Walking Kateastrophe

All is Well

2009-08-17T13:07:00.001-07:00

I forgot to re-post that all is well and the "real" blog is back up and running!

See me at www.walkingkateastrophe.com

Kisses!

Brokded

2009-07-13T16:10:00.003-07:00

Um, so my blog sort of broke. So did Brillig's. We're not sure why, but we're working on it, so for now, I'm redirecting my .com back to Blogger.

Sigh.

Hopefully things are back to normal soon. Brillig is the master of this plan. Let us all pray for her.

Until then . . . hi, Blogger. I've missed you?

I Have a New Blog!

2008-03-23T23:23:00.002-07:00

My husband told me that I haven't properly advertised le new blog. You can now find me at:

www.walkingkateastrophe.com

Once again (and for the very last time), goodbye Blogger!

I's Growing Up!

2008-02-25T14:33:00.003-07:00

I got my own domain! So, as sad as I am to say goodbye to Blogger, I'm MOVING! Come check me out at www.walkingkateastrophe.com!!

Or just click here and I will take you there.

Bear with me while I get used to Wordpress and fix my (lovely) bubble-gum pink template. It might be a rough ride for a while . . . (rumor has it that the template really looks FUN in Explorer. For now, if possible, use Mozilla . . . I promise I'll fix it!)

Thanks to BRILLIG (who is AWESOME) for making all of this happen. I am apparently totally and completely computer illiterate because I've been trying for MONTHS to move my posts over and she did it in like four seconds.

Ciao Bella, Blogger!

Weekend Update

2008-02-25T09:39:00.002-07:00

OK you guys rock. Thank you SO MUCH for your advice on music. I am overwhelmed and really enjoying what I've been able to investigate thus far! I've had a request to fill you in on what I've found from your suggestions so I'll give you a list of what I love SO far. I'm still looking into a bunch of it, so if I don't mention something you suggested, it doesn't mean I don't like it! It just means I haven't had time to find it! I have VERY random taste in music (as you will see from this list.) my iPod has everything from rap to Broadway, butt-rock to opera and everything between, so pretty much all of your suggestions have been loved. Or will be as soon as I hear them. OK, the list:

Mae . . . oh how I love Mae. I bought two albums already and yesterday it was the soundtrack to my housecleaning.
Hem
A Fine Frenzy
Sia
Ingrid Michaelson
Joshua Radin (OH MY GOSH he is AMAZING)
Vampire Weekend
Hooverphonic
Blue Man Group (who knew they had an album? Not me!)
HelloGoodbye
The Last Goodnight

Some of these bands I already knew but re-discovered thanks to your suggestions AND I have about a million more to research! I'm so excited! You guys are fab! I feel like a new person with all these new tunes to listen to!

Not to change the subject but I had to apologize that my SOS was only four paragraphs. I know you guys are ready to kill me but I HAD to end there because the next part would have made it the longest post in history! I promise I'll give you more next week. This story is taking FOREVER but I can't leave parts of it out or else it won't be a juicy!

In other news, I had a great weekend. I went to "Definitely, Maybe" with my girl Rhonda on Friday and then we had an old fashioned sleepover at her casa. We played Dr. Mario and chatted until the wee hours of the morning. (For the record, I suck at Dr. Mario and got totally WORKED.) Saturday morning I made a long overdue visit to the LDS Temple in Mesa and then went to play practice for "Hello, Dolly!" which I'm currently in. To be honest, the practice was a total waste of two hours for me because they didn't need me, but whatever.

Saturday night was a little more . . . action packed. I spent some time with some great friends playing Wii and driving their new Porsche Cayman S (OH.MY.GOSH it is the MOST.AWESOME.CAR.). In typical Kate fashion, I almost got myself pulled over for peeling out of an intersection. I was PLANNING to haul butt and get to about 100 mph in 1.2 seconds or so, but my co-pilot (and owner of the car) screamed "COP!" as I was at about 37mph and SOMEHOW I was able to NOT go above the 40 mph speed limit. The cop followed me for several miles and eventually gave up because I acted like I was just learning how to drive a stick. Hahaha. It was hilarious and nerve racking all at the same time. I'm glad I got away. Especially because about five seconds before we saw the cop, I had been doing about 90mph in a 35mph zone. LEST you fear, I was in a very empty, non-crowded area where only I would have been harmed had I done something stupid. It would have been worth getting a ticket. Seriously.

Sunday I cleaned my kitchen until it sparkled and got some other much needed things done around the house. Matt and his brother went to the sand dunes with their quads (ATVs, four wheelers) and as much as I missed Matt, it was kind of nice to have the house to myself. It was also nice to have him come home and kiss him on his cute, scruffy, post-camping, sunburned face.

We watched (and loved) the Academy Awards (um, could Helen Mirren look more amazing? My goal is to look like that when I'm her age. I should maybe start by trying to look like that NOW.) and then we watched what might go down as the funniest comedy sketch I've ever seen. It was Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck (mocking Sarah Silverman and Matt Damon.) I can't access YouTube from work, but take my advice and go check both videos out. They're a bit on the dirty side (ok a lot) so if you're pure and clean (ahem, unlike me) you will probably not like them. Or me. Right. If you're dirty and have the mind of a twelve year old boy (ahem, like me) you will probably love them.

OK. I'm off to work. I still have that huge project looming and my brain is hurting just thinking about it.

Kisses!

Soap Opera Sunday: Digging Out

2008-02-24T09:46:00.006-07:00

Ahhh Soap Opera Sunday. Thanks so much to Abish for hosting this week! Want to know more about SOS? Click here for a description and rules! Brillig and I would love to have you play along if you've got any Soapy tales you'd like to share!

My story is a very long one, so if you need to play catch up, you'll need an hour and the following links:

here

here
and here.

Ready for more??
----------------------

I should have seen it coming. I should have listened to all the stories about how many times he got together and broke up with the mother of his son (even when she was ENGAGED TO SOMEONE ELSE!). I should have listened to stories of all the other girlfriends he'd had and how it was impossible for him to commit and be faithful. I thought I was different. I thought we were meant to be.

The fact that it was TIFFANY’s voice on that message made it all the harder because I had decided to hate her with all my soul already. Had it been another girl it would have sucked, but thinking that he chose Tiffany over me made me want to run both of them over with my car.

I can’t remember the exact conversation I had with Richard, but I remember asking him if he was, in fact, going to marry her. He said something along the cop-out lines of she sort of thought so and he was going along with it. I told him not to call me anymore. He didn’t even apologize.

I lost another 10-15 pounds in just a few weeks. I would wake up every morning and for a brief second, I’d be happy to face my day, and then the reality of what had happened to me would backhand me in the face and I’d start crying all over again. The depression of the previous break-up was nothing compared to this. I’d let myself hope again and the result had been even worse for me. I was depressed. I didn’t know who I was. My normal, bubbly personality was gone. I was quiet, resigned, anorexic looking and went about my days like a robot performing it’s programmed tasks. It got to the point that my Mom suggested I get a prescription for an anti-depressant. I was hesitant because I didn’t want to walk around medicated, but I knew I had to do something. I was absolutely miserable. So I went to a doctor and got me some pills.

Within two days, the clouds parted and the sunshine seemed to appear again. I started to feel HUMAN again. I was able to eat, smile, laugh and find joy in my life. I was a senior in college, halfway through my FINAL semester and I was finally back to being excited to graduate, to finish school and possibly go to New York and audition for Broadway or find whatever path my life needed to be on. I was finally excited to be alive again. And naturally, in my life, when you felt normal, you wanted BOYS. So, I went looking and in no time at all, I met a boy named Matt.

To be continued . . .

Entertain Me

2008-02-20T13:29:00.003-07:00

I used to be the girl who discovered new music artists before anyone had heard of them. I found Evanescence before they had the song on that one movie. (Great information from me, right?) I used to scour the internet for new songs, new artists, unusual music . . . now, I'm incredibly lame. I barely make it past iTunes Top 10. IF I'm lucky.

I have a new assignment at work that's going to take a very long time and some intense concentration (and hi, I'm ADD head, have you met me?), so I need to stick my new SkullCandy headphones in and listen to music and zone out of the world of my cubicle and get into research mode. The only problem is that, while i have over 8,000 songs on my iTunes, I'm sick of all of them and instead of zoning out, I spend all my time skipping songs I'm no longer interested in hearing.

All that leads me to my post title. I NEED NEW MUSIC! So I'm begging you to recommend your favorite obscure song, new artist, ANYTHING. I so badly need new music. HELP!

(And let's not let this be like last time when I asked for links and only two of you sent help. I know you guys have it in you!)

Ready? GO!

Soap Opera Sunday: Stupid Is As Stupid Does

2008-02-17T09:29:00.004-07:00

I'm finally back! Sorry about the pause there. Dontcha hate it when life gets in the way? Especially of BLOGGING. Sheesh. Thanks and kisses to Brilly for hosting this week. If you want to learn more about the rules and fun behind Soap Opera Sunday, you can go here for more details. For the record, I am a bad co-host and Brillig rules.

I am deep (DEEP)into the saga of my life so if you need to catch up you can go

here

and finally here

---------------------------
After Richard's message, I turned into one of THOSE girls. The weak, sniveling, lame girl who lets a guy get away with murder as long as he apologizes and says he'll try to be better. Except I was worse. I didn't make Richard apologize, I didn't call him out on how horrible he'd been -- none of it. I simply tried to make things go back to how they'd been before New York.

Shockingly, things never went back. I was making all the effort. I was driving to Salt Lake two or three times a week to see him and he stopped coming down to Provo. I was arranging dates and showing up to support him at his numerous sporting events. I was being SO stupid.

The one thing he actually did was call me every night before he went to bed and I think that kept me hanging on. No matter how late he got in, he'd call. If I'd just left his house, he'd call. Those late night conversations were (and in memory continue to be) the best part about our relationship. No pretenses, no acting cool in front of others, just talking about our days, our plans . . . everything. But as any dumb idiot (except me) could see, late night phone calls were not enough, yet I tried and tried to make them be. I was hanging on by a thread.

For Valentine's Day that year I got him a small present and planned a night for us to go out to dinner. I called him after I got off of work to arrange to meet and he didn't answer. He didn't call me back for four hours. We'd obviously missed our reservation and couldn't do anything. He'd been playing basketball at the church and thought that was much more important. I was already in Salt Lake so I went to his house to give him his present, holding my breath thinking he might have purchased something for me. Nope. Nothing. I handed him his present and said "Happy Valentine's Day!"

He looked at me frowning and said "I didn't think we were Valentine's Kate."

That should have been my que to run away, right? Slap him in the face and get out. No, of course not. That, in my head, was my que to try HARDER. Go to his sports events MORE often. Get him more little presents. I had to give it my ALL to show him how awesome I was!

This was the year that Salt Lake City was hosting the Olympics, so I had a week off of school to attend the festivities, so I was in Salt Lake a lot more. Richard and I met up a few times to go to the tents set up downtown to hang out and had a good time. The night of the closing ceremonies we had talked about meeting up to go watch the fireworks, so I arrived at his house with coats, hot chocolate and blankets. He had, of course, decided he didn't want to go anymore and that we should watch on TV. Desperate once again to spend time with him, I agreed.

We watched the show and it was great, though through the window I could hear the booming of the fireworks that we should have been OUTSIDE watching. Then we made out. Because, well, why not? I remember Richard's phone was ringing quite a bit throughout the night, but he ignored it since I was there (a step in the right direction maybe??). After the show was over, we were sitting next to each other on the couch and Richard made what would be a fatal mistake. He went to check his voicemail and while typing his passcode, said it out loud.

I immediately started chewing my lip, wishing I could forget what had just happened. I knew myself and I knew that I would NEVER EVER be able to resist using that passcode when we weren't together. I was far too nosy for my own good.

I lasted about three days before the itching inside took over. I will never forgt the first time I used that passcode to check his messages. I was sitting in my office at work with the door shut so no one would bother me. I picked up the phone, dialed his number, waited for his voicemail to pick up, pushed pound and then nervously dialled the four digit code. SUCCESS! I was in! He had no new messages and one saved message. Ha. Press 1 to hear saved messages. I was so going to listen to whatever it was.

What I heard was NOT what I expected. A female voice "Hi Richard! It's Tiff! Why aren't you picking up your phone? Why are you ingonring your fiance? I just wanted to tell you how excited I am to be your wife. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I was watching the fireworks of the closing ceremonies tonight and thinking about how much better it would have been to be watching with you. Hope you had a good night. Love you"

I started shaking and dropped the phone. My vision suddenly blurred and I felt faint. I put my head between my knees in an attempt not to pass out and stayed there with tears streaming down my face. As soon as I had gained some sort of composure I told my boss I needed to leave for the day and I drove home sobbing hysterically. Somewhere in there I called my best friend Sheila who raced over to my house to be with me so I wasn't alone and she held me for hours while I cried, and cried, and cried.

Don't be shocked by what I'm about to say . . .

To Be Continued . . .

**Disclaimer: Stupid Blogger turned off their spell check, so please forgive any spelling errors. I didn't know until right now it was turned off and I don't have Word on this computer. From now on I promise to spell check and all that stuff. PROMISE.

I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love with a wonderful guy

2008-02-14T10:34:00.008-07:00

Today is the day of lurve. Oooh ahhh. Valentine's Day. The day in my previous life as a single girl that typically meant depression and consumption of much chocolate. I was usually alone, abandoned by the most recent "fling" shortly before the holiday.

I was always a hopeless romantic, dreaming of the Valentine's Day when my Don Juan would arrive to pick me up in a horse drawn carriage to take me out for a night of passion and romance. I wished for thousands of roses and candlelit dinners and everything that "they" (whoever they are) tell you Valentine's Day is supposed to contain.

I should have dreamed bigger. I should have been dreaming who would put me first, every single day. I should have been hoping for the safe feeling of always being taken care of. I should have imagined years of laughter and fun and tender, amazing true love. Oh, and some serious passion too.

Maybe it's good that I didn't dream bigger because it allowed me to be completely swept away by the man who gave me everything I was dreaming of, plus everything I should have been dreaming of and more.

Sure, I'm still a girl and a hopeless romantic who wishes my life had a little more "show" but when I really stop to think about it, you couldn't pay me enough money or give me enough "packaged romance" to convince me that what I have isn't the most amazing gift I've ever been given. I consider myself the luckiest woman alive to have the privilege to be married to Matt. He is my everything and on Valentine's Day, I just wanted the world to know it. He is my Don Juan . . . but better.

This Post Makes My Feet Hurt

2008-02-12T23:12:00.004-07:00

Wait, that's not it . . . standing all day in a trade show booth by myself makes my feet hurt? Yeah, that works better.

I've basically had to man the booth alone this time. My partner in crime had a death in the family and had to leave. While I COMPLETELY understand his having to go and actually made him leave sooner than he really wanted to, I must be honest and say that standing in a booth all day ALONE, trying to talk to eight million people all at once and watching a line form is priceless, in a bad way. I have almost lost my voice from talking so much and I'm SO sick of saying "we're a true end-to-end eCommerce platform . . ." I could pull out my vocal cords.*

On the plus side, I had an AWESOME hair day. I wish I had taken a picture of it to show you because it doesn't happen often and today convinced me NOT to cut it all off. I had been thinking lately that I might, just to mix it up, but a good hair day will do a lot to convince a person that almost six years of growing our your hair CAN in fact pay off. The only bad part of having a good hair day today is that only the DOM (Dirty Old Men) at the trade show saw it and my husband did not. What a waste.

Palm Desert is absolutely breathtaking. It's eighty degrees and yet I can see snow on top of the peaks close by. The hotel is gorgeous and my bed is dreamy comfortable with oodles of pillows to cuddle up with. I had my favorite meal last night at Tuscany (as planned) and tonight we had Tepanyaki. I can forgive my company for making me man the booth for twelve hours a day because I eat like a queen on these trips.

Maybe standing all day burns off the calories and I should be grateful for the chore. Hmmm interesting thought. Maybe I can do jumping jacks in the booth to attract attention AND burn calories. I might have to think hard about that. I could be made famous as the exercising booth babe!! I'm going to present the idea to management** as soon as they decide to exit the bumpin' party I can hear going on down in the dance club. A visual I decided to completely avoid, thus my being IN my room, not watching them dance. Ew. Seriously. Ew.

*This was a description used only to express my extreme hatred of the phrase. I would NEVER in a million years pull out my vocal cords. I spent way too many years (and dollars) learning how to use them. Also, I like to hear myself talk. So parental units who paid for my voice lessons and college education in singing, never fear. My cords are safe and sound, tucked in and sleeping comfortably in their warm, vocal cord home.

**My chances are not good. This is the same management team who shot down my idea to have "Marketing Superstar" as the title on my business cards. They have no imagination. Class, yes. Imagination? Not a drop.

Dee-lay

2008-02-10T07:53:00.001-07:00

Don't hate me. Soap Opera Sunday is taking a break today because I have SO much to do. I'm leaving at 6:00 tomorrow morning to drive to Palm Desert, California for yet another work conference. I have piles and piles of laundry to do, then I have to pack. Somewhere in there (like right now) I have to head to church for a few hours (three, to be exact) so my day is looking a little overwhelming.

I'll try to catch up during the week from my hotel room, but no promises. My favorite Italian restaurant Tuscany is on the hotel property and I hear Lobster Risotto calling my name already.

I hope you all have a fantastic week!

The Important Things (A Question)

2008-02-05T14:57:00.001-07:00

I have a question Internets.

Hypothetically –

As a gift, you are presented with a $550 gift card to Zappos.com. Do you:

Find one amazing, ridiculously expensive item (saaay Couture shoes or a bag) to spend that credit on and get yourself something you'd NEVER buy yourself in real life but would LOVE to have if you were frivolous with money that way.

Spread it out and get as many items as you possibly could

My next question:

What would you buy on Zappos.com?

Send links! I'm curious to see your favorites on that incredible site!

Also send help. (Hypothetically)

Party Blocked

2008-02-05T09:36:00.001-07:00

Want to know what upsets me a little?

The fact that, since I chose to register as an Independent, rather than affiliate myself with a political party I don't always agree with (that's both sides, for the record), I am not allowed to vote today in the state of Arizona. And I'm irritated.

I realize it's a Primaries and that we're deciding just the delegates from the two political parties, but I truly feel that everyone should be able to have a say in this election as well, since the results WILL affect me, my family and friends in the very near future. I WANT TO VOTE TODAY DANGIT!

I love the right to vote. I love the fact that there is a chance my vote will affect the outcome of our government.

One of the delegates is from Arizona. Most likely, he will win here, which is frustrating to me because MY vote wouldn't have been for him. Today, my vote just might have mattered a lot. And I can't go vote. Grrrr.

That being said, everyone who CAN vote today, GO! Let your voice be heard!

Even Bargain Shopping Can Get You Busted

2008-02-04T11:22:00.001-07:00

So I played hookie half-day on Friday. I literally just walked out of my office at 12:30 and didn't go back.

I desperately needed an eyebrow wax. I was starting to look a bit like a wookie. See?

It's a bad picture taken on my cell phone but can you SEE those horrid extra hairs? I have made it a life goal not to touch my own eyebrows because whenever I do, the results are scary. Like a few weeks ago when I thought I'd "just trim the long hairs" and I took a chunk out of what is supposed to be the thick part of my eyebrow. Or a few years ago when I over plucked and took off the thin end of my eyebrow. Or the time I tried to wax myself and took a big chunk out of the MIDDLE of my eyebrow. I should not be allowed to own tweezers or wax of any kind. And there's a question about owning a razor, since I've also shaved the center section and had my esthetician yell at me for that.

Now, when I lived in Utah, I had Whitney, the goddess of eyebrows. I had an appointment with her every three weeks and loved her with all my heart. Then I moved to Arizona. I have been here for almost four years and haven't found anyone who comes close to Whitney - until Friday. I found a place that claims to specialize in eyebrows and I think I've found my eyebrow home.

Now, I may have forgotten to add some color to my super blonde brows this morning but can you SEE the improvement? It's like a whole new world!!! I was (and continue to be) SO happy!

After getting my eyebrows did, my day of hookie continued with SHOPPING!! I found sales galore and got some amazing stuff for like 80% off their original prices. Hazaa! I also got kitchen tools, which are never bad.

After shopping, I went to get my car washed because after picking it up from the shop it was nasty. This is where playing hookie goes downhill, because I discovered that the morons who "fixed" my car didn't finish the job and under all the dirt is a crappy job. Also, the people washing my car weren't so stellar either. I WAS PISSED. I called the shop, told them they sucked, got the manager of the carwash, told them they sucked and THEN I went to unwind with a pedicure. I was so excited until I discovered that the pedicure place had stopped using O.P.I products and I couldn't use my favorite color (I'm Not Really A Waitress, if you're curious) so I had to go with a lighter red, which isn't perfect but at least my toes no longer look as though I walk barefoot over hot coals for a living.

At about this point I started adding up the costs of my little hookie trip. I think I maybe should have stayed at work . . . and blown up the car repair shop.

Saturday, Matt and I went on a field trip down to the south-east part of the valley to go to our old stomping grounds and the mall there. I may or may not have done some more damage at the sales there. BUT, I got several pairs of TEN DOLLAR PANTS! They were originally $50! You so can't go wrong, right?! I also needed new perfume because I was out of my signature scent and that just WILL NOT DO. We had a jolly time and I was very happy with my purchases.

Until I got home and checked my bank account. Let's see . . . car payment plus insurance plus cell phone plus credit card payoff from last month plus car repairs . . . equals C.R.A.P. I have no more money.

There is a distinct* possibility that Matt and I may be eating ramen for the rest of the month. Whoops!

*Ok the possibility of that really happening is not distinct. It's not like we're broke and it's my fault. It's like we're back in college and making ten dollars last two weeks until payday**

**Ok that's not true either. I'm just being over-dramatic. Hi, I'm Kate. Have you met me?

Soap Opera Sunday: How to Lose a Dress Size in Ten Days (or less)

2008-02-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Soap Opera Sunday! Thanks to Shellie of Little But Loud for hosting this week! We love, love , love you guys for hosting for us! For the details and rules of SOS, check out this post!

Now, my story has been going for quite a while now, so if you need to catch up (prepare yourselves) you need to go
here
here
here
here
here
here
then finally here for the whole story.

PHEW. All caught up? Ok let's continue . . .
-------------------

Pretty much the rest of the trip to New York sucked for me. I won't go into the gory details, but as you can tell, Richard spent a lot of time on the phone, presumably with SHE who shall not be named (at this moment at least!), a lot more time watching sports and ignoring me. I spent a lot of time trying not to cry as I lost the boy I thought was my future.

On the plane ride home we talked and I tried to calmly beg him to give me another chance. He was having none of it. It was too fast (UM who's fault was THAT?), it was too much, he wasn't ready, blah blah blah.

His family was at the airport to pick him up when we landed. We waved good-bye and I hopped in the car with Rhonda and her boyfriend (who had picked us up) and held in my tears until I walked in the door of my house.

Then the gates of hell were opened. Right in our front entry, I dropped my suitcase, fell into a massive heap on the floor and started to sob. I had never in my life, despite being dumped more times than I care to count, felt this kind of emptiness and despair. I felt hollow and broken. I cried and cried and cried until I couldn't speak and there were no more tears. I fell asleep sobbing and woke up every hour through the night and began sobbing again.

I couldn't get out of bed the next morning. My Mom had to drag me from under the covers and force me into the shower. It was my first day of my final semester in college and there was no way I could miss it. My usual half and hour morning routine took me two hours. My skin was ashen, my eyes were lifeless and my hair was limp.

I went to school but I wasn't there. I went to work but I wasn't there either. I don't know where I was. I was like a robot, going from place to place with no real concept of what was going on around me.

Adrienne was furious when I told her what had happened. She too had thought Richard and I were meant to be together. She had known Richard since the beginning of high school and couldn't believe he would treat anyone the way I had been treated the last week.

My other friends, who already hated Richard, I'm sure had to bite their tongues to hold back the "told you so" and they were so wonderful. They were with me every day, trying to make sure I was eating and functioning.

Within four days all of my clothes were too big. My already skinny body began to look emaciated and hollows began to form around my once shining eyes. I was in a deep dark depression and felt like I was never going to get out.

Then, exactly one week from the day we returned from New York I got a message from Richard on my cell phone.

"Hey bud! I miss you! Where have you been and why haven't you been calling me? I still owe you a romantic birthday dinner, just the two of us. Call me back and we'll make plans. Wherever you want, whatever you want. Seriously, I miss you. Call me back."

TGIF. Seriously.

2008-01-31T21:52:00.001-07:00

T.G.I.F has multiple meanings today. Thank Goodness it's Friday, of course, but also Thank Goodness it's February!!

First, the good news. My Mom is doing significantly better! There was a small scare yesterday afternoon when the doctors did a CT scan and found that whatever was blocking up her intestines hadn't moved despite significant efforts via medicine and tubes, etc. so they had an opening with a surgeon and whisked her in to find out what was up. I was halfway to the airport to be with her when I was told to hold off because my Mom's husband was on his way (only took him three days and a surgery. Sigh. Another story for another time.) so I went home and prayed. After about an hour and a half we were told that everything was fine. She had some scar tissue from a surgery two years ago and it had formed almost a string and wrapped itself around part of her intestines and was basically "kinking the hose." All this is a relief because there's nothing permanently wrong with her and now that the string thing has been removed all will be well in Mommy-land. Thanks so much for your kind thoughts and comments. You'll never know how much they mean. My Mom even says thank you in an especially funny "morphined" out voice. I wish I could record it and play for you. Nothing funnier than Moms on Drugs.

Next up, the bad. The week just doesn't seem to be getting better!! I'm exhausted, not feeling exceptionally well and work has been IN.SANE. Not the usual insane that my office is. It feels like happy hour in the mental institution. No one can decide what's going on, who's in charge, what we're doing or what anyone's job really is. It's been this way for a while now but today it seemed to come to a head. There was yelling, stressing, almost quitting (not by me, never you fear), and almost firings today. INSANE I tell you. The silver lining is that I was told I am highly valued and my job is not in any way in question. I'm relieved to know that but feel the stress around me significantly. Me no likey stressful work environments.

I made Corn Chowder tonight and while it was good, I was disappointed in the recipe. It was soupy rather than . . . chowdery. I want CREAMY CHOWDER dangit! If any of you have recipes, please share!

Lastly, I've been without my wedding ring for over a month now. It is being re-engraved (it's got these cool engravings on the sides that are done by hand) and getting stones reset, etc. It was supposed to take three weeks and it's been five. I LOVE the jeweler who made it and is fixing it and I know it takes him a long time to work his magic, but I miss my ring! It was supposed to go out in the mail today, but he missed the FedEx pick-up and it won't go out until tomorrow. BLAST! There will be much rejoicing on Monday when my baby is back on my finger where she belongs.

Luckily a new month starts tomorrow AND it's Friday. Even if the week continues it's downward spiral and it's a bad day tomorrow, I have at least two days to recover from it. Knock on wood. Watch my car explode or something just to top 'er off. Ugh.

NOW, to end on a happy note! Groundhog Day is on Saturday! My best friend Brillig and I have a special bond with regards to Groundhog Day. It's a really hilarious story that I'll tell for Soap Opera Sunday one of these days, but I wanted to publicly wish Brillig and the rest of you a Happy Groundhog Day! Here's to hoping this blasted winter is over already!!

Drama, Drama, D-R-A-M-A

2008-01-30T09:43:00.002-07:00

Hola there. I suck at blogging lately, but I promise I have good reasons.

So I'm alive, cruising along in life doing my thing happily, and then someone decides its time to turn up the drama meter. I hate the upped drama meter.

- My Mom's in the hospital for the fourth time in six months for the same problem. Only this time, she's in California which is NOT where she lives. She was there to take care of my Grandma who just got OUT of the hospital. Yeah. That causes problems. Her first night in the hospital was awful. Obviously my Grandma couldn't be there with her so she was alone and something happened to the tube in her stomach and it got kinked and was causing her immense pain, and the nurses ignored her cries and pleadings for more pain medication all night. The next day, "somehow" it leaked out that my Grandfather has a wing at that exact hospital named after him and he was the most feared/loved Medical Director in the hospital's history, and now she has TWO private nurses, a doctor checking on her every two hours and is being treated like a queen. I think it's sad that someone has to throw a name around in order to just be COMFORTABLE. It makes me so mad. (And don't tell my Mom it was me who threw the name around. She'll get mad at me!)

- Took my damaged vehicle in to get fixed. I had to drop it off on a Sunday night due to my business trip. They didn't call me to tell me they got it (as I requested), then they called me to tell me it was going to be MORE expensive, then didn't call me to tell me it was done. THEN, I called to see if it was done and they told me it would be three more days. That's four days longer than they told me the car was going to take total. SO, I got mad, chewed them out for only calling me when they wanted more money and hung up. About five minutes later they called me back. "oops, we were wrong. Your car is done. We had it mixed up with another car." Gee, thanks. I picked up my car and it was FILTHY. They hadn't cleaned out the fiberglass and glass on the inside from changing the windshield, it looked like they'd wiped it off with a dirty rag and it still smells like glue. Grrrr.

- Our builder's landscaper screwed up on our yard. We've been calling them since September to fix it and no one EVER got back with us. I had to raise hell to finally get someone to set an appointment to get it all straightened out. This morning at 7:00 AM was our set time. Matt and I waited for 45 minutes and the guy never showed, so I got pissed and drove to work, leaving a nasty message at his office. He called me at 8:15 saying he had written down our appointment wrong and he was at our house and could I come home? Um, no. I proceeded to chew him out for fifteen minutes and now he's staying late tonight to make a 6:00 PM appointment with us. Because I'm a beotch that way.

- Our builder messed up on a few other things (like leaking windows) and so far SEVEN of the contractors we've had appointments with have blown us off, making either myself or my husband sit around waiting and end up late for work. When I tell our customer service manager, she apologizes and tries to set another appointment in the middle of the day. I finally had to chew HER out and tell her that we had wasted enough of our time and now the contractors needed to go out of their way to be at our house when it's convenient for US, not when it's convenient for them. We'll see how this goes, but I'm (understandably) skeptical.

- One of my pieces of luggage was lost on the trip back from New Orleans, which is weird because when I switched planes, how did they transfer ONE piece and not the OTHER? Somehow some moron just saw HOUSTON TO PHOENIX and didn't pay attention to the fact that there were FOUR flights to Phoenix that day. My bag was on the last one. My body was on the first one. AND, it was my make-up. So I came to work on Monday naked faced. Not. Pretty. Luckily, I got it back Monday afternoon, but it still sucked.

- I awoke this morning to some "blog wars." There is one person who's been quite a wretch to several of my favorite bloggers. Let me say this. I know that by publishing a blog, we open ourselves up to public criticism, people disagreeing with us, not liking us, etc. HOWEVER, if someone doesn't like what I (or others) have to say, DON'T READ IT. There are people really putting themselves out there and telling us personal stuff. Stuff they don't even tell their best friends. It's scary enough without losers with no name insulting us for it. Speaking of losers with no name, if you're going to leave nasty comments, at least attach your NAME to them. Don't be a pansy and hide behind the ability to be anonymous. That's just stupid. I like to abide by the rule "If you don't got somethin' nice to say, don't say nothin' at all."

SEE? D-R-A-M-A. And I'm off to deal with it. Hopefully I'll have happier things to say tomorrow. What is it with January? Can this month be OVER already?

Soap Opera Sunday: The beginning of the bad that lasts a VERY long time

2008-01-27T13:28:00.001-07:00

So, um, I'm sort of lazy and pretty much a cheapskate. They didn't have wireless internet at my sister's house and I was having way too much fun to blog (gasp! I know!) and then wireless wasn't free at the airport. Sooooo, you're getting an incredibly late version of Soap Opera Sunday. Again. But at least on Sunday this time, right?

To catch up on my super long saga, you can go here, here, here, here, here and here. And don't even worry, we haven't even covered the first month of Richard's and my relationship yet!

Well, last week when we left off I had just been dumped on my birthday and Richard was being a douche AND we were on our way to my scary Dad's house.

I rented the car and we headed out to drive the two-ish hours to Lancaster, PA. Since the car was in my name, Richard wasn't supposed to drive it, I had to drive the whole time, and like the kind ex-boyfriend he was turning out to be, he slept the whole time. Oh and I got HORRIBLY lost. So our two hour drive turned into a four hour drive and I had no companion the entire time because he was snoring. Stellar.

When we arrived, my Dad was cooking dinner and before even saying hi he turns from the stove and shouts "Hey honey! Happy Birthday! Did you get drunk?"

"No Dad. Still Mormon. Still no drinking."

"Well did you get laid?"

"Nope. Still Mormon. Still no sex."

"What a f***ing waste of time!"

"Uhhh, Dad, this is Richard. Richard, my father in all his glory."

Things just went downhill from there (just when you think it can't get worse, right?). My stepmother wasn't home yet and Dad just set out to grill Richard. Why didn't he see his son? Was he going to church? Why didn't he go to church? Didn't he know that the girl he was dating took church very seriously? It went on and on and on and was making both Richard and I very uncomfortable. Especially considering our extremely recent break-up that I hadn't told anyone about yet.

Yikes.

We had an awkward family dinner and went downstairs to watch football, which was turning out to be the only thing Richard wanted to do. He, of course, left the room to talk on the phone several times, but we spent the rest of the day watching all the games. I was pretty tired and headed to bed, asking him to come talk to me for a while. I was going to get to the bottom of the recent dumping and find out what the crap was going on.

Our conversation was actually going really well until at some point in the conversation I asked him a question about his family. I don't remember what his response was exactly, but I remember he looked at me and called me Tiffany.

Tiffany was the Ex. The really recent Ex who I had just found out apparently had a problem with Richard and I being set up. The Ex who had sought out Adrienne (who had set us up) and asked her why she thought it was OK to set up HER boyfriend Richard with someone else. The boyfriend she had dumped. The Ex I already hated for trying to force Richard into going back to church before he was ready and who just seemed lame and pushy all the way around. And now he was apparently mistaking me for her. Then, within about fifteen minutes, he called me Tiff four or five times.

My feelings were very hurt. Once I could understand but FIVE TIMES? I was sort of at the end of my rope. With tears streaming down my face I asked him to leave the room and let me go to bed. We had a long drive back to New York the next day and were going to see The Lion King the next night. I needed to sleep and be away from him for a while.

The drive back sucked. We hardly said a word to each other and he made it very, very clear that he was mad that we were going to a musical when he just wanted to watch the College Football National Championship on TV. Too bad, said me, we had tickets and we were going. Final word on the issue.

Before the show, we were shopping near Rockefellar Plaza, I believe in the Banana Republic. I was across the room from Richard and he was on the phone with someone . . . and I had a feeling it was a girl because of the way he was talking. In my gut I knew who it was . . . I just KNEW, but I was hoping I was wrong.

Then, he did the most horrible, mean, stupid thing a guy has ever done to me.

He shouts, across the room "Hey Kate! What's your last name? Tiff wants to know, I guess she had a cousin who went to high school with you."

A. He didn't even remember MY LAST NAME
B. TIFF?????? ON THE PHONE WITH HIM? WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION IN NEW YORK TOGETHER??
C. Bastard

Ever notice how when the guy you like has some sort of "thing" with another girl you stupidly decide to hate the girl rather than the retard you're dating? Yeah, I did that. At that moment I decided I hated Tiffany with every last fiber of my being. HATED. HER. And would continue to do so for the next two years of my life.

That's right folks, you heard me. TWO. YEARS.

Told you this saga lasts forever.

Dead.Frickin.Tired

2008-01-24T08:00:00.001-07:00

So let's see . . . combine my stupid illness (anyone besides me noticing I'm getting sick a lot? What the crap is up with that?), being on my feet ALL. DAY. at this convention and the fact that I've been up for almost four hours and in my brain I'm still on Arizona time and sound asleep in my warm bed right now, I'm EXHAUSTED.

I arrived in Orlando on Monday, got to the hotel, got some food and went to bed for the night. At six o'clock. Orlando time. Read: four o'clock Arizona time. I didn't get OUT of bed until nine the next morning. Awesome. Overslept much?

I spent Tuesday running around like a chicken with it's (sick and congested) head cut off, got lost on the freaking toll turnpike THRICE (stupid GPS. It told me I was AT Lowe's when in reality? Lowe's was right off the turnpike. I could SEE it I just couldn't GET to it), set up a huge complicated booth, schmoozed potential clients at a cocktail party where they were drunk and I was not (however, I think we were on the same page because I was on like fifteen different kinds of medications), went to dinner at an Emeril concept restaurant and was NOT impressed, and fell into bed.

Wednesday I was up at 6 AM, Orlando time (my brain screaming in agony, being that it was 4 AM in there) and stood in the booth until about 5:00. I then took a nap (and by nap I mean watched old reruns of ANTM) and then headed down to another cocktail event. (Obviously these events I attend are not created for Mormons. Granted, not much is, so not like I'm surprised.) Then, finally, a highlight of the trip was going to Emeril's REAL restaurant at City Walk Universal Studios and having what may have been the best meal of my life. Rock Bass, Yukon mashed potatoes with a corn chowder sauce and some sort of fried crispy vegetable goodness. HOLY goodness it was amazing. So was the banana cream pie we had for desert. MMMMMM. I bow to Emeril's genius, despite the bad experience of the evening before. Back in my room, the internet was down (um, hotel people? You have a conference full of ONLINE RETAILERS. WE ONLY OPERATE ONLINE. WORKING INTERNET? AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY!)(and hi, could I use more parenthesis in this post?)(No?) so I decided against working or blogging and called it a night.

This morning I had the HARDEST time waking up, but I feel about 80% better and YAY! Internet! In the booth! And we have comfy chairs! And my boss doesn't care if I sit because I'm sick! So on with pointless blog posts! Woot! For the record, still very tired.

Tomorrow I have to wake up SUPER early to be at the airport to catch my flight to New Orleans but I am SO EXCITED and glad I'm feeling better so I don't just crash at Futti's house and be boring. Futti is my sister, for the record. She's very small (unlike me) very funny (maybe like me) and I lub her. I'm dreading flying with the tail end of a flu/head cold, but hopefully by tomorrow I'm 100% better and won't care anymore.

And with that, it's time to kiss some more retailer butt. Mwwwwah. (that was for you guys, not the retailers.)(Though it could also be for the retailers.)(Still too many parenthesis??)(Naaah)

New York, New York, The Soapy Version

2008-01-21T17:13:00.001-07:00

See!? I promised you an early Soap Opera Sunday and HERE IT IS! Woo hoo!!
-----------------------------------

I wish I could say my last experience with New York was as awesome as all the others, however, I was not so lucky.

The day after Christmas Rhonda and I were going to visit another friend of ours who had moved to New York to be closer to her fiance, and Richard was going to join us there on the 30^th of December, which was the day before my 21^st birthday. Our friends lived in Stamford, about half an hour outside of the city and there were going to be five of us crammed in their tiny apartment but we were so excited to be there that we didn't care. The first few days before Richard arrived were glorious. We shopped and ate delicious food and played in the city to our hearts content. I was so excited for Richard to join us and to let my friends get to know who he really was. Alas, this was not to be.

Richard's arrival really shook things up. He immediately (though accidentally) insulted our host and hostess and must have been on edge because he was being SO annoying. He turned up his normal attitude and just rubbed everyone, including me, the wrong way. I couldn't believe this was the same man. He seemed insecure and rude and pushy and NOT the Richard of the past month. To top it all off, he seemed to be avoiding me. He spent a lot of time outside talking on his cell phone. Now, granted, he was a total mama's boy who had never traveled this far from his home and family (at least without one of them present.) so I was trying to cut him some slack. Then, the other shoe that I'd been watching for, dropped.

On his first night there, just the two of us were up late, ringing in my birthday with a funny conversation and then it all of a sudden got serious and Richard said "I'm not sure we should date exclusively anymore. It's just too much too soon."

Record scratching, ears ringing, que the tears. I. WAS. DEVASTATED. Luckily we were in the dark, so Richard couldn't see the tears pouring down my face. I don't even remember how the rest of the conversation went. All I could think about was that my entire week was ruined. Did I send him home? Did I keep him in New York and try to convince him that we SHOULD date exclusively? And ON MY BIRTHDAY? HE DUMPS ME ON MY BIRTHDAY??? I think I went through all the stages of grieving in about fifteen minutes.

Then, after he had just dumped me, on my birthday, on a trip to New York, for the first time in over a month, he tried to make out with me.

Being the stupid, idiotic, retarded, just dumped birthday girl that I was . . . I let him.

I also decided to let him stay in New York. Because I'm dumb. Really dumb.

I woke up the next morning feeling like a total idiot and then tried to secretly explain to my girlfriends what had happened the night before. I spent the day in a fog, trying to be happy and have a good time. We were going to spend New Year's in Times Square watching the ball drop. This was just after September 11^th and security was CRAZY, but we found an ingenious way to get all the way to the center of Times Square at 11:30 so we didn't have to wait for hours in the freezing cold. I was so excited to be IN Times Square for New Year's Eve and all Richard could do was complain about how cold it was. As we counted down to midnight, and everyone around us were kissing in the New Year, I looked expectantly at Richard for a midnight kiss, and he LOOKED THE OTHER WAY.

The next morning we had rented a car to drive the two hours to my Dad's house in Pennsylvania. Originally, I had planned on Richard and my Dad meeting, falling in love and the wedding going forward. Now I had a very bad feeling about what would happen when Richard met my Dad. Very, very, very bad. And as horrible as I imagined it, I'm pretty sure what really happened was worse.

Another reason why I suck

2008-01-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

So check me and my crappy weekend out.

Saturday morning, I woke up energized and happy. I went and worked out, got some stuff done around the house and then went to the mall with Matt. At the mall I started coughing up crap out of NOWHERE. Then, as the day moved on, I deteriorated and by the end of the night I was curled up in a miserable ball of achy, feverish chills and have remained that way ever since.

That's why I didn't write part 800 of my Soap Opera and I'm SO sorry. Dragging my butt upstairs to write this was about all the energy I had in me. Oh and I leave tomorrow morning for Orlando. I'm so excited. See my excited face. Nope, dreading the flight. HOWEVER, I am upgraded to first class, so at least I'll be miserable in some sort of comfort on the plane.

I owe you guys a SOS post, so I promise to write it this week from my hotel room and not make you wait until Sunday. Deal?

OK off to bed with me. Kisses!

Soap Opera Sunday!

2008-01-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hola. Welcome back to Soap Opera Sunday. Brilly-pooh and I decided it was my turn to host this week and I'm SUPER excited?? My story won't be up for a little while but I wanted to make sure you guys could start entering your names in the Mr. Linky for your stories!

I have quite a few new readers (HI! Love you guys!) so if you're confused and wonder what the crap Soap Opera Sunday is, go here to find the details and the rules! The more the merrier! We love hearing all your soapy tales! Make sure to leave a comment after your link and go read the stories! They are always SO great!

We also have an anonymous blog for Soap Opera Sunday just in case you want to share a story that you're not as comfortable sharing on your own blog!

While I work on writing the NEXT part of my saga, you can catch up on the drama
here
here
here
here
aaaand here

All caught up? Good. Now you have to wait for the next part, but not much longer!!!

Over-Supporting the Troops

2008-01-18T12:36:00.001-07:00

Calm down, all of you who just got your panties in a bunch and prepared to go to fisticuffs with me over political issues. I'm talking about the Girl Scout Troops.

Yes folks, it's that time of year again. Time for Girl Scout Cookies. It's that time when every grocery store entrance and street corner to be flocked with tables of deliciously tempting Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Samoas. Time for those "select" parents to go out a-lobbying to make their daughter the top seller of the year while the child sits at home playing video games. (you know the psycho parents I'm talking about.)

The grocery store girls I can handle. I just pretend to talk on my cell phone and ignore their pleading puppy eyes (and their psychotic stalker mothers.) Avoiding I can totally do.

Want to know what I can't do? Thought so. What I can't do is avoid my bosses and co-workers. I'm pretty sure there are at least ten employees in my office with daughters/nieces who are Girl Scouts, and they are making themselves known. One gentleman has his sweet sounding little girl call each one of us individually with a rehearsed spiel conning all of us, ever so politely, to support her and buy some delicious girl scout cookies. Another co-worker has taped the order sheet AND a picture of his beautiful grinning daughter in her private school uniform onto the cupboard above the soda machine in the break room. Another woman is going around to each cube asking if we could find it in our hearts to buy some cookies from her daughter's needy troupe. Then there's my direct boss, who has apparently pimped herself out for her boyfriend's eight year old daughter, and when I told her I'd already ordered, she gave me this SAD look and begged me to buy just a few more. I'm with these people at least eight hours a day, and there's no way for me to pretend I'm too busy to acknowledge them for that ENTIRE time.

So, I become a complete and total sucker.

I CAN'T SAY NO TO THIS!!! I am a total pushover! I have signed up for at least one box from every person who's asked. I'm probably spending what I have left of my vacation savings on these damn cookies!!! AND, to top it all off, I still have four boxes of Thin Mints in my freezer from THREE YEARS AGO.

I'm cursing myself even as I write out the eight different checks. These little girls better remember this when they're in my shoes and I'M the one with the needy Girl Scout! Because I'm comin' for them!

Crispy

2008-01-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

I think I've discussed my crispified eyeballs before, but the feeling is back and it's not a good one. Things have been IN.SANE. this week and though I've been sleeping, I'm still exhausted.

I haven't worked out once this week and I know that's part of the problem. I feel like a big fat giant couch slug, oozing onto the couch and screaming "FEED ME!" Soon I'm going to weigh as much as a whale and have arteries stuffed as full as sweet Italian sausage.

Ew.

I have been a horrible blog friend this week. I've read ALL of your posts from my reader but somehow my clicker finger can't find the will to actually travel to your blogs and make my adoration known. Please refer to the slug comment. It applies to my clicker finger as well. And all my typing fingers for that matter. In fact, typing this is immensely painful because my fingers are so swollen I can barely separate them.

Again, ew, and not actually a true statement.

I have found SO many new blogs to read thanks to my little tryst on Molly's blog. I am SO excited for the weekend so I can lounge on the couch and surf through archives. I also need to find something interesting to write so I don't scare any of my new lovers away. That's right, I said lovers. You're all my lovers. Don't tell Matt.

Anyway, not much else going on here. I leave for Orlando on Monday for work and then I get to spend the weekend in New Orleans visiting the Great Tofutti (also known as my little sister, Meagan) and I would be jumping for joy if I could find the energy and will to jump and express joy. Just know the voices in my head are doing the Macarena. Awesome.

Totally Awesome Weekend, Meet Incredibly Crappy Monday

2008-01-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

I had one of those weekends you dream about. Dinner and a movie with a girlfriend. Some easy housecleaning and 10 miles on the bike on Saturday morning. Fun, comfortable company Holiday party (yes I know it was AFTER the Holidays . . . we do online retail so December sucks at our office). Sunday where we were out of church early enough to have the WHOLE day to lounge around, play games (games meaning sitting on the couch lobbing orange slices into each others mouths, then trying it left handed AND with our eyes closed. Loads of hilarious fun I tell you!), and really just enjoy each others company. I was so excited to begin my week refreshed and invigorated.

Then the heaven's opened and screamed "KATE WE HATE YOU!"

I had a pretty rough day today. I was tired, had a horrible headache AND was just plain old grumpy. The potential customers who called were all stupid idiots. I couldn't get a single person I needed assistance from to answer my emails. I am in the middle of organizing a trade show for next week and NO ONE WILL ANSWER MY DAMN QUESTIONS!!!!

To make matters even worse, we made some seating arrangement changes and there is a new body in our cube area. It's not a quiet body. It's a body that belches and FARTS at will. LOUDLY. This person is incredibly smart and incredibly cool, but SERIOUSLY? Are the bodily noises REALLY necessary???

I was so excited to leave the office. I called Matt and told him I had zero desire to find something in the house to eat for dinner, so we decided to meet at Pei Wei for tasty chinese. We had a great meal and then I headed home to curl up on the couch and watch the new BBC Persuasion. It sounded like a perfect, happy way to end a bad day.

Que the bad day getting worse.

I'm driving about 100 yards behind the nearest car, taking my time, not going to fast (for a change!) and BAM! Something hit my windshield with the loudest banging noise I've ever heard. A very bad word escaped my lips in a very loud manner. Luckily, the windshield didn't give, probably saving my life, but the brand new hood of my brand new car didn't fare so well.

I now have three GIANT scratches which will need to be repaired. I have no idea what it was that hit me. I have no idea where it came from. I'm really frustrated that this happened. The car isn't even a month and a half old. I have been saving my pennies so Matt and I can go on a huge vacation in September and now, I have to fix the car with my saved pennies.

It's just a thing, it's just money and I'm lucky whatever hit the car didn't come through the windshield and hit me. I am aware of all of these things. But I still reserve the right to be very mad that, at the end of my crappy day, something even crappier had to happen. Stupid crappy stupid crap stupid. Yeah.

Wow, I'm Debbie Downer aren't I? Internets, I challenge you to cheer me up with awesome comments!! Tell me a joke! Tell me I'm pretty! What you love my eyes? You worship me? Oh you're so kind.

OK I'm not really a comment whore, but I do love me some bloggy friends and I would love to hear positive happy things!! Ready? GO!