officially older...and exhausted

I am now officially on the older half of my 30s. I passed the 35 hump on Thursday, while on a business trip in Battle Creek, MI. My mother, who loves to celebrate birthdays, insisted that we go out for dinner on Friday night.

MOM: "You didn't get to celebrate your birthday at all!"

KK: "What do you mean? I had margaritas and nachos in the Detroit airport!"

(I'm semi-kidding here...the nachos were actually pretty good...)

So my "birthday" weekend consisted of dinner with my parents that included yummy martinis, changing over my closet to my spring and summer clothes, painting the trim in the bathroom (do I know how to live it up, or what?), and brunch at the Cheesecake Factory (have you had their brunch? It's to die). And I don't want to forgot the joint trip to the grocery store (Mr. KK really knows the way to my heart).

But perhaps this photo really captures the excitement of the weekend:

(Apparently when you turn 36 you start needing lots of naps. At least that's what the puppies said.)

oh, the joys of traveling

You know it's bad when you check into a hotel room that's located near a train and you find this on your nightstand:



What makes it worse?

You're traveling on your birthday.

hey, remember me?

I used to blog here quite regularly. But I've recently passed on blogging to instead hop on planes and travel to the midwest every week.

What that travel has allowed me to do, however, is get back to reading, which is something I haven't done in quite some time.

On my last trip to Chicago, I was traveling solo on both legs of my journey, so I was able to relax and read in peace, instead of being made to feel guilty that I wasn't whipping out my laptop and slapping the keys every time I found myself sitting down.

(More solo travel, please.)

I just finished reading "eat, pray, love".

I know, I'm like 6 years late to the party. But they're making it into a movie, so that lit a fire under my ass, as I only see movies that have been books after I've read the book. The movie is slated to come out this summer, starring Julia Roberts (who, btw, is NOT who I would have cast in this role at all. I'm thinking Charlize Theron. Or Gretchen Mol.)

I was excited to read this book for three reasons:
1. it was a memoir, and I thought reading a memoir might make me start writing a memoir
2. it was like literary peer pressure...everyone else had read it
3. it had been sitting in my closet for over a year...taunting me

I thought the book was...good.

Not life-changing (like I had heard), not the best read of my life (also what I had heard).

I'm thinking she kept a journal because if not, she has one mean memory. I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday (which will my MY memoir rather interesting, don't you think?)

I devoured her tales of Italy.
Skimmed (to put it nicely) her stay in India.
And enjoyed her time in Bali.

I give it a B-. Perhaps this is the one instance that the movie will be better.

I'm getting ready to take flight again tomorrow (and next week, too!)...with nothing to read. I think a stop at B&N is in order!

Any suggestions?

Ranting and Raving from the Windy Cindy

Every Wednesday Little Ms Blogger posts her rants and raves.

Today, I'm following her lead and posting mine.

(Warning: I'm in a foul mood)

RANT: I've spent the last 3 days in Chicago with coworkers whom I don't, um, love.

RAVE: 12 hours from now I will be home with Mr. KK and Vito

RAVE: Mr. KK got a promotion at work!

RANT: And I wasn't there to celebrate with him!

RAVE: Next week is my birthday!

RANT: And...I will be traveling for work on my big day.

RAVE: Very big, yummy, expensive room service breakfast...on my company's bill.

RANT: The girls at the ad agency we're working with constantly referring to The Radisson Hotel as 'the Raddy'.

And I'd like to add my own category here:

WEIRDED OUT: My super-toothy room service guy was overly excited to deliver my breakfast. And then called 20 minutes later to ask me how it was.

Happy Wednesday!

open invitation to Jen Lancaster

Hi Jen!

Guess what? I'm back in Chicago again for work. Yep. Second time in two weeks. Did I mention that I'll be here next week, too? And the week after that?

I know your social calendar is probably jam-packed (not to mention I'm a total stranger), but I was wondering if you'd be up for grabbing a drink? Or dinner? Or a morning walk along the Mag Mile (don't I talk like I've lived here forever?). Or anything that will get me away from my coworkers for even just two minutes?

I'm pretty tired of eating together, working together, going to the bathroom together. They even creeping their way into my dreams.

I'm much rather be downing margaritas with you, getting to know each other, talking memoirs and shit (because I'm writing one, you know? A memoir. That will have to take a turn for the boring if I have to keep going on these work trips.)

Just shoot me an email – I can be ready on a dime. I've all these cute clothes that are being wasted on strategy analysts and beige conference room walls.

Hugs,
kk

i love power tools

This conversation occurred last night.

Mr. KK: "I bought a new saw today. You'll love it."

KK: "Why? Is it pink?"

Mr. KK: ((raised eyebrows))

KK: "What?"

Mr. KK: "You think I bought a pink saw?"

KK: "If you did, I would like it."

Mr. KK: "It's not pink. It's orange. You love orange."

KK: "Well, not all orange. Is it Home Depot orange? I don't like Home Depot orange. Or is it a nice tangerine like my mixer? I like that orange..."

Mr. KK: ((blank stare))

um, I want this.

Now.

Oh, Kate, you always know how to make me want you.