The Good Karma Train Just Keeps Rolling

So as you may or may not remember, one of my goals for the year was to be kinder and gentler and therefore increase my karma. It's obviously happening because good things keep happening to me. New job, new apartment, we finally get to move out of Orange County....

And more little surprises keep dropping from the sky. Like today for instance. I'm sitting in my big girl office, minding my own business when I get a page from the front desk letting me know opposing counsel from one of my cases is on the phone. I had sent him a VERY intimidating letter last week (okay not intimidating at all, basically a love note asking if they could please send us overdue responses) so I was all prepared for him to start arguing with me about deadlines and semantics. Instead he wants to tell me they're dismissing the case. I made him repeat himself just so I could be sure. Yup. They've decided not to pursue a case against our client. Yay!!!! Client is pleased as punch and bossman comes in to tell me how happy he is because we actually MADE money on this case. For those of you who don't know, I work in an area of law where we have a flat fee agreement with our clients and therefore, when we have long/lengthy/involved cases we far exceed the money the clients have agreed to pay. When we get rid of a case early, we haven't used up that flat fee and therefore make a profit. We hardly ever make any money - cases just don't get dismissed this early or easily.

In addition, I promised Haley I would do a pictureless blog about our fantabulous date last night. See as soon as dinner started I realized I'd forgotten my camera, but Haley made me promise I'd blog anyway. (someone's searching for her 15 minutes of fame....) So Haley and I met up "fashionably late" and went to the hottest new place for after work cocktails. The back patio of the Alumni Center of our law school. Haley was oh so trendy in her green and white top and I was equally as fetching in a camel cami with black cardigan. We grabbed our drinks of choice and stood back to check out the scene. We got to hear the birthstory of the daughter of "America's favorite professor" (in quotes because this refers to how he views himself) which took almost as long as the birth itself. It didn't take too long before we were joined by some of our favorites and we did a quick check to make sure everyone was still alive and suffering through their first year as grownups. Then we were herded into the alumni center for the LONGEST AWARD CEREMONY EVER. However, I do believe award ceremony might have been a misnomer, since it seems that half of the ceremony was spent explaining known facts, and the other half was spent patting themselves on the back. I may have missed something though since the microphone didn't carry to outer Tibet where we were sitting. We did engage in a charming war with the table beside us who insisted on trying to turn down the heating lamps every time we increased the flame. (It was exactly like that scene from Sleeping Beauty with the changing dress color). Haley and I quickly figured out that we could probably heat the room a little better if we closed the doors beside us that led outside. That helped a lot. After the ceremony, we tried to say goodbye to one of our mentors, but after waiting in line and getting cut in front of twice we called it a night and head off to our respective husbands. Not even a good night kiss. I'd say it was the worst date ever, but another one of my dates with Haley involved standing outside in the pouring rain while waiting to get into a concert where we sat on benches...of course, that date did end with her coming back to my hotel room....

And my final "Go Kate" of the day comes from Sarah who was kind enough to bestow another blogging award on this little piece of internet drivel. It's the "Blogging with a Purpose Award." I do have to admit I feel a little bad, because one of the things Sarah likes about this blog is the nutritional content, and the last couple entries left that out - no worries, it'll be back just as soon I finish the Platinum Chef Roundup.

And now I get to nominate 5 bloggers for the award!
1. Cara from Cara's Craving has discovered more ways to create vegetable noodles than anyone I know. I believe it started with spaghetti squash, but it has expanded to create amazingly rich pasta dishes with no pasta to be found. Healthy eating has never been easier.

2. Lauren from Catch Up with the Kutzs is someone I knew in real life before I began reading her blog (gasp). We're constantly trading places back and forth. She started law school before me, I got married before her, we moved to the area where they just bought a house, and now that they're their we're trying to get out as soon as possible. My husband, her husband, Lauren, and I all attended UCLA together - in fact, her hubs and my hubs were even in the same fraternity. It's such a small world isn't it?

3. Katie from Good Things Catered must have a hundred arms and sleep 15 minutes a day. I don't know how she's able to get half the things done that she does. I am constantly impressed by her. Yet her blog makes it all look so effortless.

4. Sarah from Chomping the Big Apple documents life in the big city, in a tiny kitchen. I have hope that in our new "half the size" kitchen I'll still be able to whip up fantastic dishes, just like Sarah does. She also is a great resource if you're looking to find some great NY restaurants! I know when I finally drag Jon there later this year/next year we're going to some of her new favorite haunts.

5. Bubbles from Coffee Bean, Cupcakes-N-Cats is a Southern Californian trapped in Tahoe. I don't think she means to, but her rants always make me smile since I'd trade places with her anyday. She misses Southern California and hates the snow. Meanwhile, I miss the snow and am not as impressed with Southern California as the rest of the world. Although, maybe when I stop having to sit in traffic 3-4 hours a day I'll feel a little different.

Award-winners, here's what you should do:
1. nominate 5 blogs which haven't had this award before
2. each of the blogs must have a purpose
3.the nominated blogs must make a link back to this page
4. the logo from the award must be put on their blog and it must link back to this blog!