KalynALaMode's Xanga

My New Phone

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:53:23 GMT

After years in the technological middle-ages, I feel like I've rejoined modern humanity. Actually, I feel more like a kid on Christmas morning.

It's a Samsung BlackJack II. It's even got internet!

Note the dual colors.

Actually, I think the colors are one of my favorite things about it. Did I mention it has internet?

Hehe, I'm so giddy.

What I've been working on Day and Night for the Past Two weeks

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:49:02 GMT

It looks fantastic. The colors are even more brilliant in person. I'm proud of it.

Nintendo Wall Stickers

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:35:55 GMT

Too cool!! You know you love this. I know I do.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/01/nintendo-wallsticker.html

IT IS OFFICIAL! I HAVE PASSED THE ENTIRE CPA EXAM!!!!

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:40:27 GMT

Much celebration and rejoicing.

Another One Down!!

Fri, 16 May 2008 03:49:08 GMT

That's right....I have officially passed 3 sections of the CPA exam! I just saw the scores posted online today. Yay!! This is really great b/c the one I just passed was the last one that I was truly worried about. I am confident that I passed the final section, and as soon as they post the scores for that one it will be official. I will be finished with it forever, AND I will be reimbursed by my company for the cost of the test. Honestly, that is the most exciting part for me.

Things I wish I were doing right now

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:23:07 GMT

Riding a bike in my neighborhood
Sculpting pottery
Planting flowers
Playing the harp
Swimming at the YMCA
Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity
Cooking meatloaf

More Good News....then just some plain News....then Good News again!!

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:12:20 GMT

This week I am getting an entirely new household. My mother, who is becoming free-spirited in her old age, is giving me her entire living room set to replace my old one which I don't like very much. I'm getting a new sofa, love seat, coffee and end tables, and entertainment cabinet. She is also giving me her very lovely piano (baby grand!!!) b/c she doesn't play it much anymore and thinks I will get more use out of it. All of these things are being moved up to my house this weekend. Then on Wednesday the new bedframe that I finally ordered (mostly on account of being lazy) will be delivered to my house. This is the first time since I moved to OK a year and a half ago that I will not be sleeping on a mattress on the floor. It is a lovely wooden sleigh-bed type. .......That is all good news.

Moving on.

After sojourning in Lawton, OK for 6 years, my sister and her family, including my beloved nieces and nephew, are being transferred to Fort Drum, NY by the army. Ft. Drum is so far upstate NY that it's almost in Canada. That seems very far to me. They have been anticipating a move since January, and after hearing rumors of everything from Germany to Alaska, they finally received their officials orders yesterday. And since the army wanted Jeff there two weeks ago, their orders are to move ASAP. They are planning on leaving in less than 2 weeks. They are excited to be on the move and going somewhere new, and I am happy for them that they don't have to keep their life on hold any longer, but did I mention that Fort Drum is almost in Canada?? .....This is just ok news. I don't want them to move so far away. I will hardly get to see them now. I had briefly thought about moving along with them in order to stay close to them, but I strongly object to the idea of living so far north. That is not for me. So instead I am staying here and they are moving far, far away *tear*

Moving on.

My brother and his wife are also moving far away, but they have chosen the much more exotic location of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Actually his company chose it for him. They have just opened an office there and want him to go and oversee it, living there for at least two years. Of course he didn't object, and they are actually planning on staying longer. Now granted Argentina is much farther away than NY, but it is also much more fun to go visit. In fact, the family already has plans to spend Christmas there. :) Actually though, I am already used to Gabe living far away and not getting to see him much, so this really won't feel much different. They are moving in June, and I know they are very excited.

Moving on.

Not to be left out of the mix, my mother has decided that her children cannot outdo her. Since Jeff and Witney are leaving her all alone in Lawton, she has decided she has no reason to stay there anymore. Originally she was going to follow them wherever they went, but like me she has no desire to winter in a place like NY. So where has she decided to go instead???? You guessed it!! She is moving up to the City to live with me! Or rather, by me. I live in a duplex where the other half is just a cozy little one-room place. My neighbor is moving out in May or June, so we are scheming to reserve the place for her to rent. We both like the idea of being close but still having our own space and privacy. In fact, I really love the idea or her living right next door. I'm close to all my family, but my mom and I are kindred spirits and I was a little sad imagining everyone moving so far away from me. This is GREAT news.

So I see that my family is repositioning themselves all over the map. I am feeling a little left out - hopefully my turn will come. I would like my next residence to be somewhere warm and preferably close to the coast. :)

The Results are In!! and the judges said.....

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:31:49 GMT

That I passed the next part of the CPA!! (much excitement and dancing). With those two parts out of the way, the only two I have remaining should be a piece of cake. I am signing up to take them sometime in April.

Lunar Eclipse Tonight!

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:09:00 GMT

Tonight there will be a total lunar eclipse visible most of the night. Don't miss out on this, because as a viewer in North America you will have one of the clearest and most spectacular views. This will also be the last total lunar eclipse viewable until December 2010.

Approx. start time: 10:00pm EST / 9:00pm CST
Duration: 3 1/2 hours

Check out more info at http://www.nasa.gov/topics/moonmars/features/eclipse_preview_080219.html

Valentine's for Men: A Discussion Question

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 21:31:29 GMT

Valentine's Day is approaching. The stores are filled with cutsy-sweet heart treats and gaudy red heart pillows, and for some reason, stuffed gorillas. And love lobsters. Retailers are pushing long-stemmed roses and boxes of decadent chocolate and beautiful diamond necklaces. All of which I love, because I'm a woman and modern Valentine's Day is designed for me. Isn't it? As I look around at the Valentine's phenomenon every year, I'm hard-pressed to find anything that's actually catered toward men (except possibly lingerie, but I don't think that's going to count for this discussion).

I recall my first Valentine's Day with a boyfriend, i.e., the first time I was really going to celebrate Valentine's Day. I remember pulling out of my memory all the stories that you hear from girls over the years about what sweet things their boyfriends did for THEM on Valentine's Day, and wondering what my guy would do for me. Would he send me flowers? Would he write me a song? Would he leave sweet little notes for me all throughout the day? Would he conspire with my roommate to decorate my dormroom elaborately? And then in the mdidle of my daydreaming the thought occurred to me: What would I do for him? It almost took me aback. Nowhere in my memory or collective teaching from consumer America was there any guidance on what should be done for the man on Valentine's Day. All I knew was that flowers and cute little heart pillows probably wouldn't work. (In the end I came up with a pretty weak gift idea that I'll say is irrelevant. If you really want to know, bribe me).

My question is this: Is Valentine's a holiday that is focused solely on the woman?

Men, I'd like to get your view on this from a different angle: When observing Valentine's Day with a significant other, do you anticipate to put the focus entirely on her without expecting anything in return? If you do expect a gift in return, do you expect that the effort you each put into your gifts will be equal, or do you expect to put more effort into her gift than she puts into yours?