Revisiting an old sore spot...

Recently I've had occasion to revisit my rage about the "girl with cats = spinster" stereotype. I finished some chick lit a few weeks ago that enraged me beyond my usual rage of this issue. Why? Because the lead character, in a depression after a bad break-up, keeps threatening everyone she'll get a cat. Eventually her family has an intervention - so she won't get a cat. I'm continually perplexed about this stupid, stupid stereotype. I agree that there are cat ladies - but there are cat ladies who have husbands. Are they cat men?

The reason this seems so nonsensical to me is that I imagine that these people think the woman is "filling a void" or replacing a boyfriend with an animal. And I just want to shake my head...what? Anyone who has ever had an animal knows that while it is a wonderful, enriching experience...your cat is still just a pet. You don't "transfer" your love on to a pet or love a pet instead of a human. That's just silly. My cats don't fill the void** supposedly created by my lack of a partner. They fill a part of my heart meant specifically for them - the "pet" portion of my heart.

I admit that my pet portion is disproportionately big. That can probably be attributed to my crazy Grandma (who was a pretty cool Grandma to a little kid) and her two dogs: Misty (lab shepherd mutt) and Princess (german shepherd). Almost definitely they/she influenced my adoration for animals. And I don't regret that for a second.

It just makes me crazy that I am sort of a walking joke (not meant in the meanest way) because I am a single woman who loves my cats.

And personally, I think those women with the tiny dogs in sweaters that they carry around are far scarier than cat owners. Treating your dog like it's your baby clearly shows a disconnect - that IS truly no longer your pet.

**Note: I absolutely, 100% do NOT have a void in my life because I am single. I agree that there is an empty slot somewhere (just where...I'm not sure) where it would be great to have a partner. But it's not a void. It's more like...an empty car seat. It's nice to have a passenger, but if you don't it's not a gaping chasm in your car. It's just an empty seat - sure the passenger can change the feeling of the whole trip (in good ways and bad) but they aren't a necessity.

CTA makes my day...

Why am I absurdly excited about this? I have GOT to see that train. How have I not seen it before??? I've been here for two holiday seasons now...

What I am trying to tell myself...

The dreams last night....they were especially weird. One of them involved my being some sort of a demon (?) and my body repelling itself from water (ie: I tried to jump in a pond and my limbs and body flew every which way to avoid it - by the way Mom and sister, you were both there laughing at your demon relation. Nice of you). Here's my analysis of that one: um...I'm dry. Need to drink more water.

The second one involved the end of the world (or the end of my world) due to a war and an enemy aircraft. I managed to "escape" with two boys from my high school (one of whom was my friend a long time ago and one of whom is still a sort of acquaintance thingy). We escaped to a mall where we all went our separate ways to buy the thing we always wanted. I ended up in a puppy store. Not surprising (except it would have been a nice twist if I wanted to spend my last day on earth having hot sex or something...but no. Puppies instead). My analysis: I'm a sucker for animals and I somewhere deep down will always want a dog/puppy. I will have to get one some day....

Sorry about the dream post. My brain is so taken up with finals/website crap that it's useless for other stuff.

Toooot and a letter...

No I am not gaseous. Just tooting my own horn a little as my final project is pretty damn cool. I'm such a nerd. The whole process of creating a website just excites me. I have always been the type of person who likes to build things up from nothing and then just appreciate the end product. I still love Legos. Yes, I am a 25-year old woman that still loves Legos. I should be ashamed, but I'm not. I should qualify that most of the Legos I've loved recently have been of the Harry Potter variety. Lego has done some amazing crap with the Harry Potter series....all kinds of secret nooks and hidden doors. I would recommend HP Legos to any lover of the books or Lego nerd. Weirdly I feel a little apprehensive about putting my Lego love on the web. All you judgers out there - there's nothing wrong with a little joy in a simple thing (be it toy, book, knitting or website creation).

A letter:

Dear Food Network,

I love your challenges. I love your competitions. But I frequently find myself watching Iron Chef and thinking: what about the picky eaters? Or the vegetarians? Or the dietary restriction crowd? I would find it endlessly entertaining to see an Iron Chef or some kind of challenge for picky eaters...or just using the ingredient chicken. Or cheese, yes, cheese! Sure, the chefs can do great things with nice cuts of meat or fish. But what about making them compete vegetarian style? Let's see some thinking outside the box (you can do better than venison. You can do better than "superstars" Iron Chef...although this is compelling and I will probably tune in).

Katie

Testing 1, 2....

Earlier today I decided to move to "blogger beta." There are still some problems with it, so we'll see what happens. After I chose to "migrate" I got this message that it could take a while and I had quite a few moments of panic about whether or not it'd be done before midnight and I would keep my NaBloPoMo streak going.

I think panic is the theme for this weekend. Let's have a really boring post now about the ways I've panicked since yesterday:

1. Blogger migration.
2. Problems with my shopping cart (see last post). My code is word for word the same as the Professor's example and his works while mine doesn't. ANGER. FRUSTRATION. PANIC. Will be "starting over" later this afternoon. Since the databases are done and I understand how the code should look (after typing it 100+ times) starting over isn't really that scary. But I hate when problems are unexplainable/impossible to locate.
   
3. Boku (cat, in case you're new around here) has a very pink eye. And she's sort of "favoring" it, as in not keeping it completely open. The idea of going to the vet again causes untold pain and panic. Especially since I skipped her booster shot and am a terrible cat owner. Just what I want...panic over taking cat to the vet AND being scolded when at the vet. Will wait a few days and hope the pink eye goes away.

Other than that...having a fine time with the homework and weekend. I only have one in-class final on Thursday which I'll prepare for on Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

I'll try to think of something interesting to say for tomorrow. I'm not making any promises though.

Busy, busy, busy....

I've been busy for the last two hours coding a store for my buttons. Sounds exciting...except it's actually my final project for one of my classes and it won't technically be functional. Basically it will be an "honor system" site. It'll have a shopping cart, a checkout and my stock numbers will be decreased by every purchase. But I don't have any credit card functionality and it's hosted on my school's server. So...just a fun practice web site...nothing more. Right now I'm already about half-way done. I have everything put together on the site except the login and checkout pages and the shopping cart functionality. Sounds like a lot, but the background stuff took awhile (all databases have been created).

In other news I have read two Time 100 books since...what was it, last Friday? Yeah, I don't know how I did it either. Fast reads. I think I'll save those reviews for some really sad days where I can't think of anything else to say.

And back to the grind...a not-so-fun weekend ahead involving coding, design scenarios, a horrible group meeting and a design class diagram. Sounds nerdy, eh?

The way this blog leans...

Left.

And content-wise: personal.

I think I have to just embrace the fact that this is a personal blog and will never be anything else. I just really admire people who talk politics, feminism or even craft blogs. It feels like those blogs have such a bigger point (even the craft blogs - to help people craft!). Maybe in the future I'll start shoot-off blogs or just new blogs all together. But for now, this is just about me. And I guess I just need to accept that most of these posts will be self-centered. And so, lets truly embrace that now:

My boobs look awesome. The other day I mentioned the appointment with a "bra fit specialist". And my bra size was WAY off (way). Now I'm happy in my new bra. I can't believe how many attractive, fun bras they have for people with big boobs at the bra fit place. When I looked at the website before we went there I was like....oh no...they have like 5 bra styles. They're going to tell me my boobs are huge (which they did) and then I'm not going to be able to find any bras.

Not so.

I do think I have to return one of the bras I got (let's be honest....exchange. I feel serious yearning to go back to the store and go on a crazy bra buying spree. Totally addicting). Anyway, the bra makes my boobs look awesome, but after wearing it for a while, the seam was right across a sensitive area, and I was seriously overly sensitive. Too bad though...it's a cute bra.

I was going to throw a little contest - see who could guess my real bra size. But I thought better of that idea - that could be seriously damaging to the self-esteem - what if you think I'm a 38M or something? So yeah...no true bra sizes going up here. If you know me personally and can't stand the curiosity, email me and I'll tell you just how big these puppies are!

Paring down...

I have something like 7 ideas for how I want to blog today and I have no idea which is the right way to go. So first let me say that I finally think I am curious about politics and maybe, just maybe I'll be able to follow along with most of what's going down in DC. Maybe.

Moving on...I think that I may have reached the utopia point with my mixture of concerts. In the past month I've seen two concerts that I would not have gone to without a nudge in the right direction (read: free concert ticket). I saw James Taylor and Barbra Streisand. I probably know their music equally (not well). I went to both of these concerts with an open mind. I wound up a little bit bored at both, but bored in a good way. Bored in the "I wish I was right where I am with the addition of a book" way. I don't regret going to either and I feel like I gained something from both (putting what I gained into words is proving harder than my homework from this past weekend so...not gonna do it).

So my concert mixture now includes an overwhelming amount of DMB mixed with a dash of Barbra, Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney, Keane, James Taylor, Death Cab and Puff Daddy (and many more <-- sing that like the birthday song). And the symphony. Can't get much more diverse (maybe if I had some country, jazz or...?)

Tuesday...

I keep coming up with totally inappropriate names for this post (most of them involving the word tit, which I ABHOR. It's like any other word that you have a weird aversion to...I have a friend who hates to hear the word panties. And another who hates to hear pubic hair. Not because they don't wear panties or don't have pubic hair....just because the word makes them feel weirdly icky). Either way, it has to be said that I'm going to a "bra fit specialist" later and I'm totally obsessed with the idea. Hence the tit.

And now, some bulletudes of crap:

• This morning, when I did my morning wake-up nose blowing, I was convinced for about 1.5 seconds that I had just blown a silverfish bug out of my nose. There was a grey bug like thing in my kleenex. For all of those 1.5 seconds I felt totally disgusted and wanted to burn the inside of my nose to ensure cleanliness. I realized at second number 2 that it was just a very strange shaped and weirdly colored bogey.
• There is a boy in one of my classes who is so hairy that every week I boggle at the extent of his ape-liness. His hair is DARK. And his hands...well, they are ape-like. I think he could braid the hair on his knuckles into the hair on the back of his hand. I am continually transfixed by it - not in a good way.
• Yesterday a man told me I was charming. I recommend to anyone: always push the "door open" button for people getting on elevators (especially if you're the only one in it). Why? Well...you'd want someone to do that for you. And it can lead to a friendly chat about that moment where you panic because you just can't find the door open button - even though you want to push it - where is it??? And then an old man will call you charming because he was so engrossed in your conversation about the door open button that he forgot to choose the floor he needed.

Sorry about my forgetting to post a button yesterday. I'm at work or I'd post them both now. And I have a late night ahead, so you might just get 3 buttons tomorrow. I wonder how many perverts will find this site because of my dirty language in paragraph one? Probably way too many.

Do you hear what I hear...

One of my "cube-mates" is already listening to Christmas music. There is a Chicago-land radio station (93.9 "The Lite") that broadcasts only Christmas music. As my cube-mate and I discussed, it usually starts 2 days before Thanksgiving. Not so anymore. I guess this year it started on November 1. She also said that they play Christmas music for a few days in July (Christmas in July). I clearly sit next to a Christmas music aficionado.

My sister and Mom are probably cackling with glee. Those two being the Christmas music lovers whereas I really could do without it. Maybe listening to Christmas music for two months straight will reform me. Or maybe it will drive me batty. Either way, whenever cube-mate is here...I'll be tuning in.

<sigh>.....

Saturday was perfect - I had fun, I was productive, I cleaned! I felt refreshed...after a day of mostly work with just the right amount of play.

Today started well. Went out for breakfast. Stopped for some groceries. Saw some Pocket Puppies (oh my, there was the cutest, ugliest little dog in there with a pink sweater on. I believe it was some variation on a Brussels Griffon. Just thinking about its tiny, cute-ugliness makes me smile. And I'm in a crappy mood). And then I came home and had to start the homework that is due tomorrow.

I am tense. I hate it. And I can't (or won't?) finish it. I can hardly begin because this homework entirely builds off of the last homework which I clearly didn't understand.

And that is my Sunday. And hopefully, hopefully this is the last bitching post of November. Because I hate these posts. No one enjoys them...least of all me. So, I'll see you tomorrow with a fresh, happy mood (hopefully).

Knit 5, purl 5...

So...this summer I learned to knit. I have only completed one project since my introduction to knitting - a baby blanket. I ended up giving it to baby cousin E far before I expected to (in fact, the weekend I brought it home to clean it/weave in the ends was the weekend I gave it away. Without ever having washed it. E was only a few days old - I hadn't expected to see her for at least another week or two). Either way, I told you that whole boring story to explain why I only have one picture of the blanket.

And why that picture is not necessarily close enough to see the actual pattern/what I made. Ah well...either way, that blanket took me FOREVER and I was quite proud of it as a first project. Note: pink ribbon is just my way of wrapping the present for E.

My current project is also taking a long time - but only because I now have school. Which takes up a lot of my time. But, here's a picture of my scarf-in-progress:

Pattern from Knitty. My first foray into lace. I've done about 20 repetitions of the pattern (out of a total of 30 - 40 to make the scarf the length I want). Probably 2 of those repetitions were almost total disasters. Out of 20, on my first lace project...I'd say that is pretty great. And I was aware of the disasters as they were happening (ie: uh - oh, I have 30 stitches instead of 31) so I recovered as gracefully as possible.

I have 8,000 different things I want to make...I want to start making socks. And hats (hats!!). But I don't have the skill set yet...so I'm going to have to take another class (at my favorite knitting store ever). And with school, my time is so short that I don't think I'll be taking a class any time soon. Sad. But next up on the project list:

• Repeat of this scarf for a friend who requested it
• Functional scarf for the brother
• Harry Potter scarf for me
• Another blanket for another baby cousin due in April (much, much more time to finish it this time!)

Book quest update...

I was going to use today to update you on my progress knitting (my newest hobby). But I have to take pictures, then work with those pictures and blah blah blah...feel too lazy for that. So come back tomorrow to see my work-in-progress scarf and the baby blanket that was already given away. So instead...book quest update.

I should probably explain the book quest since there are tons of new people stopping by this blog (Welcome NaBloPoMo randomizers! Other readers, for a fun time/to find new and exciting blogs go randomize). Basically Time Magazine put out a list of the 100 best English language novels since 1923. I am going to read all of them (along with A and M, my partners in craziness). Add to this list the 30 books you should read before you die (chosen by librarians) and you get a list of 122 books (there is some overlap and we decided not to include the Bible. It just wasn't going to happen). So far I've read 42 (exactly 80 left).

Since we last discussed the book quest I have read 4 books (i think...). Right now I don't think I'll review all 4 but...maybe when I run out of things to say in late November I'll be revisiting those books...

Last night I finished Mrs. Dalloway. I also read To the Lighthouse some time ago for the quest, so I feel familiar with Virginia Woolf. I've decided that her writing is just not for me. She writes beautifully and sometimes I did find myself appreciating a sentence for its artistry. But in all, I found myself bored with the book. I got lost in some of the sentences and had to read them over. I got lost in the imagery and had to go back and figure out who was saying what. This could be attributed to my speed reading. But even when reading slow I found myself/my brain somewhere else. I just wasn't involved - and for me, I judge a book by my involvement with the characters. So eh, not a winner.

Next up: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. I am about 30 pages in already and am enjoying it.

The 25th annual Katie _ _ _ bir-er-thday...

Title sung to the tune of "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." You know you've all seen the commercial. And, in order to make that work, you have to pronounce each syllable in the last name. Which is why three blanks...

So. Happy Birthday to me. In honor of (as Katy says) being a quarter of a century old, I will now do two birthday memes for your pleasure.

The first stolen from this blog. (must warn: this first one is tough based on my lack of memory. My available memory goes back about...5 years)

1. What is your favorite birthday cake?
   Well, at least this one is easy. My mom has made us some kick ass decorated cakes over the years (I remember a ghost maybe?). But for most of my life we had the yellow Duncan Hines (I think this company is right...but again, bad memory) cake with the chocolate frosting. My mom makes it to perfection. It is delicious. Had some just a week or two ago for my brother's birthday.
   
2. What has been the best gift you have ever received?
   Now here I get a little confused. I believe I received some Dots last year. And possibly a vacation to Disney (that was pretty damn good). But I always get presents I like. No bests here, all attempts appreciated and enjoyed.
   
3. How did you spend your favorite birthday?
   I'm sure I was young and running around in a grey cat Halloween costume (afterall, with a birthday 2 days after Halloween, the 2 blend together). In recent years I've spent a lot of time on planes on my birthday (not sure why) and moving to this here apartment. Today I go to work and school. I'm not one of those people that treats my birthday like a holiday. It's just a day of the week...where I get older (much like every other day). I do enjoy the fact that the snail mail virtually FLOODS in. At no other time (besides maybe Christmas) do all of my friends feel they are obligated to send me mail. AND I LOVE IT.
   
4. Do you make birthday wishes?
   Um. This one is a strain on the memory. Not in recent years. But I haven't blown candles out in YEARS.
   
5. Has a wish ever come true?
   Doesn't this question assume you said yes to #4? Which I only kind of did. So....sure, maybe long ago my wish for a barbie...or a cabbage patch kid with styleable hair...but I don't make wishes much anymore.
   

And the second, which I find much more interesting, is sprinkled all over the internet, but copied from here.

1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. In the search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).
3. List three events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two important birthdays and one interesting death.
5. One holiday or observance (if any).

Interesting November 2 events:

• In 1889 North and South Dakota were officially given statedom (States 39 & 40)
• Wah, wah, wah....1939...Mussolini creates/proclaims the Rome-Berlin Axis. Axis Powers alliance created. On my birthday. Bbbboooo.
  
• I cannot believe this is listed in Wikipedia as a significant event..and for the sheer stupidity of it, I'll list it here: 1998 - WWF hardcore title awarded to Mankind.

Two important birthdays:

• 1755 - Marie Antoinette, Queen of France
• you pick: k.d. Lang ('61) vs. Nelly ('75). Honestly thought Nelly was younger, he sure has a baby face.

A death:

• 1950 - George Bernard Shaw (he was 94!)

And, of course, my holiday observance:

It's the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos). Your day (it says it's a Mexican and United States-ian holiday) to honor your dead ancestors. And send me a card.

And off I go...

Yesterday, one of my college friends J, wrote a post about how people who have bugs are gross (of the bedbug and cockroach variety). I have had my paranoid moments with the bedbug thing (Chicago has recently had an influx of bedbugs). In my paranoia, I researched this extensively. The thing here is: you can be the cleanest person in the world and still get bedbugs. They can travel shortish distances (if your neighbor has them...watch out). If you happen to stay in a hotel that has them you can easily bring them home with you. It doesn't take much with the bedbugs. And while I was sure, in my paranoid moments, that I had them, I do not.

And the cockroaches. I want to confess that recently I've suspected I too have cockroaches. At first I was convinced they were just a beetley bug. I mean, if it was a cockroach it'd be the size of my finger, right? No. So I guess I'm gross. My mom is cringing at home wondering where she went wrong. But to be honest, I have NO IDEA where they are coming from. I've seen maybe 2 alive ones. 5 dead ones (cats, you rock!). They are about the size of...a longish pencil eraser. Not big. All in my bathroom upstairs. I've scoured that bathroom. I can't find any in there when I look.

I'll admit that my kitchen is sort of...messy. I'm not a tidy person. If I had ants or bugs in the kitchen I might shrug and say, "yeah well, i sucked at the kitchen." But the bathroom?

The thing is...they must be living in the walls. Which has nothing to do with my cleanliness. I live in an old building. It's not surprising. I'm honestly not even that grossed out by it. Maybe if I see swarms of them, yes. But all I can do is buy some roach motels and hope they carry the poison food into the walls with them.....

So with my first November post I proclaim to the world that I am gross. I have bugs.

UPDATE: I finally updated (mostly) my bloggy bloggertons. Small steps. I imagine that as soon as school is done I will begin changing the whole design of this blog.