tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41339290391861102572024-02-06T23:23:32.134-05:00The BookkittenKittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.comBlogger866125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-20813738023816153712011-08-23T20:00:00.002-04:002011-08-23T20:10:30.419-04:00Fare thee wellIt's been nearly six months since I updated this blog, which means that I have been busy. Additionally, I haven't felt the pull of the blog much since my last entry. There have been times where I have mentally composed a blog post, but never actually took the time to sit down and write one.
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<br />Also, I feel that I've outgrown the whole "Bookkitten" personality. Don't worry, I still read a lot, but I don't feel the need to write any reviews. I read some of my previous reviews, and feel as if I gave too much away in my summaries and critiques. Eventually, it got hard to keep up with all of the books and reviews I tried to compose.
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<br />My best posts, to be honest, were the ones about my daily life. I liked those better than many of the book reviews I've written. For that reason, I'm going to keep this blog online, so that I can share them with people.
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<br />I've made some real-life friends in blogging, and I don't wish to let those go. For that reason, I am going to keep my E-mail address and Twitter handle. If you want to keep in touch, here's how you can reach me:
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<br />E-mail: thebookkitten@gmail.com
<br />Twitter: @TheBookkitten
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<br />And in case you're wondering...yes, I do have a Facebook page. However, it is under my real name. Some of you out there are already friends with me on FB, and know my true identity. If you're interested at all, please send me an E-mail, and I'll be happy to respond to your request.
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<br />As for what the future holds, I'm not totally ruling out a permanent sabbatical from blogging. I may return to the Internets, but under a different blog name and personality.
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<br />In the meantime, I hope you all are well. Thank you for supporting me for the past four years; you've all helped me get through some difficult times and I appreciate that tremendously.
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<br />Fare thee well,
<br />The Bookkitten
<br />Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-21349484732218099412011-03-15T20:32:00.003-04:002011-03-15T20:50:21.575-04:00BracketologyIf there's one sport that could come close to dethroning baseball as our national pastime, it's basketball. And 'round this time of year, there's one sporting event that is ever so sacred in the minds of many Americans, one that millions jump on the bandwagon for.<br /><br />No, kittens, I am not referring to the NCAA college basketball tournament itself.<br /><br />I'm talking about these:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cHQCeBI6cbGyDLqy5df76N1UE2bdsuVRNcgI77_51PtBtcRAmG6C7sUmJmd-_-o-iZBOKy-PNkE9gir3hNcAdtM_VonnZhTTwgeTAt5_WxmlERKyKuWG6bFU2I0q-BGSBwJS-bWnW7Jg/s1600/2009ncaa-bracket.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cHQCeBI6cbGyDLqy5df76N1UE2bdsuVRNcgI77_51PtBtcRAmG6C7sUmJmd-_-o-iZBOKy-PNkE9gir3hNcAdtM_VonnZhTTwgeTAt5_WxmlERKyKuWG6bFU2I0q-BGSBwJS-bWnW7Jg/s320/2009ncaa-bracket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584470023481992626" border="0" /></a>Behold, the almighty brackets. The grid so ingrained in the lives of so many sports fans (as well as wanna-be sports fans) that it itself has become a pop culture icon. Witness how many magazines and blogs have used said brackets to rank its "best-of" lists. <span style="font-style: italic;">Entertainment Weekly</span>, for instance, recently had a bracket of the most popular television mascots of all time (which, by the way, was won by Flo the Progressive Lady).<br /><br />It's not so much the teams that get that coveted nod on Selection Sunday that interests me, but rather, how and why people are so emotionally, and in many cases, financially, invested in the brackets themselves. Bracketology attracts all kinds, from the most hard core basketball fanatics who know how to properly spell coach Mike Krzyzewski's last name, to those who only know how to dribble a basketball, to those who claim ignorance yet, around March Madness, proclaim themselves to be the nation's foremost expert on the tournament.<br /><br />I personally fall somewhere in the middle of not being totally ignorant, yet not quite understanding the whole thing. As a Connecticut resident, it is my birthright to follow the UCONN Huskies. Now, if you're new to the whole NCAA tournament, you may be thinking, "Connecticut? That tiny state next to New York? Land of Steady Habits? Basketball powerhouse?" Well, only for the last 20 years or so. In 1990, Jim Calhoun coached the Huskies to their first Big East title, and then took the team to the Elite Eight. We lost that game to Duke, starting a very long standing rivalry that culminated when we won the national title over Duke in 1999. And let's not forget Geno Auriemma, the Huskies coach who almost singlehandedly put women's basketball in the national forefront. His teams have gone undefeated for several seasons in a row and are known for winning back-to-back-to-back national titles.<br /><br />I know some of the different basketball terms used: center, forward, point guard, half-court shot, full-court press, three-point line, shot clock, foul shooting. Just don't ask me what they mean, or who stands where on the floor.<br /><br />Yet every year, I find myself drawn to the office pool, dutifully entering and paying my fee, and filling out those brackets. I have engaged in bracketology every year for the past decade. For the first few years, I found myself either in last place or third from last. But my fortunes gradually changed. For two years running, I was at the top of the leaderboard after the first and second rounds of play. But then I fell out of the running after the Sweet Sixteen. And I actually placed third in two separate tournaments--however, this was only after all of our picks for the Final Four didn't make it. (Can we say George Mason University in 2006, kids?)<br /><br />So what exactly is the draw of the NCAA brackets? Do people use it as a form of escape? A get rich quick scheme? A chance to relive their college days? Whatever your level of participation may be kittens, I wish you all luck, and...GO HUSKIES!!!Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-18533587749593924382011-03-11T20:03:00.002-05:002011-03-11T20:16:54.057-05:00Back from hibernation--or, a cat nap, if you willGood evening, kittens--<br /><br />I suppose it's time for me to update the ol' blog, since I haven't done so in over a month. How many of you are still out there? (Taps gently on computer screen). Helloooo? <br /><br />When I was in college, I had this fantasy of those career women with a Starbucks in one hand and a Blackberry in another. Power shoes, Bluetooth in ear, the whole nine yards.<br /><br />Well...guess what...<br /><br />I'm now one of those career women.<br /><br />I've been working in my field for ten years now, and I don't know when or how it happened, but all of a sudden, I went from rookie to veteran overnight. It's been both exciting and scary. It's interfered with my blogging, and especially my reading. I've been lucky to post a few random entries, mostly about the weather, and one book review.<br /><br />And I've been watching and reading a LOT of news coverage. Collective bargaining, public sector workers at odds with local government, politics, and now...the earthquake in Japan. We've had what, three major earthquakes in the world in the last thirteen months? (Haiti, Chile, and now Japan). I've been steadfastly avoiding any story having to do with Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan. <br /><br />Lastly, I've been a lurker. Well, mostly a lurker. I've commented here and there on random blog entries. But I haven't posted on my own blog, mainly because my life has been this:<br /><br />"Wake up. Work. Come home. Eat dinner. Go to bed. Oh, and a few meetings thrown in on a daily basis for good measure."<br /><br />I have very few leisure events planned for the future, save for a weekend trip to the city with Mama Cat and Sister Kitten. But compared to last year, my social calendar is very empty. No weddings or baby showers/bridal showers. No fun concerts. No spontaneous road trips. <br /><br />So that's where I am right now. I guess this time is teaching me how to live in the present, and not anticipate the future <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> much. And at this present time, I think I'll go have myself a glass of wine. :)<br /><br />Hope to be posting regularly again soon.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-48779845643478107582011-02-05T22:06:00.002-05:002011-02-05T22:23:54.602-05:00Book review: Curly Girl: The Handbook, Expanded Second Edition, by Lorraine Massey with Michele Bender<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5roCGq2kH6Stgda9vQii0IslsrK_NPPr2o3qru8Vr8DavSjVRHb43nVbd41VEWNURIYUEGdlmNXvRZ0eqARZVwD0SUArkBT8ZMH8hNiW-XioQ9sXg_ZmKRWPFzFYKOgzMtNfq2CwCpVeN/s1600/curly_girl_second.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5roCGq2kH6Stgda9vQii0IslsrK_NPPr2o3qru8Vr8DavSjVRHb43nVbd41VEWNURIYUEGdlmNXvRZ0eqARZVwD0SUArkBT8ZMH8hNiW-XioQ9sXg_ZmKRWPFzFYKOgzMtNfq2CwCpVeN/s320/curly_girl_second.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570408101616247106" border="0" /></a>I was incredibly psyched when a representative from Workman Publishing contacted me to review an advance copy of the second edition of <span style="font-style: italic;">Curly Girl.</span> I devoured the first edition and it became my Bible for curly hair care. I read this expanded edition more thoroughly than I did the first--and allow me to say, it's much more comprehensive, detailed, and illustrated than its predecessor.<br /><br />Allow me to compare some of the differences:<br /><ul><li>In the first edition, author Lorraine Massey wrote about three types of curly hair: corkscrew, botticelli, and wavy. In this new edition, there are seven types of curly hair. I appreciated this because I always felt that I fell between corkscrew and botticelli. Massey includes more detailed descriptions of each type of curl, and, better yet, photographs of each one.</li><li>There is a DVD included with this edition. In the DVD, you can watch how one cleans and cares for curly hair, depending on your curl type. This is the portion of the book that I appreciated the most, because I could see firsthand how I should specifically care for my hair, as opposed to just reading the text and deciphering photographs.</li><li>Massey has added several new chapters to the book. My two favorite ones were about curly-haired men and "chemo curls." I was grateful that she included the chapter about guys and curls, because when it comes to hair care, the male population is sorely neglected. And Massey tackles the sensitive topic of losing hair from chemo treatments, then growing it back, with gentleness and aplomb.</li></ul>I learned all about proper curly hair care from the first edition of <span style="font-style: italic;">Curly Girl.</span> But with the second edition, I learned that I was still doing some things wrong, particularly when it came to washing my hair. I have heeded Massey's advice by using only sulfate-free products, but when it came to wetting my hair in the shower, and then applying the gel après-shampooing, I was not doing it correctly. Thanks to the DVD, I was able to learn the proper techniques.<br /><br />According to one of the statistics in this book, over 65 percent of the population has some form of curly hair. One would never know it, though, since there are so many who invest in products to straighten, blow dry, and get rid of their curls. I must confess that I was one of those girls. But I am here, as a ringleted sista, to <span style="font-style: italic;">implore </span>you to embrace your hair's natural texture. My curls are a part of who I am; it's one of my personal fashion signatures. It took me awhile to get there, but thanks in part to <span style="font-style: italic;">Curly Girl,</span> I was able to do so. I am grateful for Lorraine Massey's help, and I hope that she helps you in the same way that she did for me.<br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png" alt="" />Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-32000721142199787572011-02-02T15:40:00.002-05:002011-02-02T15:42:25.818-05:00I'm hoping not to blog about winter, the weather, or cabin fever......so let me see what I can write about...<br /><br />...soooo...<br /><br />...hey blogosphere, how ya doin'?Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-77257141883955742402011-01-18T20:46:00.003-05:002011-01-18T20:51:02.323-05:00Ice day todayToday was my third day off in a week due to the winter weather. Just came back into the house from chiseling off my car. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated, but I am glad I didn't wait till morning, right before I left for work. <br /><br />I must admit, the ice-covered trees looked beautiful in the street lamps. There's this crabapple tree outside my living room window that looks especially spectacular. I would have taken pictures if it weren't so dark outside.<br /><br />Apparently we're due for some more of the white stuff on Friday. Not sure how much; cable's out and I didn't get to see the local news this evening. I'm hoping it comes back before bed, so I can make plans for the weekend. Sister Kitten and I are supposed to go out to dinner Friday night, but more importantly, Mama Cat's having surgery. She's getting a freckle removed; the dermatologist wants to take it off as a precautionary measure.<br /><br />I'm glad the temp's above freezing right now--33 degrees. I know, it's only one degree above freezing, but that's fine with me!Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-1304726772395187582011-01-17T16:58:00.000-05:002011-01-17T16:58:00.783-05:00Beauty tips for hard times: Coffee face and body scrubDuring my hiatus I got into learning how to make homemade natural face and body treatments. I'd like to share with you one such treatment, which I got from the website eHow. (Video link to follow).<br /><br />This recipe is for a face and body scrub made from three simple ingredients:<br /><ul><li>coffee grounds (organic is best)<br /></li><li>cocoa powder (non-organic works, but if you've got the organic kind, use it)<br /></li><li>extra virgin olive oil.</li></ul>Here's how you make it:<br /><ol><li>If you're making this scrub for your face, you will need two tablespoons of used coffee grounds. If you have a Keurig, this is about the amount of coffee grounds you will find in a K-Cup. If you're making this as a body scrub, you will need to use about four or five K-Cups, or whatever you use to make a pot of coffee.</li><li>Use one or two tablespoons of cocoa for every two tablespoons of coffee grounds. Mix the coffee grounds and cocoa powder together till the mixture is chunky.</li><li>Stir in enough olive oil to form a smooth paste. Don't make it too liquidy. (Unfortunately I don't have a specific measurement here; I just eyeball this until it looks okay).</li></ol>Now, when you use this scrub on your face, make sure that it is <span style="font-style: italic;">freshly cleansed.</span> If you're using this as a body scrub, you can use it right before you shower. (But don't use it right after you have been to the gym.)<br /><br />I strongly advise you to use this scrub <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">in the bathtub, before you start using the shower.</span></span> If you use this outside of your bathtub it will take you forever to clean your bathroom. Trust me, I speak, unfortunately, from experience.<br /><br />Stqart sing the scrub on your body. Really focus on the really dry areas, like your elbows, knees, and feet. Give your thighs a really good massage; caffeine is often used to treat cellulite, and is known to detoxify the skin. Finish up by scrubbing your face. Scrub your face more gently than your body, since the skin on your face is a little more delicate.<br /><br />I need to add that this scrub smells absolutely decadent, like a mocha cake that has just come out of the oven to cool. Whatever you do, don't eat the scrub. Coffee grounds have a nasty texture in the mouth, as anyone who has sipped some leftover grounds at the bottom of a cup can attest.<br /><br />Once you have scrubbed everything, turn on the shower and rinse! You will be brewing coffee as you rinse; make sure you rinse everything off, including in the bathtub. You don't want coffee stains in the tub!<br /><br />Finally, follow up your scrub with some soap or body wash, to rinse the excess coffee off of your skin. This step may be optional for some, since the olive oil leaves a nice little moisture barrier on the skin.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ehow.com/video_4988612_make-homemade-facial-scrubs.html">Here's the link to the eHow video</a>, if you would like to have that. If you're not familiar with eHow, think of it as YouTube full of instructional videos. The quality on many of these videos varies; this one is one of the best ones.<br /><br />Try out the scrub and let me know what you think.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-72397994513502680862011-01-16T13:00:00.002-05:002011-01-16T13:19:16.988-05:00Shari Lewis, Lamb Chop, and KittenEvery now and then I get YouTube obsessions over the most random topics. My latest one started last week when I saw a report about ventriloquist Terry Fator on <span style="font-style: italic;">CBS News Sunday Morning:<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lnH44T34anQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lnH44T34anQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /></span><span>My</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span><span>parents saw him in Vegas about a year ago and they loved him. </span><span>It's easy to see why; he's amazingly good.</span><span style=""><br /><br />During that report, as you may have seen, there was a very small segment featuring Shari Lewis, Lamb Chop, and Charlie Horse. They were a big part of my childhood, through the old PBS show <span style="font-style: italic;">Lamb Chop's Play Along</span>. I was fresh out of college when she died, and I felt the same sort of sadness that I experienced when Jim Henson died years earlier: It felt like a member of the family had left me. And then I thought, "Well, how is Lamb Chop going to go on? And Hush Puppy? And Charlie Horse?" (Personally, as much as I loved Lamb Chop, Hush Puppy was my favorite. I didn't care much for Charlie Horse).<br /><br />Thankfully, Shari's daughter, Mallory, has taken over the act, and is now voicing Lamb Chop. And Lamb Chop sounds <span style="font-style: italic;">exactly</span> like Shari's version. I honestly can't tell the difference. <br /><br />Judge for yourself. Here's one of the many YouTube clips featuring Shari and Lamb Chop. I watch this particular clip and wonder why children's television these days can't be as good as it was back during my childhood. Shari doesn't talk down to the kids, and she's very creative in dealing with Lamb Chop:<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N445qz-Uepo?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N445qz-Uepo?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />And for comparison's sake, here's a segment with Mallory and Lamb Chop:<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/P20f0vwpHSc?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/P20f0vwpHSc?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /></span>Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-49789428396236858962011-01-13T08:44:00.002-05:002011-01-13T08:49:40.563-05:00Home again today...and I still hear snowblowers around my condo complex, next door, and plows on the roads. Apparently they're still getting rid of the snow at work, which is why I'm home again today.<br /><br />It's nice to know, though, that the main roads are clear again, so I can at least leave the house if I wanted to.<br /><br />But those huge piles of laundry aren't going away any time soon...hmmm...Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-90570623965969382942011-01-12T12:28:00.003-05:002011-01-12T12:32:29.384-05:00Snow dayThe entire state of Connecticut is closed. Or so it seems. There's no one on the roads, and the city police just called every resident, via automated message, to advise everyone to <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">stay off the roads</span></span>. Our governor told everyone the same thing, and he's already had his fourth or fifth press conference about the storm today.<br /><br />My neighbors are comparing this to the blizzard of '78. I was two years old at the time, so obviously, I have no memory of it.<br /><br />But there are at least two feet of snow outside. The snowbanks from the plows and snowblowers come up to at least my waist.<br /><br />I'm taking a temporary break from digging my car out of its parking space. I need to defrost a bit.<br /><br />And then I'll go outside again...because, in all likelihood, I've gotta go back to work tomorrow.<br /><br />And on a random note...is that <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Eric Roberts</span></span> on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Young and the Restless?</span> (I don't ever watch soaps, but I haven't had the chance to change the channel from the local noontime news yet).Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-11162239214209628002011-01-07T18:04:00.002-05:002011-01-07T18:15:56.739-05:00A snowy Friday night at Bookkitten headquarters...and I'm kinda bored. I figured I'd best explain in further detail the reasons for my sporadic hiatus. Basically, like I said in my last post, I had overbooked myself. Every weekend since mid-August, I had something to do for church, work, or social activities. And by December, everything caught up to me. After Thanksgiving, I felt run down. Exhausted. Sick. I didn't even put up Christmas decorations or send out cards. Holiday shopping became more of a chore than usual.<br /><br />So, I decided to take charge. During my vacation the last week in December, I didn't do much. I didn't even attend a New Year's Eve party. I went over to Sister Kitten's, and we both were asleep after 12:30 AM. I rested, relaxed, and recuperated.<br /><br />And my resolution this year is to take more time for me. For instance, I'm going to take the month off from social activities. I've been invited to a few outings with friends, but I'm not attending those. It's not that I don't want to see them; I do. But right now I feel it's best for me to spend some time alone--clean my house, organize things, and just decompress.<br /><br />Wintertime is the perfect opportunity to do just that. The snowy weather, the cold, the wind--all pose perfect times to stay home by the fire, or in my case, the radiator. And as I'm typing this, I'm starting to realize what a friend of mine always says about winter being a time of rebirth--everything is at rest, getting ready for a season of rebirth and regrowth in the spring.<br /><br />So I guess that's what I'm doing right now--but rather than "rebirthing" myself into a whole new person, I'm using the winter as a time of reflection. <br /><br />So right now, I'm sitting by the television, with my laptop, watching the weathermen hype this latest storm (which took awhile to get to my little city). One cat is sleeping peacefully at my side, and the other just joined me at my left. I'm going to get up to go to the kitchen to pour a glass of wine, maybe two. A bubble bath may be in my future. And I've got flannel sheets and a down comforter on my bed. Life is good.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-75873866968852987312011-01-01T17:02:00.003-05:002011-01-01T17:04:45.334-05:00Already looking forward to 11.11.11If we're all jazzed up for today, 1.1.11, imagine the celebrations we'll all have 11.11.11!!! Sorry I haven't been around, kittens...I want to assure you that nothing bad occurred, it's just that I overbooked myself (no pun intended) during the last quarter of 2010. (Man, that last sentence was a modern day punctuation/run-on horror). Anyhoo, hope you're all happy and safe on this New Year's Day. I will try to get back to blogging as soon as I have the time and the mojo...the well has certainly run dry lately. In the meantime, all the best for 2011 and hope to chat with y'all soon!Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-82193247077092162072010-11-27T02:10:00.003-05:002010-11-27T02:41:23.268-05:00Have you ever......known someone, and valued that person, for many years, and just lost touch? And all of a sudden, after not thinking about them for just as many years, they just pop up, randomly, into your brain? <br /><br />That's happened to me recently.<br /><br />Lately I've been thinking about my 8th grade history teacher. Yes, kittens, I know that sounds random, but this woman really did a lot for me. <br /><br />I was coming off a really bad 7th grade year. <span style="font-style: italic;">Really</span> bad 7th grade year. Remember that this all takes place well before Facebook, Twitter, texting, and any form of instant communication that preceded the prank phone call.<br /><br />I was an awkward child known for being a bookworm, for out of control hair, for ridiculous fashion sense, and for being an open target. I was bullied, mostly by my ex-best friend and her newfound cronies. I wasn't bullied so much that I had prank phone calls or eggs thrown at me, or toilet paper around my house, but I was insulted verbally. A lot.<br /><br />So I built a wall around myself. And didn't let anyone in by the time that year came to a close.<br /><br />Then came 8th grade. I faced a quandary by the time September rolled around: You see, kittens, I really liked school. I liked to learn. Hell, <span style="font-style: italic;">loved</span> to learn. I would read ahead in textbooks and work on extra math problems for fun. <br /><br />However, I hated the social part of it. Everyone had to dress the same, be the same, have the same hairstyle, talk about boys...<br /><br />...I wanted no part of it.<br /><br />I entered my 8th grade year determined to make it through socially, get straight As, and then go to private school, away from my peers, the following year.<br /><br />That's when I met Mrs. P. In addition to being my history teacher, she was my homeroom teacher.<br /><br />She knew who I was when I walked into her classroom on the first day of school.<br /><br />And that scared the crap out of me.<br /><br />She was a dynamic woman who was extremely well put-together. Not a hair was out of place. Fingernails, perfectly manicured. Her clothes were incredibly stylish. They may not have been all of the latest trends, but Mrs. P. had a way of carrying herself so elegantly. She had an incredible presence.<br /><br />And she <span style="font-style: italic;">loved</span> her students. Her enthusiasm for teaching was evident. Her passion for history could be seen on her bulletin boards, in her bookshelf, in the photos she had of students who participated in statewide competitions...<br /><br />Wait a sec...<br /><br />...do we <span style="font-style: italic;">all</span> have to participate in this competition?<br /><br />More on that later. But first, let's start with the second week of school, when Mrs. P. announced that she was casting for her annual play. That year, the play was about Black History Month. All of her students were required to have some part in the play, whether it was the chorus or behind the scenes.<br /><br />I volunteered to be in the chorus.<br /><br />But Mrs. P. had something else in mind.<br /><br />She cast me in the lead.<br /><br />Up to that point, I had <span style="font-style: italic;">zero</span> acting experience. I only had, as most teenage girls do, a well-developed flair for the dramatic. I still don't know, to this day, why she had cast me in such a big role. Did she want to capitalize on my flair for the dramatic? Did she think I had a good speaking voice? Did she think I had stage presence?<br /><br />Or did she want to instill a sense of confidence in an otherwise insecure girl? Did she see potential in me that I didn't?<br /><br />I read the script and had it memorized by the next rehearsal. I really wanted to make a good impression.<br /><br />By the night of the play, I had received compliments from classmates I otherwise would not have spoken to. They really loved my acting, and often told me, "I didn't know you could do that!"<br /><br />Boy, was that an ego boost!<br /><br />About a month later, Mrs. P. announced that everyone was required to complete a research project on a historical figure. There was a statewide history competition that year, and the theme was "Science and Technology in History." I decided to research Madame Curie, complete the three-paneled cardboard display, and turn in the project.<br /><br />But Mrs. P. had other suggestions for me.<br /><br />I ended up entering the competition--and presented my research through a dramatic monologue as Madame Curie, Polish accent and all.<br /><br />I came in third in the regional competition, and felt confident enough I could win at the state level. <br /><br />And I did--I came in third place in my category.<br /><br />But only first and second place could go to nationals.<br /><br />Needless to say, I was crushed.<br /><br />The following morning, a Sunday, I got a phone call, at home, from Mrs. P. She asked how I was feeling, and I told her I still was pretty upset. But she told me that things would get better, and soon.<br /><br />They did get better, indeed. Two days later our class left for our annual trip to Washington, DC--and the teachers chose me and another student to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.<br /><br />I never, ever thought I'd do something of that magnitude when I was in 7th grade.<br /><br />Mrs. P. really helped me come out of my shell. She helped instill a sense of confidence and determination in me that I didn't know I had. She gave me the tools to do better in school and develop my potential.<br /><br />Her classroom became a sanctuary for me. I'd hang out there a couple of times a week after school, and we'd chat while I did my homework and she corrected papers.<br /><br />I ended up going to another high school the following year, and we eventually lost touch. Occasionally, throughout the years, I'd think about Mrs. P. and wondered what she was up to.<br /><br />But this week, I've thought about her. A lot.<br /><br />A friend of mine says that this happens to her quite a bit. She regards this as a sign that such a person needs to have a prayer said for them. And nine times out of ten, something happens to that person. Something significant, either good or bad.<br /><br />So tonight, I said a prayer. I am really, really contemplating getting back in touch. Just sending a letter, or a Christmas card, saying how I am and what I've been up to since my 8th grade year. Just a thank you note would do.<br /><br />But a part of me is very nervous about this. Is this the right thing to do? I found my second grade teacher a couple of years ago, another woman who had a significant impact on me, and wrote to her, but she never wrote back.<br /><br />And then another part of me worries that she's ill and doesn't have the physical capacity to write back.<br /><br />I'd better stop this, because I'm going around in circles, and it's very late. So let me conclude by asking you this, kittens: Have you ever told someone from your past how much they really meant to you? And when you did, were you able to do so before it was too late?Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-60651574924313459892010-10-18T19:01:00.003-04:002010-10-18T19:14:33.221-04:00The Queen's Meme: The Threes Meme<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I couldn't resist this one...after all, I was born on the third day of the third month!</span><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />3.</span> Where were you 3 hours ago?</b><br />At home, checking E-mail, then getting ready for my Zumba class.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3.</span> Is there anything pink within 3 feet of you?</b><br />Why, yes there is! A pink and grey striped blanket, and my pink and white blazer.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3</span>. Name the 3 scariest places in the world.</b><br />My office (very messy), the woods behind my house, and the north end of town.<b><br /></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3</span>. Name the 3 loveliest sights you've seen lately.</b><br />The changing leaves on the trees (LOVE New England), a gorgeous sunset, and the stars in the autumn night sky. I guess I'm a bit of a nature freak lately.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3.</span> Name the top 3 Bands in the year you were born.</b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>KISS, the Eagles, and ABBA<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><b> </b><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3.</span> Walk to your front door. Go outside and get in your car. Drive 3 miles East. Describe 3 things you saw on your way.</b><br />The Price Chopper/Home Depot shopping plaza, the Walgreen's next door to the CVS, and the local university campus.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. </span> I, <a href="http://mimilenox.com/">Queen Mimi,</a> have sentenced you to a 3-day diet of your most sinful cravings. </b><br /><b>What will you be partaking?</b><br />Pirate's Booty (that stuff is AMAZING and soooo much better than Cheetos), chocolate flavored peanut butter, and macaroni and cheese. Yummm...<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3.</span> Go back to question #3. Change the first word to "travel" and let me know if you survived.</b><br />OK, I cleaned up the office...that wasn't too bad...then I went into the woods behind my house and nearly got eaten alive by a raccoon...but that prepared me for surviving the north end of town--barely.<br /><br />Mimi, pass the Pirate's Booty and mac and cheese, please...<b><br /></b>Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-348600707147147262010-10-13T19:46:00.000-04:002010-10-13T19:46:00.759-04:0030 days of truth: Day TwelveDay 12 → Something you never get compliments on.<br /><br />That would be my eyes.<br /><br />I have Bambi eyes, and when I put my face on in the morning, they're the part I really accentuate. <br /><br />Yet no one ever notes how nice they are.<br /><br />Would anyone do so if they were blue, grey, hazel, green?<br /><br />I dunno.<br /><br />And I wouldn't wanna know.<br /><br />Because I like my eyes!Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-80438646477635213282010-10-12T20:55:00.000-04:002010-10-12T20:55:00.644-04:0030 days of truth: Day Eleven<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.</span><br /><br />That would be my hair.<br /><br />As you know, it's naturally curly. Since I was a kid, I have received raves about my ringlets. <br /><br />However, like most curly girls, I'd do anything to straighten it.<br /><br />I've learned to accept my curls, and am quite proud of them.<br /><br />I just wish all curly girls would be as content as I am.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-38017030611756135182010-10-11T20:46:00.002-04:002010-10-11T20:46:00.243-04:0030 days of truth: Day Ten<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.</span><br /><br />I knew a girl from college who never really got the idea that I didn't want to be her "best" friend. A "good" friend, yes, but not a BFF.<br /><br />On <span style="font-style: italic;">SNL,</span> Kristen Wiig plays a character named Penelope, who one-ups everything that people brag about. For example, if a mother says that her baby can say "dada" and "mama", Penelope will say that her kid was fluent in two languages by her first birthday.<br /><br />That's the way this "friend" has been to me. She always insists on getting her way; she hardly takes suggestions from anyone, and if she does, she'll lecture us on how our ideas aren't as good.<br /><br />We lost touch for quite a few years. Then she friended me on Facebook. She's not very active on her account--and then, suddenly, she posted on my wall the other day. "Let's get together soon!"<br /><br />I'm not sure how to respond to that one.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-54219280628128793722010-10-10T20:40:00.000-04:002010-10-10T20:40:00.678-04:0030 days of truth: Day Nine<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.</span><br /><br />That would be the person whom I refer to as "BFF" throughout the blog.<br /><br />We've drifted apart in the last several months, and here are the reasons why:<br /><ul><li>He's in a steady relationship. Lately he and his partner have been spending time with other couples, especially his partner's friends. I am not a part of a couple.<br /></li><li>He spends his time with his friends' kids. I don't have any children.</li><li>He wants to start a family. I don't think I want to have children.</li><li>We're both really invested in our careers.</li></ul>It's more of the emotional part that has caused us to drift...we both want different things out of life. And it really makes me feel bittersweet, considering how much we've been through in 16 years of friendship. His coming out. My episodes of depression. His breakup with his first partner. My juggling grad school and working full time.<br /><br />But you know what? I've come to terms with our drift...well, I'm getting better at it. There are still some days where I miss picking up the phone and calling at random. <br /><br />But he's moved on.<br /><br />And I know I am, too.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-58485970628270543492010-10-09T20:34:00.000-04:002010-10-09T20:34:00.491-04:0030 days of truth: Day EightDay 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.<br /><br />That would be the boss I had when I worked at a resort the summer before I went to college.<br /><br />I won't say much, because it can be explained succinctly:<br /><ul><li>Worked shifts from 7 AM till 10:30 PM, with only two half-hour breaks.</li><li>Worked for minimum wage--which, at the time, was $4.25 an hour. By the time I left at the end of August, my rate went up to $5.25 an hour.</li><li>Whenever we closed down for the night, I always ended up on bathroom duty. And the toilets were RARELY clean.</li></ul>They called me back the following summer. My mother, who answered the phone, gave my old boss the what for, saying that I would never be allowed to step on their grounds again, after how they treated me.<br /><br />I didn't learn about this until about two summers ago.<br /><br />And I am thankful for what Mama did for me.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-17261397006100605762010-10-08T20:18:00.002-04:002010-10-08T20:20:08.745-04:0030 days of truth: Day Seven<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.</span><br /><br />Hmmm...this is a tough one. Obviously my family has made my life worth living for. So have my friends. But just one person to choose? I can't! So I'll go with my first answer. My friends and family keep me in line and have helped shape me to be the person I am.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-84144525043978077612010-10-08T17:19:00.002-04:002010-10-08T17:29:52.513-04:0030 days of truth: Day Six<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.</span><br /><br />I could answer this question simply, by saying something like, "I hope I never have to go to jail," or, "I hope I never get arrested," or, "I hope I never have to clean the gutters on a house."<br /><br />But I'll stay serious.<br /><br />I hope I never have to become so morbidly obese that I need assistance in everyday life. I hope I never have to use an electric scooter to go grocery shopping, to lose my balance when walking, to gasp for breath when coming up the stairs.<br /><br />I was heading that route--and fast.<br /><br />So I had to make some changes.<br /><br />I've lost 17 pounds so far, but still have a way to go.<br /><br />A friend of mine is scheduled for bariatric surgery soon. She praised me for my weight loss, and then looked me in the eye, and said, "Don't become like me."<br /><br />I know I can get healthy.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-58965434010004164142010-10-07T20:27:00.000-04:002010-10-07T20:27:00.212-04:0030 days of truth: Day FiveDay 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.<br /><br />After college I had several friends either enter the Peace Corps or the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I've always wanted to engage in a long-term volunteer project in an urban area or a third-world country, but just never have had the time or opportunity.<br /><br />That, and Papa Cat made it clear upon receipt of my diploma, that "I. Would. Get. A. Job."<br /><br />Well, retirement's only about 30 years away for me!Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-5317012563816161312010-10-06T21:39:00.001-04:002010-10-06T21:39:00.320-04:0030 days of truth: Day Four<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.</span><br /><br />This is a really difficult one for me, because I am a pretty forgiving person towards other people. I am the person I find myself most difficult to forgive.<br /><br />Basically, I have to forgive certain people for their perfectionism. This is coming from someone who considers herself a recovering perfectionist. I just can't understand why people tend to obsess over the most minute details in their lives. I learned a long time ago (okay, maybe not THAT long ago) that there are MANY circumstances in our lives we can't control. And from those circumstances, I believe, is where humans learn their greatest lessons.<br /><br />I have some friends who are so afraid of letting go that they can't take even one day off from work. I don't know why I let this bother me so. Maybe it's because I let myself get so run down at one point in my career that I wound up in the hospital for three days.<br /><br />Please note that I say "recovering perfectionist". I still pride myself on my attention to detail.<br /><br />But I'd like to think that I'm better about it than I used to be.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-66267668619556933252010-10-05T21:36:00.000-04:002010-10-05T21:36:00.976-04:0030 days of truth: Day Three<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.</span><br /><br />This past July, I attended a wedding of a longtime college friend. BFF was there, along with several other friends that I hadn't seen for a long time.<br /><br />Long story short, I met a guy. I liked the guy. Guy didn't ask me for my contact information. I took my misery out on BFF.<br /><br />Basically, I have to forgive myself for letting my emotions get in the way of enjoying what was otherwise a very lovely day. Everyone else in attendance has forgiven me for what I did--I just wish I could forgive myself.Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133929039186110257.post-45076380918795173552010-10-04T21:32:00.000-04:002010-10-04T21:32:00.357-04:0030 days of truth: Day Two<span style="font-style: italic;">Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.<br /><br /></span>I love my eyes and my hair. I have short, bobbed, naturally curly, dark brown hair. Some would say it's black, but if I go out into the sun, you can see reddish-brown highlights. True black hair does not have any highlights.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span>I also have big brown, wide eyes to match my hair. They're the part of my face I play up the most when I put on makeup. Eyes are the windows to the soul, and you can tell a lot about me just by looking in my eyes. They alone will tell you how I'm feeling. They express my emotions in ways that words never can.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Kittenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.com1