goodbye Chicago

the EL... drinks on top of the John Hancock building... ferris wheel rides at Navy Pier... water taxis down the Chicago River... Sue at the Field Museum... the Magnificent Mile... the sea turtle and beluga whales at Shedd Aquarium... North Avenue Beach... riding my bike up and down Lake Shore Drive... shopping on State Street... the Marshall Field's Christmas windows... endless concert venues... movies in Grant Park... the "Bean"... the view from Museum Campus... Wrigley Field... Cubs fans... breakfast at Over Easy... Chicago Style deep dish pizza... summer neighborhood festivals... footlong hot dogs... residents of the city all dressed up on Halloween... theatre... being a Chicago girl...

friends. wine. neighbors. porches.
all good things.
:)

today i'm thankful for...

memorial day, which means the beginning of summer... open windows and a nice breeze... new curtains... a clean apartment... flower boxes... new speakers for my computer... aveda hair products... flipflops... coworkers... countdowns to a cute boy... plans... time to read... green trees... ice cream... netflix... a used bike that's new to me... summer in chicago... summer... in chicago...

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

I'm fairly certain I emailed everyone I know, but just in case I missed you...

This summer I am participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I'll be walking a marathon and a half all over the city of Chicago. But really the walk is not about the distance, it's about raising money for a good and necessary cause. Did you know that every three minutes, another woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer?

As a walker, I've committed to raising $1,800, but I hope to raise much more! All the funds support medical research on the possible causes of and cure for breast cancer, education and early detection programs, and clinical care and support services for women with breast cancer in communities across the country. There is a special focus on helping medically underserved women, the poor, minorities, the elderly, or those with inadequate health insurance. And much of the money granted by the Foundation goes back to the communities where it was raised, supporting everything from local grassroots programs to national organizations.

You can make a donation online by clicking on the title of this post, or by copying/pasting the web addresses below into your browser. I realize money is often tight, but whatever you can give will help! Even small amounts add up to make a big difference. I truly appreciate your support. Thanks!

Personal page:
http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk2008/Chicago?px=3937236&pg=personal&fr_id=1450&s_tafId=261526

Team page for City Titty No Cancer Committee:
http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk2008/Chicago?team_id=43740&pg=team&fr_id=1450&s_tafId=261526

privacy?

well, it's official. the government is watching us.

i just got a ticket in the mail for running a red light a month ago. complete with photos and online video footage.

you know when the light switches to yellow and you have a mere few seconds to determine how close you are and if you have time to go through or if you need to slam on the brakes and it's alot to think about so fast so you don't so much think as act instinctively because you've been driving forever and know what's safe and what isn't?

yeah. don't do that anymore. they're watching you.

transition to winter

my "fall" shower gel ran out today (bath & body works sensual amber). guess it's time to switch to one of the "winter" scents (either b&bw japanese cherry blossom, or midnight pomegranite). yes, i change my bath products to match the seasons. come to think of it, i finished burning my apple cinnamon candle yesterday and it might be time to pull out the blackberry one.

on another cold note, i tried to go for a jog today. first time since july or august. and man, it sucks in the cold. i felt really good about myself until i got across the park, and my chest just felt so tight and cold and crampy. i did the jog/walk thing the rest of my route to walgreens (killing two birds with one stone, brought a cd to order photo prints) and walked most of the way back. even with mostly walking, it was 2 miles total, so that's good, right?

and on monday they close my el stop for 6 months to a year. which means instead of just under half a mile, i need to go just over a mile to get to the nearest stop. i think i'm about to become very good friends with the buses around here.

all this outdoor chilliness is making me ready for christmas. i refuse to start celebrating and decorating until after thanksgiving (which incidentally, is my favorite holiday. i love love love turkey and mashed potatoes). but i rearranged my trunk and tables in the apartment to make room for my little tree. it's going to be fun to decorate in a new place. i think maybe i need to have a party once the place is all festive. :)

fall looks good on me

i'm having a lovely day. today is one of those calm, wonderful days when i'm confident about myself, my life, and everything that goes with it. i say fall looks good on me because, well, it does! today i'm wearing brown tights with flat brown boots that have buckles and lace up to just below my knees. a short frayed jean skirt. a tan vneck light sweater that is low enough to show my white tshirt with the camp logo on it. my olive green pashmina scarf from london. and i walked around carrying my dark green barnes and noble tote bag with literature quotes on it. i think i look good in earthy tones, and i feel pretty good about this artsy, eclectic outfit i put together today. fall looks (and feels!) good on me.

i slept in a bit this morning (which was NOT in the plan) but i forced myself to get dressed and walk down the street to a cafe called "the perfect cup." i passed a few other cafes on the way, but i chose this one because it looked cute, and it's close to the el stop and in an area with more foot traffic. i wanted to be somewhere crowded with activity. after spending a few hours there, i love this cafe. it's cozy, dark bold painted walls, thick crown molding, art on the walls, bookshelves, a few cozy chairs and couches. the coffee and scones were great. the ONLY downside is, no free wireless. this was good for me today, because i managed to focus on my students' essays without the distraction of the computer. but i'm sure there will be days in the future when a laptop is necessary and i'll need to visit a cafe with a less fabulous vibe. ah well. or i could just pay for the internet there.

i think this was the most productive 3.5 hours i've had since the semester started. AND i was really pleased with my students' work! overall good sentence structure and well written essays. not all a's, by any means, and a few people missed a huge requirement of the assignment. but i'm hopeful that the rest of the essays for the class will be good as well. i should have all a writers by the end of the semester!

this weather is truly lovely. i wish the leaves would change colors already though! i'm a little afraid they will just die and fall off before giving me a decorative show. such is life in chicago. how are the leaves in michigan, friends? maybe i'm due for a visit...

i'm sitting outside on my porch now enjoying the cool air. i know i always say i love summer and tank tops, but i think it's a lie. i REALLY love scarves and sweaters and this time when it's nice to be outside but not cold yet. i'm not looking forward to cold. if i had a dog, now is when i'd be taking him for long walks everyday. i know it's not practical to think about. i'm much too busy to take proper care of a dog. plus my building doesn't allow them, and i just painted and have every intention of staying here at LEAST 2 years (if not a little longer). but i have two big goals. well, three i guess, because the last two depend on the first. #1 to get a full time teaching job and stop this 3 job nonsense (although i do love all 3 jobs right now). #2 to buy a new car before stanley kicks the bucket. which should be several more years. #3 to get a dog. and name him jack. :)

natural workout

so i was working out fairly consistently from january to may and lost about 20 pounds. since then i've gone running maybe 10ish times and gone biking 4. hm...

needless to say, i'm not keeping up with it well. i don't have a gym membership in chicago, so that's part of the reason. and when i first moved i worked days all the time, so i could run in the evenings (when i mustered up the motivation, and when it was a warm but not hot day). now that i work nights 3 times a week, that doesn't happen. and mornings are often out of the question because of teaching. when i DO have time to run, i don't have energy. plus, now it's getting colder and i can't breathe running in the cold. so basically, i'm screwed.

yet somehow, i haven't gained back any of the weight. i may have even lost more. i had to buy new jeans cause none of mine fit. i'm wearing my favorite khakis today and they're a bit baggy. really could have used a belt, too.how have i pulled this off without my gym visits?...

a#1 i'm so busy i don't have time to really eat.
b#2 when i DO eat, 90% of the time it's at the cafe where i work. this means i eat salads, soups, fruit parfaits, and sandwiches with lots of veggies. we use as many natural and organic products as possible, so this is probably the lightest and healthiest i've ever eaten in my life.
c#3 at the cafe, i'm always on my feet. i spend a 6-8 hour shift 4 times a week standing and walking around.
d#4 i live on the 3rd floor. not only do i go up and down every time i arrive and leave, but there are frequent extra trips for garbage, laundry, and large loads of groceries.
e#5 if i don't drive somewhere, i take the el or the bus. either option involves walking about half a mile. plus a similar walk when i get off in order to reach the destination. and then the trip home. so anywhere from 1-3 miles every time i go out using public transit.
f#6 if i drive but i get home past 7 or 8pm, parking on my block is a crapshoot. i usually end up parking on the south end of the park, meaning i walk about a half mile home. and the same back to the car the next day.

hell, who needs to workout? ever?!

a change gonna come

i actually updated my space today. new layout, photos, text. crazy. i like to do a little rehaul now and then. comes with the changing seasons. new wall colors, new haircut, new jeans (a size smaller!), new myspace, new clinique products, new candles on the mantle, new shampoo, new lease on life.

i feel like i JUST made all these major life changes at the beginning of the summer. new jobs, new apartment, new city, new new new. i DID JUST make all these changes. it's like everything before june 1st was some alternate life i once lead. and i'm happy with the way my life is going. it's just still not quite complete. i spend too much time curled up in a leather chair watching tv. there are people and experiences waiting for me all over chicago (and all over the world!) and i just need to figure out how to find myself in this big city. there's just so much, sometimes it makes me feel so little.

(i didn't intend to get all philosophical and weird. i feel like my last few posts have ended far from where i intended. i really just meant to say... i updated my space.)

bleacher seats... $37.75
old style... $5.50
jumbo hot dog... $3.75
biking to and from wrigley field... priceless

all summer my kitchen has been ungodly hot when compared to my living room. the window is busted, so i have a crate holding it open. leaving the back door open seems to help a bit, but there is a window pane in the screen door, so it doesn't really let in much air unless i open that too, but then bugs get in. i have a fan in here, but it's super powerful and loud, so i don't use it unless it's in the 90's and i might pass out.

today, as i was sitting on the porch eating lunch, i noticed a reflection off the open kitchen window. oh wait, it wasn't actually open. there is a storm window pane AND a screen, and the pane had been shut all along. after much struggle with the screens and the broken window, i managed to raise the pane halfway, put the screen back down, and prop the window with the crate. now there is a breeze. what a concept.

i just walked home about half a mile... in the rain... in a miniskirt... and heels...

no, let's clarify. in black tights, a white miniskirt, a hot pink sports bra, an off the shoulder tshirt, bangle bracelets, giant star earrings, a side ponytail, and black high heels. (and a silver umbrella)

now i'm a city girl.

amazing how a 10 minute walk can make me feel so sarah-jessica-parker. and amazing how trotting across intersections in heels through the rain reminds me that in spite of all the confusing, incongruous, seemingly hopeless components of my life... my life is pretty damn good right about now. pretty damn good.

singin in the rain...

apparently i live in a lake.

no really, i'm not joking.

it rained today. poured for about an hour. and my neighborhood is kind of flooded. i think i missed the worst of it cause i was at work, but my friend down the street called to tell me what a mess it was. cars just south of us were up to their windshields in water. a bus got stuck in the dip under the metra tracks. (it was still stuck when i got home, though the water had gone down).

i answered this phone call while at "work" (meaning i was sitting in a cafe with my co-managers half talking about ordering quantities and half talking about things like fraggle rock and the muppet show). one of these ladies recalled that the area south of Lawrence and west of Uptown (about 3 or 4 blocks south of me) used to be a lake. Uptown is named not for it's location in the city but because the elevation was higher than the surrounding area which was mostly pond until the late 1800's. crazy.

at any rate, my street seemed fine, but the north/south streets were covered in water and even the east/west ones south of me had nice puddles on the sides of the road. i got lucky. but i think the downpour killed some of my porch flowers. :(

hot

i'm just sitting here, and literally i can feel beads of sweat dripping down my skin. how did i ever survive 2 months of 110 degree heat in vienna without a/c?? to anyone i ever told that i'd survive summer without it, i am sorry. i was wrong. it's cooled down outside, but in my 3rd floor chicago apartment it's a sauna. i'm a little tempted to sleep on the porch.

if anyone still even reads this, don't be disuayed by the lack of intriguing topics in my posts as of late (is disuayed even a word? i think i'm spelling it wrong...) i know all i've been writing about is packing, unpacking, and the incessant heat. what can i say? major life changes take alot out of me. all my profound thoughts occur when i'm far from my computer. in an effort to pump up my writing habits, i'm going to try to blog more. honest. and maybe write a poem or two. (i wrote my first poem since the fall just a few days ago. nice metaphor about the blocking pattern we're experiencing in the weather. i don't think i've got it quite right yet, but it's a start.)

meanwhile, i'm going to fashion a stand for my fan so it can point directly at me all night to keep me from dying of heat stroke in my sleep (assuming i can get to sleep in this heat...) oh summer, i heart you...

gravity

the yard behind my new place is huge. i think it's shared with the whole building, but i see/hear the same woman and her husband and dog out there everyday. they have a patio set. hammock. flowers and garden. etc.

i've been sitting on the porch reading for about an hour, and my first floor pothead neighbors have been yakking it up with these people. a few others arrived in the yard with beer a bit ago. i can't see them when sitting in my porch chair, but man they're loud.

just now the woman who lives there was singing something that vaguely resembled john mayer's "gravity", though i think she mixed up the lyrics. anyway, i heard "gravityyyyyy wants to bring me down..." and a rattle/crash that sounded like a group of schoolkids running too fast and bashing into the metal fence around the playground. of course, this was followed by "owwwwww."

i stood up to peek and see what had happened as the others in the yard began chuckling and asking the woman if she was ok. seems in the midst of her singing and swinging the hammock came loose from the stand and landed her flat on her back in the lawn.

irony.

and unpacking?.... only slightly more fun than moving....

moving is not fun. pretty sure i'd rather not do it again, ever. good thing i love my new apartment because i'm going to be there awhile.

the last of the boxes are packed. what a mess. i need to sleep so i can get up and try to vacuum this nasty place before i leave it for good.

unfortunately, i won't have internet in the new place for about a week. but when i come back to the cyber world, there will be photos involved, i'm sure. get excited. tomorrow the UNpacking begins...

new job

why oh why am i not sleeping in right now? i woke up this morning around 6:15, 8:00, and finally 9:30 when i gave up cause it's so hot and sticky in my room. i think without teaching i'm finally on some sort of regular schedule. i go to bed around midnight (wha?? so early!) and get up around 7:15 so i can leave for work by 8. this is going to have to change once my real work schedule kicks in, which includes a few 4pm-11pm shifts...

meanwhile, it feels fabulous not to be stuck in an office. the cultural center and cafe are not open yet, because construction is not finished yet. but it's coming alone. they are working on the last room of the building (the cafe seating area) and yesterday put in the ceiling and almost all the windows. so i guess once that room is sealed off, we're down to paint, wood finish, dusting, flooring in the cafe seating, cleaning and finishing the floor everywhere else.... little things, but alot of them. HOPEFULLY that all gets accomplished next week so the cafe crew can stop pretending we know how to help with construction, and we can actually set up the cafe equipment and get to some training. i've literally spent my week climbing up and down ladders to dust the rafters and then to stain them. oh, except for yesterday when i was outside cleaning the giant grill that belongs to our funder. i am very sunburned.

it's also really wonderful to be working with people under age 30. i don't even know how old all my coworkers are, but i know we have no high schoolers, and everyone seems very young and vibrant and diverse and cool. i don't know that i'll end up with any lifelong friends out of this, like i did with working at the pool. but it's just nice to be around passionate people and not stuck in an office with people over 40 all day.

i feel like i had more to say about other things in my life. but now i've either forgotten them or don't know how to put them into words. so instead i think i'll get on with my day of making phone calls and packing and getting ready for the big move. yay chicago in a week!

trying to be a good friend and promote however i can...

really, i just feel like i should probably stay on his good side so that a#1 i can be on the dvd, and b#2 maybe someday when he's famous i can be his date to the grammys or something... ;)

it's summer. in case no one noticed.

yesterday i went for a 6.5 mile bike ride. there were little league baseball games. people walking dogs. kids playing the in creek. bikers. runners. bqq's. and i think i ended up with a bit of sunburn.

after my bike ride, i spent the evening in the city, which involved walking to and from the el a couple times. with no coat. short sleeves. it was fabulous. it's summer. and i'm moving to the chicago. and the anticipation of all this fabulousness makes me oh so very happy.

it's official

i signed my lease today. as of june 1st, i will be a chicago city resident.