Another Year Over....

Last New Years Eve, when I envisioned how 2007 would end, I assumed I'd be in New York City (or Chicago), my new home, partying it up in my new life, with some new friends, celebrating this year of miraculous change.

But here it is - 2007 fading into 2008 - and I haven't made that move, met those friends, or had a reason to celebrate that yet-to-be-had miraculous change.

2008, please be the year I need you to be.

Faded Holiday Tinsel

There's nothing more depressing to me than Christmas trees & decorations after the holiday is over... well, except for the fact that pretty soon most of my friends will be heading back to school and/or work away from Pittsburgh.

That's even more depressing.

Merry Christmas to My Ass

I bought an elliptical today.

I know I'm supposed to be saving money, not spending it, but I just couldn't commit to a gym and honestly, I haven't worked out consistently since before my surgery in August. I don't walk NEARLY as much as I did when I lived in Tucson, plus all my parents have in the house is crap, so suffice it to say I am not happy with my current physical appearance. And I figured, instead of throwing all of my money into a gym - which I'll have to travel to and waste time at - I could just invest in the machine I use the most, buy a few hand weights and a yoga ball and do it all at home.

Besides, I got a really good deal and a 3-year-at-home service plan at Sears. Plus I was able to sign up for a card and charge it with no payments or interest for a year. But if I pay $50 a month over the next year (which, lets face it, is less than a gym membership) it will be paid off before the interest even kicks in. So I'm satisfied with the decision.

I'm also glad Miles was willing to put the thing together - even though we quickly realized the handlebars were on backwards. But it was easily fixed, thank God. Otherwise, I'd have looked like Miles trying to work out.

Cute Puppy Pic #2567

Did I mention my aunt brought one of their puppies, Tai, to play with Jasmine?

It's been a fun time for all these past couple nights. Even the pups.

....Oh and did I also mention Tai ran away from my uncle, who INSISTED she "didn't need a leash, she's so well trained?" I think next time he'll use a leash.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Added:

P.S. I Love... Movies As Adorable as "P.S. I Love You."

So. So. SO! Cute. Though my favorite part of the whole night out with Lindy, Regina and Miles was either the part where we're standing in line to buy tickets and Miles FINALLY decides to ask what movie we're seeing.... OR the part where we were at Eat N Park and the ticket stub fell out of his wallet.

Miles: UGH - Could a gayer ticket have possibly fallen out of my wallet? OHHH no, "Charlie Wilson's War" doesn't fall out. THIS one does.

To Days Gone By

My Aunt Carol and Uncle Bill have been staying with us since last night, and tonight my sister found a ton of old photos in a drawer after my parents had gone to bed.

Pictures of my grandparents, aunts & uncles and parents from the 80s and earlier... pictures of my dad looking like Borat (or so I thought) and the Columbine shooters (or so my uncle thought.) Pictures of my mom with the exact same haircut that she has now (and probably always will) and pictures of my cousins in horrific 80s attire. Pictures of my Grandma Shaffer, who passed away 11 years ago.

We laughed until we cried. And then we laughed some more...
Mainly because of the fact my dad really DID look like Borat.

Matt's Christmas Gift to Me <3

Tonight, I hung out with Matt and his family at their house, before Matt and I headed out to Wal-Mart, Eat N Park and The MacPhersons to visit.

It was a pretty fantastically fun night of chatting and laughing and coffee... until Matt basically ripped the light out of my car's ceiling. So now it just hangs there. Thanks, Matt. Merry F*cking Christmas to you too.

Rock On, Party Hard, Merry Christmsa

As you can plainly see, we partied hard on Christmas Day with Pap Shaffer and Grandma Smith.

It was an okay Christmas. I liked Thanksgiving better - way more family and fun around. It was just us and the grandparents, which was a let down compared to the huge festivities we had on Turkey Day.

I would have taken a photo of us opening Christmas presents together, only my family went ahead and opened them without me this year. Nice, huh?

If that doesn't qualify them for the "Bad List" for Christmas 2008 nothing does!

For Christmas I received:
2 brand-spankin' new snow tires (yawn)
Clothing (mainly NY&Co, Aeropostale, Old Navy)
SJP's Lovely Perfume Gift Set (Which IS lovely!)
Sims 2 Expansion Pack, Bon Voyage (Goodbye, social life. Hello, computer!)
$50 from Grandma (which I put towards my $200 Celine Dion ticket)

I must have been pretty good this year.

"And So This is Christmas..."

It doesn't feel like Christmas at all. At least, it didn't until I got to the Christmas Eve service at Pleasant Hills Church, which we attend every year.

But it's not the because of the religious message or because of the music. Its not that we know many people at that church and it's not because I love going to that specific building. It's mainly because, I have very strong memories of going there with my Pap the Christmas before he died... and it honestly is the one time of year I feel close to him again. There's also an elderly man who sings in the choir, who looks so much like the way my Pap used to... that I sit there holding my breath, waiting for him to walk down the aisle as the choir enters. I know it's not really him, but I sit there, waiting to see my Pap once again.

This year, as the choir entered the sanctuary, I saw him right away - because he was leading the choir in through the front doors.

It always catches me off-guard. It always makes me lose my breath. It always brings tears rolling down my cheeks. Yesterday was the four-year anniversary of his death, which came and went without much notice. I tried to keep busy. I tried not to think about it. I avoided my Grandma all day because I didn't want to sit in sorrow, thinking about how much I miss him and how much I could use him in my life now.

Yet, the tears rolled down as the entire congregation sang "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful." The tears rolled down as I watched him for an hour, across the church.

Still so close to me, but yet still too far away.

Wait... Miles? Is That You?

It tends to get a little creepy when you are listening to your friend in the middle of a tangent when you suddenly realize it doesn't feel like you're talking to your friend anymore... but rather, your former, high school Youth & Law / AP History teacher, Doc Lonich. Complete with the beard.

ANYWAY, regardless of whether I was out with Miles (or Doc), I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed "Charlie Wilson's War." And despite the fact that I am a huge fan of both Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (he was phenomenal, especially in his scenes with Philip Seymour Hoffman, where as Julia was just okay), the movie was so smart and so hilarious I couldn't stop laughing. I would definitely recommend it on your Holiday-Must-See-Movies List, if you have the chance.

What else would I recommend? Quality time with Miles/Doc. Because he always delivers a good story, as you can clearly see.

"I need to remember this."

Tonight, one of my good friends from high school who I haven't seen in a few years - Morgan - threw a Christmas party and invited me. I've really missed Morgan, but was a little apprehensive about going, because I don't really talk to any of the other kids anymore who were attending the party although I used to be friends with some of them too.

And although we've been out of high school for four and a half years, I still don't like to be the girl standing at the front of the cafeteria, looking around desperately for someone to cling to. I didn't have a problem with it in college, but for some reason those same old high school insecurities creep up on you when you least expect them, I guess. So I dragged Regina along with me, just in case there wasn't an open "cafeteria table" so to speak. And because Regina is a hell of a lot of fun at parties!

But I ended up having the BEST time. It was the most random group of people I've ever hung out with - an assortment of people I didn't even expect - but it was still a ridiculous amount of fun. From seeing Gina Cap again, to hanging out with my favorite Matt Adams, to seeing Lauren's brother Jimmy, to Brenda Fetchen (who I was in 1st grade with!)... to my neighbor and his brother, to Scott, who sat behind me in Chemistry in 10th grade... it was just a ridiculously random group of individuals. Still, I laughed until I cried and then I laughed some more. So the night was definitely a success.

Morgan's mom even came home a tad drunk and we had a blast with her as well. I've always loved Morgan's mom and I've thought about her and Morgan a lot these past couple years, since Morgan's dad died suddenly. Morgan's parents were both always really good to me and my favorite Halloween memories are from my trip to Seven Springs with them when Morgan and I were just in 10th grade. Morgan even said she could remember listening to Don Henley's "The End of Innocence" in the car on our way to the haunted house/hayride/cornfield. It's amazing how much time has passed since that car ride, how much has changed. It's amazing to think of how we'll all continue to grow and change.

"Who knows how long this will last,
Now we've come so far, so fast.
But, somewhere back there in the dust
That same small town in each of us;
I need to remember this."
-Don Henley

No, kids, I'm not joking...

....My dad got a new bobble head doll for Christmas.

This time - it's a dancing Hillary Clinton doll.

May I emphasize again:
I. NEED. TO. MOVE. OUT!

No, That's Not an Optical Illusion

My present from Anna came in a GINORMOUS box.

And it was filled with Chicago-related things, since Anna lives in Chicago now and I wish I could be (anywhere but Pittsburgh - including) in Chicago now. Let's look at the list:

1) Garrett's Popcorn (A Chicago Staple)
2) Chicago Adventure Cards
3) Goose Island rootbeer (Brewed in Chicago)
4) O Magazines (Cause Oprah da Queen of Chi-town!)
5) Frango Chocolate
6) Cityscape Picture Frame
7) A framed photo of the Improv Olympic Theatre (Where our beloved Arnie performs)

...Hands down best Christmas gift ever. Thanks, ABL!
(Though I'd rather have her here with me.... which I will come January!)

My Favorite Christmas Gift(s)

....LaLa is home - Christmas has begun.

"Even with our differences,
There is a place we're all connected;
Each of us can find each other's light.
So for tonight we pray for what we know can be,
And on this day we hope for what we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change -
And even though this world needs so much more....
There's so much to be thankful for."
--Josh Groban

What Do You Say?

"You don't know about my past, and
I don't have a future figured out.
And maybe this is going too fast.
And maybe it's not meant to last,
But what do you say to taking chances?"

The walk back to my car from Rory's apartment this morning was horrifically cold, but the weather was surprisingly gorgeous for Pittsburgh in December. It still doesn't feel like Christmas, but it's only a week away now so I guess ready or not...

Rory is heading back to Lancaster soon to spend the holidays with his family, so I won't see him until after the New Year. Who knows what will happen then, if we'll fall back into seeing each other as much as we've seen each other this past month or if we won't. We don't talk about it, but I can't help but wonder because I like spending time with him so much. I guess I have no choice but to wait and see. I really suck at this whole "dating" thing.

But all of my friends are returning to the Valley soon and that puts a ginormous smile on this girl's face. So I really have no reason to complain.

Life is pretty good right now.

Too Much Alcohol + No Tolerance =

So it's come to my attention I am no longer the college kid I once was. I apparently have no tolerance for alcohol anymore. 3 beers, 2 long islands, 1 jager bomb shot and 1 buttery nipple shot over an hour and a half is much, much too much for this girl anymore.

And I think Rory found out he has less tolerance than he really needs to deal with a drunk Kari. Please note the fact that I look wide awake and insane and he just looks.... tired.

Then I made him drive to Wal-Mart at 3 in the morning to buy the Simpsons movie, which he put into the DVD player when we got home. I don't remember a damn thing however, because I fell asleep as soon as I hit the couch.

Good thing I didn't have to work on Tuesday.

Oh How Someone's Mood Can Change

The best part of my day was the hours between 12:30 and 5 a.m. when Rory was over and we were watching the Pursuit of Happyness, talking, cuddling and generally just spending more time together. I was more content in those hours than I would be at any other part of the day... which I am thankful for, especially now that the day is over and done with.

I was woken up somewhat early-ish today and told by my parents that I needed to go get my flat tire fixed before the weather got bad. My mom decided to tag along, so we headed to Wal-Mart and bullshitted there a bit, while they tried to fix the tire. Apparently the nail was in the sidewall, so they couldn't fix it, they had to replace it.

Turns out, Wal-Mart didn't have the snow tire or even seasonal tire I needed.

So we headed down to Pepboys, where we told them what Wal-Mart had told us and that we needed a new snow tired put on. Just one. They told us they'd have our car done in half an hour. My mom and I ran next door to Rite Aid, to kill some time. We came back about 45 minutes later and our car was outside... because it hadn't been looked at yet. Fine. No big deal.

TWO HOURS after we had originally dropped it off, I walked up and asked the guy why they hadn't even looked at our car yet. He shuffled around some papers, trying to find mine and when he did he just glanced at it and said, "OH don't worry it will be in in just a few seconds."

I sat back down. The car still didn't go into the garage over the course of the next 30 minutes. My mom kept getting up to check and see if the car was outside... and all of a sudden I saw her waving her hands and yelling at the employees behind the desk. They told her they were sorry and they would take care of it.

FINALLY, THREE HOURS after we had first arrived at Pepboys, they called us up to tell us we were done. We got out the credit card to pay for the tire, and the guy waved us off, telling us we didn't have to pay for anything - they took care of it and were letting us go without charging us because we were told it was only going to be thirty minutes and it ended up taking too long. My mom and I ran outside, got in the car as fast as we could and headed home because the weather was getting pretty bad by this point.

Later that afternoon, my dad goes out to look at the car.

They never even put a new tire on it.

So my dad calls up Pepboys and tries to find out what happened - the guy on the phone said he wasn't really sure what went down, but the records showed they just patched up the tire. My dad said we told them we wanted a new tire put on, because Wal-Mart had told us it was not repairable. The sheet they gave us had notes on our car, saying the nail in the sidewall was not repairable. Why would they suddenly go and fix something they didn't even think they could fix, when we ASKED for a new snow tire to be put on the minute we walked in? The guy just told my dad he didn't work on the car so he wasn't sure but that the tire should be fine, so keep an eye on it.

...Bullshit.

Tomorrow, I'm going to work all day and listen to customers bitch and bitch about how the Steelers lost today, count out endless night deposits from the surrounding stores and their holiday weekend madness, generally be stressed out and tired, and go to Pepboys after to probably sit there and be irritated more while I wait to speak to a manager. Because -- this was RIDICULOUS. And I want to find out what REALLY happened. My guess is... after making us wait three hours, they realized they didn't even have the tire I needed either.

Hopefully, tomorrow will end a little better than today today.
And maybe I'll even get to see Rory.

C is for Cookie, K is for Kissing Ass

In preparation for Week Three at Hell Branch, I decided to make cookies.

If you can't beat 'em, feed 'em.

I Am... Content

Tonight at the Hell Branch was ridiculously exhausting and horrific.

But luckily I had Rory waiting for me at the end of the day. And Will Smith. So I was in a much better mood at the end of the night with a belly full of Uno, eyes that were sleepy from watching "I Am Legend" in a dark theater and my kiss goodnight.

Loathing, Unadulterated Loathing

I hate, hate, hate, hate working at this one particular branch.

I worked there all last week.
I'm working there this week.
I work there all next week.

If I get to work early, I sit in my car for as long as possible, before I drag my feet inside.

Rough Play

Oh Jasmine.

(Back story - my relatives in Ohio have a few shih tzus of their own. There was one they used to have named Rocky, who came from the same litter as Jasmine, that my aunt purchased. But he got way too rough and actually bit my cousin's daughter, so they gave him away.)

So I was rolling around on the floor tonight, playing with Jasmine and she started to get a little rough (as rough as a shih tzu can get.) She kept biting me by accident, trying to get her toy out of my hand.

Me: Stop biting me or we are going to give you away just like they did to Rocky!
Mom: (Overhearing me) No, Kari, we'd definitely give you away first.

Jam-Packed Day of Socialization

Well, for as antisocial as I was yesterday - I sure made up for it today.

Today was Jamie Barry's first day back in Pittsburgh! My friends will start slowly coming back to the Burgh for break, and my social life will be beautiful again. I can hardly wait. But Jamie was my first reunited outing and I loved every second of our lunch date. By the way, I'm calling it now - she's met the man she's going to marry. I'm calling it now. One more single friend bites the dust. This is starting to get a tad depressing.

Then I stopped by a few places to apply for waitressing jobs. I'm not really wanting a waitressing job, but I'm wanting tips. Either way, I'm needing more money than I'm making and I need to supplement that needed income somehow.

Later on I headed to a bar to meet up and go out with a new guy. It was a fun few hours - more friendish than date-ish though, I think looking back. Which was fine, because against my better judgment Rory ended up coming over to spend time with me.

I say "against my better judgment" because he didn't even make it to my house until 12:15 a.m. and didn't leave until after 2:30... and yes, I had to work the next morning. But it was worth it, in the end, because I like this one and I like spending time with him.

It may not be Manhattan, he may not be Big, and I may be a far cry from Carrie Bradshaw... but there are aspects about my life I like now, and I try the best I can to focus on those and block out how unhappy I am in other areas.

Allergic to... This Life

Its a good thing I came home last night from West Virginia because I basically spent all day sleeping and sneezing and feeling all-in-all miserable. Still wish I had stayed longer though.

The Joys of Childhood

I guess you could say that Gage loved the police car I bought for him.

And my aunt/cousin love that one of the buttons on it plays the Cops theme song, "Bad boys, bad boys... Whatcha gonna do... Whatcha gonna do when they come for you..." Gage would not stop playing with it all day, which made me happy to see him so happy.

Although I didn't get to see Gage yesterday, I got to spend a ton of time with him today. Kelli, Gage & I even went down to Morgantown again to run some errands -- including a stop at Cheddar's for lunch! Yes, Anna, be jealous. Very jealous. It was delicious... I think I'm officially addicted.

I had been planning on staying until Monday, possibly even Tuesday (since I have off until Wednesday) but I had started feeling sick Saturday morning and by bedtime Sunday night was pretty congested and miserable. I figured it would be better to hang out with my family until they all went to bed then drive home so I could sleep in my own.

Still, it broke my heart to leave. As always.

All I Want for Christmas... Is Them!

I headed down to West Virginia again, this time to go with Amy and Jarion to take the kids to see Santa Clause down in Morgantown.

Liam had already had enough of Santa by this point and was removed from the scene. It was so funny, seeing the photographers trying to get all three boys to look at the camera at the same time. Whatever they are paid hourly, I'm sure it's not enough.

And yes, that would be Laken picking his nose while sitting on Santa's lap. Thanks.

Blog > Friendship Obligations

I promised Dana I wouldn't post this picture.

But, at the end of the day, there's really no other pic that expresses the evening of shopping for gifts for my babies more than this picture does.

I know the picture cuts off, but the bib definitely says, "What happens in the potty - stays in the potty." Which made us laugh. Sadly, I didn't get the bib for Liam... I thought he'd appreciate the musical toy I got him more. My goal was to get Laken (who turns 3 on the 15th) a birthday present and Liam a belated birthday present (since I didn't have a job over his actual birthday back in September.) But then I thought there's no way I can show up with gifts for those two and ignore Quinton... and if I got Quinn a small gift, I had to get Gage something small. So Laken & Liam got nice, larger gifts and then I got small $10 gifts for Quinn and Gage.

So much for sticking to buying just for birthdays, so I didn't have to spend so much on them at Christmas.

Hey, I doubt your Friday night was any more fun though.

Sure, it looks pretty...

....When you don't have to drive in it.

Icey Conditions Ahead

I can't even tell you how much I hate working at this new branch this week. I haven't blogged about it, I don't want to blog about it, I just want to forget about it. My supervisor hates me for no reason and I really wish the walking rhino would leave me alone. I'm trying to keep my head down, steer clear of her, but she's seeking me out and its ridiculous.

I say, "Good morning," and she says, "Whatever."
I think that pretty much sums it up.

Sadly, I have to work there tomorrow and next week too.

By the way, its been snowing. A lot. The roads are bad. So today, I dreaded the drive to work, I dreaded being at work and I dreaded driving home from work. And my entire night has been spent... dreading the repeat of it tomorrow.

If the weather clears up though, I'll be spending part of the weekend with my BABIES. And taking them to see Santa. So for my sake, cross your fingers that the snow melts away... and that things start to clear up a bit - at work and on the roads.

How the crap is it December already?

The beginning of the "Christmas Season" for me for the past four years was getting on that first flight back on my trip back to Pittsburgh and hearing the Christmas music playing in the cabin as everyone found their seats. Without that moment, I'm wondering when Christmas will suddenly feel like Christmas for me...

Because so far this year, I'm really just annoyed with all the festivities.

I feel a little more hum-bug than I want to feel.

Maybe I'll be more excited once my friends are all back in town. Though the ones I'm dying to be with right now are thousands of miles away.

McDaddy

Ohhhh yes.

I have always been that girl with the "Hot Dad."

Fashion Sense

So my Pap was wearing his jacket tucked into his pants today, instead of a shirt.

My dad had brought over some winter clothes for him this week apparently, but Pap didn't like any of them. Hey, even at 94.5, Pap still has more fashion sense than my dad.

Well, kind of.

He IS the one walking around with a jacket tucked into his pants.

How Fat People Are Stacked Up in Life

....you just KNOW some skinny bitch was responsible for putting "Big Boned" next to "That Extra Half an Inch" by Victoria Beckham.