A Likely Story!

Another Year...

Another set of resolutions.

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that each year I make birthday resolutions. (Thanks for reading, btw!)  For those of you new to my blog...guess what?? I make birthday resolutions each year.

Now that we're all caught up...

Here's what I wrote last year.

More and more, it seems that the secret to having any semblance of a good life...at least a life in Kathyland...is for me to listen to my gut feelings.  It's a lesson I've learned time and time again...when I listen, good things happen. When I don't, not so good things happen.  Pretty simple, right?

I've also had plenty of practice knowing what is a REAL gut feeling...and what is the feeling that I want to be a gut feeling, but isn't. And won't. And never will be. It's tough at times.  But ultimately, if I really put my best interest at the forefront, I manage to do what's right for me.

This year I ventured out of my shell a little more than normal. Now you may wonder 'what's that all about'?  Kath's usually pretty much outgoing and up for a great adventure. That would be partly true. Lots of times I am. But an equal amount of time I want to stay in, vege, think, dream and disconnect. The problem is, if I do too much of that I start to sink into hermitudiness (made up word),  which isn't a good place for me to be.

This year saw me getting more involved in Ignite Boulder, in Tweetups, in meeting people IRL that I only knew on Twitter or Facebook. Getting more involved in work-related areas. I took more risks, both professionally and personally. I disagreed more. I listened more. I tried to live genuinely each day....more in the moment...more aware. I said WTF more. Laughed a hell of a lot more. Tried to see other's perspectives way more than before.  I said yes when I needed to and wasn't afraid to say no, even tho that is never easy for me to say.

I took another huge risk and decided to get a roommate. Then shortly after getting a roommate, decided to attempt selling my house during a time when not a lot of homes were selling. My gut told me to go for it, so even tho it was scary (holy shit, was it scary!!) and wound up being expensive at times, I did it. After 7 attempts at closing the sale, it took the 8th time. Living close to work is my reward, which I am loving on a daily basis.

Probably the hardest part of the year was asking for and being open to receiving help. Not just once or twice but many times. Learned lots of lessons and have a whole new outlook on the art of giving and receiving.

Although I've always been fairly confident in myself and my abilities, this year I came into a new level of self-confidence. I know I will land on my feet, no matter what happens. I know my housing situations will work themselves out and I will find what I need to have and have to need. I've developed an amazing group of friends that have my total trust, respect and a tons of love. I have a job I truly adore & co-workers that amaze & impress me every day. And while I'm no where near perfect, I am perfectly Kath.

And I'm fine with that. More than fine.

Still?  This post is about resolutions.

So for the next 365 days, I have 3 resolutions. Wanna hear them?  Looks like you have no choice.

They are :

#1-To make my physical/mental/emotional health a priority 

#2-To be in my next house by my next birthday

#3-Keep listening...always keep listening

Thanks for reading, thanks for caring, thanks for being my friend.  I can't wait to see what this next year holds.

Kath xo :-)

'Twas The Night Before Ignite

Read all about it...

Andrew's Blog

Our Awesome Speakers

Everything You Need To Know Before You Go

See you there as Ignite Boulder VII comes alive!

Happy Friday :)

Short but sweet Friday Love List :

* Love being so close to work

* Love sunny days

* Love whoever invented ice melt for they are a genius

* Love it when I listen to my gut feeling and it turns out to be right. Again.

* Love a weekend with nothing on the agenda but a couple of errands & lots of free time

* Love Colorado

* Love my family

* Love my friends

* Love you  :-)

Happy Friday!

Adios Kansas

It happened. It FINALLY happened!

After the first buyer dropped out 3 days before I was supposed to close (right after I signed a lease on a 6 month rental and MOVED IN), then putting my house BACK on the market, then three offers in just under 2 weeks, then having the closing pushed back again and again and again then again several more times....I finally closed the sale of my house Tuesday Nov 24 at 11 am.

And I breathed the biggest sigh of relief possible. Seriously.

This was a test in patience, trusting a process I had no control over, stretching myself financially in ways that proved to be uncomfortable and at times embarrassing, and basically living each day at a time and trusting in the Universe, God, Karma that I was doing the right thing for the right reason. Which I knew I was doing from the start.

This move was all for love.

I love where I work. Love the people I work with and the company I represent. I wanted to live closer to work. The commute had grown long, stressful, expensive, tiring and more. Altho I loved my house (still do!) it was in the wrong location for me. I wanted/needed/had to be closer to work. And now I am. 3 minute drive and in warmer weather a 25 minute walk. I sleep longer. I spend WAY less money on gas...which came in handy for the two months that I paid rent AND a mortgage. I am much kinder to the environment. And I am happy. Since Tuesday at 12:15 my stress level plummeted with the news that I'd finally (FINALLY!!) closed.

As much as this stressed me, I found out 2 days before we finally closed that the buyers had been trying to plan their wedding around this move. The 2 1/2 week delay had taken a toll on the couple and the bride-to-be was close to a mental breakdown over the delay. When I heard that news, I felt horrible for them. I can't even imagine the stress of planning a wedding and not being in the house you needed to be in.  They were scheduled to be married this past Wednesday, the day after we closed.

As I cleaned my house for the final time last Saturday, I often thought of how the new owners would like living in my house. Would they have lots of family and friends over? Would they appreciate the killer sunsets that you have almost every day out in KS?  Would they come to appreciate and value the neighbors as much as I had? Would they love and laugh and enjoy the house as much as I had?

I left them a housewarming card next to the pile of appliance manuals, paint chips, and contact info for the furnace and garage door repair. Wished them love and happiness and many warm and lovely memories in the years to come. I asked them to enjoy my house...their house...and to take good care of it. 

I walked from room to room and thanked my house for sheltering me and being my sanctuary over the last (almost) 4 years. Then I backed out of my driveway, took this picture, and drove off into another beautiful Colorado sunset and towards the next chapter of my life.

Adios Kansas. You were my landing place when I moved from FL to CO to start my life over. And now you'll be the landing place for a newlywed couple starting their life together. Be good to them and shelter them as you've sheltered me. And always remind them that there's no place like home.

Yeah, Not So Much

Ok. 3rd time was NOT the charm...not even close :-(

Woke up at 4:30 AM...yes, in the morning before the sun comes up, so I would be at my house at 7, all set to go to prepare for the movers. Not so much. As it used to be trafficky when I commuted to work, it's even trafficikier in the opposite direction. 

Arrived at 8 and promptly salted the driveway to get rid of the remaining ice (my buddy Tami stopped by the night before to shovel for me...huge huge help to me...thanks Sistah!)

Movers arrived at 8:30 on the dot. Sweet, polite, kind and professional. They did an AWESOME job and for anyone looking to move anywhere in Colorado/Utah, call Allied-Bailey's Moving and Storage...they totally rock.

As I was writing the check while the last load was wheeled out, my realtor called to tell me that once again, my house did not close. I can't even begin to express my level of dissapointment. Seems the underwriters these days are pickier than they've ever been and keep asking for verification after verification. 

Urgggg. SO. FRUSTRATING.

Not much I could do since I was scheduled to head on into work. I can only control what I have control over. Things like my emotions. How I react. How I choose to react. 

And how I chose to react was get myself home as quickly as possible, change, and get into work asap.  Life goes on and my full attention was needed to be at work and make sure a coworker's first day on the job was phenomenal. So that's what I did.

My realtor called with an update to say that we're gonna try this again tomorrow. 

Seriously am not getting my hopes up. I afraid to do that anymore.  Figuring it will happen when it's meant to happen.

Wondering what lessons the Universe wants me to learn from this experience. Definitely patience. And maybe finetuning my 'grace under pressure' skills? Perseverance?  Who knows!!??

At any rate, I'm still staying positive and hoping for a quick close.

Thanks for stopping by :-)

3rd Time's The Charm?

Certainly hope so!The closing on the sale of my house has not gone as smoothly as I had hoped. 

(huge understatement).

Long story short, I signed my share of the documents Tuesday morning. The buyers are scheduled to sign off at 12 noon on Thursday, which is about the same time as the movers should be finished loading my household goods onto their truck.

And hopefully (pretty please God & Universe & Karma) all will go smoothly, my house will finally close, and the proceeds will make it to my account swiftly.

I truly hope I will have some great news for you in my next post. 

Waiting and trusting in the Universe.

:-)

Almost There...

Scheduled to close this Tuesday morning at 9 am MST.

Fingers crossed all goes well between now and then.

Final update on Thursday,

Happy Weekend :-)

You Know You're From Colorado If...

(Something I found on the interwebs - enjoy!)

A winter statistic:

98% OF AMERICANS SCREAM BEFORE GOING IN THE DITCH ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. THE OTHER 2% ARE FROM COLORADO AND THEY SAY, 'HOLD MY SODA AND WATCH THIS.

NOW:

You're from Colorado if You'll eat ice cream in the winter.

When the weather report says it's going to be 65 degrees, you shave your legs and wear a skirt.

It snows 5 inches and you don't expect school to be canceled.

You'll wear flip flops every day of the year, regardless of temperature.

You have no accent at all, but can hear other people's. And then you make fun of them.

Every movie theater has military and student discounts

'Humid' is over 25%. (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!)

Your sense of direction is: Toward the mountains and Away from the mountains. (Totally!)

You say 'the interstate' and everybody knows which one.

You think that May is a totally normal month for a blizzard. 

You buy your flowers to set out on Mother's day, but try and hold off planting them until just before Father's day.

You grew up planning your Halloween costumes around your coat.

You know what the Continental Divide is.

You don't think Coors beer is that big a deal.

You went to Casa Bonita as a kid, and as an adult. (But God forbid you eat there!)

You've gone off-roading in a vehicle that was never intended for such activities. (Not by choice, but yeah!)

You always know the elevation of where you are.

You wake up to a beautiful, 80 degree day and you wonder if it's going to snow tomorrow. 

**You don't care that some company renamed it, the Broncos still play at Mile High**

Everybody wears jeans to church.

You actually know that ** South Park ** is a real place not just a show on TV. 

You know what a 'trust fund hippy' is, and you know its natural habitat is Boulder 

You know you're talking to a fellow Coloradoan when they call it Elitches, not Six Flags. 

A bear on your front porch doesn't bother you.

Your two favorite teams are the Broncos and whoever is beating the crap out of the Raiders. 

When people out East tell you they have mountains in their state too, you just laugh.

You go anywhere else on the planet and the air feels 'sticky' and you notice the sky is no longer blue

Friday Love List

It's been ages, so here ya go.

* White furniture. I've gone back and forth (white? expresso? black?) and decided when all is said and done, I prefer white. Time to own it & move forward.

* The ocean. I saw it last week and didn't realize how much I missed it. Here, take a look for yourself.

* No more second-guessing myself. 

* Solitude (every now and then, it's a must have)

* Garlic mashed potatoes. Cheese. Bacon. All-rolled-into-one-glorious-meal.

* The possibility of a weekend and all that can be accomplished/experienced

* October in Colorado 

* You :-)

Have a great weekend!!

Happy Birthday Larkin!

It's incredibly difficult to write anything of substance concerning my friend Larkin and not have it sound like I'm part of a huge Larkin fan club...even tho I sorta kinda am a huge fan of him.

Once you meet Larkin, you never forget him. And the more you get to know him, the more you want to know him.

For starters?

Larkin's funny! Outgoing. Helpful. Bon Vivant-ish. Loyal. Introspective. Warm. Kind. Make that very very kind. Authentic. 

I could go on and on but really, all you need to do is read his blog, see him in action, check out his pix...and you'll see what I mean.

Boulder is definitely a better place for having Larkin as a neighbor.  And I'm definitely a better person for having Larkin as a friend. Most definitely.

So happiest of birthdays, Larkin.   If I had to sum up my birthday wishes for you into one quote, it'd be "May life love you as much as you love life".  Cause no one loves life as much as you do!

Hugs,

Kath :-)

San Diego...So Far

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Here's a couple thousands of words to mull over.

Happy Saturday :-)

Gratitude

Long time no post, I know!

House is still on the market. Activity has been steady over the last week but no offers as of this second. Hopefully soon..really really soon  :-)

Leaving for San Diego in a few hours to see my adorably awesome friend Aree. She started out being a client, turned into a really good friend (Jager Bombs will do that to a friendship!) and now she is really part of my 'family' - she's adopted us and we've adopted her. So there you have it!

When the house deal fell thru, I texted Aree to inform her that my trip was off. Didn't see how I could afford a trip at this point. Yeah, the ticket was paid for but everything else? Not so much. No budget for In-N-Out, much less Jager Bombs.

Aree insisted. She said I needed to get away. That I needed a break and she needed a break. She told me that all my drinks/food/In-N-Out runs will be paid for. She's my Sugar Momma for the weekend. And if I didn't get my butt on the plane as scheduled, she would make my life very unpleasant.

Alrighty then!

So I'm packing to leave for San Diego and will spend the weekend hanging with Aree, some of my family, some of Aree's friends, we'll pay our respects to the lovely Pacific Ocean in all her glorious wetness and homage will equally be paid to my all-time fave "In-N-Out'...cause a trip to Cali is not complete without a visit. 

As I've written in the past it's sometimes difficult for me to accept. Giving? Not a problem. Accepting? I'm working on it. And learning that there needs to be a balance.

So many of my friends - all you guys - have been extra giving and loving over this last couple of weeks...the comments, the hugs (especially the hugs!), the help...it's all be much appreciated.

Thanks Aree for this weekend..I can't wait to see you and I KNOW we'll have a blast. 

And one of these days...hopefully soon...we'll reconvene at MY house - where ever that will be - and we'll have our Aree comes to Denver celebration.

Will all of you invited, of course :-)

Happy Thursday!

Take Two

House is back on the market & we're hoping this time will be the charm.

While I am dissapointed, I am not defeated. I hate the phrase 'it all happens for a reason' but I do believe it.

My realtor called at 2:08 this afternoon to tell me the buyer backed out (for privacy reasons, I'm not going to say why) and that she had already put my house back on the market. Shortly before 5, I was notified of a showing for tomorrow morning. So the wheels are already moving forward and that's a good thing.

Thanks so much to so many of you for your concern, support and love. It has meant the world to me and helps like you can't believe.

My faith and my trust in the Universe, God and my wonderful realtor remain.

Sooner or later (hopefully sooner!) my house will sell and it will be the sale that was meant to be.

So nnsd from here and thanks for being there for me.

:-)

Keepin' It Real...

Not gonna sugar-coat it. There is a huge snag in the process of selling my house.  The buyer has some serious issues they need to fix by this Friday or else the contract is broken and my house goes back on the market.

Of course, no one wants this to happen, especially me, but really - no one wants it to happen.

So for now I am thinking positive and trying to stay calm. It's hard, but I know that all of you are pulling for me, so I'm choosing to look at this setback as a challenge I need to learn from.

Assuming positive intent all the way around yet being realistic as to what can happen. And at this point all I can do (that I have control over) is hit 'Publish' then call it a night.

So nnsd from here and I'll keep ya posted :-)

Check That Off The List!

At last!

Found a cool place to live with a cool roomie and his equally cool doggie!  Yay! I get to live with a dog again!

Signed my lease today and my buddy Rosalicious and her fiance Kev are helping me move a bed, nightstands & a small dresser to my new place tomorrow. I'll continue to drop stuff at the new place thruout the week and will make the final run to my place Friday morning.

Yes, Friday morning!

Seems the buyers wanted to get in a little early and since Oct 12 (my original close date) turns out to be a bank holiday, all parties decided to close this Friday instead.

THIS FRIDAY!  

As in, I don't have a  full Saturday & Sunday night to clean the house before I leave. Yes, some of you may scoff, but it's a personal pride commitment I have to turning over my property. And that is to leave it as clean for them as I'd like it left for me if I was moving in. That, and karma!

So, back to Friday!

The movers (and me) need to be here at the buttcrack of dawn so the house can be finished in time for the closing. Eek!  It's coming down to the wire!  Can I do it? Will I be ready? OMG, this is really happening!

Yes, I can do it. Yes, I'll be ready, Yes, it's really happening.

But if I want any of the above 3 statements to come true, I'll need to get offline and get busy.

So bye for now :-)

Operation Adios KS is almost complete :-)

For Those Playing Along At Home

No news yet on where I'm gonna live post move. 

Soon tho...very soon.

Happy Thursday :-)

Neverending Excitement & General Giddyness Recap

Dudes! Dudettes!  How ya doing?

All's well here in Kathyland :-)

Operation Adios Kansas, aka selling my house, is progessing very well.

An offer was made, I countered, they countered, we signed!

House inspection went off without a hitch - no repairs to anything needed.  Getting quotes on movers tomorrow. House gets appraised next week.

Have talked to several potential roomies but nothing's in stone as of now. Soon, I hope.

Even tho I am under contract, I've kept my house pretty much spotless and in super clean/orderly 'show' mode. My realtor had it staged and the end result was very cute. So I keep it clean to honor the work that went into staging it and cause I like the end result. If anything, keeping it clean and spotless has made me focus on the whole process.  

Even tho it's more work to do as I prepare to leave for work each day, it grounds me and makes me conscious of what this is all about.  Which is selling a place I love and treasure as my private sanctuary and soon it may become (hopefully?) someone else's private sanctuary.

Just a couple of weeks left of my life in KS (cross fingers & knock on wood).

Life is once again being very generous to me and I am grateful in return.

Over and out from Kathyland :-)

Pick 5

Let's say you are packing up the entire contents of your home and putting everything in long-term storage for 6-8 months. Hypothetically.

Not counting clothes/shoes/necessary toiletries, what 5 things do you also take with you?  Creature comforts? Things that you need to get thru the day/week/month?  What would drive you absolutely crazy if you could not use it/see it/hear it/have access to it for 6-8 months?

Reason I ask?

I sold my house! In 4 days. Yippee!

3 weeks from today a moving van will pull up in front of my house & pack up everything I own. All my stuff is going into storage and I'll only have the basics. Have no idea where I'll be living...still working on that detail...but I'm not worried or stressed over it. It will all work out according to plan.

So tell me...what would you take with you? Why? 

I did this very same thing when I sold my FL house and moved in with my buddy Howard. At that time, I took a Queen Bed, one of my 2 nightstands, a small rectangular shelf for my CD's and personal paperwork, and a plastic bin that held all my financial records. Oh, and a really cool -really huge- picture of the dunes in Sarasota, FL. When I found my house in CO, the FL movers took all my stuff out of storage, stopped by Howard's condo to load up my remaining belongings, threw my truck on as well, and I flew out to CO while they drove.

This time?  I'm thinking of taking my King Size bed cause it's the best bed Ive ever slept on and I figure if I'm gonna be in transition, at least I'll sleep well. Still not 100% on that, however. We'll see.

So that's why I'm asking. 

Leave comments or links to your posts.

Happy Friday :-)

On Your Wedding Day

To my lovely wonderful kind hysterically funny about-to-be-married Jillian -

Today is your wedding day. You've dreamed about this day for your entire life. And while I so wish I could be there to see you walk down the aisle, say your wedding vows, see your first dance with Patrick and watch your special day unfold, I sadly will be there in spirit only.

From my own experience, this day will fly by. You will be the center of attention from sunup to sundown and even later than that. Enjoy it. Bask in all the love and attention and good wishes. Don't forget to eat. I'll say that again...don't forget to eat. Lots of wedding toasts + no food in the tummy = uh oh.

Live in each moment. It might be hard, but try. Not only are you thrilled to see all your friends and guests, but they are also thrilled and excited to see you. You will get hugged more this day than any other day of your life. Hugs are never a bad thing and even more special on your wedding day,  so savor each and every one of them.

Your first dance with your beloved Dad will be awesome & amazing. You two are so close, you are his only little girl (no matter how old you are, you are always your Dad's little girl) and I'm already tearing up thinking how special that dance will be and how you'll treasure it for the rest of your life.

You are a beautiful and loyal friend and Patrick is getting the best possible wife and life-partner ever. In sad times and happy times and trying times, you will be there for him, as you've been there for all your friends...especially for me!

Have a happy, wonderful wedding of a lifetime today, Jillian!

Love and all the best to you and Patrick -

xoxo

Kath

Convo With A Friend

Me : House is on the market

A : Hugh Laurie is single?

Me : As of when?

A : I don't know...you said House was on the market.

Happy Thursday :-)

Operation "Adios Kansas"

...commences tomorrow.

My life is changing. With change on the side. And a smidge of change for dessert.

Early last week I was reading in my room. Couldn't really concentrate on my book, so I vegged out to watch my ceiling fan turn. After several minutes I said out loud, 'OK, just give me a sign, allright?".

The next day my roomie told me she was moving.

Be careful what you ask for, huh??

Taking everything into account, I decided that the time has come for me to bid adios to KS. Now you all know - or should know - that I really don't live in KS. It feels like it tho.

Signing real estate paperwork tomorrow and my house goes on the market on Thursday. I am hoping for a quick, easy, fair transaction. Crossed fingers, prayers, good karma wished and happy thoughts of moving would be greatly appreciated.

Yes I've been cleaning/decluttering/organizing like a maniac.  Yes I am probably gilding the lily cause my house is pretty clean to begin with. Yes, I am continuing to clean anyway cause that's how I roll.

My 'grand plan' is to sell my house and find a room to rent from a friend or friend of friend for 5-9 months, then find a house/townhome to buy. I will definitely move closer to work...that is the main reason for my move. 

So now the cat's out of the bag!

I love my house and wish I could pick it up and take it with me. But I can't. So instead I'm focusing on everything running smoothly...and if it doesn't I will pretend it does :-)...and hopefully being outta here before Nov 1.

Burying a Saint Joseph stature tomorrow cause you can never be too sure!

So there you have it. Ready for the next challenge in my life and can't wait to see how it unfolds.

Stay tuned for further updates!

Next Chapter

My roomie moved out in the wee hours of the morning.

Her requested transfer came thru earlier than expected so she took advantage of her vacation time and jumped on the opportunity to accomplish as much as possible before she heads off to Tokyo next week.

For someone I've only known since late June, and was my roomie from late July, we got to be pretty close.  I was on a mission to introduce her to all my local Denver/Boulder peeps, we went out several times, her Mom came for a short visit and stayed with us, and we laughed at anything and everything.

While I was slightly hesitant at having a housemate once more, I decided to approach it as I approach most anything...open mind, expect the best, and see what I can learn about myself and others in the process.

What did I learn?  

That there are incredible people out there who are kind, adventure-oriented, eat really really healthy, aren't afraid to take chances, and will reciprocate kindness when kindness is offered.  I also learned that I tend to slam the door from the laundry room to the living room (oops) and that I get attached fairly quickly when I find someone I really admire.

Thanks Ondreya for being an awesome roomie :-)

Best of luck in DC and where ever else the friendly skies take you!

Somehow, You Find Yourself Outside The Plane

One of the funniest lines (delivered deadpan) from my buddy Larkin's IgniteBoulder5 Preso

What is Ignite, you may ask? It's THIS!  Bringing it down to the local level we have IgniteBoulder :

Ignite is a night of presentations on a variety of topics, with a twist. Each presentation has 20 slides, that automatically advance after 15 seconds. It is aworldwide movement, and Boulder is hosting our sixth September 16th at 6pm."

IgniteBoulder was conceived by my buddy Andrew Hyde and the first ever IgniteBoulder took place October 29, 2008.  As the year anniversary mark approaches, IgniteBoulder has blossomed into a bi-monthly night of passionate presentations, laughter, geekery and of course, beer.

IgniteBouder 3 was my first Ignite (Andrew asked me to wrangle the mic-ing of the presenters and I was happy to oblige) and I've been attending ever since. After IgniteBoulder 4 a Planing Committee was formed (disclaimer -I'm one of the Planning Crew) and IgniteBoulder 5 brought with it a venue change and a close to sell-out crowd at the Boulder Theatre.

Getting involved with IgniteBoulder has honestly been one of the funnest, most amazing, life-changing choices I've ever made. The friends I've made have welcomed me into their lives and in turn, I've brought several of my close friends into the IgniteBoulder fold, which has served to add additional talent, strengthen bonds of friendship and overall enrich our little community.

I've learned so much!

For starters, my buddies Ef, Blake & Brandon can belt out a tune like no one else!

Also discovered I shouldn't have wasted all that time and money going to college cause  everything I need to know I already knew in the 4th Grade

Erika gave us the 411 on Freebies from Victoria's Secret

Terry spoke on Community (and continues to practice what he preaches to this day)

No decent night of presentations would be complete without a least one mention of bacon and thankfully Rick Bakas  didn't let us down

So. That's what IgniteBoulder 5 was like. IgniteBoulder 6 is now taking submissions for presenters. Talking to you. Yes, YOU!

What are you passionate about? What makes you laugh? Smile? Swoon? What bits of knowledge would you love to impart to the rest of us?

This is your chance, baby. The spotlight calls...will you answer?  Don't keep us from knowing the awesomeness that is you!

Sign up to speak & vote on presentations here

Watch IgniteBoulder5 YouTubery here

See you at the Boulder Theatre on Wednesday, 16 September, doors open at 6 pm. It'll be a night to remember. Especially if you're there!

WHAT A Weekend!

It's Sunday morning and I'm working the late shift today (yay for hiring events!) so before I head off I wanted to share the fabulousness that has been my weekend. It rocked. On so many levels.

Not being one to waste a second of time when it comes to weekending, got busy with the having of fun at 5:01pm on Thursday. First stop? My Dentist!

Yeah, I consider the every-6-month-visit to get your teeth cleaned as a fun event. Not that I think having sharp pointy ouchy objects in my mouth is fun - I totally don't - but the end result where you have super clean teeth is a win.  I'm a huge fan of something you have probably never used before.  I'm the only one at my Dentist's practice that requests it. It's messy and loud but the end results are totally worth it. Feels like you have brand new teeth.

With that out of the way for another 6 months, I was off to see my buddies Jeff, Floyd & Seth (better known as MCQ) at the Boulder Fringe Festival.  I've been a loyal (very loyal!) fan of MCQ since they were hatched and I can honestly say this was one of their best shows, if not the best. Endearingly goofy and musically talented they sang new songs and old (let's hear it for 'Commando'). And they made me laugh. Lots. Which is always good.

Afterwards I introduced them to the awesomeness that is Rio Boulder w/ margs to die for!! which are best enjoyed while on the roof of the Rio. Some kids don't get out much...count MCQ in that category :)

Ended my foray into Boulder by hanging out with my buddy Larkin  (Hi Larkin!) who pretty much defines the phrase 'awesome & amazing'. 

Started my Friday the way I start all my Fridays...sleeping in!!  Highly underrated and always a bright spot in my weekend. Another bright spot in my weekend was meeting up with my friend Shmeder (Hi Shmeder!!) to catch up over a really late breakfast which sorta kinda turned into lunch and afterwards we descended upon our buddy HDW (Hi HDW!) to catch up and giggle and snort and learn the special secret on how to get your iPhone to work when it decides to die. Anyone?? Anyone out there know what to do?  :-)  Finally, Shmeder and I got the 411 on the coolest new decorating tip hitting the Lowry area. It involves books. And is rad!

Good times!

Ok, still with me?

Headed back home to hang with the roomie for a bit. Yes, I have a roomie. She is darling. She is not a dog (which was was all of my friends thought at first) but a real live human being  :-) And she rocks! She doesn't blog or Twitter so until that day comes she'll be fondly known as Roomie. 

We chitted and chatted and soon it was time to leave for my 3rd social soiree of the day...dinner with the darling Jess & her husband Torsten (and doggie Montana) and our favorite wine-expert & all around badass blogger Rosie & her fiance Kev (and their doggie Chloe)

 

I'll be the first to say that as organized as I can be and want to be, sometimes I drop the ball big time. Like showing up to Jess & Torsten's house 15 minutes early...only to realize I had totally spaced and FORGOTTEN TO BRING A SIDE DISH!  Eeek!!

I'd been so determined to get the directions right (thanks iPhone GPS) that I'd spaced on stopping by Whole Foods on the way. No problem (or so I thought) I'd Google where the closet WF was and pop right on over. Suffice to say my plans didn't pan out, I got wicked lost...twice (yes, I know, I know, GPS....whatev!) and showed up way past the time for being politely late. Way to make a good impression, Kath!

But I was there and it was great to see everyone and as I sat to join them for dinner which was well underway, my roomie texted me. To ask if I was home. ???? Which turned into a whole series of calls, texts, juggling phone calls between my neighbors and 911, hanging up on 911 (total accident) and lots of confusion since my roomie was convinced someone was in the house. Long story short, no one had broken in, my roomie was fine, the cops were cool, my neighbors relieved and I got to rejoin everyone mentally for dinner.  Without the drama. Which I'm allergic to :-)

Dinner was AWESOME!!  Jess & Torsten knocked themselves out and we all had the best time chatting and getting to know our newest blogger friends. Jess & Torsten have a lovely house (which we got to tour...yay...love house tours!) and I'm so excited to hear that they plan to stay here A LONG TIME!  Yippee! It was also great to catch up with Rosie and Kev who I (sadly) hadn't seen in way too long. If you read Rosie's blog (and you should!) you know that there's a wedding in their future so we got to hear all the latest and greatest details about their special celebration. We all left close to midnite and I smiled all the way home; I was that happy to have been included and had such a wonderful time.

Saturday brought another day of sleeping late (FTW!) and another late breakfast out, this time with the roomie. Normally I am not a breakfast eater but when the situation arises to share a meal with a friend, I am there! Especially if bacon is involved :-)

After breakfast it was the normal weekend stuff...laundry...bills...cleaning, the usual. 

Then?

It was time to head to The Pepsi Center  for an event I'd been anticipating for the last 6 months. Green Day!!

I'd always wanted to see them but it never worked out. This time? I bought tickets the second they went onsale.

Here's where I sat...

Seriously, there is something to be said for live music. Especially my favorite kind of music, all that is Alternative.

It's a combination of so many things, at least to my way of thinking. The excitement of the crowd leading up to when the band hits the stage, the energy when they first take the stage, the emotion in the songs, the non-stop dancing, screaming, clapping and singing along to all your favorite songs. A live concert is the best workout in the world. It rocks my world and when I'm at a live event of this magnitude I always ask myself why it's been so long? Music is one of my 'must-haves' in life, and I was sorely overdue for a show of this magnitude.

In a word? Awesome!! Best Concert Ever. And I've been to a lot of concerts. This was epic and I took pix for Facebook and Twitter all night so I'd remember the songs that matched the shots. Seeing Green Day in Denver is a memory I'll have for a long long time.

And that was my weekend in a sorta kinda wordy nutshell. I got to visit friends, have fun, reconnect, appreciate the people in my life and events that are special to me. And sleep in!

I so love my life and my weekends!  Thanks for sharing this one with me :-)

Assimilated

Had the weirdest dream Monday night. That's not unusual...I have them all the time and for the most part remember them in great detail. This one particular dream? I've been thinking about it non-stop ever since Tuesday morning.

Seems I turned into a robot. Went to bed a human with a human body...and woke up with a mechanical shell. Inside I still felt human...had the same physical feelings...I could hear my heatbeat, think, swallow, feel hungry...but my outsides were robotic. My body was along the lines of This Eva-ish look and instead of legs there were two polished titanium stalks. I was tall, too! Probably a little over 6'3" which is tall to me considering I'm 5'5".

So there I was, all robotic and everything. Sorta like a dream within a dream, I couldn't make out if it was real or a dream...but then I decided it was real and I'd better adapt. And that was pretty much all the freaking out that occured. Like going to bed human and waking up a robot happens every day.

With no need to shower...or wash my hair...or blow dry my hair...cause I HAD no hair...I left for work. Yeah, I just got in my truck and drove into work. You would think the visual of a robot driving would cause attention or maybe a doubletake or two, but nope...nothing of the sort.

Work was very understanding about the whole Kath-turning-into-a-robot thing and told me to hang out in the warehouse...where I am most of the time anyway. I had a voice...it wasn't too off from my human voice...so I kept doing what I always do at work. 

The one awesome change was I could read the minds of all the computers. And so many tech details that had evaded me for years? I knew them..I knew it all..down pat. And that was probably the one thing that's had me recalling this dream so much over the last week. I was now a tech know-it-all. I was a de facto expert by default. Brain dump accomplished. And the talking to & with computers part? It was magical. Their thoughts were so smooth...polished...totally reeking of logic...unless their logic board was bad. They told me what was wrong with them...how they wanted to be fixed..how they had been abused and mistreated...and how they had been loved and cherished. 

The new insights and knowledge I'd acquired thru my assilmilation was calming. Yeah. I was no longer a human. And thoughts that now I'd NEVER have any type of human relationship (ie boyfriend/husband) did linger in the back of my mind. Also, I'd look nothing like my family anymore. Resemblance goes out the window when you're a robot. Instead of doctors and dentists, I'd have to find a place for checkups. Who would I call? Robots 'R' Us?

My next thoughts were of what I COULD do! Would I still be afraid of heights? Could I possibily fly? Hmm...I hadn't tried that yet...maybe I should? What would my endurance be like? Could I do an Ironman? Could I float? Still swim? How would I be powered? And HOW FREAKING COOL would it be if I could be solar-powered? That would rock!! A green robot. In CO, of course...what else would you expect?

So why did I have this dream? Who knows...why do I have any of my weird-ass dreams that I remember in great detail days, weeks, months later?  Maybe it had to do with living in a different place? I've been house/dog sitting in Boulder since Monday night...the night I had the dream.

And maybe it's a sign that more changes are about to occur in my life...physical, mental, work, academic?  I would definitely love to be more tech-savvy.  And I've always said that in my next life I want to come back as Gabrielle Reece (she is sooo hot & athletic & kind & outgoing). And being taller than 5'5" would personally rock in lots of ways. Plus, robots have always fascinated me. Not sure that I'd actually want to BE one :-)

I'm gonna keep thinking about this and what it might mean. Feel free to deconstruct what you think it might mean as well. The possibilities are endless :-)