Here in Katie’s Head

I’ve been writing Year in Review posts since I started this blog. I’ve tried a couple different formats. This year, it’s a little less structured because I’m trying to loosen up a bit. Interpret that as you will.

2006 was a year of big surprises. If things had played out the way they were planned a year ago, I’d be married in another month and living across the country. But the wedding was called off, I got a (great) job in Wichita, I made new friends here, but when I visited the newsroom in Lawrence, it felt like home in a way that I can’t help but miss. And in the final days of 2006, I’m roadtripping to Chicago in search of adventure. Because I’ve decided that I should have more fun, so damn it, I’m having more fun.

I have no idea what 2007 will bring. There are a couple of things in particular I’m eager to see play out. If/when they do, I’ll definitely be blogging about it. I think it’ll be a good year.

And without further introduction, 2006 by the categories:

Things that scared the holy living crap out of me

1. My bank balance, at times
2. Everything that has anything to do with growing up
3. Scary noises at night in my neighborhood

Things that I learned

1. I cannot keep a secret
2. Giving up is not the same as changing your mind, and there are very few things I despise more than giving up
3. How to trade favors for bylines

Things that I have yet to learn

1. STOP AFTER THE THIRD DRINK
2. Salesmen lie

Things that made it to frequent rotation on the iPod

I looked at my iTunes purchases and my most played tracks and couldn’t come up with much of a list. Lots of The Long Winters, lots of Spoon (which I love to turn up loud when I’m doing housework on weekends).

TV shows that I discovered and loved

1. The BBC’s Robin Hood
2. Dexter (omg!)
3. Weeds (another great season finale)
4. Heroes

Things that made me cry

I kept typing “That asshole” and deleting it. I still don’t know how to write about what happened or how it feels to be abandoned by someone who promised his life to you.

Things that made me laugh

1. My friends at work, especially Icess
2. My family
3. John Hodgman’s The Areas of My Expertise
4. Amelia and her family

Things that made me want to keep going

First off, to every reader who commented to say, “I’ve been there,” regardless of what the post was about, thank you.

When you go through something completely devestating, there are the people who say, “I’m here if you want to talk” and then there are the people who actually are there when you need to talk. And if I hadn’t gone through all that crap, I wouldn’t have reconnected with a friend who — well, let’s just say someone invited me to escape the Kansas cold and spend a weekend with him in January and I can’t wait.

Posted: 9:49 pm · Category: Memories · Comments: 2

My gas bill got here two days ago.

I put it on my desk and made a mental note to pay it later.

When I opened it a couple minutes ago, the first thing I did was turn the thermostat down three degrees.

Posted: 6:52 pm · Category: Duplex · Comments: 3

I left work on time(ish) today and I’m not going back until next year.

We’re celebrating by eating lots of Indian food, drinking lots of wine and talking about boys. (And to make sure we have plenty of time to do all of this, we have arranged for the guys to go out together and talk about us. Clever, yes.)

Happy holidays. Do something crazy this year.

Posted: 6:23 pm · Category: Holidays, Work · Comments: 3

Today at work, a desk neighbor told me, “You have moves, and speed.”

Providing the context might mitigate the compliment, so I just want you to know that I have third-party verification of my moves. And speed.

The fact that my moves and speed were put to use in a donut-aquisition mission is irrelevant.

Also, Evan: the forth glass of wine was unnecessary, but probably of little consequence. Have fun in Tallahassee. Yay, two weeks left. Also, remind me to update you on my spring break options.

Posted: 11:12 pm · Category: Drunk, Work · Comments: None

I have discovered — or rather, finally noticed — a new magical mind power.

My discovery, as told by chat log:

Katie: I think I have magical powers.
Katie: When I go to a liquor store, whatever I’m there for is always on sale.
Evan: so that’s the extent of your magical powers?
Katie: That I can think of at the moment.
Katie: But it’s uncanny!
Evan: haha
Katie: If I want raspberry vodka, it’s on sale. If I want Boulevard Wheat, it’s on sale. If I want Stone Cellars Chardonnay to be on sale for $6, IT HAPPENS.
Evan: wow
Katie: I even willed the price.
Evan: you’ll have to see if that works in vegas if you decide to get something to drink
Evan: (we have alcohol in the house, but I’m not sure if its what you’d want to drink
Katie: Then I decided I wanted Boulevard Wheat too, but when I turned around it wasn’t on sale, so I think I have to plan ahead more than 10 seconds.
Katie: Yeah, we should totally test the limits of my awesome powers.

I’ve been reflecting on my grocery shopping habits, and there aren’t any prices at Dillons that I can control with my mind — I try to put Diet Coke back on sale for 4/$10, but prices continue to climb — so I think my power is limited to alcohol. I can live with that.

So I’m going to Vegas in three weeks so see if my powers are geographically limited.

Okay, that’s not why, but it’s on the agenda.

Posted: 7:10 pm · Category: Conversations, Status · Comments: 1

Dear cell phone,

FUCK YOU. There are not enough curse words in the world for how annoyed I am with you.

I don’t care that you can play mp3 ringtones. I don’t care that you can connect to the internet. I don’t care that you can play games. I do care that you CAN’T FUCKING RING WHEN SOMEONE IS CALLING.

When I am thinking about buying some trendy gadget, I generally have the common sense to ask around, see what my early-adopter friends have to say. And I did.

“So how do you like your RAZR?” I asked them all.

“It’s great,” they all said.

Maybe I should be writing this letter to all my idiot friends who apparently are not good judges of cell phone character. But I think you’re to blame.

Within hours of purchasing you, I realized that we’re maybe not the best match for each other. What I really wanted was a superslim flip phone, and you fit the bill, so I bought you. But your address book is stupid and your menus make no sense. I thought we’d grow to appreciate each other, but we didn’t.

So I told my friends, “Next time you get a phone, don’t get a RAZR because they suck.” And that’s fair because it’s true.

But as soon as you hear those words come out of my mouth, you decide to retaliate.

When I get an incoming call, you don’t make a peep. You’re getting perfect reception and your volume’s turned up, but you stay silent, sometimes alerting me about the missed call AN HOUR LATER, sometimes not. Or you alert me to voicemail left by callers you claim never actually called. Oh, and the locking up? And the turning off mysteriously? WTF is that?

Yeah, like that’s gonna make me stop telling people that you’re a piece of shit.

You’re too young to be pulling crap like this. I haven’t dropped you that often.

So here’s the deal. You keep pulling this crap and I’ll replace you. And smash you to bits. Behave and maybe I’ll hang on to you while I wait to see if Kevin Rose is telling the truth about that iPhone.

Can we call a truce? Please?

Sincerely,

Katie

Posted: 7:46 pm · Category: Geek, I am an idiot, Letters · Comments: 6

Dear VH1,

I’m having the best week ever. Can I be on your show?

Love,

Katie

Posted: 6:16 pm · Category: Letters · Comments: None