Apparently, Siri can't write blog posts for you.

But she can do just about everything else! I was BEYOND thrilled when the day came that I traded in my crackberry for the sleek iPhone 4S...no more phone resetting itself 6 times a day, or re-sending me emails from 3 months ago, or giving me error messages.

So to have not only this fantastically sleek new phone, but it came with a teeny tiny personal assistant inside? Sign me up!
(rest in peace, Steve Jobs, you were a true innovator)

Besides ooing and aaahing over my new phone, I've been struggling with a pressing question:

Are there any dish towels out there that actually DRY dishes? I don't mean 'move the water around' or 'leave lint behind'. I mean, truly dry the dishes, so that I could just put them in the cabinet instead of "drying" them, then setting them out to actually dry over night.

Other thoughts of note:

I'm taking the day Friday to head to NYC for the BlogHer Writer's Conference. I'm hoping to find my inspiration to get the old novel written and published. I'm supposed to go with an 'elevator pitch'. Funny thing is, I've been literally living the story for the last8 years, yet I don't even know how to begin to describe it. Perhaps I'll take the one-liner from this blog - "you can't make this shit up" - and run with it.

I don't want to jinx it, but we are FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY going to buy a new Mac for KK! Seriously, between that and the iPhone, it's a wonder I can sleep at night!

That's all for now, I'm hungry.

Siri! Make Mama some dinner!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

where i've been.

Being an only child means a few things: you probably got what you wanted for Christmas growing up, you're not awesome at sharing, and you go on vacation with your parents.

The latter is true for us. (Some say all 3 are true, but they're just jealous!) Each year we go on a family vacation - just us and both sets of parents. I have to say, it's nice that our parents get along, and we're all so close. Really close.

This year, we took our family vacation across the country to Napa Valley. In a word: paradise. Mr. KK and I went on our honeymoon 6 years ago (or 5 years ago if you ask him), and we fell in love then. I spent WEEKS researching and putting together a kick-ass itinerary (which, I have to say, worked out marvelously. If you're planning a trip, I'm happy to share it!).

The sign of a good vacation is when you come home saying things like, "I want to move to Napa", "We could totally afford a $2MM winery" and "How hard could picking grapes be??".

We took almost 700 photos on our trip (caution: nerds with a new-ish camera!). Instead of boring you with the details, I've randomly selected 5 photos to share. I'm happy to say, the photo of both sets of parents in the shower together did NOT make the cut (don't ask).

Vacation would not have been fun if we were in 2 cars! Instead, we cruised the valley in one big car, which called for the "tush push" to get the unlucky traveler into the WAAAY back.

One of my favorite photos from the trip. Look how happy we look! I never look like that at work!

Did I mention the part about wanting to move to Napa? I could deal with this view every day.

We visited Mr. KK's aunt and uncle while in Cali. These are actual lemons that grow on their tree. No joke - they are the size of grapefruit!

We went on a hot air balloon ride! When in Napa, right?

it's time to get serious.

Will I see you there?

5KK

Holla!

Official time: 34:05.

NOTE: perfectly coordinated outfit with orange top with secret iPod pocket, turquoise shorts with orange and while stripes down the side, and sweaty red face.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

5K download

I can officially say I ran my very first 5k this weekend.

My goal was to finish. Running the whole time, not stopping to walk once.

Check!

I did it in 34:05. My average pace was 11:25/mile, which was significantly better than the 12:30/mile I had been doing during training.

All in all, I was pretty damn proud of myself.

Mr. KK, his parents and my parents all showed up for the big event. While I think it was just a ploy for everyone to go out for breakfast, it was nice to have the support.

As a newbie, here are my impressions of my very first road race.

Overall observation: if you ever want to give your low self-esteem a kick start, hang out with the pre-race crowd, that is inevitably filled with long-legged, 6-packed individuals who prefer running with as little clothing on their lean bodies as possible.

Best T-shirt: "Blood, sweat and beers"

Most Disgusting Thing I Witnessed: the guy who ran barefoot. On dirty city streets. (Did I mention he was barefoot?)

Moment that made me question parenting: seeing a 4- and 6-year old running with their mother.

Most inspirational moment: watching a 90-year old man cross the finish line, after receiving tons of fist bumps mid-race from fellow runners.

Moment I could have done without: the pre-race "Oh my god I have to poop!" feeling.

Race moment I'm proud of: NOT pooping and finishing (tie)

Time to start training for 2012!

well, THIS is week of firsts

On Monday, I received my first piece of 'hate mail' from a candidate applying for a position through Craig's List. (Listen, buddy, I don't make the jobs, I just work them.)

Today, I received a portfolio from a recent college grad who had worked as a tattoo designer. Her portfolio contained all cartoon-esque drawings of well endowed women with captions like, "I've never seen one so BIG!" and "It's too big to FIT!" and "Oooh, it's so sticky!"

Um, pass.

animal house

I live next door to Dr. Dolittle.

If Dr. Dolittle were a 5-foot tall, middle-aged woman who was slightly off her rocker.

Ms. Crazytown has lived here for a while, and knew Mr. KK's grandmother when she was living in our house. In fact, Mr. KK's grandmother used to get a kick out of seeing this lady's ducks waddling across her backyard. Until the day she didn't see the ducks and found a wing - and only a wing - in her backyard.

Score 1 for the coyotes.

One Sunday night while we were walking Vito around the yard, she was in her front yard and waved us over.

I had avoided her up until this point (see? I'm an AWESOME neighbor. I totally leave you alone, and don't want to be up in your business. At all.), but we were more or less trapped. Mr. KK knew her from when he was younger, and when she was equally as nuts.

I can only take small talk for so long.

ME: "So, how many animals DO you have over here?"

The list went something like this:

- 8 dogs (yes, 8!)

- 2 finches

- 2 canaries

- a 25-gallon fish tank filled with goldfish

- a 55-gallon fish tank filled with mini sharks, sting rays, and other fish that are probably illegal

- 2 ducks (that spend their days in one of 3 kiddie pools in the front yard) (oh, and they follow her around like she's their mother)

- 7 duck eggs, ready to hatch any day!

- did I mention the 8 dogs???

A few additional points:

- their house is slightly bigger than ours. and there are times when I feel crowded just hanging out with Mr. KK and our stuff

- the biggest dog is a German Shepherd, the smallest is a chihuahua

- the dogs stay outside ALL OF THE TIME

- the dogs bark ALL OF THE TIME

- she had binoculars to check for hawks, who apparently enjoy swooping down and stealing ducks

A fun conversation:

ME: "Where do all of the dogs sleep?"

CRAZY: "Six of them sleep in our bed. The two big ones sleep outside."

Um, what?

ME: "You sleep with six dogs and one husband? I hope you have a King-sized bed."

CRAZY: "No, it's a queen. But it's big."

Sure, whatever you say, lady. I sleep with one husband and a 15-pound dog, and I can barely fit. Oh, one sleeps on your head? Comfy!

CRAZY: "Come back in 12 days when all of my duck eggs hatch!"

ME: "Oh, for sure. Where will those little devils live?"

CRAZY: "In the special cage I had constructed."

ME: "Great. Don't be suspicious if you see us having Duck a l'orange one night for dinner."

CRAZY: ((look of horror))

ME: "Kidding. I'm kidding."

Sort of.