No- it is absolutely not what you are thinking. However…

Yours truly, Ms.Catalysta,  is the proud owner of a labradoodle!!!!!!! That’s right, I finally got the second dog I’ve been wanting forever! The story… 

Last week, Boyfriend tells me he has some secret Christmas errands to run after work and that he wouldn’t be home until late. I decided to let it go and not bug him about it as I normally would and try to figure it all out. So I’m sitting on the couch wasting time on Facebook and Google and then I hear Boyfriend’s car pulling into the garage. The knob turns and stops for a second- then the door opens slowly. Boyfriend pops his head and turns to show me what he’s got grasped in his arms. A brown fuzz ball. My jaw dropped to the floor. 

MsCatalysta- “What the hell is that?”
Boyfriend- “It’s a dog.”
MsCatalysta- “Seriously? Like, it’s mine?”
Boyfriend- “I got him for you… for Christmas.” 
MsCatalysta- “Ok, but seriously… What is it?” 
Boyfriend- “It’s a labradoodle.”
MsCatalysta- (stunned smiling silence) 
Boyfriend- “Well do you like him?” 

Did I like him? Was he serious? I’m over the moon. Joyful. Exuberant. Blissful. I’m running out of synonyms for my happiness. I had pretty much put the entire second dog notion out of my head because Boyfriend was adamant that getting one would basically make him not want to come back to his own home at night. So he compromised. He got a 6 month old labradoodle that does not shed or smell bad and he can take running when he gets a little older. 

He’s not exact potty trained yet so now we have Peeing Dog #2. I never thought I’d see the day where Peeing Dog #1 would be considered the “good pet.” Actually she’s still the middle child because Cat will always be the best pet since he poops in a box- though in Peeing Dog #1’s defense- I did just spend an entire Sunday Windex-ing and Febreze-ing a fake Christmas tree because when Cat recently had a UTI, he decided to make our poor Christmas tree his toilet for a day. 

And yet, none of this matters. I love my animals so much and I’m so happy I could burst. Mornings are ridiculous trying to feed 2 dogs and wrestle a cat away from the food bowls. I worry all day that Peeing Dog #2 has been in his crate too long and needs to go outside. I clean pee off the floor somewhere on a daily basis. His first vet visit was ridiculously expensive and he needs to be de-wormed (I’ll spare you the nasty details…). Today he chewed his travel crate zipper rendering it useless trash, escaped and jumped over the baby gate to the basement where Peeing Dog #1 is housed for the day. (They are already fast friends.) But despite the messiness and honestly pain in the ass- none of these things bother me. I actually love it! AND Boyfriend knew how badly I wanted a second dog and he did it just for me. This is the best present I could have ever gotten. 

I have a feeling that this is going to be the best holiday season ever. And I wish you all the same.

Have you received any early presents or bought anything good for someone you care about? 

So I went to Louisville for the concert with every intention of doing the most horribly embarrassing things to get Idina Menzel’s attention. But in the end- fate was on my side and seemed to cut me a break. Within being in the city for 5 minutes, my friend and I found a cute little Mexican restaurant across the street from the theatre. We had some time to kill and some margaritas sounded pretty damn good. We batted our eyelashes at the nice busboy who pulled a table outside for us to eat on the sidewalk. We get our margaritas and agree that life pretty much couldn’t get much better…. until Idina Menzel herself comes strolling past my table. 

I let out a GASP. I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t have my pumpkin! I didn’t want to chase her down the street… so she said “Hi” and I managed to stumble out a “hi” back. But then she walked away. I got no picture! I didn’t give her my pumpkin which was still sitting in my car in the parking garage around the corner!!!! DAMNIT! I proceeded to call every member of my family, Boyfriend, friend of family, everyone. I just let my idol walk past me and I didn’t get to actually meet her! So I turn to friend M- “M, you think she’ll come back? Maybe I should go get the pumpkin… you know just in case?” M- “Yes- definitely… just in case.” I take off running. I ran as fast as my 4 inch heels would allow. Luckily the car was close and I got my pumpkin and ran back. I sat down and starting drinking my delicious margarita. Another few minutes passed and I nearly strained my neck craning it looking for another glimpse of the amazing Idina. And then she came back! Walking back to the theatre and I wasn’t about to let this chance pass for a second time. 

I shot out of my seat and scooped up the not small pumpkin and ran to the corner she was about to step off to cross the street.

MsCatalysta- “Idina!!! Hi. I’m a huge fan. Huge. You don’t even know! I’ve been a fan for years!!!” 
Idina Menzel- “Hi. Oh thank you that’s so sweet.”
MsCatalysta- “Umm so I got you a pumpkin. Because it’s Halloween… and it has green on it… you know because you were green and it’s green… here” (Shoves pumpkin into Idina’s hands.)
Idina Menzel- “That’s so nice, thank you! What’s your name?”  
MsCatalysta- “I’m Megan…. and this is my friend, M.” 
Idina Menzel- “So nice to meet you… look I don’t really want to take pictures right now… but ask for my tour manager, Deb, at the end of the concert and we’ll make sure we get some later.”
MsCatalysta- “Seriously? Oh my god, thank you so much! Really… thank you!” 

And so I got a personal invite backstage from Idina, herself. I watched an unbelievable show where she had my pumpkin onstage!!!!! (See picture at right and my pumpkin is on the left). She even thanked me for the pumpkin giving me a shout out while she was onstage. Pretty awesome. I was like a little kid on Christmas. Or maybe Halloween? She was even wearing a cute little outfit for the holiday! She is freaking awesome. She did all her new songs and even a few covers. Then my all time favorite- her cover of “No Day But Today” from RENT and her remix of “Defying Gravity” from WICKED. 

Then I got to go backstage and meet her again. She signed my shirt and a program for some little girls that I know who idolize her as well- no thanks to me, I’m sure. She took pictures with everyone and spent time with each person and was so incredibly nice. 

I didn’t wear the witch hat… and I didn’t burst into song. (Though I was close.) But I did get to meet my idol. A person whose songs have influenced my life so much that it was impossible to convey to her in my whole 5 minutes spent in her presence. This is a person whose songs take me out of my awful days and a person whose songs help me get higher on my best days. It was such an honor to shake her hand, have her know my name, and be in her own words, “the only person to ever chase her down on a street with a pumpkin.” 

All in all… I think I managed to maintain at least a little bit of dignity but more importantly… mission accomplished! Thank you Idina!!!!  

I have BIG plans for this Halloween. Sadly- it’s not handing out candy to the snot nosed children that are going to run home and gorge themselves in front of their video games or watch the 12 year old girls of America flush their morals down the toilet have oodles fun as they run around dressed as slut-tastic tasteful cops, angels, cats, nurses, or naughty school girls. I won’t be perusing the neighborhoods for the pedophiles with their lights out and “NO CANDY” signs that Ohio is forcing them to put up. I’m forgoing the chili cook off and costume contest at work (in which normally I would not only be participating enthusiastically but most likely helping organize as well). I’m not going to pass out in a sugar coma with Boyfriend in mass hoards of chocolate wrappers that didn’t get make it into the hands of the aforementioned slutty 12 year olds…

Oh no… this year I’m meeting my inspiration. This year I’m going to see the person whose songs drag me up from some of my darkest days. I’m driving to Louisville, Kentucky and going to see Idina Menzel. Yes, Idina Menzel. She played the original Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked for which she won a Tony. She also received a Tony nomination for her original role Maureen in Rent. (Oh and did I mention she’s married to Taye Diggs? The gorgeous piece of man candy that helped Stella get her groove back? The hot doctor on Private Practice…) Whoops- ok just snapped out of lengthy involved daydream-back on track. I’m an admitted musical nerd so Idina’s extensive and impressive resume is just one of the many things that make me call her my idol. I cried when she announced she was leaving her role as Elphaba before I would get to see it.

I love everything about the theatre. I remember my parents taking me to shows and I would get all dressed up and wait for the curtain to rise and the music to take over. It was the best escape I had- pretend I was somewhere else, someone else. I was practically raised on a stage and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. My parents would come home from somewhere and catch me singing at the top of my lungs to The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables and Cats to my pretend audience who of course thought my performance was positively inspired. I begged my mother to let me audition for shows. I forced her to drive me to rehearsal after rehearsal- on top of private oboe lessons, gymnastics, and cheerleading practice. Some of my friends and family might say I have a flair for the dramatic but I have no idea what they are talking about… 

I’m so excited. I have my outfit picked out, I have my directions printed, camera charged, and tickets inhand. After the concert, I’m going to stand outside of that stage door like a little kid waiting for Santa mature adult and beg for an autograph and maybe a picture. I bought a pumpkin to give to her because I want her attention like a fat kid wants cake it’s Halloween and I even have a witch hat to wear for more attention to be festive. Sister thinks I’m nuts. Can’t say I blame her. She said, “Try not beg Idina to take you to Broadway and make you a star. Maintain your dignity.” I told her I’d do my best. 

I’ve waited 5 years to see Idina Menzel in person and tomorrow- my favorite holiday- I will finally see her in person! So if I break into a chorus of “Defying Gravity,” start hyperventilating, and stalk Idina’s tour bus to her hotel- could you really blame me? Sorry Sister… dignity is overrated.

As I mentioned in my last post, there was a 5K this weekend that I was bummed about. Boyfriend was running in it and we had people coming into town to run it as well. So I’ve been debating for weeks whether I was going to run or not. I was nervous about not running and feeling like a failure for not trying. But I was also nervous about attempting to run it, since the most training I’ve done lately is scampering in my heels from my car to the office when I’m late (typical) and I was afraid of humiliating myself in front of these extremely talented runners. Then, Friday afternoon I got an email from Boyfriend. He knew I was feeling pretty bummed about the whole thing. He very simply asked me if I’d consider jogging and walking the race so that we could cross the finish line together. Now this doesn’t seem like a big deal but let me give you a bit of background. Boyfriend placed in the top 10 last year of this same race and has been looking forward to running in it again for the entire past year. He got 3 people from home to come down to run the race with him. This race was no little spontaneous thing to do on a Saturday morning. 
I read his email and got a little teary. He was completely forfeiting his chance of placing. He was completely forfeiting the chance of finishing with his friends and sister- something he is totally capable of. Instead he wanted to run with me. He knew that he’d spend half of the race walking and half of it slowly jogging. And he didn’t say, oh I’ll just jog with you. He made sure that it didn’t seem like he was sacrificing something. It was simply because he wanted to do it with me and cross the finish line with me. 
And so I ran.
It took me a long time. But he was right by my side the whole time, encouraging me and helping me. He didn’t make me feel bad when I had to walk, but did get me to run again when I didn’t think I could muster the energy to bring a water cup to mouth let alone manage another mile of torture. It was one of the best memories I have with him now. It took me 44 minutes to cross that damn line- but those excruciating 44 minutes that made me want to chop off my own legs just so that I’d never have to do it again also gave me that tingly feeling when you feel like the universe opened and something in your crazy life clicked into the place it was meant to be. 
It also gave me that tingly feeling of terrible, horrible pain coursing through my entire body the next day. 

Totally worth it. 

OUR NEW HOME!!!! 

We did it! Or I guess I should say he did it. We have a house! After a couple weeks of hunting, we found the perfect house. And though we were only looking for a “starter home,” we ended up with something very close to the “dream home.” It’s brand new and completely gorgeous. We were originally hoping for something that had some older trees and natural landscaping, but we did have to make some compromises. (Yes, there will be grass by the time we move in… they  promised to sod it!)The house is totally worth the compromise. 

The master bedroom is amazing with the most incredible bathroom complete with a walk-in closet, a HUGE tub and separate shower, double sinks, and beautiful marble. We have a 2 car garage (as you can see), and a full basement, gas fireplace, and brand new stainless steel appliances. I can’t wait to get in and paint, wallpaper, and accessorize! (If we have any money left!) We couldn’t believe the deal we got on this brand new house! 

We are hoping to close at the end of September and get in on October 1st. But the house is officially ours (his) unless something crazy happens. I can’t believe it! We will be moving into a house like real growed ups. haha! 

Enjoy some of the pics! 

 Living Room    

Kitchen (appliances are not installed yet)

Master Bathroom (looking into the bedroom)