FNUR FNUR

So long, farewell, I can't spell the rest of it.

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 03:29:54 GMT

Now that E and I are married, we're joining blogs (don't you remember that part of the vows? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in LOL and OMGWTF). From now on, E and I will be posting on http://karenanderik.com. Already, there's a picture of E feeling me up, a video of the search for booty, and questions on what I should do with my wedding dress. How fun is that???

So kids, next time you're wondering what Jack Bauer did this week or what stupid thing I am doing, visit our old wedding blog to check it out!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check it out!

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 05:14:36 GMT

OFF TO CANCUN!

F you, family!

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 19:48:09 GMT

I'm getting married in two days. I am remarkably calm. So much so that everyone else is stressing that I am so calm. And trying to get me to be a bridezilla, wtf?

My mom: Why aren't you stressed like those girl on bridezillas?
Me: Because I'm not one, and I have nothing to stress about. Everything is taken care of. What happens, happens.

My friend: You should be freaking out and being a bridezilla, it's your right!
Me: It's never anyone's right to act like a spoiled brat.

Dad: Are you nervous?
Me: Nope.
Dad: Why not? It's 2 days before your wedding. *I* am freaking out.

Anyone else getting this? Don't get me wrong, I got a lot going on. But I'm SO excited that the wedding is almost here, SO excited that everything we planned for is finally happening, and SO excited to see my friends and family.

That, and I'm on anti-depressants. WEE!

I leave you with a picture from the bachelorette party, of the best man trying to give me a hickey on my face.

(Yes, that is a Bachelorette sash and button I am wearing. At least I wasn't like the poor bride-to-be at the club wearing a veil with plastic penises attached to it.)

Where I attempt to recap the 3-Day

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 23:45:41 GMT

This is where I will attempt to recap the 3-Day. But I already know I will do a poor job, because there's so much to tell, so many amazing moments and stories to tell, and I just can't capture them all.

Thursday, October 19th:
Mom and I drove down to Atlanta the night before, and thanks to Google Maps, we got incredibly lost! Who is more at fault: Google Maps or the crappy layout of Atlanta? I nominate both. We stayed in a cheap motel - it smelled like sin! But we were exhausted and just went to bed.

Friday, October 20th:

"I'm going to have to keep track of how many times I cry this weekend."

Mom dropped me off early and wished me luck. I think she may not have understood the full scope of the walk until she saw the thousands of people at the Opening Ceremonies, all awake and ready to submit themselves to 60 miles of torture for a really good cause. I met up with E,ily, my tentmate, and Opening Ceremonies began with a round of JAZZERCISE - I shit you not. It did warm us up and make us laugh. My favorite part was the sign language interpreter, who went the extra mile and signed out "Now, let's warm up those legs!"

After a very moving ceremony (Emily and I both cried), we were off! To start, you walk through an aisle in the middle of the group of walkers waiting. As you pass them, everyone cheers you on and wishes you luck.

Many streets were closed off, and there was a traffic crew and many cops out to make sure we got across the street safely. We joked that there were lots of Atlanta commuters on their cell phones, saying "I'm sorry, boss but I'll be late today. There's all these women walking in the street and there's just no end in sight!"

The first day's route seemed to be entirely uphill. Some of the hills were so steep that I wondered how a car could make it up to the top, let alone us.

Somehow, we made it through the first day's walk of 20 miles. I called some people up and told them "wow, I hurt! I hope the next day isn't hard." Which was, in hindsight, an incredibly dumb thing to say.

We had to set up our tent when we got back. Emily did a great job and I, having no clue what to do, stood back in awe. We got cleaned up and ate dinner quickly, and were in our sleeping bags by 8 pm. That night, the temperature got down to the freezing mark. Emily found out that going to the bathroom at 2 am in a port-a-potty in freezing temperature sure does suck. I found out that it sucks at 6 am as well. We also had someone in the next tent over who snored like a chainsaw. Needless to say, we did not sleep well on the first night. Did I mention I had never camped before? I now know there was a reason.

Saturday, October 21st:

"This is so much harder than I ever thought it would be."

I woke up frozen and sore and cranky. Luckily, the weather was clear.

The second day was not nearly as hilly, but it did have a lot of walking on the highway shoulder. At times, we had to walk in single file because there was not enough room for everyone. I felt absolutely miserable on the second day, and got very worried around mile 12 that I would not be able to finish. Luckily, I had Emily cheering me on and an incredible crew supporting us.

There were also lots of cheering stations set up for family, friends and the community to come out and support us - some even wore costumes. Even though I did not know any of these people personally, they cheered me on and it really (really) helped me through.

At the end of the day when we returned to camp, I was limping but proud to finish. We heard the volunteers talking about rain that night. All I wanted to do was go immediately to the medical tent and get my feet wrapped. I knew I had blisters, and my arches were killing me. Unfortunately, they told me I had to eat and shower first - and I started to cry. Instead, Emily and I got cleaned up, ate dinner, dropped by the foot massage tent (OH MY LORD this was the best thing about the 3 Day), dropped by the self-help medical area, and went to bed. Emily brought a "tarp" for us - a shower curtain. We stretched it as far as it would go over the tent, and hoped for the best. That night, it rained but barely any got inside the tent. We had bundled up and were nice and warm, but it was hard to sleep with the sound of the rain on the tent.

Sunday, October 22nd

"Today, we're going home."

We woke up in PAIN! Hard ground, bad sleep, wet tent and 40 miles behind us equalled a very sore morning. But we kept reminding ourselves that TODAY was the last day, TODAY we would finish, TONIGHT we would be in our beds, warm and having used a real toilet with a flush. Emily and I got separated in the morning - I realized I had packed my credentials by mistake, and had to get temporary ones - but we met up at the first pit stop. We were so determined to get through today that we started walking FAST. We walked through the pain and cold, wet weather and kept thinking about home.

We weren't the only ones with energy - some women broke into the Electric Slide during a pit stop.

We overcame our pain and cranked through the last miles. When we finally saw the finish line, we started crying. Finishing the 3 Day is an unbelievable feeling of accomplishment, happiness, excitement and peace. And hundreds of people cheer you through the finish. Emily and I started the 3 Day together, and finished it side-by-side. We would have taken a picture of the finish, but we were too overcome with emotion to stop. Nothing was going to stop us from walking over that finish line.

As soon as you finish, you are given a finisher's t-shirt - blue for walkers, pink for walkers who are survivors. Then, you enjoy the holding area - you can eat, use the port-a-potty, and re-visit the foot massage booth (which we totally did). Emily made me an awesome sign thanking me for walking with her. I started to make a sign but was so tired I actually had trouble writing a straight line on the paper. We also met up with Adele, another Charlotte walker who was so fast, she finished hours before us and had a few margaritas in her already.

Then, it was time for closing ceremonies. All of the walkers (blue shirts) line up on one side of the park, and the survivors (pink shirts) line up behind us. As survivors were asked to line up separately, the walkers and crew cheered them on.

Slowly, we moved to the closing ceremonies - held in Piedmont Park, Atlanta. We walked in a line 8-people wide, passing family and friends on the way. In fact, that's when I saw Erik, Becky and Lee (dressed as Santa Claus!!!). Even though I was hurting, I ran up to them and gave them a big hug. (Then I immediately regretted my decision to run, because it really, really hurt).

Suddenly, we weren't walking down a narrow path. We were walking into a huge area of the park, with THOUSANDS of people cheering for us! There was the crew, who worked so hard and did so much. There were the people who came to the cheering stations, dressed up and giving us candy. There were so many people, all thanking us for what we did and calling us their heroes. Once we walked to the main section, the crew followed us in. They got a TON of applause from us, and they deserved every bit.

After the crew came in, we were reminded of the reason we walked. The survivors walked in to a standing ovation. To honor them, all of the walkers raised their walking shoes in silent salute.

Can you see us all crying?

After that, we went home. Emily and I told 3-day stories to Erik, Becky and Lee. I eventually fell asleep in the car - I was too exhausted to keep talking.

If I had not broken the camera at the 3-Day, I'd take a picture of my gorgeous feet! I have skin missing from the top of the left foot, raw skin on both of my pinky toes from bad blisters, a big flap of skin hanging off of my left big toe, and shin splints. Luckily, I am not limping nearly as much as I was on Sunday night/Monday morning.

Next up: Wedding is in 10 days!

Blisters for the cure

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:18:47 GMT

Longer entries will follow, but I wanted to let everyone know that I finished the 3-Day! 60 miles, and I walked every single step. I finished with a total of ten blisters, as well as a pretty hardcore limp (Dana - we'll be in touch, and ps thanks for spoiling Grey's Anatomy for me in your email!). I also broke our camera so I am waiting for my tentmate to post pictures. But stories will follow. For now, I am off to work... very, very slowly.

Where did Karen go?

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:40:44 GMT

She's here, and speaking in the third person.

As Erik mentioned in his post today, I have been working some crazy insane hours. And the tiny pockets of time I get at work are spent doing stuff to get ready for the wedding and/or 3-Day. There's more fun too, which I will tell the Fitz folk in person when I meet them - in 3 weeks! But to sum it up, I have been too busy/exhausted to post. In fact, I am about to fall asleep and/or burst into tears at the keyboard right now.

I'm going to try to post last week's Grey's Anatomy soon, although I suspect no one reads them. So until then, the only thing I have to post... are kitty pictures!

Holly and Darth go to battle.

Fred's still home!

And he loves Chucks, like his mommy.

Also, he's still skinny. but not as bad. In fact, now he is normal weight - before he left, he was just a big fatty ding dong.

This week on Grey's Anatomy: Everybody Gets Laid! (except Izzie)

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:50:14 GMT

No crying this week! But my sinuses are clogged, I wonder if I'd be able to cry anyway.

This week, Izzie took the natural progression of grief from lying on the floor in a prom dress to wearing an old sweater and baking muffins. Which is perfect, because when I'm sad I like to eat muffins. The interns want Bailey to talk to Izzie about coming back to the hospital (and stop baking muffins) but Bailery is too mad at Izzie and everyone on the planet to do that. Until the end, when Bailey learns a valuable life lesson from a kid impaled by a tree and tells Izzie she has to come back and stop baking because she's talented.

Alex is a dick and I barely knew he was in this episode, except when he banged a cancer patient because she wanted to experience life. Well good for her. Someone, please remind me what that actress has been in because for the life of me I can't recall or find her on imdb.

Christina is caught mounting Preston by his parents - Diahann Carroll and Shaft! Diahann treats selfish Christina so badly and it just makes me so happy that I have the greatest mother-in-law ever. But Shaft thinks she's cool.

Addison spends the episode drunk as a skunk, and she's one of those drunks who is annoying but funny even though she's devasted, because she still makes funny faces. In other words, she's my college roommate. She's drunk because she's sad, and she's sad because she knows her marriage is over. McDreamy confirms this by coming to her hotel room and announcing it, and that he feels SUPER bad about it. But then he finds naked McSTEAMY in her room, and POOF! No more remorse.

Speaking of McDreamy, he's still all about Meredith. But Meredith decides she wants to date him AND Finn. This makes me feel good because for a second I was worried that she'd be all Kelly Taylor and tell them "I CHOOSE ME!" F that. For once, I actually approve of something Meredith has done.

But the best person in this week's episode was Callie, who claims the bulletin board panties in order to 1) save Meredith's ass AND 2) make George jealous. Then Chief Webber finds her dancing in her hospital basement apartment and realizes she lives there. He has to kick her out, so she goes to live with George. And you know what? I love Callie. I don't care who knows it. She's got a big heart, big hair and big hips and that makes her a lot like me. XOXO CALLIE!

The question of the week:

Dana, did you ever have a patient impaled by a tree?

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:06:43 GMT

(Side note before I start: Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been way too busy with work and walking and etc. And it might be like this for a little while, so I'll post when I can in the mornings/evenings.)

This episode was... eh. A bit disappointing. It was flashbacks like crazy, and a co-worker had this as her very first episode of GA and was completely confused.

Meredith spent the episode making sandwiches, getting hit on by two foxy men who love her bony ass, and making me cry by comforting Izzie.

Chrstina spent the entire episode talking about shiva, comforting Izzie, and making me cry by crying with Burke.

Burke spent the entire episode in bed and mostly off-camera. But I like that he's recuperating in his sexy party pajamas.

Izzie spent the entire episode on the bathroom floor, mourning Denny. And everyone in here who has been drunk or sick or overcome with something knows that sometimes, the bathroom floor feels REALLY good. She made me cry by... well, I'm not over Denny either, frankly.

George spent the entire episode in quarantine with McDreamy because of an outbreak of the plague (the hell?). He didn't make me cry - I can't anymore, because of his haircut.

McDreamy: see above. He didn't make me cry but I did wonder a lot about what products he uses in his hair.

Bailey spent the entire episode feeling extremely guilty about Denny and then comforting that no-neck dude from The Practice. Bailey made me cry by being "sad Bailey", which we don't see often but proves why she got an Emmy nomination.

Alex spent the entire episode having a buzz cut and feeling bad about an abandoned baby. He didn't make me cry.

Addison spent the entire episode worrying about forementioned baby and secretly formulating an evil revenge plan because she totally found Meredith's underwear from when Mere and McDreamy "disappeared" in the season finale. I feel bad for Addison, you guys. She made me cry a bit in her flashback.

Callie spent the episode trying not to be a bitch to Meredith, cooking paella (yay!), giving advice to Finn, and loving George.

I spent the episode in our office, while Erik was on the computer saying "just because I'm in the room doesn't mean you can tell everyone on the blog that I watched Grey's Anatomy with you. This show is stupid!" (But towards the end, he totally DID watch because he started asking all these questions about the flashbacks.) (HA!)

Thoughts? Who else watched it?

OUCH. (Warning: DIsgusting Post ahead)

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 12:59:32 GMT

This weekend, I logged 35 miles in training. That's 18 miles on Saturday (on Charlotte' "booty loop", a 3 mile section of hills and expensive houses in the Myers Park area), 16 miles on Sunday, and 1 mile in the neighborhood taking down all of the "Missing Cat" signs. YES - that mile counts.

I'm worried about the 3-day because those 35 miles took it out of me. My legs are throbbing below the knee (especially along the shin so I am VERY worried about shin splints). And despite my shoes and Thor-los, I have some pretty disgusting blisters - including one on each pink toe that wraps OVER the top of the toe, so it's a front-to-back blister and I'm worried about my toenails popping off.

Advice, please? I'm right on schedule with my training but did have to miss some sessions in the past two months due to other things (traveling, Fred, etc). The blisters are also really bothering me. How do I take care of these blisters, and how can I better prevent new ones from forming?

Athletes and Sports Pediatricians who just passed their boards... help!

In other news, it was a quiet weekend. At least, it was until I got drunk dialed 3 times from the Pi Kapp reunion! I got to speak to pretty much everyone up there and can now disprove the theory that drunk dialing happens only late at night/early in the morning. Sometimes it happens at 4:45 in the afternoon! Sounds like everyone had a blast up there. I hate that I missed it, but I definitely hope to see everyone at the wedding. Less than 7 weeks to go!

And because I know you all want to know, here's a Fred update. He got a clean bill of health from the vet, which is a huge relief. Holly is slowly coming out of hiding. She's still freaked and won't let us pick her up or make any sudden movements, but she's slowly readjusting to not being the center of attention aymore. When she does come out, I try and give her a lot of love and attention, and then leaving her be when she gets upset. Luckily, Fred is as well. He's now wearing a collar. Did you know that pretty much all cat collars come with bells on them? And that last night, Fred sat on the bed scratching his collar and ringing the bell about a foot from Erik's ear? And that Erik did NOT sleep well last night? Yeah, that bell needs to come off. Now that the camera is back, I'll be taking pictures of the new slimmed-down Fred. And since all the kissing and hugging is not bothering him at all, I have devised a new punishment for him. Photographic evidence of this punishment to come soon.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:23:05 GMT

Since Erik has the camera, I can't take pictures of Fred to show the world. However, when I get home I am going to look through the FredCam pictures to find the series of photos from when he was captured in the trap.

Before Erik left yesterday, he was feeling confident that I would successfully get Fred on Thursday night. I was hopeful. Around 10-10:30, I set the trap with fresh food and headed for the bedroom. At 1 am, my first alarm to check the trap went off. No Fred. At 3:30 am, my second alarm went off. No Fred. WAIT. My sleepy eyes readjusted and saw a cat in the trap. Outside, I saw that it was definitely, 100% Fred. He didn't look pissed. In fact, he looked like he was thinking "are you going to take me inside, or what?"

I carried the cage inside. Now, the Humane Society recommends leaving the cat inside the cage until you get the cat to the vet. I did not, for 3 reasons. 1) Those directions are for feral cats. 2) He looked so pitiful in there, I could not bring myself to do it. 3) It was 3:30 in the morning, I was tired and forgot. Deal with it.

I let him out and he calmly walked out. He immediately began sniffing the house all over and meowing at the top of his lungs. At first, it seemed like he was meowing to be let back outside (which obviously was not going to happen). But I think he was just meowing because he was freaked, and it's what he does when he gets freaked.

Then, the smell hit me. Oh god, the smell. He smells like the inside of an old garbage can. His fur feels dirty. My eyes started turning red. Still, I picked him up and held him and loved him and kissed him and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. The punishment has begun. (Don't worry, I scrubbed myself clean afterwards). What was weird was that not only did he not mind all the attention, he actually thrived on it. It was the only thing to get him to stop meowing constantly, and he actually started purring. Fred rarely purrs. But he was a regular motorboat last night.

But what about Holly? Was she excited to see her brother? Hell no. She backed away and hissed at him. Of course, I wouldn't be eager to greet him with that smell, either. Luckily, Fred was smart for once in his life and stayed away from his freaked-out sister. Usually, when Holly gets upset, Fred chases after her to see what's wrong, which results in a catfight. Not last night - Fred stayed far away and that was just fine with Holly.

Once I could tell that I wouldn't have to worry about them fighting, I decided to go back to bed. Don't get me wrong - I was thrilled that we got him - but by then it was 4 in the morning, and I was about to fall asleep standing up. This was not what Fred had in mind, though. For the rest of the morning, he walked around listening to his constant MEOW MEOW MEOW echo off the walls... under the mattress... into my ear... into my other ear... directly into my face. He refused to let me go to sleep - as if he thought that I should pay constant attention to him since we went to so much trouble to capture him. So I stayed up, petting Fred (while breathing through my mouth) and then chasing after him when he walked away and started crying. His sleep schedule is all messed up now, so mine had to get messed up too.

I tried to feed him more (he's so skinny, I'd find out later that he dropped between 3-4 pounds) and he did eat a bit, but he mostly wanted to explore. This morning, he cried when I clipped his (horrendously long) nails but did not growl. He let me pick him up without crying. In fact, he didn't give off his high-pitched patchetic cry at all. His cry is deeper and more forceful - I guess he matured a lot during his time on the street. Now he's street smart!

He let me put him in the carrier without a fuss. But as soon as it was closed, and he realized the carrier only meant one thing: VET'S OFFICE. He cried out his long, drawn out cry that seems to involve every vocal coard, every nook and cranny of his larynx. It sounded like he was crying "egg roll" - eGG-rOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGL. I told him he wasn't in enough trouble that he'd be turned into Chinese food, but that didn't seem to calm him down. I had no sympathy for him - HE was the one who stayed away from 3 weeks, who ran away from us so many times, and who spent his rumspringa in a sewer. It's his own damn fault.

He's at the vet now. Everyone there was so impressed that he came home (until I admitted that we had to use a humane trap). Wile at the vet, he will be checked for injuries, worms, feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and more, as well as bathed. A lot. He'll also be given a microchip. During this torture, I'll be getting him and his sister new collars and tags.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for their support and well wishes, and indulging in the FredWatch. On Monday, I'll be returning the humane trap to the Humane Society with the reward money I set aside. We may never have been reunited with Fred if it had not been for the Humane Society, so they deserve the reward as a donation. For more information on the Charlotte Humane Society, please visit their site.

THE END OF FREDWATCH

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 07:39:01 GMT

WE GOT HIM! THE TRAP WORKED!

More details to come... he's home and MAN does he smell.

What a momentous day!

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 12:45:56 GMT

Yesterday was one heck of a day!

Whitney Houston separated from Bobby Brown!

I found out that Eddie Izzard AND James Cromwell are going to be on 24 next season!

Then I discovered that Forever 21 opened in Charlotte!

AND I hit the $2,200.00 goal for the Breast Cancer 3-Day!

Thanks to everyone who donated and gave their support - it means the world to me. I'll be thinking about you all down there. Every sweat stain, blister, bloody toe, and leg cramp - it'll be like you're right there with me!

No Fred update today - it rained all night. Erik is heading to Ohio today for the 10-year (BOO on my lack of PTO or I'd be right up there with him) and he thinks I'll catch him while he's gone. I certainly hope so, but I'm worried about handling a pissed-off smelly Fred all by myself.

Fred Watch: Day 19

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 12:12:39 GMT

CAUGHT ON TAPE

The night before last, I saw Fred AGAIN in a neighbor's yard. So we decided to put the trap in their yard last night (with their permission, of course). But since we could not put the web cam there, we put a can of food out on our porch just in case. The above was taken a little after midnight - FRED caught in the act!
We found this evidence around 3 am, when I woke up to go check the trap in the neighbor's yard. IT WAS FULL! But not with Fred - just another poor stray tabby cat. At least we know the trap works! Upon finding the above evidence, we put the trap BACK on our porch because we KNOW he's coming back here for food. Tonight we spring the trap again, without the towel on top so it's easier for him to see the food inside.

WE'RE ON TO YOU, FRED.

ETA: Due to the brilliant idea of using a webcam to track this trap, the offices of FNUR FNUR declare today to be "NATIONAL FITZ DAY".

38 Days until the 3-Day!

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 15:05:54 GMT

A quick update...

I now have everything on my packing list except for the Mylar blanket, which I will pick up this weekend. With 38 days to go, I only have $265.00 LEFT TO RAISE! So I'm putting the call out - if you have not donated, if you'd like to donate more, if you find a $5 bill in your pants and don't know what to do with it, head over to my 3-Day page and please donate for an excellent cause.

Of course, if you go to the page and see that the goal has been met, don't let that stop you from donating more - remember, it all goes to an excellent cause - the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the National Philanthropic Trust for Breast Cancer.

I put up a post on a wedding planning LJ community on how to deal with the insane tan lines I have acquired from the walking. I'd link to the post, but it's got a picture of me in my wedding dress, so you're not allowed to see it. But I did get a LOT of good advice, so hopefully the wedding pictures won't feature the delecate glow of a sports bra tan line.

Fred Watch: Day 17 / It smells like glue over here

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 18:32:45 GMT

Some random dude just walked by our work area, spraying a clear substance on the edges of the windows that smells like Elmer's glue and urine. No one knows who he is or what he is spraying. But I do know that it's giving me a headache. Anyone have a guess on what it could be?

Fred Watch continues, now with the aid of the FRED CAM! Erik set up a webcam to monitor the trap. Not only is it HOURS of fun, but it allows us to monitor the trap from work. The image refreshes every 30 seconds. I've had it on my desktop all day, checking it periodically. Technology is awesome. Erik also had a Fred sighting on Saturday evening as he was coming home from watching the Ohio State game, but was unable to grab him. I also got a call today from a neighbor who saw him CRAWL IN THE DAMN SEWER AGAIN. Jerk.

How to Save an (Obsessed) Life

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 03:04:10 GMT

Several months ago, I posted about how desperate I was to see the season finale of Grey's Anatomy. Over the summer, between wedding planning and walking and looking for Fred (no updates there by the way, trap has not been touched), I Tivoed all of the Grey's Anatomy repeats. The great thing about ABC is that since Grey's Anatomy switched nights (to Thursdays at 9 against CSI, thank GOD we have 2 Tivos) is that they began playing repeats on Sundays AND Thursdays - both the first and second season. I've been able to see every episode I missed, and my obsession with the show has only grown. A couple of weeks ago, I even got Josh to sit down and watch 10 minutes with me, and he got all misty. THIS SHOW IS INSANE WITH THE CRYING. But it's a GOOD cry - I find it quite therapeutic.

I have still not seen the season finale - but it's playing on September 20th (the day before the premiere OMG YOU GUYS). I was thinking about doing recaps for Grey's Anatomy like 24, only instead of "What ass-kicking Jack Bauer did this week", it could be something else - perhaps "What everyone but Meredith Grey did this week". Or "How Bailey rocked this week". Or "What would Denny do?" It's in progress, I'm working on it. But I wanted feedback - is anyone out there interested in reading it? At least Fitz and Dana and Becky, since they are the only ones I know who watch it (and that ticks me off because I need more people to share the tears with)?

Meanwhile, I'm listening to "How to Save a Life" by The Fray on repeat. It's the song used in the promos for the new season. I liked it before it was paired for this, but now I am obsessed with it. ABC used it in a music video for the show, and the stupid music video made me cry.

Today at my bridal shower, we played a game where guests had to answer questions about me. One of the questions was "What is Karen's favorite TV show?" - the answer was of course 24. But I didn't realize until tonight that 24 is absolutely tied with Grey's Anatomy. Sorry Erik - I know you hate the show.

Fred Watch: Day 14

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 17:14:53 GMT

In this picture, is Erik petting him, or grabbing him? PROBABLY BOTH!

Yesterday, we picked up a Humane Trap from the kind people at the Humane Society. We did not set it last night because you're supposed to check it often and that's not good for a school night. We put it out BUT did not set it today, which was recommended to let the cat get familiar with it and feel comfortable enough to step inside. The AWESOME story of the trap is on Erik's blog, with the brilliant bunny trail.

Tonight... the trap is set...

More 3-Day Fun

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 19:30:05 GMT

I know some people were talking about coming down to Atlanta for weekend fun and to enjoy some of the 3-Day (just watching, of course!) If you are interested, here are some details you may find helpful:

Friday, October 20th: Opening Ceremonies (North Point Mall, Alpharetta, GA)
6:30 - 7 am - Walkers arrive.
7:30 am - Opening Ceremonies

Driving Directions to North Point Mall:
North Point Mall is located on North Point Circle, easily accessed by GA 400.

From the North: Take GA 400 South to Exit 9, Haynes Bridge Road. Turn right on Haynes Bridge Road. Go approximately 1/2 mile and turn right onto North Point Drive. Turn left on North Point Circle and follow it around to the parking area in front of Dillards.

From the South: Take GA 400 North to Exit 8, Mansell Road. Turn right on Mansell Road. Take the first left onto North Point Parkway. Stay on North Point Parkway for approximately 1/2 mile, and turn left onto Center Bridge Road. Take the first right onto North Point Center East. Turn left onto North Point Circle and follow it around the mall to the parking area in front of Dillards.

Sunday, October 22nd: Closing Ceremonies (Piedmont Park, 400 Park Dr. SE, Atlanta, GA)
Start: 5:30 pm

Spectator Note: Friends, family and supporters should arrive to the Closing Ceremonies site at least one hour early to get the best view of the program. To witness the final victory walk of the 3-Day is truly an experience worth the wait. All walkers and crew members will remain in the Participant Holding area where they will receive their victory shirt, cheer on their fellow walkers and crew members, and reflect on their experience before the dramatic silent victory walk into Closing Ceremonies.

Driving Directions
From the North: Take I-75 / I-85 South to exit 250 – towards 16th, 14th, and 10th St. Take the ramp towards 14th / 10th St. Stay straight on to Techwood Dr. Veer left at the fork towards 10th St. Turn left onto 10th St. The park is on the north side of 10th St. NE, past Piedmont Rd. Park on the street where available.

From the South: Take I-85 North to the GA 10 E / Freedom Parkway Exit. Stay right onto Freedom Parkway at fork in exit. Turn left onto Boulevard NE. (at the first stop light). Boulevard becomes Monroe Dr. NE. Turn left onto 10th St. NE. The park is located on the north side of 10th St. NE. Park on the street where available.

There will be no designated spectator parking for the Closing Ceremonies. You will need to park on the street where available.

Karen's Note: If you are planning/considering coming down for any part of the 3-day, PLEASE LET ME KNOW RIGHT AWAY, either in comments or email. By doing this, I can help coordinate between people who are coming down (and when) and making sure they meet up (as well as making sure I meet up with you after the event!) I also have information on lodging in the area if you need it.

3-Day Update

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:43:21 GMT

43 Days to go until the 3-Day! Last week, Becky and Amber threw a fundraiser for me at B's house. We had a BLAST. I will go into more details on it when Pizza posts pictures to her Flickr account (whenever she can tear herself away from her beloved new DVR). We had a blast, and raised $240!

Since my last update, I have also met my tentmate, Emily! She lives just outside of Charlotte and we had a chance to meet up and do a bit of training. This is also her first 3-Day, so we've already got a lot in common. I feel much better knowing I have a great tentmate, she's really cool.

I'm reviewing my checklist of things I need to pack. Keep in mind, I have never gone camping before in my life. I have never done anything that could be considered outdoorsy until I began training for this walk and wearing a fanny pack outside on my long walks. So I'm in need of a lot of supplies.

Here are the ones I don't have and either need to borrow, buy or steal (KIDDING):

-Waterproof jacket
-~~Shower shoes (can I just use my flip flops?)~~ Yes I can just use my flip flops
-~~Sleeping Bag~~ seems we have one!
-~~Clothespins to secure plastic~~ Thanks Amber!
-Mylar blankets
-Earplugs
-~~Travel alarm clock (or I could just use my phone, or ask my tentmate if she is bringing one)~~ Thanks Jamsky!
-Lots of socks (Thor-lo ankle socks, Walking level 3)
-Rain poncho
-~~a little journal/notebook to keep track of the event so I can share it with you guys when I return~~ OH FINE, ERIK (xoxo)
~~-A backpack that can fit it all~~ Thanks Jamsky!
Does anyone have any of these supplies that I can borrow (~~especially the sleeping bag~~)? If so, let me know in the comments or email karen.vigeland (at) gmail.com

This weekend I'll be doing a combined mileage of 30 miles - wish me luck! I'm also looking for a tanning place in town. Despite liberal use of sunscreen, I have very bad sports bra tan lines that just won't work with a wedding dress. I've tried self-tanner in these areas, but can't get the fake tan to look right next to the real tan. Plus, E and I are going on a super sweet honeymoon - gotta look good for it!

Fred Watch: Day 12

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 18:22:42 GMT

I've left 2 messages now for animal control, and they have not called me back.

What if we never catch him?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 02:38:15 GMT

DO YOU KNOW WHAT WAS JUST IN OUR HOUSE?!??!??!

(not Fred)

(we did not see him tonight)

BUT WE DID SEE....

A TARANTULA!

IN THE HALL CLOSET!!!

LAYING EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!

IN OUR HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT WE LIVE IN NORTH CAROLINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DO YOU HEAR THAT SOUND???!?!?!?

IT WAS MY HEAD EXPLODING!!!!!!!!!!

(we would have taken a picture but Josh has our camera. So you will have to take our word on it. It was NASTY and had FANGS and I am nearly ran away screaming)

TARANTULA!

(that's not a euphemism for a big spider. It was a freaking TARANTULA, probably 2.5 - 3 inches when alive and spread out)

TARANTULA!!!!

(Erik killed it. The eggs oozed out. Holly tried to eat it, but we gave her catnip instead.)

Did I mention TARANTULA???!?!?!??!???!

Fred Watch: Day 11

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 19:57:57 GMT

NOW HE'S JUST BEING A JERK

Another day, another Fred sighting. Like Erik said, this is actually typical behavior for him. Becky thinks he is engaging in kitty Rumspringa where he is off enjoying the forbidden world before coming back. I think he's trying to tick off his mom on purpose, like the rebellious teenager he is. Either way, he is SO GROUNDED when he gets back.

The Humane Society in our area does not use or lend humane traps. However, Charlotte Animal Control does, so I am waiting for their "Trap Officer" to return my call.

Last night, I went out to look for him and saw him sneaking off someone's porch. He stopped and looked at me for a moment while I shook a canister of treats. But before I could say "come here so I can feed you/capture you!" he ran away.... INTO THE SEWER. I knew it! Luckily, it's one that's very open so it looks like it's easy for him to get back out. But he is getting SUCH a bath when we get him back.

Today when we go look for him, I won't chase after him but I will vigorously rub my hands in cat nip before going out.

Fred Watch: Day 9

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 02:22:18 GMT

HOPE

See the look on Fred's face? The fear, the horror? This is what he has waiting for him if he ever decides to return home. Nothing but cuddles, and there's not a damn thing he can do about it.

Erik and I just spent 20 minutes chasing Fred around the block next to ours. It was DEFINITELY 100% Fred, but he did not want to come home to us (hence the chasing). So while I am very upset that he ran away from his mom and dad, I am thrilled to see him alive and well. He seemed scared, but then so would you if two people with flashlights were chasing you, even if they are your owners. He was just chilling on the sidewalk, and Erik went out for a walk and saw him. Fred saw Erik, Erik yelled "Fred", Fred bolted, Erik got me, we snuck through some guy's yard (and scared the shit out of him, sorry dude) and saw him from a few feet away before he bolted. We chased him through several yards (all back and forth on the same block) until we realized we would not be catching him tonight in the dark, scaring the neighbors. As we gave up and were walking back to our place, some random dude came up and wished us Happy Memorial Day. Um...

SO - I was going to walk 12 miles tomorrow but instead I will be sticking close to the block. I'll be knocking on the doors of all the neighbors there to let them know that our cat is definitely in their area, make sure they have my phone number, and warn them that if they see people rushing through their yard, I swear we are not trying to break into their house. Now we're forming a plan - how can we catch him? Is there a way to make him come to us even though he's scared?

HE'S ALIVE!

Fred Watch: Day 7

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:09:15 GMT

Last night, the rain was not as bad as I had feared. And as Erik said yesterday, there was little danger of him getting in the sewer. But as he pointed out, Fred may be enjoying his vacation so much that he does not want to come back yet. And if that's true, he is going to be in so much trouble when he gets home. I'll pick him up and give him lots of hugs and kisses and girly noises, which he totally hates. But that's what he gets for being gone for so long.

Yesterday, Pizza and I went to the animal control shelter to look for him. Of course he was not there, but there were dozens of cats and kittens - some abandoned, some like Fred who were lost from their owner, and some dropped off by their "owners" because they could not deal with them anymore. It's a hard place to be in, and I am amazed by those who work and volunteer there. Erik and I vowed that our next pet, be it a cat or a dog, will be from the animal shelter - I hope your next pet is from there as well. For information on the Charlotte Animal Control, and the pets they have for adoption, please visit their site.

Non-Fred item

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 20:28:10 GMT

HOLY SMOKES! CAROLYN GOT FIRED!