Hidan

Day: Three Hundred and Thirty Three

Photo taken on Thursday, June 30, 2011 in the upstairs hallway at 803pm.

Whenever I spot a hair that isn't quite brown or blonde, I call Steve in to examine it:

"Is it gray or white?"

"Hmmmmmm......I think its gray."

"Dammit!"

I want to go white. Not gray. All white. I think all white hair looks awesome in a bob and I hope when my time comes, my hair decides on white not gray.

So for practice today, I throw my picture into Photoshop and use the burn tool to lighten up my locks. Too bad that I end up looking like an immortal, deranged killer in an anime rather than the cool hipster grandma I hope to be like.

Puzzlement

Day: Three Hundred and Thirty Two

Photo taken on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 in my office at 2pm.

Remember when the power went out and Steve and I decided to get down and dir-TAY by doing a 2,000 piece puzzle? Well, this is the framed Charles Fazzino New York City puzzle we spent four days completing. Valerie is so enamored with this thing and has become my biggest fan which is so cute. When anyone stops in our office to see it, she jumps up and explains all the details about the puzzle.

"Katie did this with her husband, Steve, in the winter. It took them 4 days!"

"Wow!" They look at me and I supply a sheepish smile. "That quickly?!" I nod. "How many pieces?"

"2,000!" Valerie gushes.

"2,000 in four days? That's really fast." They now look at me and I wonder if they are torn between thinking I'm really smart or I have no life.

"And they did it without looking at the box!" Valerie says proudly which makes my heart swell.

"It's very nice," they say but take one more look at me before they leave the room. I know what they're thinking now:

If the power went out in MY building and I was stranded with my HUSBAND with no heat or television as a distraction, I can tell you what I would NOT be doing...

A puzzle.

Pin Cushion

Day: Three Hundred and Thirty One

Photo taken on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 in the downstairs hallway at 1109pm.

I don't mean anyone to take offense to this but I have been stuck by needles so many times this week that I'm on my way to track marks if we don't figure out what is wrong with me and fast.

Today was my annual physical but I need to go back there in two weeks for even more blood work and then in another two weeks after that. I have more blood work ahead of me from my allergist plus more injections under the skin of my arms for the next round of testing. I don't mind the pinch-unless it's the fingertip, that gives me the shivers-and I don't mind the doctor visits, it's the not knowing that's frustrating. At this point, I'm ready for a liquid diet and I'm okay with that. But one thing is for sure, these doctors will never have trouble finding my veins with my pale (almost blueish) skin of my arms.

Rock Lee

Day: Three Hundred and Thirty

Photo taken on Monday, June 27, 2011 in the bedroom at 903pm.

You know those character quizzes that you take sometimes? The ones about your favorite TV show like, Which doctor are you on Srubs? (I got J.D. on that one though Heather thinks I'm more like Turk which is cool too, better than being Todd) Well, Steve and I like to play the geekier version of that when we're lying in bed and I am supposed to be sleeping. I'll turnover and ask him, "Who do you think I am in Fullmetal?" and I'll bug him until he answers me. The other night I choose Naruto-since there are a million and one characters in that manga-so I figure this will be fun...until Steve opens his mouth.

"You have Shikamaru qualities but you're not smart enough to be him. You have that aloofness of Kakashi at times but you are not as cool as him..." his voice trails off as I start to get a bit ticked off at his assessment and go to say something to stop him from calling me as useless as Sakura next but he continues anyway:

"You're Rock Lee."

"Rock Lee?" I ask, completely surprised by this. "But Rock Lee only knows Taijutsu! He's not as qualified as all the other ninjas!" Now I start to get ticked off again. Steve sits up in order to address this before it escalates out of control.

"Yeah, hear me out," he says, going into analytical mode. Steve launches into a speech-that sounds very well prepared-on why I am most like Rock Lee: He is different than everyone else in that he lacks the ability to perform "magical ninja powers" of illusions and special effects attacks so he can only use physical attacks. Because of this, Rock Lee trains harder, never gives up, and pushes himself to the extreme. He is genuine, holds fast to his beliefs, and shows fierce loyalty to those he loves. When Rock Lee gets knocked down, he gets up, and keeps going despite the odds being against him. He may be lacking in some areas but he makes up for it by having so much heart to be the best damn ninja he can be.

Plus he's a total lightweight when it comes to drinking.

When Steve finishes his speech I turn quiet, letting it all sink in. I think about all my qualities as a human being. I think about how hard I push myself even though success seems unreachable. I think about my determination, how I love others, my dedication to living life to the fullest. I think about those two IPAs that give me a real great buzz this weekend.

"Holy crap," I whisper. "I'm Rock Lee."

I Have A Sirius Obsession

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Nine

Photo taken on Sunday, June 26, 2011 in my bedroom, having a Spanglish-almost-noon-moment with my dog, Sirius.

Yes, there is a dog in this picture. A pug actually. And he likes to visit every now and then and have a Beer Water (so he doesn't lose his girlish figure). He is awesome, charming, and funny. When Sirius used to come to the Surge with me he would don a bow tie since a regular tie would get tangled in his short legs.

I can see you don't believe me about Sirius. Shame really. I swear you would love him.

Let me tell you the story of how Sirius becomes a part of our family in 2004:

I come home from college a different person; for some reason Colorado has mellowed me out, filled me with patience and a creativity I haven't tapped in a long time. My imagination runs wild, sometimes the results are cringe humored other times very silly. I'm in love with the person I have become but it weirds a lot of people out when I try to reconnect with them because I rarely ever curse and I can now admit when I'm wrong. I am also working full time at the Surge and have no mode for transportation unless a parental unit doesn't need their car so I have a lot of time by myself. So I ask for a dog.

That question is met with a resounding, "NO."

I take matters into my own hands and create my very own imaginary dog. I don't tell my parents about this until one night when the three of us are on the couch watching a television program and I suddenly swat the air above the cushion next to me, startling my parents. In my best authoritative voice I say, "Down! Off the couch! You know the rules!" I then point to the floor and then point to the doorway leading out of the den. I tilt my head and give the spot on the floor "the eye" and repeat the pointing. My eyes then trail the pathway out of the room. I sit back on the couch, satisfied to have won the argument.

It is then my parents learn of Sirius.

And they all accept him. Kim thinks it's funny whenever I reprimand him. My coworkers at the Surge find him wandering into their offices at random times of the workday and never seem to mind. Sirius becomes a part of our daily routine and Maeve gets to witness this one night when Kim goes to head upstairs for sleepytime and I demand she says goodnight to my open laptop, Nico.

She refuses.

"Kim, either say goodnight to Nico or you can say goodnight to Sirius." I point to the floor by Maeve.

Kim looks down at the tiled floor. "Goodnight, Sirius."

Maeve bursts out laughing. "Wait, you would rather say goodnight to something imaginary over something you can actually see?" The three of us dissolve into laughter and Sirius barks.

Though there is one evening when dad has had enough of Sirius, who is currently perched in bewteen us in his car on top of the console. I don't know if it's Sirius' snorted breathing or me talking for the dog or the imaginary dog hair all over his nice suit pants but dad has reached his breaking point. At a red light he rolls down the window and grabs for the console, hands in a cupping motion around Sirius, and turns to throw him outside.

"NOOOOOOO!" I scream, lunging across the car to wrench Sirius from his hands. My eyes well up with tears and dad laughs.

I think it is at this point I realize I have become too attached to my make believe pet and I should really invest my time in finding a boyfriend instead.

Too bad he turns out to be imaginary too.

Sickened

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Eight

Photo taken on Saturday, June 25, 2011 on our deck at 625pm.

I am totally bummed at the moment. Steve and I go to the Melville Blood Center today in order to donate platelets for the first time. Pher is very into donating platelets and whole blood that he goes on a regular basis. He has inspired me to do the same thing but unfortunately halfway through my face goes numb from tingles. They feed me 5 Tums but it doesn't help. The nausea sets in and at this point I need to tap out. Luckily they have enough platelets so they can use it but I am beyond embarrassed that I failed to make it through to the end. They even tell me never to come back and donate platelets again and to stick with whole blood.

Right now I am so disappointed in myself and disgusted that once again my body is too weak to do some good in this world. I ought to be ashamed of myself; I am as big as a house yet I can't handle losing a few platelets.

Katie the Colorado Kunai Killer

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Seven

Photo taken on Friday, June 24, 2011 on the stairs (holding a kunai) around 11pm.

Every time we play Marvels, I try to use Meghan's weapon that is concealed on her person (sometimes under her skirt, sometimes somewhere only an alchemist ninja knows where) and every time Justin shoots me down.

"You don't have a kunai."

Angered by this, Meghan starts to take out her aggression on Non-Playable Characters (NPCs). Meghan is a misguided youth, confused by her powers to turn things into copper and without a proper outlet to release the tension built up inside of her from sixteen years of being ignored by her family, she's starting to physically harm people. She has successfully dislocated a fellow mutant, Tyler's arm (Justin's character for our mismatched group), violently pushed Michael's old butler, Walter, into another dimension, smashed Michael's creepy Uncle Chuck into a mirror, and crushed a student's windpipe with a well placed jab to his throat.

Though Meghan tries to keep her temper in check through meditation, she is spiraling out of control whenever provoked. She has personally made it her mission to kill Tyler though some may see this as her flirting. She is definitely coming into her own and developing very well though she teeters on almost villainous, she has a good heart. So what if she's known around these parts as the NPC Killer...

Zumba!

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Six

Photo taken on Thursday, June 23, 2011 in the Massapequa Lucille Roberts at 747pm.

I am so happy that Heather has come to Zumba with me tonight! Kristen is one of my favorite instructors (Maeve is numero uno of course!) and her 45 minute classes make us sweat! Kristen is very peppy and if she looks out at us in the mirror and doesn't see enough people smiling and having fun, she will silently turn around, observe us with slumped shoulders, and then imitate us not having fun which immediately makes everyone laugh and start bouncing around a lot more.

Heather is seriously making this class a total blast right now. Whenever we get lost on a move (since we are in the total back and can barely see the front) we start doing our own thing. She has this locomotive move she likes to do where her arms chug around, her hips gyrate, and she grins like a Cheshire cat. I love it! But probably the best steps she makes up is during Pitbull's Pause so you have to come along with us next time! Let me know if you want a free Zumba pass and I'll try to finagle one for you!

Hey Fishie Fishie Fishie!

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Five

Photo taken on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 in our living room at 728pm.

Our fish hide from us when we come over to the tank, probably because Steve is constantly sticking his hand in there to add or remove things. I have never seen a fish tank give someone so much trouble. Steve has a little chemistry set to check the water because everyday it's something: the water is cloudy, another fish has died, too much food on the bottom, the ammonia levels are ridiculously high, etc. I feel bad because I know relatively nothing about the upkeep of a fish tank so all of my suggestions equal, "I don't know what to tell you."

I only had goldfish that I won at the Greenlawn Fireman's Fair that could survive in a bowl forever. The only time I have a problem with a goldfish kicking it early is when I go on a trip to Vermont shortly after winning the fish I so lovingly call Linden. Krysten happily offers to fish-sit for me while away and when I return, she sadly tells me Linden didn't make it. She feels bad since her fish is still around but I understand, fish at a fair are probably so traumatized by the ping pong balls flying at them that maybe he was bound to die soon anyway. It isn't for a few years that I finally learn the truth about Linden's demise.

Apparently, when Krysten goes to change his water in the sink, Linden accidentally slips out of the bowl and right down the drain. When she tells me I laugh and I hope this omission of truth hasn't been weighing on her all these years.

Book Face

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Four

Photo taken on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 in the Time Out Room at 1030pm.

I don't know about you but sometimes I go on Facebook and it makes me feel awful. Sometimes I come away feeling very unpopular like when I see one of our friends throwing a party and realize we are NOT invited. Or sometimes it makes me feel like I haven't accomplished anything worthwhile like when people from high school own a house now or have popped out more than one kid. Or sometimes it just makes me flat out mad when I see everyone go on vacations all year round and I wonder, "how the hell are they paying for all these trips?!"

Facebook makes me think I've done something wrong in my life. It's that grass-is-always-greener concept but some days I don't fall for it. Some days I'm stronger than that status message that says how freakin' awesome everyone's life is right now as they're lying on a beach or going fishing, etc. while I'm at the Surge. But you know what? My life is pretty damn awesome too as I sit here with this Tagalong cookie looking at your vacation pics to Fiji. My life is so awesome that while you're posting all this, I'm posting nothing because I'm too busy living my life to stop and post something about it on Facebook.

So there.

Pain Scale

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Three

These series of photos taken today represent my pain scale. I'd like to think my tolerance to pain is pretty high but I am sure if you punched me in the face I would proceed to cry like a baby. However, I have made a pain scale that only goes from 1 to 7 because I have yet to experience pain that goes past a 7 since there are many things I have not-and hope to never-feel.

PAIN is at 0:

Obviously I am not in pain. See how the smile reaches my eyes? Today is a good day for skipping rope and playing hopscotch.

PAIN is at a 1 or 2:

The smile faded from the eyes but I'm still in a good mood. I might have a paper cut or an annoying gas bubble in my chest.

PAIN is at a 3:

I'm most likely sore but a good sore because I must have worked a muscle group that hasn't been worked in awhile. Today sneezing induces sharp pains in my torso or I might be unusually stiff in my bad joints due to the weather. Regardless of the weakness I feel, I'll still go about my day as normal.

PAIN is at a 4:

Okay, I'm uncomfortable. I'm probably starting my period and my boobs feel like watermelons and every step I take is like a knife in my heart (though a knife in the heart will be higher on the pain scale for stuff I don't know about). My cramping is irritating so I go and run a few miles and although it hurts the boobies, it stops the cramps.

PAIN is at a 5:

Okay, today officially sucks. I'm in a lot of pain. I fell down the stairs and have a huge bruise on my tailbone so when I sit it hurts, when I talk it hurts, when I pooh it hurts. I might also have eaten buffalo wings that were a tad too hot for me too. I think I may have strep and a fever and what is that sound? Oh that's me whining.

PAIN is at a 6:

Holy shit I've just been shot! Oh wait a minute...the pain is gone...oh right that's just my sciatica from the herniated disc in my back that is laying on the nerve to my left leg. Though short lived, the pain takes your breath away for a few seconds. But also at a 6 includes pouring hydrogen peroxide in a cut, being pushed through a glass door, falling off my bike, getting hit with a man's slap shot, crashing into a boulder while skiing in the woods, and anything else that is stupid that I have done that landed me in the hospital, like slamming my thumb in the car door.

PAIN is at a 7:

This is unbearable. I need to go home. I want to die.

This is pain that has not gone away all day or daySSSS, or weeks or for a year. My GI issues can get to this point. When I'm crying, I'm at a 7.

PAIN is at an 8:

I've broken a foot and toes before but never anything significant like an arm or a leg or a rib. 8 is definitely for bones that can be clearly seen sticking out of the skin. 8 is also reserved for anything that is shown on Tosh.0 that the audience says, "OOOOOHHHHHH!" for.

PAIN is at a 9:

Dismemberment. I can't imagine the pain one must feel upon losing a limb. I am sure the aftereffects of losing an appendage is also hard to come to terms with as well as the phantom pain they experience.

Some types of torture would be here as well. You may use your imagination to think of the gruesome details but I do not have the stomach for it.

PAIN is at a 10:

I'm on fire. This has to be the worst pain imaginable. Nothing can be worse than any kind of burn. I never want to be on fire or have acid thrown on me either. I never want anyone to be on fire. Even when stuntmen are on fire I don't like it. Fire is just scary.

The Running Man

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Two

Photo taken on Sunday, June 19, 2011 outside of Friday's in Levittown, NY at 1018pm. (Pictured from right to left: Mike, my hand, Steve's hand, and Jenn pointing at a running Justin)

When Heather told us NOT to give Justin sugar, none of us listened.

And now we have a grown man running laps around the Friday's establishment we just visited. He had already eaten dinner when he joined the table but we let him get one of those large ice cream Oreos anyway. His pupils immediately dilate and we can't pay the check fast enough before he is out the door and running into the night. He's like a giddy ADHD child when on sugar; the only thing you can do is wait patiently until he burns it off and collapses.

I really want to bring Justin to a 5k race one of these days and right before it starts I'll hand him a candy bar. Once he sprints that out someone will be on the course to hand him a slurpee. When the slurpee wears off, one of us will be there to hand him a thing of cotton candy and so on and so on until he finishes the race sub-15 minutes. I think he can do it, though I'm just going to need several volunteers one Saturday morning.

IT HAS BEGUN!

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty One

Photo taken on Saturday, June 18, 2011 in our bedroom at 929pm.

Steve comes to me one day with a fantastic idea: He thinks we should watch a ton of anime and write a BLOG about each episode. I am definitely on board because who else would you ask to do a daily and punctually updated BLOG?

We actually start the anime watching last week when everyone comes over but we don't take notes and we certainly don't write the journal entry the next day. So tonight we are launching the BLOG without anything written in it. Hopefully when you click on the link I am about to provide you, there will be something there.

For those of you that enjoy anime this BLOG will be right up your alley. For those of you who like anime and like to make snarky comments while it is on, this BLOG is for you. For those of you that cosplay, don't bathe before Cons, read illegal manga updates on the internet, and fantasize about anime characters in a sexual way, this BLOG is definitely for you. But if you like reading about the stock market, this BLOG might not be for you. Sorry.

Steve-O The TiVo and Katie Jaye happily present to you:

What The Hell Am I Watching?

"We're on a bridge!"

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty

Photo taken on Friday, June 17, 2011 in the Time Out Room that magically changed at 949pm.

While out shopping with Steve, we come across this tee shirt in Hot Topic and I immediately start giggling about it. Back on October 26, 2009 I posted the video that corresponds with this shirt so I will not bore you with details here but I urge you to go there and watch the video. Kind of like what I forced all my coworkers to do today when they asked me what this shirt meant.

Peach Fuzz

Day: Three Hundred and Nineteen

Photo taken on Thursday, June 16, 2011 in the downstairs bathroom at 531am.

One day, as I am minding my own business, Pher comes up to me and places his finger on my right cheek. He then begins to sing happily as he traces little triangles between my three moles that reside there.

"Connect the dots on Katie's face! La La La! Connect the dots! La La La!"

This may have been cute if he wasn't a teenager.

There was a time when I used to be self conscious about them, especially when the biggest one started to sprout a lone dark hair every week and I even asked about getting them removed. I found out that the biggest one has a deep root and it would leave a scar anyway so I resigned myself to having moles on my face.

Back when I am a teacher at Genesis, one of the kids in the middle of a conversation with me exclaims and points, "You have a big mole!"

All conversation in the classroom literally stops. People hold their breath for my answer which is, "I most certainly do." Later as the child leaves the classroom with their aide, everyone turns to me and asks me if I'm okay, like as if someone pointing out the hideous brown splotch on my face is new to me. I've had them my entire life; I hardly even notice them until it's time to pluck and honestly, I prefer the right side of my face anyway. The only thing that bothers me is that two little ones have appeared in the triangle and I don't like that. I might get the little ones removed but then again, Pher might enjoy having new dots to connect.

Keep On Runnin'

Day: Three Hundred and Eighteen

Photo taken on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 in Bossdad's office after my run at 431pm.

Charlie bought me this Nike sports shirt for my birthday and when I go to sign out today for lunch, Cassandra reads it:

"With a trash talking shirt like that you better pass people when you're running today!"

I didn't even think about that! She's totally right! I have no choice but to run my three miles as fast as I possibly can and luckily I do pass some people. But then there are those that blow by me and I am happy to say, they are running too fast to read my shirt so I am in the clear.

An Apple A Day

Day: Three Hundred and Seventeen

Photo taken on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 in front of my dentist's office in Huntington, NY at 641pm.

One day I am regaling my middle school friends with a story about skiing at Mt. Snow. At one point in the story, I talk about another family that is skiing with us, the Sullivans, and in passing I mention that their dad is my dentist. I keep talking until someone interrupts me, "Whoa, wait a minute...you ski with your dentist?" They all look at me like I have three heads (like Fluffy!) and I shrug because isn't this what everyone else does? Make nice with your doctors?

I guess not.

Our first dentist-when living in Queens-I really don't remember but when we go for a teeth cleaning he lets us pick whatever music we want and of course I either go with Billy Joel or The Boss while in the chair. Later on when we move out to Suffolk, my parents pick Dr. Sullivan who they know from Cub Scouts and other school functions we attend. Going to the dentist has never felt like a chore nor has it been the least bit scary. They start me on orthodontics in the fifth grade and that lasts until late high school. From there I get a fake tooth, one cavity filled, and put under for 4 impacted wisdom teeth; none of these procedures bother me in the least.

Today I get another clean bill of health which comes as a relief because for the past year one of my bottom teeth gives off a throbbing pain at least once a week. Dr. Sullivan concludes it's from shifting and maybe a little stress (and probably a direct result from pen chewing but I neglect to tell him I still engage in this behavior). I hope my no-fear-of-the-dentist still rings true for the rest of my life. I am sure if I have to have major mouth work that may all change so I'm going to continue my brushing routine, keep on drinking lots of milk, and steer clear of chewing hard items like ice, sucking candies, and pens.

You ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?

Day: Three Hundred and Sixteen

Photo taken on Monday, June 13, 2011 while sitting on the stairs to lace up my sneaks at 536am.

We already know I am a sneaker whore but these are by far one of the coolest pairs I own right now! Steve spots these in Journeys as we are on a scavenger hunt in Sunrise Mall looking for brown sneakers that I so desperately need. When he points them out, the brown sneakers are totally forgotten and I walk out wearing these instead. When it comes to birthday gifts, Steve indulges the child side of my woman-child personality where as my parents indulge the woman side.

For my birthday, Mom and Dad gift me a gorgeous necklace that I absolutely love to wear and you will probably see in many of my selfers to come. In fact, I am wearing it right now since I think the blue stone matches the blue in my sneakers. I don't care if people think it's too dressy of a necklace to wear with Converse because to me, they match perfectly.

But Your Friends Are Hungry

Day: Three Hundred and Fifteen

Photo taken on Sunday, June 12, 2011 with Jenn in the living room at 856pm.

There are a few friends that miss the get together last night and still want to celebrate me turning 29. Jenn and Mike bring over an amazingly delicious Friendly's Reeses cake since they know how much I LOVE peanut butter!!! It is really nice of everyone to come out another night to chill and laugh and be subjected to anime all over again.

Love you guys!

^_\

You Say It's Your Birthday

Day: Three Hundred and Fourteen

Photo taken on Saturday, June 11, 2011 in the kitchen at 1129pm. (Pictured from my thumbs up: Jess, Michelle, Chris Reed looking aghast, Kristen, and Charlie)

Nothing says "Birthday Party" quite like cooking crabs alive and then ripping them apart to feed your guests.

If you would like to read about all the other events prior to the savage killing, Michelle wrote a very nice post of the birthday extravaganza here.

What do tigers dream of?

Day: Three Hundred and Thirteen

Photo taken on Friday, June, 10, 2011 at 812pm in the upstairs hallway.

Two days ago I start coming down with the common cold. Knowing my birthday is around the corner and not wanting to spend it lying in bed, I begin to take action against the common cold. The vitamin C injections, extra sleep during working hours, and eating chocolate seem to do the trick so by Thursday morning I only sound a little stuffed up. But then last night happens.

Dad wakes me up two hours after I finally fall asleep (I spend about two hours dry heaving into the toilet hoping that would make the room stop spinning...it doesn't) and I can barely move off his couch. He hands me his spare key, telling me to come to the Surge whenever I'm ready. I don't think I am ever ready. I spend the entire day eating foods I think will cure the hangover (it doesn't) and then I have to battle the raging cold that has returned in full force. I sound like I smoked 15 packs of cigarettes last night and then ate the carton they came in. My coworkers also keep engaging me in conversation just to hear my voice crack like a prepubescent teenage boy. Somehow I magically make it through 8 hours and crawl through the door of my home and into bed...but not before coloring in my face with a brown eyeliner that is broken.

Happy Birthday To Me

Day: Three Hundred and Twelve

Photo taken on Thursday, June 9, 2011 in the downstairs portion of Arturo's on York Avenue in New York, NY at 742pm. (Pictured from me to the left and around: Tania, Armando, Cassandra, Valerie, James, Sonji, Julia, Peggy, and Dorrette)

The Surge is going all out to celebrate my birthday this evening (two days early) and I am loving every minute of it!


When I come home from college, I make the decision to not celebrate my birthday anymore. I figure, 'eh, I'm turning 22, think I'm getting too old to make my friends go out or come over for a Harry Potter or Spiderman cake, maybe it's time I grow up and try to pass by the day without anyone noticing'...but Maeve won't let me (which I don't blame her because celebrating birthdays are fun). When I tell her my plan for not having a plan for my birthday that year she refuses to hear any of it. She marches down my basement and proceeds to type out an evite for a BBQ on June 11. A few days later I have a boatload of people showing up for my birthday BBQ so my parents take me to Price Club and I purchase a ton of food and Michelob Ultra (Beer-Water) only for the birthday to come and NO ONE show up. There are about five people who end up making the day special for me yet I couldn't stop feeling like a giant loser. People forget about me when I go to school in Colorado (though I'm sure they will say I abandoned them but isn't that what AIM was for then? To keep in touch?) and I guess responding to my party and not showing up is to teach me some kind of lesson? It is cruel so I swiftly drop many "friends" and my dad learns to like the Beer-Water over Coors Light through the course of the summer since it takes up our whole fridge.

I then vow to never celebrate my birthday again.

But each year, my birthday isn't forgotten, people text me a few weeks in advance, "what are we doing?" and I try to shy away from it and pretend it's not going to happen. I still fear a repeat of 2004, getting excited for a big event only to have no one show up. It was embarrassing and even though I played it off with sarcasm, it still hurt. Last year, I tell people, "I'm going to see the Karate Kid because it opens on my birthday and I like Jackie Chan. You are welcome to come if you so desire." Too afraid to invite people, I leave it in their hands, and on June 11th, my friends and family surround me in several rows of the Farmingdale Multiplex. And it is a start to a great birthday weekend.

Two weeks ago, Dr. Mwando comes into my office and asks what we are doing for my birthday. I am floored. How on earth does he know about my birthday? I smile and shrug, leaving it in his hands to do what he wishes. He converses with Peggy, Bossdad, and Dr. Zong and anyone else interested in celebrating my 29th year and here I am, surrounded by my fun-loving coworkers and great Italian food. We are loud and rowdy and the drinks are flowing and the conversation has our laughter carrying up the staircase into the main room above us. The party can end here and I would be thrilled that this is my birthday celebration but it doesn't end at Arturo's.

It continues on to Brandy's, a piano bar on East 84th Street. It is here where I consume way too many fruity drinks and sing aloud to almost every song the young, talented, (and cute!) piano player bangs out. After he and the other bar patrons sing Happy Birthday to me, he begins taking requests on napkins. Of course I ask for my two favorite Billy Joel songs and he honestly tells me he doesn't know the words to Zanzibar but he can proudly fake it. I laugh and tell him any Billy Joel song is fine and he lapses into Scenes From An Italian Restaurant. I think I loudly proclaim that I love him several times through the night because everything I request, he plays. He even treats us to Mary Jane's Last Dance and I silently forgive him for skipping one of my favorite lyrics in the song. The fact he knows all of these artists is astounding and I give him credit for remembering such a variety of different tunes.

Finally, around two, Bossdad drags me out of there and back to his apartment where I wipe off the remnants of my make up and fall onto the couch in an exhausted heap. I am very thankful for everyone coming out to celebrate my birthday tonight! I couldn't ask for a better start to my last year of my twenties! So much fun!

^_\

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Day: Three Hundred and Eleven

Photo taken on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at the Hecksher Park softball field in Huntington, NY at 912pm.

Lisa has invited me back to play with The Hawks this season! I am honored considering I had a rough start last year and spent most of the time letting balls get past me in the outfield (though everyone was cool about it and just waited for me to settle into the season which hopefully I did). Lisa is a fantastic ballplayer, one of the best shortstops I've seen (I think she can rival Jeter) and very good at bat too. She dives for hard grounders like it's nothing and runs like the wind after cracking one into the outfield. Lisa is very good at managing the team as well and makes it seem effortless.

I'm happy to be playing again this year and hopefully I can bring more to the team than infield pop-ups and sliding injuries. So far the season has been great!

^_\

Family Values

Day: Three Hundred and Ten

Photo taken on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 in our parking lot at 641pm.

This is Steve's car. I think his car would look ten times better with this on the back of it:

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Don't you agree? (This is what our Stick Family would look like should we get one.)

We're not a fan of the Stick Family on the back of mini vans and quasi SUVs. I don't care about your bazillion pets and that your son skateboards and your daughter is a cheerleader. I'm not interested that there's a shopping bag in the mom's hand and her husband is carrying a briefcase. Oh how adorable! No, not really because more often than not, this car is drifting back and forth in the lane and I can clearly see the culprit on the cell phone. The Stick Family is right up there with the Honor Student bumper sticker and the ever annoying white sticker ovals with the abbreviated black letters that spell something like N-D-O and now I'm spending my whole car ride trying to figure out what the hell that means. I like bumper stickers that are funny like: IF YOU CAN READ THIS I'm not impressed. Most people can read. But I have to admit, I'm one of those self important douches with the 26.2 on the back of my vehicle so I'm just as bad as you Stick Family people.

Dad doesn't like these family stickers either and would only like them if they portrayed the family members dying in StickDeath.com fashion. So when I see this video on Tosh.0, I feel it is perfect for my father:

Brother

Day: Three Hundred and Nine

Photo taken on Monday, June 6, 2011 in our parking lot at 958pm.

Happy birthday to you
You belong in a zoo
You smell like a monkey
And you look like one too!

 Happy 1st Birthday, Sai! I hope you have enjoyed shuttling my butt around this past year! Maybe as a birthday gift I will finally wash you and go against my Isn't-that-what-rain-is-for? policy.

Bahston

Day: Three Hundred and Eight

Photo taken on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in Boston, MA at 247pm. (Pictured: Me and my double chin, Maeve, Kim, and Preston)

This has been such a fun day that unfortunately at this point is coming to a close. The weather is so gorgeous that it feels fantastic to be out walking around Boston but before we could fully enjoy the scenery, we have to let Preston take the T. I truly wish I had his enthusiasm for riding public transportation because it would make my work week a helluva lot better. Preston is a train expert and can literally sit for hours on Youtube watching Amtrak trains go by so how could we deny him the T?

Look how excited he is!!

From here we head to Thatcher Street to meet up with Kim's fabulous friends: Jessica with Michael, Taylor and Avery, Alyssia, Brooke with Rider and Nate, and Kim with baby Addison. I am thrilled to finally meet them all since I have heard and read such wonderful things about them. (Don't you just love the BLOGging world? We're all so connected!) We join them for lunchies at Regina's Pizza which is A-MAH-ZAAAAH! Preston orders a sausage bar pie and I help myself to two slices of that awesomeness of awesome.

After the delicious grub we head down to the playground with our desserts for some fun with the kids. I'm so very proud of Preston that he has no fear when sliding down the pole and gliding across a sand pit holding onto the glider for dear life.

We end the day with a stroll through Faneuil Hall Marketplace where we encounter great street performers and also a moving statue. Preston gets a kick out of her when he hands her a dollar and receives a fortune:

What a great trip! I am very glad to meet new friends, catch up with my hottie sister and sweet nephew, and hang out with my beautiful BFF! I'm looking forward to my next Boston excursion!

PS- How cool is Maeve's hat?!

Backstreet's Back Alright!

Day: Three Hundred and Seven

Photo taken on Saturday, June 4, 2011 in the TD Garden in Boston, MA for the NKOTBSB Tour at 935pm.

For those of you who don't know what the above acronym stands for, Maeve, her very nice friends, and I are at the New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys concert. And I don't care what you say, it's pretty damn awesome!

The reason I am here and such a huge fan of BSB is because of the lovely lady I am pictured with. Back in high school, Maeve, Krysten, and Kristina begin a little dance group where they would copy the moves of Fatima Robinson, the choreographer for BSB as well as other stars like Aaliyah and Hillary Duff, and just string together routines. One day I invite myself over to Krysten's house to watch them incorporate some Janet Jackson moves into BSB's We've Got It Going On. They eagerly teach me the steps and by the end of the night I am the fourth person in their dance group, Angels Way:

And I LOVE being a part of this group. It is so much fun to dance around Krysten's living room, taping ourselves dance to anything on the radio and just dissolve into giggles when one of us does something real silly (like tuck my shorts into my underwear when singing "we wear short shorts!"). For Krysten's sweet sixteen, she decides to head out to Hollywood to do all the great celebrity touristy stuff and she picks the week that BSB is going to be on Jay Leno. Angels Way accompanies her on this trip and we have a blast, packing our days with excursions to Mann's Chinese Theater, Universal Studies, The Hollywood Bowl, and the like, taking a ton of pictures and chasing down the members of BSB:

(That would be Maeve, Krysten, and Kristina on the ground trying to get a look of the boy band as they exit The Jay Leno Show. And that would be me looking at them, wondering if putting one of them on my shoulders is a better idea...)

We spend many nights dancing and creating a beautiful friendship and it's amazing to be here tonight with Maeve because it means so much to me. I wish the other two could be here with us tonight but they had prior engagements though they are here in spirit. Especially when the boys take the stage to do one of our favorites, Everybody, I can just feel us all together again, dancing happily in our socks, practicing for the Harborfields Talent Show.

And speaking of that Talent Show...do I have a treat for you or what? The following video is Angels Way circa 1999! How awesome is that?! So without further ado...Angels Way performing BSB's hit Everybody. The first part is a technical issue that is soon fixed and there are a few glitches in the tape but it's still fun to watch. I am all the way on the right, then Maeve, then Krysten, then Kristina. Enjoy.

Maeve, Krysten, and Kristina...thank you so much for all the memories and amazing nights we shared just being our kooky selves. It is a time in my life I will be forever grateful I had!

Harry PottAH!

Day: Three Hundred and Six

Photo taken on Friday, June 3, 2011 in one of our storage spaces at 1142pm.

Every house should come equipped with a "cupboard under the stairs".

*Props to Steve for drawing the "scar" or else it would have been backwards if I did it myself.

Morgan

Day: Three Hundred and Five

Photo taken on Thursday, June 2, 2011 in front of the upstairs bathroom door at 1132pm.

If you've noticed the updates being posted extremely late it is because I have been Netflixing again. I am very easily sucked into the convenience of the instant queue and have a habit of wanting to do nothing else but finish a television series once we start. The culprit at the moment?

Dexter.

Valerie let me borrow Season 1 over a year ago and I returned it to her without watching it because I feared the concept would keep me up at night. But Steve watched a few episodes and reported back to me that it is not gory at all. I finally give the pilot episode a try and find it to be like CSI only with an occasional boob and a frequent f-bomb from Dexter's sister. I apologize for the delay in updates but if you watch this show you understand it's good enough to neglect your responsibilities and not feel guilty about doing so.

Crack is Whack

Day: Three Hundred and Four

Photo taken on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 in the upstairs hallway after a Hawks doubleheader at 1137pm.

First off, I apologize for my butt. I toyed with the idea of censorship so you wouldn't vomit upon seeing my Grand Canyon by placing a large black strip in the valley but that just looks silly. I am brave enough to wear boobie shirts all the time and my cleavage resembles a butt crack anyway so why be embarrassed of the real thing?

Now let's move on...

17 has always been my number and I really don't know why. Maybe because it is the number of the house I grew up in or that it's Moma's birthday or Marty McFly's age in Back To The Future or that people mistake me for being that young. Whatever the reason, I always make sure to have it on the back of my jersey all those years playing softball for Tri Village. Then I make sure to get it when playing hockey for CU. Now I have it again playing softball as an adult.


I take three years to consider this tattoo. 17 is important to me because it encompasses more than just a number, it represents many moments in time so it makes sense to permanently brand it on my body. The image to accompany it is hard to choose until I make captain for CU my senior year. It is a great honor to be considered by my teammates because I am not the best hockey player but I am a great team player both on and off the ice and this is why they have chosen me. At the end of the year I tell Christine my wish to tattoo the number and something hockey related on my butt so she sets to work designing different options. Three other players join us at the tattoo parlor one day and forever link ourselves to each other:

Katie P. opted for Ralphie over the hockey sticks with her number (3) as well as an "A" because she joined me in the ranks of hockey leaders our senior year. A speedy defenseman that played hard in practice and even harder during the game. She also shared my love of Traveling Wilburys and skiing, beating me down the mountain through the woods in perfect form. Definitely one of my fave peeps I met at CU.

Mallory chose Ralphie and the hockey sticks and instead of an arm, gave her rear. A fierce goalie that was fast and flexible, keeping our team on top throughout the entire year. Mal has a great spirit and is just all around fun. She's one of my fellow runners that keep me abreast of her races via Facebook which helps me train harder when I hear of her success.

Naughty chose the same awesome hockey tattoo as yours truly and included her number as well. I was so worried about my parents finding out about our tattoo excursion so I begged her to wear a sweater to graduation which she did because she is wonderful like that. Looking back on it now, I don't know why I would think my parents would have seen her tattoo on her arm and automatically know I had a matching one on my ass? But Naughty is a trooper and a very good friend so she didn't mind my craziness. After all, she did live with me for a year so she understood how off the wall I could be.

Naughty was a big reason why I stayed in Colorado when I was flirting with the idea to come back and go to BU instead. Our friendship was chock full of singing Moulin Rouge loudly in the car, playing Harry Potter on PlayStation to all hours of the night, and when I needed help getting better in order to stay on the team, she was there to give advice.

After having so much fun designing our respective tattoos, Christine decided to get one too. For two years I played with her, enjoying having her at point and being so supportive of everyone on the bench. The last year I played she was assistant coach and team mom (Mama Pee Pee) instead and I have no idea how we would have survived without her. She kept the drama amongst us at bay, made numerous calls to straighten out travel issues, worked very well with Stef (our star player and other "A") to make everything smooth sailing for us fundraising wise, and was always there for anyone in need. Christine is a great person, easy to get along with, and always willing to bend over backwards for a friend. She is also a great companion to have on trips because she's fun as hell!

Despite me putting this picture last, I actually went first because I was afraid if I watched someone else in pain I would chicken out. Katie kept giving me updates on the progress and Mallory let me squeeze her hand. It lasted about 20 minutes or so and it felt like someone took a dull key and rubbed it back and forth on my skin, giving off that rug burn feeling. It wasn't too bad having my ass in the window of the shop and even having other team members drop by to check out our new editions to our bodies. It was an experience I will never forget and hope to repeat with someone special again.