Don't Forget to be Awesome!

I really need to get to bed so I can get up tomorrow and take care of the kinds of things that I've been procrastinating for a few weeks. If you haven't figured it out, when I procrastinate doing homework, I also avoid blogging because I feel a bit guilty about doing something that I enjoy when I'm not doing things that I'm obligated to do.

Sometimes I still write things though, and I just don't post them. Like the following letter to Hank Green.

* * * *

An open letter (because I haven't showered and making a video would be a bad idea at the moment) to Hank Green regarding tribes.

I'd watched Seth Godin's talk before seeing your video, and I got a slightly different idea about the tribes he describes from that video. I have yet to go back and watch his talk again, and as such I may ultimately end up agreeing with your interpretation more, but right now I'd like to discuss the differences for a moment.

You mention that as Nerdfighters, we are a tribe. I get that, I like that, I'm behind it, but it's not what I initially thought Godin was referring to. Instead, I understood him to be pretty much different personality types, and the tribes themselves are the 5 types of people, or rather their outlooks.

I still agree that many a nerdfighter is in the 4th type and very supportive of the world around them. Go us! I just don't think that it's being a nerdfighter that puts us into that category, I think us being in that category allow us to be awesome nerdfighters. In some ways it's like the houses at Hogwarts. An individual's outlook and initial responses to something determine which tribe they belong in.

The great thing about writing and creating characters as JK Rowling has, is that she can allow many of her characters to actually be pretty awesome. I would argue that all three non-dark houses are at least level three tribe types, while to over simplify it Slytherin is a type 1. It is because these characters are already in these tribes that they are put together.



Having written this and thought about it a bit since I wrote what is above, I'm not so strong in my stance anymore. I think it's a bit of both views (and probably has aspects of other takes as well, I just haven't heard those ones yet)!

I would love to think about this more, and I probably will while in class tomorrow, but I'd like to get this posted before I totally forget about it. Also, seeing the video you shared on Twitter tonight made me think of just how great a type 4 tribe ALL of You Tube can be, posting now seems timely.

Any of your thoughts on this would be welcomed, with some luck I will be able to discuss this with you on Friday in San Francisco! (I'm a little bummed that I found out about this later than I wanted and wasn't able to contact you about the music store I work for near Sacramento who would have loved to have you come play in the store. If you're driving to SF, we'll be on your way, feel free to contact me if you're interested in possibly something last minute.)

DFTBA,
Katherine

PS. I really kind of wanted to sign that "One of the Abundance," but I thought that might be better in a letter to John.


* * * *

For those who are unfamiliar, this is the video he posted, and I can't wait to buy the song. Even if I only listen to it when I want pure cheese, that's not what this is about!

Happiness is a warm gun

My routine for school is slowly coming along. I still haven't found a good groove in which I get everything done that I need to, but I'm getting enough done. Most of my blogging will be found on the journal assignment for my Writing and the Young Writer course, as that will earn me a grade and as such should be prioritized before entertainment. The good news though is that I should have some decent things to say over there, so feel free to follow it and make comments!

Onto something that's easier to feign interest in!

I was talking to a new friend on Facebook chat last week, and found out that before they knew my name, a few of the dodgeball guys (not to be confused with Dodgeball himself) would refer to me as the librarian. I totally understand. I like to wear cardigans, and when going out in the evening they are quite useful for warding off the chills while also being totally adorable. Now that I'm back in school I like to wear something that makes me feel like I could possibly look like the million years older than all the other students here, so cardigans are a much better choice than hoodies. I've also realized something with all this new focus on those awesome little sweaters.

I need new cardigans!!!

It's getting a little colder, and soon enough I'm going to need an actual jacket, but even then some of my classrooms are rather cold but wearing jacket to take notes is entirely unappealing. I am constantly wanting cardigans in colors that i don't actually have them in, especially when watching super awesome new TV shows in which a main character has some awesome ones.

So now I think I'm going to casually be looking for them in pretty much every color of the rainbow, I mean, why not? If you notice anything awesome please let me know where I can find them!


Oh, and the title means nothing, I just can't get that lyric out of my head.

Crap, it's the time I said I would go to bed tonight and I haven't written anything about the awesome that was this weekend. Yes, awesome is a noun.

This weekend brought me from two crushes to barely a half crush.

I spent two fun nights out with friends, the first of which was rather informative, the second was more fun than I could possibly describe and will have to be planned again.

I'm super behind on homework already though, and any chance of me getting up early enough to work on any tomorrow requires me going to bed now.

Starting tomorrow I'm going to be productive!

I wanna wanna wanna wanna be KATE!

I bought a few CDs last week when my discount kicked in, and I'm super happy that I did. I also got some promo CDs at the time, which has allowed me to become totally infatuated with Pitbull's newest release, no matter how much of a sheltered white girl I am who has never really had to deal with anything truly difficult. (Though this CD isn't about that at all, so I can identify with some of the ideas in it, the idea of someone like me connecting with typical rap still totally baffles me.)

Today I made myself turn off Calle Ocho and popped in another CD I had no doubt I would love as well. I mean how could I not love some more Ben Folds? Especially when it's all A Cappella from many different University groups from around the country!

I was listening to it on my way to class, and I was already totally in love and decided that I need to get as much of the Ben Folds library as I can get my hands on ASAP. Then, on the way home from class I was singing along to Brick and I fell way more in love with the man.

Do you ever have an idea of something that you know is a real thing, but people make fun of you for it?

Like when I worked at Jamba Juice and I said I didn't like to go into the walk-in freezer because I don't like the smell of the cold. Well, no one I worked with then understood what I meant by that. They all just didn't like the cold, never mind the smell, because it doesn't exist.

Now go back and watch the video paying attention at 35 seconds in.

Totally vindicated. (Watch the following video to prevent getting Dashboard Confessional stuck in your head now.)



Note, both videos are the groups who perform on the album, though I believe they are their auditions to be part of the album, yay for them!

And now, another joyous moment from this album...

As I was falling in love with the a cappella aspect and wondering whether Sac State (the hell hole masquerading as a school I go to) had a group I could see some time, I looked through the track listings.

The Sac State Jazz Singers are on the album!!!!!



It's not my favorite of the songs, but that's more about the songs than the performance. Anyone remember Butterscotch from America's Got Talent? She's in there. I wish I actually knew one of these people so I could tell them good job. Especially if the lucky bastards got to meet Ben Folds.

And the tears did come.

I just need to take a minute to let everyone know how much I love this girl woman.



In the past few days she has said the exact things that are what the reassuring friend is supposed to say in frustrating situations, and in both cases she has been dead on correct.

Tonight I have felt like shit for no reason. I didn't want to cut the girls night out short if Gina and Blythe were having fun, but they saw that I really wasn't, so they suggested the route home.

It's like she's got some sort of sixth sense about when I need something to happen. She doesn't just tell me that she understands that it sucks and it will get better, she tells me that she's sure I'll find a roommate, or that she's sure something specific will happen. And then it does.

I feel like she's an amazing Charlotte/Carrie/and a little bit Miranda/Samantha to my Carrie/Charlotte/Samantha Miranda. That may not make as much sense as it could, but we aren't really just one of them.


I don't want this to make anyone feel like they don't mean the world to me as well, it's just that the tears I'd been holding back all night finally came through when a text came through and in my head I thought, "Gina was right again!"

I've totally found THE ONE.

Anyone out there who happens to come across this also have any sort of connection to Josh Groban? I have recently fallen for him yet again. I mean, if you know me and just how cheesy I am in conjunction with my love of TV, watch the following video and try to honestly tell me that he and I are not meant to be.

Also, could he match those voices better? Seriously, let's make this happen people. I really love the running during the Baywatch part, and the "Oh God," before the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

As if that wasn't enough, go look at his description for one of his vlogs. It's like 10 minutes long, so don't worry about actually watching it if you don't want to, but the description!

I'm sure that he gets a lot of attention from the ladies, but I also think that I'm probably one of the younger ones, maybe this could actually happen! Anyone care to help me devise a plot?

Club 21

Tonight I had a night of dancing that I really needed. Lots of good leads and some super fun Hustle at Club 21.

I can kind of feel that some awesome changes are happening my life concerning the making of super awesome new friends. I think the best part about that is that I don't in any way have to drop any old friends in the process!

Coolest girl EVAH!

Need I say more?

Oh work...

So here was the original plan for this evening...

Work until 9:40-ish.
Get home, relax and catch up with friends.
(This was after the MJ get together got squashed.)
Write a blog about how awesome the past couple nights have been and the awesome friend who accompanied me on some grand adventures.
Sleep.

Here's how this evening actually went...

While at work get begged (not really, but it adds a dramatic flair) to switch for opening shift.
Figure out that opening would mean more cash and time to tan, so I accepted.
Work until 9:40-ish.
Get home, relax and catch up with friends and slightly catch up with friends.
Write a blog about how awesome the past couple nights have been and the awesome friend who accompanied me on some grand adventures not having time to write a blog.
Sleep.

The plan for tomorrow...

Work way too early, and a little too long. (4:45AM-1:00PM)
Tan/Read in park with friend(s?).
Make some extravagant plans.
Blog about the awesome week I'm having.
Dance the night away!

It will happen, you will be jealous of this week.

Living Life!

I know that I'm going to get some scoffs at this, but sometimes, Grey's Anatomy is totally spot on.

In one of the later episodes of this season there was a comment made to the effect of the realization that as much as we seem to always be preparing for the next stage in life (i.e. after this semester, after next semester, after graduation, after credential - the life of an English major doesn't have things like residency that take years) our life is happening all around us. If we don't pay attention while it's happening, we're going to miss something.

I've been thinking about that notion a lot lately as I've really become emerged in the world of swing dancing as well as the social scene that accompanies the awesome workout. Though one of the social circles I've become very much aware that life is happening and I'm rather proud of the fact that I'm now embracing it and enjoying it to no end.



There's been a bit of drama with a boy who seems to be enamored with me and my wonderful new guy friends doing all they can to cock block (though it's more just buffering for my benefit), and some interesting instances that have come out of that. I feel bad for the guy, 'cause I'm simply not interested. If he would chill a bit I'm sure that he could find a girl who would be a much better fit for what he's looking for without much resistance.



I've also met some really amazing new friends. The kind of friends who notice that my pants are too big and decide that we need to go shopping for new jeans, or have work in a couple hours, but will spend one of those hours not reading with me at the park. (We should really do that as much as possible this summer, I definitely got a little sun yesterday.)



This life enjoyment is what's hindering blogging lately. If I wasn't so happy with my lack of sleep and intense sign language studies, I might be sorry!



All pictures of the 1:30AM dancing in front of Rick's Dessert Diner that is definitely my favorite dance moment yet!

It's been too long.

Things I did last weekend.

Friday.

☆ Had an amazing non-date date with Staple.
☆ Saw Star Trek and fell for both Spock and Kirk.
☆ Identified Winona Ryder in about two milliseconds, even though Staple doubted me.
☆ Took Staple to experience the awesome that is Squeeze Inn.
☆ Had the most amazing burger I've eaten, at least this year.
☆ Got super cute before going to Midtown Stomp for The Jive Aces.
☆ Took the first in the series classes I signed up for, and feel a lot more confident about where my dancing is headed.
☆ Danced the night away, and had LOTS of fun!
☆ Got to flirt with the drummer from the Jive Aces for a little while a Lyon's, while just generally having a good time with good friends.
☆ Went to hang out with a friend, and three new friends, and got home after 5AM.

Saturday
☆ Had nothing to do, so slept all day. We're talking 5PM, people.
☆ Made some casual plans to go to ice cream with a friend.
☆ Got invited to a movie with friends.
☆ Changed ice cream plans, included everyone in the movie plans.
☆ Movie got out later than expected, went to dive bar with friends.
☆ Was totally flattered by friends and their friends, tried not to let it go to my head.
☆ Got home around 3.
☆ Stayed up way too late talking to someone I shouldn't be.

Sunday
☆ Worked 10-6, which means no church.
☆ Came home to sleep before my first day of Sign Language in summer school.

Midwest Magic!

Tonight, I was feeling magic in the air. There were thunderstorms in the forecast and everything smelled amazing. So much so that I actually wandered outside to just be for a little while. I wanted to walk around Old Sac and just take everything in during that awesome pre-storm energy, but night had already fallen and I didn't want to go alone. Nor did I want to take away a lead from Sweet n' Hot by grabbing one of the guys upstairs. So out front I sat for a little while.

When I got home, I couldn't ignore the magic outside my window, but I had no one to take a walk with me, and it was almost midnight, so I just had to settle for an open window and blinds.

As I sat down to read more of Wicked (oddly enough the scene describing the tornado) the lightning really got under way. As I was putting down my book and thinking Screw it! I'm going out to get me some of this magic! my phone rang, my darling brother who had just turned me down for a walk in the pre-storm magic was being called outside as well.

As soon as we were outside, the sky just seemed to open up and pour on us. I couldn't have asked for much better. Only one thing that I can think of right now would have topped it, but playing in the rain with my brother while my soul was reenergized by nature is a damn close second!

Sadly, I got no good pictures of the actual lightning, but my friend Davis got the one above!

Jeff and I got some other awesome pictures. There are a select few here, and more on Facebook. I'm pretty sure that 97% of the people who read this will be able to find them on Facebook. If you can't see them because I don't know you and you would like to, let me know!



My hair is totally going to be tangled and smelling of rain tomorrow. I can't wait for the reminder of the magic!

I definitely felt like I was back in Iowa for a little bit, for all of the reasons that I loved it there. (I didn't completely hate it!) Specifically, I'm recalling a trip Mallory and I took to Maid-Rite, during which we got caught in what seemed to be a 15-second downpour the moment we got out of the car and ran inside. If I remember correctly, it wasn't even raining when we left her house, just a couple miles away.

Now back to Wicked! You don't really think I could sleep after such fuel for the soul, do you?

Threadless $5 Sale!

So, anyone remember this post about wanting the awesome toy car shirt?

It's on sale for $5 again!!!

I'm totally getting it, and a few others.

I definitely want these ones...



I can't quite decide, but I only want one of these two...



I'm getting this for my brother and maybe stealing it...



Opinions please!

Best waste of money ever

I bought some shorts on Wednesday.

On the Target website they're listed as $25, but I'm pretty sure I didn't pay that much for them. Anyway, today, only two days after purchase, I can almost take them off without unfastening them. I should have tried on the size 4.

PS. This is the first time I've ever bought a size 6, and it looks like I'm headed to a 4!?

Wow it's late.

I should really be in bed. It's 3:00AM and I enjoy being fully rested in the morning.

Especially when my day consists of the following:

Waking up whenever I please.
Reading in the park until about noon-thirty.
Going to Ikea with someone awesome.
Possibly having Ikea linner.
The chance of a nap (depends on how epic Ikea is).
Swing dancing with some new friends, some of them quickly becoming good friends.
Probably getting persuaded to stay out later than I should, but loving every moment of it!

For those who knew the much more callused me from middle school to even just a few months ago, it feels really nice to now put it into text that...

Life is good.

Please Excuse the Language but...

I'm pretty fucking amazing.



Seriously. It's taken me much longer than it should have to realize it, but I really am.

This realization comes from a boy seeming to get a little weirded out actually, or maybe I'm just reading things wrong. I have been dating a boy for a couple of weeks, and in that time he's realized that I pick up on details pretty easily. This is true. If you tell me your birthday, or I see it on Facebook, I will probably remember that it's the same or similar to someone else that I know, and therefore I will know it sooner and remember it longer than you might expect.

What's my best friend from elementary school who I haven't spoken to regularly in 15 years you ask? June 8. Her mother's? August 7.

I don't know how, I don't know why. They don't always stick, but they do tend to get in there pretty quick.

That same boy doesn't know this (yet?), but I really like doing things to show my affection. Things like mix CDs or post cards sent by snail mail. I've had some people make me feel as though the kind of attention that I can give is not a good thing. Those people are wrong.

Sure, there are people who don't handle the attention so well, and I probably won't be super close with them for very long, but that doesn't make either of us wrong. I do believe that it indicates that I'm going to be a pretty kick-ass mother though.

I've blogged before about this awesome party put on by an amazingly talented mother and how blown away I was by it. I'm starting to realize that I have the potential to be just as inspiring.

So, it sucks if I'm reading this boy correctly and he is getting scared off by things like awesome sandwiches that I make and remembering birthdays, but just think of what the one who won't be scared away will be like! And I could be totally wrong anyway, and he could just be busy. In that case, lucky him!

An attempt to save money

Originally uploaded by purekatherine

In this time that I've been out of work cash for food and gas has not been the easiest to come by. So when I was at the grocery store and needing to find some cheap snacks I noticed that Goldfish were on sale for a dollar a bag.

In an attempt to get better food into my system and in hopes that they wouldn't be quite as good as regular Goldfish, therefore lasting a bit longer I bought the Whole Grain Goldfish.

Unfortunately, I was not off to a good start. I had to open them in the car because somehow I got a huge hunger wave as soon as I sat down in the driver's seat. I sat and pondered for a second once I got the bag open. Could these really be as good as the normal ones?

I dove right in. Took a few and was shocked.

The damn things are just as good as the regular Goldfish, just not as salty!

The bag is now gone, but I was able to make it last more than a day, so I guess I got my dollar's worth. So if you're wondering whether or not you should go for the Whole Grain Goldfish, I say go for it!