BOOK OF KAT

Post Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:08:00 +0000

Alright, so I have some long overdue updates that I've been meaning to share.
What I've learned from blogging (almost) daily I really couldn't have discovered any other way: setting the right intentions, finding joy and success in little things, and unknowingly creating the framework for how I wanted to live in 2013.

I also couldn't be happier with how supportive everyone's been! I seriously had to a do a double-take sometimes with the numbers of readers that grew each day, so I can't thank you enough for following along and for the kind and constructive words.

After 30 posts, I'm making the bold move to have a blog overhaul. For a number of reasons - but mainly because I felt the need to adapt, change, and recreate it in some way. Not to say I'm completely abandoning the challenge-a-day project which I love. It's just something I want to come back to eventually.

I'm excited for what this will look like, so stay tuned!

#29

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:24:00 +0000

I quickly booked it after my last day of work before the holidays (Friday) for a weekend trip to Seattle. I didn't know what to title this post, but it has to do with visiting a familiar place but doing unconventional things instead of what I'd normally do. That entire weekend, we ditched the rushed, shopping mindset and instead got to explore the city's hidden corners and gems. Some of the places I fell in love with and never bothered to visit before include: West Seattle/Alki, the Public Market on Pike (and yes, the infamous gum wall), and other happenings in Bellevue.

And not to mention some of the eclectic dining adventures we went on — it was a weekend filled with delicious food fare. Wes' aunt and uncle took us to Salty's on Alki famous brunch, XXX Root Beer and The French Bakery, and even brought back hand-made mochi from Umai-Do (LOVE). They're all places I highly recommend if you're ever in the Bellevue-Seattle area.

With everything going on, I quickly came to terms with not needing to shop for anything for myself. So I bought the last few remaining Christmas gifts and left it at that. What i did end up spending on were: food necessities at Trader Joes. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and I was not disappointed! With all the new ingredients I hauled (it only left a $20 dent in my wallet), my mind was racing with all the possibilities of new ideas for recipes.

Such a good feeling: experiencing Seattle in a new way, spending only on necessities, and feeling that much lighter by not bringing a haul of clothing into my already packed room. It's kind of inspired me to save up for future travel and do another closet purge before the new year.

"Make the strange familiar and the familiar strange." It's a cool concept to always keep things dynamic.

#28

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 22:15:00 +0000

Somehow most of my Christmas dinners magically worked out to be a day after the other, and this is what basically happened last Sunday to Wednesday. It made sense that the recurring theme of last week was to celebrate the holidays and reconnect with great company — and in some cases, get to know others a lot better.

Looking back on the past year, I'm entirely grateful I get to surround myself with an amazing bunch of people. Whether it's with different groups of friends or with the YWiB chapters, I'm just happy I get to be a part of their lives, and be able to pick-up where we last left off!

In case you're wondering, I didn't eat any meat with the exception of fish at all five dinners (this called for interesting conversations as well). So no tryptophan or food coma for me, just really well-balanced Christmas dinners. I truly believe anyone can do anything after getting through that :)

#27

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 21:54:00 +0000

In my week or so of not blogging, I owe a lot of posts. This calls for much-needed time to catch up and tell you what I've been up to! Starting with last weekend:

Last Sunday my high school friends and I got together to cook dinner, which probably hasn't happened in well over 3 years. And the fact that we haven't all hung out since February is proof enough that we're just too busy these days.

That evening we enjoyed a roast beef, fresh roasted potatoes and vegetables, bacon-wrapped peppers, rye sourdough with garlic spread, spring greens, and red and white wine (note: my friends made me grilled salmon to eat instead). It was a team effort and was a delicious way to catch up and reminisce about our high school years and share what's changed since then.

But I can't help but share a little secret on why dinner tasted so good: everything was sourced locally. Miggy, our expert chef of a friend, suggested we buy everything at Granville Island Market. So we spent that afternoon picking fresh ingredients and neat little condiments to pair with our meal, and it made a world of a difference. And happy tummies all around.

While Granville Island isn't always within reach, I can't wait for most of the farmers markets to open up again for the Spring. It's something I'd like to keep in mind for future occasions, and to get in the habit of prepping healthy and local-friendly meals at home!

#26

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 06:15:00 +0000

You'd be happy to know that adjusting to the new vegetarian (or pescatarian I guess) lifestyle has gotten a bit easier. I was feeling a little creative today and made two meals: Quinoa Fried Rice and Chickpea and Lentil Curry. It's official guys — there's a new kind of happiness that comes with biting into mindfully-prepared healthy meals, and sharing them with the people that matter most (they were a hit with the family and boyfriend).

I've been keeping busy in full anticipation of the 4-5 Christmas dinners in a row that I have starting tomorrow. It couldn't have been better timing to give up meat and processed food, right? Thinking about all the traditional food I'm so used to having around this time of year is enough to make me a little sad that this will be changing, but also excited about the challenge as well.

#25

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 05:56:00 +0000

Meeting with my SOUL mentor today was not what I expected — but in a really good way. While talking about myself was something I wanted to avoid, I was really excited to learn about my mentor's story.

We soon found out we had so many things in common: the same views on food production, sustainability, leadership/entrepreneurship, not entirely fitting in with the career status quo. We both had the same undergrad concentrations, often tried new hobbies and got bored soon after, and were reading books by the same author. When she told me she loved hiking too, I was pretty convinced she was me from the future! So yes — while this made it super difficult not to want to jump in and constantly add on to what she was saying — it was a humbling experience learning so much over just one conversation, and from someone I now not only consider a mentor but a new friend.

You never know where listening, asking questions, and just being present can lead you to. Like the epic words from tonight that I'll look to weave into my daily routine which involve "living life simply." Amazing!

#24

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Another reason why I love winter break is that I get to redeem myself as a good girlfriend. Gone are the days of take-out and study dates, and in their place freedom to plan as many fun things as possible!

Which is why I surprised my boyfriend with an early Christmas gift and took him to the Vancouver Christmas Market. There’s no better way to kick off the holidays with German Christmas festivities – the smell of spiced drinks, baked goods, sausages, and seeing the beautiful display of handmade items. Though I died a little inside when I realized I couldn't have sausages anymore (vegetarianism is so bittersweet).

Mulled wine in the pouring rain, puddles in our shoes and all, we loved it. The best part is you get free re-entry the entire season, so we’ll be coming back with proper rain gear!

Absolutely enjoyed going to the Vancouver "Christkindlmarkt," check it out if you haven't already!

#23

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:33:00 +0000

After the end of finals and the best worst class ever, I'm officially free! As tired as I was, there was no way I would give in to a lazy afternoon. Instead I wanted to stretch my day as far as possible, simply because I could.

Once 11:30am hit, how did I spend the rest of my day?

• Celebrated at the pub with the great company of friends from class, where on too many occasions I nearly spit out my food/drink from laughing so much
• Ran errands and ventured through foreign aisles at T&T to pick out miso, kombu, and tofu for future vegetarian dishes
• Sifted through the mall with one of my best friends to start Christmas shopping
• Watched another movie on my list this holiday, A Christmas Story, with my dad

.. all in time for a healthy dinner at home and the rest of the evening to write, read, and maybe do anything else that comes to mind. What a relief it is to be able to design my days on my own terms again, at least for the next couple of weeks!

#22

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 04:16:00 +0000

Just like every other food-lover out there, I thrive off finding new places to eat, or seeking comfort in a favourite meal. Not to mention it's way easier to have everything laid out, so all you have to do is pick from a menu and the restaurant takes care of the rest. While there's nothing wrong with this, lately I've been thinking about what "the rest" really means.

Day by day I've been more discontent with my eating habits, and often the impact they have on my energy levels. For simplicity, let's just say the same goes for at-home meals. Everything I buy and eat is based off of how conveniently it fits with my lifestyle, and you can probably see where this is going — I usually ignore nutrition labels, ingredients lists, and where the item is even sourced from. It also doesn't help that I have a family medical history that doesn't look too great. My dad has diabetes, and cancer runs in my mom's side of the family. It's easy enough to say a healthy diet can help in boosting energy or preventing health problems, but where do you even start?

Coincidently I was just gifted Terry Walters' Clean Food cook book, and it's been so refreshing to peek into the inspiring backstory behind making food choices that are sustainable: for both personal health and the environment. It mirrors my thoughts exactly in that there is something inherently wrong with our food systems — that almost everything travels thousands of miles to get to our plates, and there are just as many unknowns with what's lined up on our grocery shelves (think pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and chemical additives).

"The further we remove ourselves from the source of our food, the less we are able to maintain physical and emotional balance. Our processed food diets are so lacking in nutrition that we require coffee to wake up, sugar to get through the day, television to calm down. Have we become a society that is so artificially sustained?" - Terry Walters

And while this is separate from the book, I recently also had a massive attitude shift towards eating meat. It sounds completely insane coming from a person like me, but it's definitely a personal choice that I'm serious about and have already started to explore!

I don't care much for labels, and I'm not sure what exactly this will mean right now, but this does go hand in hand with my goal to eat only ethically and locally-produced food in the future.

So I guess the real question is: when did today's regular food choices stop being real food? For me, it's today.

#21

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:10:00 +0000

As tempting as it was to study somewhere else, make excuses on why I can't study, or give up altogether, I knew I had to stay home today to try and focus. Unfortunately for me, marketing research will probably be one of my toughest finals ever, so I need to save time where I can to make sure I go over everything.

Post #2 would be quite helpful to keep in mind as well.

I hope everyone's not too stressed out! It'll all be over soon :)

#20

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 01:19:00 +0000

In the spirit of this season, I wanted to create new traditions — one of them being a Christmas movie list. So this year is a little more fun than the next, because I get to test drive a bunch to see if they make it or not.

I've kicked things off with It's a Wonderful Life. How I've never seen this classic before, I have no idea. But like most people, I fell in love with it. The notion of youth, dreams and opportunities, and the sacrifices people often have to make to let these slip away. And the strong sense of community — it was enough for me to want to experience that at some point in my life!

It's amazing how movies like these can so easily transport you to another time. Wouldn't you agree that sometimes, a story could be so much more vivid in black and white?

#19

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:34:00 +0000

Because after an exhausting Friday spent at work, all I wanted to do after was nap and eat something unhealthy. Which I don't do often, but is an absolutely necessary way I cope with stress sometimes. I stress the sometimes part.

My random Walmart haul included hot chocolate, marshmallows, and a bag of chips to accompany me while I study tonight.

After this Wednesday I promise to be back on healthy lockdown mode! Sans the Christmas feasts of course :)

#18

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 04:52:00 +0000

I know I had talked about overcommitment and knowing what you can and can't handle, but today is about the complete opposite.

December's slowly but surely easing up for me, and I'm already starting to look into new projects for the upcoming year. So when I got a lovely email this morning looking for help with a design project and I was recommended to them, I couldn't say no.

A lot can be said about putting yourself out there and asking for these opportunities. It wasn't purely by chance; the reason I was contacted was because of my past work with them, and because I let someone know I'd be open to any future design opportunities. So when the stars align and something like this presents itself to you — and you know you can reasonably handle it — sometimes it just makes sense to take it!

In my case, it's a step forward in becoming a rogue communications designer for a field I absolutely love. What more could I ask for?

#17

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:30:00 +0000

There's nothing that grinds my teeth more than studying for a final where I learned (close to) nothing the entire semester. This usually means starting from day one and it's definitely not good times.

But I've been pretty good so far about sticking to a plan I've set, and what's helped a lot is pairing studying with my current favourite playlist. There's something about Christmas music that is an instant pick-me up no matter what I'm doing!

What gets you through something you hate doing?

#16

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 07:57:00 +0000

This post was inspired by Wreck-It Ralph, one of my favourite movies this year. It was an AMAZING Tuesday well spent at the movies!

I've had a recurring thought lately, and it had to do with questioning some of the decisions I make. In choosing how I live life and the choices I have to make in the near future, do I constantly try to answer and live up to others' expectations?

So it had me thinking that in my ideal career, I hope I don't ever make that compromise. We get so engulfed in finding success, whatever that might be — a stable but predictable job? Moving up at a big company? — that we answer to others and not ourselves.

The point is, if something is off and I don't align with the bigger picture then I know I won't be at my best. I'll always be looking for the right fit when it comes to values. I'm also 100% happy with who I am now; I see things differently than most people and I definitely have my faults. But I have a better idea of where I'd like to be, and that's all that matters.

I'll end off with my favourite quote of the movie:

"I'm bad, and that's good. I'll never be good and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me." - Wreck-It Ralph

#15

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 07:08:00 +0000

At my last day of working at the University Advancement building, I had a great conversation with my manager over lunch. We talked about everything from Christmas to student life at SFU and how surprisingly, she started off by temping at the university as well.

As we went over upcoming vacation plans, she brought up the one thing she was looking forward to the most: writing. Sitting at a beach, drink in hand, and getting back to writing without the distractions that come with regular life.

You could hear it from her voice that it was her passion, and it was refreshing to be able to relate. Then there was the snowball effect — we went over how we both love hiking, reading, planning events, and it finally hit me how much we have in common and all I had to do was ask.

My biggest takeaway, and something I don't consider nearly enough is: if you are genuinely interested in someone's story and ask simple questions on what they enjoy doing, most people generally love to tell you. Did I mention you'll have great conversations that go beyond office/school talk?

In addition to gaining a recommendation on a new hike, this also reminded me that I need to dedicate more time to reading. More on that soon :)

#14

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 06:36:00 +0000

These past few days have been a whirlwind of crazy events. Not to mention mentally draining:

• Ran a sustainable careers panel event

• Went through a fourth round of interviews

• Did two papers and presentations on 3 hours of sleep

• Barely ate one meal in two days

• Geared up for a fully-stacked weekend of final projects

I got to that point where I was completely checked out, and I desperately needed a night to recuperate. So I was lucky to wind down and celebrate the end of a hectic week with my friends. While some think that you should instead keep working away at this crucial point of the term, I definitely disagree. Doing something you want to do instead of have to do — this is what helps me immensely in keeping my head.

Here's to amazing friends, and their ability to make you smile, laugh and feel a little more at ease with whatever you're going through.

#13

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:49:00 +0000

The end is so close, I can smell it!!

Today's post is super short because I have to get back to tackling the multitude of projects for my last day of class tomorrow. So good luck everyone and hang in there!

#12

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:12:00 +0000

With some very important and possibly life-altering events coming up, I really had to stop and ask what I wanted for myself. It centred around what my "perfect" career would look like, and is the elusive question that often grounds me in everything I do without knowing it.

I listed ideas to get a better sense of this. Starting with values and aspects of work that I wanted to strive for, I wanted to avoid the tunnel vision that comes with just thinking job titles. To understand the reasons why they were important to me, and what paths they could lead to.

Here's the interesting thing: this will probably change, and that's okay! I've come to terms with how my ambitions now are far from what I wanted a year — even half a year — ago. I think people appreciate the honesty that comes with not knowing all the details, because anything can happen in that span of time. It really comes down to being open to new possibilities and opportunities, and ultimately being comfortable if they change the course of your plan.

In case you're wondering, my list led me to strongly considering brand or product line management in the fields I'm passionate about. And to these great related articles (and video):

• The Daily Muse, You Don't Have to Settle! How to Find Work That Inspires You
• Forbes, From Hooters to Hot Buns: How Kat Cole Turned Cinnabon Into a $1 Billion Brand
• Forbes, Success Secrets of Power Women

Enjoy!

#11

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:38:00 +0000

Over time, always going to the same places to do work can get pretty uninspiring. I have my go-to coffee shops but even there, I eventually drift into routine, boredom, and lack of focus.

I agreed to go to UBC today with my boyfriend (I study at SFU). While I've been there before, I always forget how huge of a campus it is — that it takes a significant amount of effort to get from building to building and that transit stops aren't conveniently everywhere. I was unfortunately really tired for no reason, so I could've enjoyed the walk a lot more seeing as it was such a beautiful afternoon!

Somehow being surrounded by unfamiliar things and people helped me get through my work today. So now I'm making a goal to add a change of scenery into my schedule more often! As a sidenote, I was also a little too excited to find out about the cafe in the Land and Food Systems building that sources their local and organic meals from their own Orchard Garden. I'm obviously in the wrong program for school :(

#10

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 07:03:00 +0000

It was nearing 2 am last night and in my insomniac and hungry state, all I could think of was having eggs benedict. And I'm probably going to upset a lot of people when I say I've only had it once — at White Spot. Yep, I can't even defend myself on that.

So squinting at my iPhone screen, I googled recipes. I even Martha Stewart YouTubed it (also ended up rewatching her "Pot" episode with Jimmy Fallon which was brilliant).

The general consensus was: it's not an easy dish to make. There's the hollandaise sauce. The English muffin has to be crisp, Canadian bacon (apparently in Canada we call this ham) cooked and both at the perfect temperature when served. All while you try not to over-poach the eggs. It's the ultimate test of multi-tasking and perfect timing — both of which I know nothing about when cooking :(

While running errands this morning I grabbed everything needed to make the perfect eggs benedict. But because I had to go straight to work after, it'll sadly have to wait for tomorrow's breakfast.

Look out for a photo update soon on eggs benedict v. Kat!

#9

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 03:02:00 +0000

Ending a nearly two-year yoga break I decided to go back to YYoga today. I figured taking a class would be the perfect way to gain energy, something I definitely needed to power through this week.

Also, I decided to give hot yoga a second chance. I don't know what it was — the discomfort of constant sweating or how I could never be as balanced as I'd like — these were reasons I quickly decided it wasn't for me. So in wanting to detox today and feel a little lighter, I set out to try it again.

Our instructor today told us a story about her friend that was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She then tried her first yoga class and for the first night since her surgery, she finally had no troubles sleeping. The instructor explained the importance of the "beginner's mind." Whenever it's tough to challenge yourself, being open to all possibilities and really asking yourself what brought you there can help you immensely in overcoming it.

It was exactly what I needed to hear. I was in a room with many skilled in their practice, but today we were all beginners!

No one would guess that I'd ever like hot yoga, but I felt like it's already helped me through so much today and my perspective has definitely changed.

Stoked to go back, it's very possible I'll also be snagging this promotion for next year!

#8

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 04:59:00 +0000

...because sometimes you just need a good break from it all. Thanks Nikole for the free passes so we could have a fun-filled afternoon with science 8)

Pat, Kat and Nik's shenanigans at Science World:

#7

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:09:00 +0000

After doing a three hour presentation and having a full day of group projects, I was happy to make the trek downtown to have dinner with one of my closest friends since high school. We're both at completely different places in our lives than we were a few years ago; it's something we're happy to update each other on, as well as be extremely proud of.

As we grow up and our schedules barely have any breathing room it's understandable that now we hardly see each other. Yet when we do, we always pick up where we left off and I love her for that!

I've found that real friends don't let time passed get in the way. When it does get tough to catch up it's not enough to give up after you've tried reaching out and it just doesn't work. That is of course unless the other person has already made that decision, then it probably isn't fair to you. But most times, it will always work out in some way.

I love this post — it makes me so thankful to have some amazing people in my life I can always count on <3

#6

noreply@blogger.com (Kat) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 21:46:00 +0000

Before everything gets too hectic this season I'm making a commitment to plan ahead. After realizing how easy it is to neglect my Christmas to-do list each year, this MUST change!

This means: listing and making time for the things I want to do and no more last minute gifts. In thinking about this now, I can simply focus on enjoying the company of loved ones and avoid the unnecessary stress that often comes with my favourite holiday of the year.

Here's a sneak preview of my Christmas list:

• A "Christmas barfed all over us" photoshoot with my best friends
• Holiday baking with my cousin on Christmas Eve
• Christmas lights in Bellevue, WA!
• Sustainable gift wrapping (example here)

So excited :) can the end of exams come faster?