Well hello my darling Cats and Kittens...

Indeed I am still alive. (And the children rejoiced...)

So the last week has been INSANE! I took the week off (as did most of the REU kids at Rose) and went away for the week. My mom got married on Saturday, so I took the week off to help prep for and attend the wedding. The days prior to the big day were spent painting and remodeling her master bathroom, hanging things, cleaning things, and generally doing a lot of bitch work. But all was worth it and the wedding was fantastic! I still can't believe how much fun I had and how well it went. We skipped the rehearsal the day prior, but still had the rehearsal dinner with some friends and fam at Sahm's Place in Indy. The food was excellent and my Jodo and I split a bottle of yummy wine. We then proceeded to go to a bar with my sister and her boyfriend. We had good times there as well. We then proceeded to head back to John's apartment and hung out with his roommate and some of their friends. I stayed up WAY too late because of all the people and my general sleep requirements. Then the big day...

I had to get up very early (esp considering when I went to bed) and shower and dress myself and drive the half hour to the hair place for my appointment at 8:30AM. I was surprisingly energized for such little sleep... thank you dear adrenaline. I got my hair done and proceeded to the swanky mall at Keystone at the Crossing. I enjoyed some Starbucks for breakfast and then proceeded to the largest Crate and Barrel I've ever seen. I pretty much wanted to buy EVERYTHING there! I then passed a Ferrari in the mall hallway and noted the doorman waiting (clearly for me) at the Tiffany's & Co. I went through every Williams Sonoma and Restoration Hardware type store and ogled over everything. It was nice to pretend like I was swanky... and I shopped for stuff for my mom and her new husband Mike.

OH! I met the most fabulous gay at the mall. I went into the Papyrus store (stationary and other such items) to get some nice notecards and a guest book for my mom and he was the store attendant. He was dressed to the nines, and was bustling about the store singing to the pop songs on the loudspeaker and greeting the customers. He was FABULOUS! I wanted to ask him to be my gay and go to a gay bar, but alas that's not how the gays work... And thus he will always be the one that got away... HAHAHAHA!

So after shopping I finally arrived at my mom's house (also the location of the wedding) and began to help final decorating and prep. I also put on my FAB dress and shoes and had my makeup done. I'm not gonna lie, I looked GOOD! Hopefully I'll get some pictures up soon on Facebook, but I have to get them from others first. Also turns out wearing skinny heels in grass is not a good idea. Thus I basically stood on my tip toes for 45 mins to an hour. Oh my sweet baby jesus my feet hurt! But the shoes were SO hot it had to be done. I promptly changed into flip flops for the reception.

(BTW the ceremony was great and everything was wonderful, minus the fact that the preacher kept calling my mom Christina while her name is actually Christine.)

And thus the reception commenced. We arrived at the Tuscany Italian Grill (which is DELICIOUS btw) and promptly began drinking booze. (Note: the reception started at like 5pm) I began my bar tab for the evening with some Sex on the Beaches. I drank each in less than 10 mins... I then switched to Long Islands. During dinner, my sister and her boyfriend and my date John were all betting that I was going to bomb my toast/speech due to insobriety. But I knew my drunk acting skills better than they... As I double fisted with a Long Island and a glass of Champagne, I delivered my speech/toast with expert style and impact. And then my sister gave hers. By that point the alcohol was seriously hitting me.

I was then called over to the table with people (adults) from my old church to tell them how my life was going. I cursed in my head as I was pretty drunk and that was probably not the best state in which to do said task. But I put a smile on my face and made conversation.

I then went to say hi to all my mom's family and lots of people told me how good my toast was and such... At one point I was sitting with some aunts and uncles and my uncle Mike noted that I had really come out of my shell even since the last time he saw me... I thought it a little odd, as I am not a shy person at ALL! But I guess I do tend to be a little quieter around family. I then laughed to myself, as the cause of my shell removal was my little friend alcohol. I'm not gonna lie, I was REALLY drunk by this point. We danced a bit and enjoyed the festivities and I talked to a lot of the fam. I had a frickin' blast! (surprisingly) I was VERY drunk by the end, although I was still able to talk and walk pretty well despite whatever my BAC was. I admit it probably wasn't the best idea to drink so much, but I kept it together and I actually got a whole new appreciation for my family and how much I love them. So it ended up a great weekend, although now I need a break from my break...

I = le tired!

In addition to my new fam love, I discovered my new favorite alcohol of all time. It's called X-rated Fusion Liquor. Go here to check it out! It's a fusion of french vodka and blood oranges, mango, and passion fruit. It's pink, and it's fruity, and it's AMAZING! I mix it with fresh orange pineapple juice and go to alcohol heaven. It is by far my favorite thing to drink! It's a bit more expensive than I am used to, but my BAC is worth it!

Well it's lunch time and I have a bunch of meetings later, so I'm out...

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: John inhaling some helium balloons and then doing his Kathy Griffin impression... Priceless!

Hello Cats and Kittens-

So things are looking up! I'm finally starting to lose weight. Thank God! Turns out while depression hurts everywhere, it also makes me gain weight... I apparently would sit at the "girls that eat their feelings" table in Mean Girls... That all being said, my lifestyle change is going well and I'm much happier and have a lot more energy. I'm trying to get at least to where I was when I got back from NY for my mom's wedding. I don't know if I'll be able to get there in a month, but I'm gonna make a valiant effort and get as close as I can. No matter where I get, I'm just going to keep going and get to where I've wanted to be for years.

In other news my job is going surprisingly well. All of them, in fact. So turns out I have 4 jobs this summer... I'm kicking ass and taking names in my research, which feels amazing! I've somehow become the chemistry heavyweight (HAHA-no pun intended) in the lab. I forget just how much chemistry knowledge and lab know-how I do have. Turns out I'm a gigantic nerd, but it works to my advantage. I started tutoring yesterday, and I think I might actually continue that all summer. I originally thought that this pre-med student at Xavier (home for the summer and taking O Chem at ISU) was just scared about taking the class from all the nasty things she's heard about it. But I think she's actually tutor-dependent and may actually need me for the summer. With all of O Chem in ~8 weeks, that's a LOT to process, so extra income for me. O Chem I seems so far ago, and it seemed extremely hard at the time. But now it's like child's play... I actually enjoy tutoring again.

I'm also summer RA for Skinner. My residents pretty much kick ass. Well at least they've been amusing and entertaining thus far. My new suitemates kick ass too. We're having crazy amounts of fun!

I'm also apparently going to be working in Hatfield a bit too, but we'll see how that goes. I'm excited to be able to work there again in the fall. My research cuts WAY down next year, which while it means a paycheck cut (sadness), it also means I'll have a lot more time for other things (HOORAY!).

I need to go dress shopping for my mom's wedding. I know what I want it to look like, so the trick is finding one that fits my fantasy. Also, I need to write a kickass speech for the reception. Any suggestions?

I've decided to go to bartending school and get my bartending license (actually I'll be a licensed mixologist). The only problem is the schools are in Indy. So I've decided to go over fall quarter break. There's one near my mom's house. I'm super excited. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time now...

Alas it is time to get back to my data analysis... Toodles...

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: The other night my new roomies and I were discussing the advantages and hilarity of Carmen Electra's Aerobic Strip Tease work-out video collection. After a rousing conversation (rousing being the best possible wordchoice), I went back to my room to check my email. Meagan came in and leaped around in what is a very large empty space in the middle of my room, as I have rearranged furniture and belongings to give myself a work-out space. She exclaimed, "Wow! There is so much room in here!"... And I agreed and I had a GENIUS moment where I realized that I could build a gigantic fort in my room... Then I joked and said that I could do some Carmen Electra strip tease in my tent. To which Amanda noted, "You could pitch a lot of other tents doing that!"

Hello Cats and Kittens-

So it's been quite a while... Here's to anyone that still reads these... (Hello Sami and Jess... oh and Ritz)...


Well school is finally over, and thus the worst time in my life is over. I have never sunk like I did this last quarter. Most of you really had no idea the extent to which I've failed. Why? Because I've hidden it from you. There are really only a couple people that know some of the bits and pieces. I'm not proud of what I've done and how I've acted. Suffice it to say I have learned a lot about myself and what I want/need in the last several weeks. I hope to never repeat this part in my life.

In other news today I went to Danna's wedding. The ceremony was nice and the reception was a ton of fun do to the people I partied with... The evening came to a halt as I turned onto campus and looked up to see flashing police lights behind me. I was "caught" doing 56 in a 45 on Wabash. (You know, where EVERYONE goes at least 60?)... So I get my license and attempt to find Bander's registration, as he is more than shithoused in the backseat of his car and I was DD'ing... So it took us at least 10 mins to locate said registration... And in the process Bander is ID'ed for being drunk and the cop has asked how much I have had to drink (less than half a shot a long time before driving and after a LOT of dancing which means I had basically metabolized it) and how old Brittany McGowan (our other passenger) was and how much she had had to drink (nothing). So the cop went to check on the vehicle and my driving record... He comes back and breathalyzes Brittany and myself and gives me a warning... First time for both Brittany and myself... It was special...

Bander has not faired the evening well... he's had a love-hate relationship with his bathroom the whole night...

I went to the bars with Sarah and Mags last night for Jeff's 21st... I had a TOTAL BLAST! Honestly it was one of my most fun bar nights... Also it was kinda sad that I got pretty drunk on two Long Islands... Although it makes for a cheaper evening! *DING!*

Sometimes I think I am completely insane... Well maybe not completely, but yeah...

I wish I could stop thinking about boys... It would make life so much easier.

I have a LOT to accomplish before July 7th. Here's to total lifestyle changes.

Also a thousand points to Mags for remembering where I had drunkenly strewn my purse last night. I was definitely freaking out today...

A word to the wise for all of you... If you're moving a bed on campus (that is the school-provided beds) exercise some caution. If the metal bed frame comes crashing down onto the bridge of your foot, it hurts like a bitch! A cranky, PMS'ing, crazy bitch. I think I might have broken something. There are two silver-linings. First, I was drunk at the time, and thus the pain was not as intense as it could have been. Two, I will have fun watching it turn various disgusting colors. (It's the scientist in me I guess.)

So before I came to college, I was a really guarded person, especially with physical interaction. I don't even mean the scandalous kind, even just hugging or having your arm around my shoulders, etc. Just like a lot of other things, that changed a lot when I came to Rose. I just was able to open myself up and became a fairly affectionate person. It's weird how much you can miss that interaction when it's gone. I miss being held. I can't believe how strong the ache is for that simple act.

I wish things would go my way for once...

Parts of Danna's wedding/reception really made me think and obviously be a bit emo. I really wish I could turn off my brain or even just my heart sometimes.

Are my suspicions true? I hope they are...

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: "These are for display only!" ~Me to a drunken Jeffy and several other boys at the bar...

Well adoring audience... I'm still alive...

It's been a rough few weeks, but I've made it...

And as the dust settles from the last few weeks, some good things have surfaced: I should be getting my research position for the summer again, and thus the Haute will be graced with my presence again for the summer. I have obtained a real couch to replace my shitty futon, that I may or may not choose to make-out on. (Inside joke to all you people saying WHAT?!) It's grilling time again! I have grilled dinner for the last 3 days, and I'm gonna repeat today. IT'S SOOOO GOOOD!!!! And T minus 1.5 days till I find out about RA.

So I was going to get shit-faced on Friday and properly celebrate my birthday, however I am saddened to realize I have too much work to do. I will of course be an integral part of the celebration, but I will not be partaking as I once was... *sad face*

I am stoked for our AXS cookout this weekend... And I AM WICKED STOKED about getting AXS flasks and shot glasses. We will be getting engraved 8oz flasks and double shot shot glasses with volumetric increments like 50mL beakers. Yeah, we're THAT cool!

I'm out...
With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: "I miss you so much it hurts sometimes..."

So I suppose I should post for all my Cats and Kittens-

There's a lot that I could say about everything that's been going on with me-most of which almost none of you know about-... But to be quite honest, I'm not ready to yet. Suffice it to say I'm trying...

As the new year has rolled around, it got me thinking about the last year and what resolutions I had for this year. To be quite honest, this past year has blown with a few highpoints. I don't really want to dissect it anymore, so I will focus on the good points:

I changed majors. I am actually ROCKING being a Chem major. I made the Dean's list last quarter and I am really liking delving into my major and FINALLY wrapping my mind around things I've only had a vague understanding of previously. I might bitch and moan about my work and my classes, but truth be told I actually find it really interesting...

I turned 21, and my birthday was AMAZING!!! We'll just leave that one there...

I lost a LOT of naivete. This is the most negative of the three. Truth be told, I got hurt a lot this year. However I think I needed those things to happen and that I needed to learn the lessons that I did.

I really reconnected with some old friends. And I hope to be adding another one to the list soon. We'll see how that goes...

...And that was my 2006...

So my hopes for 2007...

Once again it's to get myself back to a healthy state. I know I had this as a goal last year, and overall I made a lot of progress, but I went on and off with it all year. I'm still not back to where I was in NY, and that is my goal. I don't think I have ever felt that good. I want to get back to where I was and then take it to the next step. I have been trying this for the last month or so, and I think I'm finally to the point where it's gonna work. There's a lot at stake for me here...

Long story short: Fix things.

Focus on the things that I really want to do... I am undergoing yet another priority shift. I have decided not to continue on RHA exec this next year and that I will likely not be super involved in it next year. I want to be AXSigma MA (which is our president). I am going to be putting a lot more energy into my fraternity because I really love it. I put a lot more energy in this last year, and I can't wait to give more! I just want things to be "simple" and "easy" for my senior year.

Oh my God... I'm gonna be a senior... Ok, one step at a time, I still have half my junior year left.

So I was bored the other day and generated the following to which I now should respond:   ...This is the previous post...



In 2007, chemkek resolves to...
Keep my science clean.
Volunteer to spend time with tools.
Start a music fund.
Give up movies.
Spend more time with my toolish jokes.
Admit my true feelings to argen.

Get your own New Year's Resolutions:

Argen: I didn't like the goatee, but I like that you tried something new. I still have not forgiven the state of MN for stealing you, and for soon stealing Zach and Aydrian... and sometimes Gage. I guess I can only cope by coming and visiting sometime! Also, I'm excited you're coming back for 24-Theater Festival! On a related note, I am sad you will not be coming to see our shows this Fri and Sat... I hope you're having a good time and that things are going well for you!


EVERYONE SHOULD COME SEE MY SHOW THIS FRI AND SAT IN HATFIELD!!! I directed The Whole Shebang, which is going to be fabulous, as are the other 4 shows showing with it!!!

I am SUPER stoked for my JoDo and my Sarah to come visit this weekend!!!!!!!

Mozart and the Whale is my new favorite movie.

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: Me: "I AM SO OFFENDED!"
Anita: "You are a bandaid?"

Well yesterday was definitely special... And the only feeling I'm left with now is "What the hell was I doing last night?"

Now I got COMPLETELY hammered on champagne (CLASSY!) and jello shots, but this isn't an "I can't remember what I did last night" thing... I'm still not sure if it was the best course of actions, but in the end, I'm glad with where I am now. I can stop being angry and upset.

In other news, this is what I got Aydrian for Christmas: http://www.perpetualkid.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1041

You can all be jealous now! Also I know I'm a terrible person!

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: MY NEW AND IMPROVED AXSIGMA FAMILY!!!!

Dear Life Vanilla Yogurt Crunch Cereal...

It is here and now that I would like to profess my love to you, my breakfast cereal of choice. One might go so far as to say breakfast of champions. As I had a Rocky moment this morning, and nearly died on the elliptical... You cheered me up at the end of my long morning of physical torture... Clearly you own all other cereals!

With love and appreciation,
K 2 the AREN

"I'm a strong, independent woman. I don't need a man to feed me, but I still need a man to love me and for me to love."

Last night I played the Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures drinking game... Oh my dear lord... After we were sufficiently schmammered, Chuck and I went on an adventure in A-res... We TP'ed a lobby, visited people, and had a proper number of shenanigans...

I've been Christmas shopping for people for the last few days. Don't be offended if you don't recieve one, cause seriously I'm poor. I would love to get everyone something, but I just can't. I also can't wait till after Christmas, so I can share with everyone what I purchased for Aydrian. It's awesomely in bad taste!

Jeffy, I hope this works, cause I can't be like this anymore.

"I feel like if someone were to touch me, I'd dissolve into molecules."

"I feel like I could crack open, like an egg, or one of those really smelly French cheeses that ooze when you cut them. "

"I want to spend the day with you, if at all possible, I want to spend as much time with you as I can, unless I'm coming on way too strong right now and scaring you, in which case I'll begin back-pedalling immediately! "

... K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: Last night, as Chuck and I were concluding our adventures in A Res, we decided we both needed a bathroom break on the 1st floor. As soon as we reach the bathroom doors, we here the rest of our drinking party searching for us... Calling our names from around the corner. Chuck and I look at each other and laugh and each bolt into the respective bathrooms. We accomplish the bathroom mission and then wait till we can't hear the search party. At which point we both poke our heads out of the bathrooms at the exact same time and look around. We look at each other and laugh again and then run like hell to the elevator to try and make it back to the room without being found out... I've never had more fun being drunk and sneaky. It seemed coreographed in a bad movie...

So I was sitting in my aquatic environmental chemistry class this morning, and like many other chemistry classes I've taken, the professor was using the 2 people in a room metaphor to describe a chemical system. Person A and Person B are in a room together and they want to get together and make couple C. Temperature, distance, and obstacles all play a part in how they get together... At which point I start singing "Let's get it on... Ahhhhhhhhhh baby, let's get it on..." in my head... I am just that awesome sometimes... Nothing better than Marvin Gaye to kick things up a few notches...

In other news, I FREAKIN' LOVE MAG-DELICIOUS!!!

So I am officially on break, which is nice...

Last night I attended an overnight initiation at IU for their AXSigma chapter... They had like 40 pledges and it was CRAZY! So I went straight to the C-bus after we finished there, and I rolled into the house at 7am... that's right, 7am... So soon after I get the shit out of my car, I pass the hell out...

5 hours later I am rudely awakened by drilling and banging and LOTS of construction noises, seeming coming from the otherside of my bedroom wall... This makes Karen an unhappy panda... Eventually I find out that my dad has been installing a new TV screen in the kitchen... So he has been in the attic right above my room, as the kitchen is on the other side of my room... Now for those of you who have never been to my parents house, let me explain...

The living room, dining room, and kitchen make up a very large L-spaced great room space where the majority of traffic in the house takes place. The living room houses a very large, very expensive 42" flat screen TV... So one merely has to walk two steps from the kitchen to place themselves in full viewing range of the massive TV... but apparently that was too much of an inconvenience... So he put a screen in the kitchen... And now there's an echo in the room... It's frickin' ridiculous... but also comical...

In other news, I was watching Hogan Knows Best on VH1... because I like me some trashy celeb reality tv... The more I watched the show, the more the following fact became apparent: If Hulk Hogan was an engineer, he would be my father. From the glowy tan and body-builder stance and attitude to the stubborn and clueless household nature and even down to a good majority of the wardrobe... It's my new favorite thing to laugh at...

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: Is it a boy or a girl? (This will only make sense for 4 people, none of whom read this... It still makes me laugh...)

If and when I do go to Purdue I'm going to make and constantly wear anti-Purdue t-shirts and other paraphenalia...

"Purdon't"

"Purdouchebag"

...Feel free to add your own ideas to the growing vault!

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: Thanks to our AXE chapter's reputation, I was accused of kleptoing things from Purdue while we were still there... on more than 4 occasions... WTF?!

A Not-So-Funny Funny Story for the awaiting audience...

So last night was a night of studying and work. It took me FOREVER to finish my paper, but I finished it. Then I studied for my p chem final, however I was pretty distracted and un-motivated. So I only reviewed a couple problems from some of the tests and got about half-way through all the lecture notes and wrote about a quarter of my equation sheet. I admit it wasn't my greatest attempt to study, but whatev. So I went to bed after 1am and vowed to get up early and finish studying and writing my eq sheet...

So this morning I wake up to a foreign alarm and check my clock (which is my cell phone) and it says 4:40am... As I lay there waiting for sleep to take back over, I think to myself, wow I feel really rested and alert for such little sleep. Maybe I'll get up now and finish studying cause I know I haven't allotted enough time...

A couple minutes later my roomie queries: "Karen, don't you have an 8am?" ..."Yes"... "It's 8:02..."

FUCK!!!

So I throw on some clothes and throw my shit in a bag and have a total freak out in the apartment. I was phyiscally shaking and majorly panicking!

So I run into the final and track down the prof to get the test...

We were told it was going to be 50% conceptual and 50% problems. And I had not reviewed 90% of the tests and none of the problems... I was nearly pissing myself...

So I start the test, and of course it opens with multiple multiple choice questions... The kind that students cringe when seeing, because they fuck you over more than any other types of problems. With short answer and essay you can BS and with problems you can get partial credit... but muliple multiple choice just knee you in the crotch either way...

So I'm like ok, just one question at a time... After I get through the 15 or so multiple multiple choice, I move on to the short answer. I BS the first one... I think I got it... I know the second one... Score... I turn the page and there's nothing more... That's it... no problems, no essays... NO MORE FUCKING TEST! What the hell?!?!?!

So I go turn it in, thinking surely there's a second part... So I ask, "Is that it?" and he says yes, that's it...

So I finished in less than 45 mins... showed up late... left before most were finished.

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!?!?!?!

Glad to know studying really wouldn't have helped me... And now I'm done with finals, I guess...

Seriously... WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!

With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: Just WTF?!?!

Tool Update:

Yesterday I looked up someone's phone number on my cell to pass the number along. As I was relaying the number I tried to round up the area code. That's right, folks. I tried to round up a phone number. P Chem has officially taken my soul...



In other news, we had the Chapter 6 concert last night, and I was called up on stage for them to sing a love ballad to me. It was FRICKIN' SWEET! And can I say the one singing to me was Artist McDreamy! *SWOONS*


So turns out this weekend and next are AXSigma initiations at Purdue and IU, respectively. And FANTASTICALLY I can actually go!!! I'm SO excited! I'm leaving early as soon as I get out of class on Fri to head up to Purdue to see that Joe of the Trout variety that I love! Then I get to chill with some fellow brothers... This girl is STOKED!



So I'm thinking about Purdue for grad school. They have the #2 program in the nation for analytical chemistry doctoral programs. And since that is what I want to do, it caught my attention. On the other hand, I want to get the hell out of Indiana...


I want to go back to New York. I seriously thought about transfering for the past week or so... but I'm invested here and I want to finish out my undergrad here... I'll be starting fresh soon enough...


I started rehearsals with the show I'm directing this winter. It's gonna be really good. The cast seems excited too. Performances are January 12th and 13th... So keep your calenders open!



With love and a smile,
K 2 the AREN

My Anecdote: Chapter 6's Ode to Krispy Creme... Also, as a result of said song, I'm 90% sure I had a dream about doughnuts last night...