Autumn Almanac

Wow. It certainly has been forever since I’ve posted. Go ahead and slap my hand. Or don’t.

I would write a post about how crazy busy life has been lately, but that would be an excuse for my lack of posting. Instead I’ll just tell you that I’ve neglected writing for no reason at all. There’s no excuse for it. So here are a few things I’ve been doing rather than writing:

-American Horror Story on FX. SO addicting. I don’t normally like anything from the horror or thriller genre, but it’s a must watch for me every week.

-New Girl on Fox: A TV show starring Zooey Deschanel just can’t be ignored. She’s fun, witty, and incredibly nerdy, which is a perfect combination in my book.

-Exploring on my new bike: I recently had my beloved Cannondale road bike stolen, so I was forced to get a new bike (not complaining). It’s a smooth ride, and so I’ve been intrigued to explore the ins and outs of Keller, Fort Worth, and Denton. What adventures I’ve had thus far!

(stolen bike)

-Bingo: My friend Corey and I joined the older generation in the exhilarating act of dobbing cards with car window paint applicators. I won $5.50 last week! Woo!

Is anyone else excited about the fall weather moving in? I know I am. The aroma of pumpkin spice scented candles make me giddy. How do you prepare for fall? I’d love to know.

It's Almost the Weekend!

I'm currently working on a special post in honor of September 11th, but I didn't want to let this week's post slip through the cracks. So I'd like to share some of my favorite things from around the world wide web.

Although they are a bit out of my price range, I'm completely in love with these lovely trousers.

Along with all my readings for academia, I added this book to my stack. An eye opening look at the fall of the Soviet Union, written by a first hand observer.

A true, yet frightening article from The New York Times about career-less college grads. Have a look.

I definitely wouldn't mind adding these and these to my collection.

My favorite local bookstore, Recycled Books, is having a great Labor Day sale that I will most certainly be attending. Hopefully my checkbook won't suffer too much.

And just for fun, here is my so called "pocket" Russian dictionary.

I hope everyone has had a fabulous week, and have a splendid Labor Day weekend as well!

Long Time Gone.

Hello. My name is Katie. Have we met? You looked familiar, but I haven't been here in so long that I wasn't quite sure anyone would recognize me. It's wonderful to know that you've been so faithful in visiting this place. I'll be sure to be a more frequent visitor to ensure the viewing of your beautiful face.

Anyway, I know it has been far too long since my last post. I pray you'll forgive me if you can find it in the depths of your heart to do so. The past month has been filled with work and more work, but cash flow is a wondrous thing, so I'm not complaining. School begins tomorrow! I’ll be studying at the University of North Texas, and I could not be more elated at the current moment. This is the first summer I have not taken classes, and I'm just hoping that my summer state of mind does not hinder my studies in the beginning. Something tells me it won't be a problem, but that summer state of mind can be pesky at times. Just for fun, here is a rundown of my class schedule this semester:

-Elementary Russian
-Principles of Advertising
-Short Story
-Media Writing
-Statistics

All of which I am incredibly excited for save statistics—math isn’t really my thing. It has been so wonderful to reconnect with you, and we shall do this again soon. Very, very soon.

Habitual Happenings.

I’ve fallen into a routine. Go to work. Come home. Eat. Read. Journal. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Routines aren’t always a bad thing, but they’re not for everyone. Over the last month or so I’ve learned an incredible amount about myself: routines are not for me. Shenanigans are a necessary part of this gal’s life.

As I texted my former college roommate today, we told each other just how much we missed one another. The best part? We missed the things that previously drove us nuts. I missed hearing her talk in her sleep every night. She missed tripping over the large pile of recycling by our front door. I missed having dirt stuck to the bottom of my feet because people liked to wear their dirty cowboy boots into our room. She missed the grit in her sheets. I missed sweeping seed beads off the floor (she does beautiful bead work). She missed the aroma of coffee that occupied our room (I’m a caffeine fiend). What I missed the most? Sharing part of my life with such a wonderful individual.

I went to class and roping practice religiously while at school, but the moments in between those two activities were always unpredictable. So until I can indulge in crazy shenanigans with my beloved former roommate once again, I’ll have to find ways to mix up this routine that I’ve so helplessly fallen into.

What activities do you partake in daily? Is there any mischief you wish to get into?

What's In a Name?

Well, really, what’s in a name? A name is a special thing given at birth to a specific person. Why do they receive that name? People receive these names so that they are identifiable. Why am I writing a post about names, you say? Confusion. That’s why.

I am about to reveal something to all of you that I normally don’t speak of willingly. Many will be shocked and baffled at the information I am about to divulge. I am not the person some of you think I am. My name isn’t really Katie. I’ve been lying to many of you my whole life. I hope you’re not too upset with me. I’m not going to disclose the name printed on my birth certificate because I find that incredibly irrelevant.

Earlier this week I was asked by a friend to revise their short story. When I opened the document on my computer, a named jumped at me from off the page. Not literally, but this name was the first thing that caught my eye. It was the name held by an ex-boyfriend of mine. I was instantly forced on the express train that travels down memory lane without any local stops. Who knew that a four-letter word (I’m not talking about love) could be so mighty? Words don’t have muscles, so how do they bear so much weight? It’s not that I’m heartbroken and still yearning for a chance to be with this person, but the mere fact that, at one point, this person was rather significant in my life. Those memories were woken from a deep, restful sleep.

A name is not just something that a person is called or referred to by, but encompasses much more. Names can hold feelings, memories, and most importantly, life. I’d like to know, are there names that provoke you to reminisce, or cause your stomach to churn?

New York State of Mind.

Travel has been one of the many thoughts rolling around my brain this past month. I’ve been itching to take a brief break from Texas and venture anywhere but here. Don’t get me wrong, Texas is a great place to be, but stepping out of the Lone Star state for a bit never hurt anyone. Currently I’m reading On the Road by Jack Kerouac, and that has not helped curb my need for travel, it has only accentuated it.

This week I have two days off of work in a row, so my brother John and I are taking an impromptu trip to NYC. We leave early Thursday morning and return late Friday night. Maybe this extravaganza will satisfy my travel urges for a bit, or maybe it will lead to yearning for more exciting voyages. Regardless, I know that it I will be delighted to get away from the one hundred degree temperatures we’ve been experiencing.

Here is an excerpt from my travel journal the last time I was in NYC, August 2010:

“We took the air train to Jamaica station. There we caught the E train, which took us to 42nd street. Once there, we transferred to the 1 train and headed uptown. We made it to 103rd street, walked two blocks, and then arrived at our destination: Hostelling International-New York! We checked in, dropped our stuff in our room, and by this time we were starving. Before we ate, we had to stop at Starbucks for some iced coffee, of course. Then we decided to eat at Mama’s pizzeria (I always go there when I come here). Shortly after dinner we went back to the hostel. A Michael Jackson impersonator met us at the elevator and invited us to watch him perform in five minutes. We quickly dropped our purses in our room, and made it back just in time. His performance was decent, but quite repetitive. After he was finished, Leah and I went down to the movie room and witnessed some of the worst stand up comedy EVER. Beyond awful. I would not like to give a recap, thank you.”

Next week I may post something from my journal from this New York trip. Thanks for tuning in! I’d like to know, where have you traveled recently?

You're the Inspiration.

I never thought I would mutter the words to myself “I wish I was back in Big Spring,” but it happened. Leaving Big Spring was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do over the past two years. Finals weren’t even that brutal. But I’m walking away with friendships that are unsurpassable and memories to accompany those friendships.

Basically, I’ve started a whole new life: I traded my life as a cowgirl for a life full of new excursions and opportunities. Never will I forget what I learned through the people and experiences in Big Spring, though. My first semester of college I had an English instructor who taught me more about life and learning than I ever imagined possible. In high school, I was not nearly as studious as I should have been, but this professor turned my world around. Suddenly, I was doing my homework and studying more for one class than I ever had in the history of my existence combined. She compelled me to reassess who I was as a student not just in the classroom, but also in life. I don’t think she realized how much of an impact she was making on me until I gave her a token of my appreciation (a mixed CD of all my favorite songs at the time) after my second English class with her. Even then, she was more of an imperative factor in my life than she would ever know. Imagining what my world would look like had she not lit a fire under my ass, for a lack of better words, is a frightening picture.

Because of her teachings I will:
-Continue to expand my knowledge of the world in front of me.
-Embrace each moment as if it were my last.
-Look at homework assignments as not something I have to do, rather something I get to do.
-Write something everyday because it benefits me greatly not just as a writer, but also as Katie.
-Use my martial arts background to help get me through sticky situations and everyday events.

I am grateful every single day for the opportunity I had to learn from such an inspiring person. What makes you want to better yourselves, friends?