Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Name Dropping

Updated to add: Anonymous, you are exactly right. We *do* have mountains in Oklahoma, and personally, I think this is a beautiful state to live in. In fact, I am most able to "breathe" when I'm looking out over hundreds of miles of flat farmland and can see as far as the eye can see! (wait, what? that was a stupid thing to say .....) I was just comparing our mountains to Farmer Gal's photos of her Colorado mountains, covered in snow. Trust me, I am a proud Okie, more than content with our surroundings, through and through. :)

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Now that my day at the ranch is starting to feel less like a surreal dream and more like something that actually happened, I'm able to think back and appreciate the experience even more. Especially the part of the experience where I got to eat Smitten Kitchen's warm rhubarb crumb cake while listening to Pioneer Woman talk about how she got started in blogging. I mean, come on. In whose world is that NOT a great way to pass time???

And I've decided since they are probably the closest I'm ever going to get to meeting actual celebrities, I'm going to name drop them into every conversation I possibly can.


Fellow blogger: "Was that a picture of you of Pioneer Woman's site?"
Me: "Oh, yes. It was. Ree and I are very close friends."


Waitress: "Can I get you something to drink?"
Me: "Oh, yes, I'll have a Diet Dr. Pepper. My good friend Ree drinks Diet Dr. Pepper, did you know that?"


McDonalds guy: "Would you like fries with that?"
Me: "Of course. Do you read Smitten Kitchen? Deb is a close, personal friend of mine and she has a wonderful recipe for Au Gratin Potatoes on her food blog and so I'm sure she would want me to get the fries."


Total stranger: "How are you today?"
Me: "I'm fabulous. Did you know I'm practically BFF with Ree from Pioneer Woman? Just wanted to share that with you."


See? I'm sure NOBODY will get tired of me casually dropping their names into conversation at every opportunity. And continuing to rehash every detail of the day ... and committing every single moment to memory, so I can pull them out and caress them mentally (the memories, not the ladies) whenever I'm having a dull, boring day.

What's that, Blaine? What's that you say? You're tired of me dropping not-so-subtle hints about moving to the country and what? I'm *NOT* allowed to call the farm-estate agent back about that potential property????

Hhhmmmppppphhhhh. Some people are SO not adventurous.

Anyway, to answer a few pressing questions from the comments section:

I heard Ree say the other attendees were selected randomly. I think it has something to do with that random generator comment thing that I hear bloggers talking about whenever they have to select winners for a contest and there are too many entries to physically put everyone's name in a bowl. I should really check into that sometime. Of course, that would entail me actually having a contest and giving away a prize, and goodness knows I'm not that creative. Really, what could I give away? Autographed copies of my husband's pet scans???? Or maybe a pair of chewed up shoes, because we certainly seem to have enough of those around here thanks to the dogs ....

People, you most certainly do not have to move to Oklahoma to win a trip to the lodge. Saturday, she had guests not only from here (and really, would moving to Oklahoma be so bad? Sure, there's the occasional tornado you have to deal with, and we're at least eight hours from the nearest ocean, and no beautiful mountains or anything, but we also have giant lighted pop bottles in Arcadia, and the world's largest concrete totem pole in Foyil .... so see? Who **wouldn't** want to live here?!?) but she also had people from Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Yep, people drove from near and far for a chance to visit ...

Maesa, it was great meeting you, also! Can't believe how far you drove, but I have a sneaking suspicion it was worth every mile. I am pretty much an e-mail gathering-LOSER because I got your site, and Farmer Gal's, (which I'm pretty sure you already have, ha!) and Shea's. (who went home and has already made pretzels, she is clearly ambitious and makes me feel like a loser for doing nothing since *I* got home but sit around talking about how freaking fabulous the day was ....) and that's it. There was a list going around for blogs and e-mails and I'm very hopeful that it gets distributed ....

And lastly (and clearly most important!) I'm afraid the sad answer is no, Marlboro Man did not put in an appearance. I guess he was busy driving the herd or branding cattle or safe-burning the prairie or doing whatever he and the other cowboys do ... you know, what with running the ranch and all, since I'm sure it doesn't run itself just so he can take time to stop and have a piece of crumb cake. Although wouldn't it be awesome if it did?? Crumb cake for everyone!!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go start making matching friendships bracelets for me and Ree --- did you know we're practically sisters!!?!!

28 comments:

DeborahB said...

Kristie,
If I haven't said this yet today, you TOTALLY SUCK for getting to go to the ranch and not take your FAVORITE surrogate friend. I'm within driving distance too...ok, it would take me slightly longer than you did to get there...but I'd totally go! We all love her here at work, and I am so jealous you got to go. :( OK, next time, you're taking me, right?? We could have a CSP reunion there in the lodge! Wouldn't THAT be awesome?? Maybe I could get Joan to come too! (see, that's the only name I can drop) I'm lame I know. But I really really really wanna go. I'm sure you had a great time *can you feel the sarcasm dripping?*

Mamasita said...

Ya know what's funny? I name drop all the time, except I say, "My friend Kristie . . . ."

Now, I can say that 'my friend Kristie got to meet Ree the PW.'

When you come by my blog and leave a comment, I tell people that 'Kristie came by my blog!!!!!!'

So glad you had a good time!

Unknown said...

you are too funny! I would so be name droppin as well...truth be told I prolly woulda asked for an autograph...cuz I am just that dorky!

LOVE the friendship bracelett idea
;-)

Eternal Lizdom said...

The next step to really presenting, I mean, uh, BEING Ree's BFF is to have your own nickname, right? Like... Tulip or Daisy or Lilac. Something to rival Hyacinth!!

Eternal Lizdom said...

And big dork that I am... I meant to say PRETENDING not PRESENTING.

Haven't. Had. Coffee. yet.

Lucy and Ethel said...

Holy cow - I'm farther behind than I thought!

I just read about your big day and have gained a few pounds. What fun! (Well, not the gaining a few pounds part...).

So glad you got to go!

Lucy

Love Being A Nonny said...

TOO FUNNY! Look girl, I would mention Ree's name every day for the next 12 years if I got to go to the ranch. So keep name dropping...you deserve it!

Tammy said...

Your so frickin crazy! So when are you and Ree going to the cities to shoe shop? I'm sure its just a matter of time that you Blaine, MM and Ree all get together and hang out on the weekend, throw some barbie's on the grill, you know things BFF's do! lol

J-Quell'n said...

Is it weird that I would not hesitate to put my name in a drawing for an autographed Blaine PET scan? My dad had his Colonoscopy yesterday, and I am dying for the pictures of his insides...uh...yeah...maybe I should go to medical school after all.

vgsmom said...

Man, I bet your are going to get way to important to even acknowlege us poor little people.

Pam D said...

Kristie comes by your blog, Mamasita? Well, NOW I'm jealous. pffft. Off to the corner I go. Again. :<(

Anonymous said...

You are total cool!! how do I find the recipe for the pretzels

Lisa in Texas

Cate said...

Heck, I'd drive from Oregon to get to go to the ranch, and, having lived in Dallas, I know just how far that is!

My question is after meeting P-dub, do you now feel that urgent desire to homeschool?

Oh, I just crack myself up.

Marisa said...

I would want your autograph as well Kristie!! Just imagine both Ree and Kristie's autogrpah !!
If I ever get to Oklahoma I want to meet both of you!

Jen said...

Hey Kristie...on PW's page she has a link that reads "For a photo of the finished lunch, read this post on my friend Kristie's site" with a link to you! So yeah, you can really say you are friends. I'm so jealous. I only read 4 blogs and they happen to be yours, PWs, SKs and Bakerella. How weird and fun that three of you were together!

Anonymous said...

What??? There are indeed 'beautiful mountains' in Oklahoma! Witchitas, Arbuckles, Quachitas...plenty of reasons to live here! :)

kimybeee said...

Okay, where do we send the addresses for the autographed pet scans? And is that just the latest series or is it a set from the entire ordeal?

Just kidding!!

I think I would try to talk your bff Ree into letting her kids orient your kids to ranch life. I bet after a few of them 5am mornings saddling horses and hitting the range, those rooms would get cleaned without you even having to mention it. Kinda like boot camp - ranch style.

I would be all braggy about my visit if I had gotten to go to the ranch - but since I didn't, I will still just be whiny instead!

kimybeee

kimybeee said...

p.s. to Jacqueline,

I work in a hospital, and I work in many different departments in a clerical role. I have to say that it is cool seeing the insides of people. I have worked surgery, ob, and heart among others and just by looking at the pics, you can tell if something looks bad without even knowing what you are looking at. Kinda weird that those kinds of things fascinate us, but they do.

kimybeee

deb said...

You're hilarious, and it was a blast to meet you. I would SO want you to have the fries.

Alisa said...

Laughing- You crack me up-

Anonymous said...

I *so* wish I were you!!!!

Okay, here's my "name dropping"....Fay Jones is an architect who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright, and my husband studied under Faye Jones. Woo hoo!!!

And, let's see, I was on Wheel of Fortune and Pat Sajak shook my hand when I won Big Money. Woo hoo again!!!!

Um, okay, that's about it.

I can only fantasize about your adventures. You. SO. ROCK.

By the way, I started reading PW's blog a couple of years ago, thanks to you, and she's awesome.

Claire in Indiana

Anonymous said...

You are soooo lucky! I would kill for a night at the ranch! PW is an awesome writer and her page is one of the most interesting blogs in cyber space! I can see how you two are related!!

maesa said...

Funny story... my dad mentioned my PW OK road trip while eating breakfast in our small town cafe and voila, they called me for an interview... you can be sure that I will be name dropping all over the place - okay, so I was a randomly chosen contest winner, but 'round here that's still big news - it was really the best time I've ever spent in OK - thanks for the link, I've finally enabled my comments (I'm such a blogging rookie)
ps. You are one tough cookie to be a surrogate!

the7msn said...

Just had to pop over and tell you how much I love your hair.

maggiegracecreates said...

I found you from PW (of course) and I am jealous to the max - but even more than that - I want (no NEED) the recipe for the bacon egg and cheese cupcakes referred to in her post......

Pleeeeeese.
teresahome@juno.com

Ruth Ann in East Texas said...

I am still giggling; great post today! It looks like the domino effect is here even more so! What fun! ENJOY your new friends who have found ya!
And I too love your way of writing.
Have a great day!

Ruth Ann

Natalie said...

Your hair is famous on PW!

Grace @ Sandier Pastures said...

You're very lucky to be chosen to go to the lodge! I live outside of the US (in Dubai, UAE) so my chance is below zero percent! LOL

I had fun reading the blogs about meetups with the mighty Ree!