100 Things

My friend Brendon did this a long time ago and I liked the idea. I thought it to be a good introspective exercise. "I'm gonna do that someday", I told myself. He's since done it two more times & Melissa did it last year. So did Crista. The hard part is not coming up with things that aren't really about you, ie: my dad's a Harley-Davidson mechanic. So, here's my list about me:

1. My middle name is Jeanette
2. I’ve been with Kaisara for over ½ of my lifetime
3. I’ve broken 4 bones, dislocated 3 joints, severed a tendon, had 1 concussion & almost choked to death too many times to count
4. My faith has been my own since Spring, 1988
5. I love to laugh & make others laugh
6. Depending on the time of day I’m between 5’8” & 5’9”
7. I’m a homeowner
8. It took me 7 years to get my Bachelors degree
9. I like my fingernails
10. I’m good at crafts but don’t like to keep them

11. I changed the spelling of my nickname from Kate to Cate
12. I’m rarely doing just one thing at a time
13. I won a horse show year-end championship for English Equitation
14. I took clarinet lessons for 2 years & piano for 5
15. I don’t like chocolate cake or chocolate ice cream
16. Aside from being born, I‘ve never spent the night in a hospital
17. I have a fear of being alone when I’m old
18. For over a year now I’ve wanted to die my hair purple but haven’t because my clothes wouldn’t match
19. Beautiful strangers intimidate me
20. Flowers for no reason get you way more points than flowers for an occasion

21. I’m a good seamstress
22. I have a phobia of diving headfirst
23. Though I’m only 31, I’ve been receiving newsletters from the AARP for years
24. I can’t get interested in politics but I do vote
25. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon
26. My sister’s & my nickname for each other evolved from the dog’s nickname
27. I don’t drink alcohol. I think it tastes like poison
28. I own 5 sewing machines
29. I volunteered in the library in junior high so I wouldn’t have to sit by myself at lunch
30. I like to go camping but always love coming home

31. I think I struggle with depression
32. I have 2 nieces & 4 nephews, not counting the 2 babies due this year
33. I know how to change the oil & tires on a car
34. If someone is whispering, I think it’s about me & never good
35. I was next in line for the rope swing on which my sister broke her back
36. My first car was a 1989 Jeep Wrangler. Still have it
37. I never moved before I got married
38. I’ve been to the southern hemisphere
39. My shoe size is 10
40. I love gum, chewing or bubble

41. I wish my relationship with the Lord was stronger. That’s my fault, not His
42. Only 3 people in the world are allowed to call me Cathy. No, you’re not one of them
43. I’ve seen Counting Crows 3 times in concert
44. I despise rudeness
45. Getting a hug for no reason makes me melt
46. I like to play Cribbage
47. I don’t have a competitive bone in my body, other than against myself
48. I like disco
49. I have a good smile
50. Silk gowns, dresses & skirts, but the chonnies gotta be cotton

51. I’ve gotten two driving tickets
52. I miss my far away friends
53. Annie, at the Pantages was the first professional live theatre performance I saw
54. The sound of Kaisara driving up makes me smile every time
55. I’m an overeater
56. As a kid, I wanted my name to be Stephanie, so that was my name when playing pretend
57. My highest bowling score is 90-something
58. I grew 3 inches over summer break one year. It hurt
59. I miss the sound of the coo-coo clock in my parents living room
60. I walk really fast, even when I’m not trying

61. I organize my CD’s alphabetically & my sewing patterns numerically
62. I bake a mean cheesecake
63. I weaned myself onto eating fish. I love it now
64. In 7th grade some lady told me I looked just like Barbara Streisand
65. I’ve never had anyone really close to me die
66. I love shoes & purses
67. I don’t consider myself creative though most people would argrue
68. Dishes are my least favorite household chore
69. I only own 1 pair of jeans
70. I can’t play poker or chess

71. I like scrapbooking
72. I almost always cry when the mom’s light the candles representing their kids at a wedding
73. I never had a grandpa
74. I don’t remember a lot of things my sister does from our childhood
75. I don’t see scary or violent movies. They haunt me for years, even during the day
76. I watch about 2 hours of television a week
77. I like the smell of dog feet when they’ve been laying around, relaxing
78. Pralines & Cream and Mint Chip are my favorite ice cream flavors
79. I have Pat Cramer’s recipe for Heart Attack Surprise. If you’ve never had it, you haven’t lived
80. I don’t like video games because I don’t want to be bad at them

81. I’m several months behind in my magazine reading
82. I blush easily
83. I’ve only romantically kissed 1 person. Countless times, but only 1 man...I’ll be right back…okay
84. I had to wear a white robe with an enormous blue bow under my chin for children’s choir at church
85. I have a beautiful commute to work 8 months of the year
86. Cheetos on tuna is my favorite sandwich
87. I have my mom’s hands
88. I’ve gone to 5 schools. Green & yellow were the colors for 3 of them
89. I love taking ballet classes
90. I sang Lollipop with 2 friends in my junior high’s talent show

91. I have 2 yellow dogs, both of which have far too much fur
92. I like wearing Kaisara’s t-shirts after he’s worn them
93. I started sewing my senior year of high school
94. I was tested at typing 92 words a minute perfectly
95. I wanted to own a koala bear farm when I grew up
96. I have no idea where I’ll be professionally in 5 years
97. I wish I spoke up for my beliefs & myself more
98. I am loved by many people
99. I think I’m funny
100. I am blessed beyond measure

Anyone still there?...Beular…Anyone?...Beular?

A Self Realization

I noticed today that I'm very much intimidated by beautiful people that I don't know. That's so stupid! Where did that come from?

Feeling Yucky

I think I'm fighting something. Man! I don't wanna get sick. I hate it. On top of the being sick part, I can't take anything for it. I'm alergic. All I can do is suck on a Cold-eeze. This stinks! I'm achy & my head feels funny. Not quite a head ache or a stuffy sinus but not normal either.

Simple yet Addictive

Check this out. It's high-larious. Music option A is my favorite followed closely by option F. Enjoy!

The Magic of Safety Pins

Here's what I came up with for my group photo for work. I didn't want to be in all blace. Dee, the director, wanted some jewel tones amonst the group so I thought this would work. The dress is from Ursula's wedding & the fabric I was given for free last year & I had it in a bin. The ties are sewn but the drape is all safety pinned since I didn't have time to sew it.

Too bad it didn't show up in the picture. They had me sitting behind a table. Oh well. Maybe I'll sew it for real & keep it for my next formal emergency.

Another Baby Quilt

Today was Ursula's baby shower. She makes me sick. She totally gorgeous even at 8 1/2 months pregnant. I hate her. o.k., not really.

Here's a picture of the baby quilt I made for the baby (he hasn't a name yet). As I was leaving I told her I hope she liked the quilt. She responded with, "I love it! I love everything you've made for me." Isn't that sweet?! Melted my heart.

I'm So Good I Scare Myself

Here we are, an hour and a half from my last post. I, along with my muse, have solved my fashion crisis. Minimal effort, great impact, zero dollars. I'll post a picture when I get one. Now I've got to figure out the cigarette holder idea. Hmmmmm...

It's here...Finally!

I'm really glad it's Friday. We worked last Saturday & lots of hours this week. I've got 11.5 hours OT for this week. Paycheck will be nice.

Lots planned for this weekend. Kaisara & I are helping Daryl move tomorrow. Church on Sunday then an afternoon baby shower for Kaisara's baby sister, Ursula. Before then I've got to finish my gift. I better make this a short post :-)

Amongst the weekend plans & by Monday morning I've got to come up with a swanky outfit for out program picture at work. We're gonna be in the bar area of Rouge, a French restaurant in Fashion Island. We're supposed to be Frenchy, stylish, glitsy, glamoury. Yeah, that's me to the tee right? If I had the time I could make something so cool everyone would be jealous. If I had the body & the money I could go buy something. I'm not really sure what I'm gonna do. It's a bummer that everyone there is dreading the photo shoot. Come on people! We're dressing up (if I find something that is) & having our picture taken in cool location. That could be totally fun if you were into it! Jeesh! Depending on what I come up with to wear, I wanna find a REALLY long cigarette holder like the one Audrey Hepburn carries in the party scene of Breakfast at Tiffanys. Such a great movie! If only I had her neck & arms.

Here's where I'm am right now

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

ROMANS 7:15-25 (New International Version)

Crap! Belated Again!

Happy Birthday to my PhD earner, marathon training, super cooker/baker, excellent wood chopper friend, Geoff! Sorry I'm late, but I hope you had a great day with your fam. Love you!

Maybe I'm Just Advanced For My Age

I HATE it when people whisper to someone else in front of me. I find it incredibly rude & childish. I'm sorry, I learned that that is considered rude in Kindergarten, maybe even earlier. You'd think that grown, menopausal, women would know better. Just go in the other room & talk about whatever it is you don't want me to know about. Heck, I'll even leave the room if you'd actually acknowledge my presence by some other way than whispering!

I Quit (...again)

Since I quite my useless patterning class I figured I was on a roll. Why not keep going? Okay, not really but I did cancel my gym membership. I just wasn't using it. There's a suprise! I really liked the gym, it's swanky & beautiful. They've got a ton of classes & tons of weights & machines. Yep, still quit. It was crazy expensive & my work schedule changes so much I could never attend a class with any regularity & I HATE weights. The only thing there I was using was the treadmill. I figured, "Hey, the sidewalk's free!" So I quit. This is the 4th gym membership that I've cancelled in my life. Obviously not any trimmer because of it. IDIOT!!!

Finished & Gone

This is a picture of a baby quilt I made. The pattern of the blocks is called "Ohio Star" (there's a shout-out for Crista!). Usually when I make a baby quilt it's for someone in particular & I've got to rush to finish it in time. Because of the rush, the quilts tend to be "charming". Last September I decided to start this quilt with no recipient in mind because I really wanted to take my time to make it nice. Whenever I finished it, however long that may have been, was fine. I figured the next baby in my life after completing it would be the one that it was meant for. I finished the quilt & a few days later was my friend Stacia's baby shower. There ya' go! It was meant to be Joseph Austin Jagich's quilt all along. I hope he likes it!

Up-Side of Blogging

Since starting this whole blog thing, I believe I've become more observant. Of my life and others'. Not that I'm constantly looking at my daily life for something to post about, but, maybe in a small way that's true. I believe that to be a positive thing.

I find myself really looking at me, my life, my surroundings rather than just getting to the end of the day. I can tell you that today I was silly, quiet, a little blue, content and ponderous (yes, all today). I can tell you that the hills going through Laguna Canyon are finally getting green & looked great next to the stormy yet sunny sky. I can tell you I LOVE my Bible study & my teacher. What an impact the study & Marci have made on my life. I can tell you I had Kashi cereal for breakfast, a nasty frozen thing for lunch & McDonald's for dinner. I can tell you that my friend got accepted to a writing MFA program & that I missed my friends at Sewing Circle desperately last night. It's not that ANY of this matters to ANY of you, but it's my life and I'm glad I'm noticing it more. Whether it's due to a blog or not I'm not sure, but, this silly thing hasn't hurt I guess.

Super Swank

Here a picture of My Dana. Oh, there's no type-o there, she's "my Dana". Has been for years. This is a picture of her in the dress I made for her work's Oscar Night themed fundraising gala. I was her core group leader when she was in high school & she wanted me to make her prom dress. Her mom said no & that was that. Now, years later, she needed a super swank dress & we got to colaborate. I'm please with how it turned out.