Sort-Of Spring

On mornings when I have the day off and where there's no particular agenda except some minor errands to be run, and spring is peaking ever so slightly through the 38 degree weather, I like to think of my old job at the zoo. I sold tickets, and normally around this time we processed a lot of field trips and early morning arrivals, most notably on "Senior Tuesdays" where bus loads of the senior-ist of citizens would show up and enjoy the peace and quiet of a mostly uncrowded zoo.

One morning a gentleman showed up bright eyed and bushy tailed and parked himself at my window before I even had a chance to settle in and count my change. Usually it's distracting when someone wants to talk to you prior to opening because your brain hasn't had time to prepare the "customer service" attitude and you feel that they should know that in advance. Terrible, but you know what I mean. In any case he was funny, charming, at not at all senior-like. We joked around a bit and I asked him what he was doing at the zoo so early. "It doesn't look like it, but I'm already retired. And some mornings, as a retired person, you just have to wander around and hope that someone gives you coffee." I laughed; what a fantastic aspiration. Low and behold two hours after opening he wandered out, coffee cup in hand, and made his way back to the parking lot.

My point being, that on a sort of spring day like this, I just want to pull on my jeans, wander the neighborhood, and hope that someone can give me coffee somewhere along the way. 

Sunday

In case you're wondering, I "lovingly ripped off" this little survey from Delightfully Tacky. It seemed like the perfect re-kick-start to my blogging adventures. I thought I would take a break for a couple of weeks and see if I was any better for it...but alas I am not. My creative outlets are few and far between, and eliminating the blog only added stress as opposed to decreasing it. I will try and remember this next time I decide to go blogger AWOL.

Reading...
Stuck on the last two chapters of Dresden File's Summer Knight. Once I'm finished I can't decide if I want to continue with the the series or take a little break with Diane Keaton's Then Again.


Watching...
Catching up on my Hulu queue. New Girl, Chicago Fire, Parks and Recreation, and I still have the last episode of 30 Rock there too. I can't bring myself to watch it! Need a new series to though...


Wishing...
I could get the remainder of my apartment put together. I moved in November and things are still in plastic boxes and art is still sitting on the floor. I need a plan of attack to organize and decorate this place on a limited budget. I would love it to feel more like my home than just a place to crash every night. I know these things take time, but I feel like I'm stalling by not doing the basic projects I've already set up for myself. Hopefully once those things are done I'll have a sense of direction in what I want to do next.


Proud of..
I started working out in my apartment four weeks ago and I'm still at it! I have yet to go outside for a run, but I can already feel a difference in my energy level just by doing plyometrics. I like the Bikini Body Workout from Self and the Get In Shape for Summer workout from Refinery29. I have also taken a greater interest in nutrition and cooking for myself, which isn't to say that I'm not having cereal for dinner every now and then, but I'm getting better!


Excited about...
Mama Morgan decided to come to Chicago for a few days at the end of March! Also the Atlanta trip and Color Run is fast approaching.


Impatiently awaiting...
Spring's arrival and the opportunity to wear all my sundresses and shorts again. I realize that I should be looking for on sale boots and winter coats, but I can't help but browse sandals, skirts, and swimwear for the upcoming Atlanta trip. As lovely as Chicago is in the winter, it's even better in the summer.

Writers Write.

There seem to be two basic theories when it comes to writing and they are as follows:

Image Via

One: if you're not feeling particularly inspired or creative, then don't write. It's better than producing utter crap. Lord help you if people actually read it and think you are a terrible writer.


Two: even if you're not feeling particularly inspired or creative, even if it's raining outside and your favorite pen is out of ink, even if you have a toe cramp or you'd rather be doing something more intriguing like cataloguing your extensive stamp collection, write. For God's sake write. Free flow even if you feel like holding a pen is painful and sentences are coming together slowly and dreadfully four words at a time. Just keep going. You may read it later and think: "Wow, this is some hot garbage." Or you just may surprise yourself.


In the absence of consistent blog posts my rainbow colored composition notebook has gone with me everywhere. While some days on the train I would rather listen to music and fall asleep leaning on the person next to me, I write anyway. On my break when I would rather skip down to Corner Bakery and buy a monster cookie, I'll write instead. Slowly but surely, I think I'm having a break through. Words, ideas, plots, characters, they're all starting to form on the pages like some congealed primordial brain goop. It isn't pretty but it's mine, and it's coming together.


The best advice I can give you on my own theories of writing is that Writers Write. Regardless of how messy or nonsensical. If you want to be a perfectionist, become an editor.


Writers Write. Period.

Monday

What did I say just a gosh darn week ago? Blog content is so hard to create when you're surrounded by gray slush and dropping temperatures. Luckily a few things have been ruling my world lately that have been pushing me full steam ahead. Those things are (in no particular order):

The arrival of Ms. Whiskey-Pants to Chicago on Saturday for RB's birthday. We are gonna tear. it. up.

Travel plans to see Ms. E in Atlanta and a potential road trip up to Nashville for the Color Run. Better dust off my running shoes.

Photo Via

Lastly but not least-ly, Starbucks oatmeal. I was already under the impression that steel cut oats were just good for your soul, but I will plan my day around making it to the Starbucks on Michigan and Adams just to get a bowl of this chunky deliciousness. I realize, I have a problem.

What's getting you through your winter week? (9 weeks until Spring!)

Sunday

I bet you don't know what today is! And the reason I'm a betting woman is because I didn't even realize it myself until last night...

One year ago today I started blogging! I spent November unpacking my belongings in my very first Chicago apartment, all the while hemming and hawing about a blog title (which really is the hardest part of staring a blog) then I eventually settled on Kiley Kate, it being my name and all.

I'm not one for speeches, but thank you to those of you who have supported me by reading Kiley Kate and admitting openly to me that you do read it and enjoy it. It means a lot to me as a writer working to find my voice and direction while I'm living and learning in Chicago.


I don't know about you, but I'm going to celebrate with a baked good of some sort, and I hope you'll do the same, at least in spirit you know. I'd love to share a cupcake with you all!

Have a lovely Sunday!

-K.K.

Nooks and Crannies

I would like to introduce you all to my lovely yet extremely awkward nook space. My neighbor tells me that everyone else has shelves in theirs, but not me. I have this adorable little nook.

Right now the nook houses my rocking chair and pseudo-end table/storage unit/bucket of summer clothes that I need to find new homes for. Plus my Christmas Tree, Albert. As happy as Albert is with his situation, I really think I need to spiff it up. I did a lot of soul searching and Pinteresting and decided that I wanted the nook to be...

// 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 //

...and adorable nook office! Clean and simple. I love the one drawer writer's desk with a chair and a file cabinet for extra storage (for my endless amounts of notebooks) and the two or three wall shelves for my books and tchotchkes. Just a cozy little place to work and be inspired. Seems like the perfect place to set my laptop up and type or go to first thing in the morning and write. I'm glad I didn't just get boring old shelves in my nook!

Headliner

Mom and I take road trips together. We took them mostly when I was in college to visit my relatives in New Orleans. She remembered taking them with her mother and how much fun they had. It's funny how your mom can become your best friend and yet you can still rely on her to parent you and give you advice when you need it.

One of the last times we went on one of these road trips I picked up Tennessee Williams' biography and read it out loud in the car. According to my research, Williams wasn't getting paid what he thought he should for his memoirs, so they often don't make any chronological sense and are subject to tangents where he'll be describing working with Clark Gable and then jump to the time he lived in New Orleans and he and his roommate would take turns getting sailors back to their apartment. Oh my Tennessee Williams. 

Recently Viking has been doing his own research because his grad school thesis role is a Tennessee Williams play. Viking's research says that while Williams was in grad school at the University of Iowa, he wrote two plays every month. His assignment was to write a short play based on a headline and turn it in after two weeks. That's how he got the idea for the play Viking is performing in this winter. I can attest to this since my honor's thesis was a play based off of a short scene I had written for a class. What better way to hop back on the playwriting wagon then to challenge myself to write two plays every month?

Here are some good ones I want to start with:

Things to do before summer ends

Fried chicken and marriage

Battles rage, a heroine suffers, under stormy skies at Santa Fe

24 Before I'm 25

I wanted to give myself some time after the 24 before 24 list to think about which goals I wanted to roll over and which to edit slightly or get rid of. Plus I had to come up with some new stuff, and I think I'm pretty happy with the results. I tried to err more on the side of achievable and yet something that would propel me towards the life I see for myself within the next year.  

So without further ado, here is my list:

24 Things To Do Before I’m 25

1.)                Travel to one place I’ve never been before

2.)               Write something every day

3.)               Be happy and self-sufficient with my employment

4.)               Find a work-out regiment that makes me happy

5.)               Complete a full length play

6.)               Save up enough money for a puppy

7.)               Take a class

8.)              Finish reading all the books on my shelves

9.)               Go on one romantic trip with Viking

10.)           Finish making the dress and skirt I started

11.)            Start researching Grad Schools

12.)           Start shopping vintage/thrift more often

13.)           Get a credit card

14.)           Promote myself without being embarrassed

15.)            Pair down my make-up to only high end stuff or things that get a lot of use

16.)           Shop my closet and wear all of my clothes. If I don’t I have to donate it at the end of the season

17.)            Donate money or time to charity

18.)           Run a 10k

19.)           Learn to cook for myself

20.)          Get out of my comfort zone professionally

21.)           Find a way to manage my stress level

22.)          Get a bike

23.)          Go to the zoo with my Goddaughter

24.)           Dance or sing in public


Anything I'm missing? I have no qualms with this becoming a "28 before 25" list.

Observations

I started trying to adhere to the Artist's Way writer's block recovery plan since, oh, I don't know, January, and I have been stuck on Week 4 for approximately forever. It recommends that you use reading deprivation as a tool for expanding your creativity, and I just can't do it.

I know the idea is to get me to observe what's going on around me, draw inspiration from it, and do "artist brain" activities like running, or cleaning, or re-organizing (all of which I need to do) but I've only been able to trick myself in to reading abstinence on the commute home when the train is too packed to read a book. But they may be on to something because I've observed quite a few note worthy things:

1.) A homeless man wearing a brand new outfit and reeking of pee and trapping a young female tourist in to a mumbling one sided conversation that she has no choice but to nod sympathetically to. He blocks the door of the train and when I go to another door he shakes his trash bag at me and mumbles loudly. I should say that this isn't an uncommon observation for the red line...

2.) A 70 year old woman clad head to toe in juniors clothing who is readying her cigarettes for when she leaves the train yet puffing on an inhaler the whole ride. She takes one too many puffs and stumbles off the train

3.) A woman my age with two freshly skinned knees as a result of what I can imagine to be an embarrassing fall running to the train. She reads her book triumphantly and ignores her knees which are starting to drip blood on to her socks. The girl across from her can only avert her eyes in horror. I have a box of band aids in my purse but who would accept them from a smelly tired stranger on the train? I wouldn't. Does she even know she's bleeding? Should I tell her? I wrestle with myself until I have to get off at my stop. Internal crisis averted.

Could you go a whole week without reading anything? Blogs and I'm assuming facebook included? I'm getting close but no cigar.

24 Before 24 Re-Cap

You will recall back in January I was inspired to create a 24 thing to do before I'm 24 list and I didn't complete near as many as I would have liked. To be fair, I only gave myself 6 months, and I know that some of it is out of my control (can't go on a trip with Viking Boyfriend without him, hard to save up for a dog when you're working minimum wage, etc.)

I'm disappointed that I didn't get some of the easier things done because I just forgot about it! Donating money or time to charity is one, or buying a format for my blog. Some of it also made me realize that I'm not sure if it's what I want to do: grad school? Maybe later, much later. 

Accomplishments:

2. Buy one investment piece I’ll have forever

5. Dye my hair

6. Buy a new camera

17. Buy my brother a drink on his 21st Birthday

24. Buy a couch

Honorable Mentions:

1. Write a pitch for a travel book - Lots of research!
3. Travel to one place I’ve never been before - Dreams of going to Atlanta this summer: dashed.
4. Fill five notebooks with writing - 2 notebooks should count for something...7. Be happy and self-sufficient with my employment - Self sufficient, sorta. Happy? Eh.
8. Find a work-out regiment that makes me happy - Just picked up running again.
12. Finish reading the books on my shelves - Started a few, no finishers.
16. Start shopping vintage more often - Little bit o' thifting
20. Promote myself without being embarrassed - I can promote myself better; still embarrassed.
21. Use all the old lip glosses in my make-up drawer - Tried sooooo hard! Just too many.
22. Shop my closet and wear all of my clothes. If I don’t, I have to donate it at the end of the season - The biggest problem is having strict uniform rules at both my jobs...not a lot of time to wear what I want.

Epic Fail:

9. Complete a full length play and submit it
10. Save up enough money for a puppy
11. Take an improv class at Second City
13. Go on a trip with Viking Boyfriend
14. Finish making the dress and skirt I started
15. Complete one application to Grad School
18. Buy a great format for my blog
19. Get a credit card
23. Donate money or time to charity

It's inspiring me to roll some of them over on to my 25 before 25 list and come up with a few new ones, plus which I'll have a whole year to complete them next time. I'm very optimistic about my 24th year!

First Date

I want so badly give updates on my writing and running adventures, but I know three days is hardly the time to be giving a progress report. That may be why I don't finish a lot of the things that I start. Two days in I have an epiphany and decide "that's good enough". I've read ahead a few chapters and in three weeks I will be lamenting about how I can't read blogs...bleck. More on that to come.

But today following the book's advice I took myself on an artist date. An artist date is when you indulge your inner artist child by doing something fun and creative, and no one is allowed to come. Just you and your inner artist. Please feel free to put the following youtube clip on loop while you read the rest of this post.

I had to go to the bank and Artist-Self thought it would be a good idea to get a dum dum sucker. But they were handing out good luck coins for Chinese New Year with a dragon on them! Artist-Self was pleased. Next, Artist-Self really wanted to go to Urban Outfitters, but since I got off at the wrong stop I took Artist-Self to Michael's crafts, how fun! Artist-Self looked for cards to make for Valentine's day, felt the bright fun and soft yarn, and looked at dollar sticker books with cute smiley faces in them.

Hit play and keep reading!

Since Artist-Self didn't find anything super fun and crafty I decided to go try on shoes at the DSW in the basement. I tried on slippers, moccasins, and flats, and Artist-Self tried on cowboy boots!

Next we made a pit stop at a sports store to look at running shoes. I liked the pink and white pair while Artist-Self loved the new rainbow new balance shoes and hot pink tube socks. Artist-Self and I stopped at a military surplus store and looked at paratrooper boots and carhart hats and then I had to go to the performance. After walking through the cold I treated Artist-Self to a burrito and even let Artist-Self put on red lipstick before I had to go to work. I'm not sure if I did exactly what the book is urging me to do, but that was my first date with Artist-Self and I think I'll be doing it again. According to the book I have to do it once a week so we will at the very least have a twelve week courtship.

Do you want to take your artist self on a date? Or have you been taking your artist self on dates this whole time and didn't even know it?

New Leaf

Do you know how hard it is to get out of the house, much less your pajamas, when you have no where to go? Yesterday I spent the majority of the day watching movies under a blanket and slowly but surely leaving an ah-mazing butt print in the green arm chair. I answered e-mails, checked blogs, and did manage to make myself a tasty dinner. Roommate has been working this past week so it's just me and good old Captain Dusseldorf scaring each other in the hallway at night (oh wait...that's just Dusseldorf). Such is the life of a freelancer.

Last night in an attempt to unblock myself I realized that this couch potato behavior was no longer relaxing me, it was making me edgy and unhappy. It's been too hard to write, exercise, and sleep despite the fact that these are all things that make me happy. In the spirit of my 24 Before 24 list I'm making a couple changes to my routine that I hope will get me back in to the swing of things and complete my list faster.

First, I'm going to start morning pages again. In college I had a wonderful professor who taught playwriting, and she gave us two books to help expand our creativity. One of them was Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg which I have read multiple times (whenever I'm blocked). The other was The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. When I first read it I got too hung up on the semantics and dismissed it, but after re-reading the first couple chapters last night I'm going to give it another shot. The book recommends writing three pages every morning when you first wake up to drain your negative thoughts and give your day a fresh start. Although I nearly forgot this morning (coffee haze) I'm going to start making a regular habit of it. I have to fill five notebooks with writing some how.

Second, I'm going to start running again. Back in high school and middle school I ran cross country competitively and it's something that made me feel extremely fulfilled and relaxed. I am one of those people who needs something to be accountable to other than myself, so my friend and I are joining a "fun run" group that does 3-6 miles three times a week. We haven't even gone yet and already my running buddy wants to go again tomorrow. I told her if I'm not dead I'll think about it.

Last, I'm actually going to start getting ready in the morning. Not just rolling out of bed and putting slippers on. I'm going to make the bed (so I can't get back in to it) put on some big girl clothes and do my hair and make-up. Even if I don't plan on going anywhere I want to look presentable just in case I do decide to venture out. I think that getting ready in the morning has a lot to do with self confidence, and I want to feel my best as well as look it.

Anyone else feeling the winter funk? The jobless-ness funk?

P.S. Here's a picture of Captain Dusseldorf for reference. He lives in our hallway and scares off evil spirits (as well as people that want to use the bathroom in the middle of the night).

Pictures that are not mine: via 1, 2, 3