Category Archives: Admin

One of Those Days

Posted on 10.11.2011 | 7 Comments

Today we’re going the slightly more mundane route because that just happens to be the mood I’m in.  Some days we have themes, sometimes there are Important Issues to Workshop, but this is just not one of those posts.

I don’t know whether or not to blame it on the fact that today was quiet, or the fact that I’ve been engaging in a fair bit of blog spring-cleaning for the last 24 hours.

Is it spring?  No.  But when I realized that I had absolutely no clue what was even on some of my pages anymore, it was time to do…something.  We’re talking major cobwebs, kittens.

No bueno.

Tonight post-workout, Marcus and I realized that in order to make our dinner complete, a trip to the grocery store was needed.  Since we’re fortunate to live so close to one (maybe half a mile), we decided to capitalize on yet another gorgeous night and walk there.

Of the many things we will be doing in December, THAT will not be one of them.

If you’re from The Tundra, then you know that the threat of a Winter Without End (or more concisely, the month of December) is an effective motivator for anything and everything concerning the outdoors during the change of seasons.

So we threw on shoes and Proper Clothes For Being Seen In Public Spaces and headed out.

On our return trip, I asked myself the eternal blogging question:

Do my readers actually want to see a snap of Marcus in a pedestrian-type situation carrying a grocery bag filled with hash browns and creamy horseradish sauce?

I think we all know the answer to that question.

Yes.

Obviously.

When we got home, I actioned a roast beef-type arrangement, using none of the things that we had just purchased.

(This would be a Vegetarians Look Away! moment.)

It was overwhelming and thrilling – all at once.

Miraculously, The Universe was for our cause and our labors were rewarded with a perfectly medium rare roast.  To die for.  Y’all will hear more about that on Friday.

Just because we’re aimlessly wandering today doesn’t mean I want to throw off the schedule for the rest of the week ;)

What does it take to get you outside when the weather is nice?

Action shot of Marcus – yes or no?

Bloggers, how do you decide what snaps make The Blog and which snaps don’t?

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Admin

Gathering the odd thought

Posted on 07.31.2011 | 11 Comments

1. The dress was fabulous.  It should, however, be noted that since it has some type of tulip layering on the front, leg crossing can lead to crotch-flashing.

Live dangerously.

2. My new planner officially begins this week.  Praise God.  After a few days of reflecting on its size (Bri thought I brought a Bible into work…not kidding), I’ve come to see it as a testament to my Instinct To Plan.

3.  As a forewarning, this week is a hot mess, scheduling-wise.  Marcus and I are booked every day and night until the 8th with the exception of tomorrow night.  We didn’t even buy proper food to cook for dinner.

Yes, seriously.

I’m as perplexed as you are.

Though, I am of a mind to action a pasta dish tomorrow night using some vegetables that we sourced from the farm.  I don’t remember the last time that noodles graced our table.  Can you?

4. I need to renew my Vogue subscription or else we are going to be living in a world of hurt when The September Issue goes out.

It might be hearsay, but I think they’ve been losing a bit of their edge lately.

Regardless of what layouts and spreads they are or are not doing, it’s like eating your vegetables.  It simply must be done.

While you’re at it, take note that blue is joining orange and Pendleton-style prints as The Thing To Wear this season.

5. While we were out last night, instead of taking pictures of meaningful things, like friends, I focused my efforts on beer boards and taps.

I’m confused by it too.

But since I committed, we may as well do a viewing.  It’s called, Tap Study.

Don’t lie, you’re loving the Lomo here as much as I am.

6. I just renewed my domain for another five years.  When I was talking about it with Marcus tonight, it was absolutely mind-boggling to think that two years ago I was desperately trying to migrate my blog from Blogger to WordPress, buy a domain and map it all out.

Do we still have a long way to go?  Absolutely.  I would be lying if I said that I knew what was next.  Because there are a lot of things that could be next.

But that’s not the moral of this story.  The moral is that time flies.  Modern day Aesop, right here.

What was the most spontaneous thing you did this weekend?

Bloggers, do you self-host or not?  Why?  How did you decide if you were meant to spring for a custom layout or tweak an existing-one?

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Posted in Admin, The Ordeal

Admin is Our Anthem

Posted on 07.11.2011 | 16 Comments

Kittens, today I feel like we have all manner of admin to get out of the way as far as my life is concerned.  I don’t even think it’s a proper Potpourri!, because it’s not so much that my mind is wandering, but the fact that everything is happening at once.

We all know how that goes.

So let’s do it, shall we?

1. I’m officially job searching.

God.  It was liberating just to type that.  Because it has kind of been in the cards for, well, months a year now.

(I suppose this is the portion of the show where we’ll find out if I’ve done as good a job as I thought I did at keeping this little corner of the internet a secret from my employer.)

But now that we’re home from the honeymoon and our life bears some semblance of a regular “routine,” it is just time.

What am I looking for?  Something new.  Hopefully something that involves writing, social media, or nonprofit work.  It might not be one full-time job, but rather a few part-time things with the odd bit of freelance work thrown in.

Where will all of this lead?  I have absolutely NO idea.  But, I’m quite looking forward to the part where I find out.

2. On a more superficial note, I’ve finally managed to whip my professional wardrobe back into shape.

Translation: I can exclusively wear a cool color palette one week and a warm color palette the next.  It’s an 11/10 way to make sure that you’re not a weekly outfit repeater.  And when all else fails, if you can’t remember whether or not you wore that particular combination the week before, no one else will either.

3. I am IN LOVE with my immersion blender.  I haven’t gone near our food processor yet, but emboldened by a marinade I needed to action (and a serious craving for things that come in a cold, slurry-like form) we became BFFS over a 24 hour period this weekend.

I’m practically ready to carve our initials into a block of wood to commemorate the bond we’ve got going on.  KM+IB 4 EVA.

4. I’ve been holding out on you all.

Yes, we have Le Jardin Proper Flourishing on the deck.

Though, it might be noted that yesterday in the Intense Heat, the Basil tried to commit seppuku (I know, so dark).  I, in no uncertain terms informed it that it was Not Allowed.

But I know you wondered what happened to those planters that were filled with tomato plants in a past life.  You see, after Sue re-planted those varmints, she returned the planters with new flowers.  It was quite thrilling really because I had spent ridiculous amounts of time contemplating a planter on our front step and absolutely zero time doing anything about it.

So, anyhow.  About those planters.  They’re filled with marigolds, something that looks like a cousin of baby’s breath and those neon spear-type arrangements that come in fire-y oranges, reds and yellows.

And last weekend, a new surprise emerged from the greenery.

SNAP DRAGONS.

I don’t know about you, but back in the day when I was but a wee, tiny, school-aged pup, my knowledge of plants included the following: Maple Trees, Oak Trees, Pussy Willows, Marigolds, Tulips and Snap Dragons.  I no longer have the urge to behead them and use the blossoms as fun-sized finger puppets, but they do give me a delightful little jolt of glee when I see them blooming.

Smoothie-makers: What is your favorite breakfast smoothie recipe? 

I don’t have any protein powder right now (but if you have suggestions of brands/places to buy it would be welcome) but I definitely have a fridge stocked with greek yogurt and milk, a cabinet full of oats and frozen berries like whoah.

What flowers do you remember learning about as a little pup?

I swear, the number of thematic crafts we had to do around flowers in preschool was astonishing, really.

→ 16 Comments

Posted in Admin, le jardin, Work

Flourishing and Growing

Posted on 06.30.2011 | 7 Comments

Oh, how Order And Routine continue to re-assert themselves in my life.

The post-dinner jet lag is beginning to loosen its grip.

I finally have my Google Reader down to ~50 items (I was at 600-some when we touched down) and am starting to catch-up on all of the lovely comments you left me while I was away. They were a LOVELY surprise to come home to :)

I still can’t manage to jump back on-board with Twitter (why must everything be so immediate?).  It’s actually kind of ironic, considering the fact that I spent the first three days of our Honeymoon thinking in 140 characters or less.

I know.  I KNOW.

It was that bad.

While we were away, The Tarragon drowned itself in some sort of Torrential downpour, but The Basil Embraced The Tropical Conditions we’ve been experiencing.  It’s deadset Industrious as far as Growing and Flourishing are concerned.

Far Right: RIP Tarragon

We have been actioning Caprese Salads at every available opportunity.  Seizing The Day is key when faced with such abundance.

Meanwhile, The Oregano has really tried to put its best foot forward as far as Regeneration goes.

I did have a snap of that too, but it seems to have purged itself.  Not that there was really much to see.

Perhaps by the time Fall rolls around we’ll have some progress.

What plants have you has Mother Nature managed to kill off in your garden this year?

What’s your go-to dish when you have basil on-hand?

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Admin, Kat in White, le jardin

Bon Voyage!

Posted on 06.13.2011 | 15 Comments

It’s completely crazy to think that we’ll be gone for two weeks!

It’s even crazier to think that while we’re gone we’ll be totally disconnected.  We did rent an Internationally-enabled phone for the trip in-case of emergency (list of things I don’t want to do in foreign countries: find a pay phone, try to ascertain what our Embassy’s phone number is) but we will not be tweeting, e-mailing or calling anyone.

Yes, we could spend an hour here or there in an Internet Cafe.  But then we wouldn’t be living life.  We would be internet-ing.

I spent the better part of last week coming to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be reading the news, which is a hard concept to grasp for a girl who probably spends two or three hours reading the news every day.

But considering the fact that the last time we were in Europe, I had to figure out that Israel was waging war on Lebanon IN FRENCH, I think we’ll be just fine.

Disconnected-ness aside, I did post an odd smattering of personal thoughts as well as a TROVE of Guest Posts to keep you entertained while I’m away.  All of these ladies went Above And Beyond with what they sent for me to share with you all (I owe them all big time!) and I hope you’ll give them your love in the comments section and visit their blogs!

No pre-trip post is complete without a snap of our food stash.  Without further adieu, our snacks…

His.

Hers.

Excessive?  Maybe.  But the way I see it, we’ll be moving for an entire day to- and from- The Continent.  If we’ve learned anything in the past 5-10 years, it’s that airline food is no longer trustworthy.  Depending on what time we actually make it to the hotel on Tuesday (fingers crossed it is before whatever time we jet-laggedly declare to be dinner!), we might be surrounded by really great food options, or we might be surrounded by granola bars.

I’m loaded down with magazines, the first four books of the A Song of Ice and Fire series (if 4,000 pages doesn’t stave off boredom, I don’t know what will), and puzzling things like crosswords and sudokus.

But let me tell you something.  Have you ever tried to do a crossword or a sudoku sitting next to my husband?  Because I have on many a flight, and this is what transpires:

I take out the book.
I take out my pen.
I start…you know, solving and all that.
Out of nowhere, I have this head practically on my shoulder, staring down the page in a very intense fashion.
My puzzle is no longer my own.

Welcome to the new regime.

Are you a crossword person or a sudoku person?  Both?  Neither?

I’ll be honest.  Even though I “do” them, I rarely actually complete a puzzle…hahahahahahaha.

→ 15 Comments

Posted in Admin, Kat in White, vacation

The Law Of The Land

Posted on 05.21.2011 | 13 Comments

There’s so much to share and yet now is neither the time nor the place.

We had a rather ferocious storm earlier this evening and I started to type, but I got rather distracted by the open bottle of Cabernet we had lying around and our new wine aerator.

Sorry I’m not sorry.

Consider this a cautionary tale in what happens when the last pre-wedding date night you can squash into the schedule happens to be at Chimborazo.

As I was scraping the very last bits of the tres leches cake off of the plate, Marcus thanked me for not actually licking the plate in a public place.

Being seen with me in a public place is a privilege, not a right

Seriously?  Minneapolis readers, run, don’t walk.

And make sure to bring all of your hipster friends.  Because it’s not so hip that people don’t bathe, but it’s definitely hip enough that Buffalo Check is the Pattern of Choice and ironic hats are The Law Of The Land.

Take heart in the fact that there was nary a scarf to be seen in the entire place.

There’s also a bit of Blog Admin we can expect to address in the next few days…

  • Birthday.  Tenaciously Yours, has turned three behind our backs.  Expect excessive amounts of reflection and introspection as well as a giveaway.
  • Running.  It’s quite the ordeal.
  • Rhubarb.  Harvest it, cook it.  So many ways, so little time.
  • My mane.  I no longer look homeless.  But to solve the problem, I had to trust-fall into Fate’s arms.

If you’d like a laugh tonight, Billy wrote a guest post back in the day that left Marcus and I practically in-tears when we re-read it last night.  He and Dad went to Cici’s Pizza once upon a time (they have NEVER been back) and, let’s just say that I hope for your sanity, you never find yourselves in that situation.

How do you identify Hipsters?

What’s the last “new” type of cuisine you have gotten to try?

→ 13 Comments

Posted in Admin

A Bit of Admin

Posted on 04.04.2011 | 9 Comments

Happy Monday, kittens!

Since it’s the beginning of April…and because I was busy snarfing late-night toast (we live first, post second), it’s likely time for a bit of blog admin, so please bear with me.

1. In a twist of irony, despite the fact that I have all sorts of stuff that I want to share with you this week (some of it’s snorts-funny, other bits are just pure ridiculousness), it is not the time nor the place.  So stay tuned.

2. PLEASE go check out my guest post for Stephanie @ Stephanie in Suburbia!  We’re holding down the fort for her up here on the tundra while she and her lovely husband are gallivanting about on the streets of San Francisco.  Homegirl is hysterical and she imports a much-needed dose of hilarity into everyday life.

3. I won my first blog giveaway.  Ever.  Ann @ Twelve in Twelve hosted it and from the looks of it, I’ll be sporting a new workout tank sooner than later!

This is yet another reason that the snow/rain-mix needs to stop making weekly appearances on our weather forecast.  I would really like for spring to “officially” be here so I can start sporting all of my sweet new workout gear in the great outdoors.  My newest pair of Ravennas are still a little TOO white, if you know what I mean.

Have you ever won a blog giveaway?

Are you a bright white tennis shoe-person or do you favor the broken-in look?

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Posted in Admin

A Bit of Admin

Posted on 02.07.2011 | 20 Comments

Despite the fact that the Dust Bunnies are basically building their own version of Fort Knox on the living room floor, for some reason I feel the need to do a bit of admin on this side to get things in order.

1. I’m moving all of my cooking chat to Fridays.  I love cooking.  I love sharing what’s going on in our kitchen with y’all.  But I don’t want to turn this into a food blog (any more than I want to turn it into a healthy living or a style blog…I think we can all agree that my area of expertise is Living Life) and lately, I seem to be slapping WAY too many pictures of this dinner or that up.

Since Marcus and I rarely (if ever) cook on Fridays, that seems like the perfect time to do a run-down of the week’s kitchen-capades.  Obviously if we’re going to a festively-themed potluck or something of that nature, it might warrant an entirely separate post.  But we’ll see how that goes.

On the other side of the coin, is there anything you want to see more of?

2. In the next few weeks (it could be sooner, it could be later), expect a post on how Marcus and I do our grocery budgeting/shopping.  I’ve gotten more than a few questions and comments section about that and I’m more than happy to share.  Please take note, we do not buy in bulk, and besides the fact that the stores we do the majority of our shopping at don’t “do” coupons, I lack the energy, patience OR organization to engage in Couponing.

So please accept my apologies, but I will NOT be able to educate you in those Dark Arts.

3. I think I reached my I ate Oatmeal for breakfast INSERT PICTURE OF BOWL HERE – saturation point today.  Skinny Runner’s post perfectly encapsulates my feelings on why I’m not a food blogger and Tina’s  latest post on Carrots ‘n Cake (while I appreciate her belated honesty) illustrates why I believe that healthy living blogging can be, for some, an extremely dangerous dance.  When someone chooses to share 90% of what they’re eating or embracing for a fitness routine, it’s FAR too easy to believe that it’s the entire picture (or play fill-in-the-blanks with the last 10%), regardless of what disclaimers you slap on it.

Or, to put it bluntly, I don’t read your blog to read about someone that you aren’t.

Through my comments and my clicks, I will continue to support healthy living bloggers who I believe are being true to themselves and their readers.  The wonderful part about both of these communities is that there are so many women who are working every day to make healthy, lasting, real lifestyle changes.  A few PERFECT examples as of late would be Ann’s letter to herself last week and Tina’s unapologetic post about the reality of her post-partum exercise routine.  They were both so immediate and so honest.  I was just floored, really

Given that my stance is as such and today is apparently one giant Honesty Box (thank you Facebook for so many applications that we really NEVER needed), my disclaimer of the day is that you should really avoid shopping for a smaller pair of work pants the day before That Time Of Month.  You’re only setting yourself up for failure.  And I will not be diving into that bag on the floor of my closet until next week.

4. Superbowl XLV.  I’m still recovering.  The Black-Eyed Peas halftime show falls into the category of things you can’t just un-see even though as Jason pointed out, now we know where some of the costumes from the Beijing 2008 opening cermonies went.  Some people were chuffed about Xtina botching the lyrics to the National Anthem,some people were fixated on her weight, I was so distracted trying to figure out whether her hair was real or not that I missed ALL OF THE ABOVE.

5. There was a moment this weekend in which I had a total FACEPALM moment.  Ems (one of my bridesmaids) and I were doing the wine tasting-thing and she was talking with another girl about the semester she spent abroad in Scotland at St. Andrews.  And then I experienced a moment that was kind of straight-out of A Beautiful Mind where I realized she had been at the University at the same time as William and Kate.  At which point she informed me that she actually had run into Prince William at the Tesco.  How she could have overlooked a detail SO critical to the very foundation of our friendship was beyond both of us.  There was lots of shrieking involved.

What’s your perspective on accountability in the healthy living community?

I’ll be the first to tell you that blogging is based off of a few snapshots in one person’s life on any given day.

But I do believe that when you’re posting more than once a day with explicit details about your meals and workouts, you do have a certain amount of obligation to your readers as a role model.  That’s how we as a community are able to establish what things like real, normal and predictable outcomes are.

Have you ever had a Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?-moment with one of your friends?

→ 20 Comments

Posted in Admin, nesting, Rants, Royals