there's less of me now

about a year ago, i got restless and spontaneously decided to cut off 10+ inches of hair. after that, i developed what michelle williams refers to as the 'short hair disease', which means i repetitively requested that my hairdresser go 'just a little bit shorter this time', until i got to the point where another inch would have meant demi moore in g.i. jane.

good movie. bad hairstyle. (actually, bad movie. worse hairstyle. stellar cheekbones, though.)

so this is me, pleased and post-pixie (thanks to jenn kim at swagger)- but what made me even happier was the letter i recieved a few months ago in the mail informing me that my hair was accepted and used to make a wig for a woman living with cancer. i had successfully donated 4 ponytails (all this thick italian hair was finally good for something) through pantene's beautiful lengths program! i know that most people are more familiar with locks of love, but i chose beautiful lengths after doing some research and comparing the two. when i told a friend of mine about pantene's program and how they only require 8 inches as opposed to the 10 inches l.o.l. requires, she went out and chopped off all of her lovely hair, too (whoever gets her hair is one lucky gal)!

so if you or your friends are ready for a new, shorter 'do' or even considering jumping on the pixie band-wagon, check out their site and see if you meet the requirements for donating... here's why: it's just hair. it grows back. you probably usually put it in a ponytail anyways. and it could make someone really really happy.

bending over backwards just to try & see it clearer

i've been a yoga lover for years now, but i've recently considered taking this relationship to the next level...

'standing bow' in horseshoe bay, bermuda

i started practicing yoga when i was 14, joining my mom at the local studio and bringing along a few friends of my own. growing up a tomboy, with a full schedule of volleyball, basketball, track, and softball practices, i didn't really understand what this slow-moving, sometimes boring, often awkward form of exercise could do for me. it took me years to realize that it benefits your mind just as much as your body.

i was introduced to vinyasa yoga when i lived in burlington, VT and instantly fell in love. it was the type of practice i could relate to; fast paced, strength developing, sweat induced moves, set to a funky soundtrack. i started taking classes regularly, occassionally dragging joey along with me, and even doing my own practice at home- it became such a calming experience for me and helped me appreciate how much strength is in this tiny body. then, after a knee injury worsened this past year, a friend of mine suggested i take a bikram class at hot yoga saratoga, an amazing local studio.

bikram is the 'extreme sport' version of yoga. it's a 90 minute class in a heated room, which usually has a temperature of 110 degrees or higher. this form of yoga consists of 26 poses and each one is done twice throughout the 90 minute class. i was told the copious amount of sweat, heat and stretching would be good for my knee so i decided to try it, and it was one of the best experiences i've ever had. within a month, my knee pain was almost completely gone and i discovered how far i could actually push my body. dont get me wrong, the first few classes were hard as hell, and there was one in particular where the temperature rose to 117+ degrees due to the outside weather and plethera of people.... but it's such an amazing experience, i would recommend it to anyone. the training these teachers go through is crazy, and they are so unbelievably talented that you will get hooked after the first class, guaranteed.

and so, i digress. with all of this love for yoga, i just recently started to consider becoming certified myself (just so we're clear- not in bikram. god bless those instructors, but i will stick to being a student when it comes to bikram... i'm thinking more vinyasa)... it's a little intimidating, but i asked a yogi-friend for some guidance, so we shall see... maybe some day i'll be writing this blog as a certified yogini, fingers crossed.

i bet when i leave my body for the sky, the wait will be worth it

this past august marked 5 years since my nana monicas passing. i still talk to her daily and i can tell she's listening, because a few months ago, i was going through a particularly hard time with work and finances- i was visiting my parents one night and randomly started sorting through things in our basement when i opened an old jewelry box of mine from when i was younger. inside i found a pink envelope with my name written on it in her handwriting, and when i turned it over, i realized it was still sealed. inside the envelope was an easter card, dated 2 months before she was diagnosed with cancer; 5 months before she passed away...and inside the card were the words "all my love, nana monica" and a check for $100. i know it doesn't sound like much, but it was...

i think of her every day and smile, so todays post is a dedication to the memory of her. nana, these are a few of the things that remind me of you...

• bright red hair (but more specifically, a shade of red that isnt found in nature)
• old black and white movies
• deep belly laughs that shake your whole body but are almost completely void of sound
• spontaneous curse words inserted into unexpected sentences
  example: "those damn flowers are so pretty, arent they?"
• bejewled sweaters for every occasion, but especially christmas
• flamboyant costume jewelry, most likely from avon
• floral upholstery in every shade of pink
• the sound of frank sinatra
• playing poker with pennies
• calling out every sign on the road as we drive by & following that with a comment of some sort
  example: "toyota? oh, they have nice cars. stewarts? i used to know a guy that worked at a stewarts once. the flower shoppe? i wonder how much their hydrangeas are... the olive garden? i like that broccoli cheddar soup they've got."
• acts of kindness to complete strangers
• everybody loves raymond re-runs
  "everybody really does love raymond, dont they?"
• mauve nail polish (again, most likely from avon)
• this poem:
  After Glow, by Helen Lowrie Marshall
  I'd like the memory of me
  to be a happy one.
  I'd like to leave an afterglow
  of smiles when life is done.
  I'd like to leave an echo
  whispering softly down the ways,
  Of happy times and laughing times
  and bright and sunny days.
  I'd like the tears of those who grieve,
  to dry before the sun.
  Of happy memories that I leave
  When life is done.

all my love,
katie

come on baby, let me show you my tattoo

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time ticks by her one race at a time

the saratoga racetrack closed this past weekend and i was once again disappointed with how very few races i attended... it's a huge tourist attraction, and every year i promise myself that i will take advantage of living/working so close to the track, but alas, i never do. this year i was able to squeeze in two visits, both of which i came home with less money than i left with.

this is strange because, if my memory serves me correctly, my twelve year old self used to be very good at placing bets (aka, telling my dad to pick the prettiest horses or the ones that had super cute names) and winning more often than not. however, in retrospect, i am starting to think that my dad would take my 'suggestions', alter them slightly, place the bet and, win or lose, simply tell me i won and give me a few bucks... god, i miss that.

sarah, tashia, me, moni, andrea, sully, brie

anyhow, my first trip to the track was in august, for monicas bachelorette party, which i had organized. we all wore our big fancy hats and i added a giant bow and ribbon to monis that said "bride to be". i dont want to toot my own horn, but we got a lot of compliments, a few people clapped for us, AND we got the thumbs up from two dudes- it was that awesome. so yea, big fancy hats, lots of chicks, and the final race of the day- we each picked a different horse to win (8 horses, 7 girls.... guess which horse won? yup, the only one we didnt pick. where was my dad when we needed him...?).

then, last week, a few co-workers and i went back to the track and for the first time EVER, i sat in the box seats! we were right in front of the winner's circle, so we had a clear view of the finish line, which means i had a really great view of my horse coming in last every time... notice a trend? i kind of suck at this betting stuff, but i swear, it's still fun to go! if you've never been, i suggest you grab some friends, a couple bottles of wine, some fine artisan cheese (fine artisan cheeses are always a crowd pleaser) and check out the racetrack next year in July when it opens back up for the 2012 season. and if he's anything like mine, bringing your dad might be a good idea, too.