A Likely Story!

Gasp!

Another Denver Blogger in our midst.

Yay! You can never have too many Denver Bloggers.

Plus? He's a pirate in disguise.

Sometimes? You Have No Idea.

Was driving home from Job #2 the other night. My normal route home had a detour, so I detoured since I had no choice. Well, no choice if I eventually wanted to get home. As I drove, I started to compare that detour on my drive to some of the detours my life has taken.

Starting when I was born.

As I was entering the world, I broke my neck. I've been told I screamed like hell for quite awhile and they had no idea what was wrong with me...other than being black and blue from trying to come out neck first. Yeah, I've been stubborn since day one...what else is new?

So I screamed bloody murder continously until one of the Dr's moved my head which must have relieved the pain I was feeling in my neck. Cause once he moved my head, I fell fast asleep.

I was also paralyzed on my left side. I was my parents first child and yeah, they were petrified, Brand new parents that had no idea what was happening.

I was born 13 December and finally came home Christmas Eve. I was in a body cast.

My mom hated my cast with a passion. Hated that her firstborn had a broken neck and was paralyzed. While she was supposed to keep me in the cast pretty much 24/7, she used to tell me that after my Dad left for work she would take me out of the cast since it hurt her so much to see me in it. One day about a month after my birth, my Mom got so frustrated that she threw the cast against the wall. She really hated it!

Then one day in February, soon after I was finally baptized, I moved my left hand. My mom screamed. And eventually, I got more and more movement back on my left side. Call it a miracle, call it what you will, but this was not supposed to happen. I wasn't meant to be born this way and I was never expected to not be paralyzed. Yet, there it was. I was moving. And they finally took me out of the cast.

For something that she hated so very much, my Mom kept the cast.

Six years ago, I liberated the cast from my parent's house. Figured it was mine, I did time in it, so it needed to be with me.

And every now and then I look at it and figure I have to be here on this earth for a reason. Sometimes...actually, a lot of times...I wonder what I am doing here and what is my #1 purpose in life? Have I already accomplished what I was put on earth to do and am I at the point where I am just living out the rest of my days? Or, am I still meant to do something that I was put on earth to do next week, next month, six months from now? 

We've all had bad times in our lives when we question why we are here. Especially when life kicks you in the gut and you wonder just how bad it's gonna get. And you may wonder 'why' life is kicking you in the gut? Are you meant to learn from this? Is it karma coming back to bite you? Or is it something that was meant to happen to you, for whatever cosmic reason may exist.

Going back to my drive home the other night, I reflected on where I am in my life. 8 years ago there was no way I could have imagined I would be where I am now. No way. I really had no idea that 8 years down the road I would be living in another state, single, struggling in one job and happier than I could have imagined working at my part-time job. 

Sounds trite, but you really have no idea which direction life will prod you, pull you or throw you tumbling down the stairs and landing on your ass. You just don't know what will come in the future, even tho you might plan and hope and pray it turns out the 'prescribed' way we all think our lives will play out.

My ah-ha revelation is that I was meant to be at Job #2. The type and timing of the details that brought me to Job #2 are awesome and amazing and while some people might be morose and depressed over having to work two jobs, I am the complete opposite. More like grateful and blessed to have this opportunity.

No matter what life throws at me these days, I'm confident that there's a good reason behind it. Maybe not a reason I can fully grasp or understand, but I've seen enough to know that life isn't random and that if I hang with it long enough, the reason will be revealed to me.

So take a page from my book and remember that what you know as life today might be totally different when tomorrow comes. If you are anything like me, that thought will in turn inspire and terrify you. And hopefully, inspiration will win out.

A Special Monkey Monday

You know how every now and then I talk about my crazy yet loveably funny Improv buddies The Monkey's Uncle? And I exhort and urge and suggest you get out of the house to go see them and give your funny bone the much-needed exercise it deserves? 

Well I'm doing it again. So why is this Monkey's post different from any other Monkey's post? Cause it's about Howard this time. Actually, it's for Howard. 

Not too long ago, Howard was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Currently he's undergoing Chemo along with working two jobs, staying active with the Monkey's, having a social life, and having a life in general. With a side of Cancer added. 

The proceeds from next Monday's show (Monday 12 May) will go toward's Howard's medical bills. Not only is Cancer a bitch, she's a pricey bitch at that. 

So. Not that you really need an excuse to laugh. But if you did, next Monday would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Come on out to Jazz at Jack's, get your drink on, exercise your funny bone, hang with friends new and old and do a good deed for a very good friend. 

Hope to see you there!

Right Under My Nose

Switched out the CD's I'd had in my truck for ages. Needed something new.  

So I randomly grabbed the first 6 CD's lying in a very neat pile on my CD shelf. One of them was a CD by Lifehouse.  With this song, 'Storm'. I love it and can't stop playing it.

 It was right under my nose the entire time and I never knew...  

9 Crimes

Have played this song non-stop since I downloaded it from iTunes this morning.

This Would Be Nice...

Can someone please invent a kitchen genie? You know, someone who could whip up a dinner or lunch or even breakfast on the weekends when I get out of bed before noon?  I want magic. I want nice homecooked meals. And I want them in my kitchen. Now!

Is that too much to ask?

(Cousin Bill - I can hear you tsk-tsking all the way from Chicago :-> )

Decidely Cryptic

The things you do for love.....until further notice.

Happy Weekending

Slept for 10 hours straight. That rocks.

Headed out to start my weekend. Which will also (hopefully) rock.

Have a good one, won't you?

So In Love

...with J#2.

But of course you already knew that, didn't you?

:-)

411

Beep!

You've reached ALS! I'm here but sorta kinda too busy to blog. Even too busy to read blogs, sad to say.

Things should drastically improve after 3:30 pm MDT on Friday.

When I finish rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

After Midnite

It's after midnite but I'm still considering this my Sunday, even tho the time and date will say differently.

And I guess, in a nutshell, that's an apt description of me and how I see things. My tagline for my blog used to be "My perception IS my reality". And it still is, I guess. Even for things as little as the date and time of a blog post.

So. Your weekend? Good? Great? Drank lots of wine? (yeah, that was for you, Rosie).

Mine was really really nice, thanks for asking.  Hair cut, more purple added, errrands, worked 8 hours at my awesome of awesomest J#2, then headed out to meet Shmeder (hi Shmeder!) and April, who I met via Facebook and was in town to check out DU as a potential grad school (hi April).

Didn't stay out all that late but managed to have fun in the short amount of hang time allocated. And Famous Pizza didn't hurt either.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. Slept in like no one's business. Sleeping late at least one day a week is a godsend...two days in a week is heaven beyond belief. Spring cleaned my Master Bath and you know how good that makes me feel :-)

Got other needed to do stuff done, then headed out for errands, lunch at Panera ( a client gave me a gift card as a thank you for 'being so nice and sweet' - I know...huge awwww moment, huh??), and then back home to relax and surf and be alone and think.

Today was sunny and windy and gorgeous and the START of Spring...oh yeah...Spring is just getting started which makes me beyond happy.

Speaking of beyond happy...

Read a Twitter thread this week that made me think. One of my followers/followees tweeted about how Social Media can be all happy-happy and not really real cause there's no negativity mentioned. Good point, I think. This one particular person (hi Micah!) is the most transparent person I know...meaning he puts it alllll out there for everyone to see. Doesn't hold back, doesn't mince words, WYSIWYG. Yeah, that's Micah.

And it got me to thinking how I portray myself and my life and me in general when it comes to Kathyland/ALS! and everything in between.

I would say my portrayal of myself and my world is accurate...truthful...positive...and every now and then there is negativity combined with realisticality. Was going to say realism but that wouldn't have been the best word choice, altho it may have sounded nicer than realisticality.

Of course, there is the not-so-perky side of Kathyland when things don't go as planned or when life kicks me in the gut or when I am just in a really really bad shitty scary oh-my-God-I-want-my-mommy kinda space...and I guess just cause I don't blog about it or tweet about it doesn't mean it doesn't exist or that I am not having a crappy day/week/month/quarter.

Someone once asked why  99.9% of my posts are upbeat and positive. And my answer was 'Bad stuff happens to everyone on a daily basis. And just cause it happens, doesn't mean you have to share it with everyone'.

That's been especially true for the last 2 months. Seems it's been one thing after another. And for awhile seemed that other than my J#2, almost everything in my life was headed down the tubes. And that made me not only sad, but came close to defeating me. So I didn't blog about it cause I thought if I did it would be making a not great situation even worse and would have hurt more than helped. 

Now really, this isn't a cue for anyone to comment and say ' hey, I'm here for you'  or 'hang in there, things will get better'. I know you're there and life is cyclical, so if it's shitty now it WILL get better...and if it's better, enjoy it while it lasts since shittiness is more than likely on the horizon. No, this is not a pimp for comments.

So anyway. I was in a bad place for a longer than usual time period. And I'm not used to being there, especially since my move to CO. Call it being at my wits end but the other night I had a breakthru..after the breakdown...and just decided to accept things, own the badness and shittiness, and just fucking move forward and get beyond it.

And the next day, Friday, I really did see things in a whole new light. And while I'm still worried and concerned with happenings in Kathyland, it's manageable. And my stress level has plummeted. And my new mindset is so what?  

So what if this happens? So what if that happens? It's life, baby and you really have no choice but to live it. I mean well yeah of course you have a choice to live it OR NOT....but I'm not going down the OR NOT path. Trust me on that one.

See, there I go again. The whole perception thing. In the end, my perception will make or break this experience called life.

Call it positive or negative or whatever you want to call it, but it is my reality. And it's the only one I have right now, so I'll take it and do the best I can.

Wish me luck and thanks for listening.

Whoa!

What Christina said.

Yet ANOTHER Thing I Love About Colorado

6% humidity today.  Sweet!!

Reason # 653,081 that I love Colorado.

NNSD*

*night night sweet dreams. Thanks Hubs!

Ya Don't Say?

Thoughts...

After close to 3 years of no GERD symptoms (I had it all the time in FL) have had two attacks in one week. Eek!

On a semi-related note, have been up since 2 am from said GERD attack.

Trying new reading glasses. Ouch. But at least they are teal and cute.

Procrastinating at finishing work from Job #1 to type this post.

Snowy yesterday, sunny today. Go figure.

Pesach starts this weekend. So do NBA playoffs.

Figured out an honest and 100% truthful way to cancel my T-Mobile account.

I am pissed at myself cause I keep forgetting to remove my Burt's Bee's chapstick thingie before washing my jeans/khaki's. Ruined 4 pair of pants tonite, Not so good since I only have 6 pair (not including dress pants).  

Hoping Oxyclean will take out the greasy spotty stains.

Work calls so I'll end here.

nnsd.

Learn It & Love It

Your = Denotes ownership. Example -  "Is that your beer?"

You're = Contraction of you are. Example - "You're sure there's no more beer?"

Thanks for playing along.

ps- Don't even get me started on There/They're/Their

Checkin' In

Hola chiquita's.

Here's what's new in Kathyland...

• Truck back in the shop...2nd time in 2 weeks. This time? Timing belt and serpentine belt. Ka-ching and ka-ching. 'Twas very nice of Isuzu to comp me with a rental car...2008 Toyota Rav 4...pretty sweet!

• Job #1 nutso crazy.

• Job #2 still heaven.

• Other stuff suspended in air...waiting for the other shoe(s) to drop...or not.

Later gators.

A Love Story

Have I told you lately how much I love you?

All of my friends and many of my family members thought I was nuts to chase after you. They called me crazy. Insane. Delusional. Why are you taking a chance on someone you don't even know? What happens when you fall out of love? What will happen then? Play it safe...look, but don't touch. And whatever you do, don't commit.

Beyond grateful I didn't listen to them. Had no idea I could be THIS happy. I knew I could be fairly happy with you. But THIS happy? No way.

Yeah, it meant leaving everything and everyone I knew. Starting all over is tough. But to start over with a relative unknown was flirting with danger. I knew that then. I know that now.

Still? The risk was definitely worth the reward. You've made me happy in ways I could never imagine and still can't comprehend. The process of falling in love with you has made me a stronger person...and a much happier person as well.

After all is said and done, I can say that you have taught me that love at first sight is possible.

I love you, Denver. So happy I took a chance on you.

Blame It On The Antihistamine. Or Steve Nash. Whichever.

I almost asked a boy out this week. Closest I've come to doing that in ages. But when push came to shove, I chickened out. Bwak.

See, it's not like we were in a bar or in a social setting. It was in a medical setting -ie he was the healthcare professional doing my 4 hour allergy test earlier this week- and was the nicest, sweetest, kindest, funniest eligible guy I have met in ages. And tall. He definitely passed my 'armpit test'. What is my 'armpit test'? Why a very shallow (yet important to me) parameter where the guy has to be tall enough to put his arm around me and we can still walk without his arm coming out of his socket. It's the little things, ya know?

By the way, I know he was eligible since he stood right outside my door (when he wasn't inside the room with me) telling his co-worker how he can't seem to find the right girl to date and he wishes someone would ask him out instead of him always having to do the asking. So that, to my powers of deduction, means he is eligible. And he said girl, so he is not gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Other than not being a good match for a straight girl. Now that you're up to speed...

Anyway, the almost asking out? Sorta a scary feeling, yet sorta a fun one.

Results of the allergy test? Well, my hives could be caused by stress. Or they could be caused by a chemical imbalance. Donated 12 vials of blood for tests and we'll see what the results say. Getting stuck by the charming boy was fun. Getting stuck by the Quest Lab Tech aka Vampire...not so much fun. Guess it depends on who is doing the sticking, right?

Discovered I have a severe intolerance to just about every type of grass that grows in CO, not to mention Locust trees. Not that I ever have reactions when I am outside...never have them, actually. But in case ' getting Kath a Locust Tree' was on your To-Do list, it might be wise to cross it off. You could always substitute Grey Goose, ya know?

Awesome weekend at J#2. What else is new?

And Steve Nash! Woohoo! Got to see His Steveness with the Phoenix Suns this past Tuesday when they hit town to play the Nuggets. Normally I am a Nuggets fan. Except for when it comes to Steve Nash. Then it is Steve all the way. The Suns lost, but not by much. Thanks Shmeder for going with me. It was fun. And your first NBA game. And first time seeing Steve Nash. Actually first time knowing who Steve Nash is.

And now? 2:04 am and I have to be up in about 4 hours and 35 minutes. If I go to sleep RIGHT this second. Uh oh, make that 34 minutes.

Time to call it a night. Day?

Outta here for now and have a great week.

33 minutes. Cya! (Typepad STILL wonky. 30 minutes! Urggg)

Happy Birthday, Floyd!

This is Floyd, doing what he does best. Singing, laughing, enjoying life and having fun.

Happy Birthday buddy! For all the laughs and happiness you've shared with everyone else, hope you get ten-fold back to you in birthday wishes and goodies. And RVT's, of course!

Perspective

Being poked w/ pointy allergy sticks isn't fun. But it's funner than being poked with pointy allergy needles. 

It's all about perspective.

Holy Crap

Writing so good that it gives me goosebumps. Read her now.

Testing 1,2,3

Testing to see if I can link. Rosalicious. HDW.

It's The Little Things...

I am all about the little things in life. The things that no one else would really notice or care about or get all worked up about. To me, little things can make all the difference in the world.

Take my new garage door opener system. It's a Chamberlain Liftmaster. It's AWESOME. Super quiet. Super smooth. You barely hear it. Has a remote keypad entry, special sensors, bells and whistles. It's the BEST garage door opener I've ever had. And it makes me smile and get all warm and gushy inside each time I use it.

Still talking about the garage. Today I spring cleaned the garage floor. Couldn't wait to get the Winter accumulation of dirt and muck and gross stuff off the floor. Used Oxyclean (a last minute inspiration) and can I tell you how sparkly clean my garage floor is right now?? And it smells great. Even better.

Granted, I wouldn't advise heart surgery or even eating off the garage floor...it's not quite THAT clean.  But it is waaay better than it was. And for anyone that knows me and my anal-retentive-cleany-ways, you have to have some idea of just how happy a place Kathyland is tonite.

Vitamins...Especially!

I heart Raspberries!

Especially when the Raspberries are in a Vodka-based cocktail!

I double heart Vodka-based cocktails!

Especially when you consume said cocktails with a totally-dear-to-my-heart buddy  I have not seen in way too long!

I heart my Denver/Boulder blogger friends! (and non-blogger friends as well!)

Especially when you get to hang out at really fun cool places with great food, sexalicious ambience, and did I mention the awesome drinks??

Thanks for hanging Friday night Rosie my dear!  Had an awesome time at Vita!  Sorry you couldn't join us HDW, Heather and Shmeder. And Jeff and Penguin too. There will definitely be a next time!

Especially since we all need our vitamins!

(ps- sorry I could not link to anyone or to Vita. Am doing a Beta test for Typepad and the link feature is temporarily wonky...as is the spacing feature)