glitter). "Click this link, little dears, and don't bother your empty heads with any of these sophisticated ideas. We wouldn't want to frighten you, causing you to faint, and be forced to rouse you with smelling salts. Everything you need is in your own special area!"

I am, of course, by the denotative term, a feminist (contrary to popular belief, a feminist simply defined is "someone of or relating to or advocating equal rights for women"). That being said, I have never burned a bra or neglected to shave my armpits in favor of the "liberation" I have heard such activities apparently offer. In fact, as riled as I get when I hear about a man earning more money than a woman who does the same job, I adore etiquette, baking, children, and men. You will never hear me drone about how XY chromosome pairings are society's downfall or ward off the prospect of marriage in favor of living a life away from the burden of men.

Okay, Barnes & Noble, maybe I love Jane Austen and even guiltily devoured "The Notebook" at one point. Let's just pretend for a moment that you stereotyping my sex is okay. I have to wonder, then, why there is no "Men's Fiction" category. You could fill it with war stories and meditations on hot rods. Maybe you could feature essays that give horrifyingly specific descriptions of busty women named Candi and Simone (who we obviously helpless prototypes could never measure up to). This would be too much trouble, though! Everyone knows that men read everything, with careful exception to that fluff that the girls' club likes to pretend is literature. "Fiction" as we know it is really "Men's Fiction." Obviously. My mistake. I will now return to birthing children and making dinner.

Sweet Deal

2009-07-28T18:16:00.001-07:00

Apparently "the stuff dreams are made of" includes flour, sugar, and fondant. I say this in practically every post, but if it isn't drilled into your minds yet, I am proclaiming it here as strongly as I possibly can convey the idea: I am the luckiest intern ever. My job is phenomenal. To everyone out there, if you ever find yourself in need of work, Wells' Dairy is the first place you should look!

Last Friday I learned I will be going to Baltimore to meet with Chef Duff and his staff from Food Network's Ace of Cakes at their bakery- Charm City Cakes. Mary Alice and Geoff and Sofie and Erika and Anna and Katherine and, well, everyone. I almost cried. I will be so starry eyed! It will definitely be difficult to remain professional. This is for work?! Seriously?!

Blue Bunny® and Chef Duff are working together to sponsor A&P's 150th Anniversary Party. The party will host 50 winners of a "birthday memory" contest sponsored by the good folks over here at Blue Bunny. As a part of the event, he and his incredible staff are going to make a cake and present it to the contest winners. We get to collaborate to come up with the cake concept, figure out event logistics, and strengthen our relationship with some fun-loving chefs. We hear Charm City Cakes has some Blue Bunny love, too- it sounds like there will just be love everywhere on this trip.

Someone pinch me. If you want a chance to meet Chef Duff in Central Park in NYC, the contest link is here. And if you are generally as amused by cakes as I am, I recommend the hilarious Cake Wrecks blog (here).

Wacom Tablet

2009-07-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned yet that I love my job?

One of my colleagues regularly uses a Wacom tablet, and after asking him questions about it because I have been interested in purchasing one, he let me use it for the day! I'm no phenom, but I've had fun doodling with it, and I would definitely like to obtain one of my own at some point.

Yours,

PS: If any of you are interested, I have a new blog up and running where I feature photographs that I find to be particularly beautiful. "A photo a day," if you will. Find it here and in my sidebar: The Visual Dose. I would love for you to follow it if you so please.

Je Ne Parle Pas Français

2009-07-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

When my dad told me in eighth grade he did not want me to take French, I was a little bit heartbroken. My heritage is relatively well stocked in Francophones; I had all sorts of romantic fantasies about how boys would think I was beautiful/sophisticated if I could speak it; I just knew I was going to run off to Paris someday and never return; and the language is just so pretty.

Nonetheless, come August of that year, I was in Señora Binns' class. It's not that I regret it; I actually took to the spanish language quite easily and must concede that my dad was wise about preferring I speak a language that I will continue to use more as its popular usage increases. This does not even touch the fact that of the accents in my repertoire, French is not one of them. Acting taught me a pretty good number of dialects, but even when I was cast as Frenchie in "Sweet Charity," I could not master a Parisian accent. I either sounded like a caricature of Pierre Escargot or I would inevitably slip into spanish. It is suffice to say the director was glad my role was mainly limited to dancing.

This does not mean, however, that I have not continued to admire from afar the beauty of the French. I despise cigarettes, but how is it that women in cafes there look so classy and artistic sucking cancer down their throats? And how do they stay so skinny despite their seemingly endless diet of baguettes? There is a possibility that life there really isn't like it is stereotyped to be: maybe there really aren't twinkle lights everywhere and lovers swinging from street lamps; maybe not everyone has a short edgy haircut and a closet full of black and white horizontal striped shirts; and, okay, perhaps mimes do not frequent discotheques as much as one may assume. But I will continue to keep this image with me regardless.

Kaitlyn, Maegan, and I have taken to listening to French music when we want to feel classy. If you would like to feel classy, too, here are some of our favorites.

Louis Armstrong- La vie en rose
Camille- Ta douleur
Pink Martini- Sympathique
France Galle- Laisse tomber les filles
Madeleine Peyroux- La Javanaise
Carla Bruni- Quelqu'un M'a dit
Brigitte Bardot- Moi je joue
Yann Tiersen- Comptine d'un autre été, l'après-midi
Camille- La jeune fille aux cheveux blancs
Kaolin- Partons vite
Francis Lemarque- Bal petit bal

Au revoir!

Katie

The Impossible Project

2009-07-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

One of a few New York Times photo blogs, The Lens posted a series of user submitted Polaroids today (link here). The images- more than nine hundred of them- were sent in and posted in response to this article, which discusses The Impossible Project, an attempt by scientists in the Netherlands to reinvent and market instant film (ie: save Polaroid). These are some of my favorites.

If the death of instant film does become final and this project does not succeed (as its title suggests), we will really be losing something special. Cliché, maybe, but I am entranced by the magic of Polaroid film. After stockpiling for a year with the help of my boyfriend, I am running out of my film and places to find it. It makes me so sad that I almost bear some resentment towards digital photography. Almost.

Polaroid Playlist

Spoon- Camera
The Mountain Goats- Jeff Davis County Blues
The Good Life- On the Picket Fence
Bishop Allen- Click Click Click Click
Outkast- Hey Ya
Bright Eyes- Poison Oak
Kimya Dawson- Tyre Swing

The Dieline

2009-07-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

I let myself look at The Dieline during the work day (link here) because I figure every packaging design intern needs to expand her knowledge base of what good design really is. These are some of my favorite features from the past month or so.

Such beautiful work! There is so much imagination and meticulous execution. It never fails to inspire me to get out there and be a part of it. It would be truly wonderful if every company invested in their design like these do. Shopping would be such an aesthetically pleasing experience.

Homaha Indeed

2009-07-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

I lived in 11 different residences before I graduated high school- that's five different cities in four different states. I grew up with a sort of nomadic instinct that each move more deeply imparted: "you will miss it here, but you will settle in there eventually." Each place has memories attached to it, and there is something I truly loved about every place I spent time in.

There has always been something particularly steadfast about the bond I share with Omaha, though; maybe it was because I spent my real "growing up" years there. Considering the angst a girl transmits from age 11 until she is 15, where better for her to sulk (and dream) than in the Old Market? There could be no more fantastic method of jumpstarting a seventh grader's photography hobby than to take cliché pictures in Fontenelle Forest, and how else should my music interests have been piqued than by the likes of Saddle Creek, Sokol, and Homer's?

Maybe it was the gray Decembers lit up by the twinkle lights in the passageway or listening to my brother's band practice in our basement, but there is always something about Omaha that makes me feel alive as soon as I see its skyline. There are things I associate with Omaha really strongly, too: my first camera, Chuck Taylors, even old factory buildings. But among the most vivid of these associations is what remains to one of my favorite albums of all time, Cursive's The Ugly Organ.

I discovered (and devoured) this masterpiece on my brother's iTunes and it defined an era for me. But when I really fell in love with it was when I found someone to share it with. It sparked many nights of Kaitlin Harvey and me sitting on AIM (oh, nostalgia) for hours while we waited for the other's newly discovered mp3s to download. We fell in love with Cursive, then The Good Life, then almost anything either of us greedily begged for a copy of from the other.

Friday night, Cursive is playing a free show with Azure Ray in Omaha. I am going with Kaitlin and my brother- who else? Sure to be a euphoric experience full of déjà vu. I could not be more excited.

Puppy Love

2009-07-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

I am the person who wants to stop and pet every dog on the street, and I talk to my Westie as if she is a human. For a while, I assumed this meant I should be a veterinarian, but this was a misnomer. I was thinking not of medical school and surgeries, but of a fantasy world where I was paid to play with dogs all day. Until I met my boyfriend, I had a rule of thumb that anyone who didn't like dogs was not to be trusted. (In Andy's defense, he is allergic, and since he does like my perfect dog, Gracie, we're cool.)

In a perfect world, I will live in a cedar shake house nestled in the green hills of some imaginary place, and after I take my kids to school in the morning and clean house, I will chase after my dogs in the freshly dewed grass of my expansive lawn, decked out in wellies and a sweater. It paints a very lovely (and Eddie Bauer-esque) picture, does it not?

My dog is probably seriously one of my best friends, and I don't think that is sad at all. If you are going to have an animal, you should love it. Thus, I have compiled a list of ten breeds that would comprise a pack of dogs I would be proud to call my own.

BeagleClassic, friendly, adorable.

Bernese Mountain Dog

An incredibly calm dog whose looks ward off intruders, but lacks
aggression.

Boston Terrier

What reasoning do you need? Look at them.

Dachshund

Who doesn't love a weiner dog? I could teach it how to skateboard.

German Shorthaired Pointer

Intelligent and protective of children: winning combo.

Portugese Podengo

Observant, playful, awesome looking.

Visla

Known for their quiet loyalty, they are called "velcro dogs" for the
attachment they form with their owners. Adorable.

Weimaraner

Maybe I only love these dogs because of William Wegman's
photo essays, but they are incredibly beautiful and somber looking.

West Highland White Terrier (Westie)

This seriously warrants no explanation. These are the best dogs
ever. I have never met anyone who did not like my dog, Gracie.
Westies are perfect.

Whippet

My roommate Maegan, who isn't normally a huge dog fan, showed
me these. We agree they are beautiful and regal looking. Classy.

"Gone to the Dogs"
An Abridged Canine Playlist

Damien Rice- Dogs
Arrah & The Ferns- Problems
Elvis- Hound Dog
The Beatles- Hey Bulldog
The Format- Dog Problems

Daily Affirmations

2009-07-20T14:14:00.001-07:00

Maegan and I are undergoing the process of planning our shared room for the next school year. I get a little too ambitious and she is gracious enough to put up with it (who knows if I will really complete those slipcovers for our desk chairs or not), but we were both interested in purchasing letter pressed posters from Etsy, Aesthetic Apparatus, and the like.

I am still planning on supporting the online community by purchasing a couple of prints- namely a Stars poster and print reading "I Love You, Blogs & Coffee," but I realized that I could make some pretty classy looking ones myself and save some bucks. Meg and I like to be surrounded by positive words and encouragement, so we thought a series of affirmations would be an excellent addition to our room. And since I am making them, we get to choose ourselves which words of wisdom will be displayed.

Here are the digital prototypes. On the off-chance that anyone reading this wants any sort of typography to display in their place, let me know and can work something out.

"Welcome To Our Home"
A Playlist to Decorate To

Arrah & The Ferns- Southern Comfort
Ben Gibbard- Home
Feist- Mushaboom
The Smiths- Back To The Old House
Norah Jones- Come Away With Me
Au Revoir Simone- Through the Backyards of Our Neighbors
Death Cab for Cutie- Death of an Interior Decorator
John Mayer- Come Back to Bed
The Most Serene Republic- Humble Peasants
The Beatles- She's Leaving Home
Stars- In Our Bedroom After the War
Simon & Garfunkel- Homeward Bound

Songs for the Dark

2009-07-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

Why is it that when we are feeling down about something, we seek out songs that express a similar sentiment? One would think that when humans are not at a personal high point, they would wish to find their way back to a happy mindset, but I think that at least at first, this is not the case. Sure, anyone wants to feel better after a period of time, but there is also a period of time when one just longs to wallow.

"Melancholy" by Degas

Maybe I assume to much; perhaps I am one of few who does this- but this is doubtful. Time and time again, when I have been upset, music has been a reliable crutch. I could not tell you why exactly, but there is something about being depressed or angry or confused that is comfortable, and listening to a song that explains what you are feeling perpetuates this. Some may argue that they listen to depressing music when they are upset because feeling a connection to someone in a similar situation actually makes them feel better, but I do not understand this. In fact, if I am having a relatively normal day and I listen to one of my go-to songs for sadness, my mood can shift pretty quickly.

Even if they push me even further into self-pity, I keep them around because eventually, they do make me feel better. Maybe this experience speeds up the process of sadness and allows us to recover more quickly. Regardless, I consistently crave the same songs when I am down. They all just seem to hit me right in the gut when I hear them, and in the hopes that they may somehow reach out to you, I have listed some of them here. Granted, most are probably emo/cliche, but no one cares about hipster points when they are truly upset.

Marketa Irglova- The Hill
Feist- Lonely Lonely
Sigur Rós- Vaka
Regina Spektor- Lulliby
Maria Taylor- Xanax
Au Revoir Simone- Stay Golden
Brand New- Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis*
Death Cab for Cutie- A Lack of Color*
Simon & Garfunkel- The Sound of Silence
John Mayer- Split Screen Sadness*
Damien Rice- Delicate*
Ben Folds Five- Brick
Azure Ray- November
Joni Mitchell- A Case of You
The Beatles- She's Leaving Home
The Elected- British Columbia
Thursday- War All the Time*
Snow Patrol- Grazed Knees*
The Decemberists- Cocoon
Spring Awakening- The Guilty Ones

*Nearly the entire album serves a similar purpose.
What are your favorite songs to listen to when you are upset about something? My collection has plenty of room to grow.

Narcissism & Networking

2009-07-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

My dad has an interesting take on social networking websites, most notably Facebook and Twitter. "Why does anyone think they are important enough to share their daily tasks with the world? How can they honestly feel anyone cares about what they have to say on their blog?" (Ouch.)

It is impossible to deny that the advent of Facebook, MySpace, and others has marked a significant increase in vanity. When there are hundreds of people who can access your profile, for most people, a little primping is in order. It starts out innocently enough: fill out your information, upload a profile picture, add a few friends. Maybe even remove tags from some unflattering photos. But before long, if not careful, a lot of people find themselves uploading albums entitled "Me" with photos of themselves next to a camera flash in a mirror. I know several people who have set personal goals for the number of "friends" they can obtain. I can't exclude myself from all of this- there is maybe one picture of me on Facebook without make-up and I have totally given in to the self-importance of tweeting.

But I would actually like to defend our generation's habits. Personally, the reason why I love to blog is because I love to feel a connection with other people. I don't write these posts to hear myself talk, but because I want to participate in a community of thought where I can learn more about people I know and they can respond and make me think about what it is I have said. There are even blogs of people I don't really know that I like to read because the things they have to share are seriously incredible. This can be dangerous when in the wrong hands, but I have no ill will: just admiration for the thoughts and abilities of others. What's so bad about that?

Twitter is a more shallow version of the same, and Facebook does its job by letting me see what is happening with all sorts of people I do not get to speak with every day. Think about how much its convenience and features have enabled us to stay in touch with one another. Of course, there is a flip-side to this, too: this departure from direct communication may be an unnecessary waste of time; if you would not call them anyway, do you need to see their photos?; if you are not pinned as a narcissist, you might be pigeonholed as a creeper or a busybody- do not get too interested!; messages sent through these websites may seem false and empty in comparison to a letter or a phone call. But regardless of whether it is good or bad, I guess my point is that it does not always have to be about vanity. It can all be about how you use these tools and not the fact that you use them.

"Image: Our Generation & The Internet"

Rilo Kiley- 15
St. Vincent- Human Racing
Kings of Convenience- The Weight of My Words
Death Cab for Cutie- Pictures in an Exhibition
Nouvelle Vague- Dancing With Myself
Arrah & The Ferns- Emo Phillips
Radiohead- Paranoid Android
Tilly & The Wall- Pot Kettle Black
Feist- Past in Present
Cursive- The Recluse

Trails in the Sky

2009-07-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

It has become increasingly rare to find others afraid of flying as time goes on. People come and go via air travel routinely now, and buckling into your seat on a flight is hardly a consideration, let alone a bother. When I was younger, I adored airplanes. Now, take-off usually presents a panic attack or two, and turbulence is a nightmare. Sometimes, I'm completely at ease on airplanes, but generally, I get worked into an unjustifiable tizzy. This is a pretty big conundrum for me considering that I love to travel. I want to see everything, and boarding an airplane is the only realistic option for most of the places I venture to, so I just have to suck it up and go with it. On a normal flight, I am able to relax once we've reached our cruising altitude, but I've never flown across an ocean before- and I'm about to.

My family is hopefully going to Ireland this summer (my absolute dream vacation) and we are flying to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro next year. You would think I would be most concerned about which castles to see on my amazing getaway, or how to train for a strenuous hike in the Serengeti, but my thoughts are glued to the journeys over the Atlantic. How can I relax on a sixteen hour flight when the only point at which I am able to relax happens to coincide with hovering above a massive body of water? I get sick just thinking about it. I have a reoccurring dream where I am flying tranatlantic, the power fails, and completely helpless, I plunge into the depths of the ocean. It's horrifying. All of the recent airplane crashes do not help my dilemma, either. Obviously, we will not be flying Air France on our excursions.

My question for you, then, is how do you deal with nerves when you fly? My parents have forbidden me from taking sleeping pills, I am well aware of the fact that many people fly transatlantic daily, and even praying has little effect. Your help is be greatly appreciated- if I can't conquer this fear, half of my bucket list will remain incomplete.

(I have decided to try to include a related playlist in each of my posts from now on; time will tell how long I keep up with this. Regarding this post's playlist, do not listen to it on a plane, and forgive its morbid theme.)

"Fear of Flying" Playlist

Guster- Airport Song
Steve Miller Band- Jet Airliner
Neutral Milk Hotel- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
The Postal Service- Recycled Air
Radiohead- Sail to the Moon (Brush the Cobwebs of the Sky)
Andrew Bird- Fiery Crash
Pink Floyd- Goodbye Blue Sky
Rilo Kiley- Plane Crash in C
Blonde Redhead- Falling Man
Explosions in the Sky- Look into the Air
Sondre Lerche- Airport Taxi Reception

Boots (or, Wrestling my Inner Coastie)

2009-07-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

I know my most recent post was about realizing my good fortune, and in the one before it I condemned myself for being so obsessed with everything, but I'm an American capitalist just like almost everyone I know, and thus a little materialism and hypocrisy is in order.

When I was not yet three years old, my mom and grandmother took me to a department store to get dress shoes. The story goes that as they shopped with me, my eyes- and then my hands- locked on a pair of bright red Mary Janes. I am told that I rarely cried in public or caused fusses when I was little, but this time I made such a scene that I would not even allow my mom to take them away in order to fit me with the proper size. They were my shoes, and it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Over the years I have loved many shoes: ballet slippers, stilettos, Converse, moccasins, TOMS, and more. But it is boots which create the category of shoe that regularly comes closest to being declared the winner.

As a self-described shoe connoisseur, I have developed a sort of unfavorable snobbery in judging them. "Uggs," I used to say, "are for people too lazy to develop their own sense of style. And besides that, they're clunky and hideous." But it wasn't too long after I moved to Wisconsin that my Raynaud's Disease (which causes lack of circulation in the extremities) started getting worse, and my mom started rattling off reports she had heard about the Ugg-ly things and just how warm they were. So she convinced me to try on a pair, and even if a little bit of my idealism died that day, I was in love with the things. Now you will rarely see a Winter day when I am not donning them. I'll even defend their looks- they're sort of like the puppy that's homely, but who everyone wants to play with anyway. The Owen Wilson of boots, if you will.

The one caveat to our cozy friendship is the fact that wearing them regularly makes me feel like a coastie. For those of you who do not go to school with me, a coastie is a rich student from the east coast generally found wearing the standard uniform of a long t-shirt, leggings in place of pants, an obnoxious scarf, large sunglasses, and Uggs. With a cell phone in one hand and a latte in the other, they are almost universally despised by everyone else on campus.

Here's where it gets tricky: though I consider myself to be from Wisconsin, the place in which I resided longest was South Carolina. It might not be New York, but it sits on a little something called the eastern seaboard. I wear Uggs. I own a long, puffy North Face jacket. To be honest, my inner Sconnie is dying as I type this. "No! Do not give in! Rid your soul- and your closet- of coastie symbolism!" Have no worry, though, friends. Here I solemnly declare to never wear leggings without something over them; to never own Juicy Couture sunglasses; and to avoid at all costs being overheard begging "Daddy" to up my spending limit on my Visa card.

I will, most likely, however, eventually give in and buy a pair of beautiful Hunter wellies. I will not let the coasties claim these- sure, they might be seen in them most often because of their unregulated trust funds, but Hunter wellies are a classic rain boot for a classy lady. And I hope that once I have bought them (with my own money, thank you) I will feel a little bit like I am walking through London with them on my feet. All boot-central identity crises aside, I have no doubt I will continue to work on my collection for a long time to come.

All Politics Aside

2009-06-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

I generally dislike political posts because they are rarely based in fact, and they really do not accomplish anything. That being said, today is a big day for Iraq that should not go overlooked: Sovereignty Day. At midnight Baghdad time, U.S. forces effectively handed Iraq back to their own countrymen as the pullout deadline was met.

Some Iraqis celebrated by watching countdowns, launching fireworks, and dancing in the streets. Others expressed fear that they were in danger without the help of American troops. Regardless of how you feel about the war and if we should have ever even been there, or what you think the outcome of the military's departure will be, though, I think we all have to agree that this is an incredibly historic day for Iraq- and the world.

Anyone who knows me is probably aware of the fact that I generally do not believe in war. But I'm not writing to persuade anyone to agree with me or show them the error of their ways. I'm writing to express gratitude to be born in a country that allows me to disagree with its actions without fearing for my life. I'm writing because of all of the places God could have put me, He put me in a free nation. I sound surprisingly patriotic here, don't I?

Sometimes I get so caught up in the minor frustrations of daily life that I forget to see the big picture. I am only human, but still, when I stop and think about just how good I have it in a world that can be so dark, the fact that I could possibly have anything to complain about shames me. I have food and shelter, a family who loves me, a job, an education, and plenty of things some others routinely go without. I know the fact that "children are starving in China" has never made a little kid actually want to finish their meatloaf, but perhaps today, in honor of how good the lives we lead are, when we go to groan about burnt coffee or get upset about a road detour, we should remember our good fortune and be thankful for it.

People all over the world are standing up for their freedom and paying the ultimate price for it: In Iran, they are shot for protesting the heavily disputed presidential election; North Koreans struggle to survive each day without adequate food or government support; child soldiers in the Sudan are forced to witness and commit unimaginable atrocities. Yet we are born with incredible rights and opportunities. We sleep in air conditioned houses that access the internet. We go to college and work safe, regulated jobs. We drink specialty coffee and have stocked pantries. It is a trite subject, but when we start to envy a friend or acquaintance for their blessings, we should remember just how much we really have.

Here's to hoping, regardless of political beliefs, that somehow Iraqis will be able to experience the same fortune someday.

Feeding the Obsession

2009-06-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

I claim to be obsessed with a lot of things. Rilo Kiley, The Sound of Music, tea, and Tina Fey top the list conversationally. It's probably a horrible thing to have to constantly hear when talking to me: "Oh, I know! I'm obsessed with that." I sound like I'm twelve.

In all honesty, though, as much as I am obsessed with those (and I am), upon further analysis, I have realized that there is only one thing I am so interested in I had not even thought to regard it as an obsession. I am head-over-heels in love with cameras. How could anyone not be? The click of the shutter, turning the focal ring and seeing the world focus, opening my aperture as wide as it will go...I could go on and on. If photography were not socially considered a "constructive" hobby, my love for cameras might be considered a sickness.

My cameras outnumber my pants.

HP Photosmart point and shoot. I think this was a 3 megapixel model, which makes me want to gag. But in 2002, it was the best gift I had ever gotten, and taking crappy pictures of flowers and fences with it jumpstarted my hobby.
Kodak point and shoot, inherited from my brother. Probably 4 megapixels, but an upgrade I sincerely appreciated.
Clementine, my beautiful labor of love. Clem is a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT. After using a rebel in Newspaper Club, I set my sights on it and spent two years cleaning up baby spit and trimming the lawn, putting every extra cent into a camera fund. It was worth it. I can't tell you how many times I had to replace the basic body lens because I had worn it out. Eventually, last November, Clem died. She didn't need a new battery or a new lens- she literally died from overuse. I still keep her in hopes that when I am wildly rich I can put an absurd amount of money towards her ressurection.
Joel, Clementine's replacement, which I blew half of my savings on upon realizing I was without a camera at school. A lovely and equally loyal upgrade (XSi). This camera accompanies me everywhere now.
A beautiful vintage Kodak folding camera like this. It just sits on my bookshelf, but I will always be looking for compatible film for it!
Kodak Brownie Box Camera (here). Currently collecting dust next to the folding camera, but longing to be used if only I could find some film.
Holga Colorsplash, a Christmas gift that I love and can't wait to use more. Once again, the fact that film is dying has caused a few problems with this.
Two polaroids, one vintage and one new, so that regardless of which type of polaroid film I stumble across, I can use either. Have I mentioned film is dying?

But when I get home today, I will have eleven cameras! My mom, who is out east, found an old Minolta x-570 and some lenses which she is bringing home for me upon her arrival today (a reliable film camera which thankfully uses plain old 35 mm), and B&H has just shipped something wonderful (something I have spent nearly all of my summer job money on, but something wonderful nonetheless): a Nikon D300. I know this is obnoxious, but I am seriously too excited to contain myself.

The switch to Nikon does not have me as nervous as I might have thought. It will have a bit of a learning curve to be sure, but I'm confident it will be worth it. When my bank account recovers, I can even get a grip for it! I'll be able to use this camera everywhere- even while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. How cool is that? I would almost feel guilty about having it, but looking at my checking balance and realizing the sacrifice brings me back to reality.

I claim no natural talent for photography, just a passion for it that I hope might carry over into some good images. All in all, though, what really matters is that I am completely content and at ease with my strap around my neck and my finger posed, ready to capture an image. How amazing is it that we have the ability to take something our eyes see once and save it to show to others years later? Part of my school schedule come fall includes a digital photography course. I love going to Wisconsin, I love being an art major, and I really, really love cameras.

My Dad

2009-06-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

On Father's Day, what better to blog about than my father? My dad probably really doesn't get the appreciation he deserves most of the time. He works 70+ hour weeks, comes home and fixes up house, never complains about it, and then wants to spend any time left over spoiling us. He is the nicest man I know- someone would really have to cross him for you to get him to admit any dislike- and one of the most selfless people I have ever met.

When we moved to Wisconsin, my dad moved ahead to start up so I could finish the semester. When we moved to Iowa, he moved ahead while I finished the school year- and then stayed behind again to work so I could graduate early when I decided to go back to Wisconsin. It's safe to say there have been times when I have not seen much of him, especially because he has always been dedicated to providing for us and doing the best he can at his job. Being at college this year, I have seen even less of him. But my dad and I have talked on the phone every day. He is always calling in to check on me, ask me questions about what is going on with my life, and give me encouragement.

This Summer has been a really great opportunity to spend more time with him, too- something I am really glad I get to do given the history previously explained. I work in the same building as him, so I get a morning drive with him, sit in his office until my workday starts, bring him lunch and spend my break with him, and then drive home with him. How cool is that? If that were not enough, he is giving me driving lessons every night. A chance to keep learning from your "old man" is pretty cool. This weekend we went to a baseball game, had a movie marathon, went to brunch, and watched golf together.

Come to think of it, dads are pretty underrated guys. When I realize how much my parents do for me, it puts me to shame. (Both of my parents are equally wonderful, I'm just blogging about my dad to fit the occasion.) I can count on my dad to do just about anything for me. I might not be a little girl anymore, but I think there will always be that part of me that is the seven-year-old in the pink dress stepping on her dad's nice leather shoes so she can dance with him. So, Happy Father's Day, dads everywhere. I hope your kids have spoiled you rotten today. You all deserve it (but mine does the most).

Accentuate The Positive

2009-06-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

My parents have always instilled in me the power of positive thinking. I remember one specific instance when I was pretty young- probably before elementary school anyway- where my mom and I were driving to one of her tennis tournaments together and I came down with a stomach ache. Of course I had to tell my mommy my tummy hurt, so she told me not to think about it. I replied, "I can't not think about it! It really hurts!" We were too far in the middle of some stretch of highway to do much about it, but my mom said that we should find a way to fix it if I couldn't stop thinking about it. She said, "Try to make it not hurt." This sounded pretty foreign to me, so I had her explain. "Half of everything is in your head," she told me. "Think about your tummy feeling better and maybe you can make it go away." To this day I remember that when I feel sick.

My dad was the same way. He and my mom were at each of my sporting events encouraging me to think positively. If you know me at all, "athleticism" probably isn't a trait that stands out in your mind when you think of me, but regardless of given talent, I did just about everything: gymnastics, tennis, soccer, track and field, basketball, volleyball, tae kwan do, figure skating, dance, you name it. And I did it because my parents always told me I could if I wanted to. My dad assistant coached my basketball team one year and implemented a new motto: "You always miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

I know some of it sounds pretty hokey, but it was a great message to grow up with. My parents' advice helped me through a lot of the struggles of growing up and moving around. Finding the silver lining in a tough situation or believing in myself when I was down was (and still is) incredibly important to me. Though I still consider myself by nature a positive person, I think somewhere along the line (like high school) I lost sight of the importance of applying this philosophy to daily life. Teenaged melodramatic negativity got to me, and I could hear myself sometimes wearing down people with me. I would not call myself a Debbie Downer, but I was far from the Mary Sunshine my parents had raised me to be.

This summer has really been an interesting one so far. To be honest, though not totally dreading it, I was not relishing the idea of living in a city I hardly knew away from all of my friends. What I did not realize is how much I love the company of my parents- and how finally having a lot of alone time, for the first time since middle school, would be a really good thing for me. What an opportunity to reflect and grow! I think one of the things that has most benefited from this is a return in my optimistic outlook and general temperament. I have really had a lot of time to realize that committing to a better attitude is an important adjustment. The best part is that forcing myself to think this way has made me feel better just about all of the time.

When I realize how abundant my life is, it blows my mind. I could go on forever about the people who surround me, the opportunities I've had, the love I've experienced, and so on, but the point is, you just have to learn to remember that when things are looking down for you. Now I remember why my personal mantra is, "it's all in your perspective."

Don't-mess-with-mister-in-between,

Katie

To All The Corners of the World

2009-06-11T05:41:00.000-07:00

Google Analytics is one slick program.

I recently installed it because I was curious about how much traffic this was getting (I have friends who informed me they read this through the link on facebook even though they don't have a blog themselves, which interested me). It turns out I can not only tell how many times the site is being viewed, but exactly how many people are viewing it, returning vs. new visitors, what kind of internet browsers they use, where they sit on the world map, what site referred them, and more.

In the past three days since installing the program, this site has been viewed 136 times. I have had visitors from the United States (Iowa, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Minnesota, California, and New York), three cities in Canada, Bursa in Turkey, and somewhere in Japan! I realize they are not really here to read what I have to say but because they somehow stumbled across my humble little page, but it's still so exciting to me- it just reiterates how connected we all are. Maybe I'm over-analyzing, but I think it is a pretty cool thing that I am acutely aware of the existence of someone across the world who I will probably never speak to or meet. Just in case any of these visitors are returning, I would like to offer a "hello," (although maybe a "merhaba" or "konnichiwa" would be more fitting) and a hope that in different circumstances we may have met and even been friends.

And to anyone who reads this and does not have a blog, I encourage you to get one. I know it does not suit some people, but you never know until you try. Being connected to others' blogs and thoughts has sparked some introspective thinking for me, and having to consider what to write on your blog has, at times, I think, forced me to wonder about things I otherwise would not have. If nothing else, you will one day have it to look back on as a sort of memoir.

Next year, if I continue to blog, I will hopefully have a visitors from London and Italy was well. It's an amazing thing to realize how thin the borders that divide us have become, and I can't wait to hear about all of the adventures my friends studying abroad next year will have. What a world we live in!

Seeking Your Advice

2009-06-09T05:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I left behind all of my emo posting on Xanga, but alas, I have a question for you! This is not meant to make anyone feel uncomfortable, so do not feel compelled to respond if you do not want to.

When you find yourself thinking about something every day that makes you unhappy, what do you do to clear your mind of it? I have prayed about it, thought about the fact that dealing with unhappiness can make you stronger, talked to friends about it, gone on runs when I wanted not to think about it, and more, but it's sticking with me quite magnetically. I do not want this to be a part of my life anymore (it is a constant supply of negativity I am better off without) but I am having trouble getting rid of it.

Solutions, anyone? You have my deepest gratitude.
Katie

Dancing With Myself

2009-06-08T06:02:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for being oh-so-typical, but I'm one serious musical-theatre-loving broad. Half of my vinyls are from the golden age of the 1960s and feature Julie Andrews, Shirley Jones, Marni Nixon, or some other charismatic soprano belting classics to a background of a cheerful company/group of Austrian children/swelling violins. I was even a theatre major for a while, which worked out just about as well as my childhood dream of being an astronaut, but the stage, campy or melodramatic as it may be, will always be a huge part of my life. This is why each year I eagerly tune into the TONY awards.

Sure, my knack for getting the latest soundtracks from friends and reading the New York Times art section clue me into what is happening on Broadway, but sketchy YouTube videos aside, the first Sunday in June is the only time of year that I really get close to experiencing the New York City stage, given that I am quite distant from the Winter Garden Theater.

Last night's awards show proved to be no letdown: Billy Elliot trumped all, earning 10 awards. The show also set a first for the Tony's, as all 3 Billys were nominated for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. (My guess is that due to child labor laws/overwhelming pressure, they had to use three boys rather than one to fill the show's busy schedule. That being said, apparently all of them wowed the crowds.) Seeing all three preteens step up to make their acceptance speech together was one of the most heartwarming moments of the evening.

If you missed the performance from Billy Elliot, be sure to YouTube it. It looked a little something like this:

But Billy Elliot wasn't the only thing that amazed. Angela Lansbury, now 83 years old, won her fifth Tony for her role in Blithe Spirit- an award presented by another legend, Jane Fonda. After a thrilling performance with castmates J. Robert Spencer and Aaron Tveit (which should also be watched at your nearest convenience), Alice Ripley took home Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Next to Normal, a new musical from the director of RENT about a family lost in their own dysfunction. The opening number, reported to be the most expensive one of all time despite the failing economy, featured Stockard Channing, Dolly Parton, Liza Minneli, and Allison Janney, among others. The revivals of Hair, Guys and Dolls, and West Side Story proved as phenomenal as ever. Anne Hathaway, David Hyde Pierce, and Will Ferrell showed up, along with Kristen Chenowith, Lauren Graham, and Sutton Foster.

It was a good evening for straight plays, too, with multiple nominations for standouts God of Carnage, The Norman Conquests, and Dividing the Estate. Marcia Gay Harden's acceptance speech was all too charming, and Neil Patrick Harris closed the evening off with a clever parody number after Elliot's final win (Best Musical). Oh, to live in New York! Someday...sigh. It's suffice to say I am already patiently but excitedly awaiting next year's broadcast.

Discoveries of an Eight to Fiver

2009-06-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

Things I have discovered during a forty plus-hour cubicle-inhabiting workweek:

1. BlogSpot is not blocked (obviously). Normally this could mean trouble. That being said, as soon as I am given a task, I quickly give it all of my attention and finish it. I promise I have only browsed the 'net during breaks or time when they have no work for me. Really!

2. Waking up at 5 and getting home at 7 Monday through Friday is no issue as long as you have strong coffee, the wisdom to go to bed when you say you will, and a good book to read until your co-workers start trickling in.

3. Stilettos are awesome. Yes, your feet hurt at the end of the day. Yes, it is still worth wearing heels. The increase in height and improvement in my stature makes me feel oh-so-classy and eager to be productive. I have always believed in the power of a great pair of shoes, but who knew? Turns out it's almost more fun to wear them when it's not a special occasion.

4. The office is an excellent environment for my health. Odd, I know, especially if you consider that I work for an ice cream company where the newest products are provided free to employees in miniature freezers throughout the building. It turns out, though, that all of my summertime snacking is due to a lethal combination of boredom and access to a full pantry. When you have a task at hand and don't want to walk to the break room to buy something, it's quite easy to realize you're not actually hungry and therefore you should not be eating! Also, take the stairs. Seriously, the building is three stories tall.

5. I have an entirely new appreciation for The Office. Just...trust me on this one. (Though nothing like Michael Scott, my boss' name is Michael. His name is Mike Baas. Pronounced like "boss." Seriously!)

6. Don't take your lunch break until noon, or you'll be hungry at four. Bring Kleenex on the first day for your desk. Measure twice, cut once. Speak quietly in an open-air work environment. Go to the bathroom right when you need to, or inevitably someone will come with a task for you to do or an errand for you to run and you will have to hold it for a while. Thank your lucky stars that you have a job!

7. Graphic Design is so, so, so amazing. I could not be happier with my major.

Tired but content,
Katie

Homemade Fruit Tarts

2009-06-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

I had another craving yesterday and I decided to satisfy it with a trip to the grocery store and a few hours in the kitchen. They weren't as great as the magical fruit tarts I enjoyed in downtown Vancouver, but I think they were pretty good, especially for a first attempt. The custard inside took about five tries to get right, but it was smooth sailing other than that.

Fresh fruit is such a perfect way to "Spring into Summer," don't you think?

Happy eats!

Katie

Concerning Wisdom

2009-05-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

No blog posts in a while due to a flurry of activity: finals week, moving out of the dorms and back into my house, getting my wisdom teeth out, interviewing for a job, and a Memorial Day trip to the lake. Moving and anal-retentive organization is complete, my cheeks are nearly recovered, the job is obtained, and I am at the lake as I type this.

I'll be working an office job as an intern in the graphic design/communications department this summer. I get paid, I get my own cubicle, I get to explore something I love and build my portfolio, and I get a classy work wardrobe! Killer heels are already in my closet and I start on Wednesday. Assuming my cheeks are healed, I will be ready to go. Cliché, but I feel so grown up!

As far as another trite subject is concerned, freshman year is concluded and was undeniably phenomenal. The fact that my family and friends don't live in the same place is a bit difficult for me. My friends get to live at home and all see each other- my parents have moved from where I graduated, so they are the only people I see. I'm really trying to take it in stride, though. There's no need to mope! The people I love will all be back in Madison in the fall, and in the meantime, I'm going to try to improve myself so they can still tolerate me when I return. I'll have more time for exercise, reflection, sketching, and reading. Let's see how much I can do with this.

Ready, set, go!

Katie

About the notifications...

2009-05-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a list-maker. I always have been and I probably always will be. I love organizing things (especially things that don't particularly need to be organized). This is exactly why LivingSocial is an issue for me. LivingSocial is a facebook application that allows you to choose your top five of just about anything and publish it in the feed for anyone and everyone to see.

I roll my eyes just as much as everyone else when one is published and don't even bother to read it (which is why I have stopped publishing mine). But I can't stop filling them out. I think I've done about forty. Yes, I am completely aware that no one cares what the top five things I want in my dream house are. But when presented with a list, I can't resist filling it out.

There is really no need to wonder about the top five people I want on my side in a barfight or let facebook know about my favorite dog breeds or Crayola crayon colors (yes, I have done all of these, let's be honest here). But I get immense satisfaction out of having completed them. Unfortunately, this hasn't even taken away my compulsion to make lists in the real world.

So if you're getting notifications about my lists even though they're not being published...I apologize. But it's probably something you'll need to get used to ignoring. It's therapeutic or something along those lines.

P.S.: Five things I don't leave the house without- LG Dare, Moleskine, Blistex Silk & Shine, Keys, Wallet. In case you were wondering. Which you weren't.

Katie

KELLY IS HERE!

2009-04-30T20:19:00.001-07:00

Today I went up and picked up a special package from the airport...

This is going to be the best weekend ever!

Old Things

2009-04-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

When I was in ninth grade, my friend Sara, a senior, told me she got along with me because I have an "old soul." I think part of what she meant was that when I was fourteen I would rather go to the antique mall and read poetry than text about boys or gab about Hollister, but I wonder if she meant this in accordance to people, too. Today I was thinking about this as I realized that I like pretty much everything older. Food, technology, and clothing should be new. The rest? I think I like them aged.

My personality has always been such that made me love talking to older people. By that I don't mean the "cool older kids" necessarily, but adults. I know I am an adult technically, but really- ever since I was little I have loved conversing with them. I'm the weird friend that spends half the time at your house talking to your parents. At family gatherings, I stayed with my parents and grandparents rather than going away to some back room where my cousins were. I don't know what it is about adults that is so comfortable to me: maybe its because they aren't judging me based on how cool I am, or because their experience intrigues me, or because I know that inevitably I'm going to end up in a similar position to them.

I've always enjoyed weird adult things, too: cleaning, Williams & Sonoma, Pottery Barn, balancing my checkbook, and doing the New York times crossword, among other things. As a 6-year-old, my only diary entry was about Pierce Brosnan. To this day, Colin Firth (he and Brosnan are both older than my dad) makes my knees weak. I didn't watch the Disney Channel when I was little- I watched "Murder, She Wrote" and Turner Classic Movies with my mom. I woke up on Saturdays to go to the museum and the farmers market and begged her to buy me jewelry (the kind that wasn't from Claire's).

I should think that if there was an adult who I was somehow introduced to who took me seriously and actually wanted to spend time with me as a friend, I would get along with them ridiculously well. Sure, there'd be the little flag that went up saying "people probably think this is creepy," but I envision actually really enjoying myself. I don't quite know what to think of that.

Even on a smaller scale, my boyfriend is two years older than me and everyone I go to school with is at least one year older. I imagine myself being a very lonely old lady if things play out in their natural order- that is, if my older friends pass before me. It's weird to think about mortality like that.

P.S.: I was going to put a photo in this post, but searching Google images for "adults" yields some unsettling results.

College Life

2009-04-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

MTV's trashy film crews decided to use the UW to film their latest venture into fake "reality." College Life follows eight students at Madison and their freshman experience. Not only was the show boring, stupid, and disgusting- at least three of the situations (so far) were entirely fake. The Madison they showed is not where I go to school.

Then again, MTV has always kind of sucked. I don't know why I'm so surprised.

The youth is starting to change.

2009-04-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

"Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh never mind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You’re not as fat as you imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Sing. Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss. Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth."

Motivation?

2009-04-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Why is it that I always feel the most motivated/creative on my days off? Today I woke up at 9 planning to prepare for my only class (a 1:20-3:50 studio), and when I found out it was cancelled I was strangely motivated to keep working anyway. Maybe when I realize I'm not going to be absolutely exhausted by my work, I can enjoy it.

I also felt strangely creative today and updated some photography. So here are some shameless plugs: my DeviantArt and my Flickr.

Since I've been at school, I have definitely neglected my go-getter routine. Living at home, I was always the first one up, doing some form of exercise or at least getting nicely groomed, cracking away at homework or chores so I could enjoy the rest of the day. I've always loved the mornings, and I used to get a lot accomplished during them. Now I barely see them. I'm really hoping I can get back to my motivated ways. The goal tonight is to be in bed by 10:30 at the absolute latest. We'll see how this one works out.

Meditative Sleep

2009-04-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

Maegan and I recently discovered the ambient sound settings on her iHome. Since then, we have been sleeping to the sounds of the ocean, though "rain" and "night" are also particularly appealing. Seriously, though, who wants to relax to "sunrise"? Or "brook"? Or "waterfall"?

Anyway, I've been getting the best sleep I ever have. Sometimes during the day I make the room completely dark, turn on the ocean, and take especially powerful 20 minute cat naps that leave me feeling refreshed for the rest of the night. Normally I have an awful time tossing and turning and trying to get things off my mind when I fall asleep, but I haven't been having any trouble at all.

It all makes me think of the "Sex & The City" episode where Carrie tries to spend the night at Berger's apartment but the sound machine his ex gave him keeps her up all night.

Anyway, have you ever used ambient sound for relaxation/sleep? How did it work for you?

The List

2009-04-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of weeks I have begun to compile a motivational list of things I have been wanting in hopes that keeping them in mind will re-teach me how to save my money. Don't get me wrong- I am not one of those kids that goes out and buys CDs at the drop of a hat. Until a couple years ago, whenever I spent money on anything at all, I had extreme buyers' remorse. But here lately, when I go into Walgreens to get shampoo or something, I always emerge with unnecessary items like hair styling spray and three magazines. All of that adds up, so I thought, why not come up with something to curb my appetite for useless crap?

MATERIAL THINGS TO OBTAIN

AKA Reasons to Get a Summer Job & Not Buy Random Stuff at Walgreens

Patterned Skirt
I have a picture of this skirt in my mind, and nothing else will do. Right above the knees, perfect for wearing in Spring with my brown boots, bold colors, hangs just right. I will find it, and I will obtain it. UO comes pretty close with this:

Retro Sneakers
I wear chucks for sneakers all of the time. I think I need some comfy shoe color. Warning: there are a lot of shoes on this list. If you know me at all, this is no surprise.

Tevas

Perfect for summer travel. I like these.

Rainbows

Comfy, simple, durable flip-flops for the beach and travel.

Another Pair of TOMS

Red, I'm thinking- maybe navy blue?

Bedspread for School

I like mine now because it's simple, but I'm getting a little sick of it. A quilt will be nice, I think, and if I finance it, I won't feel guilty.

New Perfume

Burberry Brit is my scent and I love it, but I think a lot of times it leans toward Fall and Winter. I'm looking for something lighter to complement it. Come on, every girl needs a few perfumes to choose from! Vera Wang Princess and Elizabeth Arden Pretty will be good starting points.

After compiling this list, I was cleaning the rug in my room with my hands because these crappy dorm vacuums do absolutely nothing for me (if you weren't aware, I have a crazed cleaning obsession), when it hit me: the crown jewel of my list! Maegan made fun of me for at least a couple of hours, but I think a Dyson vaccuum cleaner would be absolutely wonderful to have. It would probably last me through my children's growing up stage.

Upright Dyson vacuum cleaners start at $400 (yikes). I think it'd be worth it, though I suppose I could start with a Roomba. We'll see, but with the Dyson DC14 in mind, it won't be as hard to get up and go to work. People who read this must think I am absolutely nuts to want to spend that much on cleaning supplies as an 18-year old college student, but I love the feeling of a clean room. How exciting!

To think this could one day be mine...!

Off to vacuum,

Katie

This is Where We Live

2009-03-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

For film and book lovers alike.

Jenny, the muse.

2009-03-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

I handed in a monstrous project of over 25 hours of work on Tuesday- a grid assignment for Drawing I where we had to blow up an image and try our best to duplicate it. I am thrilled with it, so I hope the grade comes back nicely.

The original photo: Jenny Lewis in Filter magazine in August 2007.

My drawing, done in pencil on rag paper.

It's quite large (as you can see while I cheese it up).

Here are some other projects I have been working on but have neglected to blog about:

Polaroid camera on yellow background. This piece was a collage- in other

words, each part of that design was a background or some other image

from a magazine I had to cut out and shape together. Tedious to say the least.

Photocopy reduction project. Here we xeroxed our faces, took a

22x30" sheet of rag paper and covered it entirely in black charcoal,

and then erased away at the colored paper to form the xerox image.

I got a perfect score on this one!

Assigned silhouette series. My concept was to make a play

on the classic concept of a family silhouette and do a really

messed up family: a chainsmoker, a hook-handed man, eyepatch

girl, conjoined twins, three legged cat, and bearded bride.

Logo for the spine of my book jacket in 2D.

Well, off to class (another art lab, of course). Thank God The Office and 30 Rock are on tonight so I can decompress!

I hate when I do this.

2009-03-25T18:30:00.001-07:00

I always do these hiatuses where I don't blog because I'm crazy tired/busy/cranky, but I absolutely love blogging. So I guess I'll bring you up to speed and hope that since this week is lighter, I can stay on top of things.

Today I found the trailer for the upcoming Spike Jonze adaptation of the epic Maurice Sendack book "Where the Wild Things Are." The cinematography and costumes (combined with the fact that "Wake Up" was the trailer music) blew my mind. It comes out the day before my birthday, and I am stoked. Here's the trailer.

Art has been kicking my butt lately, BUT I'm pretty pleased with the outcomes usually, so there's a silver lining.

Would you believe...

2009-03-01T22:43:00.000-08:00

...if I told you I spent 5 hours of my weekend doing this?

We had to use gouache paint, which costs $9 for a teeny-tiny tube the length of your finger. I have already used up six tubes. Yikes. And because I ran out of paint, I still have to finish the color wheel for class tomorrow afternoon sometime during the day tomorrow (everywhere that sells the paint closed far earlier than I expected).

I would think that as a college art student I would be past the color wheel, but hey- no shame in firming up the fundamentals.

Color me tired,

Katie

What I've Been Working On

2009-02-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

In addition to my art projects, I've had quite a bit of fun with photoshop lately. I joined the WUD Music Committee and they asked me to do some flyers, so I did a couple for some concerts coming up. My friend Andrew also mentioned that he might put up a website and would be interested in my help, which would give me an excuse to learn flash. Awesome!

Tonight I'm covering the Juana Molina show at der Rathskeller with the music committee. Hopefully I get some good pictures and learn a bit about how to actually work a show.

Cheese!

2009-02-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

This post is going to be so full of cheese, but I had the best day ever yesterday. Andy and I spent our Valentine's Day walking around campus with our cameras, eating chinese food, and laughing together. He was even sweet enough to buy me tea with my favorite spices in it and a self-brewing tea mug. He is the best. Ever.

Lucky,

Katie

Empty the Pen

2009-02-12T23:20:00.000-08:00

Last week in Drawing I (Art 112, a prerequisite I have to take before I can begin the Graphic Design series in the art program), we were given a rather daunting task, especially for someone like me who is not good at nor passionate about drawing. We had to draw a still life using crosshatching only. The still life would be in the art room, so in order to complete the project we would need to spend our weekend there, and contained about 20 objects (we could either do the entire thing or focus on one section in detail).

The worst is yet to come: at the beginning of the project, we were given a new ballpoint pen with our name on it. We had to completely empty the ink from this pen before we could be done with the project. I spent 15 hours on the project, and as a result nearly lost my mind. My hand swelled up like a balloon and trembled, my skin separated from my fingernail, and my eyes forgot how to focus. I was up until 5 AM the night before it was due obsessively hatching.

With the 18x24" project after 12 hours of work. The chair is still very much unfinished, as is some space outside the photo edge, and the pen still very full of ink.

I drew better than I ever had before, really got to know my limits, and achieved a final product I was actually pretty proud of. Still, given that my teacher is a difficult grader, I was really nervous about how this huge project would affect my grade. Today in class, she handed me back a grade slip with an A on it- and when I asked where I could pick up my project, she said she was keeping it to hang up in the art room!

So, I may not be into drawing, but I think it will be easier for me to get through the course knowing I'm not an absolute failure.

Week=made,

Katie

We are Beautiful, We are Doomed

2009-02-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

Last night was the highly anticipated Los Campesinos! concert.

I had so much fun and was pushed around so much that I am still sore. Evaluation: great success. They were great live- I think maybe even better than on their album. It was so great just to get out and have a good time without worrying about anything. Titus Andronicus, who opened, put on a great high-energy show, too.

Next on the list? Juana Molina, Brett Dennen, and hopefully freaking Bonnaroo, which would include Jenny Lewis, MGMT, Band of Horses, Beastie Boys, Mars Volta, Andrew Bird, Neko Case, of Montreal, The Decemberists, Okkervil River, and more people than I can't even fathom. Hopefully Maegan and I can get to Tennessee for that without too much of an issue...

Now off to humanities to work on my still life project for Drawing I. I love my art classes, but I really don't like doing this kind of stuff- I want to create. Oh well, graphic design will be here before too terribly long, and then I suppose these classes will help with that.

Between an erupting earth and an exploding sky,

Katie

Lines, Contour and Poetic

2009-01-27T22:03:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed this contour line assignment for my 2D Design class.

It's nothing special, I know, but it's a fun way to make new shapes. What were gouache paint tubes turned into children's cartoons of steam pumps or treetops in a geometric forest.

But more importantly, rest in peace dear John Updike.

March 18, 1932- January 27, 2009

Bad Blogger

2009-01-24T11:27:00.001-08:00

No updates here or on Xanga since my last one. Things have been tough: family health problems, one credit away from the maximum courseload, and getting settled back in have proved challenging. But life is good!

Here are the beauties I made before I came back to school to put in care packages for some of my friends at other schools. I just love baking.

All in all I made about 250 cookies: Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Orange Cranberry, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Espresso, Cinnamon Raisin with Apples & Pears, and Chocolate Chip.

Now I'm hungry.

Garth Francis, 1955-2009

2009-01-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

My mom's brother, my Uncle Garth, passed away today.

An artist, a thankless volunteer, and a wonderful person. We do not know why you had to leave us so early, and you will not be forgotten. Thank you for inspiring all of us, making us laugh, and loving us.

We miss you already.

Id Engager

2009-01-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite bands to groove to, Of Montreal (think equal parts Psapp, MGMT, and M83 with the freedom of Tilly & The Wall) just released a new music video that I absolutely adore. The quirkiness of it is really fantastic, and it's so refreshing to know that the band I've loved for years is still putting out the techno magic that their fans love instead of searching for a new sound or changing to fit some mold created by their record company.

The video for "Id Engager" is currently free on iTunes. Find the download here. If you like what you hear, check out their album The Sundlandic Twins, my personal favorite. In particular, "I Was Never Young" and "Forecast Fascist Future" are excellent tracks.

Renewal

2009-01-10T10:15:00.001-08:00

I love everything to be fresh and clean. I can't call myself a minimalist, simply because there is that element of vintage-cozy-kitschiness I love, but I prefer the things that surround me to be clean and streamlined with just a touch of DIY.

I cleaned my room today- I love to clean my room. To be honest, I don't know how or why I let myself make it messy in the first place; it's just so much more enjoyable for me to be in a place that is easy on the eyes and well organized.

My desktop is even currently clutter-free; I suppose it almost always is, but when I finish a paper or get done editing a photo and can finally move the file from my desktop to my Documents or Pictures folder, I feel so much more relaxed.

Packing also started today, as I'll be on vicodin (oral surgery) the two days right before I leave for school. I can't wait to go back to school, but one of the main reasons I'm itching to get back is so that I can make sure I am completely moved back in and perfectly organized before starting the Spring semester.

Confession

2009-01-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

I saw Marley & Me...

...and I sobbed like a baby.

iListen Obsessively

2009-01-08T21:37:00.000-08:00

I wish that iTunes could work inside of my brain. All that I have been doing lately is listening to The Stand Ins by Okkervil River mainly, along with Beirut's Elephant Gun and Minus the Bear's Menos el Oso.

I suppose it doesn't really matter, though, given how plugged in I am to my MacBook anyway. And I'll have a lot of downtime to just appreciate all of the new music I've acquired, given that I get my wisdom teeth out Tuesday. Plus, my need to have music playing while I'm creating should guarantee some consistent rotation now that I'm in art classes.

2009? What?

2009-01-06T09:00:00.001-08:00

It's been a long time since I've updated this, but I'd like to get in the swing of it for real this time, so here goes. Since my last post, a lot has happened. My grandma, who was the best woman I ever knew, passed away, which has been pretty tough. But I've really been trying to make her proud and just keep on keeping on.

My grandma and grandpa in October, dressed in Wisconsin colors for this photo, which they took as a gift for my birthday.

I somehow miraculously ended up with a 4.0 for my first semester of school, which had you asked me just days before, I would have said was impossible. The theatre major is kind of gnawing at me a bit and I'm really thinking a lot about pursuing graphic design.

Moving onto the latest happenings, I spent last week in lovely Perdido Key, Florida, with my parents, my aunt, and my childhood best friends. It was really great to see Michael doing something he loves, and Laura with someone who is so great to her, but I spent the most time really with Kelly and we had such a great time. I feel like I can tell her just anything but we can have SO much fun together! She is a kind, thoughtful person who can always find something to laugh at, and we can geek out together over Apple and photoshop and blogs. And I think she's coming to visit me in Madison to check it out as a potential grad school. The visit alone would be amazing, but actually going to school with a lifelong friend is almost too much to hope for!

On the beach in gaudy Christmas sweaters: Laura, me, Michael, & Kelly

In Florida, we celebrated the new year- I can't believe it's 2009 already! Instead of making a specific resolution this year, I settled on a broad goal: to make the most out of this year and learn to love whatever life throws my way. I have a few ideas of ways to accomplish this (start exercising, no sweets, less gossip, more reading, spending less money), but I realistically won't stick to those anyway, so I might as well just figure out a way to make sure I love this year without putting all of those limitations on myself.

Ringing in the New Year with Kelly, Taylor, Laura, and Michael

Right now is actually a pretty tough time, too. We flew back in from Florida on Sunday, I stayed the night in Omaha with Kaitlin (which was really awesome), had some dental appointments there yesterday, and then drove up to Mason City, IA to see my grandpa in the hospital. On New Years' Day, the doctors think he had a heart attack, and whatever he had, there's damage to his heart. On top of that, he has pneumonia that put fluid in his lungs. I think he's been having a really hard time since my grandma passed and that may have contributed to some stress or depression that led to this. I've always been really close with all of my grandparents, it's tough to see him like this. I'm trying just to be there for him and make him laugh, and hopefully I'll see him get at least a little better before I head back to school.

It's been really great to get time off of school to recharge, but I really am looking forward to going back, especially to start my art classes. I got spoiled last semester when my earliest classes were at 10, but now I have to be in class at 8:50 four times a week, so I hope I establish a healthier sleep pattern. I'd love to turn back into the "get-up-and-go" kind of girl I used to be. College has just made me love sleeping so much! I have to have my wisdom teeth out a week before I start class again, too, so hopefully I won't show up to class with a bruised, swollen face and have to figure out a way to eat only soft foods at the school cafeteria.

Long post- I'm tired!

But I really do want to keep up with this thing now, so BlogSpot should hear from me again soon.

-Katie

Jenny, where are you?

2008-09-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

The new Jenny Lewis CD Acid Tongue was released yesterday, but my pre-ordered copy has yet to arrive.

I'm coping by listening to some musicals to avoid longing for wonderful Jenny folk music; The Last Five Years, Spring Awakening, Sweeney Todd, and Avenue Q have gotten some pretty good rotation. Mostly, though, I'm listening to my "Night Music" playlist, inspired by "Undertow" from the new Stars release, Sad Robots EP. College thus far has been excellent for providing ample time to enjoy my iTunes library. Walking across campus with my iPod is fantastic, as is sitting in my room and studying with my earphones in.

I think one of the things I love best about Madison is how absolutely wonderful it feels to walk around campus. I really don't mind going far away for classes because the atmosphere is so refreshing. One moment you're in the gardens, the next you're amidst skyscrapers, and the next you're on the shore of a quaint little lake. I could definitely see myself settling into Madison after graduation because, even beyond the campus aspect, it's just a great place.

School is grand! Physics, however, is calling, so I must temporarily turn my attention to refraction and dioptrics. Fantastic.

Though as long as I can do it here, all really is grand.

A Good Night for Liz Lemon

2008-09-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

Tina Fey won three Emmys tonight- her show, 30 Rock, was nominated for 17. She won awards for both writing and acting.

She's an absolutely amazing woman because she's gorgeous and sexy without giving into being trashy like all of the other actresses running around Hollywood- and she's incredibly smart, talented, and funny. Plus, she lets aspiring nerd girls like me know that we have a chance in the entertainment business. Think about how young she is and how much she has accomplished. Head writer and performer for SNL, writer and actress in the cult-hit Mean Girls (the only good teen movie since the eighties), writer and actress for 30 Rock, and a ton of other writing and acting contributions. Most people make their careers on doing something comparable to one of those things.

30 Rock comes back to television October 30th at 9:30 (8:30c). I know I'll be tuning in- and given that my birthday is two weeks before that, I'll hopefully be gazing at Season 1 sitting cozily in my entertainment center by then, too. (Hint!)

This even gave me the little boost I needed to keep auditioning (even if it also distracted me from doing Physics homework).

Oh, and if anyone tries to tell me one more time that she looks like Sarah Palin, I will kick them in the pants. Her SNL bit about Palin involved a costume, remember? Besides, another reason why Tina Fey kicks ass is because she's a democrat who could easily show Palin up in anything she wanted to.

Spectacular Views

2008-09-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

My brother got one of these, and I suppose I've been in an especially expressive mood lately, so I decided to join him and have a real blog for the first time. I think I'm always very expressive and thoughtful in the Autumn, though, so maybe this won't last for long.

The address and title come from a Rilo Kiley song (I Love LA) and the title of this entry is the name of another song of theirs.

I guess I'll start off with the generic narrative of the past few days.

Yesterday was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, my first in Madison, and the fourth year in which our trusty gang of pirate fellows has made an excellent shirt bearing a flag and equally epic caption. We then assembled in front of some dorms and ran throughout the hallways singing "The Pirate Song" with the accompaniment of an accordion-wielding member of our crew. Beyond that, we moved our parade to State Street, which was offered piles of drunk people who were even more amused than the students in the dorms had been. It was certainly different than I remember past Pirate days, but it was also certainly excellent, and a great night all in all.

Four years of Piracy: "A Pirate's Life Fer Me!"; "Dead Men Tell No Tales"; "Shiver Me Timbers"; "Give No Quarter."

This weekend was also pretty nerve-wracking since I had auditions for the first time in my college career. I auditioned on Friday night before the Pirate Day shenanigans and had callbacks Saturday morning. I should find out about how I did before Monday; I'm not expecting much as a freshman, but I felt like I did well and I enjoyed the experience.

I've been listening to a lot of showtunes lately, which, though not at all surprising, is certainly a break from my normal playlists. I always forget about how much I love to listen to all of my soundtracks because I completely immerse myself in other music, but once I get into these little phases, they stick around for quite a while and completely invade my iTunes. The show I'm especially hooked on this week is Spring Awakening, which is a phenomenal show based on the 1891 play of the same name. The story of the show is pretty controversial, even for NYC show-goers, so it will be interesting to see how the audiences in the national tour handle it. They certainly can't deny that it's an amazing achievement in theatre (8 Tony's, anyone?) and that the music is phenomenal. Even if you don't normally like musicals, I'd at least listen to the soundtrack- the tracks wouldn't necessarily sound like Broadway to an unknowing listener.

"Flip on a switch and everything is fine, no more lips, no more tongue, no more ears, no more eyes..."

In short, I love Madison and college life in general. Hopefully I will keep up with this thing; I guess we'll have to see.