ITS MY BIRTHDAY WEEK!

My birthday week has officially begun.  I had to wait until Aaron's was over to start it.  I celebrated last night by going to the dirty bird for my free burger.  and she even persuaded me into getting the birthday ice cream.  although i only had three little bites of it.  no need to create more phlegm in my body.  I've got plenty of it already... 

So i got home from work tonight. cleaned my room.  no one wants to wake up to a messy room on your birthday.  it's been messy this past week because i have been so sick. tissues all over the floor, empty bottle of nyquil and advil pm = not a fun week for me.  i am still sick.  but now its moved on to respiratory.  it hurts my ribs and i have difficulty breathing when i am sitting in certain positions and when i am walking.  FUN!  the doctor in a box said it will only last 2 more weeks... let's hope it only last 2 more hours...

back to the story.  i get home. clean my room. get ready for bed. open my computer to write a blog post that i WAS going to publish tomorrow morning...  BUT  i have an internet connection in my room!  it must be my birthday... this has never happened.  i usually have to go downstairs in the living room and steal the neighbor's internet.  but tonight, i am stealing someone else's from the comfort of my bed... it feels good!

tomorrow i am going to celebrate by waking up early.  getting ready for work. and then going to a crepe place downtown for my birthday breakfast.  tomorrow it is some kind of eating out celebration... everyone in st louis (it might be national??) is encouraged to eat out at a list of restaurants that are giving a percentage of the proceeds to something.  haha.  i forget. but i chose this crepe place downtown because it is giving 50% (most places are only doing 25%)  and then i want to go to Pi for lunch after work. it is giving only 25% but i really want to try it.  it is a favorite of mr. presidents...  i am saving all my free bday dinner coupons for another day because i want to support this eating out thing.  

this birthday will not be like last year's...    

no rob and big birthday cake

no rob and big birthday cake.

but most of all no "no sugar diet"!!!  so bring on the cakes cookies and ice cream.  it's my birthday!  

i am having a low key day. but a fun weekend when grandma, mom and adrianne come to town!  we are going to have a blast!  can't wait. 

here's to a blazers AND cardinals win tomorrow!  i would say byu baseball, but they're at tcu. so they will lose. :)

will the real carly katherine joy luman please stand up

i searched and searched the internet for a clip from one of my favorite christmas movies to illustrate my point more clearly.  but i only found some girl saying it... anyway.  it's the part when kevin goes back to the hotel because harry and marv are chasing him.  and he goes up to the front desk for their help and the mean desk clerk says what's the problem, STOLEN CREDIT CARD???

yep. i never thought it would happen to me.  but my identity has been slightly stolen... somehow someone got ahold of my checking account information and tried to change my mailing address to some texas address.  apparently he was not able to verify important information, so bank of america flagged my account. so the past two days i have been getting declined when i go to purchase something. talk about EMBARRASSING!  good thing i have a credit card for back up.  

so today i went to the bank to figure out why i wasn't able to use my debit card. and after lots of search they found the mailing address problem. so immediately i sat down with the manager and we closed that account and opened a new one.  everything is all worked out now. except that i wasn't looking too good today because of being sick so i didn't want a picture taken of me so i didn't order the cardinals checking account.  but all is well. i hope. i still need to make some phone calls to the credit bureau and have them watch my name and social for 6 months to make sure the thief doesn't have anymore of my information.

on a side note. the manager saw my cardinals check card and proceeded to tell me that colby rasmus (#28) was in there 2 days ago opening up an account.  she said he had a HUGE check. and i asked how much.  she wouldn't tell me... of course. then she said that he just lives downtown a few blocks from the bank and the stadium. but of course she wouldn't tell me where. not that i would do anything with the info.  he's cool. he's cute. but he's not my david freese. (who by the way got sent back down to Triple A a few days ago. :(  my life with freese is over)

Jose Alberto Pujols

What a day for the greatest hitter in baseball. I love what LaRussa said in the post-game interviews. he said something to the affect of “Thank God for acquiring Pujols.”

I apparently am quite interesting to most of the people in the newsroom because I don’t drink and stuff. So many people tell me that they are going to get me to have my first drink. I just laugh and say it won’t happen. One of the photogs/editors asks me everyday when I am going to go to the bar with him after work. Especially in the sports department, they love this whole, “Katie is a Mormon” thing. So much so that that’s usually what they call me.

So we’re watching the game last night and bases are loaded for pujols. (Thanks to Freese of course for leading things off with a pinch-hit double to centerfield.) And the producer turns to me and says, “if he hits a home run we’re going down the street to the grocery store, getting Jack Daniels, and getting you wasted.” I said sure whatever. Well what does pujols do? He hits a freakin GRAND SLAM! Right up into Big Mac land! Man I love that guy! So the producer got all excited that I was going to have my first drink. And I just laughed it off.

Well then pujols comes up next at bat in the game. 2 guys on base. I turn to the producer. “If he hits one out now, then I really will get drunk tonight.” What does Albert do but rip a line drive down left field that goes out just barely in fair territory. DANG ALBERT!

That is why I named my car Albert. That man can deliver. He’s so clutch. Pujols ended the game with 2 HR and 7 RBI and a batting average of .429. Oh and did I mention its only the 6th game of the season? How can you not love him? And he still will tell you that he thinks Manny is the best hitter in the game right now.

So of course I had to go back on my word. But for the rest of the night he wouldn’t stop talking about it and would share it with anyone that would walk in the sports room.

Moral of the story: don’t bet against Albert.

I <3 NY

I just LOVE walking around St. Louis now. The sun is out. Lot’s of people are out walking around. The women’s NCAA final four was in town this past weekend so there were extra people in the city. It’s just nice to walk around and see all the Cardinals fans. I love it. Why have I always lived in cities, and states for that matter, with no MLB teams???

When I am working during the baseball games I try and take my break when the game is about to start. So I walk through the city while all the fans are walking to the game. And of course I am wearing my Cardinals gear so I feel like I am going with them.

But one thing I also love to do downtown. Walk under these.

I feel like I am back in New York City. Underneath the Empire State building. If ever I am missing the city, which is quite often let’s be honest, I just walk down this street. Grab a Jimmy Johns and walk back to work. In those 15 minutes I feel around me the millions of people walking along the sidewalks. The taxi cabs racing down the streets. I hear the honking horns. I feel the humidity (because unfortunately it’s here in the Lou too) and I think, "Who needs to buy a plane ticket to the Big Apple when you’ve got a bit of it right here in the Show Me State."

Plus. Let’s just pretend that the arch is the empire state building or the top of the rock. Besides the fact that you inside the structure instead of on top of it, it’s basically the same thing right? I mean you can see the whole city. You can actually even see TWO states. My favorite: You can watch a cardinals game from up there. Can’t do that in new york.

I Live For This

I am in HEAVEN right now!

Last weekend I was told that working in sports for the first home game would not mean that I would be able to go to Busch Stadium for interviews or anything. Not wanting to break the bank on tickets, I search craislist and stubhub all day for the cheapest, yet best deal. I ended up getting some tickets in right field. Wasn’t too happy with them, but hey, I was there right!

Got to the game an hour and a half early to get some yummy concession stand food (haha. yeah right). It was $4 for the tiniest little dog, but you HAVE to have a hot dog at your first baseball game of the season. Got to my seats just in time for the ceremony to begin. Of course it started off with the Budweiser Clydesdales. Then they had Cardinals legends like Ozzie Smith, and Red Schoendienst, Lou Brock, Bruce Sutter, and Bob Gibson come to home plate. So then when they brought all the Cardinals players out on the Ford trucks (Mike Shannon was emceeing the event and commented on the trucks and called them Chevys and the crowd proceeded to boo. Haha. He quickly recovered and said how great Fords are. Haha.) the players shook the hands of all the Hall of Famers as they went to line up on the first base line. It was a great ceremony. LOVED when David Freese got some good cheering from the crowd. Hometown boy.

Then they brought out Stan “the man” Musial, circling the field on a golf cart, to throw out the first pitch. But he handed the ball off to Red to do it instead. I love what the AP story said about the game. “There’s nothing like Opening Day in St. Louis.”

I have wanted to be here for this day for so many years. I can’t believe I was able to experience it! Too bad it was 40 degrees with a 30 mph winds. Oh and about the 5th or 6th inning there were snow flurries. Brings me back to the many BYU baseball games in February and March that are sooo cold. One thing is for sure; no one can ever call me a “fair weather fan.”

The game was good… until the 9th inning of course. But I got to see Luddy go long. Pujols had a few good hits. Man that guy is good on opening day. David Freese came up to bat in he 8th inning and then played 3rd. Didn’t get a hit. But that’s ok. Still love him. Even though we lost, I walked back to the car that day a VERY HAPPY GIRL.

Tickets- $40
Parking- $10
Hot Dog and Soda- $10
Going to Opening Day for the St Louis Cardinals- priceless

Tuesday is my day off so I went to the game that night also. This time I thought for sure Freese would get the nod to start at 3rd so I was looking at tickets on the 3rd base line only a few rows up. I wanted to get up close and personal. Haha. I figured I would spend a bit more money for this game because it’s his first game starting there. But then a few minutes before I was going to give some guy a call back about tickets I saw that Thurston would be starting at 3rd base. LAME. So I chose some nice but cheaper seats behind home plate.

This game was THE game to be at as far as offense goes. (Carps almost no hitter yesterday would have been fun to go to also.) First inning, they walk Pujols. Duncan comes up to bat. BANG! 2-run homerun. They didn’t intentionally walk Pujols again…

Next inning. Yadi comes to the plate. TRIPLE! Second triple of his career. Man I love that guy. 3rd inning they pitch to Pujols and he knocks one out. Cards up 5-1.

5th inning Yadi comes up to bat again and hits a solo shot to left!

Freese comes in to pinch hit for Lohse. They walk him. LAME.

Found my new Ray King. I think I will love Reyes. More than Motte that’s for sure.

Cards end up winning it 9-3. What an amazing game. Love my Cards.

I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MID MAY?!?!?

So today i woke up WAY early to get in for an early morning shoot at Busch Stadium. we were previewing the new food at the stadium and the cheap options in the clubhouse score.

i thought this shoot would be so much fun. get some free food. check out the store (for the 1,000th time). walk around busch stadium. be in heaven. like yesterday. :) can you see the trend?

i was wrong about one thing. we didn't get any food. no. they had tables full of YUMMY food out for us to get on camera, but we couldn't touch. LAME. they have something new this year! CUPCAKES! huge ones! you better believe the first game that i go to sit and watch that i will be buying myself a cupcake. mmm. :) i'll take a picture when i get one.

so after watching food being cooked in front of us and not being able to eat it (on an empty stomach mind you) we walked up to the clubhouse store.

my first question to them: where are the david freese jersey t-shirts?? they didn't have any!! he was just announced to be the starting 3rd baseman to replace the injured troy glaus and you don't have anything with his name on it? come on. millions of tshirts are distributed only seconds after a team wins a championship game or moves on to the final four, but you don't have just 100 shirts for a starting player? come on cardinals!! all i want is this: with freese and his number (hoping he doesn't keep 66)


well apparently he has to play 5 1/2 innings first to be apart of the players club or something and then mlb can officially distribute David Freese memorbilia. i need to find the st. louis black market. i need a david freese shirt! also apparently you can't make one for a player. but they don't check your id when you go make a custom one. so tomorrow i might be katie freese in order to get a shirt to wear. i would say that someone has to support him. but he's from the stl area.

so the buyer for the store liked me. we clicked. she loved my enthusiasm for freese and the cardinals. she gave me her name and email to contact her about the t shirts. first she asked me for my card. i was like. i'm just an intern. haha. lame. but we walked around the store together and i showed her some things that i love. and told her a gift idea i was thinking about for someone's birthday coming up. and she was showing me some cool ideas. pulled something off the shelf. ripped the tag off. put it in a bag. and handed it to me. i love this lady.

so i came away with something free. good thing. because i wouldn't have paid money for it. but it can be cute for who it's going to!

so i also may have promised her that i will buy 10 shirts if she can get them in quickly for me... uh oh. christmas presents! haha. we'll see. i think i will go email her right now though. she was way tight. maybe she can get me hooked up with a part time job??? it sure pays off to be enthusiastic and upbeat!

Do What You Gotta Do

WOW.

a lot has happened in the last week... so i was asked to leave my apartment by roommate. i had a week to find a new place. and luckily i have some really great extended family members that offered me a place to stay until i leave the Lou. they are great people! live in a nice neighborhood in webster groves. now i don't have to be as scared for my life at night. now i can post those nelly lyrics talking about U City.

Courtesy of Country Grammar
which i was listening to (edited version of course) and thought i heard him say u-city. so i looked the lyrics up.

See me, mon, cheifin rollin deeper than any mon
through Jennings mon, through U-City back up to Kingsland
With nice n*, sheist n* who snatch yo life n*
Trife n*, who produce and sell the same beat twice, n*

mom. you don't have to be scared of people taking my life in u-city anymore. haha.

anyway. i am really excited to move in with them! and packing isn't that hard. although i am getting rid of a bunch of clothes that i really don't need anymore. and i have NO idea why i brought them out here. but how does one donate to Goodwill? do i just leave bags somewhere? there is no DI out here, and that's all i am used to. man do i love the drive through drop off at the Provo DI. makes things so easy. i did take a bunch of stuff to Plato's Closet and got some good money out of that! (it's all going to paying for my speeding ticket/traffic school.)

Despite what others may think, the past few days have really some of the best out here.

Thursday: I have fallen in like with basketball. i haven't really been a big fan of the sport. but last week and especially saturday i was glued to the tv watching mizzou do some amazing things. Thuesdays games though were by far the best! Mizzou scores 102 against Memphis in the Elite 8! Denman swished one from three-quarters court at the halftime buzzer! Then moments after the game was over i switched to TNT to see RUDY get 5 points in 3 seconds to give the blazers 100 points in the 3rd against Nash and the suns. Chalupas in the 3rd quarter! love what oregonlive had to say.

here's a little highlight from the game. sorry for the poor quality.

Friday night: ALAN JACKSON! he played all my favorites. little bitty. livin' on love. who's cheating who. good time. chattahoochee. summertime blues. country boy. oh man. i was in country heaven. alan jackson has been my favorite for soooooo long. i still remember getting his everything i love cd for christmas from shawn. i even remember that he wrapped it in toilet paper and duct tape.

Saturday morning before i went into work i visited the local bakery to pick up some mizzou cookies for the sports department. Mizzou had a chance to go to the Final Four for the first time. unfortunately they fell short (barely) to UConn. But at least the cookies were a hit!

Yesterday: getting the offer by brent and patty to live with them.

then today:

DAVID FREESE IS THE NEW CARDINALS THIRD BASEMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i cannot wait for Monday! also today i walked through busch stadium. out onto the field. touched the grass. threw a few baseballs. watched a bit of bp. SLU and Mizzou are playing on the field tonight so we went for a few interviews. it was nice practice for next week. boy did it sure feel like HOME. i belong here.

like shania twain says in Up! i was listening to it while getting ready today. complete coincidence it will only go up from here!