Overheard in my phone conversation

“I’ll be hitting the links on Saturday and I’d love to do it on Sunday too.”
“I bet you would!”
“What?!!”
“Nothing…”

“You’re a loon.”
“Well you know what? You’re the one that agreed to marry me. So what do you think that says about YOU?!!”

“You can’t be serious. I don’t want my car seen amongst the nerd heard. I’m dropping you off two blocks away.”
“Um…yeah. That’s not happening.”

“You are getting too carried away with this vampire stuff. Even if I wanted to read the book, you’d probably start biting at my veins.”
“That’s true. A few years ago, Erin lent me a long, hooded velvet cape to wear for Halloween. I’m going to ask her to borrow it again…and I’m probably going to wear it out and about before Halloween.”

‘Nine in the afternoon’ seduces my attention span

What does it all even mean???

Don’t worry- it’s time to get freaky.

Last night I downloaded some music on my iPod, and I cannot get this song out of my head. Panic at the Disco has invaded my mind with their catchy beats and tantalizing lyrics. For the past two hours I have been tapping my heels under my desk to this ridiculous rhythm, swaying my head to the sounds in my mind, and I can’t seem to shake it.

Immerse yourself in song, slam a diet coke, and join me in rockin’ out:

Back to the streets where we began
Feeling as good as lovers can .. you know
Well, now we’re feeling so good

Picking up things we shouldn’t read
It looks like the end of history as we know
It’s just the end of the world

Back to the street where we began
Feeling as good as love .. you could .. you can

Into a place, where thoughts can bloom
Into a room where it’s nine in the afternoon
And we know that it could be
And we know that it should
And you know that you feel it too
‘Cause it’s nine in the afternoon

Your eyes are the size of the moon
You could ’cause you can so you do
We’re feeling so good
Just the way that we do
When it’s nine in the afternoon

Back to the street
Down to our feet
Losing the feeling of feeling unique
Do you know what I mean?**Album from here

Quote of the day

Come to the dark side

“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody”

Mark Twain

*Photo courtesy of s0ulsurfing  via Flickr

“I’ve always had a passion for stopping things, then starting to do things again”

I don’t know about you, but The Onion is about as good as it gets for me. Particularly, stories like this:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/favre_ive_always_had_a

A new look; Viva la Vida whatever

SO I thought I’d be all cool and unique by changing up the design sequence of my blog. It was no simple task! All this formatting has taken me forever- like two and half hours!!! Ridiculous, I know.

Anyway, I needed to update things, as there were actually photos of me with a short blonde bob floating around and I don’t look like that anymore. I’m actually MUCH BETTER LOOKING now (RELAX kids, that was clearly a joke, do you think that I am reallythat self-absorbed? Puh-leeze!)

Below are some photos from the Coldplay ‘Viva la Vida’ tour. I’m too tired to post my review but just know that I felt the show was barely sub-par.

Adios.

At United Center

 

An impromptu stage set up near us

 

I will try...to fix you

 

Let your head go...

No Dreams= Serial Killer Lurking Underneath

A vision in my head? Nope, doesn't happen.

I rarely dream…ever. I have had maybe had three nightmares in my entire life. No joke.

But lately, I’ve had the most vivid, sweeping dreams and I think it’s due to reading so many books in such a short period of time. Chicago has also been enduring plenty of loud, scary thunderstorms so that sets a perfect backdrop for a creepy dream to invade my REM cycles.

So my cousin Amber has a whole book on dreams and what they mean. I casually mentioned to her that I rarely ever dream, and her eyes grew wide with concern and her mouth dropped open. She seemed stunned, frankly. And what she said next…frankly stunned me.

“Don’t say that. They say that serial killers don’t dream,” she said cryptically.

Uh…como WHAT?!! (Translation: WHAT WHAT?!)

I wanted to laugh at such a ridiculous thought, but Amber seemed pretty serious about all this shizz. So I just sort of shrugged as if to say, “Oh…that’s er…nice.”

Great. So now I’m not only an engaged vampire nerd dabbling in commercial real estate marketing while practicing my golf swing…I’m also apparently a serial killer dozing through dreamless nights. Good to know.

***Image about courtesy Flickr: right here!

Two days to go!

So creepy/cool

The fight ensues

Avenging in the works?

THE CHEMISTRY PEOPLE!!!

So yesterday I called up TWO Borders stores to reserve a copy of “Breaking Dawn” (set to be released at midnight on Friday). HOWEVER, I am annoyed that I was told by both stores that yes, they would be holding a book for me, yet they couldn’t 100% guarantee that they would reserve the book for me.

I think I speak for everyone when I say, “WTF??? Does this even make one iota of sense?”

Alas, all is not lost. There is a book release party at Borders on State this Friday, and they will start selling the book at midnight. Fitz and I will be attending a party in the burbs for our newlywed friends (Danga & Will) on Friday evening. I’m thinking that I can plan to arrive back in the city around midnight, upon which Fitz can take me to Borders and I can join my fellow nerds in rejoicing!

We shall see- for now…I have two days to get through. Check out the countdown on author, Stephenie Meyer’s website: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

Above photos are from the film Twilight, discovered via Flickr.

Come to me, my fellow nerds

Oh how I yearn for it!

Since my posting yesterday, detailing my beloved fascination with the vampire love saga that is Twilight, I have seen a growing number of nerds coming out from the shadow to stand beside me. I LOVE IT! I’m not alone on this crazy vampire roller coaster of adventure!

After work I will be walking over to Borders on State to get my pre-order on for Breaking Dawn, the final installment of the Twilight series. Fitz has offered to drop me off when the bookstore opens on Saturday morning.

In the mean time, I plan on re-reading the series until the final book is released- yes, you read that correctly and you may be right in your assertion that I need a mental evaluation when it comes to my love of this book series. Regardless, I’m forging ahead.

Stephenie Meyer is in the process of writing a book from Edward’s point of view titled “Midnight Sun.” It will be a re-telling of Twilight from Edward’s perspective. I managed to find the first chapter online (which the author happily put out), but since I don’t want to spoil the fun for other nerds, I will simply say that you will have to dig around and find it for yourself!

OH…another thing…last night I met up with my girlfriends and Jenna recommended another great fiction book (I know, I know, I can’t believe I’m forging head with exploring this genre): My Sister’s Keeper. I just may pick up this book when I’m at Borders today and give it a go!

On a side note- my friend Alaina is leaving for Guatemala on Thursday! She is going into a total immersion language program. She will be living with a family, working at a clinic, and getting firsthand Spanish lessons. I wish her safe travels and can’t wait to hear about her adventures and see photos upon her return!

It’s official, I’m a nerd now

One way trip to Nerdsville up ahead

I can’t believe it. I can’t FREAKIN’ believe it!!!

I’m not one who gets involved with the ‘Harry Potter’ saga, Star Trek series, or the ‘Lord of the Rings’ empire. That stuff is not really my bag, baby. With the exception of enjoying a Star Wars flick here and there (hey, what do you expect? My older brother was into it so BACK OFF!!!), I am pretty much devoid of nerd-like obsessions.

So imagine the rolling of the eyes that accompanied a recent gift from my friend Jenna: Twilight, a vampire love story by Stephenie Meyer. It was actually an engagement present that Jenna pointed out ”had nothing to do with marriage or engagements at all.” Jenna is NOT the type to get into fiction fantasy books- so this move was totally unprecedented and I was actually questioning just what the H was going on in her mind.

I’m not gonna lie- I put off reading the book. Jenna’s numerous emails and texts kept pestering me with questions: “Have you started reading it yet? You simply must start reading tonight. No excuses. No, I don’t care what you have going on- read it!!!”

I assured her that I would bring the book with me this weekend, seeing how a flight to California is a long one and would provide ample time for reading.

And thus…my path to nerd-ism began.

I finished the book within 24 hours. Fitz slept peacefully during the flight, while I frantically read from one page to the next. The stewardess asked if I wanted something to drink and I shrieked all high-pitched, “NO! Please don’t interrupt my reading again!!!”

She didn’t.

I forgot how much I enjoyed a good thrilling, suspenseful horror story. Around noon the next day…Twilight had been completed. After tackling much needed wedding research, Fitz and I had dinner and then I begged him to take me to a Barnes & Noble so that I could pick up the next book in the series. Being the amazing man that he is, he readily agreed, and took me to my destination.

I ended up grabbing the next two books in the series- the way I devoured the first (no pun in intended), I would need to save myself another trip to B&N. Fitz looked at my in amazement and asked, “You’re getting both books? Are you sure you want to lug all of that on the plane ride home?”

My answer: YES and YES! WOOHOO!

I finished both books yesterday evening. I literally took down three massively long and engrossing vampire books in about four days. OH, I forgot the best part- the final installment in the series will be released on Saturday. I’m on it- already figuring out how to pre-order from the Borders on State Street.

I cannot believe the monster that I’ve become- a slave to ‘young adult’ vampire romance at the age of 27. I don’t believe I’m saying this….I’m a nerd now, folks. I’m even considering dressing as a vampire for Halloween (if you know me well, you know this has a 98% chance of happening as I LOVE Halloween).

Furthermore…I can barely contain the screaming teenage-like excitement inside of me as Twilight is being made into a MOVIE! It comes out in December! Check out all the details here.

I cannot believe I am this obsessed…but I LOVE IT. DAMN YOU, JENNA!!!

J/K

P.S. Jenna knows that I love her. Relax!

UPDATE***

I seemed to have glossed over why I am now obsessed with the book. In addition to suspensful and horrifying details, Stephenie Meyer weaves a heartbreakingly beautiful love story between Edward and Bella. Romeo & Juliet has always been a favorite of mine, and this is a modern day version…with vampires. The pages drip with emotion so strong that it will compell your mind and make your heart gasp. It bears the question: When you can live forever, what do you live for?
It’s a brilliant story with morbid twists- simply fantastic! I can’t decide if what I enjoy more- details of the vampire existence, or the unfolding of a relationship between star-crossed lovers…

Hmmm…what to tell?

Our warm friend peeks through the vines

After my trip this weekend, I feel like I am holding back a waterfall of details that I want to share with the world! However, after much thought and careful consideration, I’ve decided to hold back on posting all the photos and disclosing the gory details. After all, my wedding should have some surprises, right?!

I’ll give you this for now:

Betrothed

I made a new friend along the way

The wildly beautiful vineyards

In recent news…

Fitz and I just returned from our weekend in Sonoma. True to form, Fitz did not shave once.

Yesterday at the airport, I noticed that he was pensively rubbing his beard with his hand. He pursed his lips in amusement, looked around, and announced, “I named my beard Katie Holmes.”

You figure it out.

The Log Contest

Each year in July is my annual family reunion on my dad’s side (Haley). It is quite the event- picnics, water balloon toss, golf outing, bonfire, Blarney Island outing and….log contest.

Yes, you read that correctly.

You see, a few years back, my cousin Jake and his now-wife Holly hosted the bonfire event- a gathering of family, food, drinks, guitars, songs and other shizz. There was just one problem- Jake didn’t want to gather/chop/buy logs of wood to throw on the fire all night long. Call it laziness or call it genius…but Jake’s plan was to ask all attendees to bring one log per person, which would fill his yard with more logs than you can shake a stick at (clever pun, I know!).

So my cousin Anna thinks that just bringing a log is a rather bland and boring idea- and really, who could disagree? Interested in taking this bonfire up a notch, Anna and a few other cousins decided to style their logs with some funny decorations (that are also entirely flammable) to get a few laughs and make a grand entrance.

And thus…the log contest was born.

The judging consists of this- Jake drinking excessively throughout the evening while serving as the only judge. He will give points for arbitrary things (“Kelly, you and I are godparents to the same little girl: 20,000 points) and take points away for arbitrary things (“My beer is empty and you didn’t think to bring me one”). The percentage of points having to actually do with the log is about 5-10%.

This year, for the second time in a row, my cousin Ben laid the smack down. He also wrote and performed a theme song for the contest, to be sung for years to come. Check out his blog entry detailing his win.

In case you are wondering, Fitz and I were not a part of the contest this year, as we attended a wedding down south. Next year…it’s on like Donkey Kong!

A moment of silence…

Cause my blog just received it’s 4,000th hit!

Pretty sweet.

As for today, I’m not feeling so great. Hopefully some green tea and a hard boiled egg will fix that right up.

On the horizon: photos from Coldplay show and a rather intersting review that you won’t want to miss!

Adios!

Top O’ the morning to ya

I woke early and ran two miles this morning, and after a cold shower and a quick commute to the office, I’m feeling like a million bucks! Woohoo!

However, during my run, I pretty much felt like barfing all over the street. My body is conflicted when it comes to running in the early morning hours. If I don’t eat something (balance bar), I will for sure get dizzy and collapse. I probably should had some Gatorade this morning as that would have helped. Any way, I’m working toward my new wellness plan of getting in a run every day- as excruciating as it is to get out bed so early, the rewards of breaking a sweat are pretty great.

In other news, I’m super excited to be attending the Coldplay concert tonight (or as Fitz calls is “chilly fun”) at the United Center. They put on a pretty spectacular show- I’m looking forward to rockin’ out.

Until we blog again, KQH

P.S. Did anyone watch the ESPYs the other night? Every year I end up crying throughout the entire show- Kevin Everett?!! The two softball players who carried their opponent around the bases??!! I am an emotional wreck, and I love every minute of it.

Overheard in my conversation with my sister…

“Whoopi Goldberg is not a good dog’s name.”

“I’m going to build a castle for little Theo. Actually…I should just start with buying clothes.”

“He was f***ed up and scary…yet oddly hilarious at the same time.”

“If he gets one of the Hawaiian islands tattooed, it will just look like a birth mark.”