Girls’ Weekend Out!
Hopefully the only bars we’ll see involve booze.
A group of my college girlfriends are coming into town this weekend and I’m so, I’m so, I’m so excited!! I got to spend a night with this gang in Indianapolis over the summer and it was such a blast that we had to recreate it over a longer weekend. These are girls I worked with all throughout college and we’ve been lucky enough to maintain our friendship for nearly a dozen years. Holy crap, we’re old. But that won’t stop us from having a good time!
We’re going to a Cubs game tomorrow and a few of the museums in the city on Saturday so we’ll be keeping busy. Poor Scott has a hotel room in the suburbs for the weekend but it works out better for all of us that way – he can study for his finals in peace (and not have to share one bathroom with four women…) and we can be as loud as we want allll niiiiight looooong. Or until midnight comes and we turn into pumpkins, whichever comes first. Either way, there’s some drinking, lots of snacking and even more talking and laughing in our futures!
The weather doesn’t look like it’s going to be at its best but hey, that’s Chicago. At least they’ll all get the authentic experience!
Yoga Time
I attended my second-ever yoga class about a week ago and I lived to tell the tale!
I took one yoga class years ago at my old gym and while it was okay, it clearly didn’t make enough of an impression on me for me to go back. That was literally at least two years ago and in that time two new yoga/pilates studios have gone up right around my apartment. I wanted to sign up for classes but figured I should try one of the free classes offered at my gym before signing up for an actual commitment. Why don’t I just always take the free classes at my gym, you ask? Because the studio faces the weight machines and gives everyone working out a great view of the asses of everyone in the studio. This is especially undesirable since I don’t really know what I’m doing with yoga and would prefer not to have an audience if I land on my face.
I can do…like half of these.
But I prevailed! I toughed it out for the entire hour of class (even though I thought about tossing in the towel – literally – every two or three minutes). And while it wasn’t easy, it was pretty awesome. I was surprised with my own strength and endurance and also really inspired by those around me who were clearly much stronger and much more flexible than I’ll ever be. But perhaps with some more practice I can be like them, too!
Truth be told, though, I haven’t been back since. However that’s mostly because I’ve been so busy I’m having a hard time staying on top of my regular workouts, let alone trying to incorporate something else in the mix. But it didn’t kill me so I plan on going back – and not waiting two years to do it! And maybe eventually I’ll work my way to one of those actual studios.
If I Was Your Girlfriend…
…Scott would’ve been left in the dust.
Partyman
Rest in peace, you beautiful and talented man. The rain – and the tears – are going to be purple in your honor.
Five Year Club
Last Wednesday, I attended the annual Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony and Reception for The Field Museum. I go to these every year because they’re a great reward for the service we docents provide to the museum, plus there’s delicous food and an open bar. It’s a win-win all around!
This year was a little different, though, in that I’ve now officially been a docent for five years and I received a little award during the ceremony! I got called on stage and took a picture with the President of the museum, then received a certificate of recognition and an engraved keychain with my years of service. It was all really nice and meant a lot to me and I am so proud and grateful to be part of that institution.
Yes, they had cupcakes too!
I remember the first time I went to The Field Museum, which was on a college spring break trip to Chicago with my roommates at the time. I was blown away by the entire place and rather mad at myself for never having been there before. When I moved to Chicago, I instantly became a member and spent many a weekend wandering around the place by myself. It was glorious. Then I became friends with someone who was doing an internship at the museum and I remember being so jealous of the badge she wore that got her in the staff entrance on the side of the building. It was my grand hope of all hopes to one day have such a badge for myself and guess what? I’ve had one for over five years now!
How did it happen? Well, I took a night class on Museum Studies at Northwestern University and at one point we had a guest speaker from the Field. She left us with her email address and I unabashedly emailed her and told her my love of the museum and basically offered to pick up garbage if I could just hang out there some more. She put me in contact with the Volunteer Coordinator and after a brief interview, I found myself a docent! Since then, I’ve worked in a specific handful of permanent exhibits and also worked in almost every traveling exhibit we’ve had come through. I’ve also branched out and am now a contractor with a couple of other programs, including the overnights I work there with kids and families. In short, I’ve been luckier than I could have ever hoped for and I am so happy that my dream came true!
As much as I love helping out the museum, it’s helped me tremendously as well. Being a part of the Field has connected me more to this city than I would have thought and I’ve met some incredible people, heard amazing stories and learned a great deal about myself and the world around me. And if my luck holds out, I’ll get to spend many more years wandering the halls and talking the ear off of anyone who will listen to me!
Bright Side
My tooth is better! My real crown was installed and I didn’t choke to death on cement, nor did I swallow it over the weekend! I can eat and drink and be merry once again! We also had an absolutely gorgeous weekend full of sunshine and a magnificent lack of rain, so all is right in the world!
Praise be!
Even better? The find I found on Record Store Day, this past Saturday. For those of you who don’t know this about me, I’ve been a huge Led Zeppelin fan for like 20 years. I own all of their albums on vinyl but one in particular, Houses of the Holy, had evaded me since I began my collection. It was my favorite album too and I’ve checked every record store I’ve ever been in with the hopes of discovering it. I know I could have ordered it from someplace at any time but I didn’t want to rob myself of the pleasure of pulling it out of a pile with my own two hands. And guess what? I FINALLY experienced that on Saturday! Ironically, it was in a record store I’ve been in numerous times and while I’ve always searched for Houses, I never found it. Before Record Store Day. It’s almost a great as Rex Manning Day (and extra musical props to you if you get that reference).
It was seriously everything I had hoped and thought it would be.
On top of that awesomeness and the amazing weather, I got to see lots of friends all weekend long. I even attended a yoga class and didn’t break anything. This grown-up stuff is can be pretty alright!
Bite Me
Guys, I’m still having issues with my damn tooth. This whole getting-a-crown thing has not been a fun experience for me. I had to go back in last week because apparently my temporary crown wasn’t shaved down enough and it hurt my entire head every time I moved my jaw. I learned that I move my head a lot. So I had the temporary crown shaved down last week and things were all fine and dandy until I was eating lunch on Friday. I’ve been careful not to chew on the damaged side of my mouth but I think a piece of food got over there anyway and it started to hurt again. And it hurt all night. And all damn weekend. Anything cold is particularly painful but all liquids are sensitive right now, so I’ve been having fun trying to stay hydrated without wanting to cry. Because crying will just dehydrate me more and nobody has time for that.
I’m sad too, tooth.
To be completely honest, I think I accidentally ate my temporary crown. I’m pretty sure it’s gone entirely from my mouth so it’s likely I swallowed it. Which is all just awesome. I think I can even see the fracture in my tooth so that’s super encouraging as well. My dentist was closed all weekend and doesn’t open until noon today so I left them a message about what the hell I’m supposed to do next. If it was up to me, I’d be okay toughing out it on a warm liquid diet (my dinner of instant mashed potatoes last night wasn’t that bad) until my appointment to put on the real crown later this week, but I’m not sure they’re going to go for that. I’m kind of worried I’m just making things way worse by even breathing so my real fear is them telling me I have to come back to have another temporary crown put on for the two days until my real crown can be inserted. And that’ll I’ll have to pay again for Temporary Crown #2.
Ugh. Only time will tell. And until I know more, I’ll keep drinking this lukewarm tea and trying not to cry any precious tears.
Overheard on the ‘L’
Scene: The Chicago Brown Line
Time: Way too damn early for this (~7:15am)
Woman to man sitting next to her: “Excuse me. You’re encroaching on my space.”
Man: “I’m just sitting here.”
Woman: “Your elbow is clearly in my personal space. It’s extended because you’re on your cell phone. You know how people move their arms out when they use their phone? That’s what you’re doing. To me. Right now.”
It should be noted at this time that the woman was on the outside seat and could have theoretically moved a bit towards the aisle, as there was plenty of room.
Man: “I’m as close to the wall as I can be.”
Woman: “Well, I think I deserve the personal space allotted to me on the train. And I would really appreciate it if you would move your arm back into YOUR personal space.”
Man (under his breath): “In three years of living in Chicago and riding the ‘l’, I’ve never had anyone complain about this before…”
Woman: “They probably all felt too uncomfortable to speak up since you could so easily elbow them in the neck.”
Man: “This is ridiculous. You’re on public transit. You can’t expect to have a ton of space. I’m not putting my phone away and I’m not moving.”
Woman: “Typical man. This just figures.”
Cue passive aggressive stares and sighs for the rest of the train ride. From every party involved plus a few onlookers.
FIN.
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