Review Up at RNTV

I recently read a reviewed the first Harlequin Presents I've read in about 10 years. Come see!

A Variety of Thoughts for Friday

Most of you know, I work for an environmental organization. I don't think it's an overstatement to say that The Powers That Be are going Ape Shit over John McCain's choice of running mate. To say that she's bad for the environment is an understatement. It will be interesting to see how this election goes. I usually take very little interest in politics, but this is going to be VERY interesting.

David Duchovny is in rehab for a sex addiction. What does that mean exactly? Has he been sleeping around, and is trying to stay ahead of the tabloids by claiming a "sex addiction"? Or is he just watching a lot of porn? Anyone know? I mean, I get alcohol addiction, drug addiction, cigarettes, whatever. But sex?

Oh! And speaking of sex, Scott informed me yesterday that chocolate stimulates the same hormones as sex. How did I not know that? Does everyone know this information but me? And what if it's really good Belgian chocloate, as opposed to say, Hershey's? Is there a difference in how many hormones are released? Are there better hormones with the Belgian? How the heck did I not know this??

It's almost time for TV to come back. In fact, the first of three television shows I'm for sure going to be tuning in for starts next week. It's True Blood on HBO. It's based on Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series, which is wildly popular (and I don't really like). But it's directed by Alan Ball, and I think he's amazing, so I'll tune in. Time will tell whether Anna Paquin gets on my nerves. For those wondering, other shows I'll be tuning in for are Fringe from JJ Abrams and The Dollhouse from Joss Whedon.

It's my sister's birthday this weekend. Yay, Sara! I'm going to take her to IHOP to celebrate. Sure, you're laughing, but it's her favorite restaurant, so it works for me. Nothing is too good for my sister! UPDATED to add: Apparently, Sara has moved up in her tastes. She now prefers L'Auberge Chez Francois, (the nicest restaurant in the DC metro area) . I could afford to buy her a cup of coffee at Chez Francois and that's about it. So, pancakes it is. :wink:

So, after watching last night's Redskins debacle, I honestly believe that it's going to be a miracle if we win seven games. In fact, I've projected the will win only seven games. And that's assuming that they can beat the Cowboys at home, which could be quite unlikely. This is not going to be a happy fall for me, I think.

I wish everyone a restful and fun weekend. Hope you're spending it with your loved ones.

Six Unspectacular Things About Kati

CJ's revenge for me tagging her earlier this week was to tag me back. Sneaky.

So, without further ado:

Six Unspectacular Things About Me:

1- I am prematurely gray. Well, my hair is. It started going gray at age 12.
2- I sleep with four pillows.
3- I watch SportsCenter every day, and on the weekends, it's on all morning.
4- I have an encyclopedic knowledge of entertainment news.
5- My car is blue.
6- I am right handed.

Wow. That IS unspectacular! I could have said, "I'm subject to the law of gravity." That would have been equally as boring.

I'm not tagging anyone because, well, this one was hard!

Wednesday's Random Thoughts

I have nothing of substance to report, except that, this week is going MUCH better than last week. YAY! I'm really looking forward to a three day weekend. I have no real plans except that this weekend, Saturday involved what Trip's Grandma Ginnie calls a "general overhaul." Hair cut and dyed, nails, toes, waxing, etc. It'll be a whole new Kati -- and it'll only cost mmmph dollars. Whatever, I need it.

Anyway, this morning I managed to turn around quickly and jam the ring finger of my right hand pretty darn well. It's swollen and bruised and throbby (is that a word?). But I don't think I broke it, it's just sore. What can I say? I'm an accident waiting to happen.

So, I've renewed my love affair with JD Robb. But this time, it's via audiobook. The woman who narrates I believe it's all of Nora's books is named Susan Ericksen. I believe she's a stage actor, but gets most of her work doing the audio version of Nora's books. Which must work out well for her because Nora publishes about five or six books a year, all of which are turned into audio books. Anyway, the thing that astounds me is how she's able to do accents and inflections for all of the different characters. I was especially interested to see how she would narrate Roarke. But she does a passable Irish accent. And more than that, I think she gets Roarke and so is able to convey his kind of sly wit and solid gold heart. I'm currently listening to the first in the series: Naked in Death. And have happily jumped into the way back machine and am enjoying it as much as I'm sure I did the very first time. It's been a lovely diversion on the Metro.

I'm stalling on writing my review of Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas for RNTV. Not because I didn't like the book. Oh no. Because I loved it, and I think I've used just about every single superlative I can to describe her work. But, if you're looking for a really well written review, Stacy reviewed it here. And her review, as always is concise and descriptive and succinctly lays out what's great about this book.

I participated in my fantasy football draft on Monday. I think I did pretty well, but I thought that last year, and last year I did OK during the regular season and ended up losing very quickly in the post. So we'll see how I really do. But it's an exercise that gets me thinking about other teams than the Redskins. I'm also the Commissioner of Defenders' Pick 'Ems League this year. So I should have plenty to think about.

I have watched not one moment of the Democratic National Convention so far. I have been taping the Daily Show all week and will watch, but so far, I just...haven't. Most of you know, I'm a registered Democrat. There is no waivering or question on my part about who I will vote for. So the DNC just hasn't interested me. And Obama is being nominated on Thursday. I'll probably flip between the DNC and the last Redskins preseason game. I love the "I accept your nomination to be the next President of the United States" speech, but that's really all I need to watch. I did hear that Hillary's speech last night was most excellent. I'm a fan of hers, and am glad that she's agreed to use her considerable power to mobilize her supporters for Obama. Say what you want about her, but she's been a class act about this whole thing, considering that most of us would want to take our toys and go home.

I leave you with this, George Clooney is in Venice at the Venice Film Festival. Damn this man is good looking, no?

OK, I've blathered on enough. What are you up to this week? Anything good?

New Meme

Why do I love meme's so much? I just don't know. But I do. Game is answer the meme, and ADD A QUESTION.

So here you go!

1. What is your occupation?
Meeting Planner

2. What color are your socks right now?
I'm wearing flip-flops

3. What are you listening to right now?
Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest (It's on Big 100)

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Cobb salad from Cosi

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
Yup, and do.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Lavender

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Our receptionist to tell me my 1:00 is here.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
I don't know Carrie, but she's a great writer. (I swiped this from her blog)

9. Favorite drink?
Sweet Tea (brewed correctly)

10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Duh. Professional Football.

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
Every six weeks.

12. Pets?
One hyperactive, semi-obedient dachshund, Roxie, and a completely disobedient kitten, Stella.

13. Favorite food?
Steak, followed very closely by shrimp.

14. Last movie you watched?
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

15. Favorite Day of the year?
Christmas

16. What do you do to vent anger?
Yell, and if I'm mad enough, cry.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
God, this is so embarrassing, Barbies.

18. What is your favorite, fall or spring?
Fall

19. Hugs or kisses?
Depends on who is doing the kissing. But generally, hugging.

20. What kind of pie?
Chocolate pie made by me.

21. Living arrangements?
I live in a gorgeous single family home with my roomie, H.

22. When was the last time you cried?
I cried on Sunday while reading a book where the heroine's dog died. It'll get me every single time.

23. What is on the floor of your closet?
Laundry basket full of shoes and laundry basket full of dirty clothes.

24. Favorite smell?
Chocolate chip cookies baking.

25. What inspires you?
The kids in my family.

26. What are you afraid of?
Bagels (alligators)

27. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
Cheeseburgers, preferably with bacon.

28. Favorite car?
I love my Jetta, but my dream car (which really, is just a souped up Jetta) is a white Audi A4 convertible with beige interior.

29. Favorite cat breed?
Um, tortie. OK, that's not a breed, I guess DSH (Domestic Short Hair)

30. Number of keys on your key ring?
Three.

31. How many years at your current job?
A year and a half (and sometimes it feels like 10!)

32. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday.

33. How many states/provinces have you lived in?
Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina.

34. How many countries have you been to?
Oh gosh, I have no idea, we traveled a ton when I was a kid.

35. How much do you love "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA?
Well, I know all the words, but I like "Does Your Mother Know that You're Out" better.

36. The name of the first person you kissed (romantically)?
Andy Hill


I tag: Sara, Meghan and CJ.

Weekend Wrap-Up and Other Miscellany

Hi Everyone, it's finally a new week, and I have a new no whining policy this week. Thanks though for all the sweet emails and comments I got during last week's pity party. Especially thanks to my girlfriends who invited me to join them on Friday night for Happy Hour, and considerately had a Jack and Diet Coke with lime sitting on the table when I arrived, and listened sympathetically while I bitched up a storm about last week. The night really was about Tracy, who got a promotion, but being the awesome chick she is, Tracy shared a little with me and let me whine. You're a terrific friend, Trace, thank you!

So, I read a TON this weekend. Four books.

Having read and loved Kristan Higgins August release, Just One of the Guys (see my pimp of it here at RNTV), I ordered her first two books, including Catch of the Day, which won a RITA award this year. Higgins has a very fresh, funny voice. Her heroines are tremendously likable, and the books feature dogs, which I appreciate (although a dachshund wouldn't kill her). Anyway, Catch of the Day was terrific. About a woman who runs a diner on the coast of Maine and the strong, extremely silent lobsterman she falls in love with. His name is Malone and he's very much the strong, silent type, so we don't get to know him very well. But the story is very sweet. She writes small towns beautifully and fills her towns with quirky, interesting people.


The second book was Fools Rush In. I liked this book even better than Catch of the Day. It features Millie, who is a doctor, and has loved the town hunk (even to the point of knowing a little too much about him) forever. She chases him incessantly, and finally catches him only to find that he's maybe not what she'd hoped for. In the mean time, her sister, after cheating on her wonderful husband, Sam, is getting a divorce. Sam has been in the family for 17 years, and he's fantastic. It takes a while, but Millie finally realizes that she's in love with Sam. Hijinks ensue.

Both books are very well written. Light and fun and full of laugh out loud moments. As I've said over and over, I don't do "ha-ha" romance, and yet I enjoyed both books tremendously. I do think that Higgins needs to watch that her books don't become repetitive, as all three of her books feature an unrequited love element. She's made it work for her, but if she does it again, it'll be one too many, I think.

I also (finally!) got Samanatha Kane's first two Brothers In Arms books. I know Julie will be horrified to read that I read the third one first, but that's because Sam sent it to me as a gift. Anyway, I seriously love these books. They are *deeply* erotic, always feature a menage scenario (which I know isn't for everyone, but it works for me) and are lush and descriptive. I think Sam is tremendously talented and I really believe she'll be making the jump to mainstream erotic romance very soon.

I also watched a couple of movies. I went to Best Buy and picked up Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, which I'd seen over the Christmas holiday, and had simply adored. It's a very light and frothy movie about a down on her luck governess who ends up being social secretary to a flighty, ambitious American actress. Set in London just before World War II, it's pitch perfectly played by Amy Adams and Frances McDormand who have electric chemistry. The movie features fantastic costuming, dialog that evokes His Girl Friday in its wit and tempo, and three dreamy leading men, the dreamiest being Lee Pace (from Pushing Daisies) rocking a gorgeous British accent and a little stubble. It's a quick movie, only about 90 minutes, but it's worth seeing if you haven't yet. After the shitty week I had, it was just what the doctor ordered. I think I've watched it about three times. I can't wait to show it to my parents, who I know will love it.

I also watched Thank You, Mr. President, a documentary about Helen Thomas, the former Dean of the White House Press Corps. As a child of a journalist, I'm fascinated by a woman who was so successful so early in the business. Thomas is an impressive woman, diminutive, but extremely tough. She was, for a long time, the only woman in a male dominated job. Through her stature and reputation, she rose to be the Dean of the press corps, impressive no matter who you are. The documentary was shot by Rory Kennedy, who is a member of the famous Kennedy family. It's a balanced and fascinating look at one of the most recognizable print journalists ever.

I also wrote two reviews for RNTV, one for a Harlequin Presents (awesome title: Hired: the Sheikh's Secretary Mistress) and one for the Black Dagger Brotherhood Compendium, which will release in October. I'll say this, DAMN YOU JR Ward! Just when I was out, she pulls you back in. She's like the mafia, you can never really leave, even if you want to. My review will come much closer to the book's release date, but I can tell you that if you are a fan of the series, and particularly a fan of Zsadist, it's a must read. I'd honestly given up on the series, and now I've remembered all the reasons that I love the series.

What did you read this weekend? Did you do anything exciting? See any good movies?

PS - We're not even going to talk about my Redskins, who looked like a pee-wee football team this weekend. It does not bode well for a successful season, my friends. Doesn't bode well at all.

This Picture 'Bout Says It

Thank you every one who wished me well with the pity party. Last night I ended up getting out of work early due to a tremendous amount of effort by our entire staff, and was able to meet some friends for Happy Hour, which I really needed.

Then I came home and watched a movie that I love and was in bed asleep by about 10:00. I slept until 9:00 and did a bunch of chores and then lay down for a two hour nap. The sleep is helping me feel at least a little more human.

Again, thanks to all of you who either posted hang in there notes or shot me emails, I can't tell you how they picked me up.

In Which Kati Throws Herself a Pity Party

[begin pity party]

So, the wretchedness continues. I'm having an awful week at work. Really awful.

A few days ago, I ordered 5000 $.62 stamps for the mailing of the invitation that we're sending for my largest event, our Wildlife Conservation Dinner, to the tune of $4,700. Turns out, I was only supposed to order 1,200 stamps. Sheesh. Now, granted, I hadn't been handling the mailing aspect of the project, but overall, it's my responsibility. And I just totally screwed up. And when you work in a not-for-profit like I do, every single penny counts. This entire project (the mailing) has been an epic saga, and it's kept me up for days. Literally, I haven't slept through the night since I got back from vacation. I'm exhausted, and a bit emotional.

Now, my boss took it like a champ and she's trouble shooted it and feels like we'll be OK. But I hate screwing up at work.

No, it's not like lives were lost, but I pride myself on doing it right the first time.

So, today is sucking again.

[/end pity party]

Random Thoughts

This morning I walked by a gentleman on my way to work. He was wearing a black collared shirt, black cargo shorts, black socks, black shoes and carrying a black briefcase. He was also wearing a top hat. Do you suppose this morning he woke up and just thought, "This hat is black, I think I'll wear it with the rest of my black clothes?" Or perhaps he's in a wedding later. Or, perhaps he's a magician. Or a circus ringmaster. It makes me wonder.

I religiously watched the Olympics the first week. I watched Michael Phelps win all but the last of his medals. This week, I haven't tuned in once. Mostly owing to the fact that I don't enjoy track and field events.

This week I'm back to my main sports-related focus, football. This weekend is the third Redskins preseason game (against Carolina) and it's going to be the best gauge of our starters, as they'll play for most of the first half. I'll be watching Jason Campbell to see if he recovers from last week's game and also keeping my fingers crossed for no major injuries.

On Monday we're having our fantasy football draft. I have yet to read a single thing about fantasy, so this weekend will involve a bunch of research on my part about draft strategy. I'm hoping to have a better year this year than I had last. We'll see. It's all a crap shoot for me anyway.

I have done basically no reading this week. I am still listening to High Noon on audiobook. When I turned it off this morning, the heroine was negotiating the final hostage situation in the book. It's taking all my self-control not to turn it on in my office to finish the book.

Yesterday was a wretched day at work. I'm desperately hoping that the rest of this week isn't as horrible. All of the sleep that I caught up on last week is gone. I'm exhausted today. Like I ran a marathon or something. And I know for a fact that I'm going to be working very, very late on Friday. Sucks.

What's up with you? What are you reading? Seen any good movies lately? How's your football team shaping up this season?

Backstreet's Back, Awright!

Oh yes...yes I did.

Last night I went with my roomie, my friends Tracy and Christine and my best friend Amy to Wolftrap to see the Backstreet Boys. Oh what? So, you're judging?? The tickets were $25. We all agreed that $25 was the exact amount we were willing to pay to see Backstreet. If they'd been $26, I'd probably have stayed home. But $25 was perfect. Yesterday, when I was talking to Scott, his direct quote was, "I'm totally embarassed for you." Heh.

Let's see if I can set the stage for you. Wolftrap is a National Park, and actually is one of the best venues in DC to see a concert. They boast a beautiful covered loge and gorgeous, rolling lawns to sit on to enjoy dinner and a show. As H. and I got out of the car, and scurried to a shuttle, we hopped on with two very cute young 20-something girls who were headed to the concert to. Here's a direct quote: "I *love* Backstreet Boys, I haven't seen them since I was 8!" SIGH. Oh yeah, we brought the median age of the concert goers up from about 22 to 24 or so, just by being there.

Anyway, we settled into a great spot on the lawn and started eating. The stage had a large black curtain one it, and a sign that hung that said "Girlicious." I actually thought that was the name of the tour (which actually wouldn't be that shocking for the Backstreet Boys). Anyway, these girls (pictured) were...ummm. Well you can kind of get an idea from the picture. I spent the majority of their set with a horrified look on my face. These girls were booty shaking, latex wearin' vixens who dropped it like it was hot about every two minutes. On top of that, the singing? Not so much. They didn't even bother to pretend like they had a backup band. It was just a musical track over which lots of breathy yodeling seemed to come from. At one point, they did a duet with Sean Kingston. Now, I love me some Sean Kingston, but I think this just goes to show that he'll do anything if you offer him money. Oh Sean Kingston, please, show some better taste. Anyway, they sang all five of the songs that they had memorized and took off.

There was seriously, about a 25 minute break (I'm not really sure why, it's not like Girlicious had that complicated a set), where the crowd of 20 and unders alternated between shrieking, clapping, and screaming "Backstreet Boys! Backstreet Boys!" We saw more homemade t-shirts and old school BSB t-shirts that I believe I've ever seen before. Anyway, then they finally showed up. In full boxing regalia to sing "Larger than Life." Unsurprisingly, Amy and I knew all the words. Anyway, what followed was about a 90 minute show in which they played about four "up" songs, and then had the backstage guys bring them stools, on which they sat (and recovered from their dancing exertions) for about 9 slow-jams in a row. Dancing is not as easy when one is 30.

In terms of singing, Brien Littrel, who left the band not too long ago to record a Christian album, has the strongest, purest voice, followed by AJ McClean, who really can sing. He's got a terrific rich barritone. Nick Carter (who Amy and I agree is a closeted homosexual), had SIX costume changes and is definitely the attention whore of the group. And the other guy, Howie SomethingOrOther just really phoned it in. Like he needs a knee replacement or something. Like in his head he's thinking, "I really should probably take that job in insurance."

Anywho, we had a blast, they played a ton of songs we knew and could sing-a-long to, and we had a blast dancing around. It was a ridiculous, hilarious, truly fun time. And totally worth it for 25 bucks.

Actually Speechless

Nope, I was wrong. I'm not speechless.

The tragic thing is that Paula Abdul probably paid a small fortune to a stylist to dress her up like one of those ridiculous flamenco dancer dolls you can buy in the airport in Madrid.

Seriously, what was she thinking???
The dress probably weighs more than her.
And what the hell is going on with her hair??

SIGH.

My Vacation Week Reading

I did a ton of reading over my vacation. Lots of it. Here's what I read:

I loved this book! Which actually shocked me. I don't generally enjoy "ha-ha" romance. At all. But this one had me laughing out loud and reading passages out loud to my friends on vacation. I would have liked for the romance to pick up a little earlier, but overall I *loved* this book. The heroine is a rower, and a member of a "white knight" family. Everyone is a firefighter. She faints at the sight of blood. She's a hilarious, sweet and wonderful heroine with a terrific sense of humor. Higgins has a lovely, light touch with humor and it makes her characters very empathetic. I ordered her entire backlist yesterday and I can't wait to receive them. I'd give this one a B+ based on wanting the romance to start up a little earlier.

Jo Davis visited RNTV the day before I left for vacation. It's a well known fact that there is little I enjoy more than a good firefighter story. This book is no exception. The heroine is curvy and smart and has a strong back bone. The hero is yet another Big Man (Big In All Ways), and yet, he's damaged and dark, but he's utterly overwhelmed by his feelings for the heroine, pretty much from the start. There's a ton of sequel bait in the book, but it just made me want more. I literally finished this book and then, despite a stack of about 20 books waiting, I re-read it. This one gets a solid A from me. I cannot WAIT for the next in the series, which sucks because it's going to be May of next year before I get to see it. And given how much the other RNTV reviewers loved this book, we're gonna have to arm wrestle for the ARC, I think.

Next up, I read an HP that I owe Marisa a review for. It was Hired: The Sheik's Secretary Mistress by Lucy Monroe. Sheesh I love me some Harlequin Presents. So silly and contrived, featuring SUPER ALPHA men and virginal heroines. I hadn't read one in a while, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't survive on HP alone, but one every once in a while is like a really sweet treat. A little too much, but so good going down.

Then I tried Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. I've been hearing about this book for a couple of years, and I finally picked it up a couple of weeks ago. I figured if I liked it, I'd pass it along to my niece, Abby. I read on it for a couple of days, and just couldn't connect with anyone or anything in it, so I put it aside. I'll pick it up again later, perhaps I'll be in a better frame of mind to read it. It's clearly very well written, and the world is very well imagined. But it just wasn't working for me. Like I said, I'll try again later.


Next I picked up Heartsick by Chelsea Cain. I have to say first, the prologue of this book is terrifying. I read all of three chapters and decided this book was going to keep me up at night. I felt like Joey (from Friends) with The Shining. I wanted to put the book in the freezer. I'll try this one again a little later. This book is not what I'd call vacation reading. But Katiebabs and Wendy both love this author, so I'll definitely try again.

After that, I needed a palate cleanser. So, I went with Just Over the Mountain by Robyn Carr. I am enjoying this series, but no where near as much as I love the Virgin River saga. This is one of those "one romance over three books" series, which is fine, because there's lots of other action going on, but this series borders on too sweet for me. Which I feel like is a blasphemous thing to write, given my deep and abiding love of Robyn Carr and pretty much any word she puts on paper. But oh well, it's tiding me over until A Virgin River Christmas comes out. I'd give this one a C+.

That's it. I did not read: The Host by Stephenie Meyer (which I was gonna read, but I didn't want to lug it out to the beach); Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre; Never Romance a Rake by Liz Carlyle; and My Lord and Spymaster by Jo Bourne. So I have a nicely sized TBR stack anyway.

Now I've got to write reviews for a bunch of these, so that'll be entertaining.

We also listened to High Noon by Nora Roberts on audiobook both directions to Hilton Head. I felt like this was a stroke of genius, as it really does make the time fly by. The reader for Nora Roberts is stupendous, and this is one of my better loved Nora stories. I also convinced Amy to read Homeport by Nora, and she enjoyed it quite a bit, which is great! I love introducing people to new authors.

What are you reading right now?

I'm BA-CK!

Hi Everyone! Hope you had a fantastic week. I know I did! I spent the week in Hilton Head with my best friend, Amy and her hubby, Trip and their son, affectionately referred to as Mr. Incredible and our friends, Christine and Donna.

The week was wonderful, we had pretty decent weather. It rained on Tuesday and Wednesday, but that was actually just fine, we napped, read and went to a movie (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Part 2) on those days. Other than that, we had steamy August beach weather, which made for wonderful mornings at the beach and afternoons by the pool. We had a delicious Low Country Boil, courtesy of Trip's folks, and we ate at a Hilton Head staple, The Crazy Crab, and last night had a wonderful, if extravagant dinner at The Boathouse, which is beautifully situated on the Inner Coastal Waterway. The week was full of laughter and fun and a ton of reading and watching Michael Phelps work his way through the Olympics like a true champion.

If you'll indulge me, I'll post a couple of pictures of Mr. Incredible, who truly was delightful and fun, and relished the idea of being the total center of attention.

One of the things we did, was teach Mr. Incredible how to "Show Me Your Happy Face." He's not wild about having his photo taken (damn paparazzi!!), but on the night we went to the Crazy Crab I asked him to "show me his happy face" and this is the exact expression he made. It was hilarious, and of course, we all laughed. And having an extremely well developed ham bone, he made it pretty much on demand after that.

One more:

Truly though, this was the face we had pretty much all week. He's a very happy, easy going kid who is a ton of fun. What can be better than hanging with someone who is just this happy pretty much all the time??

Tomorrow, I'll post about what I read this week. It's a bunch!

Bon Voyage!

I'll try to post some stuff while I'm gone.
But y'all keep it down in here while I'm gone!

HHI Bound!

Saturday morning, at the CRRRRACK of dawn (5:30AM, my friends), Christine and I will pile into my car and begin the 10 hour trip down to Hilton Head Island. My best friend, Amy's in-laws own a house down there that they are generously letting us stay in for a week. I can hardly wait!

I have an important three pronged plan for my vacation. The plan involves:

1- A nap -- every day. When Mr. Incredible goes down for his nap, so will I.
2- A round of mini-golf, even though I suck.
3- Ice cream.

I'm also looking forward to some seafood, and Amy says that they have terrific hush puppies at some restaurant in the HHI, so that'll be great!

On our way down, I'll stop in Smithfield in order to pick up a pound of Carolina BBQ and my first Sweet Tea of the week.

I honestly can't wait!

The Top 15 Songs to Get It On To

Frisky magazine has a list of the Top 15 Songs to Get It On To:

1. “Venus” – Air
2. “Love Stoned/I Think She Knows” – Justin Timberlake
3. “Need You Tonight” – INXS
4. “I Had My Chance” – Morphine
5. “Fake Empire” – The National
6. “Big Poppa” – Biggie Smalls
7. “I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)” – Cat Power
8. “Apple Orchard” – Beach House
9. “Somebody” – Depeche Mode
10. “Stir It Up” – Bob Marley
11. “Tear You Apart” – She Wants Revenge
12. “On & On”—Erykah Badu
13. “Werewolf” – CocoRosie
14. “Stephanie Says” - The Velvet Underground
15. “Anytime, Any Place” – Janet Jackson


Mmmkay, I haven't heard of half of these.

Three songs immediately come to mind:

Closer by Nine Inch Nails, which, OK, is a nasty song, but nasty in that really hot way.

How 'bout Mondo Bongo by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros?? Don't know this song? Sure you do. It's the song that's playing when Brad and Angie are dancing in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Very, very hot song.

And of course, there's the go to: Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye. OK, maybe it's cliched, but I can't believe it didn't even make the list.

I'll admit that I love Love Stoned by Justin Timberlake, strictly for the line: "She looks like a model, except she's got a little more ass." Makes me happy. I do love the song Somebody by Depeche Mode, but I don't think of it as a Get It On Song. Same with Stir it Up. SIGH. I love that song. But that's a mellow out song for me.

How 'bout you? What do you think of the list? Any additions?

Tattoo You

This year for my 37th birthday, I got a tattoo. It's in an area that you need to be invited to see, and is definitely not on display for everyone in the world to see. It's actually below the small of my back, and unless I'm wearing very low cut jeans or a bathing suit, you can't see it. It's something that I've wanted to do for years, and decided that once I hit my goal weight, I would get.

I hit my goal weight in January, and the weekend of my birthday in March, my best friend Amy and I went and got it. First, let me say that a tattoo parlor in and of itself is a cultural experience. Based on the recommendation of several of my colleagues who have tattoos, I went to Tattoo Paradise in Adams Morgan. The guy who did my tattoo, Grant Cobb, has done work on several Washington Redskins and a couple of Washington Wizards. He's an incredibly gifted artist. Before I went I had several conversations with Grant about how he works, what kind of steralization process they use (an autoclave), what I wanted the artwork to look like, how big it would be, how long it would take, etc. He was great about answering all of my questions, which I appreciated. Anyway, I'd had a definite idea about what I'd wanted for a long time, so it was easy to relay that to Grant and for him to design a tattoo that suited me. Mine is anchored with the Infinity symbol and is surrounded by pea shamrocks (the flowering kind). All of which have personal meaning to me. I love it and have never experienced the slightest bit of buyers remorse.

A month or so ago, I told my mom. All she said was a gusty "Oh, Mary Katherine" and then, "Did you get it on your butt?" Those were her two questions. So, I guess that's not too bad.

Anyway, I've long been intrigued with tattoos. I think they're very sexy if they're not overdone, on women. I have to confess that I love the "tramp stamp" on a woman. I think if you can get a peak of a woman's lower back, and she has something there, it's sexy. It makes you wonder what it is, and why she chose that design, and if it means anything.

I also love a man with a tattoo. My friend Scott has two, one for each of his daughters. Josh has them too. My favorite famous guy, David Beckham has them all over the place. I think a well placed tatt is very sexy. I love a tribal on a guy's arm if it's muscular. Or on his back or shoulder or upper arm. They all do it for me.

What about you? Are you a fan of tattoos? Do you have any? What would you say if one of your kids came home with one? What would you get if you wanted one?

Weekend Wrap Up and For Love of Jamie Fraser

So, first things first, I had the awesome chance to meet one of my favorite online friends on Friday. Gannon is a reviewer at RNTV, and she and I have known each other a little over a year. When she was in DC last week, I had a chance to meet her and her family. Although our visit was WAY too short, I can tell you, she's sweet and awesome, and has a figure that just don't quit!! Seriously, why can't I be tall and blond?? It probably has something to do with the Welsh leprechaun thing. It was hotter than hell, and I (of course) was late, so I'm relatively sweaty and gross looking, but I SO enjoyed getting to meet Gannon!

This weekend, my friend Heather and her son came to visit. We had a great time! We hung out by the pool with my BF Amy and of course, Mr. Incredible. The boys played great together and the kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy the pool. For our part, we talked endlessly about entertainment gossip and TV and movies. It was wonderful. Saturday night, my sweetheart of a niece Abby, came over and babysat while we went for dinner at Cafe Deluxe, which we all really enjoyed. Then we headed over to do a tour of Crate & Barrel, which was fun (and free!). We'd left Abby the agreed upon price of a brand spanking new copy of Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer, which she promised I can borrow once she's done. I didn't call the house yesterday, but I'd guess Sara didn't see much of Abby all day.

Anyway, yesterday, Heather and her boy got up early, took a dip in the pool and then headed home about 10:30 or so. H. and I cleaned up and then pretty much spent the rest of the day either lounging by the pool, watching the NASCAR race, and reading. I read Deep in the Valley by Robyn Carr. I just love Carr's writing style. She's very smooth and creates such charming small towns. This book reads much more like women's fiction, but I didn't care, it was just good to have something new to read by Robyn. I know I'll have to rumble with PJ next year when Carr's back-to-back books come out and we both want to review them. But I'm sure we'll work it out.

In the mean time, for the last couple of weeks, I've been listening to Outlander by Diana Gabaldon on my iPod both to and from work each day. Since I commute on the Metro, it's a great chance to listen, and I don't have to stop reading to walk from the Metro to my office. I can just keep listening. The reader is amazing. Seriously, SO good! She's British, but does the Scots accents perfectly. I read Outlander years and years ago because my sister loves the book so much. I didn't remember a ton about the book, just one particularly painful scene near the end of the book, and that it took me about 100 pages to get into it. I remember most of the characters, but not much about the action. I have to say, that I am thoroughly enjoying the recording. And the reader has made Jamie absolutely come alive to me. I'm just at the part where he rescues Clare from Fort William. They've just finished a terrificly passionate fight. I love him. He just wears all of his emotion on his sleeve, and he's so evolved and has such a sweet heart. I'd kind of forgotten how great their chemistry is. I have to laugh at myself though, because I become so immersed in the story, I probably sport quite the slack jawed, silly expression on my face on the Metro train every day.

Anyway, one more note, based on Friday's post. What a great weekend to be a Redskins fan! Two HOF inductees, and we won our pre-season game. OK, it doesn't count and most of the first string didn't play. But hey, it means ACTUAL football is just around the corner, and that means happy times for Kati!

What did you do this weekend? What are you reading? Seen any good movies? Are you glad it's almost football season?

A Big Weekend for Redskins Fans

A lot of my memories from my childhood are tied up in football. I remember lying on the floor in our basement in Reston watching the Redskins play with my Dad. When I got a little bit older, and we'd moved to Chevy Chase, I remember my Dad hustling my mom out of the social hour at church so that we could get home in time for the Redskins to kickoff. I remember stacking two big pillows just so to settle in front of the TV and watch the Redskins play. And in particular, I remember the play of two stars on the Redskins team: Art Monk and Darrell Green. These men had things in common, but lots of differences too.

Art Monk is a tall, graceful runner. He had gifted, steady hands that could haul down a ball from pretty much anywhere. He was known as a swift, accurate route runner, a must in the NFL. He was also well known in Washington as a quiet, dignified man who never, ever brought a single moment's embarrassment to the organization. He played in the time of Dexter Manley, a player who had constant drug issues, John Riggins, who famously said "Loosen up, Sandy-baby" to Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Washington Press Corps dinner, and a host of other wild Redskins players. Monk was a joy to watch every day.

Then we come to Darrell Green. A diminutive man with a huge personality. He had a smile that would light up a room. But more than that, he was an unbelievable runner. He famously ran a 4.28 second 40 yard dash at the scouting combine before he was drafted in the already incredibly famous first round of the 1983 draft. For those who don't know, the 1983 draft boasted the likes of Dan Marino, John Elway, and a host of other current Hall of Famers. Darrell played for the Redskins until he was 42. In his last year of training camp, Darrell had forgotten his running shoes to run the 40 yard dash, so he borrowed a teammate's. And ran a 4.4 second 40 yard dash. At 42! Most people will remember Darrell's biggest highlight, which was running down Tony Dorsett, who no one ever caught, in a game against the dreaded Dallas Cowboys. It is probably my favorite Redskins highlight of all time.

Anyway, both men are humble and genuine, and are being inducted into the National Football League's Hall of Fame this weekend. It is an incredibly proud moment for Redskins fans, and for me in particular. These men are a big part of my childhood, and cherished times I spent with my Dad, watching the game, and cheering on our team.