START SPREADING THE NEWS....

Last Friday I turned Thirty... Three. Considering there are so many shifts and changes in my world, including a show/job that has taken me to New York this week, my birthday was really wonderful, sweet, and happy....

It's hard to believe that 15 years ago, I moved to this city in the hopes of becoming an "act-toorrr." I wanted to do "theee-Ate-er," wear black, smoke cigarettes, and "act from my soulllll...." Okay, I wasn't that affected, but I did smoke cigarettes... a habit I picked up after my freshman RA at NYU introduced us to the Silver Bullet Deli that would happily deliver cigarettes and a bottle of water at any time of the day...

Overnight, I found my bearings, my bars, and my ballsy side...

I was a New Yorker.

As a child growing up in Los Angeles, I'm sure it seemed odd to my parents that I would adopt an imaginary friend named Bodice and her "cousin" Beem-Beem. I don't think anyone would have suspected that come college time, I would follow my "friends" to the big apple... After all, just because Bodice moved to New York to be an actress (and "Beem Beem went with her") didn't necessarily mean I should too... But I did. I was going to go to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts to become the world's most famous actress and do interviews with Barbara Walters (in a British accent... don't ask) and talk about my life, my loves, and the many many children I had adopted and saved....

Well, 11 years post graduation, I'm hardly famous and my accent is hardly British (think Eliza Doolittle meets Sarah Palin). I would have never guessed, standing on the stage of Carnegie Music Hall, receiving my diploma, that I would one day give up acting, move back to Los Angeles, find myself working in a field known as "reality television," fall in love with writing (and become a "blogger")... and I certainly wouldn't have imagined my heart could get completely stolen by a 25 pound little man who's smile is so contagious and tush is

so delicious I would actually consider (and have tried) eating it.

But here I am.... On the 30th floor of an office building overlooking a city (well not so much overlooking... more like wedged in)... in a city that I once swore I'd neeeever EVER leave... down the block from theaters I dreamt of performing in... NOW I'm behind a desk and behind the cameras...

And while my dreams of bantering with Ba-Ba-Wa may never come to fruition (unless I'm producing the famous actress who has actually adopted many children and saved many lives), it feels good to be back here... I'm a real "Working Girl...." with a real head for business and a bod for sin (if I can manage to stay awake)....

But alas, I must sign off. Get back to work and to this show... I've got a deadline.

"Katherine's" on my ass. Let the river ruuuuuunnn......

THE NEW YORK PASTRAMI INCIDENT OF 1995

On Saturday night, we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday. It was a great party and a ton of fun (especially because I chopped 5 inches off my hair... maybe I'll post a little pic. Hmm) ANYWAY, my brother Uncle G, Auntie "Addie," and I were asked to say a little something. We all conspired and wanted to share some very hilarious (but probably too inappropriate stories for a party of colleagues and coworkers), so we opted to tell memorable stories that wouldn't embarrass my dad for the rest of his life (and still sound funny after 3 Vodka Sodas in. Plus champagne.)

My sister introduced us and told everyone that we were going to share some of our funny memories, because after all, our dad is a funny guy. So here was my portion of the speech:

**
As many of you probably know our dad is a very funny guy. He goofed off a lot and went out if his way to be silly for us...I think it goes without saying he has a great sense of humor. When I think of my dad I often think of laughter. The other thing that comes to mind when think about memories of my childhood is food. My dad loves food. In our house he was affectionately referred to as the "Junk Food Dad." And I could always count on him to be the one to deliver on total crappy and unhealthy food- and I loved it.

One of my favorite food memories, is when my Dad and G came to visit me in NYC when I was at NYU. Dad had been adamant about having a "real" New York pastrami sandwich and asked me to plan that lunch for weeks before we had arrived there. (Btw, my dad is the only person I know- other than me and my siblings- that can tell you on Saturday, what he wants for breakfast on Tuesday, and get completely obsessed with having to have it.)

Anyway, back to New York and pastrami.... So we made plans to go to Katz's deli , but when we got there it was closed! Baffled, we got in a cab and headed to the equally famous 2nd Ave Deli. We pull up in front and from the cab we see another "CLOSED" sign. WHAT?! Also closed?! So we hopped out and went to the door. "CLOSED FOR YOM KIPPUR." But that wasn't going to stop this Jewish family. Oh, no. Some of us needed to eat!

Dad was annoyed and in a fit of food rage, threw us (back) in to a cab. The Middle Eastern cab driver said "where to" and Dad said, "Where can I get a good pastrami sandwich?"
The guy said, "No problem. I know."
My brother and I are dying. This guy does NOT know where to get a "real" new york pastrami-effing sandwich.
"Dad!" we screamed, "Every deli is going to be closed. It's Yom Kippur!"
"No! Drive!" Said my dad and the cabbie nodded, drove 30 blocks, stopped short and said "there."
We look up and it's "Hop Lee's Westside Deli."
Needless to say, we opted for some real new york pizza instead that day....
On behalf of A, G, T-Ko, The New JB, and of course Baby-Ko... I just wanted to say we love you dad. Here's to another 60 years filled with, love, happiness, health, and lots of grandchildren.

TAG, I'M IT!

I'm a huge sucker for those emails that ask you all sorts of (tame) personal questions like "what's your favorite color," "Favorite time of day," "What is your favorite city," etc... and then you have to forward it on to all your friends and copy the person that sent it to you. WELL, apparently, in the blog world, there's similar thing called getting "Tagged" in which one blogger answers a 6 question "Meme" (look this one up, because i still don't know what the f it means) and then forwards or "tags" another blogger to answer the same question.

Tonight I got the chance to catch up on reading all my favorite blogs and saw that I had been "tagged" by Taiwan Lucy...  (Thanks, Jackie!)   Rules: Each player posts the answers about themselves, then tags five people to the same at the end of the post.

So here's my answers...

What were you doing ten years ago?

Ten years ago I had just graduated with a B.F.A. in Acting/Theater from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.  I lived in Boston that summer (oy, is that a long story) and was totally lost. By November of 1998, I was back in NYC though, sharing an apartment with two girls I hardly knew,  living in a room that was literally 10 ft by 10ft, and waitressing at a restaurant on Park Ave. called City Crab. Ironically, I hate crab.

Five items on my "To-Do" List:

Just 5?! Jeez. Let's see...

1) Baby proof the house!.... gate to the kitchen, outlets, toilets, fasten shelves and armoire to the wall, everything.

2) Drop off dry cleaning. Seriously. 

3) Lose 7 pounds by yesterday. Okay, at least by October (going back to Maui for my brother in-law's wedding)

4) Research and sign up for a music class or My Gym with Baby-Ko.

5) Get Baby-Ko's new car seat installed.

Snacks I Enjoy:

-Peanut-butter filled pretzels from TJ's. (4 grams of fat for 11 pretzels. Yes, I look at that bag often!)

-Granola bars

-Diet coke

-Iced Coffee  (I'm trying to diet, people!)

-whatever Baby-Ko doesn't finish at his meal (shredded cheese, sweet potato, cheerios... you name it).

Places I Would Live:

-Paris

-Malibu

-Healdsburg 

-Chicago (spring only)

-Surrey, England... just outside of London (where Kate Winslet's house was in "The Holiday". Love!)

What would I do if I were a billionaire?

-Share it with family and friends

-Become more philanthropic... find a cause or start an organization that was near and dear to my heart

-Take T-Ko to all the Four Seasons that we have seen on the website and said, "One day..."

-Finish my novel... Write/direct a short film... Be more creative!! (I suppose I could do that all now, but it seems like money would make it a lot easier!)

Jobs I've Had: 

Not in any particular order...

-Production Assistant

-Camp Counselor

-Nanny

-Cashier at a Pizza Stand

-Television Producer

-Gift wrapper at Williams Sonoma

-Salesperson at Pottery Barn

-Waitress... waitress... waitress...

So glad T-Ko decided to dominate the TV playing X-Box tonight. This was fun. So, I TAG:

Go Nicole Yourself,  Simon Metz, Creative Type Dad,  Self Made Mom, and Alli B! (You don't have a blog yet, but you should!)

THE BEST BREAK-UP

When I opened the mailbox today and saw a very thin envelope from one of my student loan companies, I was less than pleased. I never get anything in the mail from them so I immediately assumed it was a late notice (though I'm never late) or a notice saying one of our checks bounced (though it never has). Okay, fine, I have been late and have bounced a check once (or twice) before, but it doesn't happen often and that's not the point...

The point IS, I was expecting a letter that would no doubt end with me having to call to beg and plead with some unsympathetic customer service rep, but instead was greeted with a surprise:

Dear J-Ko,
Good news! One more payment of $50.88 will pay this student loan account in full.

It has been a pleasure working with you.

Sincerely,
One-Of-The-Many-Student-Loan-Companies-You-Have-Acquired-Debt-With

WHAT?! "It has been a pleasure working with you"? Jeez, that's it?? No good-bye kiss? No, I'll call you in the morning or breakfast the next day? I feel so used.

Well, the good news is my relationship with student loans is far from over. After opening the letter I felt so great about my success that I checked the balance of my other student loan.... WHAH WHAAAAAAAAH. Good job, Debbie Downer. You still have 20 grand to go.

On the bright side, 10 years ago, when I graduated from NYU, I thought that I'd never pay any off my student loans. And here I am, 50 bucks away from being free of a debt....

I just hope the credit card company is a little easier on our break-up this month when I send them a big ass chunk o' change... That relationship was a serious one for me...