RED SOX GAME ON SATURDAY

Me & Amanda are going to the redsox game on Saturday!

We are sitting in section 109.. SICK seats.

Social networking overload

I have only had my new Verizon magic machine for less than 24 hours, and I am already being sucked into its tiny LCD world.

I got a tweet from Chris that read as follows:

ccchristopher@caitykauffman how many forms of Internet social connections is truly necessary? Text, pin, blog, tweet... I'm overwhelmed.

Its true. Society is completely reliant on electronic forms of communication.

I went to Chili's with Lee over the weekend, and as we devoured chicken fajitas (mine grilled, his buffalo.. seriously the best), we had this social networking breakdown. How the HELL did people get by thirty years ago without cell phones, internet or even those tacky early-'90s pagers??

Lee: "Seriously, when you were going to someone's house, you had to call them on their landline, ask for directions, and then write them down. Then, if you got lost, you have to pull over somewhere and call them on a freaking pay phone? No way dude, no way."

Even my dad, who is in his late sixties, was the one who was all about me joining him in the cult of the CrackBerry. He admits that now he can't imagine life without his BlackBerry & e-mail.

My list of social networking/communcation addictions & accounts:

-Cell phone
-Texting
-Facebook
-MySpace (not so often anymore.. but, true to form, I can't bring myself to delete it)
-iChat (AIM)
-E-mail (personal & school)
-Twitter
-Digg
-Blogspot
-Last.fm
-Linkd In
-BlackBerry messenger

whoa.

New Toy

I have no clue how I've lived 20 years without owning a BlackBerry Storm.

I swear to you, this phone could only be improved upon if it also did my laundry and drove me home from the bar at 2 a.m.

The touch/tap screen still takes some getting used to, though.

Today was the first, and only, time I've ever felt even semi-technologically baffled.

The first few times I made an attempt to send a text message, I was stabbing the screen with one finger the way an 80-year-old lady would. The first few texts I sent were only slightly comprehensible, but as time has gone (i.e. about 4 hours) on they are improving.

I downloaded a few cool apps: Pandora, Google, Twitterberry, Boston Red Sox newsfeed & Viigo.

If you're curious, here's some of the specs.

Buy one. Now. Waaaaaaay cooler than the iPhone.

Redship.com

Check out this website, Redship.com. Its a friend of my sister Heidi's. Its a really cool site where you can order care packages packed with snacks! They come stocked with things like Famous Amos cookies, microwave pop corn, Sunchips, Starbucks coffee, M&M's, Chex Mix, Trail Mix and any other sort of random snack.

There's even a neat healthy pack with raisins, granola bars and other yummy organic snacks.

Good gift idea to mention to your parents or other family members.

Super cute!

Today is something much bigger than 420

Today is the anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado.

I distinctly remember that day. I was nine and living in Iowa at the time. It was just two months before our family's move to Florida.

I had just gotten off the school bus after the last few days of the 4th grade, when I walked into the kitchen and saw my mother. She was watching the small television we had over the counter, and she was visibly upset. I remember seeing the television and seeing some of the images that are synonymous with Columbine even today.

Groups of students running out from the tan brick building, shielded by the SWAT team and police officers. Bloody victims hurling out of broken windows. People crying, news casters solemn.

It was the first time I can remember hearing the terrifying term, "school shooting."

To all of you celebrating "420" today, I challenge you to instead remember the victims of the 10 year anniversary of one of the most indelible marks on American history.

If you want to read more, check out this article by CNN.

"impeccable grammEr" is an oxymoron

I always randomly browse Craigslist for really no reason at all, and one posting I found was pretty amusing.

notice the part where it says "impeccable grammEr" is required. (FYI, its grammAr.)


ohhh the irony.

Coffee shop creepster

Tonight I went to my usual spot to get coffee, work on my book and finish other various writing assignments. I sat down facing the door with my usual order (large mocha, no whipped cream) and set to work on my macbook.

I like sitting facing the door no matter where I go, just because its this freaky control issue. I like to know who's in my surroundings, and tonight that natural intuition and obsessive OCD trait paid off.

I was a couple pages in to my work when I see this 6'3", dark haired, lanky guy in khakis belted at his waist and a blue button-up shirt walk inside. The way he walked, sort of this Forrest Gump-ish hunch, just radiated gawky. If you've ever seen the movie Superbad, he was the epitome of "McLovin'." (see photo)

He was socially awkward at its finest.

He sat down directly in my line of vision in one of the large armchairs by the front window. I peered up over my laptop screen, and he sort of raised one bony pale hand up and half smiled at me. It may seem sort of bitchy of me to not even give the poor guy a smile, but there are a few reasons why I did not:

a.) I'm a writer. I'm not friendly.
b.) I really, really didn't want him to come talk to me. How would that benefit me? There is a 50% chance he's a totally lovely fellow. There is also a 50% chance he's a total creep. I happen to be pessimistic in those types of situations.
c.) I had a bad feeling about him.

So a few minutes later, he gets up and gets a cup of coffee. Conveniently, I happen to be sitting right behind the bar where the newspapers are.

Fan-freaking-tastic.

He is leafing through the paper, and even though my back was to him, I got that weird feeling that he was looking at me. Know what I'm talking about? I was also concerned he was looking at my laptop, so I made sure I kept any of my facebook, twitter, etc. off the screen so he didn't see any personal info. (I know, a little extreme... but seriously you never know.)

Finally Forrest Gawkward sits down at the table directly behind me and starts reading his newspaper. It was almost 9 and I planned to stay until 9:15 (I had plans at 9:30) but by this time my creative juices had been replaced with creep juice so I had to cut my writing short.

I get up and walk out, when he gets up really quickly leaving his newspaper on the table and tries to (awkwardly, of course) hold the door open for me even though he is a.) behind me and b.) I'm already nearly out the door.

By this time I'm wishing I had asked for a taser for Christmas, and I start frantically calling/texting anyone who would answer. I walk towards my car and he is just steps behind me, so I re-think that plan of action and just decide to stand in front of the coffee shop. Creepster McLovin' notices my suspicions and then starts practically running in the opposite direction.

Thankfully I knew one of the regulars who then walked me out to the faithful Cruiser.

Maybe I'm being totally paranoid, but, cliche as it is, its better to be safe than sorry.

Remembering an old friend

Ever hear a song that reminds you of a certain place, time, or person? It brings this memory that is incredibly intense, so much if you close your eyes you find yourself back in that time where you first heard that song. I'm a particularly visual person, so I have an assortment of songs in the back of my head that I can't listen to without thinking about that particular memory. A few minor ones, like the random Akon song that I always think about doing my make-up with Sarah at her dorm before our nights out.

Tonight I was listening to Pandora, a website that has customized streaming music. I love it, because I can specific one artist or song and it matches other types of music for you. I was listening to the John Mayer channel (shocker) when I song came on that I hadn't heard since last August.

The day of Curtis' funeral.



I knew Curtis for close to five years, we met my freshman year of high school which was his senior year. At only 22 years old, we lost him to cancer on August 1, 2008. I'll never forget his laugh, bright green eyes, or the way he walked. I always remember Curtis when I go to Rumrunners, the restaurant he used to work at. I can never see a Jeep Cherokee the same way or listen to any song by Alabama without him crossing my mind.

The day of his funeral, I went alone. I sat towards the back and it was entirely surreal. That song is so strangely positive, and I sat and I watched the slide show of pictures that were projected on the wall of the church. That song that played was so peculiar and positive, I couldn't think about rainbows, this was a funeral. But at the same time, the song carries the spirit of Curtis. He always just wanted to have a good time. That's all he wanted from life, and I admire that from him.

I feel his presence sometimes, I know he's there.

Maya Angelou

A woman should have enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to.

A woman should have something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour.

A woman should have a youth she's content to leave behind.

A woman should have a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age.

A woman should have a screwdriver, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.

A woman should have one friend who always makes her laugh, and one who lets her cry.

A woman should have a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family.

A woman should have eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored.

A woman should have a feeling of control over her destiny.

Every woman should know how to fall in love without losing herself.

Every woman should know how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.

Every woman should know when to try harder... and when to walk away.

Every woman should know that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents.

Every woman should know that her childhood may not have been perfect... but its over.

Every woman should know what she would and wouldn't do for love or more.

Every woman should know how to live alone.... even if she doesn't like it.

Every woman should know whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally.

Every woman should know where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table, or a charming inn in the woods when her soul needs soothing.

Every woman should know what she can and can't accomplish in a day, a month, a year.