Shaken and Stirred

An earthquake isn't the best form of alarm clock that I know of. I would much prefer something a little more soothing and that doesn't freak the crap out of my cats.

I actually was drifting back to sleep as I had decided after my alarm went off at the normal 5:45 that my aching feet from an event I worked yesterday didn't need to hit the treadmill quite yet. The shaking started and it rattling the windows pretty hard. A little before the shaking started, I heard the cats scurry from their shelf-perches. Then they all ended up in bed with me. Chef, on the other hand, didn't wake up at all. That man can sleep through just about anything.

But the earthquake was just the start of a jarring day. It wasn't particularly bad or remarkable or even unusual in the sense that nothing happened that was out of the ordinary. But for some reason I was a little shaken in more than the physical sense today.

I thought of a question on my way out to my car. Pondering life and art and all those things that only seem to pop into my head when I'm trying to think about other things, less important daily duties, I thought to myself: Do you have to sacrifice something for your dreams?  Is that a prerequisite?

I honestly don't know the answer or am not sure there really is an answer. Do you have to sacrifice family to be a true artist? Or a career to have a true passion (assuming it's not in that career field, of course)? Clearly, there's no secret formula to making dreams come true. Other than luck. I'm a firm believer that luck (or timing or coincidence or faith or whatever you believe in) plays a bit role in making things happen. And yes, the harder you work the "luckier" you seem to get. I've heard that.

But I guess I found it appropriate on St. Patrick's Day to wonder: Is it luck or sacrifice that plays a bigger role in making dreams a reality?

Cheers to a New Year!

Mimosas for the win!

Cheers to you on this new year! May all your hopes, dreams, changes, and wishes come true.  (If you're taking note of mine, yesterday was clearly a better day to do so but I didn't mention a wish I have that clearly is not a resolution-- I wish the Colts a playoff victory this weekend. So, there's that to toast to).

One of the things I didn't make an official resolution, but I'm determined to do is the daily picture thing. I found there were long stretches of time that I didn't bother to take a picture and I know things happened. Even if I'm only walking around my house, neighborhood or workplace, I'm hoping that by taking pictures will

My actual first picture of the New Year:
Cute Khubla

help me see beauty in the everyday and get me to appreciate my surroundings a little more. I mean, I live in one of the most diverse, beautiful cities in the world, might as well take advantage of it.

So cheers to you and a year of documenting the every day!

Kittenz II Cats

Nothing says Christmas like dressing your cats up like tiny little members of the world's furriest boy band. I only have a few items left on my Holiday Spirit Quest and last night I took care of #7- Have the cats sporting their holiday ties at least once this holiday season. That means that I only have to watch a cheesy holiday movie (one of which is sitting on my bedroom DVR) and stuff a stocking (or two) which I (or Santa) will do tonight. I have to say that I still love doing these spirit items. Mostly because if I didn't, I wouldn't try at all to get into the holiday mood, and what fun is that?

So, today we also went to use the last of our flexible healthcare spending for the year and got glasses and contacts, as well as eye exams. This has become somewhat of a Christmas Eve tradition. We get exams, Chef gets glasses, we wait for the glasses by walking across the street to the mall. We did all that today PLUS had a delicious lunch at PF Chang's. It's not quite opening presents with the family, but it's not bad at all.

In the mean time, here are pictures of the furry family of boy band members (and Mila) in their holiday attire. Enjoy!

Attila looking dapper in his plaid tie.

Genghis and Khubla wondering how they could've worn the same outfit.

The closest I could get to having all three in the picture at once.

Genghis kinda likes his tie.

Genghis and his half-brother Attila looking very much like they are ready for their holiday choir concert.

Genghis and Khubla waiting for their cue to sing.

The best one of Khubla by himself

.

Mila did not like her holiday fur collar AT ALL.

This was the most she would do with it. I can't blame her. It had bells so she couldn't hide at all from the other cats. 

Engineers + Cats = Pure Genius

I had yet to experience the love or anguish of cat ownership when the first part of "The Engineer's Guide to Cats" came out, but I do appreciate a good sequel.

We too practice corporal cuddling in our household. Wanna see the first one? Click here.

How BIG a Cat uses This Litter Box??

Chef and I were out and about today. We did many things, including FINALLY getting him a wedding band, which will be here next week--just after our two year anniversary (yes, I kinda slacked on that one).

While putzing around, we hit up PetSmart, because I can't shop without thinking of the kitties. We saw this GIANT litter box. It was about two feet wide by three feet long. We both looked at each other and wondered what the hell kind of cat uses a litter box that big. I think all of our cats could use it at the same time if they were so inclined. I think this thing would take about 20 lbs of litter just by itself.

Why I Shouldn't Be Single Again

KaBoom volunteers

If there was any example about why I shouldn't be single again, today is that example. I got up at noon. I watched TV all day. I ate junk food most of the weekend because I didn't have to cook it. I had no problem watching the Jodi Arias movie on Lifetime; no shame or embarrassment. I've talked to the cats more than normal.

Happy, not Sad, Pandas

And that is only ONE day. Not so say that if something didn't happen that I couldn't learn to live the single life again, but it would take a while for me to get back in the swing of things. Luckily, I did spend most of Saturday working on a KaBoom playground build. It was for a client, which I have to disclose even though this is a personal blog. It's an FCC law and I'll use another post to talk
about that.

Anyway, Chef is out of town until tomorrow night, working on a photo shoot that a client sent him on. It makes me proud to say that, but getting a taste of my own "I'm traveling for work" medicine is interesting.

Mostly I realized that I would be about 100 pounds heavier without some accountability. I'm getting fluffy again, which translates into pudgy which means that the last three weeks that I've spent traveling for whatever reason and not exercising have caught up with me.

The treadmill begins again tomorrow.

Khubla and I were both lazy as hell this weekend. Or at least today,

Is this the furry face of a monster?

He looks all sweet and innocent, but deep down, this guy has a problem. An addiction or compulsion really and if he had the ability to understand me, I'd try an intervention on him. His addiction? Plastic.

I'd start with "Attila, your addiction to plastic has hurt me in the following ways:

You chew through plastic bags containing carb-laden food that I love. The holes you create then allow the others in your pack to pounce on the food inside leaving a nibbled, soggy mess.

If makes it impossible for us to leave out anything that crinkles and isn't a cat toy.

You have gone into my purse--my purse!-- and taken out plastic Ziplock baggies of tampons. Okay, I admit it. It's funny to see your furry, guilt-stricken face as you try to scamper off with the bag between your teeth."

Yesterday morning Chef said  "Honey, Attila left you a present out here." as I was getting up. Typically this means the occasional hairball or perhaps something coming out the other end, but that morning it was an actual tampon that he had nibbled through the top of the plastic wrapper of. He has a fascination with all feminine hygiene products. I know it's the plastic, but I also think they have a different smell that attracts him.

Weirdo. I guess until Jeff VanVonderan is available for cat interventions, I'll just have to be more protective of our plastic and my tampons.

I'm Still Alive....Just Busy

I'm still alive and kicking, but the last few weeks have been slammed with work. Las Vegas for a convention, three tweet-up events, and a charity walk simultaneously in four locations--that's just the last 10 days. I promise to get back at it, but in the mean time, enjoy this video Chef took of Khubla making a weird shriek when he was cornered.

Working My Way Through My List

Genghis looks so scholarly with his tie on.
Yes, I did go crazy. 

Slowly but surely I'm trying to get my holiday spirit together. Maybe it will come out a little bit more after the next couple of days when I have drinks with a friend, our company holiday party and another holiday party thrown by some other friends all in succession.

In the mean time, I may not have blogged in the last week, but that's not because I haven't been working on my Holiday Spirit Quest. I've actually gone through quite a bit of it and figure now's the time for a good ole recap through photos (and some commentary). So here goes:

3. Dress a cat in something holiday.
This is Genghis's turn in the holiday tie. He didn't love it nearly as much as I did.

 

Mila had a cute little white fur muff with a bow and jingle bells.
 However, the jingle bells were popular with the other cats who began chasing her more than normal. 

12. Make gingerbread men/ women.
AND
21. Buy a new Christmas decoration. (The plate under the cookies is cutely festive)
I didn't make women not because I'm a misogynist but because I'm too cheap to buy the other cookie cutter.

Proof that I made them myself and didn't just decorate them. 

6. Sing a Christmas carol at the top of my lungs.

AND 

16.  Listen to Christmas music for one week's worth of commutes.

I didn't exactly sing "Baby, I'ts Cold Outside" at the top of my lungs (It was "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"), but I only had a screenshot of my holiday Pandora.

I've also taken care of :

7. Donate to charity.

I've almost got all of my shopping done and shipped, plus I wrapped everything that I shipped myself, so feel confident that those will get done. I am also on target to see ICE at Santa Monica, visit a beach, drink a holiday latte, and make my mom's zucchini bread this weekend.

Tonight I'm going to drink a holiday libation with a friend and hopefully finish my holiday nails. 

My big question is: What do I craft???

A Cat in a Hat and All That

I had the penguin last year.
I might be the Santa stocking
this year. Who knows?
Oh yeah, Santa does.

I'm working on my holiday spirit quest. This list doesn't seem as daunting as last year. Maybe I know my limits or maybe I'm not ready to be moved by the spirit, so to speak, but I've only slowly started working on this year's Holiday Spirit Quest. So far I have done:

• Dress a cat in something holiday. I bought a Santa hat for the cats and then proceeded to make each one wear it until they looked appropriately humiliated. We might start using this as the cone of shame when they do something bad. I won't really count it until I get pictures of them wearing the hat. 
• Watch a Christmas movie that I haven't seen in a long time or ever before. I watched "Elf" the other day. I had only seem bits of it and never the whole thing. So I'm counting it.
• Put up Christmas decorations. It might be small, but it's all I've got (and want). The picture is our display, which still includes the "Snooki" ornament from my "something tacky" quest last year. I just couldn't part with it. Plus she's had a baby now, so that pre-baby body mold is a collector's item. 

I did buy the Gingerbread fixings and cookie cutter, but that is more of a weekend project. I'm working on the gift list and hope to get some knocked out this weekend. I think I'll wait one more weekend to go to ICE in Santa Monica. I actually went to a meeting at a resort at Huntington Beach yesterday. I could see the ocean, but since I didn't get to wiggle my sand in my toes, I'm not crossing it off the list. 

What have you done to get in the spirit so far?

You Know You're An Adult When. . .

the most accomplished you feel on a weekend is from cleaning out closets. Or maybe that's just me. But I'm not the neatest of people. That's not saying that I'm not organized.  I typically know where everything is, but I live my life in piles.

There's a pile of pillows in the corner of our bedroom next to my side of the bed. They are the various sizes and fluffiness I need to accommodate any one of a number of sleep positions. (I will gladly take the pillow pile over the ambien that I needed for several years to get a good night's sleep. Ambien-free for more than two years now!). There are several piles of mail, magazines and various things that I bring through the door with the intent on dealing with. And I do, but only when the piles get too big.

We live in a small place. Partly to save money and partly because it's expensive as hell to live in LA. That does a lot to prevent a ton of clutter, but we have our fair share. And between my closet being a disaster, weird stuff littering our bedroom for various reasons (cat carrier, beach towel, aforementioned pillow pile, large plastic storage container with gardening paraphernalia, plastic file box containing all five of my journals and tons of my writing files, etc) and the main storage area bursting with piles of pure crap, it was all getting to be too much for me.

I decided to jump in head first on Saturday night and tore through the main closet. Failed attempts to entertain the cats in the form of broken feathers, broken laser pointers, and numerous jingle balls that are never used because they wake us up? Gone. Basket of yarn and various knitting needles that haven't been used in LA? Donated, saved and consolidated. The shelf with blankets and towels now ONLY contain blankets and towels. Not blankets, towels, knitting needles, moisture wicks, plant water meters, IU Santa statue, one sheet that would never be used, and cat medications.

Once that closet was tackled, it seemed like a no-brainer to tackle some of the bedroom and my closet while I listened to the Colts game. Shoes were weeded, seasonal clothes were taken to a different closet, anything I hadn't' wore in 6 months was donated. When I needed an idea on how to store my scarves in the closet, I searched for it on Pinterest and BAM! Easy storage attained.

I finished with 2 minutes left in the Colts game and got to scream and shout and scare the cats and neighbors with the full satisfaction of a Colts win AND clean closets. Ah. . . .Victory all around.

It was a Month since I Slept in A Bed

California Hot

This is a little embarrassing to admit, but last night was the first night in more than a month that I slept in a bed. You might ask why and the answer is simple: it's been hot as balls.

Or at least "California hot." I firmly believe that each state has it's own version of hot. In Indiana, hot meant that it felt like you were stepping into a bath tub when the front door opened and you were on things like "Ozone alerts" when it got really hot. For those of you not in the know, an "ozone alert" day meant that you should not go to the drive-thru or mow your lawn. I assume as to not contribute to more ozone-destroying behavior, but I can't be entirely too sure.

In Tennessee, hot was similar to that of Indiana but with a valley that just managed to recycle heat over and over. It also had a tendency to rain for a few hours which just made it hotter.

California hot is easily the most bearable of the hots I'm most accustomed to (I'm not even going to mention the week I was in New Orleans in June--that's just a swampland of crazy people). It's undeniably hot--lately it's been over 100 degrees each day, but it's not necessarily humid so it feels nicer. It's hard to explain that to people who've lived here their whole lives, but any transplant from the South knows what I'm talking about.

Anyway, it's been hot here and part of being in California where it's only normally hot like 5 days a year means that there aren't a lot of apartments or condos or houses with central heat and air. It's just not a necessity which means that they don't invest in it. So, our apartment has a window AC unit in the living room which doesn't get the bedroom cool AT ALL. Usually we just turn the AC off and open the bedroom windows. But after two days of tossing and turning because I was roasting in my sleep, I decided to take matters into my own hands and move my bedding into the living room where I could sleep in direct air-shot of the air conditioning.

At first it felt like camping out to have our stuff strewn in our living room. And I LOVED snuggling down at night and watching TV with Chef and not worrying about when he was coming to bed. Plus we trained the cats to sleep together instead of alternating some to leave out of the bedroom. It felt like a pallet of loveliness. So much so that I just kept it out. Who needs a living room floor anyway? We don't have kids so it's not hurting anyone. It's kind of like having cereal for dinner for a week straight. As an adult, it's my prerogative.

I was getting ready to pick it up last week and then a huge heatwave came in and it was back to 100-plus degree temperatures, so that wasn't happening. Last night, I finally threw in the comforter and picked it up. Our living room has never looked so big. And you'd like that I would've missed my bed more than I have, but I have to say, it was nice to change things up for a while. A new scene. Plus if I ever had to get rid of my bed, I know that I could handle it just fine.

A Thin Line Between Normal and Serial Killer

If I took Attila to the movies,
chance are he would just crawl
up next to me and sleep.
 Just sayin'

Yesterday, Chef and I went to see The Avengers, because we're American. And apparently all of America went to see it this weekend. Even in our beloved sinner showing, there was a fairly full house--and we chose to see it without 3D. Partly because I think that 3D is just a way for movie executives to test how stupid moviegoers will be to see a movie. I think the fact that they've made five versions of The Fast and The Furious should be enough of a case study, but I guess they want to fuck with us more because those glasses keep getting more and more hideous.

Hideous glasses aside, I also fear that 3D will end up corrupting versions of the movie and we'll look back in 20 years and laugh at what we thought was so advanced. Don't believe me? Catch Jaws 3 next time its on TV and see how stupid that shark looks coming at you. And how short shorts could be and still be considered acceptable. Dennis Quaid, I'm talking to you.

So we're sitting there in a relatively packed theater and a family comes to sit down after the previews have started. I actually like seeing the previews, but since Youtube means that I can watch the ones I'm interested in at home, I get a little less pissed off about people talking during them. What does piss me off, though, was the little shit behind me that felt the need to kick my chair for 20 minutes.

I know a lot of you have kids where I have cats, but I have no sympathy for a parent who is so engaged in a movie that you don't seem to notice the toddler (who shouldn't have been in that movie at all -completely inappropriate for that young of a kid) that was standing --not sitting in their seat--and kicking the back of a chair in front of them. An area that just happens to be my HEAD. At first I tried to pretend it was like a massage chair when I get my pedicures that had some how gone on the fritz, but it didn't work for long. I gave a few pointed looks to the mother behind me, but it didn't work. She never did do anything to control her child. I wondered why the kicking stopped but when I went to the bathroom I saw that the kid had fallen asleep in his chair. Mystery solved.

Warning: Video of Ferocious Cat Killing a Horse

Chef took this video of Genghis playing with the stuffed horse I got last year for opening an account at Wells Fargo. I think it's adorable, and almost as good as "The Avengers" plus it's way shorter. Happy Sunday!

Cat Vomit and other fun stuff

Attila may vomit on our bed, but he is
definitely our best cuddle kitty. 

As far as emergencies go, Chef and I have thankfully been spared for the most part. However, there seems to be something about our comforter that says "Have a cat emergency HERE!". Mila took a crap right in the middle of it (while Chef and I were sleeping in the bed, no less) which got her banned from the bedroom for almost a year before she was allowed back in. And rightfully so. No one likes to wake up to the smell of feces.

Yesterday, Attila decided to vomit on my side of the comforter. The poor kitty has been vomiting up everything he's eaten for the last two days which means in our world means unplanned vet visit time! Hooray. I also got to see the inside of a lovely LA laundromat because our comforter is too big for our washers in the complex. Instead of brunch and mimosas, I had Diet Dr Pepper and a book while waiting for it to wash.

Anyway, hope he's better today. This is yet another reason that I may not be cut out for parenthood. Too many bodily fluids.

And I Thought It was Hard Sleeping With Pixie Bobs

Try a rescue panther! Chef and I are loving some of the new Geico ads. Well, I'm not sure if Chef loves them, but he knows that quoting them will crack me up.
 

How 'bout some Ronald TONIGHT?! This is one of my friends' go-to karaoke song. I will never look at it the same way again.

Most Adorable Post of the Week

Aren't they adorable? That's Genghis and Khubla curled up together. Chef sent me those with the words to the "My Buddy" doll theme song. Super cute.

And because our cats can't just eat their carb-loaded kibble, we took a trip to Lowe's down the street and pretended we were all domestic. Or at least I pretended. Chef is decidedly more domestic than I am. We got some cat grass, catnip, sage and parsley (all cat appropriate) and put them in a planter. The planter sits on the floor and now they have a little cat salad in between feedings. Mila promptly ate some grass and barfed it back up. Awesome. She's since learned to keep it down. Khubla is a big fan.

Enjoy these cute cat pics!

Genghis on the left, Khubla on the right

                                   

                                          From left to right: Parsley, Sage, Cat grass and catnip

Because We Can: Cat Breading

Genghis and his Bread helmet

There's a trend on the Internets (yes, I meant Internets) now where people are putting slices of bread on their cats heads. Why? Who knows or cares. If Anne Geddes can make all those horrible pictures of babies popular for no reason, why can't these pictures of felines with no fear of Atkins be just as popular?But I threw the question out as to who of our cats would be the first and Chef quickly and definitively answered: Genghis.

He tried with a piece of regular bread but as Genghis is not a regular cat, it did not work. His dome was way too large. So instead, Chef made him a helmet from Italian bread. I was super impressed with the cuts for the ears. Very nice.

Helmet or yarmulke? 

After he sent me the picture, Chef replied with "You'll need to buy a large loaf of bread if you want to continue this insanity."

Well, I'm heading to the grocery store because I DO want to continue this insanity. And apparently others do too. Check out the Facebook page with more than 9000 fans. Hilarious.

Chef has the brilliant idea of trying to construct bread armor for our cats, which makes sense  because we only wanted to get a Pixie Bob because we wanted a battle cat. So really this is just an end to our original quest. Normally, I'd be against anything that wastes delicious carbs like this, but this time I'm all in. I'm on board.

Now if we can get Mila's little furry face in a piece of wheat bread. . .

Nice Things About Vacations

Being lazy like Genghis

I'm off of work this week and trying to take full advantage of my time away to recharge. Errands and running are being kept to a minimum and it's been awesome. Here are some of my favorite things about being off of work:

• Extra Chef time (and time with the kitties)
• Could go and get my brakes fixed without stressing about conference calls or being on time for meetings
• Email is optional
• Can respond quickly to moves on Words with Friends games
• Ice skating at 2 p.m. on a Friday? Sure!
• When I see 5 a.m. on the clock, I just roll over and go back to sleep.
• I can take naps every day at 3 p.m. (if I wanna)
• I can clean the interior of my car and dust my house and clean my cabinets and organize my shoes without thinking I should be lounging in my free time
• I can read all I want
• I can even read trashy magazines all I want
• I haven't driven as many miles in the last 5 days as I do on one day just getting to work
• Thus I have 80 percent of the gas left in the tank I filled on Saturday
• Football is on nearly 24-7
• Writing feels like a daily necessity and not a habit I'm trying to form
• I can go shopping on "off" hours (if there is such a thing in LA)
• I get to see and soak in the sun

What have you done with your time off?

Dear Santa. . .

P.S. It's nice to see that you're
an IU fan again. :)

I have to admit that you've always been pretty good to me. Even when I was just pretending to believe because my brother asked me to string the "Santa thing" along for another year. If I am being a completely honest (and therefore "nice") girl I have to say that I was eager to suspend disbelief until I got my loot.

To me, Santa, you are more than just someone who brought me stuff. You were my first link to magic. The first character that made me think that things that aren't supposed to happen actually could. Flying reindeer? Sure-so much more environmentally safe than jets. Visiting all children on one night? Perhaps you are the first cloned person and therefore can be in multiple places at once. All the cookies you can eat once a year? I totally get that.

To be honest, Santa, I could use a little "you" in my life. Who doesn't want to believe in magic? That good things can happen for no reason and no need for logic. Who doesn't want to be genuinely surprised? Or to go to bed dreaming of things that you know you'll touch in a few hours? When was the last time your biggest wishes got granted by sleeping? I think that's an adult's dream for sure or at least part of mine.

Even to create some magic seems fun enough. I remember trying to help my aunts and uncles convince my younger cousins that you existed just to be a part of the action. And now, I still want to help make your magic happen. I played "Santa" for some kids, donated to food drives and pet food drives. I even have small items ready to stuff some stockings (mine included) and surprise some cats. Yes, Santa. I so miss your presence that I'm willing to recreate it with pets that can't comprehend or appreciate it.

I'm glad that others still have you to hold on to. (Although I do hate seeing you shill for companies in your off time, but understand that all those toys and elf labor don't come for free). I hope you have the best Christmas, Santa. Thank you so much for all those years of magic and the many more you give others.

Your Elf,
Ashley