Kate's Point of View

End-of-the-year lists have started being posted online. I love this time of year! I learn about new music and cool products and get a chance to catch up on anything I miss. It makes being online a lot more fun. Here are some of the things that have been catching my eye:

• I’ve been pretty entranced with crafts lately. I think it’s because I keep seeing money go out the door and crafting seems like an inexpensive way to have fun. Via Lifehacker I saw this awesome way to make sandwich containers from old milk jugs. Right now I use snack taxi’s for everything but I also end up recycling a lot of milk containers so I think this could be a good activity.
• For my birthday I asked for an embosser with initials of both me and Wonder Boy. I love it and have been embossing holiday gift tags, mostly because I can. I never thought of taking it much further. Tradewind Tiaras showed someone using an embosser on a paper napkin and all of a sudden I can think of so many more things to emboss! Calling cards. Post-it notes. Toilet paper. Probably not the lat one but it would class up my bathroom.
• What’s cuter than a baby elephant? A baby elephant playing soccer.
• Over the holidays I go to a lot of events (so, so many) and I always feel obligated to being some dish or drink. I’m totally good with that but I’m also in a rut and keep bringing the same things. For the new year’s party I’m going to, I think I might mix things up and try out these jello shots. Pretty and fun! (I might not follow the actual recipe but I definitely want to try the sprinkles.)
• A friend of mine found these awesome cards for bad parkers and swears he didn’t learn about them by having on left on his windshield. I have so many bad parkers in my neighborhood. I think I might have to purchase these cards in bulk.

Dear Dummy,

I want to thank you for last night. Thanks for breaking into my car and reminding me that urban living has its risks … for reminding me of the importance of locking up, being street-smart and not leaving stuff laying around in my car. I’m irritated that you’ve left me feeling totally violated and creeped out all morning, but grateful for the good laugh I’ve had at your expense.

Some tips for the next time and general comments on what you got:

• If you’re going to check out the trunk and steal stuff, don’t go for the jank $10 Woot.com jumper cables. Aim for the $200 bike rack instead.
• I know sometimes having to work fast means you need to cut corners, but if you’re going to take CDs, check to see if there are any CDs in the cases you take. Bad news for you is that I misplaced those a long time ago! Also, I don’t think NPR compilation CDs have a high street value. Just a guess.
• A gym pass can be valuable so I totally understand why you took it. I’m thinking you weren’t a neighbor of mine, though, because if you were you would know that the gym associated with that membership closed and was demolished a few years ago. I was only keeping that photo ID because I thought the unflattering photo was funny in how it made each of my boobs look the size of my head. Hope you get a good laugh out of that, too!
• Physical fitness is important to me, as it obviously is to you based on the gym pass you stole as well as the gym bag. I hope you get good use out of those gym clothes. Some tips about the stuff you got: Those shoes are about three years old and need to be replaced pretty soon. Those sweet gym clothes? If you notice that they smell, it’s because they should. I’m a little dirty lazy and those have all been worn at least four times since the last time they were washed. Wear those and you might get a rash!

I appreciate that you left me my nice hand lotion and the emergency supply of tampons. That actually was really considerate of you.

I’m hoping there won’t be a next time. I’m going to be much more diligent about locking my car and I think you’ll find the car alarm that goes off is loudly, highly … alarming.

Yours truly,
Kate