Cabin-palooza 2011

Every year for Taylor's buddy Mike's birthday (and for many other occasions), a mismatched gang of friends--and perhaps a couple strangers--heads up to a family cabin at Swift Lake in Washington.

In all my time knowing Taylor, I've never been able to attend one of these "cabin trips" because I'm either working or, more than likely, traveling to a wedding. After I started my job, I realized I had weekends. Actual weekends to enjoy doing weekend-type things, including heading up to the cabin.

We had a blast hiking to see the spectacular tri-mountain view, off-roading in the Ranger, happy hour-ing down at the lake, melting my UGG boots at the bonfire, and laughing so hard it hurt.

Here are some snaps commemorating the trip.  

Here. We. Go!

Hi Kat!!!

Man and mountain. 

Here we are!

Almost an exact replica of their 2011 Christmas card pic.

Taylor and Ketler's oar-less canoe excursion. 

Classic Michael Greenberg. Happy Birthday, buddy! 

Ho ho Holiday Half

Nothing like a half-marathon on the coldest day of the year to put you in the holiday spirit!

Taylor and I trudged through 13.1 miles together a few Sundays ago. Well, that's sort of a lie. We most definitely did not run together, but I guess saying we both completed the race sort of signifies we did it together, right?  

Luckily, I had the help of my friend Erin, pacing me along, but neither Taylor nor I felt like we did very well, although we both did better than the last half-marathons we ran.

The photos couldn't be more hideous, but I had to screen shot and share! :) Enjoy! 

Check out those quads! Yeah buddy!

The best part is the sweaty curl of hair creeping out from underneath my headband. 

SAG Soiree 2011

Remember back when I was interning at Arnica? Well, I've kept in touch with the fabulous ladies and a couple of the gents, and a few weeks ago we had a nice little holiday gathering at Michelle's house. It was so sweet of her to host.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, SAG stands for: Society of (Ex-) Arnica Girls. We think it's quite hilarious.

The power of perseverance

It's been almost six months since I finished graduate school.

As everyone who reads my ramblings knows, I spent the first three of those months traveling all around to my friends' weddings. And, for the past three months, I've been working as many hours as I can at Trader Joe's to pay my bills and contribute to society again. 

All the while--from a few months before I finished my degree up until now--I've been meeting and greeting like cuh-ray-zee. Since I worked full-time as a coach and spent many-an-hour studying as a full-time student, I didn't really have the time to "network" or get to know people in my field like I should have. In all honesty, I didn't really feel like I knew Portland that well when I finished school. I know, I know. I grew up here. But, I moved away after high school for college, and then I settled in Austin for a couple years. Things changed. 

I knew what I wanted to do with my education, I just wasn't sure it really existed. I wanted to land in a company where I could stay for a while...where I could work full-time, not freelance. I wondered if there was a firm that just did the writing for companies, not necessarily public relations or advertising. Just the writing. I didn't want to be in cutthroat journalism again, and I desperately wanted to nestle into a team-like atmosphere with people who were serious about writing. 

I found this company called AHA!, right out of the gates, way back in July. I applied for a contract writing position, but I didn't get it. After checking out the company's website, I thought it seemed oh so cool, and I wanted to learn more, so I asked if I could come out for an informational interview. At this point, I didn't even really know what that meant, but I heard other people talk about info-interviews, so I set one up. I heard all about how AHA! is a communications firm with an expertise in writing. They have Thursday afternoon writing workshops and an annual weekend writing retreat for their employees. There are many skilled writers on staff,  who mentor younger employees, and a great majority of the staff contributes to their yearly creative writing publication. 

I knew I wanted to be at AHA!, but they didn't have any openings at the time. Their writers and editors are so skilled, too, I wasn't sure I'd ever have the experience to be considered a viable candidate. How could I get experience writing if I wasn't getting hired anywhere? I wasn't sure, but I kept in contact with a great lady at AHA! through my 2011 Networking Extravaganza. 

During this time, I met with communications execs, chefs, marketing professionals, people in publishing, friends-of-friends, Nike employees, and the list really goes on and on. I want to go back and count the number of coffee dates I set up just to pick peoples' brains and hope to make the right connection. 

Every time I met someone new, I appreciated what they had to share with me, but in the back of my mind, I still had the feeling like I was supposed to be at AHA!, and why couldn't AHA! just have an opening for me.

When I started working at Trader Joe's, I felt relieved and also humbled. At first, it was tough to swallow my pride...I mean, I had just worked so hard to further my career in writing, and I turned down a full-time coaching job. And then, there I was, stocking shelves and packing groceries. But I have to say, it was fun, and everyone I worked with was genuinely so nice. I really don't know if I've ever worked anywhere where I felt like people had my best interest at heart at all times. Don't get me started on what a great company TJ's is, either. I was such a loyal customer before I started working there, and I certainly will be forever more.

So, why does it sound like my time at TJ's is in the rear-view, and why did I mention my love affair with AHA!? Well...because...they had this opening for a project manager...and...well...I. GOT. HIRED.

I am absolutely so thrilled!!!

I got kind of bummed every time a new job prospect didn't work out, but this little piece of my heart kept telling me AHA! was the place for me, so just be patient. I know there were days and nights when I wasn't patient at all. My frustrations got the best of me sometimes. I complained and wondered if I would get my break after all that hard work.

I am thankful for my parents, siblings, friends, and super duper patient boyfriend for telling me to keep at it...to make just one more coffee date and meet just one more professional. I am so thankful for all the great connections I made at TJ's, too. From customers to coworkers, it's been an outstanding experience. It also reminded me just how unpredictable people are and how important it is to treat everyone equally.

So, just to recap: Last Sunday I found out I won the TJ's pumpkin pie contest and got to take home a 16-pound turkey...then on Monday, I had my second interview and got a phone call a few hours later with a job offer...then, of course, last Thursday was Thanksgiving. I must mention what a wonderful time I had in Albany with Taylor's family for that. His grandmother went all out with games and prizes, and the food was magnificent! I also convinced Taylor to take home a six-foot fake Christmas tree! Yahoo! The holidays are here, propelled by one of the best weeks all year!

I am SO THANKFUL! 

Demo days

My sister Lizey's friend Jess stopped by TJ's with her mom and dad the other day, and she took a pic of me in action behind the demo desk.

Here I am, performing some serious "info-tainment," as they like to call it. I'm so stoked I have this picture as proof of my time at Teej's...such a great part-time job!

Visions of the future Biscuit Benz

Someday...somewhere...somehow...I will have a Golden Retriever of my own, and his name will be Biscuit.

When I was a kid, I wanted to have four dogs, and I had all of their names picked out. I had my own dog-walking business called Go-Dog-Go, and I walked three neighborhood dogs, including a Golden called Abby.

Now that I'm grown, I don't necessarily want four dogs, but I still want a Golden, and I still want his name to be Biscuit.

Last week, my dearest Allison was watching her nephew-dog, Duke. I've known Duke since he was a pup, so I was pretty pumped for our reunion. Allison will be welcoming a Golden puppy of her own in a few weeks, and she and her hubby are going to call him Hunter. Love the name! I can't wait to meet him, although I'm extremely jealous and sad I won't be able to take him home with me.

Kate and Duke, 2011.

Allison and Duke circa 2004? 2005?

Kate and Duke way back when.

I WON A TURKEY!!!

The week before Thanksgiving, Trader Joe's held a cooking and baking contest among employees. Whoever made the best stuffing and/or pumpkin pie could take home some serious prizes. First place in each category earned a turkey and second place got a $10 TJ's gift card.

Well, now, the title of this blog post kind of spoiled the suspense, but that's OK because I really couldn't contain my excitement when I won the turkey for best pumpkin pie. Instead of a typical pie, however, I made my mom's pumpkin pie gingerbread trifle. The employees voted, and--not to brag or anything because it's my mom's recipe--I won by a landslide!

Mariel really wanted to get a pic of me and my bird, but the only time she did was when I was fresh out of the shower wearing my bathrobe. Pretty typical, though. 

Reee-jected!

I got my first official rejection letter from a bona-fide publisher a few weeks ago.

I should and could be upset, but really, I am thrilled. You always read about authors and their stacks of rejection letters...so, here's the first of (I'm sure) many!

I don't know why I can't rotate it! :(

An ode to Eleanor

When I was a kid, my idols included Beverly Cleary and Eleanor Roosevelt...alongside my sisters and mom, of course.

I read biographies about both women, and recently I re-read the book about ol' Elle. She's a remarkable lady, with countless accomplishments and a real trailblazer for her time.

As I often find myself scrambling to get a million things done in a day, one of her quotes really stood out to me:

I have never been bored, never found the days long enough for the range of activities with which I wanted to fill them. And, having learned to stare down fear, I long ago reached the point where there is no living person whom I fear, and few challenges that I am not willing to face. 

What a woman!

The year of the wedding: Those I had/have to miss and the 'lost' photos

Throughout the course of my wedding spree, there have been a few (yes, a few) I just couldn't attend.

My friend from grad school Melanie and her husband Bryant got hitched July 16 in Lubbock, Texas. Unfortunately, their wedding day conflicted with not one, but two bachelorette parties for two very special brides. I served as a bridesmaid in both their weddings, so I simply could not miss their big send-offs.

The best of the best from grad school: Katy D., Melanie, and Missy (who also got hitched this summer!).

In August, my college teammate Lindsey (Egeland, also known as Ege) married her husband Curtis August 21 in San Diego. My brother and his wife got hitched the day before, so there really wasn't a chance for me to make it to this party.

Ege and me in Venice, Italy, back when I was a freshman in college, and she was a senior. Ege was my recruiting host when I first visited WSU. The best!

Fun internet find of Emma and Ege.

Then, in September, my buddy Grant (featured many-a-time on this blog during my time in Texas) wed his lovely wife Misty September 23 in Viva Las Vegas. As you might recall, that was the same day as Troy and Christie's wedding. Gah! What's a girl to do, right?

Grant and me in Waco, at a WSU-Baylor basketball game back in '07.

The guy can throw down some barbecue, I tell you what!

Sadly, I will be missing my friends Sheena and Chris's wedding on New Year's Eve in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It would have been my first trip to our northern neighbors and my first fancy New Year's Eve party, not to mention the joining of two simply fantastic friends.

Like many of my lifelong friends, Sheen and I met at WSU, where she competed alongside my besties on the swim team. Sheena was a couple years older than me, but we became fast friends for many reasons, including our love of bargain fashion finds, Starbucks, and random humor (I almost wrote "humour" because that's how Sheens would write it, that crazy Canuck!).

Sheena has been like a big sister, always helping me along and offering advice. She and Chris have been together for many years, and we always used to call him "Dad" because he was just so dad-like. :) It breaks my heart that I won't be there to help ring in the new year and the first day of the rest of their lives together, but because of my current state of employment, I just couldn't turn down the chance to pick up shifts at work.

Sheena and Chris on a random college couch...this must have been taken in 2004???

Circa-2004 with Sheena.

'04-'05???

I swiped this engagement shot of C & S off Sheena's Facebook. So sue me. You two look cute!

Cheers to all of these fantastic couples. I am so fortunate to have friends like you! Congratulations!

Oh! I also forgot to add the following pics, delivered from the fabulous Courtney Harvey following the Miranda-Bienemann nuptials: 

This has to be one of my favorites because it's my two best buds from college and their fantastic counterparts. Love these girls. Love these friends! Love it!