thanksNewk-ing week

the outlook is far from bleak.

Where to begin... per usual I have spent minimal time in my fair city of RoVa and oodles of it on the road. Rachel's sister, Becca, has gone through labor and come out the other side with a son, Brisan (pronounced bry-son). He is adorable and is helping me conquer my fears that all babies look and act like aliens. One small step for aliens, one giant step for Kirsten Newcomb.

This past weekend I was able to go to Richmond VA to celebrate my college friend Mel's quarter of a century mark. We got to see her new posh living space in downtown RVa, went out to dinner with a bunch of friends, and I was even able to catch up for a bit with Ginger! The next hungover morning we went to Godfrey's for a little drag queen brunch. It was a tiny room packed with women drinking at 11am instead of being a church while watching drag queens perform and handing them one dollar bills. I have already decided that while Cara may be accross several miles of oceans and lands, that I can in fact celebrate her birth and Toffs birth and their love with a little drag show action. Stay tuned for dates, I will gladly drive three hours just to go back to Godfrey's. Below is Amandas, Mel (the birthday girl), and Rachel, plus one of our favorite girls.

I drove up to JMU on Saturday to watch the very last JMU Football game being held at Bridgeforth Stadium. They will begin tearing it down within the month and rebuilding for next season and bigger and badder space for our dukedogs. All the purple and gold made me miss Harrisonburg until I realized all the reasons that I miss it are now spread out over the globe.

Afterwards, I drove back to Charlottesville for an early Thanksgiving. I ate with my parents and Seth on Sunday and tonight I have been invited over to Meg's house for food and drinks. Everytime I come back to Charlottesville I wish I could stay longer but at the same time eager to get back to RoVa. Thanksgiving day marks my first week off of orientation and I no longer have a safety net. Hello scared. Hello life.

Love to all,
-kiki.

A is for apple

and B is for brapple.

So, I finally have internet again, and yes that does mean I am in Charlottesville. I promise I will make more of an effort to get into a groove of at least checking my email in RoVa, just as soon as I stop driving to Charlottesville all the time (wink).

Today was a picture perfect Virginia fall day, complete with changing leaves, football games (Go Pats!), and apple picking. My mom, grandma, and I loaded into my Subaru for the trek up Carter's Mountain. We met my cousin Chelsea and some of her Duke Dog friends at the top and had a nice time letting our human instincts kick in to hunt and gather. I only got a couple of Pink Lady's, because we all know the real reason to drive up there is for the apple cider donuts, and they did not disappoint. I would like to share one unsettling thought, in all the years I have been enjoying appleness on the top of that mountain I have never experienced such a huge crowd. There were people everywhere, and tons of apples rotting on the ground, and traffic lining the winding road to the top. I know that more people mean bigger sales for the Carter's Mountain crew, but it still made me sad that one of the more relaxing fall events has now turned into another time to fight a crowd.



I am still adoring RoVa and this past Friday walked downtown for a couple of drinks. My Minnesota friends and Leah went to Corned Beef for some appetizers and some really good talks, you can just ask the guys who eaves dropped the entire time. Later Leah and I grabbed some brews at the sushi bar and then headed across the street to Blues, the local jazz joint. There was live music and good drinks, I couldn't really as for anything more. Right now my most enjoyable moments in the city have been when I've had the chance to walk across the foot bridge to downtown just to wander and find my own favorite places.

Work is good, friends are better.
Love to all,
-kiki.

RoVa is my wife

Carilion has my life.

So, I haven't as of yet acquired internet at the new apartment and am using my lunch hour to peruse some much needed information on the internet and thought I might as well try to update you with the remaining 32 minutes of my lunch hour.

I came down here last Tuesday with my Mom and the movers. It was a fairly easy transition though time consuming and my wallet is significantly lighter. The building I moved into is in the heart of downtown Roanoke, which last Friday Leah (my roommate), Rachel, and some of their friends from work used my new locale to its fullest by walking across the foot bridge to downtown. We did a bar crawl which included heading to 202 a local martini bar, Awful Arthur's because they had a live band, and finally finishing at Cornerstone which I have a vague memory of why... Needless to say I had an amazing time and look forward to many a night spent in just the same way.

Mom and Dad came down this past weekend to check out the area and where I'll be spending my time. We ate dinner at Awful Arthur's to watch the Tech vs. Nebraska game (yea Hookies!) and then headed back to my place where we drank (hello family) and played cribbage. The next day we went to a little dinner called Famous Anthony's and had an amazing breakfast followed by a viewing of CRMH (my hospital), the Roanoke Star, and the frustrating Patriots game.

The Roanoke star is the largest man-made star and is positioned on the top of Mill Mountain here is Roanoke. If it hadn't been cloudy when we went it would have offered an amazing view of the city. It lights up every night until midnight in red, white, and blue. There's also a zoo up there but I have no idea what selection of animals they have, I'll do some scouting and report back.

I had my first day of orientation at the hospital on Monday and have been doing various training sessions all week long but I do have the weekend to look forward to. I continue training on Monday and finally have my first shift on the floor on Wednesday (eek!). I've met a ton of new employees like myself and even have a possibility of grabbing a brew with another new nurse on Friday after our last Epic (computer system) training class on Friday. Her name is Danielle and she moved here all the way from Minnesota, which sounds strange but actually she's the second person I've met this week who just moved from there (apparently there are no nursing jobs in Minnesota, who said there's a shortage?)

My nights have been boring lately, just reading and watching season premieres. Last night I found out my roommate Leah is as obbsessed with Biggest Loser as I am and we even instituted a "Cry Chart" to keep track of the tears spilt in each episode.

I am completely enjoying my time here and have even made it around town a couple of times without the use of my ThomasThomas (he has an english accent). I have gotten waves of homesickness and miss Charlottesville's comfort but soon enough I won't be on orientation and will be free to visit.

Love from the star,
-kiki.

tinted windows don't mean nothing

they know who's inside.

number of days left in Charlottesville: 1
number of boxes packed: 21

I got a new car on Friday and it's super delicious. It's a five speed AND it has a working radio, I think the antennae is actually built in because I can't find it, but that's another plus because no one can break it off! Papa Newk and I attached my JMU Alumni sticker to the back (hello priority) and my first payment is due in October... eek!

Other than that I've been doing a lot a lot a lot of packing, which is stinking and I hate it (see previous post). I have also (with the help of dear old Mom and Dad) been spray painting a floor lamp, cleaning the lazy boy Tiffany and Shane gave me, and fixing a painting I got from the Lake Monticello community yard sale that Mom and I went to yesterday. I got a ton of new stuff including but not limited to: a china set (it's pretty, when I unpack I'll take a picture of it), 12 cup coffee pot, microwave, toaster, lazy boy, coffee table, and much much more. It was a very successful day but alas no couches were found. I do have my eye on a nice cedar blanket chest that the lady Sandra is going to let me come look at today.

Dad and Mom went out to the lake house with Sophi and Seth leaving me the house to destroy with boxes. Five trees got taken down at the lake house this week and the addition schedule is moving right along. I hope that tonight I will be far enough along in my packing to cook a delicious dinner with Meg, Celia, and Brooke. And then, that's right, we'll be camping out at Coro and Taylor's for the TrueBlood season finale, so do not feel free to call between 9-11 (just to be safe, we sometimes pause it).

I am scared but excited about my move, I just hope I make friends, though none can compare to the ones I've had in Charlottesville. I am super lucky that my high school friends and I have remained so close and I hope that the two hour drive won't detract from that. But who wouldn't want to go to a Martinsville Nascar race with me? :)

southern love and kisses,
-kiki.

i loath packing

its enjoyment is severely lacking.

number of days left in Charlottesville: 3
number of boxes packed: 9

I have official dates for my trek to Roanoke (which I have affectionately dubbed "RoVa"). I am headed down south on Sunday to sign the lease and get a parking pass on Monday the 14th. My mother and the moving company who will "not allow anyone but the movers to touch your belongings once they arrive" will be following with all my worldly possessions on Tuesday. I begin my new job and career (all at the same time!) on September 21st giving me ample time to at least find my way from my apartment building to the hospital. YAY! I am a big kid now. I am also trading in the Saab for several years car payments to finally have a working car stereo (oh yeah and a car that functions).

In other news, I had my last day ever waitressing today and I have never been so happy! Afterwards I met my wonderful friends Meg and Celia at the Balkan Bakery, a little place that our highschool friend Nemanja Cetic and his mother opened in downtown Charlottesville. It was delicious and I got the biggest piece of Baklava you've ever seen in your entire life.

I have finished my "hands"! They came out way better than I expected! Circa (a shop devoted to strange and eclectic vintage items) sells old ceramic display hands. I think they are super neat and tried for several months to come up with something to make with them and finally hit jackpot. I spray painted them and attached them to bases to make an Orginial Kiki Jewelry Stand (or "okay jays). This one is the one I painted for myself and I also made one for my niece Alyssa, who I am sure will be extatic once she recieves it.

love all around,
-kiki.

back to oz they go

they'll be back I know.

This past weekend we had a send off party for Cara and Toff (better known as "Boomerang Express") at the Newcomb Lake House in Bumpass, VA. (And yes, I did spell Bumpass correctly and yes it is a place, google it). They are leaving tomorrow to drive to Alexandria where they will spend one last night with Mimi "Baby C" McNewk before hopping on a plane to San Fransico and then three days later onto another towards Oz Land.

We had a wonderful weekend with wonderful friends. Although many of us ended up with sunburns and soreness I am sure we wouldn't change a thing. Some highlights include but are not limited to: a mini high school reunion picture, Brooke Short rockin' the wake boards, Taylor Cope enjoying the stars, Kevin Fitzpatrick teach my niece Alanna to load a squirt gun, Toff's friend Sam arriving at 4pm and leaving at 5am just to see them off, and Toff, Huy, and Liam tipping over the canoe in the middle of the no wake zone. I had oodles of fun and am so glad that everyone who was able to made it.

In other news, I was asked to be maid of honor at my beautiful sisters wedding! I'm so happy I may start crying which is awful because I have been doing that a lot lately. We were wandering around Michaels (or as Mimi likes to call it "shitholeshithole") when she handed me stickers of drinks with umbrellas, an ugly dress, and a wedding dress and then said "don't say I never gave you an ugly dress." Oh how I loves her. She is my most favoritest thing. ever.

So, lets keep Cara and Toff in our hearts and thoughts and feel free to pray to whomever or whatever makes you feel happy, safe, and content that they make it to OZ safe and sound.

Mucho love,
-kiki.

home again home again

jiggity jig.

Cara and Toff have landed home safe in Virginia as well as Stephi, Toff's sister, all the way from Oz! They picked her up in D.C. and I met them there on Wednesday night to camp out at Mimi's new Alexandria abode. We took the metro to Old Town Alexandria, walked about, ate at an amazing Thai Restaurant, and the Americans all bought Obama shirts (I know I know, a little past the craze but better than never).

After a four hour traffic jam, Toff, Stephi, Cara, and I made it safely to Harrisonburg where we ate at our favorite place, The Artful Dodger. Then we walked down the street to the Yellow Button to peer in the windows and it turns out Miranda still had the shop open! The Yellow Button is a little shop that our friend Miranda openned recently in downtown Hbg and the walls we helped paint were beautiful.

Last night we took Stephi to the downtown mall to visit Christian's and fridays, a complete success :) Afterwards, Coro, Taylor, and Meg came over for a mini reunion and we sat outside enjoying the glorious night. It was wonderful to sit and have fun with some old friends that I am going to dearly miss (as I have accepted a position on 10 west at Carilion hospital in Roanoke). I've begun an apartment search and hoping that my friend from nursing school will be willing to move into a place in downtown Roanoke with me, so fingers crossed.

The books I ordered on Amazon finally arrived today and I am in love with Sookie and Bill all over again (seriously, if you love TrueBlood you must read the books). That's all for now so stay happy and healthy.

Love to all,
-kiki.

mainiac dinner

is always a winner.

The parentals have landed back in the great state of VA once more and to celebrate we cooked a true mainer dinner of steamers, corn on the cob, and lobstah (of course washed down with booze). Apparently I am loved by all in the ME for my wonderfully baked whoopie pies and granola bars and my reward was five pounds of hand picked maine blueberries. I kid not.

Cara and Toff are going to make their journey back to VA this Saturday and will return some where between the hours of 1am and 3am. I couldn't be more excited! Mother and I have begun the planning of their going away party/ Seth's birfday party for the weekend of August 29th. All are invited :)

I am devouring my new book "The Brain That Changes Itself" and am going to recommend it to anyone who has ever known someone who has had dementia, strokes, learning disabilities, is blind or deaf, has worries, obsessions, compulsions, or bad habits. Pretty much all of human kind should read this book, highly enlightening.

Smoochies!
-kiki.

my name is kikikiki ki ki

and I rock it breezki.

So, in an attempt to stay in touch with friends and loved ones without posting my ambling thoughts on the fb network, I have now constructed a blog. It may not be interesting nor informative on matters of the real world but I suppose I can give it a shot.

The K.New job search 09 is at full throttle and I am happy to announce no matter how many interviews I get, I have been offered a position in Roanoke. I had an amazing interview at UVA yesterday which included (but was not limited to) topics such as Twilight, Harry Potter, and yes, TrueBlood. I was completely myself and answered questions as such, which is exactly what I did in Roanoke persuading them to make an offer.

After meeting my loving friends, Brooke and Celia, at Miller's for a celebratory brewsky, we happened upon a rare sighting of one Maisie and was thrilled she decided to stay and chat as well. Then came along Meg and Amy and more brews were had to drink in the fact that I will now be working somewhere.

The revival at Floyfest was amazing and I am now trying to persuade as many people that I know to go next year. I spent a glorious four days with my partner in crime, Rachel, and her wonderful man Tory. Ran into Dubie and radiant family which was always a pleasure. The parentals are beginning their descent back to the state of VA today and hopefully I won't be in an empty house for too much longer.

Lots of love, -kiki.