the most wonderful time of the year

Christmas is upon us ladies and gentlemen! It's less than 3 weeks away! So you know what that means... it's time to SHOP! I have been shopping for about two weeks now and I'm only about halfway done. It's hard for me though, because I know anything I buy here I have to lug home with me to Ohio and that is just hard to do.

So, this year I have been trying the ordering things online technique. the only problem is, I'm praying so hard that they get there on time. I already know one of my orders was backordered (after they specifically told me it was in stock!!!) so I had to cancel that order and found it (the very last one on a random shelf no where near where it was supposed to be) in a store all the way across the island. Thank goodness! But I still have so much to get for so many people!

When I get back to Ohio I'll have exactly 1.5 days to shop until Christmas since I'm working the week of Christmas and have dinners planned every night until after Christmas is over. When you're only home a few times each year, your time is in very high demand! Plus, I have to make time to spend with BF's family because I don't want them to think I'm snubbing them or something, that would be bad.

Yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year, but I guarantee, it will be the busiest and perhaps the most stressful two weeks of 2008 for me. For many people it's the most stressful time of the year. I personally think we all need to take a chill pill and realize that it's not WHAT you give people, but the THOUGHT that goes into the gift and the love that we all give and receive at the holidays. That's what Christmas should be about. Not material goods. And while I know this, I already know that I will spend those 1.5 days shopping and tearing my hair out trying to find everyone the perfect gift.

Oh well, Christmas time is here again. I'll calm down after New Year's ;)

Thanksgiving treats

Thanksgiving weekend. It's amazing. Great food, great wine, great friends... what more could you ask for?

Technically, on Thanksgiving we didn't see any of our friends since BF and I made our own turkey (a whole 18 lbs!!! That we have been eating once a day since... hehe) and spent the evening enjoying each other's company and watching football and movies. It was a really great day.

One of the things I do like about my job (of which, there aren't that many) is that my company is awesome enough to give us the day after Thanksgiving off as a holiday too (which is absolutely amazing since I don't have to worry about oversleeping with the food coma issue and all).

Anyway, Friday we met up with some friends and went kayaking in Kailua to some little uninhabited islands that have little private beaches and areas to explore. (I'm amazed no one got hurt! Even though I did fall down a sand dune... and when I say fell, I mean it was like rolling down the hill when i was a kid to get dizzy, except not on purpose... and that i got sand all over myself...)

It was one of the most fun days I have had here in HI. Even though my arms were KILLING ME (I was in a single kayak and it takes over an hour of rowing to get there, and about an hour back) and I was exhausted, it was great. After the adventure, we found a hole-in-the-wall pizza place, Bob's Pizzeria hehehe that was also amazing! One slice = 1/4 of the pie hahaha.

That night our friends came back to our place to grill out burgers and dogs for a good old fashioned Wii night (oxymoron? i guess the Wii can't be considered old fashioned, but you know what I mean). It was overall an awesome day.

The rest of the weekend was spent braving the shopping malls trying to get ideas for Xmas presents. I failed... I only succeeded in buying something for my neices, and one thing for BF, but the rest I bought for myself... I know, I know, I should have spent my time looking for others, but come on, I'm going to the complete opposite temperature extreme in 3 weeks and I only had 2 light sweaters to wear! I had to find something! (and sweatpants, and jeans, and a new year's outfit.....) It's not like I'm Becky Bloomwood! (If you don't know who that is... read "Confessions of a Shopoholic"... it's so fun)

Anyway, now its back to life as usual until Christmas. Boo life as usual.. I wish every week was a holiday 3 day work week ;) Can't wait to see everyone at Christmas though. And I want to make a very special shoutout to Amy and Jeff. Congrats you guys on the engagment! :)

bored

Why is it that when you're waiting for something oh so anxiously, time seems to slow to something resembling a snail moving backward?!

Seriously, it's only Tuesday, and I feel like this week has gone on for a month. Since it's a holiday week, I only have three days of work this week, as many of you do. So, a three day week should go quickly right? WRONG!

Most of the people I work with took vacation this week, as I'm sure most of the people from other companies did whose work I rely on to get work. So, basically NOTHING has happened the whole week with the exception of a rare conference call I got to be on since everyone else was on vacation.

I only have 90 more minutes left here today and I am slowly dying of boredom. There is just nothing to do right now! I wish it was this time tomorrow so I could be bored, but anxiously awaiting my 4 days of freedom which I will spend eating turkey, kayaking, and playing the new guitar hero world tour game. (I tried to convince BF to WAIT and let me give it to him for xmas, but sometimes he gets impatient. He wants what he wants when he wants it!)

Ack! Sorry this post has a total lack of content, but sometimes when there is nothing going on, you really have nothing to write about but still feel the urge to vent ;)

Happy Thanksiving everyone!

tra la la

Today I received an email from my brother asking for a friend if I would sing their wedding. I love singing weddings. In fact, I love all singing (in the car, in the shower, on stage, you name it!) So it pains me to have to say no, which I had to a few weeks ago to a 2nd cousin since my future is so uncertain. Luckily, this wedding of my bro's friend is far enough away that I could ask him to give me 3 months to decide since hopefully I'll know where life is going to take me by then.HOPEFULLY being the operative word.

But seriously, I miss singing. I ONLY get to do it in the car or in the shower here in Hawaii which has really made me sad. Not being able to sing is like losing the mobility of a limb, that's how much a part of me it is. It's hard here though. I don't know anyone who would know of any vocal coaches here, and we don't belong to a church here. That also makes me sad, but it's hard getting really involved in a community when you know you won't be a part of it for very long.

So again, HOPEFULLY I'll know where I'm going in a few months. It really represents to me a new beginning. Because wherever we go, I know we're going to be there for a pretty long time, so I can't wait to get there and get involved again, you know? To be able to rekindle my passion for singing and get good at it again. I know better than anyone that I'm getting rusty out here!
To meet new friends and hopefully find joy in my job. 2009 is fast approaching and it's going to be great! Stressful? Sure. Hectic? You bet. But great. :)

silver linings

So no one likes to be sick, right? You feel crappy, inevitably look crappy, act crappy and all together, it's just a crappy time. So, why do I not mind having been sick the past few days? I love being taken care of... who doesn't?

I already know that I have an amazing BF. He spoils me rotten, treats me like a princess and tells me he loves me every day. (I'm one of the lucky ones :) ). And while I know this, I really know it when I get sick. He cooks for me, goes out to buy me medicine, cleans up the apartment, gives me back rubs and cough drops, makes tea for me with honey and lemon (just the way I like it!) and doesn't let me lift a finger.

I truly am one of the lucky ones, and couldn't ask for a better guy. So even though I've felt like poo for the past 3 days, it hasn't been too hard to find the silver lining ;) Thanks baby for all you do for me.

immersed in eclipse

For those of you that don't know me, I am somewhat of a bookworm. Not as much as I used to be (unfortunately), but I will still read anything you give me. I love the written word, escaping to other worlds with characters that by the end, you feel as if you actually could know in real life. I love how reading is so engaging. It forces you to use your imagination to see everything and to really become part of the story. That's something I've always felt movies lack... even if sometimes they are more fun to watch if you don't feel like having to think hehe.

When I get really into a book though, somehow real life doesn't matter as much. Right now, for example, I'm reading the 3rd book of the Twilight series "Eclipse," by Stephanie Meyer. Maybe I'm just a sucker for fantasy books, but this series has totally taken me by surprise. I mean, I've always liked fantasy (Harry Potter anyone?), and it's come recommended to me by several people, but I never expected to like it to the point where all I want to do right now is go home and read. This is the kind of book that makes me want to withdraw competely for a week or two and be the anti-social bookworm that's somewhere inside me. This is the kind of book that would have kept me up reading until 2 am on a school night back in high school because I HAD to know what happens next.

(The only reason it's not keeping me up that late now is because I actually get paid to be at my job and I know I need sleep to perform my daily tasks efficiently.)

If you haven't read these books and find the fantasy genre at all compelling, I encourage you to read it. Of course, I don't think I'll ever like it more than HP series (that would be blasphemous to me hehe) but it's such a fun and fast read. It has delayed my interest in more "classic" books like "1984" and "Through the Looking Glass" but I figure, I'm heading out on a 10 hr plane ride in 5 weeks, that's plenty of time for me to get a good start on those!

Anyone out there have a great book to recommend? I'm always looking for the next great thing to entertain me.

facebook dilemmas

I know only a few of you out there read this, but if you are reading it, I would like some feedback on this issue if you have a minute to respond. Recently, I was asked to be someone's friend on facebook. Not a new issue, it has happened before. (I know, I'm amazed too ;) )

This particular person though is one that I have never actually met, but is a person who works for the company I work for. We do not work in the same location (even when I am working from my hometown) and we have only had maaaaybe 1 conversation online when we had to for work. Now this person has asked to be my friend on facebook.

So what's the problem? I'm not sure I want her to be my friend. I don't want this person from work being able to see what I'm up to while not actually knowing me. Also, I would most definitely have to take my blog off facebook as I've written several posts in which I express a desire to get a new job... and now this entry.... well, that would just be awkward.

So my question is, is it rude to reject her facebook friendship? Do you think she'll ever even notice? Also, I was SHOCKED to realize just how many of my coworkers actually use facebook and really hope that no more of them request to be my friend! (I know I am naive to be shocked, but sometimes I forget that facebook isn't just for college kids and recent grads anymore! I still think it was better that way and will continue to think that until one day I realize I am not a recent grad anymore and am still a faulker... aka facebook stalker...)

It sounds bad, but is it so bad to want to keep your personal and professional lives separate? When I come home from work, I want to leave work behind, I don't want to worry that my boss will see a photo someone posted of me in a bar and think I'm a lush.

(I'm only a lush on the weekends.... and even then only sometimes hehe)

So what do you think? To friend or not to friend... that is the question. I don't want her to think I'm a total you-know-what, but I don't think I'm comfortable letting someone I don't know access that much personal info about me. (Just so you know, I NEVER accept friendships of people I have never heard of, or who creep me out, or who I think I might have met once three years ago in college, etc.) So let me know what you think. Should I accept her and perhaps limit what she can see in my settings, or just reject it and hope she never notices?

freedom!!

Wow do I feel good right now! Why you ask? Well, last night when BF came home from work he had a surprise for me... That's right... His discharge packet was approved! So, as of spring next year, we will officially be done with active duty!!! WOOOOOO Hallelujiah it is a miracle!

So, what's the next step? Now we have to work on getting BF a job so we know where we're going to go from here. I am so excited and just a little nervous about our future. Excited because we can finally start planning our lives according to how we want to run them and not how the Army wants them to run. A little nervous because it's uncertain where we're going to go and who we'll meet when we get there.

But that's half the fun, right? Starting over somewhere new, meeting new people, having new adventures. I cannot tell you how great the feeling is. It's like a 10 ton weight has been lifted off my shoulders. And while it will be bittersweet to leave this paradise, it is so much more exciting to be going somewhere where I won't have to wonder all the time "Is there going to be another deployment? Can I handle this all over again?"

If I had to, I would have endured it, and I would have gotten through it with the love and support that surrounded me from family and friends just like the last time. But life is so much easier and so much happier this way :) I feel like singing from the rooftops today!

Life is good :)

so close, yet so far

I am so ready to take that next step in my life... which step is that, you ask? No, not marriage (which I think I am also ready for) No, not being a homeowner or buying a new car. (Which, again, I think I'm ready for) No, not getting a new job (although I KNOW I'm ready for that... hopefully no one I work with reads this...)

No, I am talking about being a pet owner! Oh how I want a pet so badly right now. A little puppy to greet me when I come home from work and to play with me when I'm down and cuddle with me whenever I want! This post is titled so close, yet so far because last night was the closest I've ever come to getting a pet.

We randomly came across this pet discount supply store and noticed there were some puppies in there and we wanted to go pet them. They had some cuties too. BF particularly liked the Shar Pei (who was adorable and a little fatty puppy hehe) But I only had eyes for the little terrier mix puppy. She had these little eyes that just pierced your heart they were so cute.

Right when I went in the store she started whining and was coming up to the bars of her cage trying to lick me and was excited to see me. So they let me hold her and she just nuzzled up against my neck and looked at me with her little eyes that were saying "Katie, why won't you just take me home? You're not going to leave me here are you??"

Sadly, I had to. My apartment is not the place for a puppy. Nor is the move we are *hopefully* planning next year and the lack of yard/space/time we have right now. But oh, my heart was breaking leaving that little girl at the pet shop. She must have had some chihuahua in her because her ears were so cute and perky and pointy.

I've never felt this way about a dog... but I have taken it as a sign that someday I will have one. Because even though my life is not in line with having a dog right now, I know someday it has to be. Otherwise I would not have liked her nearly so much. And also, because if it's not, I feel like I will really be missing out on something great.

don't believe everything you read

I have noticed since the creation of facebook a slightly disturbing phenomenon... not that being able to electronically stalk everyone you have ever remotely known/met/thought was cute in itself isn't slightly disturbing (and highly entertaining)... but no, what I am talking about is people "getting engaged" to their best gal pals because they think it's funny.

Now I admit, if you're single to you it's probably not a big deal, (not that it's a huge deal anyway) but to me, when my mini feed annouces "Someone you know" is engaged! I get this warm fuzzy feeling of excitement for that person. Even if I haven't spoken to them in years, or only have met them a handful of times, a marriage proposal is something to celebrate and cherish. Sometimes it's a "oh, he finally did it!" feeling, whereas other times it's a "good for you, congrats" and yet others is a mere "oh how nice, i didn't even know they were dating anyone" (reserved hopefully for those I don't have regular contact with hehe). But whatever my reaction, it's always good and I feel compelled to congratulate them.

Imagine my disappointment then, when I go to their actual profile to see they are indeed engaged, but it's all a joke bc they are engaged to a friend just for kicks and giggles. Like I said, not a huge deal, but it's tricky and I don't like it ;)

i'm going to hawaii! yay!

So I'm sure you all know by now that duh. I live in Hawaii. However, I am going to another part of Hawaii next month, the Garden Island of Kauai!!

I am super excited for this trip. It took us forever to decide if we wanted to go.... well, we always wanted to go, but in this time of economic turd-dom we couldn't decide if we SHOULD go. Well, we decided that since veteran's day is right around the corner, and BF is a certified war vet now, that damnit we were going to take a few days off and just do it! (Besides, when are we ever going to have this opportunity again? Once we move back to the mainland, no more island hopping... booo)

So yay for Kauai! It's supposed to be the most beautiful of the Hawaiian islands and I cannot wait to experience it. There are already several places I want to see including the famous Poipu beach and one or two of their countless waterfalls! Don't worry, I'll take lots of pictures and maybe by then I'll have started posting pictures on here haha. if not, I'll put them on facebook for sure.

Topic change: BF brought home the Wii Fit this week!! How amazing is it you ask? AH-mazing! I think you burn most calories laughing while watching someone else trying to do the exercises. And I love all the variety of activities. I apparently have no balance skills, but hey it's something to work on. It's kind of funny though to work out with it and realize there are some things you are really good at (like running and sit ups and hula-hooping apparently) and realizing that there are some things that you are horrible at (like yoga and push ups and walking without tripping...)

That's right, the Wii Fit keeps asking me if I trip when I walk because my balance is so off... and the crazy part is, I really do trip when I walk! BF laughs at me all the time when we're in public! Luckily I am skilled enough now to catch myself before I fall, but I do trip a lot! The Wii Fit has also told me that I am a couch potato, a novice at yoga, a body builder and a calorie burner all in the same session haha. Guess I really know what I need to work on!

It is a lot of fun though, and good for you. It made me set a goal, so in two months I'll let you know if I've reached it. Here's hoping!

motivators

I have found the key to successful working out! Well, maybe not the key, but you know, something that helps...

So lately, BF and I have been on a "get in shape" kick. The reason for this? Mostly because I realized I have gained like 10 lbs in a year.... (YIKES!!! But hey, can you blame me? I live in paradise where there are yummy diet distractions on every corner and restaurants both fast food and elegance are a dime a dozen) also bc BF has his *hopefully* FINAL WEIGH IN for the Army coming up soon and he wants it to look good on his record ;) (I personally think he looks fiiine already, but maybe i'm biased hehe).

When we first started about 3-4 weeks ago, it was very tepid... meaning I would work out for MAYBE 30 minutes on Monday (running, abs, whatev) MAYBE swimming on Tuesday and be too exhausted (or so I told myself...) to work out the rest of the week. (Amazing, my endurance and stamina, No?)

Anyway, about 2.5 weeks ago we found our way to this park about .25-.5 mile down the road from us. It... is... AMAZING! And by amazing, I mean you only see spots like this in the movies and never think you'll actually get to be there. Because of this park, I actually look forward to running. Mostly because by the time BF gets home from work and we go to run, the sun is about to set. So I get to see the sunset over the ocean every night that we run. Talk about motivation! It is gorgeous.

When I start, DiamondHead is directly in front of me in the distance, the ocean is to my right and a beautiful park is to my left. I was so distracted by nature that I ran for a full 25 minutes last night without stopping. (For those of you fitness buffs out there, stifle your laughs please, for me that is a huge step up from the 6 minutes I started out on!)

At one point in the run, I am literally running on a path that when you look over the side of the path, there is nothing but ocean. I am so blessed to have this opportunity. It really takes your breath away. (Or maybe that's the running, I'm not sure) But I am so lucky to have found this spot. I will cherish it for the rest of my time here and when I am back in the Mainland, hopefully I'll have learned to like running... if not, I may never run again! ;)

realizations

Hey all! Today's post is about realizations. This weekend a few came to mind. One is that when we are stressed we tend to take out our feelings on those closest to us. Is it right? No. Why do we do it? Because they are there and perhaps we can't take it out on those who are actually causing the stress because they are our bosses or family members. Or perhaps it's not a person at all but an outside factor that we have no control over. Either way, when things get stressful or chaotic, unfortunately the people who suffer are the people who are always there for us and try to make us feel better. The people who love us unconditionally.

That being said, next time you feel particularly stressed out, try talking about it so it doesn't get to the boiling point where some stupid little thing sets you off and you wind up projecting your stress onto someone else. They may even be able to help you figure it all out.

On a lighter note, I made another realization this weekend. You don't have to be the best at something to have the most fun. We went golfing this weekend (two of the holes were right along the beach... Ah-mazing!). Let me tell you, I am about the worst golfer in the world. (That may be an exaggeration, but when you only count your good strokes and you still get a 6 on a par 3... yikes haha). Anyway, BF and I went to play with a friend and all three of us were pretty bad that day, but we had the best time. (I announced at the start that I was playing a scramble haha) I don't think I've ever laughed so much while playing golf. Usually I get super frustrated (especially when I start to whiff) and wind up trying my hardest not to spew a string of profanities at the little plastic ball. Sometimes I have felt like Happy Gilmore minus the putter throws. (OK, maybe not that bad, but you get the point).

I actually felt like I played really well considering my skill level, and I had a great time. I even out drove BF a few times! After playing this weekend, I am really considering getting my own clubs so I can get better and play more frequently. I mean, my whole family loves to play, so maybe now I can play with them. Besides, they do say that half of all business takes place on the green ;) I hope we continue to play and get better. And also, be lucky enough to be on such beautiful courses.

nature adventures

This weekend was amazing. When we first moved to Hawaii, BF and I used to do the touristy things all the time, like go to the Sea Life Park, and the beach and drive along the coast etc. Lately though, I feel like we unfortunately have taken it for granted. Life has a way of forcing you to forget to enjoy it and get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the rat race. It's sad, but true.

That's why this weekend was awesome. Saturday we took advantage of the fact that it was a little cloudy and hiked up to Waiamea Falls. I will post pictures at some point, but they are still on my camera for now. It was gorgeous there. The walk to the falls was only about a mile from the park entrance and everything was so green. We debated swimming in the water, but decided it didn't look that clean and it started to rain anyway. I forgot how nice it feels though to get rained on sometimes.

We were walking back to the car and the whole mile there it rained. But, I really didn't mind. It was a light rain and I was kind of hot from the walk there and it felt so refreshing and it made all of the green scenery around us become alive and vibrant. It even smelled green. It was beautiful.

Then on Sunday, we thought it was going to be rainy but we braved the weather anyway to go snorkeling up at North Shore's Shark's Cove. No, we didn't see sharks, but there was so much to look at there that before we even realized it, two hours had gone by and both our backs were completely burnt! Haha. Mine not so much as BF's, but it still is a little sore today.

I have never seen schools of fish so large before. We saw eels, and some sort of spotted sea snake. BF says he saw a barracuda... whether or not that is true I don't know, but I'm glad I don't. Those things are not nice! But we did see some angel fish and some really brightly colored fish and lots of sea urchins. It was so clear and beautiful. I have never been sorrier that I didn't have a camera.

I hope we can have a weekend like this again soon. I think next weekend we may be going horseback riding!! I love it and it's so much fun, so I'll keep you posted :)

Fall is here!

Happy October everyone! Well, fall is here with the crisp cool weather and the changing of the leaves. It's my favorite time of the year. But oh wait, that's right, for the 2nd year in a row I am in the land of perpetual summer.

Not that I'm complaining, I love it being warm all year round and not worrying whether I should get up early in case there was a snow storm that I have to shovel my way out of. Or, in the case of my senior year in college, get towed back into because I was stuck in the middle of street. Thanks T and D for all your love and support and help on that one ;).

Like I said, I am not complaining, however there is a part of me that really misses sweater weather. Not cold weather, but the weather where it's perfect to go outside in a sweater and jeans and be perfectly comfortable. The weather that makes your cheeks just the slightest bit pink when the wind blows. Enjoy it while you can mainlanders... I know as well as you do that it usually only lasts about 3-4 weeks until it's gone.

Speaking of missing things from home, I called me parents today and little Sammy got on the phone to say hi. She has the most adorable 2-yr-old voice in the world and I absolutely melted when I heard it. I miss my nieces and nephew so much. I got used to seeing them my 2 months at home this summer, so now not seeing them until December is hard!!

Can you believe that Christmas is only like 83 days away though? That's crazy!! I can't wait to go home to see everyone at the holidays. And lucky us, we bought our plane tickets a week before the bailout plan was denied which sent prices skyrocketing!! I am proud to say BF found the tix for $500 cheaper than we paid last year, oh yes I am pumped. We're going to celebrate by blowing it all on a trip to Maui next month hehe. Woo! Anyway, hope you all have a good weekend! I can't wait till it starts :)

confused

Normally I try not to write about such things on my blog, partly because I am not the most well informed on the subject and partly because it's not really fun to write about, but today I feel like I must. Congress has all the power to make good and positive changes in the world to keep our economy and our society thriving. The problem is, they are all cowards. Why cowards? Today they voted down a bill to save some of our biggest businesses in the US economy that are floundering. They had all the power to help, but they are too scared of losing their own jobs to help out the people that they are supposed to be protecting.

Was the bailout plan the ultimate solution to our problems? No. Could it have caused other (smaller) problems down the road? Of course. But, in an economy that is failing, in a time where we already have an energy crisis and a financial crisis to worry about, you would think that they would get off their ivory towers and do what this country needs and stop hoping that the guy next to them will do it instead.

I know they are all up for re-election soon, and because of this many voted against the bill so that if it did cause problems later they could claim "Well, I voted against this" but now we are spiraling into a depression faster than they may be able to control. As a young woman in today's US society, I am really scared of what the future will bring.

It's so frustrating to vote someone into office to protect you and your interests (yes I did vote, so I can say this) and then feel like somehow you are being ignored. It's almost to the point where I feel so unmotivated as to not vote come November. Almost. I know I'll seriously reconsider re-electing someone versus putting someone in office with a fresh perspective who is more in tune with their contituents.

Girl's night!

So even though I moved here almost a year ago, I still don't really know many girls here. It's hard to get to know people when the friends you do make have to relocate to a state far far away when their significant others get reassigned to a new station. I have made some friends, but most of them are bf's friends, who shockingly are male... (note the sarcasm) So, I am super excited that I have been invited to a Girl's Night tonight with a woman I met this weekend who is one of bf's good friend's fiancees, if that makes sense.

Anyway, she invited me to her place to have dinner and drinks and a sex and the city night to celebrate the DVD release. It's great because I like S&TC and haven't seen the movie yet and I get to have a fun night with some new people :) No boys allowed ;) Plus, tonight is the best television night of the week, so bf and I are DVR-ing our favorite shows and plan to just kick back tomorrow night and have a TV night to catch up on all our favorites ;) It's shaping up to be a pretty good weekend so far and it hasn't even started!

Another amazing thing we are doing this weekend is going to Diamond Head Winery to make our own wine! I'm super pumped. For those of you that know me well, you know how exciting this is for me since I LOVE wine. It's my drink of choice usually for nice dinners out... or casual dinners in sometimes too hehe. I will let you all know how this endevour goes as it may yield something great, or I may find that my talents lie outside the realm of wineries.

Anyway, Yay for Thursdays and it almost being the weekend!

prime time!

So I know that television is not the best diversion when there are so many more engaging things like "exercise" or reading, or learning a new skill like cooking or sewing... wait what, sewing? haha scratch that...., and I realize that these other things may be more worthy of my time. However, I still find TV to be so entertaining and I am so happy that season premiere days are upon us! Tonight, the first premiers I am excited to see are happening. We even got DVR so we can record our favorite shows that conflict.

Honestly, i am only excited about the shows offered on Thursday and Sunday evenings, so the other nights of the week I will engage myself with worthy activities. But for those two nights, there are so many good shows to distract myself with. Tonight is the premier of Smallville season EIGHT and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season FOUR. If you have never seen it's always sunny, I highly recommend it. Not many people know of its greatness because not a lot of people that I know watch the shows offered on FX. Let me tell you, the last season of Sunny had more "laugh out loud" moments than I can count. Granted, many of those moments were offensively funny, but still a riot!

I know where BF and I will be come 7 o clock tonight. Spread out on our couch with food and beverages waiting for the hilarity to start :) Show times in Hawaii are all messed up though, so hopefully not too many of our shows will conflict. Yay DVR :)

so many decisions

The time is fast approaching for Andy and I to be making some pretty huge decisions. We are still waiting to hear if we are officially out, but if so, we will be free from the Army come late spring time and since that is just around the bend, we have been trying to prepare for all the decisions we have to make.

We went to an informational meeting last night concerning the transition from military life to the civilian/business world. It was actually a very good seminar and put a lot of things in perspective for us. As to where we are going and what we will be doing when this "tour" is over, I can't say just yet, mostly because I just don't know yet. I do know that it will almost certainly be MUCH closer to home, definitely not across any oceans if we can help it! But from there, it's like, OK now how do you narrow it down? Obviously it would be nice if we could go home for a while, but what if that's not practical or simply not possible with jobs that are available?

I am getting so tired of uncertainty and can't wait until we have something real and concrete to go on. I really miss the days where my parents decided everything for me and all I had to do was show up. I never realized being an adult would be so stressful at times. Hopefully I'll only have to deal with this uncertainty for a few more months. Please pray for us that it all goes like we want it to.

surprises

Andy told me last night he got me a present but it won't be here until a week or so from now. He always tells me these kinds of things because he knows how crazy it makes me!! I like surprises, but when I know a surprise is coming, I can't stop thinking about it and what could be going on. Ahh!! He won't tell me what it is or where he got it from, so I just have to sit and wait and wonder. He spoils me though :) He gets me little things that make me feel special all the time. I can't wait to see what he has in store for me this time :)

another beautiful weekend

Hey everyone. I hope you all had a great weekend. I know I did. Andy took me to the zoo Sunday which I have been wanting to do for weeks! It was fun. Honolulu has a really nice zoo! It's not as nice as Cincy's but then again, Cincy does have one of the top zoos in the country. My favorites this time around were the elephants. Their enclosure is being remodeled so they had these two giant elephants in this tiny little enclosure. I felt kind of bad for them, but I know their new digs are going to be awesome. We saw it when we walked past, so hopefully they won't have to suffer too long.

The only casualty of the day unfortunately was my face hahaha. I have the WORST farmer's tan from my sunglasses. Andy was laughing at me last night when I took off my makeup. You could really see these huge red lines that pretty much make the perfect glasses shape on my face. I look really lovely ;)

I'm glad we got to go though. It was a really fun day that we topped off with a trip to the pool. Splashing around is always fun, especially since we were the only two people in the pool so we could play around and not bother anyone. Our favorite game is "dunking katie..." did i say OUR favorite? I meant andy's. He thinks it's funny to come up with new and creative ways of throwing me around in the pool. I may secretly like it a little though ;)

musings on manners

Welcome back from the long Labor Day Weekend everyone! I know I was sitting around relaxing all weekend enjoying the idea of 3 whole days without work. *Le sigh* it was wonderful. Andy and I continued our celebration of our reunion by going to two of our favorite restaurants this weekend, and one is looking right out over the harbor and they gave us one of the best tables in the house. It was a BEA-utiful night :) Hope all of your weekends were as relaxing and great as mine :)

However, there is one thing that happened this weekend that I wanted to post about. I'm trying not to gripe here, more a "musing on manners" if you will. Andy and I went to see the movie Pineapple Express this weekend. Granted, it's not going to be winning any Academy Awards and the movie was about stoners, but it was humorous in its' own way.

Anyway, we went to a show in the middle of the afternoon hoping it wouldn't be too crowded but we were wrong. It was super crowded. About 10 minutes into the show, a few guys came in and sat next to us, which is fine although i do think it's rude to show up late to the show. But the person next to me found this movie to be absolutely HILARIOUS. Like, to the point that he kept repeating the lines and laughing (loudly) like (OMG DUDE, HE JUST SAID ****!!! AHAHAHAHA) and his laugh was so incredibly loud that the dialogue kept being drowned out by this one man's laughter.

Now, I'm all for enjoying yourself at the movies, I mean that's what they are made for, but when your enjoyment means no one else can enjoy the movie? I really think the guy had to be on drugs. Like I said, it was a stoner movie, so no big surprise there. Am I the only one this upsets? Like I said, not trying to rant, just trying to point out that yes, please have a good time when you go to the movies, but try to have fun and let other people enjoy it too. If you can't hear the next joke because you're still repeating the last joke you found so funny, no one around you can hear it either!

Happy Days

Yesterday I got some pretty amazing news. I can't say what it is just yet as I don't want to jinx it, but just know that I feel so amazingly happy right now. Happier than I have been in a long time. And it's a wonderful feeling :)

In other news, I LOVE nintendo Wii haha. This week we got Dance Dance Revolution, house of the dead 2 and 3 and MARIO KART which has always been my favorite game, but is definitely my favorite Wii game. (I think I even like it better than guitar hero!!) I think Andy and i played video games for about 3 hours yesterday. Some might say it's a waste of time, but it's so interactive, and it gives us something fun to do together besides watch tv. And I know, some think playing video games is just as bad, but I don't think it can be bad if we are encouraging each other and laughing together and doing something that we both enjoy :)

Life has been great since getting back to Hawaii. And tonight will be great too because tonight is spaghetti night! MMM Andy makes the most amazing homemade spaghetti sauce. I always eat way too much on spaghetti night, but we are splurging this week to celebrate being together again :) I'll post more on the good news as it's confirmed :)

Back in the Rainbow State :)

If anyone reads this, I have made it back to Hawaii safely! :) I got rerouted at the last minute to make sure I wouldn't miss my connection since my original flight was delayed, but I got here safe and sound, and my luggage even made it!! I get to pick up andy in about 6 hours, and I am so excited. It's been over 30 days since I last saw him, so you can imagine that I am about out of my mind with anticipation :)

I went back to work today to find that they had moved me from my cube while I was gone. And get this, now I have my own OFFICE... SERIOUSLY?! That's awesome! haha I have no idea why they would give me my own office considering I don't technically even work for the company... I just take up space in their building while working for another company. But hey, it works for me :) I get to shut my door if ppl are bugging me woohoo!

Although, when I got there today the office was locked and no one who was there that blasted early in the morning had a key, so I got to work from home today. And let me tell ya, as nice as an office is... I think I like working from home better. I feel more comfortable, I get to throw in a load of laundry between tasks, I get to play music while I work, and honestly I get more done. But oh well, company policy says you only get to work from home on special occassions, like getting locked out of your office.

I am thoroughly enjoying my day, and must say I am sad that I have to go back tomorrow. But oh well, at least I got a little slice of heaven today :) And I can't wait to see my guy tonight :)

one more day

I can't believe how quickly time flies. I feel like I have only been home a week, yet here it is, a month later and I am getting ready to go back to Hawaii. We had a big family dinner tonight with my brothers and their kids and my aunt and uncle and cousins came too and it was so great to see everyone. We were at Cabana Bar which was also awesome because all the seating is outside and it's right on the river. It's really pretty there. A little hot, but worth it. I know I'm really going to miss them when I'm away. Especially the kids. They are so cute, and I know I'm biased, but I really do think they are some of the cutest kids alive ;)

Apart from missing the fam though, I am really excited to get back to my apartment, and my andy :) It's nice knowing that he probably won't have to go anywhere else until Christmas, and even then, it's coming home to Ohio with me. It's going to be nice to be in one place for longer than 30 days heh.

And now, it's 10:30 on a Friday night, and I am perfectly content to be lame and go to sleep right now. Work was really tiring this week. Better to be busy than being bored though! To all of you that I saw while at home thanks for making my stay great. For those of you I missed, call me and we'll get together at Christmas! Aloha!

oh how we forget

My post today is titled "oh how we forget" because I got stung by a flying insect this weekend, and it wasn't a bee or a wasp or a hornet even, but seriously looked like a FLYING ANT THAT EATS FLESH!! Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating that last part, but it seriously looked like a flying ant. It had the body of an ant, it had wings, and it STINGS. So, why the forgetting part? Well, I haven't been stung by anything since I was probably around 12 years old. In my mind looking back, I had begun to suspect that it was not as bad as I remembered, and that my childhood fear of stinging insects was silly because I was sure that I had exaggerated the pain in my mind.

OH NO. It HURT, and what's more, it's been 4 days and the sucker still hurts, and it itches like crazy!!! If I cannot resist the urge and itch, the whole left side of my wrist swells and turns red. It is not pretty. But don't worry, it wasn't a poisonous flying any. No symptoms other than that. I think after this experience, I won't think of little kids as necessarily whiny anymore. To them, it does hurt that bad. I just hope I can avoid the little devils (insects, not children) in the future.

On another note, I found out Andy comes home earlier than expected! Yay :)

last week home for a while

Well, it's my last week at home until Christmas. It's always bittersweet to go back to Hawaii. Leaving my friends and family is always hard, but going home to see Andy, the man I love more than anything, is always such an amazing feeling. I really think that the distances and the times apart make us stronger. I mean sure, it's hard to be away from the person you care about for extended periods of time, but we've been together almost 4 years and I still get the butterflies in my stomach when I see him after such times apart. It's great. I know after a while that feeling of newness usually fades in a relationship, but with us, we just get used to seeing each other when we're dragged apart again. So it really makes our reunions so special and breathtaking and weak-in-the-knees amazing :) I am really excited to see him, especially knowing he doesn't have to travel anymore until he and I go home for Christmas. And even then, we get to go somewhere together! Woo!

Speaking of going back, I am looking for new recipes for yummy dinners. If anyone reading this has a great recipe, let me know so I can try it out!

Anyway, things are good right now. This week is going to be super busy trying to see everyone that I can before I leave. I think I have something going on almost every night this week, so it looks like I'll be super tired again every day this week, but it's worth it to spend time with the people you care about :) If you want to see me before I leave, call the cell, that's the best way to get ahold of me!

boo movie execs

So I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning to start out with. Very much not looking forward to another fun filled day of work, and I get to work, open my internet browser and immidiately see this : http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a122977/new-potter-film-release-postponed.html informing me that the MUCH anticipated 6th Harry Potter movie is not being released now until next SUMMER.

Granted, this isnt like the end of the world, but I was already having a bad day, and now this. What's next? Cancelling the 7th movie?! Grrrr. Ooh if that happened I'd have to fly to Hollywood myself and force them to make it. I know, I know, I'm a bit of a HP freak, I'm a nerd what can I say. But seriuosly, boo to movie execs who don't care about fans and who only care about the most potential for a huge profit margin. Blah. At least it's Friday.

sports

Usually I'm not that into sports, but I have to say, with the excitement of the Olympics, and the arrival of the Bengal's pre-season, I'm pretty pumped. I didn't really get to experience the football season last year since I was in Hawaii for most of it, so I kind of forgot just how much fun getting together with your friends to watch the game can be. As much as I used to resist them, I now embrace watching the games. It brings such a fun atmosphere and even though we usually only wind up watching about 10 minutes of actual game time, it's always fun!

That being said, I had so much fun watching the game last night, and I can't wait to go to the game this weekend! I know, it's only the preseason, but it's probably the only game I'll get to go to this year, so I'm going to make it count :) WHO-DEY!

one step at a time

After a great weekend with Amanda, which included the most AMAZING opening ceremonies of the Olympics EVER and lots of wine and skyline, I heard a song on the radio that I'd heard before but had never really listened to the lyrics before and it really struck me because it's exactly how I've been feeling lately. So here are the lyrics by the lovely jordin sparks...

We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It's gonna happen when it's
Supposed to happen and we
Find the reasons why
One step at a time

When you can't wait any longer
But there's no end in sight
(When you need to find the strength)
It's the faith that makes you stronger
The only way we get there
Is one step at a time

old friends :)

Well, it's finally Friday. Hooray for Fridays! I am very excited because this weekend I am going on a road trip to visit a college friend. I always have fun when I go to visit Amanda, so I'm very much looking forward to the trip. I love getting together with Amanda because she's one of the only people I can drink wine and be silly with where we don't have to go out to feel cool and we can just laugh at ourselves and have an amazing time no matter where we are.

I have to say, this week is all about seeing old friends. Last night I had dinner with my friend Jen whom I haven't seen in over a year. We must have sat and talked for over two hours each contributing great stories and updates to the conversation. I love how you can go months without seeing someone, but right when the two of you get together, it's like no time has passed. I really think those are the kind of friendships that we should cherish, because they are hard to come by. So thanks Jen for being awesome and for providing me with a stress free night of GREAT conversation :)

I also get to see Brittany this weekend, who I have not seen for probably two years. I am excited to see her. I am sad that I can't go to her wedding next month, so I hope this in some way sort of makes up for it. But, seeing as I live so far away, it's no surprise that I can't go. But oh well, hopefully her day is so full of happiness that she won't even notice I'm not there (which I'm sure it will be!)

So, today I'm in a great mood. I love getting together with old friends. It makes you realize how even when you don't talk to someone in a while, you've made such an impact on their life and they have on yours, that you will still always make time for each other in the future.

Starting Out

Hey all,

In case you don't know me, I'm katie. I live about as far away from my family as possible, and no, I'm not one of those people that had to get away as far and as quickly as I could. If I had it my way, we'd all be in the same place, but life is funny like that. Sometimes you wind up places you never dreamed you would be. And as much as I love my life now, unexpected as it was, sometimes it is hard being so distant from everyone.

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with this life of mine. Eventually I want to go back to school and get a graduate degree. My biggest problem right now is deciding what to study... do I like what I do now enough to study it and make it my career? Or should I go back and find a more creative outlet? I have some time to figure it all out, but it's really hard. I thought once I got my undergrad degree I knew what I wanted to do with my life, but somehow I find myself with all the same questions. Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually.

Anyway, I know this was a vague post, and rather uninformative, but it's my first try, so you know, give me a break ;) I haven't blogged in about 3 years and I hope this time I can keep it up. Wish me luck!