TGIW!  Thank god it's wednesday.  I am seriously over the moon that I don't have to work and wake up early for the next two days.  Actually that's a lie.  I will be taking advantage of black friday sales on Friday morning.  It annoys me that the sales don't come out till tomorrow - but I'm an industrious young lady so I found them online at Black Friday 2008.

Based on what I saw there I will be hitting up Target, Best Buy, Kohl's (maybe) and Old Navy (another maybe).  I plan to put together a list of people who I'm getting xmas presents together and killing it in one fowl swoop.  Totally won't happen but I'll try.

I don't really like Thanksgiving.  I don't like the food and my mom always invites her crazy brother and sister and their equal if not more crazy kids.  She thinks they're crazy too and generally trys to stay away from them but always ends up calling them.  To top it off crazy stepsister will also be attending.  I predict my anxiety will either a. keep me hidden in my bedroom or b I'll probably end up leaving and making an excuse that someone else invited me over.   

When I get married and have kids I'm not going to make a big deal about Thanksgiving.  I'm going to let them vote on their favorite foods and I'll make it all.  Kind of like Signs.  Except we won't be abducted by aliens.

Anywho.  Last weekend was eventful.  I saw Twilight.  Yes I did.  I thought it was great and I expected way more crazies than I encountered.  This one group of girls next to us we're echoing our sentiments of crazies and then they proceed to tell us they waited 18 hours at the local mall to meet Robert Pattison.  Um yeah that's crazy.  Overall I really enjoyed the movie.  Maybe even more than the book.  It was fun - though the movie Hill and I would be like "I totally pictured their house being brown" or "Really that's what they think Eric looks like."  They set up the end perfectly.

Grattuitous Robert Pattison photo:

Saturday I lounged around, drank alot of coffee, lunched with Annie and took a nap.  I haven't napped in years.  It was exhilarating.  Seriously amazing.  I hadn't seen the elusive Patrick Dunn in like year (ok more like a few weeks) so we planned some major hangoutage.  We went to Club Chilis - which is actually Chili's but since our hero Liz Lemon called it Club Chilis so will we.  After other defunct plans we decided to go hang out with Gary who was still in his pajamas at his house. We played SceneIt! Seinfeld and it was all I hoped it would be.  I'm not as good as I thought I would be.  Gary and Molly were the best.  While Gary got ready I played with this dog he was dog sitting and Pat played selections from his iTunes.  The dogs name was D'Artagnan but Pat kept calling him Diedre.  Super cute.  

We then trickled on down to Rockland hot spot Player's (Club - we'll add club to anything).  This place is cool because it's got alot of everything.  Darts and pool tables, a pimp bar and huge TV's and then another area for functions and bands to play.  This band called the Smoking Jacket's were playing Saturday night and they were good!  They knew EVERYTHING.  They would go from Sublime, to Tom Petty to Justin Timberlake.  The ladies danced while the boys chatted.  There was some shadyness going on at one point while we were outside getting fresh air (It was like 25 degrees outside but 125 degrees inside).  I get a frantic text from Pat so I come back in and he's running towards the door "Fight!".  What?  Yeah there was a fight between this HUGE guy who promoting for Alex's and the bar tender.  BY that time we decided to leave anyways.  We talked on our respective rides home and I listened to Pat's philosophies on where signs should be in relative to their actual location, why I should watch my favorite shows WHEN they are on if I don't want them to be cancelled (Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money RIP) and other goodies.  Pat I will make a book someday of all your thoughts.  

Got to hustle if I want to leave early.  I'm stupid and scheduled a conference call with my account team at 2pm EST.  Hoping to get out after that.

xok

The new Killers album is amazing.  Mind blowing if you will.  While perusing the internet for gossip I found one of my FAVORITE Killers vignettes from Jimmy Kimmel two years ago.  It was actually one of the first things I ever put on my blog.  So until I bring you a full review of Day and Age, here is a video of the Killers telling Jimmy why they are called the Killers:

"Gift baskets."

Oh and Happy Thursday.

"I bought a whole bunch of apartments. I bought a black apartment."

Is it crazy that in less than two weeks it will be December??  I think so!

Though I can't wait till next week because it's short!!

So, ok update.  Someone asked me about my apartment hunt the other day and I didn't even realize I didn't fill anyone in about my experience.  Ok so this is my first apartment hunting on my own so it's been pretty daunting.  I found a really cute place that I got a tour of on Halloween.  I find it amazing how some people can take photos to make rooms/spaces look HUGE because this place that I looked at seriously looked HUGE.  Then again for the price I guess that was wishful thinking.  

It was cute and probably the PERFECT size for me except two small issues.  OK the first one is a big issue.  There was ONE closet and it was in the bedroom aka for clothes.  My big problem right now is SPACE so I NEED at least one closet besides the one in the bedroom.  Ok well I'll give them the benefit of the doubt - there was TWO closets but they put the fridge in one of them.  Weird. 

Second thing was that the bathroom was in the bedroom which I thought was weird.  People have been telling me it's not but I think it is.  For ex to go to the bathroom you have to go through the bedroom.  I don't know it just caught me as weird.  Then she took me in the basement to show me the washer and dryer (good!) and the "storage" which had the largest dead cockroach/beetle in it.  Yah not putting my stuff down there.  

So I'm going to halt my search to at least February.  Gives me more time to save and I really love my mom's house around Christmas!

Work has been insanely busy.  More lately than ever.  Lots of new business pitches and presentations happening and I'm trying to lend a hand wherever I can.  Sad news came to us yesterday - one of our smaller clients called us to tell us they'd laid off a ton of people and they most likely wouldn't have us work for them anymore which makes me so sad.  I LOVE this client.  I love everything they stand for and the products we represent are AMAZING and I feel really proud doing PR for them.  I would work for them for free but sadly it's a lot more complicated than that.  We have some new business opps in the coming weeks so I'm hoping things will look up.  I mean - I've seen client teams fall apart because the client leaves.  Scary stuff.

My two co-workers (I always think of Jim from the office when I say co-workers because he says he could never call his co-workers friends - but in my case my co-workers are friends of mine) and I went out to dinner and drinks. 

We went to the Cheesecake Factory which was a unanimous vote.  My boss totally got pulled over getting there because she challenged me to find out which way was faster: Rt 123 or Rt 3A.  She said she felt the competitive nature take over and she ran a red light without even knowing.  She only got a warning but we had some giggles about it (and I plan calling her out at the all staff meeting tomorrow!).

We had so much fun.  I laugh SO hard when I am with them!  I swear the waiter thought we were psycho because of the laughs that were coming from our table.  We were talking SO much about work that Kathleen was like OK let's share something with each other that we wouldn't know otherwise.  So I told them the story of my NSYNC obsession when I was 16 and sending in a FANatic video.  I pretended to be naked in the middle of the road (I had a top pulled down and shorts on) and I held a poster board over my body that said "I AM NSYNCS BIGGEST FAN."  Wonder why I didn't win.  They liked that one.  

I told them I had a blog and that I'm not hiding anything so they can read if they want.  They know how obsessed I am with funny pictures/signs so were asking about which ones make the cut.  Kathleen asked me about one that I don't think I ever put up here:

From the Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis.  Probably the nicest place I've EVER stayed (seriously there was a tv in the bathroom but the shower was weird. I kept looking for a door but there wasn't one.).  They had this mile high sex kit in the minibar so obviously I had to take a picture of it.  Enlarge it to read the text better (that's what she said?).  I showed my boss the next day and she couldn't believe it.

I have some more gems from my phone that I've never posted on my blog. Stay tuned.

xok

Need this.

http://www.amazon.com/Scene-It-25738-Seinfeld/dp/B0017WDWTG

So bad.

So Wednesday night, Robyn and I went to see The Academy Is.. at the Roxy.  I can't explain my love of them.  I don't follow the whole Fall Out Boy/Cobra Starship/Gym Class Heroes bull but I just love The Academy Is...  Their albums are always strong and I generally love every single song and yes I might have a fan girl crush on William Beckett.  I know he weighs as much as my boobs but he's just so cute.

He's the dude in the middle for those who are wondering ;).  It took me forever to pick a picture of them I actually liked.  Clearly they all spend way too much time on their hair and  I don't care.  

Did I also mention we were the oldest people there who weren't accompanying children?  I made the merch guy feel totally inappropriate of course.  There was an adorable hoodie - and as I've learned before everything sold at shows like this are actually in Abercrombie sizing.  A large really means an extra small.  So I put it boldly:

Me: What size is that?

Awkward merch dude: Medium.

Me: Hmmm well me and the girls here, we take up alot of room.  **as this point it grab my boobs** (and before you say OMG slut I was a C cup in third grade so I've been dealing with this crap forever!)

Awkward: Ahh emm umm

Me: Can I try it on?

Just like I predicted there was enough room everywhere else but the boobies.  Rats.  

Anyways we got there early enough to see We The Kings who were adorable and did a really cool cover of "Feel Good" by the Gorillas.  The lead singer is a raging redhead and in his part to "Save the Redheads" they sell a shirt at the shows that says "I love redheads."  That provided me endless giggles.  They also have a shirt that says "We the kings will own your face."  I appreciated that too.

TAI came out for about an hour (WTF is that about boys) but packed it with all my favorites but not Sleeping with Giants which is prettyyy much my favorite.  I was all set to hear them play "The Test" acoustic as I mentioned on this post.  Instead they came out and played a new song - which apparently was the first time they've ever played it.  All in all they were fucking awesome.  I have pictures and one video so hopefully I'll get a chance to load them this weekend.  I was going to have two videos but "Checkmarks" makes me so happy that I couldn't focus on taping - I just needed to dance.

In other amazing exciting news - I discovered there is an ULTA in Massachusetts!!! Yes you have seen right.  I guess this means very little to people who are just experiencing it for the first time but it is this AMAZING store that's better - yes BETTER than Sephora.  They had one in New York and Lauren and I would go all the time.  It's like a Sephora but instead of all high end stuff it's high-end stuff, middle stuff and also products from Cover Girl, Clairol and maybe even the old favorite - Wet N Wild.

I went up to see my good friends Hillary and John last night at their new apt and we decided we could explore the area a bit and grab some food.  As we are pulling into the parking lot I see it - I probably gave poor John a heart attack and I knew as soon as I told Hillary what it was she would die.  I immediately apologized for the heart attack and for the fact that Hillary would find a new place to spend money.  They have EVERYTHING here.  I was sure they would have my discontinued Frederic Fekkai shampoo and conditioner - sadly they did not.

Since I've been little I've always had an obsession with shampoo.  I would get my allowance and walk down to Shaw's of F&M (omg remember that place!!) and I would buy a new conditioner and shampoo.  I just love that first day with a new shampoo - the honeymoon phase if you will.  After discussing my love of FF with a sales gal she brought me over to Biolage and said that this one variety was the best for my hair.  Side note: When I was looking for that link I saw that it got a Self Health and Beauty Award in 2008 so that's exciting!!  Working in PR I know how hard stuff like that is and that award winners go through vigorous testing.  For the record my hair feels amazing (Pat I am so sorry I know I told you I would stop talking about hair and dresses!!).

Anywho I am very happy with my purchase.  Also I couldn't walk out without a new OPI nail laquer called Don't Toy with Me.  That link does NOT do it justice.

xok

THEY'RE BACK!

I've been a buzz since I heard Letter's to Cleo were performing together again for a very brief reunion.  PS Don't know why the picture is weird and being cut off.  I really do like USA Mike. Obvs I got tickets right away but I just can't wait.  Trent went to Saturday nights show and it's just made me more excited.  I have a dream set list and I'm holding back from asking him because I want to be surprised.  Is that nerdy.  Ok here is my dream set list:

I See

Wasted

Here and Now (obvs)

Come Around

Because of You

Find You Dead

Veda Very Shining

Co-pilot

Anchor

I got time

GO! (which BTW is featured in the latest JC Penney commerical.  Rando.)

Alouette and Me (has it been confirmed that this is NOT about cheese?)

Never Tell

Secret Agent

Dreams cover

Demon Rock

Acid Jed

Pizza Cutter

Do What you want, yeah

I Want You to Want me (guess it wouldn't be a cleo set list without this)

Ok so my favorite album is GO! w/e. 

Just about a month away. Weee.  In other tickets news: I wanted to get Killers tickets for Jan 26 at Agannis arena.  I totally forgot - two days later I went to see if I could still get them and alas I could not. Sold the fuck out.  I have such bad luck.  Still kind of dancing around the idea of going to see The Academy Is... wednesday night.  It's in Boston so that helps (as opposed to Worcester - I'm such an old lady I can't go out there on "school" nights).  Eh I don't know.

My car has been on the fritz a bit.  I'm getting it checked out tomorrow am (check engine light is on and it died TWICE on Saturday but since then has been fine) so let's hope it's nothing crazy.  

I also got myself a pretty "holiday parties" dress.

Cute right?  So obsessed.  BUT see that little tie?  Yeah I didn't like it because it kind cut me off at a weird point - so I cut it off and moved it up closer to the bust.  Marc Jacobs eat your heart out.

XOKZ

Weekend fun.  Killer's performing "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."

In other news my blogspot dashboard is all in spanish?  Que?

Crazy-ness!  I'm still in awe over Obama winning.  It still gives me the chills.  Hope you all saved your newspapers from yesterday.  My favorite though are the people who are like "OMG I'm moving to Canada, Mexico etc," I think Switzerland was the best one so far.  Seriously - if people can't see how positive this will be for our country I'd be happy to see them go.  

Halloween was fun!!  I went to Target on Friday trying to find a costume and obviously found nothing.  However I did keep my devil horns on all day.  Someone at the party was like ok I know what you are!  You're a horny teacher.  So I took that as my identity for the night.

That's moi in the middle.  That argyle sweater was $20 at Target.  Get it.  Heather was a pregnancy pact girl from Gloucester.  Best costume.  Better seeing as Chris totally dropped her at one point.

The party was SO fun!! Alysse and I are kind of the Queens of beer pong but after our first game took like an hour we decided to call it quits.  Next time!  Lots of amazing costumes and good people.  They really went all out.  Kudos.

Next day I went to a beer tasting at Curtis Liquors which was awesome.  I ended up falling in love with Woodchuck and ended up buying a 12 pack (which earned me two free pint glasses).  So good!  My reason initially for going there was to get Hillary her favorite wine before I made the trek to go see her in Winthrop.  I make it seem far but really it's not!  Bad wine selection up there though.  

Went to Hill and John's new pad and helped them unpack/organize.  Their couch, which is the best couch EVER - didn't fit in the new place so they traded with their new neighbor (who helped them get the place!  Not a rando).  Not the best couches so we went to Target for more randoms and a slip cover (best invention EVER?).  We also picked out curtains and some other items to beautify (you'd think it was my apt too).  

When I got home later I found out that my uncle had passed earlier in the week.  Back story is I don't really talk to my Dad's side of the family.  They kind of forgot about me after my Dad died 16 years ago.  In an odd twist of fate - my uncle Richie - the one who just passed, had contacted me this year and we had been trading emails for a while up till about Oct 25.  We finally made plans to get dinner and drinks Nov 14.

I wondered why last week he wasn't emailing and I found out that he was found dead Oct 27. Cause of death is still pending.  Luckily I didn't miss the wake and found out it was Sunday.  I was a ball of a nerves all day.  Should I go, should I not go and send a card.  NO.  I was going to go.  For 16 years I have had something missing - I was super close with my cousins and aunts before that and I had missed it so much.  I tried to tell myself I didn't and that I was the better person -but after this year and reconnecting with uncle - I really felt like it was time to try and mend a relationship with them.

I won't get into all the details that will probably make me cry again - but the whole thing turned out great (minus the fact we were at a wake) my family cried when they saw me, I cried and everyone was just so shocked to see me.  They put pictures of me on these picture collages they made for the wake and it was one of the FIRST thing I saw when I walked in an it immediately made me feel better.  I met two cousins I never even knew about!  They're so cute.  I really regret not making sure I saw my uncle sooner but things happen for a reason - and in an eerie way I feel like maybe he knew he wasn't doing well and he would bring everyone back in the end.  He was only 48 - and looked WAY younger.  I'm so curious to know what happened.  

My aunts and I traded emails and my aunt who lives in Milton - emailed me the other day the sweetest note - that yes made me cry - now you know why I've been an emotional wreck this week.

Seeing my family inspired me to bring out some old school pics!  So I present you with Kristen circa 1980's:

My cousin Nicky and I in front of the old Dorchester house (which is now a spanish realtors office - tres sad).

Kim and I!  St Patrick's Day parade in Southie.

I loved that stinkin doll.  She's kind of scary now that I'm thinking.

This is my uncle and I.  I Must be like almost three.

My trip down memory lane.  You can see the others at my Facebook page (it's a public link you don't need a password - but feel free to add me!)  So happy the people I tagged were good sports lol.

Last order of biznass.  MUSIC!

I made it the Top 11 this week because I love the Cribs so much and I've been giving them a ton of love.  I love that new Coldplay album so much.  I wouldn't have even gotten into it if Pat didn't ask me to steal it (which I haven't done in FOREVER thankyouverymuch).  It's phenomenal and kind of matches my mood this week.  Somber but positive.  42, Lost! (with the exclamation point lol) Lovers in Japan, Life in Technicolor, and obvs Viva la Vida are the standouts.  So good.  I'm taking a break from my pod today and enjoying Sky.fm on itunes radio.  Seriously the best for non-stop 80's hits.  I'm talking like Foreigner, George Michael, Debbie Gibson, Madonna, and Aha (right now I have Take on Me!  Helll yes).

Good stuff.

Once again GOBAMA!

xokz

Say hello to the new first family!!

Words can't express the emotions I felt even walking into the voting booth knowing that I was voting for someone I KNEW could turn this country around.  I really wanted to scream it from the rooftops.  But my pin showed where my loyalties were (which BTW they made me take off in the voting room and I hurried to put it on before I was barely out).  

His acceptance speech was awe inspiring.  I couldn't stop crying, this week has been an emotional one (more on that later - maybe) so that's probably why I was so choked up - but man I am just so floored about this.  I'm going to buy a paper today and put it away so I can show my kids someday - "This is when America became a place I was proud to live in."  I really have never been so proud of my country.  I wished so bad I could be in Grant Park last night hearing his speech in person, waving an American flag.  

The hate that people have for this man makes me sick. Well guess what.  He won by a landslide so he's doing something right.  I am so happy today!!!!  And still wearing my pin.