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October 19, 2008

Sunday, 10/19/08: Change the Course

AIDS Walk 2008 was a success! Thank you for your support, whether it was financial or in the form of wishes for nice weather--it was gorgeous out! Pretty close to perfect.

It's not obvious in the picture, but the mass of people goes a loooooong way. Pretty much to the end of where you can see. And we weren't at the end of the group by far! One of my coworkers ended up nearer the end, she finished almost an hour after I did, if that's any indication of how many people there were. It's really exciting to be a part of something like this. There were lots of "No on 8" supporters (thumbs up), and a surprising lack of protesters! I think this is the first year there weren't a few crazies there to heckle the walkers.

Another high point of the event was John Schneider singing at the opening ceremony. *Swoon*. That was enjoyable!

I'm sunburned, a little sore, and pretty tired still, but I've had a nap and some food, and I think it was a good way to spend a Sunday.


Theme: People Watching

Posted by kate at 06:42 PM | | Comments (0)

Saturday, 10/18/08: Kitty Kat


Saturday, 10/18/08: Kitty Kat
Originally uploaded by kayay5
I attended the filming of the Scream Awards (airing on Spike TV this Tuesday, if anyone's interested) with A, K, A's friend, D. We had to dress up, the wilder the better, which I was a little iffy about. As I'm sure you can tell, I went as a cat. *g*

The night would've been fun just because of the good company, but the event itself turned out to be quite entertaining. It started off with Anthony Hopkins receiving some kind of lifetime achievement award. Jared Padalecki was there to present footage of Friday the 13th, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan helped present a preview of Watchmen. Kevin Smith and Seth Rogen, Liv Tyler, Stan Lee and Frank Miller (among others) presented awards. JC Chasez was there as a guest, and was seated close enough that I could gaze at him frequently. I'd forgotten how adorable he is, with his huge grins and head-bopping to music. Tim Burton also received an honor, and came in by balloon, which he looked really nervous about! The big finale was an Icon Award for George Lucas, with a stage full of stormtroopers, green lasers, and glow sticks galore.

It was very high-energy, and also cool just to see them put together and film an awards show. Thanks, ladies, for a fun night!


Theme: Autumn

Posted by kate at 06:24 PM | | Comments (0)

October 18, 2008

Friday, 10/17/08: Ace of Clubs


Friday, 10/17/08: Ace of Clubs
Originally uploaded by kayay5
My old roommate, Caitlin, is in Lucky Stiff right now, and we went to see the show tonight. It was so much fun! I wasn't familiar with the play before, but it was hilarious and just really entertaining. Caitlin was great, playing several extremely memorable characters. Actually, everyone was quite good. And it took me right back to high school theatre, where our musicals were always in the fall--so it fits with the theme! Ha!

These playing cards were the tickets. Fun, eh? I took the picture using color swap, and made the background red. Just for kicks.


Theme: Autumn

Posted by kate at 01:57 AM | | Comments (0)

Thursday, 10/16/08: Nourishment


Thursday, 10/16/08: Nourishment
Originally uploaded by kayay5
IT'S PUMPKIN TIME! Seriously, seriously my favorite time of the year, food-wise. And I know last week's theme was food, but pumpkin things *scream* autumn to me. Pumpkin cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory, pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin muffins at Starbucks, pumpkin waffles at Waffles and More... YUM. Wow.

Also? That little green do-dad there in the cup? GENIUS. I have been saying forever that I wish they had some kind of plug for the sipper hole on these cups. It doesn't matter if I'm walking or driving, my drink always splashes out of that little hole all over my inevitably light-colored clothing. Without fail. So that stopper is the most wonderful, perfect, fabulous invention Starbucks could ever have come up with. TWO THUMBS UP.


Theme: Autumn

Posted by kate at 01:48 AM | | Comments (0)

Wednesday, 10/15/08: Cone


Wednesday, 10/15/08: Cone
Originally uploaded by kayay5
This pinecone has begun to shed seeds. I don't know what causes that to happen, but maybe we'll get a nice, tall pine tree growing in the... carpet. Maybe.


Theme: Autumn

Posted by kate at 01:42 AM | | Comments (0)

Tuesday, 10/14/08: Crunch


Tuesday, 10/14/08: Crunch
Originally uploaded by kayay5
I may have mentioned before, but Autumn is a difficult theme to have right now. Not enough around here is autumn-like! There are leaves on the ground, but not enough to be really satisfied crunching through on your way down the sidewalk.


Theme: Autumn

Posted by kate at 01:30 AM | | Comments (0)

October 13, 2008

Monday, 10/13/08: Flamin'


Monday, 10/13/08: Flamin'
Originally uploaded by kayay5
After the shampoo debacle of a couple days ago, my only plan for today was to run quickly to Burbank where Ulta is. I needed shampoo, and was almost out of my Bare Minerals foundation. Ulta was a WIN because my shampoo, which is usually about $20 for the large liter bottle, was on sale for $9. Yay!

However, going to Burbank turned out to be the WORST IDEA EVER IN THE HISTORY OF IDEAS. I should have turned around the minute I saw the smoke, but I didn't, and then I was past it and skies over Burbank were blue. Well. My "quick trip" turned into a four hour ordeal, where over THREE of those hours were spent trying to get back home. The money saved on the shampoo was negated by the money spent on gas. The 118 was closed, which I didn't discover until it was too late (I'd even called a friend to check on the status of the freeway, and no closures were being reported). It took me an hour to exit. Then Magellan told me how to get through via the Santa Susana Pass, and just as I got to Topanga Canyon, they closed the road. Like, while I was sitting at the stop light. It took me another hour to get across the valley to the 101, and then an hour to get home from there. OY.

Just as I was getting home, my friend (who lives in the valley) called to see if I wanted to do dinner. NO. NO I DO NOT. If I don't get into my car for another week, it'll be fine with me. Now, I got home to discover that apparently the fire jumped the 118 Freeway, and the headline on the Ventura Star is reporting that it's moving towards Simi. Just... great. I dearly hope it doesn't come to that. Because right now? I just want to watch some happy TV and eat some pizza, or something.


Theme: Autumn Fire Season

Posted by kate at 04:09 PM | | Comments (0)

October 12, 2008

Sunday, 10/12/08: Autumn Rose


Sunday, 10/12/08: Autumn Rose
Originally uploaded by kayay5
This week's theme is Autumn, but it really isn't looking that autumn-y around here yet. In my experience over the last four years, it seems that autumn creeps in bit by bit. A tree here, a bush there, over the course of a couple months. I don't know if I'm going to be all that successful at an autumn theme when roses, which I typically associate with spring and early summer, are blooming so beautifully!

Today, we went to see Burn After Reading. My expectations were pretty much completely opposite of what the movie turned out to be, so we're watching Iron Man to make up for it.


Theme: Autumn

Posted by kate at 08:30 PM | | Comments (0)

Saturday, 10/11/08: Dr. Seuss Cake

Elaina and Danny came down from Santa Barbara since they hadn't seen the condo since moving day (when it was stacked to the ceiling with boxes and things). And they brought a cake! Elaina's taking a cake decorating class, so she made this. And yes, it is as good as it looks.

Because the day was so gorgeous and cool, we decided to go mini golfing. The closest mini golf place we could find was aaaaaall the way in Santa Clarita, and by the time we got there, the cool afternoon had turned downright chilly. We had a good time anyway, and had an excuse to stop for hot chocolate on the way home.


Theme: Food

Posted by kate at 08:23 PM | | Comments (0)

Friday, 10/10/08: Spicy


Friday, 10/10/08: Spicy
Originally uploaded by kayay5
I really should use these more often. I have a few that are my go-to seasonings, and that's really it. One of these days, I'll try to get creative. Since I have them, and everything.


Theme: Food

Posted by kate at 08:18 PM | | Comments (0)

Thursday, 10/9/08: Organization


Thursday, 10/9/08: Organization
Originally uploaded by kayay5
This is another one of the projects my dad completed while he was out here a few weeks ago: drawers in the pantry. The pantry is deeper than altogether necessary, and these drawers help maximize the space. And also, prevent us from losing things in the back. (Oh, and look, a pink-for-breast-cancer cookbook! Ha! I forgot I owned that.)


Theme: Food

Posted by kate at 08:16 PM | | Comments (0)

Wednesday, 10/8/08: Going Pink


Wednesday, 10/8/08: Going Pink
Originally uploaded by kayay5
I don't really know much on the subject, but I imagine yogurt might have some kind of cancer-preventing properties. And even if it doesn't, it's part of a healthy diet, and thus makes sense in regards to Breast Cancer Awareness. Some things that have gone pink in support of breast cancer awareness are just... incomprehensible.

For example, I received a pink envelope from my car insurance agent, and I thought I'd somehow been late on a payment or something. No, no. It was just pink for breast cancer. And, like, pink Crocs and pink gardening equipment and pink everything-for-your-kitchen, and... it seems that everyone is jumping on the pink bandwagon for any item that might even possibly be used by a woman. I'm all for supporting breast cancer research and all, but I generally just don't want to own that much pink.


Theme: Food

Posted by kate at 08:11 PM | | Comments (1)

October 07, 2008

Tuesday, 10/7/08: Blue and Gold


Tuesday, 10/7/08: Blue and Gold
Originally uploaded by kayay5
I went to G's funeral today. Between the vesper service last night and the funeral today, I think I've cried enough to last me well into next year. The funeral was... hard. He was so young, and obviously so well-loved. Listening to longtime friends share their memories just about did me in. G was a huge fan of Michigan. The last of his friends ended his speech with "Go Blue."

I've been on a popsicle kick lately, and when I pulled these out of the freezer tonight, it seemed like it couldn't possibly be a coincidence.


Theme: Food

Posted by kate at 09:41 PM | | Comments (0)

Monday, 10/6/08: Someone's, not mine

Someone's been munching on my leaves! All the morning glories are gone from one section of the "garden" and the leaves all have holes in them. I have the opposite of a green thumb, so I think I'll just let nature do its thing, but I kind of liked the flowers.


Theme: Food

Posted by kate at 09:20 PM | | Comments (0)

Sunday, 10/5/08: Red Delicious


Sunday, 10/5/08: Red Delicious
Originally uploaded by kayay5
We always have apples in our fridge. Red Delicious or Pink Lady for me, Gala for Gen. Yum.

On Sunday, I went to a coworker's baby's Christening. He was adorable in his little white shorts and vest and bow tie, and he was the only baby that didn't cry. He slept through almost the entire ceremony. And I learned the difference between a Christening and a Baptism! Good knowledge to have.


Theme: Food

Posted by kate at 09:16 PM | | Comments (0)

October 04, 2008

Saturday, 10/4/08: One Tin Soldier

I think all of the song titles I used this week were ones I'd heard during that day, and then tried to take a picture to go with the title. This time, I had the picture and was racking my brain to come up with a song title to match. This is the best I could do!

We went to Medieval Times with our Santa Barbara friends. I think the last time I was at a Medieval Times, I was in junior high and my now-college-freshman cousin was three or four. She wouldn't eat chicken, but they told her the Cornish hen was a baby dragon and she loved it.

Anyway, this time around we were cheering for the Red and Yellow Knight, and he was brutally offed by the Red Knight in the next-to-final round. Bummer! I also think we were the only group there NOT celebrating a birthday, vacation, divorce, or bachelor party ("It's your bachelor party? So, on your last night as a single man, you came to watch young men in tights roll around in the sand??" said the announcer... *laugh*).


Theme: Song Titles (One Tin Soldier, um... who is this even by?)

Posted by kate at 10:29 PM | | Comments (0)

Friday, 10/3/08: Photograph


Friday, 10/3/08: Photograph
Originally uploaded by kayay5
If you walked into my grandparents' house (before they moved; I have faith that things'll be back to "normal" eventually in the new house), there were photographs everywhere. The walls were full of framed pictures; unframed photographs were tucked into the sides of mirrors, propped up on the pump organ, and tacked to posters. I think it's in my blood to want to surround myself with pictures. These are some of my favorites: my parents (with a small one of my mom and her brother stuck in the frame), my LA "family", me and mah boys, my Green Bay cousins, and a multi-picture frame with a handful of pictures from high school up through my moving-away party. I love them all.


Theme: Song titles (Photograph, Def Leppard)

Posted by kate at 10:19 PM | | Comments (0)

October 02, 2008

Thursday, 10/2/08: The Great Midwest

Isn't this cool? It's a flattened wine bottle! And it's Country White from St. James Winery, America's Midwest Winery (so says the bottle). My college roommate sent it to me to "remember my Midwestern roots." It has a cow on it! Really, you have to smile at a wine bottle with a cow on it. I will *definitely* think fondly of time spent in the cornfields outside good old Champaign/Urbana, Illinois with this nifty wall decoration.


Theme: Song Titles (The Great Midwest, John Mellencamp)

Posted by kate at 07:23 PM | | Comments (0)

Wednesday, 10/1/08: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

I'm well aware I look like the biggest dork ever walking to work in a suit and tennis shoes (or better yet, a skirt and nylons and gym socks and tennis shoes). That aside, I'm really enjoying walking. I notice so much more! Little storefronts, birds relaxing on the rocks around the creek, spiderwebs between the sidewalk and planters... it's pretty neat. And you know, if I walk every day, I'll have walked 500 miles by this time next year. *g*


Theme: Song Titles (I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), The Proclaimers)

Posted by kate at 07:14 PM | | Comments (0)