KateOhKatie blogs

(from Garfield minus Garfield)

I’m applying for a lot of jobs.  A lot.  And I’m hoping to get an interview really soon.

But y’all know how my motivational systems work:  the idea of being chucked out onto the street, of having to eat our cats to stave off starvation, the idea of giving up digital cable–that doesn’t do a lot for me.  I mean it does, but, y’know…it won’t get me off my ass.

The idea of getting a new suit, something to wear to a job interview, though, that does a lot.  A LOT.  So I went and bought one.  And now I’m *highly* motivated to find an interview at which to wear this thing.

It’s funny how my mind works sometimes, isn’t it?

Y’all might recall that my past jobs have all involved either 1) a uniform or 2) ripped jeans and an old hoodie.  I have also been known, once, to wear a wedding dress.   But never before have I had a job (or even, really, an interview) which required a suit.  It was a whole new experience for me.

So yesterday I hit up Macy’s sale, and came home with this:

Suit is by Anne Klein, and it’s a dark charcoal grey with a really faint line-y checker-y thing.  And the jacket is too big in the middle (bane of my existance), and the pants are too long (see: bane), so I will have to get it altered.  But for only $120, it wasn’t too bad.  Also, I love the styling–the jacket is just the right length, and I like how it’s angle-y yet still feminine.

Also, that’s the ONLY white button-down shirt I could find in Macy’s.  Really. Only one.

But I also found this one!

(I promise my arm isn’t really the size of a small whale.  Really)  And at $9 on clearance for the shirt above, you can’t go wrong.  Unless you wear it to a job interview.  But I wouldn’t do that.

Then I went to Old Navy, and got this shirt!

It’s blue!  With stripes!  And you can’t tell!  But that’s OK!  You’ll just have to trust me!  Really!

So I got home and called my mom and was all excited about what a good grown up I’m being, and then the whole world was happy.

And then today, Mom told me that I really need another suit too.  One with a skirt.  So back to Macy’s I went, and found this one:

And zomg…the pencil skirt is *perfect*.  And the jacket needs no tailoring at all–it fits perfectly!

And guess what else?  $27.00.

No, really.  2.  7.  Dollars.  Clearance sales, I love you.

After I finished passing out, I bought it.

Then I went next door to Express, and got 2 of the most perfect shirts ever.  (Now is when I discover that the shirts aren’t listed on their website.)

One is the blue one above, the other is sage green, and they’re AMAZING.  $39.50 each (green one was on sale half off).  They’re super long so they tuck into skirts or pants and don’t get all floofy, and they’re cut to actually cover my boobs AND be fitted in the waist.  I’ve never before owned a shirt that has done both those things.  Should I find an officey job, one which would require numerous button-down shirts, you can bet your bippy that I’ll be buying more of these.

Because that’s what you do when you’re me, and when most of your outfits involve Levi’s and t-shirts and flip-flops.

But hot damn…pinstripe pencil skirt?  I could get used to dressing up, if it involves pencil skirts

Sitting here in the new house, it’s my first day back on the Internet since…May 22nd.

I have precisely 510 posts still unread in my Google Reader, and umpteen more pages of Xanga subscriptions.

I’ve just spent the past two hours whittling that number down, and still with no end in sight.

This has been the longest time I’ve spent away from the Internet EVER–or at least, since there was an Internet.

.
.
.

We have about 3 boxes left to unpack in the ‘main’ part of the house, though this room I’m in now–the guest room/study/craft room (aka “blue room”, logically named after the color of the walls)–is still almost as chaotic as it was the day we moved in.  Both our computers are set up, though, and isn’t that the most important thing?

This afternoon:  an excruciatingly detailed photo tour.  I’m already revving myself up for it, and you should be too.

(If I told you my neighbors had chickens, would you believe me?)

And better still, would you believe that I actually think it’s pretty cool?

I think I’d like to have chickens someday–I really do.

Ba-KAW! (bye!)

Jeff and I just made our second donation to Barack Obama’s campaign.

We can’t afford much, but we give what we can…

Maybe our $XX will be the amount that sends him over the obstacle that is Hillary

Who watched tonight’s speech?

I  was really impressed by it (surprise surprise!)–it was much more of a ‘general election’ speech rather than a ‘primary’ speech.  The message was clear:  It’s time for the Democratic party to move past this divisive time, and unite in the face of ol’ “Four More Years” McCain.  And hopefully Barack will be our man to lead us there

…bake a cake, I sometimes spoon a bit of batter back *into* the bowl, to tide me over ’till the cake is done.

…am around toddlers or kids, I always wear my sturdy silver Tiffany’s necklace.  It distracts crying babies–gives them something to do as I rock them to sleep–but is sturdy enough to stand up to a good yank.

…get up in the morning, I always kiss Jeff before getting out of bed.

…wash dishes, I hold contests with myself to see how many clean dishes I can cram into the drainer.

…read a book with an image on the cover, I frequently check back and look at the cover image during breaks in reading.

…wear handknit socks, I have an extra bounce in my step.  Must be that springy wool!

…drive my car, I rarely bother to take off my purse unless it’s a long trip.

…do laundry, I must do it ALL in one massive marathon.

…eat Chinese, I always eat one item at a time out of the stir fry–except shrimp ( I intersperse those throughout).

…watch a movie, Jeff has to read the captions/subtitles, as I can’t see to read them myself.

…fall asleep at night, it’s usually to The Colbert Report.

…take a shower, I shampoo –> shave –> body wash –> face wash.

…sneeze, it’s very cute (or so I’m told).

…run out of Diet Coke, the first thing I do when I get home with a new 12-pack is chug two cans.  Before I even put away the frozen veggies and such.

…listen to music, I always sing.

…get sad, looking through my yarn stash always helps.

…write a letter, I use my very best cursive on the recipient’s name and address.

…have a good dream, it stays with me all day.  Bad dreams don’t.

…cuddle a kitty, I must always kiss its ears to watch them fold back.  Kitties’ anger is cute.

…finish a sock, I wear it all day–even if I haven’t finished the other one yet.

…need to relax, I settle in with a History Channel marathon (love me some poorly-acted historical documentaries!).

…feel the urge to buy something, I usually go grocery shopping and come home with strawberry cake mix, twizzlers, and honey braided pretzels, but no milk, lettuce, or bread.

…eat an apple, I slice it first.

…write a blog post, I frequently pause to look out the window and daydream a bit.

In lieu of an entry actually composed by Yours Truly, here are some Postsecret cards from the past few months that I’ve found particularly funny/intriguing.

Just a few of my favorites

This is what my computer’s weather program says is happening outside right now:

(yes, that’s The Knitting Heretic’s blog in my Google reader)

And this is what the sky looks like from my front porch, also right now:

(love the abandoned high school across the street )

Not that I really mind, y’know.  But still.

Settle in with the nearest cat and a cup of tea (bonus points if the cat will bring you the tea), here’s the exhaustive run-down of our Big Weeked Number One.

(Or, if you don’t care that much, scroll down to the bottom of this entry, where I’ve provided a handy summary of the events transpired.  For your pleasure)

We woke up at 3:30 on Friday morning, showered, brewed a pot of coffee, drank a pot of coffee, and hit the road.  It was dark.  Quite dark.  The highway was desolate.  Quite desolate.  I drove.  Quite drove.

The Wash U people had a breakfast buffet thing set up for all the admitted students, and people (including Jeff) mingled before the presentations and stuff began.  I sat in a corner and wound my skein of Cascade 220 for Jeff’s hat, into a ball.  Using a pen as a nostepinne, and feeling very MacGuyver-ish in the process.

Then we all went into the moot court room to listen to people talk.  I worked on my Alpaca Sox sox.

People talked a lot…about lawyer-y stuff.  That’s really not my thing, y’know?   In fact, that is SO not my thing.  I was so awkward, uncomfortable…the girls were all wearing business suits and tottering around on stiletto heels (radiating insecurity, if you ask me), while little ol’ me sat in the corner with my knitting and cowboy boots.  I’m pretty much the polar opposite of those girls.  Except the insecurity thing.  I just use knitting as my shield, rather than mascara and Prada knock-off bags

I was happy with my knitting, until tragedy struck….the ball of yarn rolled off my lap, and under the seat in front of me!  I was knitting-less for the remaining 45 minutes of the presentation.  When it was finally over, I was faced with the humiliation of asking the girl seated in front of me to hand me my yarn. (I was so freaking close to digging myself a hole, and hiding in it, with some yarn and Diet Coke, and never coming out).

The first presentations over with, Jeff then gave me permission to duck out, so I gratefully retreated to the campus coffee shop.  I spent the rest of the morning sipping a caramel latte and working on various projects.  I sat in a corner and was happy

Jeff came to collect me when the lawyer-y people were done talking, and we went to the car to have some sandwiches, stare at the mind-trippy fence in the parking garage (it was an optical illusion, I swear), and talk about how the visit went.  Jeff was exhausted but we couldn’t check into the hotel yet, so we went to the nearby Loop for some shopping and time-killing.  I finally go to visit Knitty Couture (and meet Thi!), which was definitely the highlight of my trip   I bought this:

That’s 7 skeins of Peter Pan DK.  I was thinking about making it into Basic Black, but now it may have to become Sunshine, if I can get gauge.

I also got some souvenir sock yarn:

I haven’t seen that colorway before, and it’s just too yumylicious to pass up.  It reminds me of stormclouds passing over a field of wild blueberries

I can definitely add Knitty Couture to the list of fantastic St Louis LYSs….and if we go to Wash U and move to University City, it’ll definitely be the closest one!

When we could finally check into the hotel, we did.  Where a nap happened.  A long nap.  A long, deep, satisfying, don’t-bother-to-set-an-alarm-who-cares-if-it-lasts-five-hours nap.  Man oh man…that was a nap of the gods!  (Sheratons have *very* comfy beds, fyi).

Once we finally dragged ourselves awake, we realized two things:

1) we were hungry
2) somehow, we had managed to eat all the sandwiches we’d packed (quite possibly while simultaneously napping?)

So we hit up Fitz’s for dinner–definitely a must-see in St. Louis!   It’s a root beer brewery and restaurant in one, located right in the heart of University City.  It’s always busy, but is also *huge* (they have two stories of a building), so we only had to wait about 20 minutes to get seated.  Jeff and I had gone there once before, when we were still dating (summer 2005).  We hadn’t been back since they discontinued his favorite soda.  But we decided it was high time to give them another chance, and I fell in love with the best diet cream soda ever.  So I was happy.

After that we just went back to the hotel and called it an early night.  Even though the hotel had a pool (and, knowing this, we’d brought our swim stuff), we couldn’t use it–it was closed for renovation.  What a bummer   (see what an emotional roller coaster my life is?).  So some Sopranos happened, then a lot of sleeping.

The next day we went back to the campus to wander around on our own, outside the constraints of a tour guide.  Since it was just me and Jeff I was feeling a lot more secure, even enough to break out the camera:

Jeff looking up at the University’s “big entrance”:

We loved all the gothic architecture:

Then we saw a tunnel of trees, not dissimilar to Truman’s!

(wonder if they had a lazy gardener, too?)

Then we popped into the library (which is that odd modern-looking building in the background of that picture up above) to see their miniature book exhibit:

Then we briefly contemplated having lunch at the library’s cafe:

(to interested parties:  we ultimately decided to go elsewhere.  ”Elsewhere” being, ultimately, Panera.  Ultimately.)

A statue of the university’s namesake:

(Point of interest:  Washington University was named as such *before* the state of Washington existed.  So nyah nyah!  Jeff and I decided that the University of Washington should, thus, be renamed “University of the state in the extreme upper left corner of the United States”.  It has a nice ring to it, right?  I think that’ll help avoid any further confusion

Looking across the quad:

(a photo which would be much mroe impressive if I had the wide-angle lens for which I pine)

Jeff at a crossroads, just like in life:

(that’s the library in the background, again.  Isn’t it ugly?)

More beautiful architecture, this time on the women’s studies building:

Also, a convenient representation of “undergrad” versus “law school”.  Here’s a typical bike rack on campus, on a Saturday afternoon:

And here’s the racks outside the law building:

True story.

Speaking of the law building, here’s the new building where it’s moving next year:

And just next door, here’s the law program’s current home, Anheuser-Busch Hall:

We’re in St. Louis, remember?  And actually, I’ve heard tell that there’s free Budweiser products at a lot of  the law school’s social events

Jeff outside the doors:

He’s already gained admittance, but will he choose to pass through?  We’ll know by next week!

(also, ps, I’m corny )

Plaque in the entrance, just to prove I’m not lyin’ about the name:

An awesome “Justice” gargoyle:

And here’s the bench where I sat the day before, knitting and feeling socially awkward!

(since I know you care)

A-B Hall has a courtyard in the middle of it, for students to eat, study, whatever, in.  I like it a lot:

The courtyard may also be used for pondering:

Inside the moot court room, scene of the previous day’s embarassing knitting incident:

And so ends our tour of the Washington University campus.  If you’re still with us, there’s more to go…

After a quick lunch, we decided to visit the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, while we were in the neighborhood (Forest Park is right next to campus):

This shall also serve as proof that I was, indeed, also along on this trip:

President Jefferson also came along:

and by “came along” I, of course, mean “sat there and continued to be a statue”.

I managed to snap one more picture–of this amazing 1900s-period crocheted purse–before my camera died (yes, I forgot to bring my Nikon charger.  Yes, I’m an idiot.  This I know.):

So I had to use my old camera (of course I always carry a backup!) to capture this Napoleon lamp:

Napoleon lamp, I covet thee.

And also:

Poster of a wife mending her husband’s trousers while he mows the lawn, I covet thee.

After leaving the museum we headed down to Jeff’ parents’ house in South County (read:  about half an hour from U City), where we had our noses thoroughly kissed by the always adorable Molly, and had dinner at the best Italian restaurant in St. Louis (until proven otherwise), Joe Boccardi’s.  I had linguini with a spicy marinara that was “just right” spicy.  Perfecto!

Later that night we stopped by Jeff’s grandma’s nursing home, where I noticed this art print:

Zomg!  Knitting!

And even…

Zomg!  Knitting correctly!

You don’t see that every day, kids.  Ya really don’t.

We stayed with the in-laws that night and left pretty early on Sunday morning, headed back home.

By the time we pulled up to our house back in Kirksville yesterday afternoon, I’d made this much progress on Jeff’s Claudia hat:

This hat is not my friend, or yours.

‘Course, I don’t really know what I was expecting, knitting a hat on DPNs in the first place.  But that’s another entry, for another day.  I don’t have the energy to bitch about it any more tonight.

~~
Well, that was about it!  A little knitting, a little sightseeing, a few tears, a lot of laughs, and absolutely *no* progress towards a Decision.  Harrumph.  Oh well, I suppose that’s what next weekend is for!  Watch out, Chicago…I’m on my way.

Finally, for your summarizing pleasure:

If you were too busy/apathetic to read all of the above, here’s a handy-dandy abbreviated version.  To trace these over the course of the weekend, please consult the above graphical representation.
1)Getting up ass-early
2)Being socially awkward
3)Sandwiches
4)Yarn!
5)Pool closed
6)Nap!
7)Dinner
8)Pool still closed
9)Visiting campus
10)Lunch at Panera
11)Creepy guy in Panera
12)Getting away from creepy guy in Panera
13)Missouri History museum
14)Dinner at Joe Boccardi’s
15)Provel cheese from Jeff’s parents!
16)Driving home in the rain
17)Seeing the kitties
18)Sleeping in our own bed.

1.  Knit.

2.  Pet a cat.

3.  Pour another glass of wine.

4.  Channel-surf.

5.  Pick my fingernails.  Or pick your own fingernails.  Mine are pretty well picked down by now, actually.

6.  Wash dishes.

7.  Make and re-make the bed.

8.  Stash dive, a la Scrooge McDuck’s money vault.

9.   Count the Diet Coke cans on the coffee table.

10.  Refresh.  Refresh.  Refresh.  Refresh.

11.  Update Facebook status to “why, Ravelry?  Why?!”

12.  Pet another cat.

13.  Make dinner.

14.  Make tomorrow’s breakfast.  You like your eggs cold?

15.  Pick up a long-abandoned UFO and work a row or two.

16.  Organize your earring collection by style, price, then by favorite >> least favorite (which may or may not be directly related to “style” or “price”).

17.  Pick your lip.  Or your cuticles.

18.  Organize the pantry.  Veggies on the left, canned fruit in the middle, grains and soups on the right.

19.  Dig all the dirty Kleenex out of that crack between the head of the bedframe and the wall.  Gross yourself out.

20.  Brush a cat.

21.  Brush the other cat.  Remember why you so rarely brush the cats, anyway.

22.  Dress your wounds from #21.

23.  Refresh.  Refresh.  Refresh.

24.  Momentarily wonder if world hunger could be solved merely by continually adding water to rice.  Will it expand forever?  Venture into kitchen to test said theory.  Give up upon realizing you’d have to wash a pan to cook the rice in.

25.  Crush all those Diet Coke cans in the recycling room.  Let your anger out.

26.  Cast on a new project.  Or 10.  As you run out of optimum needle + yarn combinations, challenge yourself.  “What can I make using laceweight cotton and three #5 DPNs?”

27.  Carry the packet of cat treats around the house just to see the cats run after you, fat bellies a’ swingin’.

28.  Window shop via amazon for that new video camera you can’t afford and don’t really need.

29.  Alphabetize the grocery list.

30.  Go through the house choosing items for an upcoming garage sale.  Focus on Jeff’s possessions.

31.  Dig that massive cross-stitch project out from that bin under the bed that you sorta-not-really forgot you had.  Make 3 stitches, then remember why you switched hobbies in the first place.

32.  Try to make the cat yawn, then try to touch his tongue while he’s yawning.

33.  Call Jeff and leave an annoying voicemail consisting of the audio from that hilarious YouTube clip, and the sound of your own insane giggling in the background.

34.  Poke a hole in that helium Mylar balloon you’ve had for a couple months.  Inhale helium, and sing tunes from My Fair Lady until helium runs out.

35.  Pick all the crumbs, lint, and dust out of the keyboard.  Marvel at the filth that you live in and never notice.

36.  Sort the big bag of  animal crackers by species.

37.  Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye.

38.  Refresh.  Refresh.  Refresh.

39.  Contemplate starting your memoirs while still young enough to remember them.

40.  Call your mother and make her watch the same YouTube video that you just left in Jeff’s voicemail.

41.  Invent new recipes for the George Foreman grill.  Cookie sandwiches?  Cat treats with cheese?  Maybe I’d better just stick with the turkey burgers and paninis.

42.  Realize that it really is the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

43.  Pour yet another glass of wine. Contemplate turning up the music and re-enacting the famous “Buster’s Giant Juice Box” scene from Arrested Development.  Realize you don’t currently have any boxed wine anyway.

44.  Riffle through old purses looking for lost change, dollars, interesting trinkets, or that checkbook that you think you may have lost in Arkansas but it doesn’t matter because you don’t even use that bank anymore, anyway.

45.  Pick out (and eat) all the red Sour Patch Kids just to annoy Jeff.  Because you love him.  Well, I do, anyway.

46.  Watch your wedding video.  Cry a bit.  Call your husband.  Just to annoy him (see 45.)

47.  Contemplate rearranging the living room, even though you’re moving in like two months anyway.  Seriously, it’s been this way for over a year.  Isn’t it due for a bit of a shake-up?  Plus, it will be fun to see Jeff’s reaction when he comes home (see 45.)  Bonus points if he’s buzzed (see 45.)

48.  Realize this is why hermits have a tendency to go be crazy.

49.  Attempt to learn continental.  Throw knitting across the room.  Focus instead on faster English knitting.

50.  Refresh.  Refresh.  Refresh…..YAY!!!!

Mom and Dad came up today to visit, and it just happened to be Easter (we don’t do the religious thing–when I was growing up, Easter was all about chocolate and springtime and baby animals and Peeps).

Did I mention Peeps?  Check out my basket from Mom and Dad!

Dad and I were chatting online the other day and he asked me, “what is your favorite color of Peeps?”  to which I replied, “All of them!”  and this is what happened

I’m gonna be on a sugar high from now ’till when we move in June!

Notice that basket they came in?  Well, now that I’ve removed the Peeps, the basket has become home to:

That’s the LB Homespun to make two mobius wraps for Mom.  Soon.  They shall happen soon.  I promise, Mom!

After a great lunch at a restaurant on the lake (The Lodge at Thousand Hills), we did some light antiquing.  Where I found these:

Aren’t they cute?  They’re not old, they don’t exactly match but I love ‘em anyway.  This is my 4th pair of salt and pepper shakers.  I better watch out, or pretty soon I’ll have a collection…and I *really* don’t need to do that!

Finally, part of my right boob.  And a button:

Consider it a sneak peek of what tomorrow shall bring

PS>Did you know they make chocolate Peeps now?

I’m off to conduct a highly scientific taste test!