STARTING 4/8/17: Six Word Saturday is now being hosted by the lovely Debbie at Travel With Intent.

Showing posts with label no idea where to put this. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no idea where to put this. Show all posts

Friday, July 01, 2011

Where's Cate?

I'm here, I'm here! But I've been there. And over there. And just a bit of everywhere.

I mean all of this in terms of my mental state as opposed to physical state (though I did spend last weekend in Baltimore, which is in Maryland state). The good news is that opposed to the funk that took hold a month or so ago, I'm here and there and everywhere in a more positive manner.

It would be a lie to say I'm 100% happy happy joy joy. I'm not quite sure that's something I'll ever attain, but it's good to have goals. I'm still feeling a bit disjointed and directionless. Joe's work situation is still what it is, which means I continue in this weird limbo. My contract with ex-work ended last week so now I'm not bringing in regular cash and feeling a bit of pressure about that.

But even with all of that, I'm starting to feel a bit inspired again. I've been feeding off the creative energy of people around me. My Twitter friends are constantly posting their photography, paintings, and other projects. Our #jhbc has resulted in a great clan for discussing not only reading but also writing. I'm completely immersed in Pinterest and collecting so many amazing beautiful ideas there. The trip to Baltimore last weekend involved a family "reunion" with family I've never met on Joe's side (it's a bit complicated) and they are a gifted, eclectic, talented and diverse group of artists, musicians and people doing their own thing, often a bit off the beaten path.

They say like attracts like and that we should surround ourselves with people and things that we aspire to be/do. I feel like I've had some serious exposure to great energy lately. I've been crafting, painting, taking online drawing lessons, signing up for a sewing machine class and also signing up for two online writing courses to prepare me for a book idea (!!!) that's been starting to solidify in my mind.

Unfortunately, I'm still struggling to find my way back to blogging. I realize this isn't by any means a great post but I really felt inclined to post something today. And this is what's on my mind, so there ya go. A bit of an update to ease back in, hopefully. Nicely timed because today begins a new month.

Hoping some of you are still out there - I've been missing you guys!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Dreaming Reality

Last night, I had a dream that Joe and I were on vacation. He wanted to surf and I was worried because he's never surfed before. And also I was worried because that's just how I roll. When we reached the beach, the waves were massive, larger than anything we've ever seen before.

When I woke up, I grabbed Gwen (my Blackberry) and caught up on overnight tweets, where news of the earthquake and resulting tsunami dominated the stream.

My thoughts are with everyone affected in Japan and around the Pacific.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Mini-Monday

Yesterday, I did not blog or tweet. And the world did not end.

Though Lost did end. Forever.

Coincidence? I think not.

I'm exhausted this morning from a) staying up late for the Lost finale and b) not sleeping because of all the "huh?" caused by the Lost finale. Also, it's Monday, which is always a bit sleepy anyways.

Look for a more interesting post tomorrow. It may involve weddings and garbage cans. Or maybe Southern hospitality (Cate-style). Or unicorns. I guess we'll all be surprised.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Happy Birthday!

Today, we celebrate the birthday of one of my childhood heroes.

Mr. T.

Seriously, I adored The A-Team as a kid. It was a show I watched with my dad (along with other goodies like Mission: Impossible, MacGyver, Dukes of Hazzard and MASH). The A-Team may have been my favorite though.

He's actually a really interesting man, if you take time to read his background.

So, because my mind is completely otherwise blank, let's wish Mr. T a happy birthday today. In his honor, I share this haiku (which I did not write):

Festooned in gold chains,
Mr. T rains down whoop-ass.
I pity the foo.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Hazards of Warm Weather

Even though it's not quite summer yet, warmer weather is here. This seems like a good time to review some of the dangers associated with the season.

First, there's swimming. Always swim with a friend. And if you see someone drowning...



A lot of people take advantage of the warmer weather to take a vacation. If that vacation involves children and a roadtrip, it's wise to pack some entertainment. Perhaps their favorite music?



(I love how they immediately go into meltdown mode.)

Warmer weather also means wearing shorts, tank tops, and other clothing with less coverage. For those of us with pasty skin, we might feel we look better with a bit of a tan. Whether you obtain color from the sun, a tanning booth, or spray tanning, remember that a little goes a long way:


And finally, there's summer footwear. Some prefer to go barefoot but strappy sandals and flip-flops are also popular choices. Just beware of the dangers that may ensue if you combine flip-flops with another popular summer activity - cold beverages:

>

Flip-flops really are tricky, even under the best of circumstances!

I hope that as you prepare for your summer fun, you will keep these things in mind. I'd hate to read your blog in the next few months and find that you've fallen victim to one of these warm weather afflictions.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Belonging

Earlier this week, we attended a hockey game. Because we are cheap would rather spend our money on beer than parking, we ditch the car far away from the arena and walk in. We aren't alone in this, as evidenced by the large crowd we were walking with after the game finished.

Know how sometimes you're with someone in a group and you kinda get separated from each other while dodging traffic crossing the street or navigating stairs or something? And you're in the middle of a conversation and you just start talking again because you assume the same people are still with you?

There was this group of female students from a nearby university. You'd think they had been out clubbing rather than at a hockey game based on their shoes, the amount of cleavage, and their conversation about hooking up with this guy and that guy. They were what one might call "a hot mess" - the kind of girls you'd expect to see on-stage at a Pussycat Dolls show rather than at a hockey game.

As we emerged from the crosswalk, the crowd had been shuffled around. The blonde in front of me was still yapping away about the things she had done with some guy when she turns, looks at me and says "oh, you're SO not in my group!"

And in that moment, every dismissal I had faced at the hands of the popular kids in high school, every betrayal by a boyfriend for someone skankier hotter, every instance of self-doubt I had ever suffered punched me in the face.

No, I was SO not in her group.

And, as the years had taught me, thank goodness for that.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

I'm the only one...

Am I the only person in the world who really doesn't care about the position in which toilet paper is loaded onto the little spinny thing?

It wasn't long ago that SomeMonkey asked me "over or under" because apparently there's a right and a wrong and I think I was going to once again vote with her to prove that her husband (like all husbands) is some weirdo that should consider himself blessed that she graces him with her continued presence in his life.

Anyways, my answer? "As long as it's within reach of the toilet, I don't much care." For some people, this is equal to kicking puppies. I guess we have to have a preference. I couldn't care less if the roll of toilet paper is sitting on the floor next to the toilet instead of on the holder.* If it's somewhere nearby when I need it, I'm happy. If it's not nearby? I scream for Joe. Because somehow it's probably his fault.

I just don't think the over/under of the toilet paper is a battle worth wasting energy over. Also, I don't care if the lid is up and down. I'm not so lazy that I can't put it down myself. And I'm not so tiny that I'm going to fall in and be flushed into the sewers. It's just not worth fighting over or working myself into a tizzy about.

That energy is better spent on more important offenses - like leaving the top off the toothpaste or putting the butter not in the butter compartment of the fridge. Because that? Is just wrong.

Anything like this that you just don't care about at all?

*Unless company is coming. The bathroom downstairs always has the toilet paper on the holder where it belongs. I do pretend to have some standards.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

This time, I mean it!

I think I tried once before to establish Sunday as my "day of rest" from posting. And failed.

Time to give it another try, I think. Things have been busy and I don't see that changing in the near future.

So if I post anything next Sunday, I would ask that you please stage some sort of intervention.

Also, Happy Valentine's Day. For those of you without others (significant or otherwise) or who do not celebrate, I will think of you fondly today just the same. You really can't stop me so you might as well learn to deal with it.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Disconnected

I feel over-medicated this morning. Like the grogginess that comes from cold medication. More accurately, I feel emotionally disconnected, mentally detached.

It's the opposite of how I usually feel when I'm overwhelmed. I have a million things to do in the next few days and no idea where to start.

I'm behind. I haven't touched Six Word Saturday. I'm not writing my posts the night before. I haven't helped people with things I promised to look at for them.

Work moved up a major deadline. Instead of having ample time to research and make my recommendations on a project, I now have to submit it by COB on Friday. This project is massive - and the direction it takes will essentially decide how much longer I decide to remain employed here.

A personal project is also on the cusp of launching. This one has been months, maybe even years in the making. And the idea of sending that baby out into the wild finally is exciting and terrifying all at once.

I haven't yet processed events from this past weekend. In addition to the strange family goodness, Joe and I seem to be making some progress on some issues that have been hanging over us for years.

So there's a lot on my mind, a lot on my to-do list, a lot a lot a lot. And all while in some foggy removed state of brain that seems to nullify any sense of urgency I might use to propel myself onward.

Something just has to give this week and it looks like it's going to have to be blogging activities. Wish me luck and please excuse my absence.

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Big Day

Ever have one of those days that just seems will be significant somewhere down the line? I feel like I had one of those days. I haven't been able to process it all yet but our trip is going amazingly well and it makes me almost uneasy.

- We managed to catch the last flight out of Philly to our podunk destination on Friday morning - all later flights to podunk were canceled due to snow.

- Friday night, we had an amazing dinner with fantastic friends. Is there anything better?

- My brother and SIL made the trip despite expecting over 2 feet of snow they'll have to drive back through to reach home.

- Saturday morning, we had breakfast with my FIL who traditionally runs extremely late and isn't always well in many ways. However, he was ready promptly at 9am and we had a really nice time together.

- I spent 9 hours at my parents' home with my mother, father, brother, SIL, sister, BIL, nephew and new niece. And Joe, of course. We all got along well; there were minimal eye-rolling occasions or awkward moments.

- Babies are cute, y'all. I held her a lot and she's made of sugar and spice and everything awesome. The nephew is adorkable despite some teething grumpiness.

- We spent a few hours in the evening with my 80 yr old grandmother who is always bitter and morose but not this time. We had good conversation, stayed away from the touchy topics, and left without her having a crying breakdown.

A really unexpectedly great day. Lots of family exposure, no need for xanax. I can't wrap my mind around it. I'm not sure if I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop or what exactly. I just feel like it was a 'big' day in a way I haven't yet identified.

Anyways, sorry for the babbles with no conclusion or point. As I write this late Saturday night, I'm just kind of tapping out whatever's in my head. I suppose that's easier than trying to think it through.

P.S. My husband is a swell guy. I'm not sure what I'd do without him. That's not about anything specific, I just felt the need to share.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Six Word Saturday

Describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does each week with their entries.

Please no ice, just be snow

We're being hit by the storm on the East coast. I want to be snowed in for a few days but PLEASE don't let it be icy. I need electric and internet!

All that's necessary to participate is to post your own six words. You can post an explanation if you wish but it's certainly not required. If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!) but I'm not going to delete your entry or punch you in the face if you don't. Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.



Note: Please be careful to make sure you've linked to the right post. I've had a lot of links to non-Six Word Saturday blogs lately. Just trying to cut down on the confusion. Also, if you want to link directly to the 6WS post, that's super-helpful as well. Thanks!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Heavy Heart

Today, I have a heavy heart. But the sun is shining and I plan to make the best of it.

Sometimes, I find myself thinking "survive this day, tomorrow will be better" and while that's not a horrible attitude, we're not promised tomorrow. So I might as well start doing something with the day I have right now.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Disgracebook

Recently, my mother signed up for Facebook. She started by choosing the most unflattering photo she could find as her profile image. It's like a scowling snarling mug shot. SO fitting. Next, she friended all of the people from her local church community. Then she started playing Farmville. Which I have on ignore.
me: my mother just emailed me to ask if i'm farmville on facebook
me: and i'm like - no, i don't play games on facebook
KarmaChameleon: o.O
me: "then what do you use it for?"
me: umm, stalking ex-boyfriends
me: DUH
KarmaChameleon: lmao
Other than Farmville and church friends, all she seems to do is comment on Joe's status. Not even my status. Just his.

Joe asked why she never updates her own status. I told him that all of the people she's friends with already know her status - it's called going to church for some reason every day and then everyone there is so in everyone's business that there's no need for Facebook.

It's all kinda creepy. I think some people shouldn't be allowed on Facebook. Pick a deity of choice and offer up a prayer or small offering if she ever gets a blog or Twitter account.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Worthwhile Reading

I've been trying since yesterday afternoon to come up with something worthwhile to post here. In fact, I've been trying (and failing) since Sunday, which is why you were short-changed blessed with a repost yesterday.

Today, I shall (sorta) continue that tradition. I'm just going to link to a couple of other posts that I want you to read. So please humor me and do it.

First, a post at C. Beth Blog about the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays debate. You can read her post and pretty much just tag on an imaginary P.S. that says "Cate approves of this post.". Not that Beth needs or even desires my approval. I've thought about posting something similar but no need to reinvent the wheel when she's already written it so eloquently.

I'd just add that I tend towards Christmas-specific traditions simply because that's what I know. Santa, presents, trees, carols, Jesus and stockings are all familiar to me as that's what I grew up with. I may not be as firm in my practices regarding Christianity as I once was, but that's the habit I've formed over the past 30ish years. So if I say Merry Christmas, I'm not doing it to exclude anyone. And I'm not offended if you wish me a Freaky Festivus.

Beth also tweeted about The New Santa Tradition over at Eternal Lizdom. I don't have kids but I totally think the world might be a better place if you read that post and incorporate a version of it into your holiday activities. I plan to do the same if I ever am in a situation to do so. Liz's idea for teaching her children about giving makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

And if you're looking for a mix of holiday fun and some tender moments, I've been featuring related cues over at Seven Days Seven Answers for the last few days. Short little reads but some of the responses have made me giggle while others have really touched me. So while maybe that seems like a shameless plug, it's not so much encouraging you to go see what I'm doing as it is to go see what the others have written because they are awesome.

For having nothing to say, this post has rambled far too long. Go check those sites and I'll try hard to have something of my own to share tomorrow.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Your Christmas tree is a traitor

Question: What do your Christmas tree and Judas have in common?
Answer: They will both betray you!

It is my strong belief that Christmas trees are a burglar's best friend when it comes to researching when to break into a home. And believe me, I gave it a LOT of thought on Monday night when I was having trouble sleeping.

What, no lights on tonight? That sends a strong signal that the home is unoccupied this evening.

Lights on? Probably home. Oooh, the lights just went off? They're probably now asleep in their beds! Sleeping and vulnerable!

Surely I can't be the only one who thinks this.

Or at least not anymore since I've planted the idea in your mind.

Bwahahahaha...

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Don't know what you've got...

...til it's gone.

Remember when you were little and they forced you to take a naptime to get through the day? And you always resisted because you didn't need a nap when there were so many cool toys and people to play with that weren't at your house. Plus, you were a big kid now and naps are for babies!

Well, I take it all back. I want naptime reinstated immediately. Now I'm old and I see the value and I need it! Especially since sleeping through the night is so overrated.

I could do without the forced communal nap accommodations though. How weird would that be if we were ushered into a room at work every day at 2pm with all of our coworkers and told to sleep on the floor? Creeeeeeepy.

Who's with me? Maybe we can start a petition.

Also? Snacktime. I could get into that.

Monday, November 30, 2009

But why?

An unusual (but awesome) thing about the course design for Joe's marathon yesterday was that we were actually able to cheer the marathoners on as they hit the halfway point.

It was great to see Joe at 13 miles looking so strong. Not struggling at all, just kicking ass and running along with his pace team. It made me feel a lot better about how he was doing and I wish all races were set up like this.

Anyways, as I stood there, a little girl was nearby with her mother. Mommy yelled "Here comes Daddy, cheer for Daddy!"

The girl looked horrified. "What's he doing?!?!" she shrieked.

"See, Daddy's running! Go Daddy go, run fast!"

"But what's he running from? Is a bad man chasing him?"

That little girl kinda sums up my feelings. If I'm running that far, someone better be chasing me. Or there had better be a promise of free wine at the other end.

After the little girl was assured that Daddy was just running for fun, she then required explanations about why he was running in the street when she wasn't allowed to run in the street. And why wasn't he wearing a sweater when she had a sweater even though it was so cold. And why did he have to run so far? And who were all these other people? And why can the runners have a banana but she can't?

As exhausted as I was from waking up so early to see Joe off at the start line, I'm glad I didn't have to also field a bunch of questions from a small child.

We're at the airport now waiting for our flight. Many distractions around so sorry if this isn't very coherent. In fact, it may be completely pointless as I type with no focus whatsoever.

It was a good trip but I'm excited to head home now to my kitties. They'll have a very special post for you on Thursday involving their cat sitter and a visit from the police!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Quotes not by me

Today, I've got absolutely nothing. So I share with you a couple of my favorite Thanksgiving quotes. Feel free to work them into a nice toast or blessing tomorrow.

No turkey, no stuffing, no pie. No nooky. Happy Thanksgiving. -- Dr. Theodore Morris, "Now and Again" (1999)
Save me? Your don't look like you can save a turkey from Thanksgiving. --Sam Cayhall, The Chamber (1996)

And, of course, Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without The Thanksgiving Song by Adam Sandler.
Turkey for the girls and
Turkey for the boys
My favorite kind of pants
Are corduroys
Gobble gobble goo and
Gobble gobble gickel
I wish turkey
Only cost a nickel
Oh I love turkey on Thanksgiving
Told you I've got nothing.

P.S. I almost forgot that Technorati wants me to put this in a post so they can verify I own this blog. Ha, like anyone else would want to claim this crap! Claim Token: VT2PJGUQBSH5

Monday, November 23, 2009

Monday Morning

This morning, on the way into my office building, a man was walking out with a little boy. The little boy ran up to me, all excited.

"Look, I got a green lollipop! And I'm licking it!!!"

Don't you wish a green lollipop was all it took to make you so happy on a Monday morning? Or ever?

Ahh, simpler times. Sometimes I really wish we could all just go back.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Inside

Yesterday was a very melancholy day for me. I'm not sure I would quite classify it as sad but maybe more reflective.

Perhaps it's the time of year. Holidays in general make us think of years gone by, how things were, those no longer with us. Holidays also have a way of magnifying the way we wish things could be, the short-comings in relationships, the things that are missing, the dreams that haven't happened.

Especially with Thanksgiving, I think the focus is supposed to be on gratitude for what it is that we have. Not the what-ifs. Not the could-have-beens. Not the if-onlys. But the here and now. Maybe with a nod to the future.

So fair warning - this seems to be the place my head is in lately. It's not necessarily a dark and depressing place, but it's also not all-funny all-the-time. Posts for the next week may tend to be a bit introspective or theoretical or thoughtful. I just can't seem to write anything else at this time. But, well, it's my blog. And you're always welcome to come with me, whatever I'm doing and wherever I'm going. You're also excused from the trip if you so prefer.

I just gotta let me be me.