Stuff I Love: Go Ahead, Keep Making My Day

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine referred to his brother as "an enthusiast," someone who obsesses over certain new-found things for brief periods of time before moving along to the next bit of excitement. I instantly related with this personality trait & adopted the "enthusiast" label for myself. A good example of my enthusiasm is Thai food, namely the restaurant down the street from my first apartment in D.C. I order spicy fried rice for take-out so frequently that one day, when I called to place my order, the employee said, "Oh, the girl in the red coat!" I was mortified, & thus ended my enthusiasm for that restaurant - onto the next one!

I wanted to share with you some of the things I'm currently enthusiastic about. Be warned: They're going to severely lower your opinion of my coolness.

  • Shakti Gawain's "Creative Visualization: Meditations"
    My mom gave me this Oprah-approved meditation CD years ago, & I was bemused by the cliched "inspirational" cover art; needless to say, I never listened to it. On a whim, I recently uploaded it to my iTunes & began listening to it at night as I fall asleep. Gawain's voice is relaxing & her instructions are simple. Sure, I feel a little ridiculous imagining spheres of golden lights encompassing my body, but it's helped me slow down my late-night worry-fests & sleep a bit easier.

  • These a.n.a® Derby boots
    I've worn these every single day since Black Friday, when Nate got them for me for Christmas, with the only exceptions being days I haven't let my home. They go with everything. They are so comfortable they may as well be slippers. They look badass. And they were on sale for something like $25.

  • The Best Grilled Cheese in the World
    I blogged about my brilliant grilled cheese invention once already, but it warrants repeating. Recipe is as follows: Layer muenster cheese, goat cheese, baby spinach, crumbled walnuts & a smear of fig jam on ciabatta & press it in a George Foreman, panini-style. Rinse & repeat daily. Again: I am a culinary genius with the sophisticated palette of a 10-year-old.

  • Complete All Day UV Moisturizer
    Until last month, I'd never moisturized. I know, WHAT? I wanted to, I just didn't know, like, how. Or, more importantly, with what. My aunt turned me on to this genius Olay product, which has saved my skin from the dreaded winter itch.

  • AB Studio's Skinny Ponte Pants
    Dress pants that are basically pajamas with a button. Adulthood win. I wish they came in more colors or that I needed 10 pairs of black slacks, because I basically want to be wearing these at all times.

  • Taylor Swift's "Speak Now"
    I am only mildly ashamed to admit that I have been listening to this album on repeat for approximately three weeks. Every time it restarts, I think, "Not again, resist!" & then quickly fall prey to the temptation of this country sweetheart's sappy lyrics & catchy beatz.

  • Crest 3D White Toothpaste
    Yes, toothpaste. Though I'm not enamored of the name (I don't want my teeth, like, popping through the screen at you live-action-style), I am convinced that this toothpaste is reverting my chompers back to their God-given whiteness rather than their latte-induced yellowness. Say cheese.

    I hear you: "Come on, Kate, toothpaste & Taylor Swift? JC PENNEY? You're right: You are way less cool than I thought - a combination of my 10-year-old niece & my 90-year-old grandmother." But sometimes, folks, it's the little things that bring the big smiles. Go ahead: Tell me what makes your day.

    *Disclaimer: None of these companies asked me to write about their stuff. I just like their stuff. But if Taylor Swift asked me to write about her CD, um, I would.

    17 comments:

    1. Love the obsession list! I made grilled cheese the other day for dinner, it was the first time I had it in what seems like forever. Tasted pretty damn good too! I bought a pair of boots from Penney's last weekend for $20 and I adore them.

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    2. As soon as I read the toothpaste thing, I was like "OMG! I love that toothpaste too!" So don't feel bad about it, haha. It pretty much eliminates the need for whitening strips, which is awesome for coffee drinkers!

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    3. Psh, I still think you are cool :) Love T. Swift! Nice footnote BTW haha.

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    4. Love that album! Not uncool at allll, seriously. "Last Kiss" makes me a bit weepy though, which is slightly uncool when you're trying to pay for something in a shop and it comes on.. Ah well.

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    5. I LOVE those boots. Hopefully they go on sale again after Christmas.

      And that grill cheese sounds delish.

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    6. This was definitely amusing, but I don't think anything you wrote about is that bad. Thanks for being honest with us :) Oh, and those boots are super cute!

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    7. I love those boots! Oh & I will probably try that toothpaste. I have latte teeth.

      Something that makes my day? Burt's Bees lip balm...because it actually works!

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    8. The fact that you included whitening toothpaste makes my day.

      One of my favorite everyday things is probably Big Red gum.

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    9. I'm super enthusiastic about peanut butter and making too much food for my friends to eat. Tonight will be the third night this week I've entertained. It's going to be delicious.

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    10. Currently making my day: SunnyD (I've totally rediscovered it), the soundtrack to Valentine's Day (mediocre movie, wonderful disk, very pop-bluesy), the first season of Glee (beau got it for me for our year, and I love remembering what the characters were like in the beginning, and there are some GREAT Easter eggs for folks who know what happens in the second season)

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    11. I recently described this personality problem that we share to someone and he said I have "an addictive personality." Uh, okay, but I think I like "enthusiast" better. So thank you. :)

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    12. Hmmmm, those pants have me interested!! I kinda wanna join the skinny jeans craze...but I am scared. I also needs some good boots to wear with them...

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    13. I love when people remember me at local establishments. In DC I would buy a thai iced tea from a place around the corner from my office almost every day. Pretty quickly I would walk in and the lady would yell to the back "thai ice tea!" and I'd give her exact change. It was awesome.


      Also, I love Taylor Swift and I want those boots.

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    14. I must try that toothpaste out. I'm not sure if I want 3D teeth, either, but a whiter smile would be helpful!

      Also, those boots are CUTE! I'm not sure I could pull off the look, but I do kinda love them. :)

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    15. Hmm...Sun Chips. I love Sun Chips. I literally think they are God's gift to the world.

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    16. I love comfy boots. I got myself a pair just before Thanksgiving and have been living in them since. They are far more comfortable than I expected they'd be.

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    17. Thanks for loving Taylor Swift! She is currently on repeat in my CD player (YES, I own a CD not a digital copy! Woot!!!) as well.

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    Leave me some love.

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