January 2011 | Kate's Point of View

Making Being Green Easier

On January 30, 2011

I recently stayed at a Doubletree Hotel for a work meeting. It was a nice two-room suite with a king-size bed that made the queen-size one I have at home look dinky. I had two large televisions to choose from when watching TV and a nice wet bar where I could make coffee. Aside from some really slow internet access and the fact that the gym was two blocks away so there was no way for me to get there in my workout gear (shorts), the stay was really nice. The best part? They had trashcans that I’ve wanted for a long time and, in fact, thought were an idea of my own creation.

Inside each trashcan were two smaller trashcans — one for garbage and one for recycling. It’s fabulous! The fact is, we create garbage and recyclable material in just about every room in our house. And yet we only have one indoor recycling container in our kitchen and a bag I keep in my office. If I had one in every room I’m sure I would recycle even more.

Unfortunately I didn’t have the guts to steal this one so I still need to figure out my own solution. But at least now I know its possible. And that I won’t make millions from what I thought was my own invention.

Travel Beckons

By Kate

On January 27, 2011

In travel

You know where sounds like a fabulous place to go on vacation? GHANA!

Wonder Boy and I have made plans to visit there in the not distant future and I’m thrilled. As soon as the tickets were bought I started experiencing those familiar butterflies I get whenever a new trip looms. It’s the unknown that get me revved up. The idea of being a foreigner. Of eating new foods. Of seeing ELEPHANTS. (Of course, I thought I would see those in Asia and that fell through so I’m trying to keep my expectations in check about the elephants. But if I see them., you’ll hear all about it.)

Ghana is going to be an interesting destination for us. It will be my second time in Africa but promise to be a little more positive than my first visit, which was right after 9/11 and where people were not all Yeah America! It will be Wonder Boy’s first time to Africa so now he’ll be caught up with me for number of continents. While there we will get to learn about America’s history with slavery, since many slaves came from Ghana. We’ll be along the coast so we can enjoy beaches. And due to religions there, we vegetarians will be hooked up.

So excited!

Shoe Phone? Isn’t a Foot Phone Way More Cool?

By Kate

On January 23, 2011

In animals

Maxwell Smart had a shoe phone and, during the pre-cellphone era in which I watched the show, I always thought that was the coolest. Our cat Addy has a foot phone. At least that’w what Wonder Boy thinks it is. Whenever Addy looks at us with his foot in the air, Wonder Boy says he’s making a phone call.

Personally, I just like it because it shows off his long foot hair. 🙂

Addy has always been this grouchy old man. Lately, though, with the addition of the Notorious B.I.G., he’s gotten real lovey dovey. He wants to be petted a lot more and follows Wonder Boy and I around like a shadow.

Relations

By Kate

On January 22, 2011

In animals

I’ve been asked how the addition of cat #3 (we’re trying out the name Notorious B.I.G. / Biggie Smalls) has been going, specifically how he’s been getting along with cat #1 and #2. Um, not so good. Also, people want to know who, in our household of male cats, is the alpha male. Oddly, it’s the one who is not in the best health and weighs the least.

Meet the alpha male, displaying all emotions of how he feels about Biggie.

Stink Eye

Pouting

Because who wants poop on her purse?

By Kate

On January 21, 2011

In family / friends

Due to distance, busy schedules and, this holiday season, illness, Mart Girl and I don’t get to see each other very often. When we do, though, it’s like a special treat. And what’s even better is that I normally leave visit with her with a story.

Two-ish years ago we met up for drinks at a local pub. We were sitting at one of those high bar tables and she whips out this contraption that she sets on the edge of the table and can hook her purse onto. I though it was hysterical.

In the past several weeks I have heard about some disturbing episode of Oprah where they took purses from random women in the audience and tested the outside of them to see what germs and such were lurking. One woman had e coli on her purse! Disgusting.

So since then I have been looking at all of my purses suspiciously. Harbingers of bad stuff!

At this month’s book club, where no books were read and we spent a lot of time talking about www.urbandictionary.com, we had a White Elephant gift exchange where everyone was supposed to wrap up their worst Christmas gift.

I saw this and had to have it — my very own purse hook! Mary Girl, sorry I ever made fun of you.