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Posts Tagged ‘random’

  1. It’s in the Way She Moves

    January 6, 2011 by Blondette

    Sometimes I stare at my ceiling and absorb the geometry of the beams as they cut from wall to wall. My living room and kitchen are open to each other so when I painted, I made sure the colors had a subtle flow. If you look close enough at the beams (right, soffit [sic] is probably the more accurate term here) you will notice that they are one shade darker than the living room walls – and that they match the kitchen. I believe the color is called “Gentle Fawn.” Sadly, a number of gentle fawns find themselves staring at the sky after being hit by a car ’round these parts.

    A lot of thought went into choosing the perfect colors for my home. I wanted to create the right atmosphere – warm, inviting, and snuggley – part library, part bistro. Before now I’d never really thought about whether the paint actually looked like “warm caramel” or a gentle “fawn.” That is, until I found myself contemplating my ceiling.

    When I can’t find a way to express myself, release my emotions, I often drift to the observing my surroundings. Am I looking for something to comfort me? Something to distract me? Something to re-focus and calm me? I don’t know. A few years ago I discovered a large mistake I’d made at work. Unfortunately, the mistake cost the company a large sum of money and there was no immediate way to recoup the loss. After immediately bringing it to the attention of my boss and having a “wtf are we going to do dinner” I found myself lying on my couch (man that is a good couch – it now resides in my basement because I just can’t bear to get rid of it) staring at the ceiling – numb. Not sure if I was absorbing or reflecting emotion.

    Geometry was never my favorite subject, but I’ve always loved the look of a clear, crisp line. Sometimes, I really wish life was a little more like geometry.


  2. Didya Know

    January 4, 2011 by Blondette

    It’s kind of hard to be a writer if you don’t write.

    (Keep Calm and) Carry On.


  3. Word Association

    October 23, 2010 by Blondette

    I love a few things. Words and association are 2 of them. I’m currently obsessed with this song*:

    Which makes me think of this poem**:

    The Lady of Shalott

    Painting depicting the famous poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson "The Lady of Shalott" - click the image to go to the poem

    Which was used in this book/movie***:

    *,**,& *** So, I realize the music video uses the Lady of Shalott – BUT, I didn’t see the video until after I’d already made that association in my mind. So apparently I am not the only person whose brain goes there. Not sure if I’m happy or sad about that. Carry on.


  4. Dear Jen Lancaster – Another Letter, this time with more accessories #2

    September 30, 2010 by Blondette

    Dear Jen Lancaster!

    This is officially my second letter to you, though I dedicated a very important discourse to you earlier this week. I sincerely hope you approve and were not entirely grossed out or offended. (I know you are very “polite” about the human body and its functions – unless it involves getting “strongs” or making like a fish.)

    In your book, Bitter is New Black, you taught everyone a very important lesson about proper purse etiquette. I’ve always been a fan of purses. In high school, I had a burgundy purse that closely resembled a camera bag. Then there was the brown suede just a tiny bit bigger than a clutch purse – with fringe. It was fun to pet. Several years ago, I learned the importance of “rotating” purses. Every time my best friend Tammi gets a new purse, she “moves in,” immediately transferring the contents of the newly-old purse to the new purse and relegating the newly-old purse to the backseat of the car.

    I feel that the people we choose to love and envelop in every aspect of our lives – soul mates, best friends, children -  the people who “like us just as we are” – also make us want to be better people (maybe because they don’t expect it.) I’ve been known to like people who don’t cut me slack. (Okay, they cut me slack sometimes, but for the most part, they push me to excel whether it be in housekeeping, acts of kindness, or handbag etiquette.) And that last point, that is what brings me to the point of my second letter to you. I figured if my BFF and I are going to convince you to come to Kansas City for your next book reading/tour, then you need to know a little bit about us and our purse habits – and you need to like us, just as we are.

    *Okay, I’m going to admit that my attention span wandered right about here (well, actually I started another letter and wrote some terrible poetry on my FatLadyKatie blog) and I Googled for a bit, then I landed on http://gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/. Oh my. The images.*

    Anyhow, from Tammi and April (Tammi’s older sister and my pseudo-sister, also a connoisseur of purses and knitting bags) I learned about proper compartmentalization. I also learned the rule of rotating. You must rotate your purse every month (or 3 months.) This keeps the purse fresh and seasonal. I find that much like moving my furniture, it clears my chi and I suddenly feel more energetic.

    Without Tammi and April, I would still be carrying around a free Victoria’s Secret purse full of Diet Dr. Peppers and pizza (THAT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE!) People can still play “What’s in Katie’s Purse” but the results are less interesting (and less perishable) these days. Just know that my brother is an Eagle scout and I lived around the “be prepared” motto for 18 years. This will work well if I ever find someone to knock  me up and make it legal.

    Gosh, I have carried on as though we are old buddies! If blog stalking letter writing  is like dating I can’t expect to get anywhere until after the third letter and I should probably be walking you to your door.

    Now, I really must thank you for the lovely evening. I’ll call you tomorrow.**

    Goodnight and may the Ambien be with you!

    Katie Leas

    P.S.  Please do not sue me. I have 3 cats who scratch me when they are hungry. They’re generally very nice to me, but I’m pretty sure they’d eat me if they had to.

    ** I will not really call you because that’s creepy.


  5. Vacation Week

    September 7, 2010 by Blondette

    I haven’t taken a full week off work since about 2006 or 2007. The most I’ve taken has been 3 days consecutively and was at the end of October 2009 when I moved into my house. It was days spent packing, trudging back and forth, up and down the stairs to the dumpster and my car – in the rain.

    Anyhow, I took a few days off in August as well (3 Fridays and 1 Monday) but I planned this lovely week off to just be. I hope I can allow myself to relax. And I hope my employer can allow me to relax.

    So, most people ask “what are you going to do?” Well, I’m going to read; I’m going to nap; I’m going to get up and sit on my couch and drink coffee; I’m going to clean; I’m going to decorate!

    My goal is to finally get my bedroom in a lovely state and “Autumn-ize” my house. Hopefully, I will have pictures for you soon.


  6. Blonde Armed

    July 30, 2010 by Blondette

    Oh yes, tomorrow I am attending a class to get my concealed carry permit/license in the State of Missouri.

    Be afraid.

    There might be renditions (okay, severe karaoke butchering) of Aerosmith’s Janie’s Got a Gun.


  7. I really enjoy…

    July 30, 2010 by Blondette

    the sight of bright yellow stripes on the road against wet pavement.

    carry on


  8. Awake

    March 10, 2010 by Blondette

    Sometimes I think I’m pretty clever. One out of nine attempts at humor actually turn out to be funny to someone other than me and I’m validated.

    I’ve been having trouble sleeping during the week lately. I tend to stay up to all hours working or “interneting” and really only sleep on Friday night, often falling asleep on my couch obscenely early in the night and staying in bed until 8 or 9am.

    My Oliver cat keeps peeing on my laundry. Full on pop a squat and pee. I’m not sure why he’s doing this, but he does it right in front of me. The full set up and everything arranging the clothes and making a little pee nest. It’s gross. And I’ve had to throw away some clothes.

    I was bused in the Kansas City Missouri School District in the 1980′s as part of their court ordered desegregation project. Too many white kids at the local school, so they needed to spread us out and mix us up. At one point, I was the only white kid in the entire school. They moved me to my local school when a spot opened so I didn’t have to go so far to school. At one point I took a taxi to school – and tonight I met someone on Twitter who was taxi-ed too! The whole KCMSD thing is top of mind based on their current school closing initiative. Why can’t they get it right? All those abandoned school buildings will be great assets to the communities!