Kathy said during second nap time on March 7, 2008

I’ve never been to Texas before, but I knew I was here the second I set foot off the plane.  I distinctly heard I’ve Got Friends In Low Places, pumping through the airport sound system and encountered a Queensryche t-shirt in the same moment.  I made it to the hotel unscathed, but not after hearing a man in a Stetson tell me a story about his youth in which his “step-daddy” found a used condom in his Jeep and hw he got out of trouble by declaring the condom a carburater part. I’m waiting for Joelle to get here but have already taken a nap (I was up at 4am....ugh) walked 6 blocks to Starbucks, got lost and walked 10 blocks back to the hotel.  I’ve seen droves of SXSWers milling about and spotted the event t-shirts which I hope to get my mitts on.  Tonight, not sure what our agenda holds but I do believe it will include a few cocktails and some last minute prep for our book reading tomorrow.

The only thing I was not prepared for.... the cold.  I know in comparison to the north 50 degrees is like a spring day.  To me? FROZEN TUNDRA.  Coming form Florida where I’m in a tank top everyday to this is brutal.  My thin blood is no match for this cold and wind.  But I’ll make do.  If I can just get over the fact that the hotel housekeeping supply room is directly across the hall, I’ll survive.  ALthough Joelle might riot the place when she finds out the “free Internet” cuts in an out every 30 seconds.  Good times.

Kathy said during lunch time on March 3, 2008

Thought I would dust this blog off today.  *dusts* I have been quiet.  Not for lack of things to say but I’ve been spending all my blogging energy writing over at Safe Mama.  I blog there and then I lose my will to blog anything else.  I have a lot more to say over there and to be honest, I kind of like not talking about myself like I do here.  But, this blog will ebb and flow for all eternity I suspect.  It’s like that past lover you just can’t ever shake from your head.

The last few weeks seem to have slipped right out of my hands and here I am, revving up for our trip to SXSW on Friday.  I am so amped to see Joelle and all the other folks we’re getting a chance to hang out with, not to mention the event itself sounds like a doozey.  But I’m also a leeetle bit wigged out over doing our book reading on Saturday for Blogging with Moxie.  I am not Miss Public Speaking so I will probably need to do a shot before I get up there.  Lucky for me I don’t have to do it alone.  If you are attending SXSW we hope you’ll stop by our little book reading on Saturday March 8th at 11:30am on the Day Stage.  We’ll be chatting a bit about who we are and what we do, but mostly focusing on who our book is for and what it covers.  We’ll also be having a drawing featuring goodies from our friends at TheBar.com and other cool stuff.  And if you wanna come stalk us at the bookstore to have us sign your book, or your ass.  I’ll do cheek signings if you ask me nicely. 

Mostly, I’m packing and getting my head in travel mode once again.  I hate leaving my little boy behind, as much as I need the me-time… I just can’t stand missing one second of his cuteness.  I’m sure I’ll get over it as soon as Joelle pumps a few mimosas in me.

Kathy said during cocktail hour on February 21, 2008

I guess part of being a mom means having random toys on or around your person at all times.  I did not know the sheer hilarity that would ensue when I’d find toys in peculiar places.  I giggled when I sat on a matchbox car on the couch.  I cursed when one tripped me in the middle of the night.  I even sighed with a happy surrender when I found a little helicopter peeking up at me in my laundry basket.  I did not however, expect to wake up this morning with a miniature dump truck named Monty practically wedged up my ass.

I need a night off.

Kathy said during mid-morning on February 19, 2008

I realize Anna Nicole Smith is dead but how many documentaries are we going to be subjected to? Seriously.  I think every time I go to the gym there is a Montage of Anna Nicole Smith on at least one channel.  If I have to see one more documentary about her life I might shoot myself.

Kathy said during cocktail hour on February 18, 2008

I’ve not had many experiences that warrant rage when it comes to interacting with other children’s parents.  Until today.  I took Reilly to a hair cut place nearby to get his hair cleaned up.  I went in and asked if an appointment was needed and I was assured that “No, I did not need one and we’ll be right with you.” Long story short, 30 minutes later I was still sitting there trying to keep a 2 year old calm and trying to avoid a meltdown where he’d squeal really loudly and then run amok in the salon.  So I grabbed him, a little more abruptly than I meant to and ran out the front door to let him run on the sidewalk while we waited.

Minutes later the mom who’s two kids were with her (and were maybe 8-10 years old) came out and gave me lip.  I assumed - that she assumed - that I was annoyed I had to wait for her kid to be done.  Alas, no, I am a patient human being and never ever mind waiting my rightful turn. So my assumption was that she felt I was reacting to her rather than to my exasperation with my toddler.  She said something to the effect of “We were here before and they told us to come back… he was almost done.” I replied with a casual smile, “Oh I know, that’s totally fine I was just running out of tricks to keep him busy… he ran out of patience.” To this she said, “Yeah I know all about it… I have THREE KIDS.” in a tone that meant ”You’re an amateur and you don’t know what it’s really like.” She wasn’t sympathizing with me, she said it in that tone.  She was clearly annoyed at me for becoming frustrated and leaving the salon. 

I realize I only have ONE child, lady, but that bears nothing on the fact that I have a two year old with the patience of a flea while you’re sitting there reading a magazine in peace.  Probably a misunderstanding but it bugged me the rest of the day.  Hmph.  So to that lady: Your kids’ hair looked stupid.

Ok I feel better now.

Kathy said during lunch time on February 14, 2008

Today means a few things for me.  For one, it’s Valentine’s Day or what some people like to call Evil Corporate Scheme Guilt Day.  I tend to like Valentine’s Day in general… but it’s got a flip side meaning for me now.  Today, marks our 5 year anniversary.  Five years as business partners and more importantly, as friends.  I don’t have a ton of good friends.  I mean I do, but not in that way where you can call the person any time of day or night just to tell them there are pink Converse for sale at Target or that you have PMS and your cramps are forcing you to eat fudge against your will. 

Some might be sick of hearing it, but Joelle is my best friend.  There are days when we want to leap through the computer and jump up and down on each others necks (ahh work is healthy), but at the end of each day, we’re best friends no matter what happens.  We’ve been running Moxie Design Studios for five years to this day.  That’s pretty incredible considering we’ve only been in the same room on 3-4 occasions.

So while I am truly enjoying the Valentine-ness of today, complete with WAY TOO MUCH CANDY, I am marinating in our accomplishments as friends and business partners.  The Moxie Girls 4-Eva!  Happy Anniversary dude.

By the way, I think it’s totally ok to work out on the elliptical for 30 minutes and then come home and eat brownies and black and white cookies for breakfast.  It’s ok.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Kathy said during evening on February 2, 2008

Blogging on a Saturday?  Surely hell hath frozen overeth.  Oh and Happy Groundhog Day!  Did he see his shadow?  I bet he did and said ”Oh man, I gained weight… I need to go back to the gym for a few more weeks and slim down before I even THINK of putting on a bikini.” No? Ok then maybe that was all in my head.  I never really understood this “holiday” if you can call it that.  Here is my question, how can that huge hairy thing see anything when hes yanked out of a cage and held up in the air like Simba? 

Looks like there are 6 more weeks of winter.  here is my favorite part of the article:

The rodent was taken out of a tree stump on a hill called Gobbler’s Knob, and delivered his prognostication to William Cooper, President of Punxsutawney’s Inner Circle, who organizers say is the only person in the world who can speak “groundhog-ese.”

I could just have a field day with those innuendos.  But still, the thing was probably asleep and then yanked out of his bed and forced to stare at the ground.  How scientific!  I think I’ll go see if this method works on my dog.

Kathy said during the time I should be sleeping on January 26, 2008

I used to smoke.  Quite a bit actually and in retrospect (hindsight is 202/20 right?) it was one of the few things I regret about my life.  Not so much that I did it or tried it but that I let myself become addicted to it and I smoked so much.  Of course I live without regrets as a general rule.  But that was one thing I wish I had never started.  I’m happy that I’ve not smoked or even wanted to for many many years, but I do understand the addiction.  I know it’s hard to quit.  What I don’t understand is the complete lack of regard many smokers have about the environment.  Maybe it makes me uptight or a dirty hippy but nevertheless, I am positively SICK of cigarette butts.  One of my larger pet peeves is seeing them on the beach.  It’s the one place where you don’t want to see them scattered on the ground… your sandy oasis, littered with butts.

I’m not going to generalize and say all smokers do this, because that’s simply not true.  Lots of smokers are very careful about not leaving their habit behind for others to step on or for kids to pick up while playing.  But many people do.  This might make for an unpopular topic but I’d really love to see smoking banned from beaches.  Now before you go lighting a torch on my front yard and throwing bricks through my windows, I have to say that I, am guilty of this very heinous act myself.  I smoked when I was young and didn’t care about anything but myself and if I could go back in time and find my 17 year old self on a beach sticking butts in the sand I would walk right up and punch myself in the teeth.  Now, as a mom and a somewhat environmentally conscious person I see these laying all over the beach and get outright ill.  I have to kick a pile out of the way to set my stuff down and then scour the premises nearby so that my kid won’t end up with one in his pail.  Then there is the whole getting washed into the ocean and probably getting stuck in some animals blow-hole factor. 

I know there is a million other things that people do to wreck the planet, and I am not a totally eco-green freak (yet) but this really bugs the crap out of me.  There are smokers rights groups who are fighting smoking bans on public beaches in the “its not fair” vain but I don’t agree on this at all.  Don’t you love how I disappear for a week and bust out this entry.  How’s that for random?