I moved!

Everyone send some good karma towards Suzanne as she makes the confident move of getting her hair cut off. It's going to be so cute & I can't wait to see it!

I'm going to learn about the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day tonight. It's something I really wanted to do last year for a variety of reasons, but then I got this job and it came witht his thing called Hands On Atlanta Day that falls the same weekend. Grad school or not, I don't plan to still be here in October 2002. Speaking of grad school, I signed up for the GRE yesterday. So send me some good karma after Suzy's haircut, and keep sending it until April 18!

I think I'm going to have a cookout/potluck/somesuch next Thursday. I like having space to entertain. Of course, this will require that I obtain a grill. Oh well; I want one anyway. I am not very well-versed in grill usage, but I'll fall off that bridge when I come to it. I've been wanting a picnic table too. Looks like I'll need a trip to K-Mart or Target this weekend.

We won $25 house cash at team trivia last night. I'd like to shout out Justin for his depth of otherwise useless knowledge about the height of various structures.

Nothing else to report....same giddiness as yesterday. I'm going to play ultimate frisbee Wednesday, despite the fact that I've made it known that I can't throw a frisbee straight to save my life. Oh well, who cares. :)

I just e-dismissed Todd. That was hard, even though I don't have feelings for him, just because I have difficulty doing anything that could be perceived as "mean." I don't have a very well-developed inner bitch. Oh yeah, I never reported on that date #2....he's all into me, I feel no chemistry, he kissed me goodnight, blah blah blah....anyway.

Back to those happy thoughts I've been having all day....*contented sigh*

Date #2 w/ Alex last night. Wow. Wow, wow, wow.

Wow.

Din ding ding...we may have a winner: bachelor #4!

Really wonderful date last night. Did you know that they do karaoke at Innovox? Me neither. Any guy who will let me talk him into doing karaoke is good enough for me. :) Well, not just any guy. But definitely this one. He's as fun in person as he is online (it's easy to overbuild your expectations of someone based on their personality over e-mail), and very sweet & gentemanly. And cute. And we both had a lot of fun & plan to see each other again Sunday.

Is it Sunday yet?

I had my performance review today. Not scary, pretty much heard what I already knew as far as what areas I'm doing well in and which need improvement. Since making the decision yesterday to apply for grad school, it's hard to focus on or care much about how to be better at my job. I don't want to burn bridges or anything, but it's hard to be motivated. If I don't get into Georgia State, I'll probably shift into job search mode. Must call tomorrow about GRE. That's the next thing on my to-do list. That and call Ms. Martin, Dr. Gaspar & Dr. Blakley for recommendations.

I went to get the new Indigo Girls cd over lunch. It's wonderful. Everyone go buy it! Also waiting for them to post the lineup for Music Midtown; it's suppoed to be up today. I want to sign up to volunteer again. Free entertainment is a Good Thing.

I'm over this job. I suddenly feel reeeeally motivated to study for the GRE.

Life Update: I'm applying to grad school. Hopefully I can get in to start in June. Now I just need to get recommendations, write a personal statement, figure out my finances....and oh yeah, take the GRE. Buh-bye, real job. I'm so not motivated to be here.

And for those of you keeping score at home, Scott fell under the "nice guy, but....no" catergory, I'm meeting Alex for coffee tomorrow night, and I'm having dinner with Todd Thursday.

And hey, Suzy, I like your new blog!

So after the whole Matt debacle, I thought, "screw this, I'm going to post my own ad and answer more ads and just meet people and have fun!" And that's exactly what I'm doing here lately. Last night I had drinks with Todd (27, environmental engineer). Tomorrow I have lunch with Scott (26, something governmental and nuclear-related). And I'm in the midst of scheduling coffee or somesuch next week with Alex (23, theology student). This could be fun! I feel like I click particularly well with Alex over e-mail, but I'm not putting all my eggs in one proverbial basket. If I meet someone and it becomes serious, great, but I'm not making that an immediate goal. It's all about not expecting too much.

Into love and out again,
Thus I went and thus I go.
Spare your voice, and hold your pen:
Well and bitterly I know
All the songs were ever sung,
All the words were ever said;
Could it be, when I was young,
Someone dropped me on my head?
-Dorothy Parker

So you know how you sometimes have random revelations while you're in the shower or something? I had one of those Wednesday night. I'm a people-oriented person in a computer-oriented job. I like to help people, which I suppose I do in a round-about way, but I like to help people directly. It's what makes me happy and fulfilled. But most of my job functions involve sitting at the computer. This, I think, has a lot to do with my job dissatisfaction. I'm not sure what I should be doing instead of this, but realizing why what I'm doing doesn't work for me is a big step. Any objective thoughts on Kelly's next career move would be happily received. :)

Shameless plug for my roommate's dance company...
Duende Dance Theater will present Set to Rise on March 8 and 9 (next weekend)! Performances are at 8:00 p.m. On Saturday, there is a party following the performance. There will be free Flamenco lessons at the party. Come eat, drink, and celebrate with Duende. The party is $15 and the performances are $15 as well. If you have kids, bring them to the Sat., March 9 performance at noon. This is a special performance for children and tix are only $10 for this show. Call 404-377-2534 for tix.

My laptop is kaput. I'm very displeased. Must find my warranty info, and whether I'm under warranty or not, figure out where to take a kaput computer. The place where you plug the AC cord into the computer is screwed up.

Oh yeah, I promised a Spaghetti Factory review. OK food, really really cool decor. Go for the atmosphere.

I think everyone who actually reads this thing already knows by now that Friday was a non-date. Whatever. I'm on to the next option. I posted my own ad on Match.com, with good results so far. One particularly interesting prospect thus far. But...not going to put all my proverbial eggs in one virtual basket. Or something like that.

Everyone should go see Brooke's dance company next weekend. It will be a Good Thing. I don't have all the details in my head, but I'll get them & send out an e-amil.

Taking tomorrow off....gotta use that last vacation day before it expires! I like this 3-day work week. I think I'd have a better work-life balance if every week was like this. Shopping w/ Mom then going home to make myself pretty for dinner. I've never been to the Spaghetti Factory, but apparently there are tables in a train car and that is the place to sit. Will post a review. :)

Dinner with Matt this Friday! *That* took long enough....

I'm feeling some serious work blahs lately. Very overwhelmed. Not feeling the love for the job as much these days.

Feeling some...well, something for the boy. The suggestion has been made that if he isn't going to quit sweet-talking me and start asking me out, I need to move on. I'm not closed to other opportunities, I pointed out in response; I just don't get a lot of opportunities. But I do agree that I should ever-so-gently let him know that if we're going somewhere, it needs to move beyond the computer. He makes my heart flutter & all, but still.

In other news...Happy Mardi Gras & Happy Chinese New Year! All the other Horses out there, it's our year, so it should be extra-lucky. Eat something sweet & wear red & put tangerines around your house. And drink. And I don't know what you should do to celebrate Lincoln's birthday; go read "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed" or something.

So guess who I just chatted with? Yup. Matt. He's apparently been in a crazy work-a-holic mode & was very apologetic about not having been in touch. Of course, I was like "it's cool", not letting him know what a spaz he made me into for a while. And you know what? I'm happy about talking to him and all, but I'm not turning cartwheels and assuming life will now be perfect. I'm not attaching my life's happiness to him. This is a Good Thing. I am a Strong Independant Woman. As Ally McBeal once said..."I don't *need* a man. I *want* one."

Busy busy weekend....ate lots, shopped lots, saw the family. It was good, but I'm pooped. And I need to go in early since I didn't make it to the office at any point this weekend. Still catching up from vacation.

I'm better now, thanks in part to Steph for getting me to go out last night instead of wallowing in self-pity. Also had a fun, full day today. Nice weather helps. Anyway, yeah, hooray for singlehood!

Men suck.

With the possible exception of Brad Pitt.

But the rest of them suck.

"Wherever You Will Go" is my new favorite song on the radio, even though The Calling sounds just like Lifehouse. I'm just a sucker for gravelly-voiced guys singing power ballads. They make me pine.

Yup, Kelly's life is badly in need of some romance.

My, I'm the active little blogger today...

Hey, single ladies....go check out Justin. He's a nice guy. E-mail him.

I saw howler monkeys at the aquarium in Dallas. Those are the freakiest things ever. They sound like they're belching through megaphones. Suzanne, you would have been so amused. I also saw penguins. It was almost more excitement than I could handle.

Bad things about today:
1. Astrid Lindgren died.
2. They're changing our health insurance and I have to find *another* new gyno.
3. I have a huge zit on the side of my nose.
4. Everyone else keeps trying to do my job, damn it! (And they're not very good at it.)

Good things about today:
1. The weather is beeeee-yooo-tiful!
2. I'm going to the gym tonight.
3. I'm eating my yummy mahi-mahi leftovers from last night first.
4. I will probably have a very lovely chat session tonight. Such is the pattern lately.
5. Only two more days & then vacation! Woo!

More good than bad. I feel better now.

He writes poetry. Old-fashioned love poetry. That's it; I'm smitten.

So I just got back from meeting Matt, the guy I've been chatting with. It was really nice; we talked, laughed. He's even cuter in person. :) We're going to hang out again sometime soon. And he smells nice.

So I chatted for an hour & a half last night with that guy. We seem to have a similar sense of humor; he cracks me up. (I'm telling you, ladies, if you learn to love "Airplane!", you score points with the guys!) He teaches high school English, which I think is very cool, and he just bought a house, which shows a certain comfort level with commitment. Not that I'm trying to get ahead of myself here. Anyway, we'll see where this goes. I'd really like to meet him. It's easier to be a witty conversationalist online than in person. And yes, meet in public, don't give too much personal info, yadda yadda...don't worry; I'll be safe & stuff. :)

So I bit the proverbial bullet and decided to give online personal ads a try. I'm not quite gutsy enough to post an ad, so I answered a couple that sounded like my speed last night. One's already responded & we'll hopefully be chatting tonight. Here goes nothing!

This is the most ridiculously easy & yummy recipe: Beer Bread! 2 2/3 c. self rising flour, 12 oz. beer. Mix it up until it's moist, bake in a loaf pan at 375 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Tastes nothing like beer, I promise. Yummy with blackberry preserves.

This edition of Ghetto Martha Stewart was brought to you by the letter W & P and the number 7.

Thanks to all who came last night -- it was a great party! Though as Brooke points out, we hang out with a cocktail crowd & don't need to buy more beer next time. If anyone wants a brewski, come on over. We have lots. We also have lots of red wine. I think I'm going to make a bathtub o' sangria. :)

Excited about the party Saturday. Not so excited about the mad cleaning that must precede it. Suzanne gave it a great plug on the Phi Mu message board. I look forward to seeing her because she amuses me so. Of course, she'll probably have had more sleep.

I got a package from my mom today containing a package from one of my Japanese friends, Hiroe, that had come to my parents' house. She sent me a Xmas card, Japanese candy & a teddy bear key chain. I was most pleased. I love getting letters/e-mails from people whose native language is not English. The phrasing makes me smile. Mom also sent fleece scarves for me & Brooke. She's on a fleece kick, apparently.

I'm at a point where I'm trying to figure out what the next step should be in my life. I'm in a lease for a year, and I really don't want to deal with moving again any time soon. Twice within a year is plenty for now. Not that I think I'll stay in Atlanta forever. I've toyed with taking some classes and expanding my skills in graphic design, but after this week's horrors (file screwed up, have to do twice as much work in half the time to get caught back up), I don't know. Not sure I want to stare at a computer all my life. I'm also toying with going to grad school, maybe to study applied linguistics/ESL. I need to do some volunteering in this area & see how it goes. I wanted to go to a training this Saturday, but I don't know if I'll have time, and I'll be in Texas during the next one.

OK, ramble over. As you were.

Thanks for all the support....I have wonderful friends.

Paca's gone. She was staying at Steph's b/c my landlord was going to come by the look at our dysfunctional oven. I went to pick Paca up, and as I was walking to my car, the cage fell off of it top (it wasn't completly secured), and she flew off and around a building. Stephanie (who is a wonderful friend) and I spent 2 hours walking around her complex, along the street, and around the shopping center across the street, whistling and calling her. I left the cage open on Steph's porch, put a sign up, and am calling the leasing office tomorrow. Best case scenario, she flew to someone's porch to get out of the snow, made some noise, and they let her in. I'm trying not to think about the worst case scenario. Slighly better than worse case scenario, a cat got her or something so that she can at least go quickly. I'm feeling like the worst pet owner ever b/c the cage top should have been on better, or at least I shouldn't have been carrying it by the handle, and Paca's wings should have been clipped (I'd been meaing to have that done soon. The road to hell & so forth...)

It's been snowing all day! Woo hoo! And we might not have to come in tomorrow if the roads ice...I have to call & find out when I wake up tomorrow. Here's hoping that I can roll over and go back to sleep. And then take one of my many empty boxes and go sledding on the golf course!