The 25 Things Thing

Lately I've been reviewing my online identity. This involved going through my facebook profile in depth. And I discovered: The 25 Things thing. 25 facts about yourself. And if you're like me and enjoy A. talking about yourself and B. learning about other people, then this is the sort of thing you'd get a kick out of.
It was a forwarded note (Do you remember "notes" on facebook? Do you remember before there were even photo albums on facebook?! Or... before there was facebook?)

I'm re-posting my 25 things. Its too good not to revive....

Wowza! This is a great way to kill some time! Here goes...

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. When I was little I used to meticulously string spinach leaves to sticks and attach them to my mom's exercise equipment and eat them during elaborate fantasies in which I played a brontosaurus.
2. I once played what I believed to be a very clever trick on my mother in order to get out of taking a bath. If you find poop in the bathtub and blame it on...uh...someone else?... your parents will not make you bathe in feces...
3. Once Mel and I spent a week preparing a very complicated, choreographed dance to Michael Jackson's Bad, with bad ass costumes and all. There is video proof.
4. I love cheese, and I used to have mom shred a bowl full, which I would sculpt into little cheddar birds nests. Then I'd place paper birds in it until I got bored with that game and then I'd eat it. Not the bird though, eating paper would be ridiculous.
5. I played the viola for a year, and I learned the piano by finding the same note on my viola and then taping all the note letters to the keys, which my parents were equally impressed and furious about. I can't read music anymore...sadness
6. When I have nightmares they always involve having to cross pits filled with alligators.
7. Speaking of dreams, I don't have reoccurring dreams, but I have reoccurring dream locations (a giant hotel, an amusement park, a dream version of Paris, etc...) which can get weird, cuz as a result, sometimes I can't tell if a place I remember is a dream place or a real place.
8. I have a cat. Her name is Vega. She has a lot to say. Sometimes we get in fights, because I don't want ANYONE to sit in my lap when I'm in the bathroom. She doesn't understand that.
9. I'm a little embarrassed by the amount of toilet humor, food play and weird dreams and fantasies that are surfacing in this list and I am once again psychoanalyzing myself. I think Freud would have a lot of opinions here...
10. I've traveled a lot. I really like France. Its charming and lovely.
11. I got bed bugs in Italy. So I don't like Italy as much as I like France.
12. I adore my family. All of them.
13. Brian and I once rode the escalator of the Toys R Us in Times Square up and down for like a half an hour taking pictures of ourselves with the cool neon light squares behind us (if you've been there, you know how amazing this is...also the giant moving T-Rex in the legos section ROCKS). Then my computer died and now the pictures no longer exist. A devastating loss.
14. I once directed a play: Shoppers Carried by Escalators Into the Flames. It is one of my proudest achievements and if you knew about when it was being performed and didn't come see it, I secretly hold a giant grudge against you and will not forgive you, which is totally immature, but true.
15. I have a subscription to the Sunday New York Times, The Economist, Smithsonian, and National Geographic, which makes me feel very intellectual...but I mostly just look at the pretty pictures...
16. I LOVE pretty pictures and want to believe that photography is not dead, but I got a degree in Art, which just made me a cynic and a critic. Studying art is like learning that Santa isn't real. It ruins the magic.
17. I think its possible to be too intelligent for your own good.
18. I was an extraordinarily awkward tween. Big bangs. Bad skin. Braces. Wardrobe of a 40 year old man going through a mid life crisis. Could have used an intervention, Mom...
19. I have a 2 foot tall statue of the Virgin de Guadalupe in my kitchen.
20. I am obsessed with The Office, and I think its because I also misproununciate my big words and I too want to have fifty children, because then they'll all have to be my friend.
21. My favorite people are all old men or little boys... so if you are always full of sage advise and complain about the service in restaurants, and you're also totally fussy and really like hot wheels, then yes, I will marry you.
22. I once sang a song about molluscum. I will sing it for you if you'd like. Do YOU know what a molluscum is? (I bet you're googling it right now...)
23. I do not have a molluscum.
24. I'm scared of kids, because I know they are smarter than me, and I really respect them, and when I get over that fear, I want to teach them awesome things someday, like how to get out of bath time...
25. I grew up in South Dakota, and I have nothing but wonderful memories of everything and everyone there, and my backyard was like paradise surrounded by lilacs and happiness and if I could be seven years old and in my backyard in South Dakota forever, eating cheese and playing dinosaurs, I absolutely would.

Notes:
*6./7. I haven't had an alligator OR a reoccurring location dream in a while! Odd...
*15. My subscriptions to date: Sunday New York Times, The Economist, Real Simple (I read them for the reading. I still have all those Smithsonians and National Geographics - for the pictures. :)
*19. Now she's in my bedroom.
*24. I do teach kids now. I love them. I'm no longer afraid of them. And they are pretty awesome, but they're definitely not smarter than me.

Jammin!

A visit from a dear old friend, and a delightful brunch - perfect summer day.

With Sarah making a mad dash through Chicago to help her brother move into Marina City, I knew there were a few activities we had to make happen hurriedly.

Mainly: brunch. Our old favorite!

I'd heard nothing but great things about Jam, a hip local brunch place just down the street, and having not been yet myself, it was a perfect fit. In true form, I order a savory meal, Sarah a sweet one. (We're the happiest odd couple imaginable.)


Note how BLUE these blueberry pancakes are! We asked the chef - there is nothing artificial involved, simply fresh berries turned to a jam and then added to the batter. Every bite is steeped in berryliciousness. And note those cute little toppings on the side? Adorable AND yummy.

Color me lovely! Pretty pink and gold and blue!

Its official: I'm in love. With this phenomenal savory buckwheat lamb crepe. I died a little...

Nom nom nom...

And of course following brunch, we walked to two of my favorite local shops, Greenheart and Renegade Handmade, where Sarah grabbed some gifts, and I grabbed her a felt pin shaped like Illinois with a heart on it, in my continued efforts to encourage her to return to this beautiful city. And in our gift bags from Renegade? Bubbles! So what else would two gals do but walk down the street and blow bubbles to celebrate a beautiful day?

Oshkosh - Oh my gosh!

I've had the crispiest, most wonderful weekend!

Things I did:

I road a scooter with a 150cc engine through a field filled with campers. (that means it could go fast, which I did, and it was delightful)

I camped - Camping elements included: brats, campers, fires, potatoes, pot-o-lets, mosquito bites, happiness.

I threw a football around / bumped a volleyball around in a grassy field in Wisconsin in the sunshine. I fell asleep in that sunshine in a grassy field and awoke to parachutes with giant American flags falling out of the sky. And got a crispy sunburn to match.

I saw some really amazing airplanes doing some really amazing tricks as well, which I could elaborate on, but instead I will simply encourage you to attend Oshkosh before you expire. So. Much. Fun!

Here's a sampling for you of the different types of fires I saw:

Fireworks!

Firewall!

Campfire! (featuring happy feet)

And for your viewing pleasure, a video of one of the first nighttime pyrotechnic airplane shows! (also featuring my squeals of delight in the background)



Serious shout out to Jen and Angela for bringing me along on their fantastic summer tradition: camping at the Oshkosh Wisconsin annual Air Show.

Followed Oshkosh with a delightful jaunt to Milwaukee for lunch. Stumbled upon Alterra on the lakefront. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day for a lunch outside in a fun new city.

Cappuccino, Gazpacho, and Asparagus/White Cheddar sandwich, with a side of Murakami to go.

Thanks Wisconsin for such a delightful weekend!

Blowout!

Okay,

I have a couple places to give a shout out to right now for my current state of bliss. Let's just say, I've come to recognize the importance of occasionally doing something nice just for yourself. This week, my bliss began with... A new Groupon.

50% off a Brazilian Blowout with TRIO Salon on Wabash.

Interesting... a good deal... must look into.

Essentially, a Brazilian Blowout is a chemical free process where every strand of hair is coated in a layer of keratin, which is the stuff hair is made out of anyway. The result? Beautiful, shiny, non-frizzy hair, lasting for 4-6 months. To a girl with dull, frizzy, curly hair, this is HUGE news. I considered... and called... and went ahead and got my groupon on!

First off, let me say, Trio was great! Iwen was super sweet and a lot of fun to talk to while she spread on the keratin. The staff, all around, were wonderful! Kelsey actually went out to my car with my keys to feed my meter when things were running longer than my allotted 2 hours. As she put it, 'that's part of their job!' Wow. Great service!

I honestly went into this hearing phenomenal things and expecting mediocre things, but hey- I'm only paying half the price, right? So half the happiness wouldn't be too bad...

So here are the results...



WOW.
WOW.
WOW.

My hair... has never done that. Ever. Never. Never ever. Irons, blow drys... more irons... NEVER.

Its incredible! This is after just a simple blow dry! Its even shinier when you see it in person! These pictures don't do it justice. I'm not even used to how my hair looks on my head! Its so shiny and beautiful and its got nothing in it at all! It just IS! Keratin is amazing.

Apparently my curl will naturally return in about a week, but even when its curly, it will still be beautifully shiny and lacking in frizz!

I'm unbelievably thrilled. I'll keep you posted on how the next few months go...

Thanks Trio! Thanks Groupon! Thanks Iwen!

Running for fun!

Ah, the 4th of July has been, as always, a delightful experience. I've had my fill of fireworks and festivities. (Although as I look out the window I see that my neighbor didn't get all of his fireworks out of his system last night, and I just jumped while typing this when the 'bomb' exploded!)

Now, I could tell you all about how beautiful the fireworks display was from my discreet, insider's only firework watching spot of many years, but then it would no longer be secret and discreet! Let's just say, we had a front row seat.

But more importantly, Lula, I've got exciting news to report!

I have decided, with the encouragement of a good friend, that I will be running a marathon in 6 months. And this marathon, just may be, at Walt Disney World!


Now, there's been some talk of Disney being too pricey, but regardless, I'm talking it up, because I think it sounds amazing, and either way, I'm going to be... Running. A. Marathon! 26.2 miles. With my two feet. And the rest of me will be there too. Wowser!

I just bought my running shoes at Fleet Feet. It was so much fun to shop shoes! You come in, you grab a number (they look like the numbers marathon runners wear!) and then a nice helper, in this case, Hunter, will come over and help you out. You get on a treadmill, and they record footage of your feet while you run and you get to study your running style! I have only a little bit of... proration? I can't remember the technical term. Basically, I'm not going to break my ankles when I run, but a little extra support is a good thing for my teeny tiny, high arched feet. Science and shopping at the same time! Then they bring out the pretty shoes and have you 'test run' in them. I've taken home a beautiful and very comfortable pair of Brooks.



White, Silver and Dahlia Shadow Ravennas. Too pretty and too perfect for running long distances, followed by even LONGER distances eventually. OH my.

The Walt Disney World Marathon runs all over the four major parks in Orlando. And its in January, when it is supposed to be perfectly mild and perfectly pleasant. However, last year apparently Orlando thought it was Iowa and it was like 25 degrees out. We'll see if the ladies I'm going to be running with are feeling up to the splurge for the whole Disney experience in addition to the running.

Back up plan? San Antonio!


Wish me luck, Lula! I'm so ready for a really empowering challenge like this! I can't wait to tell you when I've done a casual 10 mile run some morning, because that is what marathon trainees do! Love it!

Hello Again Lula!

Hello again! Oh my goodness its been almost a year since my last entry! And what a year that year has been. Sorry for the hiatus. Teaching is a very busy, incredible, time consuming, challenging, stressful, chaotic, learning and growing experience.

So much has changed. I'm single and couldn't be happier about it. I've got amazing friends, who are all ridiculously talented! Mid-twenties, a vibrant city, and I'm surrounded with brilliant, hard-working peers who make me laugh, challenge me, and support me every day. I feel so lucky!

Today was a beautiful Chicago summer day. I celebrated by having a delicious lunch with my friend and fellow kinder teacher Nora at Chickpea. How to explain - its like eating the best middle-eastern cuisine available IN someone's dining room, except its decorated with cheesy movie posters in Arabic. Mama Chickpea comes to the table, tells you how her back is doing, sits down next to you, and feeds you until you're stuffed with delicious lamb and hummus. She's got this handsome, natural beauty - deep, soulful eyes, a scarf over her braided salt and pepper hair, and wrinkles that make her even prettier. I had Mama's special... lamb and rice wrapped in cabbage and steamed. Yum...

Then, I took my fabulous new bike out to the lakeshore path for the first time. OH WOW. I'm addicted! First of all, here's my darling bike, Olive. Her color is Kalamata Green, so the name was just so fitting!
I'm in love with her built in rear and front lights, the back rack that can carry a TON of stuff, the gorgeous green color, the white wheels and brown leather/brown wood, and the built in fenders to keep me splatter free! Oh my goodness, she rides like a dream too! I loved the store I got her from, Kozy's Cyclery on Erie. The salesman Bryan was delightful and super helpful! I got to test ride bikes, which was nice because I was initially really nervous about being a city biker, but I got that out of my system really fast! He went out of his way to help me find the perfect bike and even went so far as to track down Olive at another Kozy's and reserve it for me to pick up since they didn't have her in my size at his store. Thanks SO much Bryan!

Today on my ride this really handsome hardcore biker guy (he had one of those zippy racing bikes and wore a biker jersey outfit, so I know he was serious) -anyway, this biker guy said "I love your bike!" as he passed by me! I was all a flutter. Olive too. Everyone loves a good compliment! I road the entirety of the bike path from end to end and then road all the way back out west to come home. I feel like a rock star! I'm doing this as often as I can. And I'm definitely going to try and bike to beach volleyball tomorrow! Gooooo No Bambis!


("bambi" is beach volleyball lingo for someone who lets the ball fall and doesn't go for it) I'm definitely not a bambi. I feel like I spend half the game flopping around! Its fantastic!

Ah, I'm so happy to be back! The best thing about summer is having the time and the energy to come back to the things I love, like Lula!

XOXO