Chicago Stories

Boobieboobieboobie

2008-07-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

Okay ladies here we go!

Now, if you’ve ever had trouble with your boobs, which I’m sure we all have, boobs are like grass, always greener on someone else’s side…what?

Anyway, there have been more than a few days where I curse my boobs, curse them with all the fire of hell, I don’t care what they look like naked, they actually look better naked than they do in crappy bras, you know what I mean? And I’m the kind of lady who doesn’t like to pay money for a good bra (ridiculous, most important article of clothing really). Sabrina and I got measured at Macy’s last year sometime and that was fine, but we both ended up getting the same bras we always got...and they looked the same.

But last night, BOOBOLOGIST! YAY! The place is called Isabella’s Lingerie and it’s at 840 W. Armitage, right off of Halsted there. Now, I don’t think I got the actual “Boobologist” I have seen touted in print, but I got a really great, totally helpful salesgirl who didn’t make me feel stupid or fat or anything, but pushed me to trust her and not get frustrated. I was shopping for a strapless bra which I have never worn in my life, so…easy to get frustrated.

I tried on numerous bras; she never measured me once, but called it out as soon as I walked in that I was not wearing the bra I should be. So she’d pull the back strap (90% of the support) and mess with the cups and get me too big then too small…then finally, just right.

And today ladies, my own ladies are perky, cute, reigned in and comfortable. I cannot express to you the actual relief I have, plus, I look like I’ve lost weight…honestly. The bras were 60$ a piece, so yes…expensive, but not THAT expensive relative to the sheer confidence exuding from my boobs! It’s like getting your hair cut, you know how you leave it for too long because you don’t want to pay for it and go through the hassle, and then you do and you feel excellent? Same thing. Go, run, no walking…go gogogogogo to the boobologist ladies. TRUST me. I am in love with my own breasts. Finally.

Now, one more thing, I watched Obama’s Germany speech last night and I really thought it was fantastic, I know I know all the issues…he should have been more specific, or he shouldn’t be making that speech yet anyway, that he sounds like he’s running for President of the World (which it did kind of sound like, but I would have no problem with that, so…fine by me) but I loved what he said about America, and hope no one calls out his patriotism again:

I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We've made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best intentions.

But I also know how much I love America. I know that for more than two centuries, we have strived -- at great cost and great sacrifice -- to form a more perfect union; to seek, with other nations, a more hopeful world. Our allegiance has never been to any particular tribe or kingdom -- indeed, every language is spoken in our country; every culture has left its imprint on ours; every point of view is expressed in our public squares. What has always united us -- what has always driven our people; what drew my father to America's shores -- is a set of ideals that speak to aspirations shared by all people: that we can live free from fear and free from want; that we can speak our minds and assemble with whomever we choose and worship as we please.

I'm planning on assembling with some people who please me this weekend, so ....I'm totally down with Obes. Happy Friday!

ISHT - Californiyay Edition

2008-07-24T12:32:00.001-07:00

I just got really tired.

Either I’ve been pushing all the planning too hard, or I shouldn’t have had a grilled cheese with fries for lunch. Um.

145. I’ve totally got my cycle down, totally. What happens is, during the week, on Thursdays, I get down to 144-145. Then the weekend hits and I eat too much (although I still exercise a lot) and I gain a pound or two and then by Monday I’m 147 and I’m down to 145 by Thursday again. Vicious.

Although you know what lately? Vicious cycle it up I say. I love my weekends of crab rangoon and occasional cheeseburgers. I love my Saturday nights filled with vodka sevens, and then a huge hungover breakfast Sunday morning. I do not want to lose these things and so…so be it. 145 it is. Suck it 150.

Plus, lately, I’ve been feeling really so much stronger. I basically ride my bike to work 2 times a week, and run the other 2-3 days. I ride a lot on the weekends and am way into doing more active “play” like the canoeing we did last weekend. What a great way to get in a workout right? So…more of that please.

And even though my running is way slowed down by the heat, eff that, the fact that I’m running and working it and pushing myself, that’s what matters, not how fast or how far I go.

Last night I rode my bike to the beach, to Montrose Beach, and I locked it up and ran at the beach and it was SO FUCKING EXCELLENT. I swear, I felt like I was in California or something. There is such a pretty harbor there, the bird sanctuary which is like a freaking nature trail – so much harder to run in, but so cool…the water and the city and the smell and the people and the bbq’s and the dogs and it was just so great.

So, this week I’m really battling what I’m “supposed” to be, or what is “supposed” to be happening, not just in my physical pursuits, but my mental ones as well. And learning to be really happy with what I’ve accomplished, how much stronger I am in mind and body and how I really need to hold on to this feeling for about 5 more hours while I go bra shopping.

WEDDING!

2008-07-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW

Just. Wow.

I’m really in full-fledged wedding mode right now. Two months go by quick, hell, its not even two months.

I have no idea what I’m doing.

I just went to the florist and said “I don’t know what I’m doing” and I’m trusting that he does, because, well, he basically just told me what to do. And I’m just going to trust him and believe him! But it all sounds right? Right? Gut instincts and all that?

We checked out our place for wedding karaoke, I think it’s going to work, in fact, I think it’s going to be great.

Just did the flowers.

John is working on the invitations; they are going to be sweet. I have to start addressing them, is that fun or what? As long as I have some Project Runway on though, I’ll be pretty good.

Today I get my shoes, tomorrow I get my “lady underthings”, Saturday I go to alterations lady, Sunday I sit on the toilet sobbing, just for no apparent reason.

Do you think I can get a critic from The Reader to come review my wedding play?

Hardscrabble

2008-07-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

So okay, is my blog getting boring?

Are my fun weekends putting you all to sleep?Are my endless accolades of bike riding driving you nuts? (I had such a great ride this morning!)

Is my relationship with a fabulous and handsome man making you nauseous?

Is it annoyingly endless that my biggest problem right now is my worry over going to the florist tomorrow because I honestly have no idea what it is I want?

Are you all aching for the days when I was quitting smoking, or quitting jobs or railing against the societal machine for making me get married?

Well, okay, here are some things that’ll really get your goat:

Um…last night John pretended we had ice cream when we didn’t. Man. I’m so pissed right now.

My boss keeps giving me more work to do, making it so I learn more about my job and make it more likely that I can stay here…geez.

Sabrina wants to know when to have my bachelorette party. GOD! GET OFF MY BACK.

I have to go out to dinner tonight then take a walk to see our karaoke room for the wedding. GEEZ WHATEVER.

I have to ride my bike home. GAWD

Sorry you guys, I’ll keep trying.

Here's another pic of my unattractive and unhilarious dog:

Update

2008-07-21T12:28:00.001-07:00

Okay!

Another great weekend, I don’t know, but the Hixx is really managing to do it up. I think it has a lot to do with how awesome the people surrounding me are.

Friday night stayed in and watched Enchanted. And it was pretty cute, very girly movie, but I thought it was really sweet, and not what I had thought it was going to be and there were cute touches and the songs are cute and everyone is cute. Including me. Done.

Saturday I woke up around 7 and walked the dog and it was pouring out, and I thought “Well, this is Chicago; it only rains for a little bit, there’s no way its still going to be raining in 2.5 hours when I give me tour.” I thought the same thing at 8 when it was still pouring, 8:30 when it was still pouring, 9:00 when it was still pouring and figured by 9:30 when it was still pouring; well…I was just going to have to give a rainy tour. I had this image of everyone down below and me not using a mike or anything and just giving my tour downstairs, inside, by the bar…

Alas, brave brave people, a lot in fact, sat upstairs, outside. So I decided this was going to be a shining moment, and it ended up being a really fun tour. When 30 people are willing to sit outside in their ponchos, in a rain STORM (it was not just raining, but storming at points) then by gum it, I’m going to give them some sweet tour, and I did and it was actually really fun.

John and I went wedding ring shopping afterwards and that was so easy that the guy sent us away basically telling us to make it more complicated and then come back.

Saturday night we saw the Knight, (not Christopher Knight) and really enjoyed it. Heath, well there’s nothing to say that hasn’t already been said, but he was so fabulous. The movie was great, Chicago was great…I’m not sure it’s the best movie ever made, (personally I like the first one better) but it was pretty fantastic.

Sunday I cuddled with the handsomest man in existence (John was in Wisconsin) (KIDDING) and then went canoeing with Sabrina. What a hilarious thing, after our helper took a massive whiff on the slippery mud, we were off and boating. I was pretty uncomfortable at first, feeling like I was falling off the boat, but after awhile I put away my “stories” about how I’m a spaz, and decided to use my strong ass arm muscles for good. Sabrina kept us on course pretty well. Here are the things we saw:

An old tire
Two condoms
A bloated, dead squirrel

It was pretty.
By the time we got off the canoe the sun was out, we were sunburned but happy and rode our bikes to lunch, then a street fair, then home. Then we watched The Ruins, which was pretty scary and horrible (better than the book if you ask me) and had pizza.

What a great freaking weekend. Think I can keep it up?

Sorry, bringing it down for a second.

2008-07-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

I realize its Friday and things are supposed to be happy and go lucky today, but mannoman there is a lot of crap floating out there, or maybe it just my maudlin mourning of my Hollywood boyfriend, but things are seeming horrible today:

The army is going to shoot a bunch of pigs, I don’t believe I’m a big fan of PETA, but I have to kind of agree, isn’t there a better way?

John McCain is manipulating fear to get himself elected by saying there will be a “spectacular” terrorist attack in Iraq, even though he said that “we have succeeded there” not “are succeeding” but “have succeeded”. WHAT? We HAVE SUCCEEDED? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I despise him more and more as each day goes on and his asscrap rape jokes and birth control fuckups.

What in the sam hell is McCain’s problem? You know, I realize many people have problems with Obama…oh he’s an elitist, oh he’s too green, oh he’s not a woman, oh he’s humorless (which he is NOT, read his books, he’s actually quite funny, he’s putting on serious face right now people),oh he’s a flipflopper (what a completely meaningless term this is now), but anyone who votes for McCain is a butthead. I’m sorry, but it is unbelievable the crap he is saying. I used to like the dude, but not anymore. He is evil on women's rights thoroughly and completely evil, and if ANY Hillary voter moves to McCain to prove a point about women’s rights is so completely fucked up in the head I cannot even begin to contemplate it.

Seriously, the guy’s pissing me off.

Okay, sorry, I just got really annoyed there for a second.

ANYWAY, I have a busy weekend! Tours and wedding ring shopping and karaoke reception room checking and Pequods eating and Dark Knighting and canoeing and riding bikes and another movieing….

I hope everyone has a good weekend. I’m planning on it.

Heath!

ISHT - in between the raindrops edition

2008-07-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Okay!

So, ISHT!

Guess what suckers? 144! HEYO!

It’s probably because I ran last night in the heat and lost a pound of water weight.

NO SERIOUSLY.

Things I’m thinking about this week include:

How tired I am of thinking about food all the time, thinking about eating meat, not eating meat, do I have to have another salad? I’m hungry, should I eat more? Should I be eating less? I want bread, can I have bread? I shouldn’t eat bread, but I really want it, I guess I’ll have another salad…BAH! My god. Does this ever go away? Ever? Is there any woman out there who just eats? So so so tired of food. So tired of it.

I’m trying to refrain from “telling stories” about myself, this is a big Tolle thing, the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. I do this a lot. I do it with things like “I am clumsy”, “I am a spaz”, “I have no drive”…etc.

Except, one thing I’m really learning about myself -- and it is a story I’m telling myself, but sometimes we have to see our stories to see beyond them -- is that contrary to how I seem on this blog and in person, I have decided that I am an extremely shy and private person.

I long for the time when I can move throughout this world without anyone noticing. You know how they say that middle-aged women become invisible? When does this happen exactly? Because I’m very much looking forward to it. Not that I want to hide from the world, or anything like that, its more that I much prefer to observe than be the observed, that I would like to move quietly, unnoticed by most, to be seen and heard by my friends and family of course, but …

Maybe I should be careful what I wish for?

Anyway, I want to give John a shout out because ever since I’ve discussed my interest in cutting down on meat consumption, John has gone out of his way to make the most delicious dinners. He’s trying things out, stretching his own brain and talents, and the food he’s making is just delicious. Dinners are my saving grace lately, always excited to see what thing John is going to make tonight, he’s helping me create a new relationship with food, because I know it can be healthy and delicious!

Christmas in July:

Bliss

2008-07-16T12:09:00.001-07:00

Okay, so … what’s going on with me?

Well, today is a wedding planning day. Some days, I don’t do anything, other days, I do a bunch of things at once, and some days, I do one thing and then get tired and stop.

Today, I’ve done a bunch of stuff.

I’ve made my peace with a lot of the planning part of the wedding, I think some of my problems a few months ago were…well…partly teaching people how I operate, how John and I operate. We’re pretty mellow people me and my Beyonce, when we fight, we stand in the kitchen crying and telling each other we love each other, voices never get raised and …we’re just not much for drama in our house.

So I think we both kind of had to show people that we weren’t going to be picking out matching napkins, table linens and silverware. That we weren’t going to be micro-managing this thing, but just managing it. Now, I really think everyone kind of has the gist of what we’re doing, that we’re not hand holding, that we’re not trip planning or anything like that. What we’ll do, is make sure you know how to get to the boat, what time to be there and if you’re old and have a hard time walking, we’ll make sure you have a car to take you there.

That’s it.

And that is great. Sometimes I feel badly that I’m not helping more, but I can’t, I really just can’t and now that I’ve really come to terms with that, I feel great!

Now, I’ve got to tell you all, it really feels like I’m putting on a play for a bunch of people.

John and I have costumes. I mean, I don’t even wear skirts much less a dress. I don’t wear white because I spill on it a lot, so…a big ole white dress is a costume. John is going to look very handsome in his suit-costume.

We have a set; we don’t have to build it, but its there.

We have music.

We have an audience.

We have a script.

And then we have an opening and closing night reception!

It’s just so. Weird.

Getting married…no..no…having a wedding is so weird.

Getting married, being married is not weird at all, that makes perfect sense. But the wedding, my lord.

Weird.

Queegmire

2008-07-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

Wow. It’s hot out theya.

I went running last night, or I went walking, then running, then walking, then running last night, I somehow managed to walk/run three miles, but was extremely surprised at how red my face got and how my slow my legs move in heat.

Note to self: do not run marathons in hot places.

DONE!

I finished the Caine Mutiny, which is NOT Mutiny on the Bounty like everyone thinks. Just so you know.

But, I loved loved loved Caine Mutiny. Very pleased. The book is hilarious and awful and does such a marvelous job of switching our allegiances. When we first start to notice the deviant behaviors of Captain Queeg, we hate him! Oh we hate him so much. We are right there with the crew that this man is out of his cotton pickin’ mind. But its nothing violent, its nothing that you can put your finger on, and by the time the crew has to back up what they believed about Queeg on the boat, they can’t quite put it into the right words, and of course Queeg comes out smelling clean and we as the readers start to wonder if maybe he wasn’t that crazy after all…its just fantastic the way Wouk leads us down the path.

It also has one of my favorite character traits of all time.

Captain Queeg often says “kay”.

OMG it cracks me up and I love it so much. The book takes place during WWII and here’s this crazy captain, freaking out, being Mr. Navy guy and he says “Kay”.

Like:

“Typhoon coming! Kay, everyone on alert!”

Or:

“Someone stole the strawberries out of the messhall? Kay, I want the truth about the strawberries!”

It is just so funny. I don’t know why it tickles me so, but it really does.

So anyway, I highly recommend some Caine Mutiny; I really enjoyed it a lot and read it outside of my normal reading times.

I’m now onto Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

There’s nothing to watch on TV, so John and I have been watching lots of movies. We watched No Country for Old Men which of course I really enjoyed, even with my suspicions about The Coen Bros and my severe hatred for the Cormac McCarthy's book “Blood Meridian”. I’m still confused about the end but the attention to detail was extraordinary.

Last night we watched The Fast & the Furious. That was just as good, with a better ending.

Kidding.

Booby Trap

2008-07-14T12:22:00.001-07:00

Well, the weekend was a rousing success and also, a dismal failure, but that is purely my own stupid fault….I have to learn to trust myself about some things, I really do.

Ladies night was pretty excellent. It’s fun to hang with women. I guess dudes know this already. There was food and there were games and there was whisky being passed around like we’re goldang cowboys for petes sakes. I got a mite tipsy and then did a stupid stupid thing…

The next day I went bra shopping. DUMB IDEA. I don’t know what I was thinking. I had this afternoon after going to see my mom, and I was hungover and tired and I thought I’d just head over to Old Orchard and ohman. Bra shopping, especially strapless bra shopping is about as dangerous as bathing suit shopping. I should have known better than to try and do that when I’m tired and pale and hungover and swollen. Bah. It really set a nasty tone for the rest of the weekend, which annoys me. That I let that happen, I’m too old and self aware for crap like that! I still feel badly about it, and am now taking myself to a “boobologist” in Lincoln Park. So there boobs.

I gave a tour on Sunday morning, such a beautiful day and found out today that some of the people on the boat were radio travel people, they did an interview with the architecture foundation later and I guess they were quite complimentary of my tour. That’s my first tour shoutout. Feels nice.

Last night me and my beyonce and my boobs watched No Country For Old Men which neither one of us had seen. LOVED it, and I’m the first to discount Coen brothers movies and Cormac McCarthy for that matter (I hated Blood Meridian) but I really enjoyed the attention paid to the movie, so well crafted. I hated the abrupt end, but I need to think about why…besides being abrupt.

So..thats it, I’m taking my boobs running tonight, let ‘em bounce.

Friday day day day day

2008-07-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

YAY! It’s Friday!

YAY!

I have not much to say, I have a busy fun weekend arriving, including a multitude of hilarious ladies, a visit to mom to see her mother of the bride outfit, shopping with one hilarious lady, a tour, and a visit to the Folk Music Festival which is my favorite. Overall, good stuff.

So, I’m holding on tightly to some things that may easily slip out of my hands at any moment, if the slip happens, then so be it.

My brother insists I’m on a new path, that my life is going to change, and that any change is going to be okay for me.

I agree.

So…I’m going to enjoy my weekend and hold on tight but let go freely if I need to.

What a strange limbo I inhabit.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

ISHT - Smoke in my eyes edition

2008-07-10T11:07:00.001-07:00

Oh man, it IS so I’m so hot Thursday!

So hot I’m not yo!

Okay, I cheated on 146 and am now back together with 145. I’m hoping to stay with 145, because I’m in love…or will be until something better comes along.

Hell, I better be at 145! I’ve been working my ass off, not intentionally necessarily, but just from the bike riding, it just adds so much to what I’m doing, so yeah…

The meat thing is still going, I’m definitely still eating it, I’m not going to lie, but I really have lessened it so much, I can still see a day where I don’t eat any, but for now, I just love my cheeseburgers and sometimes, it’s just so much easier for everyone if I eat some meat. So be it, I’m pleased with how things are going, with my love of cheese and dairy, I really needed to step down from the animal products, and I really have. I’ve also rediscovered my love of fruit and some veggies. I told John the other night that I could eat edamame like I would potato chips, they are SO GOOD. And corn…and strawberries and pineapple and edamame again….

Anyway, what I wanted to talk about today is smoking.

It is almost my 8 month anniversary and MANNOMAN, I cannot believe how strong the urge remains. It’s stronger now than even two months ago.

The trigger of summer has just sent me into a tizzy. It’s really easy to enjoy not smoking when you’re watching everyone else stand outside in -20 weather; it’s not so easy when you see people drinking in beer gardens, smoking it up.

I don’t know what it is; I’m obviously in love with my exercise and new healthy body and no guilt and prettier skin and hair and the added affection of a fiancé who hates the smell.

BUT MY GOD do I want one, I want one more than I have ever wanted one. It’s truly bizarre how it can strike me…and now stay with me, it’s been about a month since I’ve really noticed it.

And I’m cool, I’m not going to have one, I promise, but am fascinated with the addiction and its hold on my brain and I can feel the want in my body, I swear I can feel it.

I just want it to go away, I’ve been living my life in a state of not wanting what I don’t want, and it’s been working out really well for me. I don’t want to want one anymore. I don’t want to consider smokers “lucky”, I don’t want to suck in other people’s smoke because I think it smells so delicious, I don’t want to fill my already filled up brain with wishes of something that will kill me, I don’t want to be envious of people because they “get” to smoke.

I don’t want my mind to think like this ANYMORE. BE GONE SMOKING THOUGHTS! BE. GONE!

BUSY!

2008-07-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

BUSY!

Big closing tomorrow, lots to do!

Few quick things:

While we wonder about Obama and if he’s going to take over the world with Reverend Wright and worry about whether he might be going a little too centrist on a few issues, lets take a gander at the completely idiotic, rude, offensive and hilariously awful thing McCain said yesterday shall we?

“Republican presidential candidate John McCain joked yesterday that a reported increase in U.S. cigarette sales to Iran was perhaps a way to do them in. "Maybe that's a way of killing them," Mr. McCain said.”

Okay you know what? That’s enough for me right there, if there was ever a fence I was on, I’m off it. McCain is a jerk and dumbass.

Poor Petrozza!

The Caine Mutiny is one of my favorite books ever.

Rode my bike today, get to ride it home in this gorgeous weather.

John and I just got our passport photos taken!

That’s it! I gotta go!

Got to have faith

2008-07-08T12:25:00.001-07:00

Okay, so everyone’s asking:

“What happened to Obama?”

And I guess I’m asking the same thing, but I’m really not, because…what were people expecting honestly?

Okay, let’s take these things one by one:

The FISA bill, I really have nothing to say on this one because Obes is totally screwing us and himself by allowing this to pass through, I still don’t understand the deeper nuances of it, although my guess is the guy is playing it safe. If he stood up and started filibustering what other dems weren’t, well…he’d look stupid, 5% of this country would think he was AWESOME and really a standup guy and the other 95% of the country would see him as a big pain in the ass that is dissenting from the Democratic Party. I believe that if this was happening while Obes was President, it would be a different outcome altogether, but he’s still fighting the battle so…yeah…boo to all you of you democrats, each and every one of y’all.

The changing of minds on public financing…man, when the pundits say the public doesn’t care, I tend to agree. So here’s the sitch, Obama could have 80 million dollars if he goes with public financing, or he could have close to 500 million dollars if he goes with private donations….

…..

So, the problem is not that Obama wants 500 million, but that he said earlier that he would definitely take public financing, IF, he talked to McCain’s camp (who is in love with public financing because they get a lot more money and McCain couldn’t even begin to raise 500 million, so of course he wants Obama to take it like he has to).
So, Obama went back on his word and is taking the private financing. Honestly, it’d be so freaking stupid if he didn’t I can’t even begin to say, so…yeah, big deal, Obama told Tim Russert he’d take it and now he’s not going to. Wow. Huh. That’s so crazy…or not at all.

On to the Faith Based Initiative…Obama wants to expand the program, giving it 500 million dollars. Now, I have my own problems with this for sure, separation of church and state is one of my favorite things ever, EVER.

BUT, I know where Obama is coming from, I see. The Evangelicals are all confused and young and they want to help with poverty and world hunger and peace and they think McCain is old fogey and they need someone to rally them to vote and in walks Obama and they could maybe vote for him, so…alas…religion comes into play.

And, when you read Audacity of Hope, you read that what Obama realized when he was doing community organizing, was that the base for charity, good deeds, helping the homeless, feeding the hungry, clothing children, all mainly came out of the churches. He saw that this was where the real work was being done and that’s when he found Trinity and blah blah blah.

But…he kind of has a point right? He’s right, that is where most of the charity work is done. And he’s changed Bush’s rules about no hiring on religious beliefs, etc.

And c’mon, let’s really think about this for a minute, do you believe that Obama wants to go in to towns, change every single person into a God-fearing Christian, will start wars because Jesus told him to, or believes that America is right because it’s “God’s America”?

Do you? Me neither.

It all comes down to trust I suppose, and to critical thinking of what he’s doing, what he will do to win and what he’ll do once he gets in. Yes, he’s way more serious now and his lofty speeches are done…good. Yes, he’s changing his views (please on Iraq, PLEASE, if my President doesn’t have the option to change his views the more he learns than you better believe I’m moving to Canada, DAMNIT)…good. Yes, he’s saying some things he needs to say to win, and I believe he believes them too (besides FISA, urgh).

I’m still with you Obama, and I’m still with you if you further “refine” your views about all kinds of things. You’re learning. Me too.

Weekend Update

2008-07-07T12:11:00.001-07:00

So, this was definitely one of the better 4th of July weekends anyone has ever had in the history of the 4th of July.

We sat so close for the Wilmette fireworks, by the finale there were burning embers all around us, slightly scary, but definitely cool. We all decided that if we were on some mind altering substance, the fireworks would have scared the shit out of us, right overhead, so loud, but so cool.

It was great wandering around my childhood beach and showing John cool things and remembering things I had forgotten, very neat.

Friday we went to brunch with some friends then off to a smoky bbq. The bbq was smoky itself, but there were also a TON of people smoking cigarettes….lovely, lovely cigarettes…what? Wait…I mean, HORRIBLE SMELLY cigarettes…there…that’s better.

Saturday I rode my bike to the South Side, cause I’m cool like that, and volunteered with PAWS. I think their timing got screwed up and there weren’t boatloads of dogs coming in, so they had me just walk the little guys that were in there…and I just loved it. I met big dogs and little dogs and funny dogs and snooty dogs and one HUGE dog who was shaking all over when I came in…sweet pie…and one Chihuahua that stole my heart believe it or not.

And it was a beautiful day and I just walked and walked with these guys, and then I found a little spot called “Margaret’s Love Corner” and me and the doggies would go to my love corner after our walk and talk and rub noses and laugh and the little ones would sit in my lap. It was heartbreaking and hopeful and I’m definitely sold on doing MORE, more more more help…just maybe something a little…closer. But it was a really great day.

Saturday night John and I fulfilled our 4th of July weekend destiny with dinner at the Half Shell…a long bike ride, helping the dogs, crab legs…it was like everything I needed in one day.

Yesterday I ran, did my strength work, then ended up riding my bike to moms, whew! But awesome. John got up early and started in on a big house project and was still busting it out when I got home, so I started busting too and we got so much done, our house is pretty and clean, and even things (like medicine cabinets) that aren’t usually clean are clean. He made us a delicious dinner, and watched Super High Me with Doug Benson, freaking hilarious…then had ice cream cake! ICE CREAM CAKE!

What a fantastic weekend…the last of its kind for a few months, wedding plans kick in now for real, each weekend filling up with friends, family or chores, but I’m ready, this weekend was just what we both needed to push forward to September.

YEEK!

ISHT - Lucky American Girl edition

2008-07-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

Well America, sometimes you lose faith and sometimes, just sometimes, it is restored to you.

I did believe my office would be closing at 5PM today, like it does every day, and yet…we are closing at 2! YAY TWO!

I will be going to get a mani/pedi before I go watch fireworks and eat food and snuggle in freezing cold Chicago with my handsome fiancé, on a blanket, and be happy and celebrate and be thankful. YAY!

So, 146, which is fine, considering I went out last night and ate a huge chunk of corn-fed beef, beef that has lived a life of luxury and fulfillment. It was odd to eat such a big chunk of beef and I definitely felt a little off afterwards, but it was DELICIOUS.

My real thing this week, a rediscovery I make every summer, is my bike.

I love it just so much. I cannot express to you all who are trying to fit more exercise into your life, what a perfect perfect thing the bicycle is. It is fast, it is easy on joints, it is hard on muscles, it is so easy on the brain (you must be very aware though! VERY AWARE), it is just the most …. Fulfilling thing, it truly is.

I’ve been riding to work almost every other day, it saves me from running or doing cardio when I get home, after I walk the dog, and it really saves me some time. But I’m also very much an after work exerciser, so I hardly ever get the rush morning exercise people get.

BUT MANNOMAN!

I leave a little early, so I have plenty of time to get to work, so I’m not rushing…and I ride at a nice brisk pace. I get to work early, get some breakfast, read, relax, enjoy my morning rush and really…all day feel better. And then, I GET TO RIDE HOME!

Do you understand what I said? I GET to ride! I get to, like its something wonderful I get to do, instead of a big horrible thing I have to do, like all other exercise in the world. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some great runs and strength workouts and they make me feel good, but they are have to’s. Not get to’s.

So, here is to my bike, to summer, to me, to John, to Remo, to the dogs on their way from Iowa, to my work, to my boss, to 146, to 2PM, to mani/pedis and most of all to the fact that I am lucky enough to enjoy all these things.

Have a great weekend everyone!

One doggy two doggy three doggy four

2008-07-02T12:15:00.001-07:00

Still antsy, a little less antsy because we’re all almost done (full day of work tomorrow too though, ack) and I think I get calmer as the weekend gets closer.

Things have fleshed out for the weekend, we’re headed to the burbs tomorrow night to see Wilmette’s fireworks, on the beach, with “taste of Wilmette” feeding us and a friends band playing…should be fun, that’s the beach I basically grew up on, so it should be fun and silly and romantic!

I signed up to volunteer with PAWS on Saturday. Usually you have to go through orientation and stuff, but I guess they’re getting big vans of dogs from Iowa and are desperate for volunteers. I’ve really wanted to do this for awhile and this is a great start for me, see how I do, see how I handle myself. I really want to get more involved helping animals, especially doggies, and I’m scared and nervous about this.

John and I have gone back and forth about getting another dog, there’s pros and cons of course, the cons being that Remo is so freaking great, such a good dog, and neither one of us wants that to change in any way. Also, another dog is another dog, just no bones (heh!) about it.

But then we think…with all that’s going on right now, all the animals being left and abandoned with the mortgage crisis and floods and its all just such a mess, and how shelters are just becoming overcrowded and overwhelmed, we think, if we want one, can afford one, have room for one, shouldn’t we get one?

I’ve always thought that our next dog will happen to us, I still believe that, and if he does this weekend he does, if he doesn’t, he doesn’t and I’m okay with that. But to place myself in such a position where I’m seeing many dogs that need help…well…we’ll just see.

But my real goal is to see if animal rescue in some shape or form might be something I really want to explore in my future. This will be a great way to start!

The rest of the weekend is spent with new friends and old friends, trips to doggy beaches and Old Navy, visiting mom and hanging with my main man.

Imexitedfortheweekendisitthursdayatfiveyet?

All Over

2008-07-01T12:19:00.001-07:00

UGH!

I’m so ANTSY.

I CANNOT WORK.

I need to remember in the future that the 4th is my favorite holiday ever, and that I should take a day or two off, because I’m ANTSY!

So, disparate day today….

Rode my bike to the path by the river and ran there again last night, so freaking great. The sun shines and the kids play and the dogs wander and it’s just lovely. There are even a few hills and such and that’s good, I need to run some hills. They’re not the tallest hills ever, but any hill is enough when you’re running, that’s what I say.

Rode my bike to work this morning and almost died, really did. It was totally my own fault and taught me a lesson.

Buddy ran into a bike pedal last night and scratched right above his eye, he coulda scratched his actual eye….I don’t know what’s going on with my little family almost severely hurting themselves these days, but I hope it’s almost over!

We started watching The Office, we never really got into it and now we both love it. For me, it was absolutely that everyone else loved it so I didn’t want to see it, so…now we love it too.

I want to write a thesis called “The Dobler Effect” about how the character of Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything is a constant influence in pop culture, the reason this reminded me is because Jim from The Office is totally Lloyd Dobleresque.

Reading The Caine Mutiny is fabulous, I thought it was going to be Moby Dick-like with long passages of the “raging sea, waves that envelop a soul like the gray of the torrent current that longs for the darkness of a drowned sailor’s heart” but its totally not like that, its hilarious and awesome and Captain Queeg, a name I know even though I have no idea how, has just arrived on the boat. Hee.

Making plans for the 4th and it all sounds like fun and I just want it to be Thursday now.

Okay, going to go to work because time goes faster that way.

Argh.

Avoidance

2008-06-30T12:33:00.001-07:00

Holiday week…I’m excited, if you have read this blog throughout the years, you know that the 4th of July is my favorite holiday, summer and fireworks and shallow patriotism, I love it!

So, I’m glad, glad that the 4th is on a Friday, glad we have a short week, glad for lots of things.

We had a jam-packed weekend, most of it filled with us escaping death and destruction over and over. At least we know God doesn’t want either one of us to die anytime soon… or at least yesterday.

We narrowly escaped a car accident (due to John’s quick and calm thinking and reacting) and he narrowly escaped losing an eye when he was walking Remo with the retractable leash. The leash caught on something and snapped and the retractable of the leash went shooting into his eye.

Luckily, he is a-ok. But yeesh, I hate to think what could have happened.

And we got his bill from the emergency room and both got down on our knees to thank the gods of steady jobs and insurance…I can’t imagine how people get by without it, the difference in the payments was staggering and frightening.

We continue to be lucky, I continue to be grateful and John continues to lose weight by only slightly modifying his diet…grrrrr.

Building Fads and Foot Pads

2008-06-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Friday! Hello!

My lecture with Adrian Smith was AWESOME last night, it was so cool. We got to see his office and walk all around and it was a beautiful office and all these cool architectural models everywhere and in-depth discussions about art and sustainability and the future of architecture and the fact that Smith still can’t say what the height of Burj Dubai (will be the tallest building in the world) will be because as soon as he does someone will build taller and it was just so freaking cool.

And then, I hopped on my bike and rode home by the lake and it was cool and lovely and smells like sand and water and the sun was setting and I rode through this city that I love so much that is so advanced in an art that I love to learn about and it feels like California and OH MY GOD, to exercise my mind and my body like that, in the space of an hour, was just…excellent. Sometimes life is just too frackin’ sweet.

Okay, the foot pads. I was going to have John do a guest post, but he got to leave early to go to Wizard World, so…he left me all alone to discuss the ickiness of the foot pads by myself.

So much for marriage.

We watched the same ads as you all and found ourselves (me more than him) amazed by the power of the pads..oh, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m talking about these pads you stick on your feet and they are meant to detoxify the body. Black comes out on the foot pads and gets less and less as you go on and boom, no more toxins.

So we found them somewhere, I have no idea, and John tries them on, I know he was quite fascinated by the excellent taping system they used.

The next morning he wakes up! And the foot pads are all black, but I know John was a smooch worried because on the box…they turn gray, but on John’s feet, they were BLACK. I’m going to marry Mr. Toxin.

So he does it for a few more nights and really, the same thing happens, BLACK. But what impresses him the most -- and again, I am just relating a story that you all asked me for, so don’t come down on me when you find out you don’t want to know this – but what impresses him the most is the night he had beef jerky. And he takes off the foot pads the next day and they SMELL LIKE BEEF JERKEY (which was a different song by a man named Burt Cobain, Kurt’s brother). He asks me to smell them and I will not. I will not smell the jerky foot pads.

I had it on one night, and mine came out black too, we have lots of toxins.

But…it never did get lighter. The box is done, the foot pads are gone, but they never did get less and less, which leads me to think that you just basically sweat into the food pads, and sweat is dirty and that’s what happens, and sweat is detoxifying right? I mean, if you put these in your armpits (sexy!) what would happen?

The mystery still exists, nothing has been explained.

Yet….it is still Friday.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

ISHT - Burj Dubai edition

2008-06-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

So me and my old friend 146 are still hanging out, apparently we’re dating now, I’m hoping it’s not serious, I still think I can do better.

My struggles this week have been mostly with hunger. With the new addition of bike riding added on to my exercise routine and my harder strength sessions and the fact that I’m not eating (as much) meat, have all led to me being pretty hungry the past few days.

This is one of those things where I know what I should do and I … don’t. I eat a good breakfast, but about 2 hours after I actually get up, and then its yogurt, fruit and granola, then I end up eating a light lunch, mostly salad or fruit these days, then I go home and work my freaking ass off for sometimes almost two hours and by then I’m starving and I eat a lot of carbs, because that’s what I’m craving.

And lately even when I shove a bunch of food in my face, I’m still starving.

So, I’m going to work on loading up more in the morning, stick with my yogurt and fruit, etc. but maybe also get some whole wheat bread and make peanut butter toast. I need to figure out what to do about lunch, I still struggle a lot with it, I have relied heavily on turkey sandwiches in my life, and without them, I find it hard to make good choices besides just salad…I’m getting sick of salad, and I don’t want to, because salad is my mistress.

And since I lost those few pounds (I can’t believe I lose like 3 pounds and that’s it for me, I just don’t get my body sometimes) I got kind of wonky about food. Like “now that I’m losing weight it feels so good that I’m going to get really stupid about eating”, and I really need to stop that. I need to eat when I’m hungry and not deny myself. That one day last week where I struggled in the Whole Foods and really didn’t eat much, well…I had a terrible run that day, and I was in a foul mood and I know, I KNOW, that if I ate something healthy and filling and good for me, I would have run faster and longer and not been pissy.

Balance.

Stupid balance.

Does anyone ever achieve it? Ever?

Tonight I go see Adrian Smith speak. I’m very excited; it’s kind of a chance of a lifetime…sorta.

Adrian Smith designed this:

And this:

And someday we might see this:

Read a book read a book read a motherfucking book

2008-06-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

I really have not much to talk about today, things are moving along fine, work is busy, life is busy, but all things are good.

John suggested I talk about his Kinoki foot/toxin pads, but …. I just can’t. Trust me…they’re icky! So what I’m going to talk about today are books, because lately, the only thing I want to do in the world is read. It doesn’t matter what I’m reading, the New Yorker, the web, actual books, but I just want to read all day until my eyes blow out. READ.

So…here are the books on my “to be read as soon as I can” list. I don’t know why you might care, except for that you might either A. Get a recommendation for yourself or B. Debunk one of my recommendations.

The Dice Man – George Cockroft
The story of a man who makes every life decision by rolling the dice. Now that is just awesome

The Sorrows of the Young – Johann Wolfgang Goethe
My brother recommended this book to me and I read all his recommendations because I usually love them, like “Angle of Repose” and “On a Winters Night a Traveler”

Blindness – Jose Saramago
The movie sounds awesome, I must read it before the movie comes out, that is Hixx law.

Pattern Language – Christopher Alexander
Another brother recommendation for architecture stuff. Neat.

Slaughterhouse
Fast Food Nation & Omnivore’s Dilemma – All of these for my meat experiments.

Blackwater - Joyce Carol Oates
A fictionalized story about the whole Chappaquiddick scenario, sounds awesome.

The Garden of Last Days – Andre Dubus
Stephen King went hog wild about this book in Entertainment Weekly, what Stephen King tells me to do, I do.

House of Sand & Fog - Andre Dubus
Saw the movie, wanted to read it anyway, good timing

The Story or Edgar Sawtelle – David Wrobleski
Boy who cannot communicate with other humans and lives on a dog breeder farm. I bet its way better than my “other” dog book. Boo.

That’s it. For now. There’s so many more, so many, I still have two more Harry Potters and all the other Pulitzers.

Will someone please just let me sit and read all day? Please?

Fast Eddie and the Cruisers

2008-06-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

I’m hungry today. Most days I’m pretty okay with a light lunch, but today I’m hungry. But I still just had fruit for lunch, and I’m still hungry. And I had one of those horrible times in the whole foods, all this food, and I’m so hungry and everything I pick up I think, “I shouldn’t eat this” and I put it down, and then I would think “Well, but I’m hungry, so I should eat something” and then I think, “but you’ll probably have something big for dinner, and maybe ice cream and you shouldn’t eat a mozzarella pretzel”, bah! I don’t usually get caught in that trap, but I did today.

ANYWAY rode my bike last night to this running path that runs along the north river, it is so pretty and there’s just the hugest park for miles and miles and it was such a crystal clear night and MAN it was such a good run. I love those. And then a sweet, cool bike ride home, I’m still flying from it a little and also think that’s why I’m so hungry today.

ANYWAY, a couple of things: as my main man continues to struggle against McCain and as we see more and more that Obama is just “a politician” (did anyone really think differently? Of course he is people!) I just keep enjoying getting to know him more and more and watching him pull the stops out on McCain and watching the rest of the country get to know him and write articles like this one from the NYT. Here is a quote from said article:

But as recent weeks have made clear, Barack Obama is the most split-personality politician in the country today. On the one hand, there is Dr. Barack, the high-minded, Niebuhr-quoting speechifier who spent this past winter thrilling the Scarlett Johansson set and feeling the fierce urgency of now. But then on the other side, there’s Fast Eddie Obama, the promise-breaking, tough-minded Chicago pol who’d throw you under the truck for votes.

Now, I realize this article is not written favorably about Obama and you know what? That’s cool. I have said from the beginning and will say it again, I prefer a shrewd politician, I love a man who will do what it takes, I love a little Chicago politics in my president, that’s what its going to take. I never assumed he was all hope and joy, not ever and I never wanted him to be that. I love that he is taken for granted by each who come upon him as “naïve” and “elitist”, my man knows how to get down and dirty and I think this article that tries so hard to make Obama look bad, only cements why I’m voting for him in the first place. *fist bump*

Now, I finished the most frustrating book ever written “The Art of Racing in the Rain”, this was the old dog story book. And I no longer recommend it to anyone. This is the most manipulative book I have ever read….ever.

It is as if the author of the book, who is not a creative writer in the least, said to himself “what’s the saddest thing a person can think of…I know, an old and dying dog” then “what’s the saddest thing an owner of an old dog can have happen to him…I know, his wife gets sick” then, “what’s the saddest thing an owner of an old dog with a sick wife can have…I know, his wife dies and the grandparents take the kid” and it just goes on endlessly like that.

It is a ridiculous book; the ending is ridiculous and close to writing for children.

Yet, and yet, I cried so much finishing the book that my boss asked me what was wrong when I walked in.

Yipes.

Update

2008-06-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

Well well well, who’s a happy little camper today?

Me.

We had another spectacular weekend, I am enjoying the hell out of these past few weekends, I gotta tell you.

So, Friday night Buddy had a case of the runs, so we stayed in and ordered lots of yummy Thai food and watched Constantine on the HD, that’s a pretty great movie, I really enjoy it.

Saturday I had an early tour, great tour and then John came to meet me downtown. We went and had bloody marys at the elephant and castle and then went to lunch at Millennium Park, where we had more bloody marys and I splurged on my meat (heyo!) with a kobe burger, yum. We went home and took a nap and then got up and went to a new (to us) little pub by our house and spent a good amount of time trying to beat the high score in erotic photo hunt.

Yesterday we had cinnamon rolls and took a long, pretty walk to the dog beach with Remo. The dog beach is the greatest place on earth! We went to the one on Wilson and its huge, so much room! There were so many dogs and they were having the best time running and jumping and swimming. Remo is not in love with the water but was quite brave and went pretty far out, he loved chasing all the other dogs around and tapping them on the shoulder when they quit playing, to make them play more, I’ve never seen his little eyes so bright and happy. There will definitely be more trips to the dog beach.

Then we came home and crashed and John made us delicious bruschetta sandwiches! Fresh mozzarella and basil and tomatoes on delicious bread, they were so good.

It was just….a truly magical weekend, good thing I’m marrying that guy, he’s pretty fun to be around.

Friday Chit Chat

2008-06-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Friday! Hi!

A few things:

3 months from today I’m getting married. Hee.

I just got my eyebrows threaded, shit hurts. It’s very effective but it hurts. My arm almost went up and smacked the poor threading lady in the head.

I have an extremely nice weekend coming up. Extremely nice. Extremely.

I finished reading another Pulitzer “The Optimists Daughter” by Eudora Welty and I don’t think I’ve ever been so bored. Not ever. I didn’t even hate it like I hated “Arrowsmith” I didn’t feel anything about it. I finished it the day before yesterday and I have completely forgotten it. Very small book, very plain story, there were maybe one or two heartstrings tugged, but yeesh, I am not on a good roll with the Pulitzers these days. I have the Caine Mutiny next, that should be something right?

Before I get to that though I’m reading “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” Ack. It’s the story of a very old dog told from the dog’s perspective. I started crying on page one, and have cried on every page since I started. I recommend and do not recommend this book, depending on how much you like to torture yourself with the stories of very old dogs. Sigh.

It has been making me extra kiss Remo these days though.

Pizza bagel from Einstein’s? Not nearly as good as you might think.

Oh, my friend John is picking up Curious the Cat today. Done and done. YAY!

Life is fascinating, utterly and completely fascinating.

Happy Friday!