Small Bites and Little Victories

I got invited out for drinks the other night with a few of my friends from college.  During the course of the night we met up with some of my friend Chris’ colleagues.    Chris is an incredible person who is more excited about your victories than you are, and he so sweetly introduced me as his friend the author who is having a book published in a few weeks.   The question that comes next is one that I am delighted by and dread in equal measure.   "What kind of a book is it?" I try to fight my embarrassment while saying that I wrote a memoir, because what is douchier than a person writing 300 pages about themselves after they haven’t even been on the earth for 40 years?   Nothing, you guys, there is nothing douchier than that. Then they ask what the title is, and I tell them How to Get Run Over by a Truck – and as I look into their confused and interested faces, I usually follow up with, “because I was run over by an 18 wheel truck a few years a...

During the course of my short little life, I've forced myself to do a lot things that have scared the crap out of me.  I have done stand up comedy even when I was pretty sure I was going to bomb. I started a job in finance even though I could barely do basic math, and didn't reallllly understand what the stock market was (up good? down bad?)  I put all of my innermost thoughts and feelings about the worst experience of my life into a book for errrrrybody to read (My former boss bought a copy...*meep*).  I try to face my fears with the aggressiveness of a 7 year old running after the ice cream man with two dollars in her fist and a serious jonesing for a Choco Taco. C'mon we've all been there...if I'm going to be honest, I'm there right now!  I'd run an obstacle course for a SnoCone every.damn.day. This way of living usually works for me: I see a fear and I fight to overcome it. I use the weapons at my disposal: positive attitude, a good worth ethic and a c...

My body and I have been in a little fight of late.  Nothing huge mind you, we're still on speaking terms.  I'm just a little colder to the ol' bod than I usually am. I've found I'm quicker to anger and not as patient with it as I'd like to be. It may be because its creeping up on spring (even though it doesn't feel like it in Brooklyn today - brr you guys, BRRRR!), and my body is still holding fast to my sweater bod (Rude! Doesn't it know that its almost sundress time?!)  Or, it could be because I've been having some additional health challenges of late that have made me feel like my body has turned on me. Like we're just not on the same page.  Which feels sad, and kind of confusing. When I woke up this morning to go work out, I was still feeling my feelings about my body and I made a decision that something needed to change.  I needed to do something to feel like my body was my own, that it was strong and capable and that I loved the shit out ...

It has been a long while since I've written on this blog, and for that I absolutely apologize! To make up for being MIA - I wrote an incredibly long post.  If you need to get a snack, or maybe go to the bathroom before you read - go for it.  I'll wait. The reason why I haven't been writing on this blog as much as I'd like, is actually because of writing this blog (full circle you guys! Full. Circle)  Let me begin at the beginning: While I was in the hospital after my accident I started writing as form of catharsis. It was a way for me to take all of the memories that kept rushing around my head and put them in one place.  As I wrote, I found that not only did I feel better, but I also felt like I had a better understanding of myself and my situation. I continued to write about my recovery and my life post accident after I got out of the hospital.  When I was well enough to go back to work, I made writing my second job.  I would wake up early in the mo...

Last week I made plans to have dinner with my friend Kim. Dinner and drinks with her are always a power catch up,  and so incredibly fun! Our conversations range from religion, love, work, mediation, our favorite crock pot recipes to where to find the best Bloody Mary's in the City. The topics always vary, but the tone of the conversation is always the same - complimentary and kind. We're usually only about half a glass into whatever we're drinking before I find myself not being able to hold myself back from telling Kim how wonderful I think she is. That's why when I saw the meeting invite that Kim sent over for our hang I couldn't help but giggle to myself, it read: "Kim + Katie Compliment Party." Kim and I went to a small liberal arts school in Ohio, called Denison University, which isa really special place. The people that I spent my 4 years of school with were hilarious, extroverted, fun loving and so good to one another! The way that Kim and I hang ...

I, like most people, love to be included. It doesn't really matter what it is, I just know that I want in! I am sure that this is a product of being one of four kids, and always wanting to make sure that I didn't get left out.  When my older brother joined the swim team, I threw on my water wings and paddled around the shallow end while he practiced, when my little brother and sister had a lemonade stand, I gave them all my coins so that they would have change (I was also a very shrewd investor at a young age), when my dad was splitting wood in the backyard for a fire, I would pick up sticks for kindling. When my mom was making cookies, I would steal as many chocolate chips as I could without being detected. I might not be able to do exactly what they were doing - but I wanted to mirror them in some way. The fear of being left out hit me hard when my boyfriend began training for the New York City and the Brooklyn half marathons. I need to say that his running these half marat...

I like being grateful, it makes me feel good. I love that telling people why you're thankful for them can make them smile, or if I'm lucky there is hugging and to be honest, I love a good hug! But, being thankful doesn't always come easily to me. Sometimes I'm too wrapped up in my own sad, stressed, anxiety filled biz to take a minute to express to others what a bunch of amazing humans they are. I find myself in this stress/anxiety/sad place every October 2nd (the anniversary of my accident) so I created a ritual-arty (its a ritual party hybrid) so I wouldn't forget. The ritual that I have with family and a few friends is that we meet at 6:30 am at the corner where the accident happened. My mom passes out red solo cups, and like magic bottles of champagne appear (by magic, I mean the cooler my dad has been hauling with him - but it always feels like magic).  My dad opens up a bottle, and we huddle around each other in a circle as he pours.  We look at each one an...