katie profile picture

katie

I laugh more often now. I am more me.

About Me

Beneath my WASPy exterior beats the heart of a fierce drag queen with the voice of Aretha Franklin and the twisted vision of Tom Robbins circa 1979. But, despite repeated efforts, I can't pull off glitter lip gloss, sing on tune, or rock the simultaneous hippie/narcissistic vibe in prose. Something to hope for in the next go 'round.

My Interests

Traveling, triggers for sudden homesickness, learning Dutch, reading, music, being in love, fashion, what makes a bargain a bargain?, cooking, overcoming doubt and fear, Spain, runs and long walks listening to NPR podcasts, singing songs from musicals loudly and with great enthusiasm, humor, moments of internal Russian winters, my fabulous friends and family, creativity out of chaos vs. creativity out of structure, what it means to be an ex-pat, riding my bike, toughening up and standing taller.

I'd like to meet:

The Marble Faun.

Music:

Peter, Bjorn and John, Richard Swift, Guillemots, Mates of State, Amy Winehouse, Eels, Bob Mould, Radiohead, Grandaddy, Helen Stellar, John Doe, Doves, New Pornographers, Stone Roses, The Decemberists, Imperial Teen, Crowded House, The Beta Band, Bees, Rufus Wainwright, The Shins, Stereolab, Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, The Strokes, Le Tigre, Sufjan Stevens, Sugar, The Jam, Dionne Warwick, Elliot Smith, Dixie Chicks, Herb Alpert, Queen, Duke Ellington, Ben Lee, Henry Mancini, Neal Diamond, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Burt Bacharach, Chet Baker, Earth, Wind & Fire, Elefant, and more...

Movies:

Raising Arizona, Better Off Dead, The Graduate, Cradle Will Rock, The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Grey Gardens, The Kid Stays in the Picture, Auntie Mame, The Fisher King, Lost in Translation, Garden State, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Office Space, Waiting for Guffman, Hear My Song, Summer Holiday, and more...

Television:

The Aaron Spelling oeuvre, and more...

Books:

Kafka on the Shore, Jitterbug Perfume, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Ghostwritten, Little Big, Wild Swans, Shadow of the Wind, The Time Traveler's Wife, Middlesex: A Novel, Fortress of Solitude, and so many more...

Heroes:

Pioneer women and people who are brave enough to stick with it and wear their heart on their sleeve. And my mom, who is all of those things. And my sister who is an inspiration.

My Blog

Visit my BIG blog at http://travelcheese.blogspot.com/

For the the complete list of my roller coaster six + months in the Dam.
Posted by katie on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 01:37:00 PST

No turning back

I am moving to Europe. Let me rephrase. I AM FREAKING MOVING TO EUROPE!!!! What? Who? Huh? Me. This mess of a girl. This stranger to goals and plans and success. This gawky, insecure, bumbling..thin...
Posted by katie on Sun, 07 May 2006 12:17:00 PST

Much better coffee in the office

Instead of a drip coffee maker that has the orange hot water spiggot, the office here has coffee makers that brew espresso, heat milk, froth milk or brew strong shots of regular coffee. That rocks and...
Posted by katie on Mon, 27 Mar 2006 08:17:00 PST

Amsterdam through sleepy eyes

I have successfully navigated the twists and turns of Amsterdam to get my H&M fix during the few hours of free time that I have. Didn't look at the map once I left the hotel, so I got a little lost, b...
Posted by katie on Sun, 26 Mar 2006 09:01:00 PST

Katie's uber fast trip to Europe

Get it? I used uber there because I was just in Germany. Unfortunately there isn't a emoticon that stands in for an umlot.What I wrote while waiting for my flight to Amsterdam:I am sitting in the Luft...
Posted by katie on Sun, 26 Mar 2006 06:04:00 PST