Bermuda

Was great.

Happy 90th Pepere.

Oooow Whatcha Say?

Photo courtesy of the oh-so-handsome, Scott Byrer

I don’t believe I ever had to learn a life lesson until I graduated. Thank you generation “Now” or generation “Me” or generation whatever I keep hearing I belong to. Yes, it’s true. I made every team I ever tried out for. I got every job I ever applied for. I got into the schools I wanted. It’s not that I didn’t work hard (11^th grade chemistry anyone?) I did. I worked really hard. But I never had to deal with NOT getting what I was shooting for. I’m not talking about getting everything I wanted as a spoiled kid because that certainly wasn’t the case. I’m talking about the fact that I never had to go through the motions of not achieving a goal. Here I was, thinking I could actually do anything and everything I set my mind to without any disappointments. Foolish kid.

Enter my post-grad life. Where, if my calculations are correct, I’ve spent the last 14 months crawling through the motions of NOT achieving my goals. Yes, I picked a career that’s highly competitive, for little pay, (what was my reasoning again? Oh…right…do good with the written word…gotcha.) I can honestly say that I’ve learned more in the past 14 months than I did in my entire four years of college. Shocker. I’ve learned some tough lessons this year.

For instance:

1) Disappointment is inevitable. If you’ve made it to your post grad life without ever really feeling the disappointment of not getting that job or making that team or so on and so forth, well consider yourself lucky but also naïve. Hello, my name is Kate and I am, was, naïve. I don’t care who you are. Disappointment is part of the game. It’s how you respond to that disappointment that dictates what comes next.

2) You have to show up for life. If you’re not living life I consider you the type of person who puts plastic on the furniture to keep it from looking worn. When it comes to life, the worn look is good. Get out there and wear in your life. You only get one. If you’re playing it safe, well ….why waste your time?

3) When you put your heart in the hands of another human being there is a great potential for pain. Love, although often considered a noun, is actually a verb and it is fueled by action. Love is defined by the choices we make that affect those we claim to love, not by words. So either be pickier about who you claim to love or be more careful about the actions you fit in your definition of love.

4) When you aren’t sure what decision to make…don’t make one. Be still. Be absolutely still and let the answer come to you. When you are unsure on how to handle life, let life handle you instead. The universe, God, or whatever you believe in, generally has a way of working things out. So don’t be so busy looking for answers that you aren’t in a place to see them when they final show up.

5) Trust those who have a trustworthy track record. If it’s you, even better. Trust yourself. Trust your instincts.

6) True love is rare and seldom strikes twice. So cherish it. I mean really, truly cherish it. Your life will be defined by the love you’ve given and received.

Oh and....USA lost. Sad day. Clint, Landon, Tim and the rest of my boys...you'll have a place in my heart forever. It was a good run.

...Back.

I'm back from Bermuda. More on that later.

I've actually typed up about six different blog entries. Every time I go to post one I chicken out. Tonight was no different. I'll sleep on it. Thank you writer's block.

Instead, enjoy this picture I neither took nor know anything about. I just really like it.

Le Love

Also, enjoy the USA v Ghana game tomorrow. Think of me when Donovan puts it in the back of the net. Booyah. That's. My. Boy.

Mmmmk.

Eat Your Heart Out Boys

Dear Men of New York,

I salute you. I salute your oh-so-valiant efforts to procreate. I enjoy your hoots, hollers and whistles as I stroll by, tan legs glistening in the summer sun. I salute your abilities to get my attention, be it a catcall, whistle or worse. High fives all around for such unique and romantic gestures.

Like this morning, as I stood waiting to cross the street, when a taxi driver pulled over and said, “Yeah? Yeah?” Signaling for me to get in the back of his cab. He was headed in the opposite direction but that didn’t matter. Nor did I signal, wave or even gesture in a mistaken manner for a cab…but here this hopeful man was, wishing I would hop into the back seat like a high school girl ready for a hickey. Not sure what his reasoning was but I’m sure it was well thought out. Sorry sir. I have to get to work. Better luck next time with all that charm.

Or to the group of male construction workers who line the bench in Rockefeller Center eating breakfast as I walk by each morning. You think I can’t hear you because my headphones are in but little do you know I’m listening carefully to your subtle remarks. That’s a right, gentleman. I hear every little word. Like today when construction worker #1 elbowed construction worker #2 and spoke from the corner of his mouth without taking his eyes off of me, “This one right here. Right here!” and #2 said, “NICE!”

Enjoy boys. Take it all in because quite frankly, I’ll never look this good again. Eventually gravity will start to pull things south and add lines to my face and gray to my brown hair. Yes, someday, someday, someday, I’m sure I’ll wish for these sweet youthful days back. So go ahead, exchange glances and whistles and those oh-so-manly grunts that really get my attention. Or my personal favorite, the hiss.*

Look but don’t touch. Admire all you want. I don’t mind. I’m not offended, just flattered. But if you want an actual date I’ve been known to respond well to handshakes, the words “Hello my name is _____” and even the occasional smile.

(Side note: Yes, I said hiss, which indeed happened to Jaclyn and I as we strolled down W. 48^th today. Her response? “Did that guy just hiss at us? Like hissing would make me drop my skirt for him?” My thoughts exactly.)

Oh, The Places You'll Go!"

It’s funny how life moves us along whether we’re up for it or not. I, for one, am seriously guilty of trying to press pause on life’s sweetest moments. It’s not that I don’t think there will be more sweet moments in the future; it’s more like I know there will never be that sweet moment ever again. And so, I cherish it.

After college I left California for NYC but the majority of my college roommates stayed together and moved to San Diego. My childhood best friend moved out to California and essentially replaced me in the house. Needless to say, she fit like a glove.

It’s been a wonderful journey for all of us, and while I wasn’t physically there for the last seven months of it, my heart was right there, in that house, (with the kitchen stools I refurnished,) wrapped up in every morning pot of coffee, every day of laughter, every moment of hardship and every girls night out, (or in.) I am so lucky to know friendships that extend 3,000 miles, remain effortless and continue to grow despite the different roads we travel down.

So tomorrow, the last of the gang is parting ways and there is a phrase in my head that will not subside—a classic, by Dr. Seuss.

“Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,

don’t worry. Don’t Stew.

Just go right along.

You’ll start happening too.”

Oh, the places you'll go!"

On to the next chapter, whatever it may be.

Essentail Rhythm...Pay My Rent.

“Getting started, keeping going, getting started again—in art and in life, it seems to me this is the essential rhythm.”

— Seamus Heaney

I'm not sure about the art thing. I never could color inside the lines anyways but I do know about the life thing.

On the job hunt...again. Yippie.