a barely informational prose about myself, why i blog, and why it is the way that it is, and other such things. just in case you may want to know.

probably nowhere else ever in any other circumstance at any other time do i use the word "i" so much, or talk about myself quite as much, as here on this blog. sometimes, this begins to worry me, like, how narcissistic can one appropriately be without needing a good punch in the face? (by the way, has any one else every had a difficult time trying to spell the word "narcissistic" before? because i just did, so thank you very much dictionary.com for helping a sister out on that one. also, "rhythm"? anyone? okay.) this does not please me, this is not my aim. every other moment of my life, excepting my birthday (obviously), i shy away from any amount of attention directed at my being. BUT, but. i think there is a sort of safety i feel behind my words, because, you know, you can't actually see me talking. you cannot see me crouching over my keyboard with my sweatshirt catching the crumbs from whatever snack i am currently eating. writing words out is very much easier for me than talking out loud. like, here i can say, "i dare say, the weather this morning is quite delightful. in fact, i think this is the most opportune of days to enjoy a nice stroll." but this morning when i tried to say something very near to this statement to the barista making my americano, it eloquently came out sounding more approximately like this, "yeah- i like this weather, because, um, you - i - can go outside - i like to walk outside in this weather. it's nice. yeah." dooohhh! why i thought it witty to even be talking about the weather in the first place is questionable enough, but, you know, that's just what happens when i try to talk to people's faces and their eyes are x-raying into my brain and they are all expectant-like, which is logical, that i will be socially normal and somewhat proficient in the english language. too many expectations! too much pressure!


anyhow, that is not what i even meant to be going on about when i started this post. what i mean to say is, i blog because i like to. most of the time. you can write about any old thing, and if people like it, they will read it, and if not, you don't have to know the difference. and i don't have to stumble over words the way i do the rest of the time because i get all tongue-tied and wibbly-jibbly in the head, because i can proof the damn thing as much as i please before clicking the publish button, and, you know, i don't even have to look good doing it. this, among many other reasons, is why i do not post fashionable pictures and such, because, well, i am not that dedicated. or even fashionable. so there.


now, i am not even sure that is what i meant to go on about, either. maybe i did not even have a point exactly, but here is something else. and this is it: sometimes, i just feel like sharing the very most random of things, and maybe i did not even find them myself, but i think they are a good idea and i want as many people as possible to know about them. and i am okay with not being the original discoverer of things, all i care about it that someone did discover them and now i know about them. what is the "them" i am referring to? well, it can be any given thing at any time that catches my fancy. but i will always try my very hardest to correctly source every such thing. so. currently, i would like you to see these little gems:

CATS IN CLOTHES. !!!

i found these because the lovely girl over at a fine day for sailing found them first. and i just love that about her. these, as you can imagine, made my day, week, month, life. my life, these made. 

i don't know, i guess that is it. this was not very informative. but it is what it is. at least, if nothing else, go read all the bios for all the cats. that is all. 

everything you need to know about planning your cat's party.

{sir william shakespurr & gypsy willow cat}

so it appears that february is National Cat Month! it is that special time of year when we have the excuse to go the extra mile to celebrate our feline friends for the distinguished little critters they are. finding out this news was, naturally, the highlight of my week. to me, every day is cat day, but it's nice to know that the celebration is reaching and being recognized on a national level for an entire month. the next level will be global, of course, but i understand we need to take this progression one step at a time. 

which led me to start wondering. what do people even do to commemorate this occasion? do they give their cats a card? do they pamper them with a spa day? or prepare a special reception in their honor? 

so then i googled it.

and THIS IS WHAT I FOUND. 

so, for all of you out there who began to fret the minute you read it was national cat month, because this holiday sneaked up on you like they all seem to do, and you do not have anything prepared - put your heart at ease. everything is going to work out just fine, because we have access to a slew of cat party planning tips that are quick, easy, and appear rather fool-proof and satisfying for both cats and their owners. to make things even easier, however, i have made an outline below with some extra notes. (italic lines are copied directly from the site).

To Get Things Started:

I. you want to be sure that you keep in mind proper party protocol. PPP.

    A. If you are having a party where both cat and owner is invited, it's traditional to offer some type of entertainment for the cats.  - this is important. you do NOT want to go down in history as the cat party host who had no entertainment. your guests will be talking about it for all of 2012, and not in a good way. 

                1. the website suggests a fish tank, or a bird feeder outside a window as sufficient fun. but DO NOT forget to always have a barricade between the cats and the entertainment, otherwise you will inevitably find yourself in the awkward situation that everyone hates at parties - bird and fish carcasses all over the place. party foul.

     B. Cat Parties...[are] celebrated just as you would celebrate a Christmas party- Cats get gifts that they get to open...as we cat lovers know, it's the paper and boxes that count, not the actual present. so don't worry too much about it. 

     C. ...food for both the cat and people are served and games are played too. 

   

II. now for some ideas, because let's face it; you want this party to be as fresh and hip and classy as possible, all at once. 

    A. a cat and owner picnic. 

         1. this is easy. all you need is a blanket, a grassy knoll, and a lunch for you and your little friend. this moment is opportune for snuggling and cat naps. 

    B. a cat treat baking party! according to the website, these are very popular. 

          1. keep in mind though that this type of party is usually for the owners only. it is a bonding time where cat lovers exchange cat treat recipes and cat stories and giggle over the cute things their cats do and such, all while wearing cat sweaters. 

     C. CAT COSTUMES. 

          1. Cat parties can be a lot of fun when it's a cat costume party. You can even dress up cats to look like people - clearly, the possibilities are endless. 

III. feeding your guests. Most all cat parties have cat treats to give to the guest as a parting gift or door prize. If cats are invited then the bag of treats are given to the cats. It can be store bought treats or homemade treats. Either way, cats love cat treats and you really can't have a cat party without special treat. again, you want to get this right, because this is really an important party. do not embarrass yourself by getting caught being lame, or cheap. you owe this to your cat.

     A. there are many recipes you can find in the world wide web for your cat. but don't forget your human guests! 

          1. It's a lot of fun to serve food that's in the shape of a cat. The most popular at all cat parties is a cake made in the shape of a cat...Meatloaf is another food item that can be cooked in a cat mold and decorated with catchup (not ketchup) or meat sauce and placed on a platter. 

               a. basically, any food item can be made appropriate for a cat party by shaping it into a cat, or serving it on a cat platter. so have fun with it, go wild. 

i really hope this was informative and brought you the same relief and excitement it brought me. have fun planning, and be sure to share pictures and ideas, as i'm sure you will be getting a start on this right a way! 

OH, and happy friday everyone.

afghan - 2011 edition

the third annual afghan is complete....as of like, erm, 3 months ago...


but complete nonetheless. And I realized that I hadn't shared it yet! Sorry, it's not my fault; Willow has been hoarding it.

if you wanna take a look at my 2010 afghan, go here

and go here to see my very first one!

Addressing the fabulous and fails

Two-thousand-eleven and it's ups and downs thus far...

 

In a personal creativity crisis, I was able to do some soul searching (and reading a lovely little number called War of Art) and rediscovered my love for poetry after a months long hiatus. Fabulous!

But I have yet to write anything. Fail.


I have been actively making an effort to eat healthier and take care of myself, and for the first few weeks felt fabulous. I am choosing to discount this week of mad feeding frenzy failure that resulted me eating approximately my body weight in sugar-infused foods. And the fact that I crave more even as I type this.


I had every intention of being a dutiful pen-pal and mailer of all sorts which was a fabulous plan.  However, it is February, and I have yet to send my sister's birthday card from November, and my dad's from last month and ANY letters at all. Failing.


Thanks to Netflix instant watch, my roommate Elise and I have finally jumped onto the "Lost" bandwagon (just a couple years late), which is fabulous in it's own way, I suppose. However, the late night marathons have resulted in sleepy mornings and severe stress. Which is kind of a fail, since that's the last thing I need. But seriously, "Lost" writers, what the hell were you thinking...are you legitimately insane people? I am riddled with anxiety. And a little bit addicted.  But please, if you've seen it, DON'T GIVE AWAY ANYTHING! 




I finally learned how to knit. Fab.


I am becoming lazier by the day concerning my outward appearance and have accepted that I am just not one of those girls who can pull off super cute and put together all the time. I am destined to don baby drool and food stains on a daily basis. Fail for my hygiene, but kind of fabulous that I can embrace my fate. And I will allow myself a  little extra fabulousness points for mastering the art of cutting my own hair, because I am too broke to pay for it. 


However the most fabulous so far, I would have to say, is the prospect of some really wonderful new friendships here.  It is good.


And further fabulosity is the grace that God has had for me in every fail, every shortcoming, and the lessons I am learning in this chaotic time in my life.

goodnight, january

 

My kind of evening.

cat and mouse

I crocheted a little mouse for Gypsy Willow Cat. It's filled with cotton balls, catnip, and lots of love. 

one thought at a time

During my walks from our apartment to Greenlake, in addition to enjoying the crisp air, falling leaves, and Bon Iver in my ears, I have begun keeping count of how many smiles and how many "hello"s I receive in return. This week: 4 smiles, and 2 good mornings out of....well, a fair amount. I'm going to try to up this number as my walks progress. 


In other good news, I am officially employed! Say hello to nanny Kalie. In my weeks of unemployment, I was reminded what a blessing a job is to have. It will feel good to be working and be productive.  Until work begins, however, I will continue to enjoy the changing of the trees, crocheting an abundance of slippers and scarves, french pressed coffee, and...


...cuddling our sweet kitty, Gyspsy Willow Cat (Willow, for short). 

Has there ever been a cuter little nose?

p.s. What fall activity/event are you most excited about?

this ain't no mrs. norris

I love my kittybaby.

My kitty loves Harry Potter.

I love Harry Potter.

my kittypumpkin + Harry Potter = my heart bursting at the seams.

the cat lady cornering kitties

The cat lady strikes again. Dun dun DUUUNNN.

This time, she catches them in the bathroom, minding their own business...

This is Lilly. Whilst in the sink, we are not allowed to use it, but instead must walk all the way over to the other bathroom or kitchen, and use those sinks. Case and point that the cats run this house.

This is Sam.  He is very skittish, and obviously very very cute.  It is funny that he should be found on the scale...he is a particularly chubby kitty.

Shortly after these were taken, they each got a smooch on the face. Muhahahaha.

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!