It’s been almost a year since I’ve posted. Looking back, it’s hard to believe all the memories I’ve made that I’ll probably forget because I haven’t written anything down.

Tonight, as I filled my grocery cart with yet another round of lean cuisines & cat litter, I remembered that this actually has been one of the greatest years of my life, regardless of my spinster-esque shopping habits and forgetfulness.

So I’m going to take a moment to write something down, so I’ll remember this when I’m 80 (and buying futuristic lean cuisines & cat litter).

It started in Las Vegas with my favorite family, my favorite pop star, a casino & fireworks… then it took me to Texas where one of my best friends got married… then off to Utah where dinner conversation consisted of how many times each of us had been on The Tonight Show (my answer, of course, zero)… then to New York, where I met the love of my life (who still doesn’t know I’m the love of his life) at the Tribeca Film Festival… then I went to see the love of my teenage life (all of the Backstreet Boys) and did a classy review… then to Bonnaroo, where I watched Eminem with this guy & 100,000 other people. In August I went to the lake and had one of the sweetest weekends and made some of the greatest memories, here’s the proof. In September I went back to Paris and London where I went to a Palace, saw some of the best people I know making their dreams come true, met this gal, missed my plane, and cried more than once in an airport.

Of course, a million beautiful things happened in bewteen, but that pretty much brings us up to speed. Well, except for October… after a series of unexpected events and a bitchin’ trip to Kansas, I am now living a cozy new apartment, I am officially a freelance designer and I’m still a borderline cat lady.

Even though everything has happened, some things never change.

“Isn’t it crazy that you can walk into club in Portland and find friends here?” - when my friend Tyler asked me that question, it didn’t really sink in. “Of course it’s not crazy, we came here to see them sing,” I answered. But looking back on it, yes, it is crazy. It’s crazy that life leads you down roads you don’t expect, and in this case, it was the road between Kennewick, Washington & Portland.

Tyler & I drove from his new home base of Kennewick to Portland. We ate Lebanese food and wandered through Powell’s books (where I bought my share of french history books), then we went to see my friends play a show at an old funeral home turned club. It was a perfect weekend full of rain and music and scenery. All capped off by a quick stop in Las Vegas (to be continued in the New Year).

My friend Joy has a way with words that I’m afraid I never will…

“Life : it’s curious, challenging, exciting, inspiring, ever calling me to move beyond what I think I know…and to keep my eyes open to the beauty found in all of the craziness. Deep breaths amidst a freeway kind of lifestyle must remain. Why? Because I want to stay sane. Because each day is too rich to let it just slip by. Because life is full of the unexpected, and I will only be able to savor each new encounter as long as I remain present.”

Before I left for vacation the week before last, let’s just say I was not present at all. I was actually over it. And by ‘it,’ i mean my job, my house, my hair, this city. I was burned out. All I wanted to do was find a way to get out. In the back of my mind, I knew that I was being ridiculous - I felt selfish and frustrated. How could I be so blessed and so ungrateful at the same time?

I needed an attitude adjustment, and I knew it. Honestly, I really didn’t think it would happen on my trip up north, I actually thought it would get worse. I assumed I’d go to New York, I’d wish I had the life I left there 5 years ago, and I’d come home more irritated.

Once again, life surprised me.

My beautiful friend Alex & her boyfriend Eric welcomed me to a rainy Brooklyn with open arms. We watched football and ate and I didn’t look at a computer once that weekend. It was such a relief. On Monday, I had lunch with Alex in Manhattan, I spent the afternoon at MTV and ate dinner at a restaurant that may or may not be owned by the mob. Tuesday was spent wandering through the city and having lunch with one of my favorite photographers. I spent my time riding the subway, sitting in the park, and feeling exceptionally citified.

And Wednesday, well, Wednesday was exactly what I needed.

My friend got me a ticket to see Regis & Kelly - now, I’ve never been a big fan of Regis or Kelly, but since I love just about anything that gets aired on TV, I was completely on board.

The details I had gotten via text message though, were exceptionally vague: “you’re on a list.” umm, okay.

Being the independent woman that I am, I googled the address, guessed what time I should show up, and got on the subway. At the studio, there were two huge lines of people waiting to get in - all looking quite a bit more prepared than me - tickets in hand. I decided the best course of action was to be confused. I went up to the security guard at the door “I think I have a ticket, but I don’t have the ticket.” He decided he was confused too, and told me to talk to the lady at the desk. I repeated my speech. She looked skeptical, but asked me my name anyway. She took a look at her pile of papers and I got a stern “follow me.”

I followed Gloria (yes, I look at name tags) through a maze of hallways, she pointed to a door that read ‘Green Room’ - and there I was, backstage at a national morning show with my friend while he got ready to go on. This was one of ‘those moments’ I decided. I needed to remember this. I needed to be present.

Since it’s my blog, let me jot a few things down real quick: I want to remember the ugly blue linoleum tiles, the surprisingly outdated dressing rooms, Diane Lane’s polka dotted dress, Kelly Ripa’s not so cute ankle tattoo, the camera man named John who guessed I was from Virginia. Spending the day at the record label, eating Thai food in a conference room with my friend’s gold records hanging behind me, watching interviews and live chats, seeing that a record label in New York is just the same as a record label in Nashville - even the stupid, ergonomic chairs - the same.

Sitting in those uncomfortable office chairs, I realized that getting away from Nashville, getting a new haircut, getting another job - none of that matters - because it’s all the same. Even if I ran away to New York, I’d still end up in a cubicle, frustrated with my bangs.

What matters are moments like my time in the dressing room at Regis & Kelly, and dancing like a fool in a midtown hotel room, what matters is being a good friend, what matters is being present and appreciating what you have.

Life is indeed amazing, and unpredictable - and it always turns into more than I could have imagined.

(I got an attitude adjustment in New York City on a Wednesday in October.)

Fame is such a strange thing.

For the better part of my life, I’ve been a bit obsessed with it. I’ve loved boy bands, I’ve read gossip blogs, I’ve bought more copies of people magazine than I care to admit…but over the last year, I’ve seen another side of it, and I’ve felt equal parts fascinated and convicted.

Sure, it’s incredible to be a part of it all, it’s fun to hear people scream your friend’s name, it’s wild to see them on stage. But then you see your friend in the reality of the situation, and it’s not quite as glamorous as you thought, it’s still real life - just their version of it.

This weekend I went to West Tennessee with my lovely friend Elise. We went without expectation, to go to the fair - maybe see our friend sing and possibly see some sights. As is always the case with these things - it was above and beyond all expectation, and it was another fantastic adventure…go HERE to see for yourself…

Walking through Graceland on Monday, I wondered how it must have felt for Elvis; to be obsessed over and have only those 13 acres in Memphis to himself.

To have so little that is truly yours, but to still have everything you want.

(Fame is an odd contradiction.)

This week I realized that my life is happening.

Now, this may seem pretty simple (duh, Katie, your life is definitely happening) - but as someone who has spent most of her life waiting for it to start, it’s a revelation.

I’m not exactly sure what I was waiting for, or what I expected would indicate ‘real life.’ Graduating high school? Getting that internship? Graduating college? Getting that job? Each mile marker came and went and I still waited…in some sort of limbo…hoping that I’d magically feel like a real adult.

Then it hit me on thursday - apparently, this is my version of being a real adult. The memories I’m making now are the memories I’ll bore my kids with (you know, one day when I’m a real adult with kids).

I’ll tell them all about my friends who made me laugh until I cried. I’ll tell them about my dream job and how I designed album covers like I always hoped that I would. They’ll hear all about those times I stood on the side of the stage and watched the people I love do what they love. I’ll show them pictures of Paris and tell them about Versailles. I’ll tell them stories about life, and that to live it well, you should realize that it’s happening.

(i probably should have just listened to miley when she said it the first time…i guess it really is about the climb. so young. so wise.)