Just Like That...

And just like that, I'm back in the middle of a snowstorm in Chicago.

The weirdest thing I saw in my travels was a lady at the airport in Chicago who was wearing a fur coat. She was in the baggage claim area and pushing one of those luggage carts that was empty except for another fur coat. I ask you, who travels with only the fur coat on her back with her other fur coat as a carry-on?

Despite the abundance of fur coats, it does feel good to be back in Chi-city. Today, I was riding the Red Line train past Wrigley Field. I realized that I must've been homesick, since a fugly-ass billboard of a giant Chicago hot dog shoved into a baseball glove made me bust into a smile. And that's not normal. But I'll take it.

This week is filled with parties and meet-ups with friends and Mr. D. I'll do some Christmas window shopping and wandering around the city during the day. Have brunch with my brother tomorrow and maybe read some books. Tomorrow night is a carolling party with festive cider-rum. Oh, it's good to be home!

Gift Baskets Are Creepy

So I did some Christmas-y errands today, and part of those errands was looking for a Christmas present for my mom. She grew up in North Carolina, so I thought I might go with the theme for her present this year. I looked at some Southern cookbooks, which were lovely, but she already has more cookbooks than she needs for her entire lifetime.

So my next thought was to go straight to the source: a huge gourmet grocery store that is based in North Carolina. This store, coincidentally, specializes in those gift baskets that people give out during the holidays. So I tried to unearth some NC treasures at this store, but I got temporary blindsided by the overwhelming creepiness of all the types of Christmas gift baskets. The gobs of crinkled plastic. The tins of nasty cashews. The impersonal chocolate bars. The jars of muscadine preserves. Why are pre-made gift baskets filled with the most inedible materials ever created?

So then I thought that I might make my own basket of hand-selected foods from North Carolina. Much more personal, much less plastic. Let's see...North Carolina tea leaves for sweet tea, um, some Cackalacky hot sauce, um... North Carolina Cheese Straws?!? Ick! Nevermind, that's back to creepy. Do y'all sell T-shirts?

Odds and Ends from NC

Today I walked over to the university arboretum and spread out a blanket by a big old North Carolina tree. It was in the 70s, and though it was unseasonably warm, I savored an afternoon of the slow pace of life down here that everyone talks about. I sat in the sun and read some back issues of the New Yorker, soaking up months of culture that I had missed when my reading list was solely based on urban planning. Yep, three of four classes are now done for the semester.

After a few hours of reading, I drove over to a local coffee shop where I sort-of avoided getting hit on by some 60-year-old dude who was wearing some kind of cyclist windbreaker unzipped so that his gray chest hair poked out of it. He made conversation with me about the beautiful looking fruit tarts:

Him: Are you going to have a tart?
Me: Nope. (Pause) Just coffee.
Him: Oh! Good discipline. I really have motivation not to eat one either.
Me: Uh, yeah.
Him: I just had two apples and a piece of cheese for lunch.
Me: (Silence)

After that, I came home and watched some old videos on YouTube. Josephine Baker, Russian Ballet from the 70s, the new exhibit of Kara Walker's art at the Whitney in New York. You can really find anything you want to see on there. I guess it goes to show that I can only complain to a degree about being culturally isolated down here. To the degree of a 2" x 3" online video of about 5 minutes in length on almost any cultural topic in the world.

Also, I went to the "Short Circuit Traveling Film Festival" last week. It was a series of short films made by filmmakers of the Southeast US and it was really fun. My favorite short was called "The Language of Limbs: A Documentary on the Agrifolk Art Movement." It was hilarious and clever and southern. You can view a portion of it here.

"Love Noises"

So, this is totally gross. Gramma, if you're reading this, you might want to stop here.

But, for a few weeks now, I have been hearing my neighbor's "love noises." Or, to be more specific, his girlfriend's. Most sexologists (?) talk about how couples have a routine in the bedroom. I'm here to tell you that this is true. And I wish I didn't know.

While living the apartment lifestyle, it is likely that you will hear someone's "love noises" at some point or another - your roommate's, your neighbor's - and like me, you'll probably wish you hadn't.

I have puzzled over how to deal with this problem, and I have thought of only one very passive-aggressive solution. I guess I could rent a few pornos and put them on the TV at full volume, and leave the house for several hours. It's just an idea.

Halloween and Squinty Eye

I was a tennis player for Halloween. A blonde tennis player, like Anna Kournikova. As part of my costume I said, "I model now." This picture is of my friend Megan and I. She went as a Christmas tree. We took this picture because we said that we both sometimes take pictures where one eye is slightly closed. My squinty eye is my left eye. Her squinty eye is her right eye.

In this picture, I borrowed Colonel Sander's mustache. But I had to give it back. These things happen on Halloween.

You Gonna Eat That Pickle?! An "Aha! Moment"

I went out to lunch with some classmates yesterday. We went to a pizza slice place, and one girl ordered a slice with tomatoes, spinach, and onions. She spent some time picking the onions off her pizza and a guy (originally from Milwaukee) said, "Are you going to eat those?"
"No," she said, "Go to town."And then he put all the onions on his slice and took a bite.

"I feel like that's a Midwest thing," I said, as he rearranged the onions on his slice of pizza.

"Me too," he said. "I always eat off my friends' plates at home. I always know who is not going to eat their pickle. Then I eat it."

"I do that too!" I exclaimed.

Some of our Southern classmates agreed that eating off someone's plate was, perhaps, a Midwestern cultural thing. Some people said that in the South, "you always clean your plate." I guess the equivalent saying in the Midwest would be, "You always clean your plate, and offer to clean your neighbor's plate too."

Hippie-Ohs

Last night I bailed out of a big U sports event and randomly ran into a gal in my class who I think is pretty cool. She is more into the "alternative" scene here, and by that I mean the bike shop/organic farms type of thing. And sure 'nuff she invited me to an outdoor projected movie at the back alley bike shop of her friends. So, it was a kind of great and unique scene people-wise and I was excited to see another side of the town.

Unfortunately, my friend had to leave to catch the last bus to a neighboring town where she lives. So I was kind of left with some people I didn't know, watching a horrible torture scene in a...um... unique... mountain bike slasher flick. I had brought some Oreos thinking that it would be a hit (and help me make some friends) to share some cookies. Only, I found out that the bike community here also wasn't like the ones at home.

The bike messenger and bike shop kids that I knew in the Midwest were kind of grubby (okay, same), had alternative politics (same), and went dumpster diving (not same). When I passed around the bag of Oreos, the girls refused to eat any (frown), and some guy said, "Oh, these are real Oreos. They don't even sell these at the Co-op. They sell 'Hippie-oes.'"

I mean, he ate one and everything. Maybe even two.

But I thought, um..., really? These kids buy organic Oreos at the Hippie Co-op??? I mean, (1) aren't they expensive? and (2) why would you ever buy organic fake Oreos? Oh, and (3) is it really that rare that someone would bring preservative-ladden Oreos to one of their (OUTDOOR bike messenger slasher) parties?

Even "alternative" Southern culture is more puzzling that I even imagined.

Back to the Future

As I sit down for a night of studying tonight, I feel like a younger version of myself.

Probably because I just worked out to a Cindy Crawford video from 1993, I study all the time, and I have no money. Yes - it IS like being back in college!

Now that I'm getting the hang of graduate school, I'm finding more "balance" with my schedule. What this actually means is that I'm studying more and watching less back-episodes of "Six Feet Under." But this new "balance" also means that I'm finding time to eat healthier, exercise a few times a week, and live within a shoestring budget. And I think a lot too.

I am pursing my graduate degree so that I can have an interesting job and get paid a lot better than when I came into school. I am learning so much in my classes, and I'm also finding time to dream about things I'm interested in, or jobs I might like to have. The other thing that I'm finding refreshing about school is that there is more freedom to take risks that is not usually allowed in the working world. But, it's more fun because I appreciate it more than I did when I was younger. I am more bold now, because I have more experience to draw on; yet, I am very much still exploring.

Anyway...

Mr. D is coming to visit this weekend, and I am so excited. We haven't seen each other in 2 months. Though we have kept our friendship very loving and supportive and full of humor, it is going to be so, so good to have a conversation face-to-face, to hug each other, to have dinner together. I want to make him pancakes. And steak. And try to tickle him. Whatever!

And Another Thing...

One more weird thing about North Carolina: the men here don't finish your ice cream for you when you can't finish it. All the men in my life in Chicago - my dad, my brother, Mr. D - would all have at least taken a whack at the remainder of my unfinished M&M blizzard.

Anxiety Crane and Notorious B.I.G. of Econ

Last night I slept horribly. I was worrying about my Econ exam today (my first grad school exam, well, quiz - ). I did sleep, but I tossed and turned all night. I kept half-waking up and finding myself in really weird physical poses. Like some tense crane arm position (think: Kung Fu Hustle). And later, with one leg crunched way up and the other leg just out normal (think: Justin Timberlake high-knee step dance move only not dancing).

I woke up knowing I was overly nervous and thus flipping through my iPod to find the proper pick-me-up song before test time. When I hit on Notorious BIG's "Big Poppa," I knew I found my morning jam. On my way to school I imagined myself as the Notorious BIG of Economics. Like, I'd be a really fat dude with lots of dollar bills who drew really accurate supply and demand curves. Unh- babe-a babe-a! Silly and ridiculous, I know, but I'm sure it helped me ace the test.

Small Town Perks

The top headline in today's local paper was probably geared (and I think successfully) just to increase sales. This is probably the most salacious but least important news I can think of. See this:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/712570.html

I would say, "Welcome to the South," but I'm guessing this type of stuff *may* happen all over the country. They just might not publish it in the paper in other places...

When You Deserve To Get Treated Passive-Aggressively

My downstairs neighbor is a post-graduate school slob.
He never takes a turn to put out the trash (we share a trash can), nor does he ever bring the trash can BACK from the curb. He has poker parties where him and his friends drink a lot of beer, then he puts the beer in the recycling bin but never takes that out to the curb either. See exhibit A:

Note the huge cobweb from the recycle bin to the house because so much time has passed since dude took out the recycling.

Also, this guy collects his "junk mail" and throws it in some random bin that he keeps in the hall way. I have never seen him empty this bin, and the hallway is collecting additional detritus such as lint balls and dryer sheets, bits of plastic, and yesterday A HUGE PALMETTO BUG, which doesn't seem to bother dude at all. See exhibit B:Where I've started using my own recycle bin and just given in about taking out the trash, having his nasty trash overflow in the common space is really starting to get on my nerves. I was ranting to Mr. D about this, and he suggested that someone that behaves like my neighbor deserves to be treated passive-aggressively. And I had to agree. So, I'm thinking of writing him a note, in the spirit of one of my favorite websites, passiveaggressivenotes.com. Do you have any ideas for passiveaggressive notes, dear readers? I'll post some ideas too in the next few days.

"Guys In Ties." "Girls In Pearls."

Can you find me amongst some of my new classmates?
We are dressed up for a morning tailgate party for the college football game.

What Accent, You Tie-Wearing Weird-Ass?

Undergrad Brats

There are three apartments on the lot where I live, so I share the yard space with a bunch of guy undergrads. They kind of suck. One reason they kind of suck is that they have campfires in the back yard starting at 12 a.m. and going until 4 a.m. Whatever wood they use for these fires is maybe soaked in bacon grease or something because it has a weird smoky/meaty smell. They also throw beer cans into the fire. On one hand, I sort of think it is awesome that they can pretend campfire on the weekends, but on the other hand, it stinks, it's dirty, and it's right under my window.


Data Crunching Satisfaction

School got really busy starting this week. I spent probably 20 hours downloading Census data and formatting it. When my head was on the verge of exploding (and after I spilled a cup of hot coffee on my hand and cried for 10 minutes in the campus bookstore bathroom) I was able to step back and realize this: grad school is not fun right now but I probably am learning some skills to be a better planner and policy maker. Whoo. I also spent the entire Friday in the library doing data crunching, but came out with a strangely high amount of self-satisfaction for getting so much work accomplished. Weird.


My Accent?

I have now been asked twice about my "Wisconsin accent." The first time someone asked me about it, it went one ear and out the other. The second time I was like, "I have a Wisconsin accent?" and people were like, "Oh YEAH!" It's news to me. I guess I've never lived outside my home region where I could "have an accent." I've also never lived in a region where they wear ties and seer-sucker pants to a football game. They say: it's more refined. I say: it's more uptight.

Other things they haven't heard of down here: the movie "Shortbus," and eye surgery for Asians.

I Cooked My First Steak

It's official.
I'm trying new things.
I cooked my first steak!

I got a "flat iron" steak at Whole Foods yesterday in anticipation of a BBQ that I never attended. I rubbed it with olive oil and some random Chef Paul Prudhomme's "Meat Magic" and pan fried it for 5 minutes a side. It was delicious! I think the cut was slightly tough, but I didn't mind that. It wasn't leathery and the rub was spicy and flavorful. I made a complementary spinach and fresh tomato salad for a delicious and amazing dinner. Hooray! Who knew steak could be so easy?

Temple of the Mind

I'm about to start a day of studying. What's amazing is that 11 a.m. on Sunday morning is equivalent to ghost town time in a college town. Except for the many, many people who are going to church right now, this joint is deserted.

Today, I'm worshipping at the church of the mind, which apparently involves listening to opera and researching Census data in the library.

Wish me luck.

Bike Ride for Coffee and Happiness and Micheal Jackson

Saturday was probably my best day yet since I've lived here in North Carolina. I went with a new friend to participate in a bike ride around Durham. It was a fundraiser for sending bikes to Rwandan coffee growers. The bike ride included stops at local businesses - a community garden, a co-op bike space, a record store, a coffee shop. It was fun to be outside and fun to see some cool community spots. I enjoyed spending the day getting to know a new friend. Then we went to a Durham bar for beers and snacks. Then we went out to dance and enjoy the band, Who's Bad?, a Micheal Jackson cover band. I danced a lot, and really enjoyed the music.

It was a full day.

Hone Your Listening Skills

I'm still kind of amazed about the whole student lifestyle. I read, read, read. Do a problem set. Do a group project. Listen to 3 lectures. Then go home. Then repeat.

While I am in school now to get in and get out with a degree that will help me advance my career, I keep thinking about those students who are in it for the Ph.d. They do what I do. Plus research. Plus write a dissertation. Then they play politics and cross their fingers to get a good job. Then they do more research and have to prepare the lectures. There is nothing inherent in being a good student that leads to being a good teacher or a good lecturer. And nowhere else, besides school, are we supposed to listen and absorb what someone says for hours and hours as a method of learning a skill. It's really weird when you think about it. But, all in all, the academic lifestyle certainly has a lot of benefits, and allows for quite a lot of leisure time, if you can get your work done without procrastinating.

As for skills, I have noticed an increase in my reading/skimming speed, for what it is worth. And, for the most part, I can concentrate on expanding my mind and thinking about the subject matter, and hell, fantasizing what kind of job I want to do next, rather than work politics or pay scale or whatever. It's kind of nice... still busy, but nice.
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"Da Cheek's" annoyance of the week: The undergrad boys that live in the front house and their recent obsession with grilling stinky meats underneath my bedroom window at 2 a.m. At least I've gotten them to stop parking me in on the weekend so I don't have to wait until their 2 a.m. 'stink meat and bud light' hangover wears off at 2 p.m.

"Da Cheek's" wonder of the week: Locopop's flavor named "Creamy Lime." Mmmm.

Perfumes Prohibited

I've completed my first week of classes and I'm about to launch into week two.
My first impression: I'm tired! All this walking around, cramming and skimming readings, and attending classes is busier than I thought.
My second impression: reading for a living can be a pretty sweet gig.

Most of the little annoying things of adjusting to a new place are rolling off my back with surprising ease.
The few that stick:

(1) Prohibition of fragrances and perfumes in my departmental library. I love to spray a bit of perfume on myself and I hate feeling like I cannot ask the librarian for references at 3 p.m. if I sprayed a little dab on at 8 a.m. I'm sure I sweat it off anyway, but I have a nagging fear of being berated at the circulation desk for smelling too good.

(2) The goddamn heat and humidity down here and the resulting personal sweating. I have definitely not acclimated to the climate yet. Big drips of sweat dripping down my face when I'm meeting new friends and colleagues? Pit stains when I raise my hand to participate in Economics class? Not cute!? Is it because I've lived through cold winters that I sweat the most in this town?! How long does it take for the body to adjust to the work of a sweat factory?

(3) The lack of a drug store or any useful convenience-type store on the town's main street. C'mon! Don't people ever need to buy tampons or bobby pins or shoe polish on their way home from class?! I was at a party and I said, "This town doesn't have any side streets." Man, I lost some friends over that one. "THIS TOWN HAS SIDE STREETS!" Planning parties are sweet.

BagThat Rocket

For those of you that don't read passiveaggressivenotes.com, you MUST MUST MUST at least check out this entry from August 20. Hilarious!

'Brows

I don't know why, but eyebrows keep coming up in conversation.

I was socializing with some colleagues this past weekend and I had a pretty fun conversation about eyebrows with a girl who I previously did not have that much in common with. Now we have had some great laughs about eyebrows.

Southern Stroll/Heat Walk

I'm perfecting my "southern stroll" as one of my newly acquired southern traits. The southern stroll also known as the the "heat walk" is the way you walk when it is 100 degrees outside and you are walking home from class. You are wearing a sweater because it's so damn hot that if you just wore your backpack with your sundress, your backpack straps would make big ole red marks on your sweaty bare shoulders. So sunburn/backback-burn or extremely sweaty layers of clothes? Walking at a pace that is slower than... slower than... my god, molasses or Heinz ketchup in a glass bottle or a really high maintenance friend that needs to pluck her eyebrows 5 minutes before you all were scheduled to go out. Slow-ass slow is how you need to walk in this climate so you don't pass out on the sidewalk spilling all your gazillion papers on the street. And then sweating on them.

Miz M's Gonna Like It Here

A week of school time activities has passed and I must say that I am in a good spot. The orientation meetings were not the most interesting but they did provide a lot of good information on all the resources that are available to students at the University. Damn! I love it and I think it is so exciting that all these people are here (and are paid) to help students succeed at their intellectual pursuits. It's awesome to be a student.

At one of the TA meetings, the professor (and others) were warning us that as graduate students we would be surrounded by brilliant people and that it would be very intimidating and high pressure. And I thought: bring it on! Not that I want to be competitive or that I'm looking forward to the pressure but I am really excited to be surrounded by "really smart people." I think it will be very stimulating and I am looking forward to that!

The past weekend was full of departmental social events and I enjoyed pretty much every minute of it. I know that it may never be like this again. I'm on the brink of starting something totally new, and I have met all these people that are in the same spot. Pretty much everyone that is interested in socializing is really nice and I met a lot of fun people to talk to. I talked with one woman for an hour about eyebrows, another guy about religion, another group about the Greyhound Ameripass, and many, many other interesting and fun conversations. It was fun to meet people, spy out some potential friends, and be on the cusp of a new intellectual adventure. I even enjoyed my trip to Target tonight and the curvy roads, tall trees, and setting sun. It was even kind of beautiful. As Annie said, "I think I'm gonna like it here."

Making In-Roads With the Right Kinda People

The last night that Mr. D was here, we went exploring for a nice place to have a drink. We found a cool bar that, in truth, looked very "Chicago/Wicker Park." It had red Christmas lights, saggy couches, a pool table, a real jukebox, and a plethora of hipster kids. We sat down at the bar and then we were asked for our membership number. Huh?! The bartender, Lee, told us that an "antiquated bible belt rule" dictated that we needed to be members of the social club to drink there. A "social club" is what they call a bar down here that DOES serve hard liquor and DOES NOT serve food.

It was not hard to become a member ($10 fee & disclosure of some personal information), and our guy promptly waived the three day waiting period and comped me my first drink. Haaay-yo! (Chicago bar, but a nicer North Carolina bartender!) When I discovered the Elvis pinball machine in the back, I knew I was making in-roads with the right people.

Quality Time Spent with Mr. D

For the past six days, Mr. D has been visiting. We have had a wonderful time together. I met his parents for the first time, and then his dad's whole side of the family who live in the area! Whoa! I also met his best childhood friend's sister and her husband who live around here too. Everyone was very nice, fun to be around, and it helped to ease the loneliness of this new place. Big friendly family people! Old friends! Time with Mr. D! What a comfort!

We also ate at Mama Dip's three times! And spent some lovely and relaxing days at the beach.

Code Word: Ma'am?

Okay, it turns out that only some people in south are friendly. Some are rude! Maybe this is similar to anywhere but I swear, it makes me wonder sometimes: is there some cultural password that I'm missing? I have considered that this password could be "sir" or "ma'am." I thought that these words were only used grudgingly by characters in Harry Potter. But it seems that people in the south actually use these words, like on the phone.

The first time I was called "ma'am," I'll admit, it was charming. But later I found myself having slightly rude-seeming conversations with people that I was trying to get to help me over the phone. "Did I do something wrong?" I thought. Perhaps throwing in a "sir" or "ma'am" here and there would really help me get on with the locals in the service sector. But I can't help but think it would just sound awkward as an addition to my vocabulary. It would seem more like an affectation if I said it. "Oh, thanks for the insurance quote...... MA'AM!!!!!!!!" And when I said "ma'am" my voice would crack or squawk. I think I can only start using these southern passwords alongside some other physical affectation, such as a feather boa (too hot), rhinestone cat glasses (too much) or a diamond-studded cigarette holder (perfect). Until I've scoured the thrift shops and estate sales to find this perfect "ma'am" cigarette holder, well, I guess I'll just have to use the well-worn verbal tools of the North: "Please" and "Thank You".

Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down of My New Town

Thumbs Up:
Wine selection and chocolate selection at foodie store: A Southern Season.

The campus is beautiful.

The people are southern-friendly and love to chat, which is completely charming.

Logistics, such as opening a bank account, or figuring how to hook up cable and internet, are very easy.

More trees and fresher air.


Thumbs Down:

Olive selection at foodie store: A Southern Season.

It's 100 degrees today, and is supposed to be 100 degrees all week.

Garbage is put out on the curb, and it really really stinks in the heat.

Streets are totally confusingly laid out, change names, and wind around.

Lots of bugs.

Fresher air benefit is obliterated by high heat and resulting ozone alert day.

A Mixed Bag

I made it to North Carolina and alive and well, only tired.

My first impressions? When I walked into my apartment I still liked it, and subsequently, when I left and returned, I liked it again and again. So, that's a good thing! I've been setting everything up, with the help of my parents and I'm pretty happy with how things are going.

On the other hand, it is weird to be in a college town again. I feel kind of old. 28? Damn. That feels old somehow. Where are all the peeps in their 30s at?!? Other complaints? I have a scratchy throat from all the "new" chemicals. New bed, new shower curtain. All that fire-resistant shit smells a little funny. Or, could it be allergies from the NC vegetation? Maybe I should vacuum my apartment again. Then again, my new bed is awesome and comfortable and has nothing to do with my current insomnia. And my new shower curtain has a zebra pattern on it. Let's hear it for the animal prints! What?! What!? Anyone...

One of the hardest things is getting around town. All the streets wind around and change names. The shopping centers have such lush vegetation and little signage that, though aesthetically pleasing, it is very difficult to tell which stores they contain. It makes the area conducive to just "knowing where everything is" rather than, like, figuring it out on the Chicago grid.

Insomnia Can Be Fun

Okay? Searching through the Internet this morning, I found this webiste. It offers a retouching service for baby photos. Daaaaaaaaaaamn! That stuff is C-R-A-Z-Y!

And hilarious.

http://www.naturalbeautiescontest.homestead.com/retouch4a.html

Introducing... "Da Cheek"

Insomnia strikes again! But what better time for blogging?

I'm a little nervous about my move. Everything is packed up and awaiting a transit vehicle. My apartment is clean. I'm just hoping to get my security deposit (small SNAFU) before I leave. Today I just need to finalize some errands (drop off stuff at good-will, maybe do a load of laundry.) Hopefully I'll do some relaxing stuff too - like ride my bike, read, take a nap, or watch some episdoes of "The Chappelle Show." Yo!

My right butt cheek/hip/lower back is aching/tense like crazy. You know how some people can "feel it in their bones" or can tell a rain coming by an achy arthritic elbow or whatever? Apparently, I can feel "it" in right my butt cheek a.k.a "Da Cheek". Though the possibilities for this are not endless, they are somewhat interesting. Could "Da Cheek" indicate an impending pop quiz in grad school? The proximity of a Krispy Kreme donut house from the highway? Tell a good location for water from a well? That psychic on Mallrats had her third nipple, I now have "Da Cheek."

No Boogie Man

I actually woke up happy today.

I can't say why I slept so well. Or why I woke up in such good spirits. Perhaps because I've reached the point of no return with packing up my apartment. Perhaps because I finally got a new bed for my new apartment. Or perhaps, because my family shared in a North Carolina-themed going away cake that I so desired. But I woke up today happy, and ready for this change in my life to occur.

She Whaled On Those Dishes

My apartment is officially a mess and there's no going back until the final cleaning! The good news is that packing has ensued and several boxes have been officially packed, sealed, and labeled. My friend Jess came over today and whaled on my dishes collection by wrapping it in lots and lots of newspaper. Thanks, Jess! Seriously, this woman can pack dishes into a box like a jigsaw puzzle of pretzels and cheese from the 1980s. It was a huge help to get this moving forward.

I also went to Hot Doug's for the first time today with Mr. D. I had a smoked crayfish and spiced pork hot dog. With shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. And a remoulade sauce. Yeeeeeow! It was A-MAZING!

Yesterday I got a massage which was also amazing. I released probably an entire six months of muscle tension, which apparently I've been keeping all in my butt muscles. There is something funny and also embarrassing about that. Needless to say, it felt good to be able to turn my head again after loosening my shoulder muscles as well. Just in time to lift a bunch of heavy boxes and place them into a moving truck in about a week. Sweet.

Shrimp Po' Boy

On Friday, I rode my bike the grocery store and bought ingredients for quick and easy Shrimp Po' Boy sandwiches. It was a recipe from Real Simple that I thought Mr. D would really enjoy (he did). Then I got home in time to watch the show, "The View." It was fun, but also scary how easy it was to slip into the life of a stay-at-home lady. Real Simple? The View? Yikes.

Today I went to the local public pool for outdoor lap swimming. It was lovely and I think getting some outdoor exercise, in addition to packing, will help me keep my sanity this week. I'm looking forward to this change which I know will be a really good thing in many ways, but I am also fraught with emotion. I'm so sad to be leaving the city where I have lived for 5 years, and my friends and family that live here. I know I can visit; I know I'll make new friends. But I will miss Mr. D and I'll miss my routine and I'll miss being a part of the network I've built here.

I think I should just rent a sad movie, have a good cry, and be done with it! Brokeback Mountain is supposed to be a tear-jerker...

Mary Tyler Moore Moment

As I left my work yesterday after 5 years at my job, shopping bags in hand (filled with files, pictures, and other stuff from my desk) I had to laugh with excitement. I even felt like kicking up my legs in some sort of bell kick. I felt a very Mary Tyler Moore moment - a young professional woman gracefully closes a door and starts off on a new adventure! Exciting!

Sweet, Sweet Ninjas

I have two days left of work - two days! I have been cleaning out my files and email and the desktop of my computer. I've worked at my job for 5 years, and it seems like a lot has happened during that time. Anyway, I thought I'd publish this email from a friend of mine that I used to email at work non-stop. It was right after one of the White Sox Games in the World Series and it made me laugh so much at the time. I wanted to archive it somehow, as part of email pals gone by.
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i am embarrassed to admit it, but i will cuz we bare all always: i did stop believin. a few times. in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th inning to be exact. i thought we were gonna out-and-out blow the World Series. and be the laughing stock of the sports world. i thought Journey was going to disown us, and we'd be left crying in our beers with only Nelson to donate one of their b-sides for our next theme song. but then something happened. something i shant soon forget. we won. and i started believing again. and again. it didn't stop til i as in the car this morning. i was listening to the radio, and a song distracted me to the point where i forgot to believe for a few seconds. but then i remembered to not stop believin', and that brings us up to right this second. i am believin' 100% even as i type every word of this email.

it feels nice to believe in something. something as pure and honest as a bunch of d-bags from all over the country representing Chicago, and using steroids and human growth hormones to cheat the system and win for me.

Friday the 13th - Rehabbed Purple Cars

I slept fitfully last night. You know, one of those nights where you wake up with your shirt twisted around one way, and the sheet twisted around the opposite way? I don't know if I have been watching too much Dr. Who, but my dreams were definitely bordering on the Sci-fi.

In one dream, there was a huge plastic bumblebee that was buzzing around my head. It stuck its big plastic stinger into my forehead to deposit a microchip (?) into my head. I couldn't get the bee to get out of my forehead until I woke up.

In another dream, I went to my landlord's house. In this dream, unlike in real life, he lived in the country. I walked up the driveway to his detached garage and there was a big purple car (from the 70s) that he was rehabbing. There were parts everywhere, and it looked totally obliterated, with parts all over the place. I walked around the garage and there were two more of these purple cars in the yard, both with the parts all over and everywhere. I never found my landlord, just these abandoned cars "in progress."

Mercury In Retrograde?

A few years ago I knew a woman named "Sage" who was a massage therapist. I knew Sage from some friends that were in performance art "bands," and I would see her around at different concerts and art events around town. One time I was chatting with her at a concert and it went something like this:

Sage: How ya doin'?
Miz M: Ugh, things have been so crazy lately!
Sage: Well, Mercury is in retrograde.
Miz M: Huh?!
Sage: It makes everything out of sorts.

I've since lost touch with Sage and her friends. But I still say that phrase all the time when things are going oddly wrong. If someone has a random miscommunication with a friend or coworker which is blown way out of proportion, my response is: "Maybe, Mercury is in retrograde?" Then I chuckle to myself. Ridiculous!

Mercury was recently in retrograde (June 16 - July 10). And, seriously, all kinds of that stuff was going wrong. My direct deposit didn't come through, a friend got money stolen out his account, another friend was charged for a hotel room three times at 5 times the rate. What's up, Mercury?

Reliable source, www.karmastrology.com sums it up when it says:

Retrograde Mercury is the most commonly known astrological signature for Murphy's Law ("If something can go wrong, it will"), and is one of the first features intermediate astrology students learn about. Say it to a seasoned astrologer and you'll likely get an amused smile and some delightful stories about how things can get quite unexpectedly unhinged.

Computers crash, software develops unexpected glitches, traffic jams ensue, telephone service snarls up, letters get lost on the mail, machinery breaks down, new projects fail. Ah, yes, the trickster Mercury is up to his old pranks again. In fact, at least three times a year for about three weeks each time Mercury has his way with us.

Common Sense for Pedestrians

I was riding my bike to work today and I cut through downtown to avoid the windy corridor of Oak Street and Taste of Chicago. It was a pain to bike through downtown because of all the stoplights, mostly. There was also an annoying pedestrian, a guy walking with his nose buried in the Wall Street Journal. In general, I don't have a problem with people walking and reading as long as they are will to be slow and kind of passive. In other words, they are fine as long as they follow the traffic signals and make it easy for people to go around them.

So I passed WSJ dude on my bike and then had to wait at a light. He proceeded to walk and stand directly in front of my bike at the street corner, only to begin reading his paper again. WTF?!

I had another similar issue with a pedestrian when I was visiting Chapel Hill last week. Some dude was standing on the street corner with his head buried in a map. The light turned green and there he was, buried in his map, not moving. I began to make a right turn, and lo and behold he stepped off the curb (not paying attention) and I had to swerve out of the way. "It's okay! I'll wait!" he yelled after my car angrily.

In these situations, both people have a responsibility to be attentive to their surroundings. Pedestrians certainly have the right-of-way, except when they are being total bozos and not paying attention.

Chicago Gay Pride Parade - 2007

Chicago Gay Pride Parade - 2007. My first year in all my 5 years in Chicago attending the parade and I got to dance on a float! The festivities were really fun, the outfits wild, and everyone had a bumpin' stereo. Aside from the fabulous drag queens and tough roller derby girls, there were also many church groups and health groups that had floats and supporters in the parade. It was fun and inspiring to be a part of a celebration for a community that doesn't always get support. When I was dancin' on the float, I thought of my family members and friends that are gay, and I was proud to be part of this message - equal rights for all and God loves everyone.

Pitbull With Lipgloss

We hit the ground running when we arrived in Chapel Hill on Thursday morning. The goal was to find an apartment within the following day and a half and I will tell you, dear readers, that the goal was well met! Though not without stress.

First we hit up a couple of giant apartment complexes. They ranged from cheap to really expensive - $425 to $699 for a one bedroom - but all complexes included an outdoor pool which shocked this Chicago girl. They were shabby to really nice, but after seeing a few, I knew it wasn't my ideal. We were hanging out for a break by the co-op grocery in the area, using the free Internet, when I decided to call the co-op affiliated realty company. It turned out that they didn't rent apartments, except for one guy, "Don" who had some of his own units for rent. He invited us to his office (dog friendly, of course) where he used his special realtor's code to look up some apartment listings, and then used his knowledge to screen one bedroom apartments in my price range. He showed us his place for rent (in a basement though, not my thing) and told us about the fun coffee bars, pubs, and an "underground" "smoke shop" whose hours were set by when the owner's car was parked in the back. Uh-huh. It was great, just what I was hoping to find, and he was very kind to spend the time.

He also told us where to find local BBQ, Mama Dip's or Allen and Son, and about one of the big rental companies, of which he described the owner as a "pitbull with lipgloss." Don's list of apartments also led us to my final pick. It is a cute two bedroom on the second floor of a house, has free laundry and parking, and is really close to the campus and downtown. I left happy and relieved that I found a good place to live. for (I hope) the next two years.

Ocean Picture - Ahhh!

We had gorgeous weather - hot and sunny most days but with a lovely strong breeze. It was rainy at the beach yesterday but the menacing puffy clouds made for inspiring photos!

The Beach House Where We Stayed

Oak Island Shrimp Dish

Here's a photo of what we made with our Oak Island local shrimp. We used a shrimp boil made by "Clem's," the local seafood business where we bought our shrimp. We sauteed onions, red pepper, spinach, and chives. We also bought some lump crab cakes, not local but totally delicious. We tried to eat out one night and ate at a nasty fried placed called "Jones' Seafood." No matter what we tried to get, even ordering from the more expensive 'broiled' menu, everything came out fried. I ordered "deviled crab cakes" that the waitress described as being seerved "on a plate." Those things were breaded and fried, just like the "shrimp." They also came with a side of hush puppies that were pretty good until we realized that the yummy "dipping sauce" was actually just pure butter with some cinnamon. Good for a few bites but overall, we were better with what we cooked ourselves.

"Beached"

I am posting from a library in Oak Island, NC. I've been 'beached' here for two days, going on three! We drove and drove and drove, and stopped a night in Asheville, NC, which really was lovely. Aside from spending so many hours in the car, it was a pretty drive. It has been so nice to relax in front of the ocean, swim in warm waters, and boil up some fresh local shrimp in pasta and veggies.

I've come to the library to do some apartment research and make some appointments for my pending visit to Chapel Hill. I'm sure to find something, and I hope it will be something good at least for one year. Best case scenario, it will be two.

Watch That Hemline, Wear That Sack

I have to attend a black-tie gala fundraiser for work this week. It is our second fundraiser of this sort and a few of my coworkers are notorious for showing some extreme cleavage at such events. Many of the ladies I work with are well endowed in that way, and so when they show off their *assets* it is very, ahem, noticeable. Here is an excerpt of an email the staff received regarding this issue:

It is important for the staff to err on the conservative side for the event. Specifically that means watch how much skin is showing. Short skirts or a revealing neckline might be fun for a private party but are not considered professional attire in the office or at events.

Overall, I don't have an issue with the message. However, it does strike me as rather hilarious because we have been told several additional rules for our behavior (i.e. don't have more than 1 drink, don't socialize during the event, you are here to work, you must lift this box, you only have 15 minutes to get ready), which end up being really prudish and taking away any possible enjoyment that the staff may have hoped to experience.

Regarding the attire, another coworker said, "Pretend you are attending a Mormon wedding - high necklines and low hemlines." Seriously? I better wash my turtleneck burlap sack for this event. Either that, or I'm expecting a wardrobe stipend to find the appropriate mother-in-law wedding outfit (long flowy skirt and bejeweled blazer with sensible shoes.) Perhaps the idea is that the scrubby-ass-looking staff will sucker the contributors to spend more money? Poor taste, I say - if I were a millionaire I would feel much more obliged to contribute to a hard-working staff who look totally glamorous while doing it. So, about that wardrobe budget...?

I'd Really Appreciate It If

I just discovered the joys of this hilarious website.
It is all about passive-aggressive notes from neighbors, strangers, roommates, etc. There is even a section about the office fridge. Sound familiar?

Enjoy!

The Clint Eastwood Factor

Lady Detective

I had a weird dream last night where I left my car at a gas station. I just felt like leaving it. Sometime the next day, I received a ransom note from a stranger trying to extract money for the car. Knowing that it was at a gas station, I went back to the gas station to talk to the attendants to find out if they were trying to blackmail me. When I arrived there, my car had a bunch of tubes and stuff in it. Working at the gas station was a bunch of young guys, kind of sweet and boisterous, and with a little flirtatious conversation I was able to glean that they thought my car was abandoned so they just decided to fix it for practice and because they were bored. Also, because I was so charming, they were going to do it for free. Sweet! I wish that actually happened. I also figured out that some random guy driving by the gas station wrote down the license plate number and had sent me the blackmail note just to see if anything would happen, because he thought the car was abandoned.

Frodo Feet

It doesn't seem to matter what shoes I wear around - flats or heels, sandals or closed-toe shoes - my feet get messed up in the summer. The material of the shoe straps, buckles, or just plain leather rub on the skin of my feet and give me some major blisters which I then cover with several band-aids. It' s terrible! I don't know what to do to prevent this. Go barefoot? Gross!

The Clint Eastwood Factor

I have only seen two movies by Clint Eastwood - "Bridges Over Madison County" and the one where he's a bank robber and voyeur. Both those movies are really, really bad and Clint Eastwood is a really, really bad actor in them. Because of these movies, I hate anything that Clint Eastwood touches. It may be unfair, but I'm judgemental like that. That same factor applies to good, though. After I saw "Ghostdog," I was absolutely interested in anything starring Forrest Whittaker. This type of grudge-holding (positive feelings or negative feelings) does not just apply to movies, but is rather a pattern I see in other areas of my life besides movies. It could be seen as a weakness, but it could also be seen as an old fashioned character trait called "loyalty." Even Clint Eastwood would appreciate that.

Candiru on Oprah and Interdenominational Chatter

I had a terrific Memorial Day weekend! It was a mix of spending time outside, enjoying friends, spending time with Mr. D, and catching up on some work. I went to a few BBQ's, and had some interesting conversations. Among them, we discussed the existence of a "penis" fish, which was backed up by the phrase, "it was on Oprah!" On agreed intent to google, I found out today that it really refers to the Brazilian candiru fish, which IS totally attracted to urine. My bad! Also of note was some discussion on the Lucumi religion, Buddhist meditation, and organizing social justice campaigns for the UCC.

Mr. D and I biked up to Evanston under the clouds on Saturday, and went to my favorite bead store. And this cool store too to look at rocks and geodes. I shared meals on Sunday with some different girlfriends, and even did some jewelry making. I'll try to post a picture soon of my latest beadation!

Job 2: 3 More Sessions, Job 1: 39 days and Counting

I am going to work my second job today, after my first job. I have been doing this job, recording meeting minutes for suburban public meetings, for five years! Not only is that a very long time commitment, but it also a very long time to have two jobs. I think the first 4 months out of college I had one job. Since then (2002), I've had at least two!

The extra money has been really nice, and I've felt that I've needed it. Over the years they have been flexible about the time and the deadlines of the projects. But still, as my days at my full time job dwindle (39 days!) I am really looking forward to a change of pace. And to doing something different. And to only having one job for a little while. Yes!

In other news, I am planning a road trip to North Carolina in June to try to find an apartment. My awesome friend and Piscean sister, Meghan, is coming on the road trip as well. I hope to make some appointments before I go to see some places, and also to make a few fun stops on the way. Memphis? Nashville? Ashville? Indianapolis? These are all possible stops on the way to my new intellectual paradise.

Headscarf Hands-Free

This morning on the train I saw a twist on the "hands-free" cell phone thing. Honestly, it was so distracting! There was a Muslim woman who seemed to me a more *liberal* type of Muslim, which I am basing (in my ignorance) solely on her clothing choices. She was wearing a green headscarf with embroidery and beading, and a bright magenta shirt. She also was talking on a cell phone. She had her big ole cell phone pressed against her ear, tucked into her headscarf so she didn't have to hold it. It was convenient and somewhat practical, I suppose. But it was still weird. I wanted to take a picture with my camera phone, but I thought that might be disrespectful.

After my previous post, I was thinking about street corner preachers. What type of message would I actually be interested in or identify with from a street corner preacher? I decided that rather than a preacher railing on about cigarettes or weed or Doritos, I'd rather that he publicly condemned the people on the bike path that let their dogs drink out of the water fountains THAT ARE MEANT FOR PEOPLE. That would be awesome.

"Bring a water dish for your dogs, good people of Chicago, or you are going straight to hell!"

Don't Curse My Doritos

State Street in Chicago is apparently an informal entrepreneur's paradise. Last week I was walking around on a weekday after 5 p.m. On every corner, someone was trying to exchange something - change for beer, religious pamphlets, hip-hop CDs. The religious pamphlets were especially notable - I probably saw 4 different people handing them out between Van Buren and Monroe Streets.

There are different types of pamphleteers. There is the guy who lurks and just slides the pamphlet into your path as you walk by, there's the friendly pamphleteer, and an aggressive one. Then there are the street preachers giving their messages. There's one guy who always stands in front of Old Navy with an amp and a microphone, talking about the dangers of weed and cigarettes. At least I get him. A few streets down on this particular day there was another street corner preacher. As I walked by him, I caught an earful of him cursing Doritos. Doritos? Is that really necessary? I mean, nutrition is a serious issue but I don't think it's serious enough to take Doritos to task on the street corner. You know?

"Bitch, crazy." And How AC/DC Provided Me A Slice of Heaven

I used to work with teenagers for my job. One day, I told one of them, "The one thing I wished that someone would have told me in high school is that some people are just crazy." After I said it, I wasn't sure that my sentiment really translated to anyone else besides myself. But it took me awhile to learn that in the working world because I tend to internalize a good deal of problems or situations and try immediately to solve all kinds of problems that don't belong to me. Realizing that a lot of times that it wasn't about me and that I should just let go was a helpful lesson. So professors and parents and mentors out there, please tell your kids, "Kids - some bitches are crazy! And you can't really control that."

This past weekend I went to an AC/DC concert, put on by kids from Paul Green's School of Rock Music. It was the most fantastic show that I've seen in awhile. Little kids rocked guitar solos, banged on the drums, and screamed into the microphone. A little 11-year-old girl sang, "Highway to Hell" and it was absolutely precious and hilarious. The kids were having such a great time, and the moms were too as they slurped down Michelob lights at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and "Whooo-" ed their kids. It was ferocious fun, and felt great to support a cool music program for kids. You can catch another fabulous show on May 19, when these little rockers will be performing Led Zepplin tunes. Don't miss it!

What's In Your Party Wardrobe? A Set of Horns?

I ran into my downstairs neighbor today at the train stop. She is finishing grad school at the Art Institute and was talking about her job search. She went to a job fair in New York, where she said she interviewed with a lot of intimidating art people.

"You know, Orlan?" she asked.
"No," I said.
"Well, she reconstructed her face with plastic surgery and gave herself horns. Her hair is like 'Bride of Frankenstein'. And I sat across from her at the job fair and was all, 'I do landscapes.'" (She said this with total embarassment.)
I said, "Well, it sounds like it was hard to take her seriously!"
I should have said: "It sounds like you dodged a bullet!"

Another friend of mine recently (around X-mas) was arrested for biking with a keg while he was dressed up like Santa. And, he's Jewish.

Enough said about that.

Finally, I broke my Frankenstomach frankenfast of two days without coffee. I realized that I was just too out of it without the caffeine. However, I decided that I'm not allowed to drink coffee on the train. I spilled on my pants (dry clean only), my sweater (white), and my fake zebra skin iPod cover. Mostly, I was concerned about the fake zebra skin - you can't wash that shit! But much to my surprise, fake zebra skin absorbs coffee without a trace. Who knew? Note to self: incorporate more fake zebra skin into polyester-stocked party wardrobe.

Frankenstomach

I've been suffering from a mild flu-bug/stress stomach over the past couple of days. This frankenstomach has no friends, and friends of the special sort that I seem to favor - namely - cheese, coffee, caramel, and spicy foods. Boo! I mean, how much chicken soup and yogurt can one person eat?!?! Both the frankenstomach and the modified diet makes a grumpy Miz M indeed.

All news is not bad though - I had a lovely weekend. I spent a ton of time outside, riding my bike, rollerblading, reading books outside with Mr. D. - I even grilled burgers and veggies in my special marinade. Spring in Chicago is lovely and manic and good.

Spring Shine

Rode my bike to work for the first time in 2007 - !
The temperature was great for riding - sunny, 50s, and no breeze. I saw the usual excitement - some dude repainting a fence along the lake for the park district - with no shirt and some shorts! Someone is ready for summer - haaaaay! (But, hello? It's 50 degrees?)

It takes me an hour to ride my bike to work - an hour! While that is a great workout, and allows me to consume insane quantities of Chinese food at lunch, it can also be pretty tedious and tiring. While trying to plan alternate routes due to "three-track" construction (end result: same commute with a reason to leave work early sometimes...) I discovered a CTA/bicycle hybrid route to work. However, the whole maneuver of putting one's bike on the bicycle rack on the front of the bus seems slightly intimidating. I ordered a flyer from the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation so I can study it before my attempt. But if that works out, maybe I can get to work without sore legs and sweating profusely!

This weekend I plan on getting my tan on, vegging out by the lake, and possibly drinking some beers. I'm going out to celebrate my cousins' birthdays, and spending some time with Mr. D. It's called Spring, and that's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

Da Good Vibes

It's spring, and it seems like a lot is happening with everyone with the (slow) increase in temperature and (occasional) appearance of sunshine.

A couple items to note:

- a good friend of mine is having some relatively major/minor surgery today so send "da good vibes" to her

- spent the weekend in my hometown catching up with people and hanging out with my parents. I got a good long motorcycle ride in with my dad, which was fantastic. I really love riding on the back of a motorcycle because I always notice things more clearly - the pattern of the clouds, the sparkles on the river, the quintessential craggly tree on the edge of a farm field. It seems odd to appreciate nature so much from a roaring, speeding motorcycle, but it really is rejuvenating to me

- finally, as an homage to my impending life change, I'd like to note some daily details that may reveal my mixed feelings on the subject. Chalk one up for the pro-leaving side: the one working elevator in my office building has a pee stain in it

Pasta Version of "Loaves and Fishes"

It feels like a Friday, as the days of the week are stretching out endlessly into the cold weather and cloudy spring. I ate another meal of the pasta version of "loaves and fishes" - a pasta dish I prepared with Mr. D for dinner on Saturday night, along with our Easter foods of mac & cheese and cupcakes. I am only reminded of the neverending food of the "loaves & fishes" because I cooked the entire box of pasta, and the zucchini/pasta leftovers have created a seemingly endless number of meals since.

This week, I saw my old housemate from my study abroad tour in Barcelona! I was apprehensive (as we hadn't seen each other in six years!) but we had a fantastic time. We had a lot to talk about - grad school, travelling, boyfriends, world religions - and I felt both a sense of continuity of the past as well as looking brightly ahead into the future.

There's A Broke-Ass Fridge Too

Remember the "Fridge Smellification Committee" that I started at work?

Well, here is an email regarding the state of our broke-ass fridge sent by one of my colleagues at work today. I'm glad to see that my legacy will carry on after I leave my job.
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Esteemed colleagues:

The refridgerator REEKS. Please take a minute to clear out anything that is yours and past the point of tolerable smellification levels. Don't think you have anything in there that's smelly?... That is probably why it smells so bad. For the sake of those of whose offices are situated within close olfactory range of the fridge, check it even if you think you are not at fault.

I thank you. The now delicate state of my smellification system thanks you.

xxxxxxx

Oh behalf of all those offended

Broke-ass Building

I'm not talking about moola, no, but rather my office building. The building where I work is "ghetto" as we used to say in my high school. The building is probably over 50% vacant, probably because nothing works, especially the elevators. I mentioned the "elevator creeps" in a previous post, but right now the biggest creeps are the building managers and building owner. Out of four public elevators, only one has been working most days. And by "working", I mean you still take your life in your hands - mental clanking and pinging, elevators that don't stop on certain floors, or ALWAYS stop on certain floors (floor 9) because one of the call buttons is broken. They have someone coming in to "fix" the elevators just about every other day and they still never work. It's ridiculous.

As if that wasn't enough, everything inside our office is broken too. We haven't had a copier or printer for at least two weeks. Or a postage meter. I have outdated postcard stamps hidden in my desk (23 cents) and can make essential copies of letters on the fax machine. Letterhead? Forget it! I'll just draw our logo on some legal paper. It's too bad that mental telepathy isn't more widespread because that sure would save a lot of hassle to just be able to mentally copy and fax this stuff instead of getting so frustrated with this crappy junk that doesn't work.

The New Bikini Wireless

Things have calmed down a bit at the end of the week - thank goodness! I've had to adjust my commute, my work environment, and my work projects for the next few months all this week. Damn! Now I'm mentally adjusting to my new routine (or the idea thereof) which has given me some ideas on how to make my *last* summer in Chicago a lot more fun.

I'll be doing a lot of writing for the next few months for work and so I think I may have to set up a satellite office... hmm, maybe on North Avenue beach! Huzzah! Bikini Wireless! Suntan report. Can I write about water quality while drinking margaritas???

So I made the official annoucement today at lunch. Surprisingly, my eyes welled up with tears - I guess I still have some mixed feelings about leaving Chicago. But, it is a huge relief to have it out in the open now and not have to worry all the time about being discreet about my plans. Phew.

The Cat Will Soon Be Out of the Bag!

I have decided to go to graduate school in North Carolina. Hooray! I'm happy with my decision, and now feel I can go about life for the next four months at least at peace with my next move in life. Phew! My family and many of my friends now know, and I make the official announcement today to my coworkers. I'm sure it will cause some degree of hub-bub, but hey -

On to other things -
I've had to adjust my commute this week because of the crazy broke-*ss CTA, but it hasn't been so bad. I've been able to make up some interesting stories about those folks that ride the Blue Line from Bucktown, and I find that commuting on hours that are slightly off have made it bearable.

Easter is coming up and I'm planning to rock a purple church hat on Sunday. I just wish I had some gloves to really pull off the church lady look. Oh well - it'll be freezing cold anyway so dress gloves would maybe have to be tossed for snow gloves anyway.

Stressed to the max after my trip - decisions, decisions! - working on my second job this week as well as the first, and feeling exhausted every day. Also, a blessing and a curse - I got to go out to two amazing "donor" type lunches this week. Complete with rich foods and cocktails and wine, I have to say that it is super fun, but it also messes you up for the day!

Anyway, last night my friend J* asked me to come hear some music. It was at Katerina's, it was flamenco (my favorite), and it was totally fabulous. All the musicans were AMAZING. It was a great way to relax for awhile.

Sa-da-tay!

North Carolina was beautiful, but it was also a stressful visit. I realized that I need to do some soul-searching for what I want out of the grad school experience, and also do some more research on faculty and curriculums, etc. Exhausting!

In the meantime, I've been trying to relax and unwind. I watched the awesome, "Pootie Tang" for the first time. Loved it! The characters were hilarious and the spoofiness was really funny.

I also rearranged the furniture in my bedroom, and I'm on a health watch to make sure I'm eating some good fruits and vegetables and exercising a bit. As for my grad school decision:

"I'm going to sine your pitty on the running kine!"
- Pootie Tang

Wrench In My Plans - Whatchoo Tryin' Ta Say?

I picked out all my outfits - professional, tasteful, stylish, but not too stuffy or over the top - packed my bags and headed to the airport yesterday. When I arrived at O'hare, I saw that my 5:40 p.m. flight to Raleigh/Durham had been cancelled. Argh! Waiting in line with about 30 bitchy people, on the cell phone with customer services, etc. etc., I had the possibility to try to fly standby (11 p.m.) or connect through St. Louis and arrive today at 1:20 p.m.. My lovely Polish agent tried hard to find me another spot, but to no avail. So I got back on the train at approximately 6:30 p.m. to head back to my apartment. Within 20 minutes, my flight to St. Louis had been cancelled!

After spending 30 minutes of my bus ride to my apartment on hold with customer service, I got booked on the 5:40 p.m. flight to Raleigh/Durham tonight. So I have to skip my entire day at Duke. Funny enough, I was in the cancelled flight line with a young woman who was going to the same place. Listening to her on the line with customer service, I pegged her as a not very friendly person, and one without a lot of warmth. Harsh it seems, but I introduced myself to her anyway. She was a PhD candidate in Psychology and Neurology and said that Raleigh was "okay."

"That's not really a glowing review," I said.
"Well," she said, "Raleigh is okay. I don't really like the program, so..."

Hmm. I realized that she didn't view me as a friendly soul seeking to chat in the airport, but rather as a competitor for a seat on a flight to Raleigh/Durham. Huh.

I think it would be too flaky to interpret these signs"from the universe" as a "no" towards Duke, but none of that made it seem more appealing. Rather than trying to split the little time I have left in North Carolina between Chapel Hill and Duke, I'm just going to go in depth at Chapel Hill. It may be my number one choice at this point anyway. Also, on the "good people" scale of life, I emailed my student host how my flight had been twice cancelled. She called me immediately and we chatted about it, and we talked about my upcoming visit, etc. She was sweet, flexible, and friendly, and said that she was that way because that was how people were when she visited Chapel Hill. Nice!

Being home this extra day has been a good opportunity to take some time to relax. I've been also able to email some of the professors that I'm interested in at UNC. Does it seem like I'm trying too hard to find a moral or silver lining in all this? Well here it is:

When life hands you cancelled flights and thunderstorms, use that extra time to take a bubble bath.

Or, something like that.

Refreshing Spring Salad - Better Than Airport Food

With all my excitement and stress for my impending trip, I realized I needed to put away the Doritos and eat some real food. I put together this salad today and it was super-satisfying:

- Arugula
- Tomato
- Avocado
- Carrot
- Feta Cheese
- Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

The avocado was perfectly ripe and, along with the Feta cheese, added a great deal of richness to this salad which made for a full and satisfying lunch meal. The arugula added a little fresh spiciness, the carrot, a little earthiness, and the tomato rounded it out. Yum!

All I can say is: wow! I go to visit North Carolina tomorrow and I am feeling a lot of mixed feelings. Coming off of a wonderful birthday celebration, I question this desire I have to move out of Chicago. But looking into these new places is really exciting! And getting a chance to see these schools, meet the faculty, discuss my intelletual interests and desires, and explore new career opportunities is totally thrilling! And, I feel a lot of excitement about the proposed 70 degree temperatures! Haaay!

I've been in Chicago for four years now, and I've certainly had a lot of ups and downs. But the possibility of a big change has really cast a different light on just about everything. Some days, I feel nostalgia - if I move away, I won't be able to go to the Chicago farmer's markets, or cuddle up with Mr. D every day, or step into the spring mud on my way to the neighborhood El stop. Some days, I think of how I want to sell all my stuff and leave all the little annoyances of jobs and the slow-ass brown line and my outrageous gas bills behind me. Yesterday, I had an anger moment at Chicago - hey! you haven't appreciated me enough ya bastard!

One thing I know is that I'll find cool things to do (like farmer's markets or jewelry classes) anywhere I go. And that the people that I really love, and that really love me, will be in my life no matter where I live.

Miz M Telling Her Birthday Story

Nutella Birthday Crepes With Strawberries

I started celebrating my birthday one day early when Mr. D took me out to breakfast this morning. Nutella crepes with fresh strawberries, oodles of whipped creme, coffee, and tea. Oh yeah, and a side of bacon. Mmmmm. It was a perfect, rich, yet light breakfast that both made me feel like a kid, and like a lucky woman who can appreciate good food and good company.

More good eats are on the horizon to celebrate my 28th year - lunch today with some girlfriends (maybe burgers and basketball!), and lunch and the symphony tomorrow with my mom. Tomorrow night's dinner will be tapas and some beers with friends, and this weekend will be a mandatory viewing of the movie, "The Host."

Let the Decision Making Begin!

So now I've heard back from all the graduate schools. As I mentioned, I got accepted to University of Illinois-Chicago, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, and Duke. Whoop! Whoop! I did not get accepted into University of California - Berkeley. Suckers! I'm truly okay with it though, because I just wanted to make sure that I gave myself a chance to apply. And I'm happy to say that the waiting is over, and the decision-making process can begin. I'm going to visit the North Carolina schools in a few weeks. Besides the excitement of moving to a new place and doing something new, I'm currently lusting over the warm weather! It's in the upper 70s there this week. Ahh...

If you have a more adventurous palate for salads, here's a good one that is cheap, tasty, unusual, and if prepared correctly, quite elegant.

The basic formula is celery, green apples, and Parmesan cheese with a little salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. It's a very light Italian salad, but could be varied with say, cider vinegar instead of lemon juice and some red pepper flakes. I suppose you could also make it a mayo salad if you want, but then you are adding calories and heaviness to the salad, which it doesn't really need.

You can chop up the ingredients any which way, but if you can manage to slice everything razor thin, it can look quite elegant!

During the beginning of the month, it always seems that money is tight. The freedom of living in my own place and belonging to a gym among various things, has a price. My new strategy is to stretch money out with my food budget to cut the funds spent on eating out. To attempt to alliviate associated stress, I find clever grocery shopping and cooking skills to be a major blessing, and a must. In the past three months I've discovered skills that I forgot I had. You know, how to make something good with a little this and that in the fridge and some dried pasta. Recently, I thought I didn't have anything in the kitchen, but I boiled some noodles, added some vodka marinara, capers, feta cheese, onions, and salami. Wha-la! Two meals worth of some totally decent pasta dish, and I still haven't had to go to the store.

For my next trick, egg salad on crackers! But, I also want to get a little better and cooking great food from scratch for cheap. A quick google revealed this seemingly awesome website, which I'm going to go read right now. Happy cooking!

Deep Into a Pancake Craze

On my visit to Baltimore, K and I made pancakes one morning and ate them with peanut butter, Nutella, and/or maple syrup. It was totally fun!

Growing up, pancakes were always too much of a "hassle," as neither of my parents were that into making breakfast anyway. My mom bought pancake mix; my dad bought "hotcakes" from McDonald's. But, until two weeks ago, I never realized how easy it is to make the batter from scratch. Now, I'm deep into a pancake craze.

Mr. D and I made pancakes last weekend, with oodles of bacon, coffee, and cheesy eggs. I spiffed up the pancake batter with an extra teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of both cinnamon and nutmeg. The result? Delicious!

Last night, I was at home and kind of scrounging around for something to eat for dinner. But I was bored of all the regular stuff, and I didn't want to go out and buy any groceries. The solution? Pancakes, of course! It only takes a few ingredients, a few minutes, and there were even leftovers to put into the freezer for another day. Pancakes. Hooray. The only thing I was really missing was some chocolate chips!

Latest Obsession Jams

Beyonce - "Listen"
Justin Timberlake - "Rock Your Body"
Jennifer Lopez - "Love Don't Cost A Thing"
Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You"

Natty Bo Redux

So, this isn't a direct picture that I took in Baltimore, but I thought it important to share the hilariousness of the beer Natty Boh's logo. Apparently he only has one eye because he is winking, but why doesn't he then have a half-moon thing for the other eye? Why is there just blank space there? Who designed this logo? But also: awesome.

In other news, I have started getting news back from graduate schools! Finally! So far I've heard back from two places. North Carolina and Chicago have said "yes" to Miz M. But will Miz M say yes to one of them? Dun. Dun. Dun.

Velvet Kick

So I've been on kind of a velvet kick. Previously one to shun this "romantic" material, I've recently gone nuts for it. By "gone nuts", I mean purchased two items: 1) a red velvet hat on clearance at some junk store on State Street and, 2) a black velvet blazer marked down in a Baltimore store. Is it any evidence to velvet's popularity that all these items were marked down? I am gonna choose to say no.

I felt validated about my new personal fasion trend when I saw Ellen's slammin' maroon velvet suit at the Oscars. Turned up white collar? Gold chain? I was digging her outfit even though others were not impressed.

So, go buy your velvet suits and shit today because you'll feel awesome. (I do not know how to end this post?!?)

Brought to you by the velvet and velour pushers of America.

Baltimore & Natty Boh

I've been in Baltimore the past few days, visiting my friend K from my high school days. She is in grad school there and working her butt off. Meeting her colleagues in international public health made me rest assured that there will be some amazing, friendly, smart people working abroad on really important health issues in the near future. For a little international stimulation of your own, check out this BBC news series on the Thai-Burma border where K will be working next year. Go, K!

While I had a wonderful time visiting with K, I also got to try some Baltimore delicacies. Notably, crab cakes and raw oysters at Lexington Market, and the "local" beer nicknamed Natty Boh. I also saw some family - an aunt and uncle and a cousin with her new (adorable!) baby. If I can, I'll post some pics.

Wig Date

I found this note that I wrote to a friend in 2005 when I was cleaning out my email box. This is the kind of stuff I always forget to write in my journal, as I'm usually journaling out my own romantic angst or whatever. I love finding these little tidbits of stories that belong to someone else, but that I have forgotten about. Enjoy!
------------------------
8/23/2005
"I talked to my college friend Liz. Apparently she went on a blind date recently where this guy suggested that they wear wigs when they met. She wore a red bob, he wore a Rod Stewart number. After they met, they switched wigs and wore them to the restaurant. She, however, insisted to take hers off before going in. Hilarious!"

Shortbus Soundtrack

I picked up this soundtrack the other day and upon two listens it gets an "Amazing" rating. It's upbeat and lighthearted, but the songs are interesting and even somewhat unexpected. With iPods and iTunes these days, people complain that the art of ordering songs on an album is lost. In which case, this might be a relic. The order of the songs on this album adds to the enjoyability of the music as a whole, well, album. Not only is the movie excellent, but the soundtrack can definitely stand on its own.

The Road To Happiness Begins With Snow Boots

It's true! And I can post it now without bitterness, since the temperature is finally above freezing in Chicago! That last week or so was made bearable by the purchase of some snow boots. Anyway! Moving on!

I had a wonderful weekend, full of fun and romantic moments, and also some thinking/spiritual stimulation. I saw Dr. Micheal Beckwith speak on Friday, and he had some interesting things to say. Like any religious/spiritual tradition, it is interesting to learn about, and to think about the ins and outs of his theology/philosophy. By Monday night though, the philosophical part of my brain was totally exhausted!

Essentially, Beckwith's message was about positive thinking, and imagining the positive reality you want for yourself. As a spiritual aid, I think that is helpful and interesting. One of the other tenets of this philosophy is that you can let go of the things in your past that are binding you in negative thoughts. That you are not only the sum of your past experiences. However, I think it can be very helpful to draw on past experiences or family or genetic traits that are positive or inspiring. There are some things about my past or my family that I want to carry forward in my life. As I was playfully telling a friend this weekend, "I come from a people that farmed ice." I was referring to my Scandinavian heritage, of course, and I said it to illustrate that my people were tough, and thus, I am tough. Propitiating ancestors is another tradition that shows up in many cultures of spirit which speaks to this idea.

Anyway, there are many spiritual paths to follow...

So Mannequin So Irresistible

I really don't know what that means.
I had to check one of my colleague's emails today, and that was the title of her spam. I thought it was really weird and funny.