Kristen Eileen

Juno

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:35:49 GMT

Last weekend Jeff and I had some time on Sunday and decided to go see a movie after church and before my nap. Without knowing much about it we decided to see Juno and enjoyed it very much. Particularly enjoyable was a the soundtrack. So enjoyable was it that this weekend I picked up the CD while cruising through Borders. In spite of the fact that neither Buddy Holly nor the Moldy Peaches graced my mixed tapes in high school, this album sends me back to the CTA bus staring out the window with my headphones on in a catatonic state. If I were going to make a mixed tape mostly out of songs I had never heard before, this would be it.

Early Morning Singing Song

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:10:43 GMT

So here it is, 2:00am on Monday morning and I have hit the proverbial wall. It has been a long while since my last post so here is the abbreviated version of life as of late: Jeff and I are happily in Indiana and both employed (my 1-year anniversary with Frito is a few short weeks away), house hunting has not yet yielded a home for us so we continue to rent (but the apartment has been free of fleas for almost 10 months), my niece is almost 5 months old now, I am working nights (10:00pm - 8:30am most days) and Jeff is on days but we make it work, and we just got back from a much-needed vacation to the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

The Smokies are very aptly named, but since they were a fall-back plan when our original camping trip got rained out, we did not do very much research before planning our trip. The park has a Backcountry Planning Office and a very nice lady helped up formulate a route and camp sites, but we really did not know what we were getting into. It turns out that the starting and ending point for our loop is the 2nd Highest Point in the USA East of the Mississippi River so there was quite a bit of elevation to be gained and lost in our 5-day tour. Also, for some reason I have always imagined the Appalacian Trail to be fairly flat and well-traveled. It turns out that the A.T. is narrow, constantly gains and looses elevation, and is mostly jagged, rocky ridge hiking. Go figure. Also, the Southeast has not received very much rain this year and the water table is some 27 feet below typical levels so many miles of the A.T. have no water, including the 4.5 miles we hiked. Don't get me wrong, though: it was a great, challenging trip and we had a blast flying by the seat of our pants. The difficulty of getting back to my day-sleeper ways is unspeakable, however.

Go Earl!

Mon, 14 May 2007 08:00:38 GMT

Hello again, all. Jeff and I have been in Indiana for more than 6 months now, with no designs on moving again in the near future (unless we find a house that someone is giving away or something). Indiana has been good to us so far, but not without its challenges. The largest issue is that we are working different shifts; I am working nights and he is working days. Sometimes it feels like we are ships passing in the night, but we are certainly not the first couple in history to work different hours so there is hope. Leading causes of hope; we are living in the same state (the same house, in fact); we are both happily employed; the days are still getting longer so I get to see several hours of sunlight; it's 4 am on Sunday and I am not having trouble staying awake.

The most recent season of Survior concluded earlier tonight, and I am very glad about the outcome. Well...it would have been better if Yau-man had won, but Earl is a close second. Now we will have to wait all the way until the fall for a new season, though. Bah.

M-E-H

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:45:30 GMT

hooray!!! The day that we have all be waiting for has finally arrived!!!! The dictionary had added "Meh"!!!!!! Please celebrate responsibly.

Updates - if anyone still reads this

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 02:44:06 GMT

Jeff and I have moved back to Indiana. I have a new job (which I am enjoying tremendously). Many things going on. More updates soon...

A 100 year nap

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:20:20 GMT

I feel like that guy in that fairy tale who fell asleep for 100 years. Or rather, I feel like he must have felt when he sat down by that tree. My brain is so fried from trying to keep up with everything that is going on that if I were to pu teven one more thing into the stew that is my cranium right now, it would probably start bubbling over.

The good news is that Jeff and I are going to Chicago for the weekend. If you live there and read this, give me a call and we can hang out sometime!

Wet spell

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 13:19:30 GMT

I am, for the first time in my life, feeling tropical storm wind and rain. It is actually not very exciting at all. It is like a thunderstorm. The worst of the storm will skirt the area that I am occupying, but I am afraid that my flight back to Columbus tomorrow will be troubled. Bah.

I am in Florida for work and spent more time working this weekend than not working. This morning as I drove into work less than 12 hours after I left here, I got to feeling like a pretty bad friend to my friends. I haven't called or talked to many of you guys recently. Heck, I haven't even called my sisters. Maybe I will be able to make some calls and check that everyone is doing well while I sit at the airport tomorrow waiting out the storm.

Saturday

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:39:55 GMT

What a way to start off a week - I got into work this morning, unlocked my file cabinet to pull out my lap top and had a sudden flash memory of my laptop case next to the coffee table. So I put my fleece jacket back on, walked back to my car, and went home to start my morning over again. As a nice bonus I got to talk to Jeff while I drove home and back to work again. We're getting married, you know. On Saturday. That's really soon, in case you were wondering. Eek! For some reason I find it comforting to think about the fact that Jeff and I are both going to be new to this whole being married thing. We've never done this before and we're in it together. It should be good. :-)

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 20:55:46 GMT

Well we are under the three week mark now. Eeks. That's a lot of stuff to get done in a short amount of time. Particularly since I will be traveling this week (just one night). Think happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts.

I am going to workout tonight; not sure how much it will help before the wedding but at least it releases some stress. Not that I'm stressed, but I have been carrying all of it right between my shoulder blades. Meh.

I love this song. But when I think about dancing with my dad to it, I can't help the tears that well.

Pardon the Rant

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 14:25:36 GMT

I feel the need to express this, so please bear with me. I hate short work pants. Shpants. Terrible. Don't wear them. Especially not with boots. It doesn't look good. On anyone. I have never seen it look good. Ever. Now, I can make an exception for yoga pants or sleepwear, but you are at work ladies. Buying them at the Ann Taylor Loft does not make them look good.

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 19:24:31 GMT

Well here it is, Monday again. Another week closer to the wedding and not much new to report. Two bridal showers (well, one bridal and one groomal) have come and gone, and let me tell you that they are going to go down in my personal history as two of the most exhausting days of my life. Don't get me wrong; they were fun, pleasant afternoons. Getting to see a lot of people and catch up on their lives is awesome. But there is something really awkward (for me) about asking for gifts (registeries) and then going to a party thrown for the sole purpose of giving you those gifts. I feel slimey and greedy. Add to that having to be the center of attention and trying to remember everyone's names and answering the same questions over and over and you get one stressed-out Kristen. I have found myself compulsively clicking a clicky pen several times today without knowing how long I had been doing it. I am sure that I am annoying the crap out of the people that sit around me at work. The stress has also put a ridiculous knot in my back/shoulder that makes sitting upright moderately uncomfortable.

In less complainy news, I am getting really excited about the wedding. It will be awesome to see everyone and to have a blow-out bash.

General Updates

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 16:18:29 GMT

Wow. T-minus 6 weeks now. That's not very much time to get stuff figured out. Does anyone have suggestions about songs to play at a rockin' reception?

Jeff and I went to a Ben Folds show the other night (a belated birthday celebration for him) and it was awesome! At least the show itself was awesome. The acoustics, however, we less than awesome. Wierd feedback and white noise on the mics. Not cool. Also, the opening act was sub-par. Chris something or other. I do not recommend that you waste time listening to his music. I do recommend that you catch Ben Folds if he will be in your town. Heck! I recommend that you drive to other towns to where he will be if he won't be in yours. Rock out!

Random Observation

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 19:21:37 GMT

Whenever I see someone carrying a metal briefcase, I have the same brief thought: "I wonder if it's full of money..." No other style of briefcase makes me think this; just the metal ones. Think about it. In every movie where they have to deliver the payment of a ransom or mafia reward or cash under-the-table settlement or bribe, the transfer is made with a shiny metal briefcase. I guess the exception would be delivery of cash in garbage bags with paint bombs in them...

Sicky is Sucky

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 15:01:03 GMT

For almost a week now I have been feeling crappy on and off. I have woken up every day with a sore throat and a congested head and then spent the whole day hoping and wishing not to get really sick. Today is worse. It feels like my face is hot and something funky is happening with my throat and lungs. Poop. I don't want to get sick, but at the same time I am really tired of this "not quite sick" thing that has been going on all week. I would feel really badly if Jeff and Josh and Jen all came into town this weekend and I wound up spending the whole time in bed. Maybe a nap and some orange juice at lunch will help.

The Whens

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 14:13:34 GMT

It has occurred to me this morning just how much stuff there is to get done before the end of April. Zoinks!

It has been a crazy couple of weeks, and the unexpected result has been not making it to the gym as often as I should. It is amazing the amount of guilt I pile on myself all day long, but when the alarm goes off at 5:30 in the morning it is the easiest thing EVER to turn it off, roll over and go back to sleep. I think a swift kick might do me good.

Snowboarding

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 17:00:18 GMT

Happy Belated Birthday to Jeff!!! I love you babe!!!

Last night as a super fun birthday treat Jeff and I went snowboarding on a weeknight. It was almost 60-degrees out yesterday so it was good and bad at the same time. The snow was awful, but the warm weather was a treat and there was NOONE on the hill. I am really looking forward to the day when Jeff and I hit a real mountain with real snow - I think he will do AWESOME and it will be nicer for me to fall down on softer surfaces ;)

Fun Underware Friday

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 16:07:08 GMT

Good golly I am hungry this morning. It's not even 11:00 yet and I am feeling starved.

This has been a crazy busy week, and next week will be equally crazy. I am traveling Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No big plans for next weekend yet, but I am sure they will come.

Snowboard

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:18:13 GMT

What a fabulous weekend! Jeff was in town (this was the first weekend in a LONG time that I didn't have to drive or travel - I'm not placing blame or anything, just stating a fact. Between football games, wedding stuff, and general busyness, I haven't been in Columbus over a weekend since mid-September.) and we had a great time. Friday was dinner out with some friends, Saturday was running errands (Christmas shopping for the most part) going to church and decorating my apartment, and Sunday was Snowboarding and the Survivor Finale. It turned out to be a fairly expensive weekend because we picked up season passes to the local ski resort and a bunch of snowboarding stuff, but it was a lot of fun. My body is staging a rebellion today, though. My back and neck are really stiff from the falling down, but I feel like we made significant progress on the quest to be competent snowboarders. I am totally comfortable on my heal-side turns now and making strides toward confidence on the toe-side. Someday I could actually be good at this! There is hope!

I hope everyone else had a fabulous weekend!

I knew it!

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 21:23:20 GMT

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Two for Two

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 14:35:39 GMT

Great news! I am two for two on both the 'take my lunch to work' initiative and the 'work out after work' program. I rule!

Now if I could only get motivated to get out of bed on time in the mornings, or to get a bunch of work done at work...

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:26:12 GMT

When did all of the life in my life slip away? I used to have friends and plans and so much going on that I didn't have time to sleep. The last few days have been reminiscent of those lonely, awful months in Waukegan during co-op terms. Those long weeks where I spent all of my evenings in my apartment alone, and all of my weekends somewhere else. I think the weather has me in a funk.

Maybe it's indigestion.

Thanksgiving

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:29:54 GMT

All in all, the weekend was a good one. Thanks to Jeff, La, my family, etc who contributed to the goodness. Of particular goodness was Saturday morning which Jeff and I spent with Irene. She taught us how to make the BEST pancakes EVER. I can't even describe the goodness.

There was a considerable amount of eating and very little exercising in the weekend, so I am gearing up for a healthy week. Healthy Step #1 = bringing my lunch to work every day. Today it is a spinach salad (with low fat raspberry dressing), apple sauce and a mini carton of OJ. I will have to stop off at the grocery to pick up some blue cheese for the salads for the rest of the week. Mmmmm...blue cheese... I also brought a package of popcorn for a snack this afternoon. I will wind up leaving my desk for a while anyway today to make a necessary trip to the Post Office. Yeah, it's only 11:30 and my lunch is already gone. Zut.

Healthy Step #2 will be going to the gym four times this week, even if I only walk on the treadmill. Since I have stopped walking in the mornings on account of coldness, I need to make up the slack somewhere.

You've got to kick at the Darkness

Tue, 22 Nov 2005 13:51:35 GMT

Today feels like it will be a good day. I'm not sure why, as I am dead tired, Jeff and I have been cranky for the last few days, and every muscle in my body hurts from working out yesterday.

LAS VEGAS RECAP:
Days: 3
Nights: 2
Hours: 51
Hours on planes: 8
Hours of sleep: 10
Meals eaten: 4
Buffet meals eaten: 1
Free drinks: 4
Casinos visited: 11
Miles walked: about 40 (felt like a million)
Hours playing slot machines: 3 (approx)
Hours playing craps: 4 (approx)
Dollars entered Vegas with: 180
Dollars exited Vegas with: 175

All in all it was a fun time. Some highs, some lows. If I had been smarter about walking away from the craps table, I could have exited Vegas with much more money than I entered with. At least I managed to NOT loose the money that I won on the slots.

"You've got to kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight"

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:35:50 GMT

In the last 24 hours I have heard the song "I Want a Hippopatamus for Christmas" TWICE! This is unacceptable, even if it IS snowing.

Bah-early-humbug!

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 21:36:50 GMT

I guess this isn't a surprise. The romantic prediction part is way off, but I guess if Jeff counts as someone from my past...

You Are Most Like Miranda!

While you've had your fair share of romance, men don't come first

Guys are a distant third to your friends and career.

And this independence *is* attractive to some men, in measured doses.

Remember that if you imagine the best outcome, it might just happen.

Romantic prediction: Someone from your past is waiting to reconnect...

But you'll have to think of him differently, if you want things to work.

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