New York! New York?

The lyrics go... "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere."

Well, I've melted my little-town blues & made my brand new start. Now where do I go? Do I stay? Or do I move on? And if I move, to where?

I don't really know the answer to these questions yet. I don't really NEED to decide but it's been on my mind lately. A lot actually.

I miss the color green, I miss vegetation, I miss people who don't want to knock down anyone in their way (granted I'm probably one of those people now).

I'm closing another chapter of my life in a few months and I'm the type of person who likes to just get up and do something. I like spontaneity, adventure and excitement. I wouldn't say I'm bored of NYC... that's really not something you can ever say about the "City That Never Sleeps." But I'm wondering if I need to try something different for a while.

Just a few Dusty pics of me in NY for my very first summer at 21-years-old. (really dusty).

25+ things I refuse to put on facebook but want to spill on my blog

I started that stupid Facebook thing that everyone is doing with 25 things about themselves. And I actually I did the whole thing but... I clicked on a wrong button and whooosh!!!! My 25 things were gone and that took like 5 whole minutes so I refuse to try again on FB.

Therefore, I'm doing my own 25 random--or not so random--things about myself. No rules. None of that, "you need to pass this on and tag 25 friends bs." It's just here. If you care to read, awesome. If not, that's great too. Here we go:

1) I love that my parents only named me Kate, not Kathryn or (geeze I don't even know how to spell longer versions of my name) Cathy or whatever, just Kate suites me great.

2) I will probably always have a cat. I've had several but I love owning a cat.

3) My favorite thing to do is create something, anything, I just like to create things. If it makes someone happy that is even better.

4) My family and friends are the best ever. And I miss everyone not in NYC.

5) My Grandpa Kolz's (mom's dad) favorite color was green, and he loved eating something salty after he had desert (mainly pickles). I think I inherited both of those traits.

6) I'm only on 6, this is taking me a long time.

7) I believe in ghosts and have hung out with my great uncle Bob's ghost.

8) I don't have a favorite food, I like almost everything except I'm finding that I don't really care for: baby corn (they don't make sense), and mushy eggplant (that's just gross).

9) I've only really had one crush ever. I don't usually crush on boys but I've had one. Any guesses?

10) When I was younger I had this thought that I would die young, but now that I'm older I don't think I'm going to die young anymore, I think it passed me up.

11) I'm very adaptable. I don't change for any particular reason but I do adapt easily.

12) I embrace change, in fact I should really change my apartment around soon.

13) I was born on August 13th, and I don't think the number 13 is unlucky. I like it but it's not my favorite number.

14) I remember very random things like: my employee # at Kmart was 114 for years, How to make an "Erberts & Gerberts" "Jacob Bluefinger" or "Pudder," or the middle names of the "Michael"s I know, (Michael Patrick, Michael Vincent, & Michael Joseph...)

15) I believe in a lot of people but only trust a few.

16) It takes me a long time to warm up to people but once I do, you're in.. and there is no getting out.

17) I'm extremely loyal and will defend , protect, and aid my friends in any way I can. If I like you I'm your girl.

18) I want to be a big shot. I don't want to be famous but I want to do something great. Like be a CEO or start something great. I know I have it in me but don't know what "it" is or where to put "it." (no sexual innuendos suggested).

19) I never ever ever thought I'd live in NYC. I was totally wrong and can't wait to see what I'm wrong about next.

20) I'm a control freak but getting over it. I've learned a lot in school and letting go was one huge lesson.

21) I'm not impervious to pain, but I'm very tolerant of it. I don't like it but I get hurt a lot so it helps that pain is just pain and I try to not let it stop me.

22) I'm combo of a modern hippie, corporate junkie, design nerd, and fitness addict. I love the environment, want to be a business guru, and would kill to just work out all day long.

23) My heart is huge and it gets me hurt a lot but I wouldn't change a thing. I care a lot about a lot of things and that is just who I am.

24) Love & Family first, Friends second, Career third everything else can take a number.

25) I love nature and I could totally live off the land if that's where life led me. It would be a great adventure.

My Hero Lives in Brooklyn

I know, two posts in one night? really? yeah really. The reason being however is that A) I just found my new fave wine in my hood and B) I just had a gourmet dinner at home and I'm a grad student. How did that happen you ask? (well you didn't ask, but I want to tell you).
I have a super-fantastic friend, Sarah B. Did I mention she's fantastic?! Not only is she beautiful, smart, witty, and a mom.. but she's extremely giving and takes such good care of me. Apparently she either had wayyyy toooo much left over food or she just wanted to treat me, regardless I had one heck of a 5pm treat today.

Sarah's hubby works for People magazine, which is across the street from my job, and they have two adorable gremlins Lily and Logan. Well, Lil and Lo get to play at day care one day a week while Sarah taps her creative ingenious mind to write for organic beauty products (ones that don't give you rashes or make your face peel off). So today on her way to pick up the little squeeges, she stopped by to say hello AND give me some really great home-cooked food.

I am the luckiest girl alive. SB brought me two perfectly portioned ramekins full of homemade mac-n-cheese with Parmesan cheese topping them and verbal instructions of how to cook it at home in order to make the cheese all crispy on the top (psst Sarah, it worked). Plus, I have a huge bowl of turkey chili waiting for me at work (Yay, lunch for mañana).
One of the mac-n-cheese ramekins is currently empty and soaking in the sink and the other one will probably only last until tomorrow night (the one pictured is the one I have left. I scarfed the first one so fast I forgot to take a picture of the crispy goodness). I feel so spoiled. I've said it several times but... I need a wife. They are so awesome. But for now--and until I decide to try "playing for the other team"--I am lucky to have such a great friend that cooks for me.

Oh, and to top it off--this is the real jem--she got me Cat Butt Stickers! And apparently from information on the world wide web there is a whole trend of cat butt propoganda (perhaps I'm in the wrong industry). Sarah is a girl after my own heart, she is make your bff mac-n-cheese then buy her cat butt stickers good.
Merci Beaucoup Sarah!

Le Wine Tuesday is Back and More "Barefoot" Than Ever

Okay, you might have guessed I'm not a wine connoisseur. I grew up in Wisconsin where--no kidding--my first taste of wine came from a box. But I know what I like and my taste gets better as I age. (hehe... a wine pun). Anyway, when I was in Hawaii, they had this really cheap yet very good wine brand. It. Was. Everywhere. and it was called Barefoot. I picked up a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon as a pre-marine-christmas-party treat to sip while I prepared some killer pigs-in-blankets. Anyway, I thought I said goodbye to my sweet cheap wine as a boarded that Delta flight to NY on Christmas Eve. *tear*

Well, well, well, luckily for me my local wine store has a plethora of wine. I hear abundance and variety is a thing New York has going for it and you won't hear me complaining BECAUSE... I found Barefoot at my wine store in Astoria, NY!

Actually two weeks ago the brand was there but they only had the white stuff. White is good for a warm summer day but I've been on a super red kick as of late (gotta get those antioxidants in if we're going to booze up right?). Anyway I waited... and voila... last night it appeared.

So here I am, about to start a Tuesday night conference call and I'm super happy to be sipping from my $9.99 um... super big bottle of Gold Medal Cabernet Sauvignon. Bring it on conference call, this puppy will last me a while!

Playing Catch-up 2008

The title of this post brought me back to being a kid in Wisconsin.
I have two older sisters, Sarah and Alison and when we were young (me being the youngest girl) if we went on a bike ride, I always had to catch up. Part of that was because Sarah and Alison had ten-speed bikes and Kate had a awesome Schwinn pedal bike. On North Pole Road there was a big hill if you turned left out of our driveway and for some reason Sarah and Alison zipped up that hill while little Kate was still at the bottom playing catch-up... But anyway, back to present time. I realized I need to do some serious updates on this blog and have some catching-up to do. Here it goes:

9 to 5
Work is good. I guess I never posted this on here... huh. Well, I work for a cosmetics company which is a girls dream. The tom-boy on my left shoulder says.."uh, no way. I'm not girly, that's so lame... ha, makeup? really?" But the little princess on my right shoulder shouts "OMG... I get to play dress-up all day every day, it's like real life Barbie time!!!" Okay that was even a bit too girly for me, but yeah I like it. It could be worse.

I have one of those "cool non-specific media jobs" that is perfect for women. I'm a graphic designer so I get to make pictures all day. In reality it is a lot more work than that (for all of you who learned some photoshop or indesign and think you could do my job) but it's also a lot of fun.

So, when you smush together a creative job at a place that sells makeup to young women, work gets interesting and really fun. I actually was playing with twitter all day today to figure out what uses it could have for my company, and what our twitter would look and sound like. So, yay for work and yay for tweets.

Honestly tho, at the end of the day it's not where I work or the work that I do, it is the people I work with and I have the best co-workers ever.

After 9 to 5
I just finished another semester of Pratt Design Management!!! And we only have 4 more classes and 1 thesis to go. This will probably be the busiest time ever for me but, the light is there, I can see it. We (my classmates and I) are all so close and come May... I will be the happiest Wisconsin Girl in NY.The next few months, however, will consist of Tuesday and Thursday Conference call nights, and probably another one thrown in on Wednesday. Friday and Monday nights I'll be doing homework.... Huh, looks like I'm booked already. Oh well, I have that last day in May to look forward to and I have a great thesis group to help me get through it.

Getting out of town
Mom and Dad haven't expressed too much disappointment yet, but I didn't go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Instead, I was in Brooklyn for Thanksgiving and for Christmas I flew to Hawaii. Well, technically I spent Christmas in Minneapolis and New York but I consider the time I just spent in Hawaii my Christmas vacation. Besides, I did go to a Christmas party while in Oahu and there were Christmas presents all over the place so, I'm considering it a week-long Christmas.
In July of this year I visited Eric in Hawaii. I wanted to go back, so I did. Luckily Eric wanted me to come back too. We went Kayaking, made awesome guacamole and tacos, became slightly-versed in "Tropic Thunder" quotations, and braved wild sharks off the North Shore of Oahu (they made us stay in the cage tho). Then, Eric took me and his motorcycle over to Maui for a weekend adventure. We saw amazing sun rises, camped on a mountain, camped on the beach, and enjoyed every inch of coastline Maui had to offer from his BMW bike. It was pretty sweet.

Because I did not get to Wisconsin for the Holidays, I guess my next trip out of NY will be the good ol' home state. I might loose my "best-daughter-ever" status if I don't go there next and I really miss my family and friends. Dana is getting married in June so the current plan is to go home the week before the wedding, throw the best bachelorette party ever at my parents cabin on the lake, then stay on a lake for the week and visit with friends. I'll read some trashy novels and go to the wedding the following weekend. I'm not sure if I can afford that much time off of work yet but if I start saving now I think I can swing it.

For the end of 2009 I really want to travel to SE Asia. I had planned to do it right after graduation but Dana planned to get married at the same time. Friends win out over geographic Locations...SE Asia will just have to wait for me. Maybe I'll go right after I finish the ING Marathon in November but I really don't know what the year will bring. Maybe I'll get a travel companion but I'm also not the easiest person to travel with. I'm cheap, don't mind being dirty and I like to walk/hike a lot, most of my friends do not like any of that. And Maybe I don't really know the SE Asia plan yet.

(I do realize that I'm strange, at work I'm super-girly and wear a dress every day but outside of work I'm a tom-boy, I blame that on my Dad).

Extra Curricular Activities
Regardless of a busy schedule I'm still running. When I started at Pratt, the professor who interviewed me, told me that I should NOT stop running and keep it up even when my schedule got tight. She was so right and I thank her for that advice.

Since my Junior year at UWSP I've used running as an outlet. If I feel stressed, I go for a run. Tired, I go for a run. Pissed off? Yep, run. It's great therapy and I'm so glad I did not stop for Grad school it's gotten me through some really really tough times this year. It makes me happy.

It makes me SO happy I'm doing it to celebrate New Years. Yes, I will probably be running without any of my friends but there will be thousands of people to join me. Hey, maybe I'll even make a new friend or two, I guess we'll see what tomorrow night brings.
Also, I'm very excited to get to train for the marathon in 2009! I've foregone two qualified ING marathons for school and can not wait for those long Saturday runs. I know it's insane and most people never want to do it but I love it. The best parts are: making the pre-marathon run mix for my ipod and remembering the music I trained with; eating everything!; sleeping all day on Saturday after a long run without an ounch of guilt; eating everything!; hugging my friends on the marathon route; getting an overpriced massage after it's all over; finishing with thousands of people who have their own exciting stories.

So, that's the catch-up update for 2008, Sorry for the lack of pics but, my camera is out of commission and I just don't have anything new. hmmm... maybe I'll steal some from my other web presences.

A Wisconsin Thanksgiving in Bed Stuy

Recipe for a successful Thanksgiving in NYC:

1 Jedd & Kai

1 Jedd & Kai's Apartment

1 Jacci

1 Kate

2 or 3 groups of friends

1 dish to pass per person 

several forms of alcoholic beverages

2 cameras randomly placed in the apartment

1 itunes playlist

1 dj

Begin by preparing the Bloody Mary's before most people arrive. Jedd, Kai, Jacci and Kate consume the Bloodies. Scatter people around Jedd & Kai's apartment as needed, Add generous amounts of wine, spiked cider, and more Bloody Mary's. Once the 2 or 3 groups of friends have fully arrived, begin heating the dishes. Stir in some music from Jedd's itunes playlist and wait approximately 4 to 5 hours to serve. This will allow for all guest to become pleasantly intoxicated with the holiday season. 

Start serving the food but only after Kate and Will attempt to start eating without permission.

After several servings of dinner and dessert all guest should but ready for the entertainment. Put the DJ in the other room and have him whip up hours of entertainment by giving him access to Jedd's itunes account.

Top off Thanksgiving with a few more bottles of wine & cider. Finally, finish with each guest taking a turn behind the make-shift "stage door" of Jedd & Kai's parlor. 

Apple is the new Wine

There has been a change in menu for conference call nights. I am laying down the bottle for a nice juicy apple. Yeah-- I know-- wtf?
It started 2 weeks ago, I was in class and had a whole conversation about apples with Leigh. Leigh is very into living natural and eating organic/vegan. But anyway, she mentioned how she really believes in the "apple a day will keep the dr. away." So, I thought that was cool and I'd rather not go to the doctor. And then she added that—duh it's fall—apples are in season right now and really amazing. That did it for me. I craved apples all that day and picked up a 1/2 peck as soon as I got to Whole Foods that night. I've been eating at least 1 a day since.

(Leigh, being shy in class)

So, I have kicked the wine for a bit and substituted apples in its place. I prefer Gala or Golden apples but will settle for any kind and yes they are in season and very good. There is only one problem. I just got off my 2nd or 3rd "apple" conference call... and I could really use a glass of wine right now.