Despite the snow and cold, Steve and I had a really great Thanksgiving in Montana. The flights all went as planned, and even the four-hour drive to his hometown from the airport was better than expected. The weather must have held out because it knew we were coming. When I woke up on Thursday morning, my phone alerted me that it was -17 outside. Um, Brrrr. Needless to say I didn’t go outside. At all.
We had about 18 or so people for dinner, so it was a good group and much different from the last three Thanksgivings we spend on our own in Chicago. We spent the day eating, of course, and playing the Xbox Kinect the Green family had bought. It was AWESOME. I love the fact that you do not even need a controller. I totally want one now, but I am not sure we have enough room in our townhouse to make it work. You need a pretty good-sized space.
The rest of the trip was spent visiting family and being lazy. It warmed up a bit, but not enough for me to enjoy time outside. It was good to see the snow, but I was so glad to be leaving it when we got on the plane to Oakland on Sunday. Hopefully, depending on Steve’s crazy job schedule the next few years, we’ll be able to back again for the holiday.
Speaking of holiday, my family has decided to have Christmas in Oregon this year. Oregon has been my parents’ home for about 20 years, and we’ve NEVER spent a Christmas there. Not one. We’ve always gone down to Monterey to be with extended family. When I lived away, it was a tradition I insisted on, because I wanted to see my grandparents. But, since my bro can’t or doesn’t want to get work off for too long, it looks like it’s going to be a white Christmas. I find it a little odd and ironic that the year I come to Cali is the year we spend Christmas elsewhere, but that’s just how it goes. So, I bought my plane ticket and will be spending the 21st-26th in Central Oregon. There is no doubt that it’s going to be different with just the four of us. I think my parents are planning to come down for my Birthday (29th) and New Years, so they can spend some time with the grandparents and rest of the fam down here.
With all the stuff I have planned this December, I know it’s going to wiz right by. I’m looking forward to all the month has to bring!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Getting Ready for Turkey Day!
Happy almost Thanksgiving! I am only working Monday and Tuesday this week and then I’m off for a much-needed vacation. I am so ready for the holidays. I thought that it would be hard to get in the holiday spirit because, you know, it’s not 20 degrees and snowing, but I find that I am adjusting just fine. This year, for the first time since we moved from Oregon, we are going to someone else’s house for Thanksgiving. The three previous years, I have made the whole dinner for just Steve and me. It was fun, but I look forward to being with other people and, of course, not having to do all the work myself!
We’re heading to Malta, Montana to spend the long weekend with Steve’s family. I will definitely get my dose of cold there, as it’s been snowing and below freezing for a week. The trip might be rough because of the snow. The nearest airport to Steven’s hometown is about 4 hours away in Billings, MT. That means that when we fly in, we still have a looooong way to go to get to the stopping point. I just hope that it doesn’t get too nasty, because we might find ourselves in Billings for the holiday. I’m holding out hope that things go smoothly.
In other news, my Fiancé is now an official lawyer. I raced home last Friday to watch him type his credentials to the California Bar online site at 6:00 pm sharp. We had been waiting 4 months for an answer we got in three seconds: “Steven Green: This name appears on the Pass List.” The celebrations were the following—Steve relaxed in his chair, clapped his hands once and laughed. I jumped as high as I could with my fist in the air and screamed “YES!” What a HUGE relief that was to know that he didn’t have to take that horrendous test ever again. We had a low-key celebration by cracking open a bottle of Dark Lord and heading to our favorite burger joint – Jeffery’s Hamburgers – to grab dinner.
Wedding planning is coming along okay. I am using the checklist from the Knot.com and while November is a slow month, December, and the 8th month mark has a crazy amount of things to check off. I think that we’re poised for the most part, but some other decisions are just so hard to make! I think we’ve found out photographers and guitarist/DJ. I’m meeting with florists next month, and I think we’ve found a pastor who is well-enough acquainted with the family to do our ceremony. I’ve been to four more wedding dress boutiques on my own, and while that may sound lonely, I have actually grown accustomed to it. It’s like I’m weeding out all the bad places so that when I do want people to come with me, it won’t be a waste. I think I’m getting closer to finding the dress I am going to want to wear. It’s a process, and while I still have about two months, it’s the to-be-made decision weighing most on me. That and the dough that it’s going to take to get everyone and everything “reserved” for the big day. As if December wasn’t already a spendy month!
So, I’m launching into the holidays and wedding planning with full-force! Have a safe Thanksgiving!
We’re heading to Malta, Montana to spend the long weekend with Steve’s family. I will definitely get my dose of cold there, as it’s been snowing and below freezing for a week. The trip might be rough because of the snow. The nearest airport to Steven’s hometown is about 4 hours away in Billings, MT. That means that when we fly in, we still have a looooong way to go to get to the stopping point. I just hope that it doesn’t get too nasty, because we might find ourselves in Billings for the holiday. I’m holding out hope that things go smoothly.
In other news, my Fiancé is now an official lawyer. I raced home last Friday to watch him type his credentials to the California Bar online site at 6:00 pm sharp. We had been waiting 4 months for an answer we got in three seconds: “Steven Green: This name appears on the Pass List.” The celebrations were the following—Steve relaxed in his chair, clapped his hands once and laughed. I jumped as high as I could with my fist in the air and screamed “YES!” What a HUGE relief that was to know that he didn’t have to take that horrendous test ever again. We had a low-key celebration by cracking open a bottle of Dark Lord and heading to our favorite burger joint – Jeffery’s Hamburgers – to grab dinner.
Wedding planning is coming along okay. I am using the checklist from the Knot.com and while November is a slow month, December, and the 8th month mark has a crazy amount of things to check off. I think that we’re poised for the most part, but some other decisions are just so hard to make! I think we’ve found out photographers and guitarist/DJ. I’m meeting with florists next month, and I think we’ve found a pastor who is well-enough acquainted with the family to do our ceremony. I’ve been to four more wedding dress boutiques on my own, and while that may sound lonely, I have actually grown accustomed to it. It’s like I’m weeding out all the bad places so that when I do want people to come with me, it won’t be a waste. I think I’m getting closer to finding the dress I am going to want to wear. It’s a process, and while I still have about two months, it’s the to-be-made decision weighing most on me. That and the dough that it’s going to take to get everyone and everything “reserved” for the big day. As if December wasn’t already a spendy month!
So, I’m launching into the holidays and wedding planning with full-force! Have a safe Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Two Month Mark
Next week will put us to the two-month mark since we moved from Chicago to Fremont. I can hardly believe it. We’ve been so busy already! Life is finally starting to become a familiar routine, and I think that both Steve and I have settled into our jobs, commutes and house pretty nicely. We also found a cool bar to watch our Ducks play! There all still times when we both miss city life and all of our friends in Chicago, but as we start to meet new people I think things can only get better.
We’ve visited Monterey quite a few times for various reasons. I foresee us going down there a lot more too, because since our wedding will be in Monterey, all of our vendors will be too. It’s all a bit overwhelming—meeting with photographers and DJs and all that, but I guess it has to be done. Now I just have to figure out a way to get Steve excited. I think he’s a bit overwhelmed with everything that I am throwing at him.
My mom came down from Oregon to visit us two weekends ago. It was really great to see her and show her around our new town and house. I even scheduled some wedding dress appointments, and my mom, my grandmother and I dove into the massive wedding dress search. I must confess that I was unprepared for what goes on at fittings. When I put my first dress on, made completely of satin, I seriously felt like someone had wrapped a bed comforter around me. There is SOOOO much fabric in those dresses. I am pretty sure I have never been in anything like that before in my life. It wasn’t until the second fitting where I got used to dressing up in these massively formal dresses and parading around for all to see. I’m not a dress-wearer, and never really have been. I’m not too keen on strapless dresses, but it seems that halter tops are hard to find these days, and I was discouraged from cap sleeves by my attendants at two of my fittings (not enough arm movement is allowed with them). I’m not quite sure I have found the “one” yet, but I have some good ideas of what I don’t want (satin heaviness, too much material around the stomach and bust) and what I do (chiffon, flowy, moderate beadwork).
The gym at work is pretty great. Trying the dresses on is a great motivator to lose weight, since white is NOT a forgiving color. I try to work out three days a week on my lunch break, and then Steve an I play some sort of racket sport on the weekends. It’s relatively quiet in there, save for the TV, and has all the machines and weights I need to feel like I got a good workout. I hope that I can keep it up. I’m trying to curb my bad eating habits too, but it’s soooo hard with Halloween right around the corner-- not to mention Thanksgiving, which we are spending in Montana with Steve’s family. It’s been a long time since I have been back to Malta, but I am looking forward to the vacation.
Til next time!
We’ve visited Monterey quite a few times for various reasons. I foresee us going down there a lot more too, because since our wedding will be in Monterey, all of our vendors will be too. It’s all a bit overwhelming—meeting with photographers and DJs and all that, but I guess it has to be done. Now I just have to figure out a way to get Steve excited. I think he’s a bit overwhelmed with everything that I am throwing at him.
My mom came down from Oregon to visit us two weekends ago. It was really great to see her and show her around our new town and house. I even scheduled some wedding dress appointments, and my mom, my grandmother and I dove into the massive wedding dress search. I must confess that I was unprepared for what goes on at fittings. When I put my first dress on, made completely of satin, I seriously felt like someone had wrapped a bed comforter around me. There is SOOOO much fabric in those dresses. I am pretty sure I have never been in anything like that before in my life. It wasn’t until the second fitting where I got used to dressing up in these massively formal dresses and parading around for all to see. I’m not a dress-wearer, and never really have been. I’m not too keen on strapless dresses, but it seems that halter tops are hard to find these days, and I was discouraged from cap sleeves by my attendants at two of my fittings (not enough arm movement is allowed with them). I’m not quite sure I have found the “one” yet, but I have some good ideas of what I don’t want (satin heaviness, too much material around the stomach and bust) and what I do (chiffon, flowy, moderate beadwork).
The gym at work is pretty great. Trying the dresses on is a great motivator to lose weight, since white is NOT a forgiving color. I try to work out three days a week on my lunch break, and then Steve an I play some sort of racket sport on the weekends. It’s relatively quiet in there, save for the TV, and has all the machines and weights I need to feel like I got a good workout. I hope that I can keep it up. I’m trying to curb my bad eating habits too, but it’s soooo hard with Halloween right around the corner-- not to mention Thanksgiving, which we are spending in Montana with Steve’s family. It’s been a long time since I have been back to Malta, but I am looking forward to the vacation.
Til next time!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
I know a place, where the grass is really greener!
So, I know it’s been an eternity since my last blog, but when you’re moving across the country and trying to get everything in order, something has to take a backseat.
Let’s back up a bit and hit some highlights from the last 2 ½ months.
July:
Steve took the bar exam at the end of the month. I tried not to show my anxiety and be strong for him; but it was hard. I am sure those three days of non-stop bar exam were some of the most intense of his life. If that’s not enough, we are still patiently waiting for the results to come back in mid November. MID NOVEMBER! I know a lot of kids took the CA bar, but that is just a cruel and unusual waiting period.
August:
After much prodding from me and probably his parents, Steve decided to join two of his law school friends, George and Jen, on an overseas trip to Europe. I DESPERATELY wanted to go; but big changes in management and duties at my job pretty much squashed any hope of going anywhere. Not to mention, I didn’t REALLY have the dough to fork over $1000 for a plane ticket last minute, which is when Steve decided to go. On top of all of that, I needed the days off to move out to California and wait for the movers to deliver our stuff. On the bright side, Steve had a fantastic time visiting Paris and Barcelona both he and I are glad that he went.
September:
After a few more days in Chicago after his international trip, Steve traveled to Montana to visit with his family before moving over to California for good. About a week later, after flying back to Oregon for a dear friend’s wedding, I said my many goodbyes to my Chicago co-workers and friends and boarded a plane to made my dramatic exit from Chicago.
I landed in San Jose on Sept 2nd, into the welcoming car of my Grandparents, who whisked me to their house in Monterey until Steve (who was driving his car from Montana) could get to California a few days later. We finally had our keys to a cute little two-bedroom townhouse in Fremont, California on Sunday, Sept 5th. And so began our life in the Bay Area.
Steve’s law firm job doesn’t start until January, so in the meantime, he is a law intern at a medical company in San Mateo. He started his first day on the 7th, while I enjoyed my week off of work exploring the surrounding area and waiting for the movers- who came that Wednesday. Luckily, my dad had brought us an extra bed, so we didn’t have to sleep on the hard floor waiting for our stuff!
I started work on the 13th, and am really still getting used to the new commute and office. We chose to live in Fremont because it’s a good halfway point between both of our jobs (I work in Cision's Emeryville office). Gone are the days of the bus and the train. I now have a 40 min commute in the morning, and a 50-ish min commute after work. It’s really not that bad, but I do miss the ease of getting on public transit and having someone else drive me! Luckily, everyone in the office is super nice and I am settling in here pretty well. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to work with my co-workers as well from here- but things haven’t really slowed down that much and I still feel like part of the team. Plus, I am learning more about different departments by being here!
Although I would have never thought this possible when I first moved there, I really do miss Chicago. The people, the lifestyle and even the scenery. Suburban life in Fremont is so very different. I am sure as soon as I get acclimated with my surroundings that I will begin to love Fremont life as well. Establishing a stomping ground is the most important. And, it’s so nice to have San Fran so close, so we can get a taste of Big City life whenever we want to. I also love having my extended family close. We have been down to Monterey to visit them quite a bit, and while it feels so odd right now, it’s a wonderful feeling as well.
In other news:
My brother has decided to continue his college career at my Alma Matter – University of Oregon. I know my mom is probably having a hard time with him further away now and dad still traveling down here for work, but I hope that he finds something that he likes and enjoys his first new residence outside of Central Oregon—where he has lived the majority of his life.
There is a “free” gym in my work building that people use a lot at lunch. It’s only $100 one time app fee and then free from there on out. Although it doesn’t have classes, I think I will give it a try because I really like the idea of getting to work out during lunch-- plus you can't beat the price. Then, I can just head right home without feeling guilty! If I get super bored, there are other gyms with classes close as well I can look into.
I really have to start watching what I eat now (FOR REAL), because our official wedding date is set for Aug 6, 2011 at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch (we put down the deposit two weekends ago). Now all the “fun” stuff starts-- looking for vendors, dresses, and all the little things that make a wedding special. I am determined to stay on top of it all and am so thankful my family is there to help.
Lastly, I’m taking my California drivers test this Friday. I haven’t switched my license since I got it in Oregon, but since I plan to be here for a long while, I decided to get everything squared away so I can be a real resident!
I think that’s all the big stuff since my last blog. I plan to be a bit more frequent in my blogging efforts and look forward to the road ahead!
Let’s back up a bit and hit some highlights from the last 2 ½ months.
July:
Steve took the bar exam at the end of the month. I tried not to show my anxiety and be strong for him; but it was hard. I am sure those three days of non-stop bar exam were some of the most intense of his life. If that’s not enough, we are still patiently waiting for the results to come back in mid November. MID NOVEMBER! I know a lot of kids took the CA bar, but that is just a cruel and unusual waiting period.
August:
After much prodding from me and probably his parents, Steve decided to join two of his law school friends, George and Jen, on an overseas trip to Europe. I DESPERATELY wanted to go; but big changes in management and duties at my job pretty much squashed any hope of going anywhere. Not to mention, I didn’t REALLY have the dough to fork over $1000 for a plane ticket last minute, which is when Steve decided to go. On top of all of that, I needed the days off to move out to California and wait for the movers to deliver our stuff. On the bright side, Steve had a fantastic time visiting Paris and Barcelona both he and I are glad that he went.
September:
After a few more days in Chicago after his international trip, Steve traveled to Montana to visit with his family before moving over to California for good. About a week later, after flying back to Oregon for a dear friend’s wedding, I said my many goodbyes to my Chicago co-workers and friends and boarded a plane to made my dramatic exit from Chicago.
I landed in San Jose on Sept 2nd, into the welcoming car of my Grandparents, who whisked me to their house in Monterey until Steve (who was driving his car from Montana) could get to California a few days later. We finally had our keys to a cute little two-bedroom townhouse in Fremont, California on Sunday, Sept 5th. And so began our life in the Bay Area.
Steve’s law firm job doesn’t start until January, so in the meantime, he is a law intern at a medical company in San Mateo. He started his first day on the 7th, while I enjoyed my week off of work exploring the surrounding area and waiting for the movers- who came that Wednesday. Luckily, my dad had brought us an extra bed, so we didn’t have to sleep on the hard floor waiting for our stuff!
I started work on the 13th, and am really still getting used to the new commute and office. We chose to live in Fremont because it’s a good halfway point between both of our jobs (I work in Cision's Emeryville office). Gone are the days of the bus and the train. I now have a 40 min commute in the morning, and a 50-ish min commute after work. It’s really not that bad, but I do miss the ease of getting on public transit and having someone else drive me! Luckily, everyone in the office is super nice and I am settling in here pretty well. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to work with my co-workers as well from here- but things haven’t really slowed down that much and I still feel like part of the team. Plus, I am learning more about different departments by being here!
Although I would have never thought this possible when I first moved there, I really do miss Chicago. The people, the lifestyle and even the scenery. Suburban life in Fremont is so very different. I am sure as soon as I get acclimated with my surroundings that I will begin to love Fremont life as well. Establishing a stomping ground is the most important. And, it’s so nice to have San Fran so close, so we can get a taste of Big City life whenever we want to. I also love having my extended family close. We have been down to Monterey to visit them quite a bit, and while it feels so odd right now, it’s a wonderful feeling as well.
In other news:
My brother has decided to continue his college career at my Alma Matter – University of Oregon. I know my mom is probably having a hard time with him further away now and dad still traveling down here for work, but I hope that he finds something that he likes and enjoys his first new residence outside of Central Oregon—where he has lived the majority of his life.
There is a “free” gym in my work building that people use a lot at lunch. It’s only $100 one time app fee and then free from there on out. Although it doesn’t have classes, I think I will give it a try because I really like the idea of getting to work out during lunch-- plus you can't beat the price. Then, I can just head right home without feeling guilty! If I get super bored, there are other gyms with classes close as well I can look into.
I really have to start watching what I eat now (FOR REAL), because our official wedding date is set for Aug 6, 2011 at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch (we put down the deposit two weekends ago). Now all the “fun” stuff starts-- looking for vendors, dresses, and all the little things that make a wedding special. I am determined to stay on top of it all and am so thankful my family is there to help.
Lastly, I’m taking my California drivers test this Friday. I haven’t switched my license since I got it in Oregon, but since I plan to be here for a long while, I decided to get everything squared away so I can be a real resident!
I think that’s all the big stuff since my last blog. I plan to be a bit more frequent in my blogging efforts and look forward to the road ahead!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Time to Get a Move on!
Yeesh…It’s been three weeks since my last blog. Wedding research is consuming my free time. But that’s okay, I love getting organized and planning.
Speaking of weddings, two weekends ago I left for Monterey to see my cousin Monica and her fiancé Pete get married on Carmel beach. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but the wedding was really nice and the reception that followed up the street at the La Playa hotel was really beautiful. I don’t really see my dad’s side of the family much for one reason or another, but it was fun and interesting to hang out with all of the relatives for a night.
We – my dad, mom, grandparents and me – also managed to do a TON of wedding venue sight-seeing. We checked out places in Monterey and Fremont, the two cities where Steve and I are considering getting married. I’m pretty sure that we have found a hidden gem at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch and Balesteri’s restaurant. The price is excellent and it’s SO beautiful up there. The event coordinator/cater is Susie Balesteri, and she is the nicest person that you would ever want to meet. Steve hasn’t seen the place yet, but hopefully he can visit in August sometime to see it. We are tentatively penciled in for August 6, 2011, barring Steve’s approval, but I really think that this could be the place! I’m going crazy with the Knot.com and Herecomestheguide.com looking for wedding stuff…there is so much to think about and do! I have found that using delicious.com to record and tag all my website bookmarks is the best way to keep everything together, but separate.
I also have some other VERY exciting news to share. I am going to be officially moving to the Bay Area in California on September 1st! I spoke with my supervisor, and she and the VP of my department have agreed to let me continue to do the work that I am doing here at Cision, but transfer to the Emeryville, CA office!! I could NOT be happier. I love what I am doing and to be allowed to keep my job and move really is a dream. All those years of worrying if I would ever get back to the west coast seem so far gone. I’m freaking out a little bit, because it IS July and we’ll be moving in less than two months. I haven’t even thought about packing yet, and we still need a place to live! So much to do, so little time!
Steve is still studying hard-core for the California Bar. It’s really like a job; he studies for at least 8 hours a day. I don’t know how he can manage to keep all of that legal stuff in his head at once. He takes the bar in San Mateo at the end of this month, so he’s definitely rounding the final turn. I’m trying to be helpful and encouraging, but I will be SO happy when the madness of this non-stop studying is done and we can enjoy the summer together. Hopefully a trip abroad will be in the plans!
I’ve been slacking on my gym time, but plan to change that these coming weeks, because I really don’t have anything super set in stone for now until the move. Here’s hoping that the weather shapes up a bit for the weekend!
Speaking of weddings, two weekends ago I left for Monterey to see my cousin Monica and her fiancé Pete get married on Carmel beach. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but the wedding was really nice and the reception that followed up the street at the La Playa hotel was really beautiful. I don’t really see my dad’s side of the family much for one reason or another, but it was fun and interesting to hang out with all of the relatives for a night.
We – my dad, mom, grandparents and me – also managed to do a TON of wedding venue sight-seeing. We checked out places in Monterey and Fremont, the two cities where Steve and I are considering getting married. I’m pretty sure that we have found a hidden gem at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch and Balesteri’s restaurant. The price is excellent and it’s SO beautiful up there. The event coordinator/cater is Susie Balesteri, and she is the nicest person that you would ever want to meet. Steve hasn’t seen the place yet, but hopefully he can visit in August sometime to see it. We are tentatively penciled in for August 6, 2011, barring Steve’s approval, but I really think that this could be the place! I’m going crazy with the Knot.com and Herecomestheguide.com looking for wedding stuff…there is so much to think about and do! I have found that using delicious.com to record and tag all my website bookmarks is the best way to keep everything together, but separate.
I also have some other VERY exciting news to share. I am going to be officially moving to the Bay Area in California on September 1st! I spoke with my supervisor, and she and the VP of my department have agreed to let me continue to do the work that I am doing here at Cision, but transfer to the Emeryville, CA office!! I could NOT be happier. I love what I am doing and to be allowed to keep my job and move really is a dream. All those years of worrying if I would ever get back to the west coast seem so far gone. I’m freaking out a little bit, because it IS July and we’ll be moving in less than two months. I haven’t even thought about packing yet, and we still need a place to live! So much to do, so little time!
Steve is still studying hard-core for the California Bar. It’s really like a job; he studies for at least 8 hours a day. I don’t know how he can manage to keep all of that legal stuff in his head at once. He takes the bar in San Mateo at the end of this month, so he’s definitely rounding the final turn. I’m trying to be helpful and encouraging, but I will be SO happy when the madness of this non-stop studying is done and we can enjoy the summer together. Hopefully a trip abroad will be in the plans!
I’ve been slacking on my gym time, but plan to change that these coming weeks, because I really don’t have anything super set in stone for now until the move. Here’s hoping that the weather shapes up a bit for the weekend!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A GREAT Graduation Weekend
My Fiancé is an official graduate of the University of Chicago Law School! I would say he’s an official lawyer…but there is one little obstacle called that BAR that needs to be passed first! Steve’s family came to visit last weekend to watch him graduate, and we had a good time showing them around the city.
Steve’s parents, brother, sister and grandmother arrived rather late last Thursday. Traffic was horrendous that day for one reason or another, and they didn’t get in until about 7:00. We rode the red line down to their hotel at Balbo and Michigan. Thanks to Priceline, they stayed in a really nice hotel called the Blackstone. We chatted a bit and went home to catch some sleep.
On Friday, I had to work a full day, but Steve showed his family around Millennium Park, and a little bit more of the South Loop. It was CRAZY that day because the Blackhawks had won the Stanley Cup the night before, and they were having a parade downtown. The city estimates there were some two million people downtown. That’s insane! Friday night we had dinner at Volare, an Italian restaurant that gets good reviews on Yelp. I might have agreed with their review, but the night we were there it was 90 degrees and their air conditioner broke. WE were the ones being roasted the entire meal. We finished the night with a trip up to the Willis Tower to view the city at night.
Saturday was the graduation in Hyde Park, where the school is. It was foggy that morning, and sure enough, during the first ceremony that was all-school and outside, we got POURED on. I was so soaked. Directly after the main ceremony, there was a Hooding ceremony (indoors at Rockefeller Chapel, thank goodness), for all of the law students. I was so proud of Steven and all of the work that he had put in. He looked great walking down the aisle and getting his hood put on by his law school professors. Truly a moment to remember! We went to the Law School reception after the Hooding ceremony and took pictures with friends and ate some yummy appetizers. Then, we took a quick ride back up to downtown and tooled around the Shedd Aquarium for a few hours. I grew up with the Monterey Bay aquarium, but this one was pretty impressive too. For dinner we ate at Gino’s East pizza, so they could get a taste of real deep dish. Steve and I returned to the apartment and celebrated a bit with some Champagne before totally crashing into bed after the big day.
Sunday, everyone came over to check out our apartment. We then headed over to Ann Sather to have some brunch and tasty Cinnamon Rolls. The family was leaving that day, so we road with them out of town a bit for one last stop to an old school that Steve’s great grandma when to in 1908. It still stands tall and proud over in the Albany Park neighborhood. I took a picture of all the relatives in front of it, and then they dropped us off at the blue line before heading back to Minnesota, where Steve’s sister lives, and the halfway-ish point between Chicago and their home in Malta, MT.
It was a great weekend and I was so thankful that Steve’s family could come and share it with him. The next big adventure in our lives is the passing of the Bar exam, which Steve has thrown himself into studying. At about the same time Steve graduated, my brother was graduating on the other side of the country from COCC with his AA. He’s thinking of going to a 4 year college next year, so I will be sure to catch his graduation from that!
I’m off to California for my cousin Monica’s wedding next weekend. So this weekend is all about relaxation, hopefully in the sun!
Steve’s parents, brother, sister and grandmother arrived rather late last Thursday. Traffic was horrendous that day for one reason or another, and they didn’t get in until about 7:00. We rode the red line down to their hotel at Balbo and Michigan. Thanks to Priceline, they stayed in a really nice hotel called the Blackstone. We chatted a bit and went home to catch some sleep.
On Friday, I had to work a full day, but Steve showed his family around Millennium Park, and a little bit more of the South Loop. It was CRAZY that day because the Blackhawks had won the Stanley Cup the night before, and they were having a parade downtown. The city estimates there were some two million people downtown. That’s insane! Friday night we had dinner at Volare, an Italian restaurant that gets good reviews on Yelp. I might have agreed with their review, but the night we were there it was 90 degrees and their air conditioner broke. WE were the ones being roasted the entire meal. We finished the night with a trip up to the Willis Tower to view the city at night.
Saturday was the graduation in Hyde Park, where the school is. It was foggy that morning, and sure enough, during the first ceremony that was all-school and outside, we got POURED on. I was so soaked. Directly after the main ceremony, there was a Hooding ceremony (indoors at Rockefeller Chapel, thank goodness), for all of the law students. I was so proud of Steven and all of the work that he had put in. He looked great walking down the aisle and getting his hood put on by his law school professors. Truly a moment to remember! We went to the Law School reception after the Hooding ceremony and took pictures with friends and ate some yummy appetizers. Then, we took a quick ride back up to downtown and tooled around the Shedd Aquarium for a few hours. I grew up with the Monterey Bay aquarium, but this one was pretty impressive too. For dinner we ate at Gino’s East pizza, so they could get a taste of real deep dish. Steve and I returned to the apartment and celebrated a bit with some Champagne before totally crashing into bed after the big day.
Sunday, everyone came over to check out our apartment. We then headed over to Ann Sather to have some brunch and tasty Cinnamon Rolls. The family was leaving that day, so we road with them out of town a bit for one last stop to an old school that Steve’s great grandma when to in 1908. It still stands tall and proud over in the Albany Park neighborhood. I took a picture of all the relatives in front of it, and then they dropped us off at the blue line before heading back to Minnesota, where Steve’s sister lives, and the halfway-ish point between Chicago and their home in Malta, MT.
It was a great weekend and I was so thankful that Steve’s family could come and share it with him. The next big adventure in our lives is the passing of the Bar exam, which Steve has thrown himself into studying. At about the same time Steve graduated, my brother was graduating on the other side of the country from COCC with his AA. He’s thinking of going to a 4 year college next year, so I will be sure to catch his graduation from that!
I’m off to California for my cousin Monica’s wedding next weekend. So this weekend is all about relaxation, hopefully in the sun!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Loved the 3 Day Weekend
Even though this week is only four days long, it seems like it’s taking forever. I’m not sure if it’s the summer weather, Steve’s bar study, my poor eating habits and struggling gym motivation, or our trip to California at the end of the month, but something is making me super antsy.
Memorial Day weekend was fun. I love three day weekends. I wish that every work week was only four days long. It seems so balanced that way. On Friday after work I went to the gym and then headed home for a semi quiet night in with the Fiancé. Saturday morning we had plans to play tennis with our friend from Law School Ben, and his med student girlfriend, Annalisa. The weather was great—a little windy, but super sunny and 78ish. Both Steve and I came back with sunburns. I had cleverly covered my shoulders with sunscreen, but the back of my calves got the brunt of it. We grabbed a slurpee and went home to rest before heading to our friends’ house to watch the fireworks at Navy Pier from their rooftop. Navy Pier will shoot fireworks off every Wednesday and Saturday, and thanks to our friends’ new apartment, we have a killer place to watch it from!
Sunday was more tennis (and even more sunscreen), followed by lunch with our good friend Katelynn in Lakeview at Wilde. We had some great artichoke dip and mac and cheese. We finished Sunday off with dinner at a delicious thin crust Pizza joint with Ben, Annalisa, Julian and Julia and snagged some Berry Chill on the walk back home.
I wish I could say Monday was uneventful…but it wasn’t. I headed out to the suburbs to do some shopping, which was pretty successful. I was heading home and not quite sure of the turn I needed, so when I was stopped at a light and saw that I needed to make a right turn to get on the street that I wanted, I did it. Unfortunately, I (honestly, I promise) did not see the small sign that said “no turn on red.” It being Memorial Day, there was of course a cop that saw the whole thing and pulled me over. As I saw his flashing lights I KNEW that I had missed the sign. Luckily the guy was nice, and although I could have got a $200 ticket for the moving violation, he just gave me a $50 ticket for having a license that was out of state even though I had lived in Chicago for 2 years. I guess it COULD have been worse, but still sucked.
The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning house and doing laundry. Beach Volleyball at Cision has started up on Wednesdays, throwing a bit of a wrench into my workout schedule (as VB and the semi-mandatory boozing at Durkins afterward is NOT that great of a workout), but I’ll figure something out. I might give swimming a rest for a while until my allergies calm down. I usually don’t have them that bad, but I notice that for about 2 days after I swim, my allergies are about 5 times worse. I think it’s because the chlorine from the pool gets in my nose and makes my nasal passages raw and more susceptible to pollen and such. I’m determined to stay motivated this summer and get some good exercise in to at least balance the crap I’m sure I’ll eat.
Steve's grad ceremony is on June 12, sadly the same day as my brother's is from COCC. I feel bad for not heading back home, but Jared's probably transferring to a 4 year college to get a BA so I should be able to catch is next one. Steve's family comes to visit on the 11th, and I am looking forward to visiting with them. Then, life resumes as normal until June 25th when we take off for my cousin’s wedding in Monterey. Here’s hoping the weather is AT LEAST nice on the weekends so I can have some fun in the sun.
Memorial Day weekend was fun. I love three day weekends. I wish that every work week was only four days long. It seems so balanced that way. On Friday after work I went to the gym and then headed home for a semi quiet night in with the Fiancé. Saturday morning we had plans to play tennis with our friend from Law School Ben, and his med student girlfriend, Annalisa. The weather was great—a little windy, but super sunny and 78ish. Both Steve and I came back with sunburns. I had cleverly covered my shoulders with sunscreen, but the back of my calves got the brunt of it. We grabbed a slurpee and went home to rest before heading to our friends’ house to watch the fireworks at Navy Pier from their rooftop. Navy Pier will shoot fireworks off every Wednesday and Saturday, and thanks to our friends’ new apartment, we have a killer place to watch it from!
Sunday was more tennis (and even more sunscreen), followed by lunch with our good friend Katelynn in Lakeview at Wilde. We had some great artichoke dip and mac and cheese. We finished Sunday off with dinner at a delicious thin crust Pizza joint with Ben, Annalisa, Julian and Julia and snagged some Berry Chill on the walk back home.
I wish I could say Monday was uneventful…but it wasn’t. I headed out to the suburbs to do some shopping, which was pretty successful. I was heading home and not quite sure of the turn I needed, so when I was stopped at a light and saw that I needed to make a right turn to get on the street that I wanted, I did it. Unfortunately, I (honestly, I promise) did not see the small sign that said “no turn on red.” It being Memorial Day, there was of course a cop that saw the whole thing and pulled me over. As I saw his flashing lights I KNEW that I had missed the sign. Luckily the guy was nice, and although I could have got a $200 ticket for the moving violation, he just gave me a $50 ticket for having a license that was out of state even though I had lived in Chicago for 2 years. I guess it COULD have been worse, but still sucked.
The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning house and doing laundry. Beach Volleyball at Cision has started up on Wednesdays, throwing a bit of a wrench into my workout schedule (as VB and the semi-mandatory boozing at Durkins afterward is NOT that great of a workout), but I’ll figure something out. I might give swimming a rest for a while until my allergies calm down. I usually don’t have them that bad, but I notice that for about 2 days after I swim, my allergies are about 5 times worse. I think it’s because the chlorine from the pool gets in my nose and makes my nasal passages raw and more susceptible to pollen and such. I’m determined to stay motivated this summer and get some good exercise in to at least balance the crap I’m sure I’ll eat.
Steve's grad ceremony is on June 12, sadly the same day as my brother's is from COCC. I feel bad for not heading back home, but Jared's probably transferring to a 4 year college to get a BA so I should be able to catch is next one. Steve's family comes to visit on the 11th, and I am looking forward to visiting with them. Then, life resumes as normal until June 25th when we take off for my cousin’s wedding in Monterey. Here’s hoping the weather is AT LEAST nice on the weekends so I can have some fun in the sun.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
All Stuffed Up
I did make it to Bally three times last week, but the total for this week is going to be a big, fat zero. Even though I didn’t feel that great Friday after work, I went swimming anyway. I woke up on Saturday morning with a nasty head cold. Steve had been sick the previous 3 days, and a few people had been out sick at work. I am sure I caught it from one of those sources. I attempted to go to work on Monday, but my supervisor sent me home after commenting how miserable I looked.
In college, I used to get sick quite a bit—late nights, stress over papers, etc. But they were usually mild colds that I could work though and go to school with. Since I moved to Chicago and started working at Cision, I honestly have way less stress than when I was in college. I usually only get sick twice a year or so (knock on wood). When I do get sick, it hits me hard. It’s kind of a good thing that I got sick on the weekend, because I was down and out for four full days. After finally getting some sleep on Tuesday night (my cold eased up enough for Nyquil to FINALLY work), I came back to work Wednesday. I’m taking a break from the gym this week so my body and immune system can fully recover.
Side note—Isn’t it so weird when your nose is plugged up on both sides and you can’t smell or taste anything? It really limits your appetite, because it’s like…what’s the point of eating this yummy food when I can’t taste it? Someone should hone that in for a diet plan.
In other news, Steve graduates from UChicago Law on June 12 and will be done with classes and finals by this time next week. That is INSANE to me. In September, we will have been here for three full years. What a fun and interesting ride. He’ll then start his studies for the bar that he takes in Cali at the end of July. Once that’s over, I’m hoping that we can have a fun and relaxing summer – with some national and perhaps international trips, wedding planning and taking it easy until the next chapter in our lives really starts to pick up speed.
In college, I used to get sick quite a bit—late nights, stress over papers, etc. But they were usually mild colds that I could work though and go to school with. Since I moved to Chicago and started working at Cision, I honestly have way less stress than when I was in college. I usually only get sick twice a year or so (knock on wood). When I do get sick, it hits me hard. It’s kind of a good thing that I got sick on the weekend, because I was down and out for four full days. After finally getting some sleep on Tuesday night (my cold eased up enough for Nyquil to FINALLY work), I came back to work Wednesday. I’m taking a break from the gym this week so my body and immune system can fully recover.
Side note—Isn’t it so weird when your nose is plugged up on both sides and you can’t smell or taste anything? It really limits your appetite, because it’s like…what’s the point of eating this yummy food when I can’t taste it? Someone should hone that in for a diet plan.
In other news, Steve graduates from UChicago Law on June 12 and will be done with classes and finals by this time next week. That is INSANE to me. In September, we will have been here for three full years. What a fun and interesting ride. He’ll then start his studies for the bar that he takes in Cali at the end of July. Once that’s over, I’m hoping that we can have a fun and relaxing summer – with some national and perhaps international trips, wedding planning and taking it easy until the next chapter in our lives really starts to pick up speed.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Windy City Exploration
A visit from an old friend from High School equaled another exhausting weekend in the Chi! Josh, a very good friend who now lives in LA, decided to come and visit his birth city, and the place that he lived for three weeks before his parents moved. He’d never been back to Chicago before, and I can’t imagine how odd and wondrous it must have been for him to see the house and hospital that he stayed in. I’m exhausted from all of the stuff that we did, but we had an amazing time and it was so great to explore and show him all this city has to offer.
On Thursday, Josh arrived in the loop via the Blue Line from O’Hare around noon. I met him, ate lunch at Panera Bread, and then took his stuff so he could explore the city until I got off at 4:30. During that time, he managed to walk all the way up to Navy Pier, jump on the train and check out the architecture building. After we arrived at the apartment, we all headed for some dinner at Mr. Beef – a famous Chicago Italian beef shop on the near west side. And so started my weekend of eating amazing(ly unhealthy!) food again.
Friday I had a half day of work, so Josh took off to Wrigleyville to discover where his parents lived during their time in Chicago. I met him up there at about 1:00 and we had lunch at Murphy’s Red Hots, where I had a burger and Josh, of course, had a famous Chicago hot dog (no ketchup!). After, we headed to Wrigley Field to check out where the cubs played and then made our way down to Lincoln Park where we had Molly’s cupcakes…YUM! We then stolled around Lincoln Park zoo and enjoyed the semi-nice weather and super fun animals. We grabbed Steve to go to dinner and ate some delicious pizza at Gino’s East and then went to our favorite bar – Guthrie’s for some Life, Balderdash and Scatagories.
Saturday, we went to brunch at a new place on North ave. called Elly’s. I was happy with my food, but they definitely could make some improvements on other things. Yelp review to come soon! We rode the Red line down to the Sears…pardon, Willis Tower and took in the city from 103 floors up. Steve had to go back for some studying after the tower, so Josh and I wandered down to the Museum campus to look at Soldier Field and the other beautiful buildings around there. We also got a great view of the city from the Planetarium, which extends out into the lake a bit. We rode the Red line back to Grand, where Josh and I sampled some of the local FroYo at Berry Chill. Then we headed home to get ready for dinner at the swanky new Purple Pig on Michigan and the Broadway musical, Avenue Q, with Steve and our friend Katelynn. While the restaurant left us a bit hungry and a little broke, it was fun to be somewhere on Chicago’s hot list. The play was fantastic and SO funny.
On Sunday, I was dying to check out the Celtic Fest in Millennium Park, so I took Josh with me while Steve studied and we enjoyed a few hours of Celtic music and dancing. Lunch on Sunday was at White Castle (well, Steve and Josh ate White Castle-- I had McDonalds) and then we drove around to look at Swedish Convent Hospital, where Josh was born. We drove through Devon Street to check out all the Indian restaurants, and then down to Hyde Park to show off the Law school and the UChi campus. We then decided to get in touch with our hipster side in Bucktown for dinner. We picked out Café Matou and had some fantastic French food and finished the night at the Map room, which is known for its great selection of beers.
On Monday, I went to work for another half day while Josh got to explore the Art Institute of Chicago. When he returned, we headed out for one last Chicago staple – a gyro from Five Faces ice cream by our house. I was sad as I rode down to the Blue Line with Josh to wish him well on his trip home. It’s so fun to have someone in your city to hang out with and show around. I’m so excited that he came to visit and look forward to exploring more of his city soon!
Now, Steve and I don’t have much going until my cousin Monica’s wedding in Carmel in June, so it’s back to the routine and the grind for a while. I’m excited for the next adventure!
On Thursday, Josh arrived in the loop via the Blue Line from O’Hare around noon. I met him, ate lunch at Panera Bread, and then took his stuff so he could explore the city until I got off at 4:30. During that time, he managed to walk all the way up to Navy Pier, jump on the train and check out the architecture building. After we arrived at the apartment, we all headed for some dinner at Mr. Beef – a famous Chicago Italian beef shop on the near west side. And so started my weekend of eating amazing(ly unhealthy!) food again.
Friday I had a half day of work, so Josh took off to Wrigleyville to discover where his parents lived during their time in Chicago. I met him up there at about 1:00 and we had lunch at Murphy’s Red Hots, where I had a burger and Josh, of course, had a famous Chicago hot dog (no ketchup!). After, we headed to Wrigley Field to check out where the cubs played and then made our way down to Lincoln Park where we had Molly’s cupcakes…YUM! We then stolled around Lincoln Park zoo and enjoyed the semi-nice weather and super fun animals. We grabbed Steve to go to dinner and ate some delicious pizza at Gino’s East and then went to our favorite bar – Guthrie’s for some Life, Balderdash and Scatagories.
Saturday, we went to brunch at a new place on North ave. called Elly’s. I was happy with my food, but they definitely could make some improvements on other things. Yelp review to come soon! We rode the Red line down to the Sears…pardon, Willis Tower and took in the city from 103 floors up. Steve had to go back for some studying after the tower, so Josh and I wandered down to the Museum campus to look at Soldier Field and the other beautiful buildings around there. We also got a great view of the city from the Planetarium, which extends out into the lake a bit. We rode the Red line back to Grand, where Josh and I sampled some of the local FroYo at Berry Chill. Then we headed home to get ready for dinner at the swanky new Purple Pig on Michigan and the Broadway musical, Avenue Q, with Steve and our friend Katelynn. While the restaurant left us a bit hungry and a little broke, it was fun to be somewhere on Chicago’s hot list. The play was fantastic and SO funny.
On Sunday, I was dying to check out the Celtic Fest in Millennium Park, so I took Josh with me while Steve studied and we enjoyed a few hours of Celtic music and dancing. Lunch on Sunday was at White Castle (well, Steve and Josh ate White Castle-- I had McDonalds) and then we drove around to look at Swedish Convent Hospital, where Josh was born. We drove through Devon Street to check out all the Indian restaurants, and then down to Hyde Park to show off the Law school and the UChi campus. We then decided to get in touch with our hipster side in Bucktown for dinner. We picked out Café Matou and had some fantastic French food and finished the night at the Map room, which is known for its great selection of beers.
On Monday, I went to work for another half day while Josh got to explore the Art Institute of Chicago. When he returned, we headed out for one last Chicago staple – a gyro from Five Faces ice cream by our house. I was sad as I rode down to the Blue Line with Josh to wish him well on his trip home. It’s so fun to have someone in your city to hang out with and show around. I’m so excited that he came to visit and look forward to exploring more of his city soon!
Now, Steve and I don’t have much going until my cousin Monica’s wedding in Carmel in June, so it’s back to the routine and the grind for a while. I’m excited for the next adventure!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Hurry Up, Weekend!
I’m happy to announce that I did in fact make it to the gym three times last week, and walked two miles home for the other two work days. I feel stronger already. :)
I did kickboxing yesterday and tried to work out my arms extra hard. I really want to tone them up before the wedding, since that is the main body part that is sure to be exposed no matter what dress I get. I’m on track to swim tomorrow, but the rest of the week gets busy. A good kind of busy!
My friend Josh, whom I have known since high school, is coming to Chicago on Thursday to visit for four days! I’m pretty stoked for him to see the city. He is from LA and has never been back since he was born here some 23 years ago. We’re going to see Avenue Q, and do all kinds of fun Chicago things. I think that the walking we will do will be a pretty good workout, and I’m going to try REALLY hard not to eat terribly while he is here.
In other news, I have gone a little wedding nuts. I joined herecomestheguide.com and theknot.com and have been using them to find venues, colors ideas and so, so much more. It’s so hard for me because I want to start planning, but since we don’t live in the state that we are getting married in, I can’t book any appointments to see places or interview caterers, etc. We’re still not even sure if we’re going to have the wedding in Monterey area, or Palo Alto area. I still have quite a bit of time, so I am trying not to stress too much, and my cousin’s wedding in Carmel this June will be a good learning experience too.
This weekend can’t come soon enough!
I did kickboxing yesterday and tried to work out my arms extra hard. I really want to tone them up before the wedding, since that is the main body part that is sure to be exposed no matter what dress I get. I’m on track to swim tomorrow, but the rest of the week gets busy. A good kind of busy!
My friend Josh, whom I have known since high school, is coming to Chicago on Thursday to visit for four days! I’m pretty stoked for him to see the city. He is from LA and has never been back since he was born here some 23 years ago. We’re going to see Avenue Q, and do all kinds of fun Chicago things. I think that the walking we will do will be a pretty good workout, and I’m going to try REALLY hard not to eat terribly while he is here.
In other news, I have gone a little wedding nuts. I joined herecomestheguide.com and theknot.com and have been using them to find venues, colors ideas and so, so much more. It’s so hard for me because I want to start planning, but since we don’t live in the state that we are getting married in, I can’t book any appointments to see places or interview caterers, etc. We’re still not even sure if we’re going to have the wedding in Monterey area, or Palo Alto area. I still have quite a bit of time, so I am trying not to stress too much, and my cousin’s wedding in Carmel this June will be a good learning experience too.
This weekend can’t come soon enough!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Back At It
I knew that when I joined Bally, I would have a hard time staying motivated after a few months. I’m not a huge fan of working out. I like doing things that are fun first, and then good exercise second, like dancing, walking, rollerblading and swimming. Also, it helps if I’m good at it.
Truth is, I have not been to the gym three times in one week since the end of March. And while I do have a bit of an excuse – sickness, vacations, visitors. It’s painfully obvious that I have not been losing weight and been eating like, um, I’m on vacation. My lack of motivation, mixed with events that conveniently get in the way of my routine has made me lazy and lowered my self-esteem because of it.
Case in point – last week: I usually do kickboxing on Mondays and swim Wednesdays and Fridays. Since it’s no longer a frozen tundra outside, I have also taken to walking the two miles to my house from work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Last week I did go to kickboxing and walked home on Tuesday. But, my Fiancé, friend and I went to see Billy Elliot on Wednesday, my boyfriend picked me up from work on Thursday, and we had dinner at our friends’ house on Friday (however, I did manage to walk home that day). Since it rained outside all weekend, I only left the house to get groceries, and did nothing in the way of exercise all weekend.
This week, to my knowledge, I have nothing planned during the week. I have decided it’s going to be the week to kick my butt back into the routine. Healthy eating, and just less eating in general, needs to be on the agenda too. Not only do I have the summer weather to get thinner for, but I also have a wedding in the distant – but not too distant - future (we’re thinking next August).
SO – here is to getting back into the routine, feeling better, looking better and being healthier for all that lies ahead.
Truth is, I have not been to the gym three times in one week since the end of March. And while I do have a bit of an excuse – sickness, vacations, visitors. It’s painfully obvious that I have not been losing weight and been eating like, um, I’m on vacation. My lack of motivation, mixed with events that conveniently get in the way of my routine has made me lazy and lowered my self-esteem because of it.
Case in point – last week: I usually do kickboxing on Mondays and swim Wednesdays and Fridays. Since it’s no longer a frozen tundra outside, I have also taken to walking the two miles to my house from work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Last week I did go to kickboxing and walked home on Tuesday. But, my Fiancé, friend and I went to see Billy Elliot on Wednesday, my boyfriend picked me up from work on Thursday, and we had dinner at our friends’ house on Friday (however, I did manage to walk home that day). Since it rained outside all weekend, I only left the house to get groceries, and did nothing in the way of exercise all weekend.
This week, to my knowledge, I have nothing planned during the week. I have decided it’s going to be the week to kick my butt back into the routine. Healthy eating, and just less eating in general, needs to be on the agenda too. Not only do I have the summer weather to get thinner for, but I also have a wedding in the distant – but not too distant - future (we’re thinking next August).
SO – here is to getting back into the routine, feeling better, looking better and being healthier for all that lies ahead.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Seeing the Windy City Sights
As I watched my cousin and her fiancé, Daniel, walk through the doors for Midway Airport to the terminal, I felt myself getting a little homesick for the west coast and for my family. In the four short days that they had been in our apartment in Chicago, I had grown every attached to having them around to explore the city with.
And explore we did! They arrived from Los Angeles on Friday afternoon, so we decided to put their 3-day train passes to good use and take them to Lou Malnatti’s pizza so they could have true authentic deep dish. We spend the rest of the night chatting and catching up before we went to bed to get ready for the weekend.
It’s amazing all of the sights and places that we crammed into their visit. Saturday was brunch and Ann Sather’s (excellent), a trip to Wrigleyville to see the Cub’s stadium, a walk from our apartment on Division to Navy Pier, the Ferris Wheel, vodka snow cones, a trip down the Mag Mile, dinner at Old Town Pub and then lots of board games and booze at Guthrie’s in Lakeview. So many Yelp reviews to write, so little time!
Sunday was a little more laid back; we hung out at the apartment for a while and watched WAY too much food network, because when we finally did go out the door, we were craving the Mac and Cheese dish we just saw. We drove them to the Sears…oh, excuse me…Willis Tower, down to Steve’s school on the south side, the United Center and then to Dominick’s where we picked up the ingredients to make Mac and Cheese. It was good, if we do say so ourselves! We then took a quick drive to Lincoln Park for Molly’s Cupcakes and Red Mango. A VERY sweet way to end the weekend indeed!
On Monday, I worked a half day, and when I arrived back home at noon, we went for some lunch at Corner Bakery and then headed down to the Museum of Science and Industry. We looked at the U-boat, the coalmine and explored storms, trains and planes. When Steve got out of school at 6:00, we headed to the Mity Nice grill for dinner, then up to the John Hancock lounge for some spendy drinks! The view, though, was SO worth it.
Tuesday was the day they were leaving, but I took another half day and we managed to squeeze in some Italian beef from Five Faces Ice Cream on Division, and then a quick trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo to see the wolves, bears, lions and monkeys. I was so sad when I finally dropped them off at the airport at 5:00 that afternoon. I wished so much that we lived closer to each other so we could hang out more often than a few times a year. Perhaps one day, that will happen. It meant so very much for them to come all the way to see me and the city.
Overall, it was a wonderfully exhausting weekend. It’s odd to have such and empty house. Now, I guess, it’s back to reality. With all the trips and visits, my gym attendance has gone WAY down and my diet has been awful (but SO yummy). It’s time to get back on routine to be ready for summer and get prepared for all the adventures yet to be scheduled!
And explore we did! They arrived from Los Angeles on Friday afternoon, so we decided to put their 3-day train passes to good use and take them to Lou Malnatti’s pizza so they could have true authentic deep dish. We spend the rest of the night chatting and catching up before we went to bed to get ready for the weekend.
It’s amazing all of the sights and places that we crammed into their visit. Saturday was brunch and Ann Sather’s (excellent), a trip to Wrigleyville to see the Cub’s stadium, a walk from our apartment on Division to Navy Pier, the Ferris Wheel, vodka snow cones, a trip down the Mag Mile, dinner at Old Town Pub and then lots of board games and booze at Guthrie’s in Lakeview. So many Yelp reviews to write, so little time!
Sunday was a little more laid back; we hung out at the apartment for a while and watched WAY too much food network, because when we finally did go out the door, we were craving the Mac and Cheese dish we just saw. We drove them to the Sears…oh, excuse me…Willis Tower, down to Steve’s school on the south side, the United Center and then to Dominick’s where we picked up the ingredients to make Mac and Cheese. It was good, if we do say so ourselves! We then took a quick drive to Lincoln Park for Molly’s Cupcakes and Red Mango. A VERY sweet way to end the weekend indeed!
On Monday, I worked a half day, and when I arrived back home at noon, we went for some lunch at Corner Bakery and then headed down to the Museum of Science and Industry. We looked at the U-boat, the coalmine and explored storms, trains and planes. When Steve got out of school at 6:00, we headed to the Mity Nice grill for dinner, then up to the John Hancock lounge for some spendy drinks! The view, though, was SO worth it.
Tuesday was the day they were leaving, but I took another half day and we managed to squeeze in some Italian beef from Five Faces Ice Cream on Division, and then a quick trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo to see the wolves, bears, lions and monkeys. I was so sad when I finally dropped them off at the airport at 5:00 that afternoon. I wished so much that we lived closer to each other so we could hang out more often than a few times a year. Perhaps one day, that will happen. It meant so very much for them to come all the way to see me and the city.
Overall, it was a wonderfully exhausting weekend. It’s odd to have such and empty house. Now, I guess, it’s back to reality. With all the trips and visits, my gym attendance has gone WAY down and my diet has been awful (but SO yummy). It’s time to get back on routine to be ready for summer and get prepared for all the adventures yet to be scheduled!
Friday, April 2, 2010
In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of... There's nothing you can't do...
Day 3 – Saturday, March 27th:
We didn’t really have any reason to get up early Saturday morning, so I slept in until about 9:00 and Steve again got out of bed an hour later or so. We went to this amazing little diner called Madison’s and had some of the best French Toast of our lives. I was still bummed from the day before that I begged Steve to go back to Battery Park to see if we could hop on a tour to Liberty Island. He agreed and we bought a Subway ticket and rode the E train down to Battery Park. When we got there, there was a HUGE line stemming from the ferries. I knew that was not a good sign. Upon asking at the ticket counter, we found out that it would be two hours to get on a ferry. I wanted to see the Statue, but I didn’t want to waste our entire day in line. So, still disappointed, we bagged it and headed back to downtown on the Subway.
We got off at Grand Central, and then walked to Rockefeller Center, where we bought tickets to go about 70 stories up to “The Top of the Rock.” We took some great pictures of the city below, and tried to catch a glimpse of any famous TV stars. No luck. After we went down, we walked around and located the New York office of Steve’s future employer: Ropes and Gray. We then headed to central park, but not before stopping to grab some Pinkberry. Central Park was gorgeous. It is the oddest thing to see such a huge, lush park in the middle of a big city. There are tons of fountains, lakes vegetation, and street performers. We walked to Strawberry Fields and then up to Belvedere Castle and took tons of pics along the way.
We had decided to get and early dinner of New York Pizza down at a place that our bus tour guide recommended the day before. It was called John's of Bleeker Street and it was actually right next to Rocco’s in Greenwich Village. After walking back downtown to check to see if the ticket booth under the red stairs was packed (it was), we rode the train down and ordered some yummy NY pizza. I still think Chicago’s Deep Dish takes the prize, but I can see how New Yorkers think their thin crust is the best. We did some souvenir shopping and then headed back up to our hotel on the train to take a rest before going out later.
We wanted to watch the NCAA games that were playing, so we chose a neighborhood bar called the Stag’s Head to watch them in. It was really low key and the drinks were pretty good. We also got some raspberry chocolate cake for dessert! Now, I realize that NY has a ton of bars and clubs to go out in, but Steve and I are kind of low-key and we weren’t really ready to go to the hotel yet after the game. So, we decided to go and see a movie! We took a cab to the nearest theater and watch How to Train Your Dragon in 3D. It was a silly way to spend a late night it NY, but we had a blast and the movie was so good! After it was over, we headed to the hotel in cab and went to bed to prepare for our last day.
Day 4 – Sunday, March 28th:
Our plane didn’t leave until 8:00 pm on Sunday night, so we honestly had another full day to explore the city. We had breakfast in our hotel at the Top of the Tower. The appearance of the restaurant was not that great, but I did enjoy my goat cheese omelet and it was convenient. I had been brainstorming since Saturday how we could see the Statue of Liberty up close, and after looking around a bit in the business center (which didn’t work very well) at the hotel, I had found a two-hour harbor cruise at 1:00 pm that went right next to both Liberty island and Ellis Island! Steve was game, so we cabbed it to the Circle Line boat tour on the piers at the west side of the city. We were early, so we had no problem getting tickets or a seat next to the window. It was raining that day, so an indoor boat tour was really the best way to spend our time. Our tour guide was fun and had lots of great information. When we sailed by the statue, I headed outside to stand in the rain and proceeded to take tons of pics of the Statue. I could see her beautiful green color and look right into her eyes. I loved it and both Steve and I were SO glad that we decided to go on the tour.
After we got off the boat, we grabbed a cab back to our hotel and had some lunch at Nations café. This was honestly the worse part of the trip. The service wasn’t good and the turkey sandwich that I ordered was literally bread, dry turkey and lettuce. No dressings (I had to ask for mustard) and no pizzazz. I was not impressed. The Manhattan chowder was average too. Oh well, it was food and it was fast. It wasn't quite time to go, so we headed up the street to Pinkberry for some dessert. We reflected on the awesome trip and could see ourselves living here for a few years maybe someday....maybe. :) We walked back to the hotel and our car service that had been arranged to take us to the airport was there. We had stored our luggage after we checked out that morning, so we grabbed it and were wisked to the airport. Our driver didn't speak a word of English and he took some bizarre back roads, but we got there in plenty of time. Good thing too...because we were actually dropped off at the wrong terminal and had to take the bus to where we were supposed to be!
As we flew out of La Guardia, we were so tired but so happy and excited about all that we had seen and done. We had fairly nice weather the entire trip and did most everything that we had set out to do. I can’t wait until we can go back again! It was truly a trip to remember.
We didn’t really have any reason to get up early Saturday morning, so I slept in until about 9:00 and Steve again got out of bed an hour later or so. We went to this amazing little diner called Madison’s and had some of the best French Toast of our lives. I was still bummed from the day before that I begged Steve to go back to Battery Park to see if we could hop on a tour to Liberty Island. He agreed and we bought a Subway ticket and rode the E train down to Battery Park. When we got there, there was a HUGE line stemming from the ferries. I knew that was not a good sign. Upon asking at the ticket counter, we found out that it would be two hours to get on a ferry. I wanted to see the Statue, but I didn’t want to waste our entire day in line. So, still disappointed, we bagged it and headed back to downtown on the Subway.
We got off at Grand Central, and then walked to Rockefeller Center, where we bought tickets to go about 70 stories up to “The Top of the Rock.” We took some great pictures of the city below, and tried to catch a glimpse of any famous TV stars. No luck. After we went down, we walked around and located the New York office of Steve’s future employer: Ropes and Gray. We then headed to central park, but not before stopping to grab some Pinkberry. Central Park was gorgeous. It is the oddest thing to see such a huge, lush park in the middle of a big city. There are tons of fountains, lakes vegetation, and street performers. We walked to Strawberry Fields and then up to Belvedere Castle and took tons of pics along the way.
We had decided to get and early dinner of New York Pizza down at a place that our bus tour guide recommended the day before. It was called John's of Bleeker Street and it was actually right next to Rocco’s in Greenwich Village. After walking back downtown to check to see if the ticket booth under the red stairs was packed (it was), we rode the train down and ordered some yummy NY pizza. I still think Chicago’s Deep Dish takes the prize, but I can see how New Yorkers think their thin crust is the best. We did some souvenir shopping and then headed back up to our hotel on the train to take a rest before going out later.
We wanted to watch the NCAA games that were playing, so we chose a neighborhood bar called the Stag’s Head to watch them in. It was really low key and the drinks were pretty good. We also got some raspberry chocolate cake for dessert! Now, I realize that NY has a ton of bars and clubs to go out in, but Steve and I are kind of low-key and we weren’t really ready to go to the hotel yet after the game. So, we decided to go and see a movie! We took a cab to the nearest theater and watch How to Train Your Dragon in 3D. It was a silly way to spend a late night it NY, but we had a blast and the movie was so good! After it was over, we headed to the hotel in cab and went to bed to prepare for our last day.
Day 4 – Sunday, March 28th:
Our plane didn’t leave until 8:00 pm on Sunday night, so we honestly had another full day to explore the city. We had breakfast in our hotel at the Top of the Tower. The appearance of the restaurant was not that great, but I did enjoy my goat cheese omelet and it was convenient. I had been brainstorming since Saturday how we could see the Statue of Liberty up close, and after looking around a bit in the business center (which didn’t work very well) at the hotel, I had found a two-hour harbor cruise at 1:00 pm that went right next to both Liberty island and Ellis Island! Steve was game, so we cabbed it to the Circle Line boat tour on the piers at the west side of the city. We were early, so we had no problem getting tickets or a seat next to the window. It was raining that day, so an indoor boat tour was really the best way to spend our time. Our tour guide was fun and had lots of great information. When we sailed by the statue, I headed outside to stand in the rain and proceeded to take tons of pics of the Statue. I could see her beautiful green color and look right into her eyes. I loved it and both Steve and I were SO glad that we decided to go on the tour.
After we got off the boat, we grabbed a cab back to our hotel and had some lunch at Nations café. This was honestly the worse part of the trip. The service wasn’t good and the turkey sandwich that I ordered was literally bread, dry turkey and lettuce. No dressings (I had to ask for mustard) and no pizzazz. I was not impressed. The Manhattan chowder was average too. Oh well, it was food and it was fast. It wasn't quite time to go, so we headed up the street to Pinkberry for some dessert. We reflected on the awesome trip and could see ourselves living here for a few years maybe someday....maybe. :) We walked back to the hotel and our car service that had been arranged to take us to the airport was there. We had stored our luggage after we checked out that morning, so we grabbed it and were wisked to the airport. Our driver didn't speak a word of English and he took some bizarre back roads, but we got there in plenty of time. Good thing too...because we were actually dropped off at the wrong terminal and had to take the bus to where we were supposed to be!
As we flew out of La Guardia, we were so tired but so happy and excited about all that we had seen and done. We had fairly nice weather the entire trip and did most everything that we had set out to do. I can’t wait until we can go back again! It was truly a trip to remember.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Let's Hear it for New York, New York, New Yoooooork!
So much has happened in the last two weeks that I can hardly wrap my brain around it! In addition to the excitement of getting engaged, Steve and I had a New York trip to look forward to! Neither of us had ever been, so we were looking forward to exploring the city together and celebrating our new Fiancé and Fiancée statuses! I’m in SUCH a hurry to write down everything that we did for fear that I won’t remember…even though I took about 300 pictures while we where there. Find the shorter version of the album on Facebook or here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2310120&id=11501957&l=ac5dc96bda
Day 1 – Thursday, March 25th:
I took a half day off work and we flew out on 2:00 from Midway to La Guardia. We were worried that traffic was going to be terrible, because we arrived at 5:00 pm, but we had an uneventful cab ride to the Beekman Tower Hotel, which was perfectly situated on 49th and 1st, right in Midtown East. The area reminded us a lot of the Gold Coast here in Chicago, because it was about ten blocks to the heart of the city, but the area where the actual hotel was located was quiet and residential. The Hotel itself was nothing to write home about, it was older, but the room was a pretty good size and it had a full kitchen. Everything worked and was clean, so I was satisfied with our choice. Or…I guess it was Priceline’s choice….we did the Name Your Own Price option so we could get it for less.
It was such a beautiful day, that we couldn’t wait to get outside and explore. We needed to go downtown to pick up our tickets for the bus tour the next day, so we decided to walk. We saw Fifth Ave, the Waldorf Hotel, Grand Central (which was phenomenally huge), stopped to take pictures in Bryant Park (where Steve randomly saw someone that he had met at U of O) and finally wound up in front of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in Times Square to pick up our bus tickets for http://www.citysightsny.com/. We then grabbed a burger at Burger Heaven, which was pretty good, and headed in a cab back to our Hotel to get ready for the next day.
Day 2 – Friday, March 26th:
I was up bright and early at 7:30 because our bus tour started at 8:00. I knew that there was no way that we would be getting there that early. Steve finally dragged himself out of bed and we headed down to the tour stop by the Waldorf Hotel around 10:00. We stopped for breakfast at The Local Store, a little bakery that looked cute. We weren't very impressed with the portions for the price though, and knew we would be hungry soon. After breakfast, we waited about a half hour for the bus to come…not a great first impression. They claimed there was a fire on one of the buses…but I don’t know. The tour was fun – three of the four guides were really funny and told us tons of interesting facts about the city. They were very much your typical New York locals. We hopped off at Greenwich Village because Steve wanted to grab a Pastrami sandwich from the famous Katz’s deli, where a scene from When Harry Met Sally was filmed. The place was packed and it cost up 15 bucks EACH for a pastrami sandwich, but it was some of the most tender and flavorful meat that I have ever eaten.
We then wandered town to a place that our tour guide recommended – Rocco’s. It was a bakery and I about drooled all over myself when I walked it. A long line of counters revealed rows and rows of cakes, pastries, cookies, candies and any other insulin-shock inducing food you could think of. We settled on a few treats and headed over to NYU Law School because Steve wanted to have a look. The campus was okay, but I don’t think I’d like it being smack in the middle of the city like that.
We hopped back on the bus in SoHo (South of Houston street) and then rode down to Ground Zero – the World Trade Center site. For me, seeing the new buildings being put up to replace them really made the horrific events of that day a little more real. After, we walked past Trinity Church and down Wall Street. We got lost for a little bit, until we finally found the road that would lead us to Battery Park on the South end of the Island. You can see the Statue of Liberty from there. I have to say that I was disappointed though. I didn’t realize how far away the statue was from the park. She just looked like a shadow in the background and I really longed to get a closer look. That look would eventually come on Sunday.
After resting a bit, we got back on the bus and finished the tour, which dropped us at the United Nations building, about five blocks from our hotel. We rested a bit and then got dressed and ready to see the Lion King on Broadway. After arriving near the theater, we grabbed a very quick dinner at McDonald's and made our way to our seats. The theater was pretty modern…not like the ones we’ve been in when we go to plays in Chicago. There was lots of legroom and a lack of old fashioned decorations that I love about old theaters. We had pretty good seats – third row on the balcony – and we ABSOLUTELY enjoyed every minute of the play. The dialogue was almost exactly like the movie, although there were more songs. I loved how they made the people look like the animals and the singing was amazing. We were very happy to have had such a pleasant Broadway experience. We were exhausted from our very long day, so we went back to the hotel and crashed.
The last two days of our amazing trip shall be continued in another post…
Day 1 – Thursday, March 25th:
I took a half day off work and we flew out on 2:00 from Midway to La Guardia. We were worried that traffic was going to be terrible, because we arrived at 5:00 pm, but we had an uneventful cab ride to the Beekman Tower Hotel, which was perfectly situated on 49th and 1st, right in Midtown East. The area reminded us a lot of the Gold Coast here in Chicago, because it was about ten blocks to the heart of the city, but the area where the actual hotel was located was quiet and residential. The Hotel itself was nothing to write home about, it was older, but the room was a pretty good size and it had a full kitchen. Everything worked and was clean, so I was satisfied with our choice. Or…I guess it was Priceline’s choice….we did the Name Your Own Price option so we could get it for less.
It was such a beautiful day, that we couldn’t wait to get outside and explore. We needed to go downtown to pick up our tickets for the bus tour the next day, so we decided to walk. We saw Fifth Ave, the Waldorf Hotel, Grand Central (which was phenomenally huge), stopped to take pictures in Bryant Park (where Steve randomly saw someone that he had met at U of O) and finally wound up in front of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in Times Square to pick up our bus tickets for http://www.citysightsny.com/. We then grabbed a burger at Burger Heaven, which was pretty good, and headed in a cab back to our Hotel to get ready for the next day.
Day 2 – Friday, March 26th:
I was up bright and early at 7:30 because our bus tour started at 8:00. I knew that there was no way that we would be getting there that early. Steve finally dragged himself out of bed and we headed down to the tour stop by the Waldorf Hotel around 10:00. We stopped for breakfast at The Local Store, a little bakery that looked cute. We weren't very impressed with the portions for the price though, and knew we would be hungry soon. After breakfast, we waited about a half hour for the bus to come…not a great first impression. They claimed there was a fire on one of the buses…but I don’t know. The tour was fun – three of the four guides were really funny and told us tons of interesting facts about the city. They were very much your typical New York locals. We hopped off at Greenwich Village because Steve wanted to grab a Pastrami sandwich from the famous Katz’s deli, where a scene from When Harry Met Sally was filmed. The place was packed and it cost up 15 bucks EACH for a pastrami sandwich, but it was some of the most tender and flavorful meat that I have ever eaten.
We then wandered town to a place that our tour guide recommended – Rocco’s. It was a bakery and I about drooled all over myself when I walked it. A long line of counters revealed rows and rows of cakes, pastries, cookies, candies and any other insulin-shock inducing food you could think of. We settled on a few treats and headed over to NYU Law School because Steve wanted to have a look. The campus was okay, but I don’t think I’d like it being smack in the middle of the city like that.
We hopped back on the bus in SoHo (South of Houston street) and then rode down to Ground Zero – the World Trade Center site. For me, seeing the new buildings being put up to replace them really made the horrific events of that day a little more real. After, we walked past Trinity Church and down Wall Street. We got lost for a little bit, until we finally found the road that would lead us to Battery Park on the South end of the Island. You can see the Statue of Liberty from there. I have to say that I was disappointed though. I didn’t realize how far away the statue was from the park. She just looked like a shadow in the background and I really longed to get a closer look. That look would eventually come on Sunday.
After resting a bit, we got back on the bus and finished the tour, which dropped us at the United Nations building, about five blocks from our hotel. We rested a bit and then got dressed and ready to see the Lion King on Broadway. After arriving near the theater, we grabbed a very quick dinner at McDonald's and made our way to our seats. The theater was pretty modern…not like the ones we’ve been in when we go to plays in Chicago. There was lots of legroom and a lack of old fashioned decorations that I love about old theaters. We had pretty good seats – third row on the balcony – and we ABSOLUTELY enjoyed every minute of the play. The dialogue was almost exactly like the movie, although there were more songs. I loved how they made the people look like the animals and the singing was amazing. We were very happy to have had such a pleasant Broadway experience. We were exhausted from our very long day, so we went back to the hotel and crashed.
The last two days of our amazing trip shall be continued in another post…
Monday, March 29, 2010
Miss Lindsay of... Green !?!
About 9,000 things have happened since I last blogged. But most notably – I’m now to become Lindsay Kelly Green in the near future!
Steven and I are now engaged! And that crafty Fiancé of mine gave me a great story to tell about how it happened…
As I wrote about before, I took a trip back to the hometown of Sisters, Oregon on March 18th. The weather was gorgeous for most of the time and I had a blast with my parents and brother when we went to see the Irish Rovers in concert at the Bend Theater. I was settling down in my parent’s house on Sunday night, getting ready for dinner and thinking about my trip home the next day, when Steve called. I first noticed that he sounded like he was in the car…but quickly shook it off as he asked me about the day, and what I was having for dinner. After about 10 mins, he quickly said, “I have to go…call you back in a few.” Thinking nothing of it, I hung up and went back to whatever I was doing on the computer.
Not three seconds later, the doorbell rang. I was in my sweatpants…and since I wasn’t expecting anyone, I didn’t get up to answer it. Then my dad told me to get the door. Imagine my surprise when my boyfriend – who was supposed to be in Chicago – was standing there on my parent’s doorstep in Sisters, Oregon. My little brother had brought him from the Redmond Airport.
My brain literally “did not compute” for about 3 seconds. I had no idea who he was or why he was standing there. I didn’t even let him in the house until he asked, “can I come in?” about one minute later. I finally hugged him and everything started to rush through my head at once—like when the hero in a movie finally puts all the missing pieces together and figures out the problem (and the audience sees it in flashbacks).
Flash 1: Dad took me dress shopping, playing it off as if I would wear the dress to the concert the night before. Then, suddenly, changed his mine the day off and told me to save the dress we got for a different time.
Flash 2: Although mom thought it would be better to have our Mock Easter Dinner (cause I wouldn’t be home for the holiday) on Sunday night, Dad insisted we had it on Saturday instead.
Flash 3: Mom had asked about dinner Sunday night about an hour earlier, and was going to start making it. But dad insisted we wait a bit longer because he wasn’t hungry. When my mom asked again a half hour later, dad said to start it in 20 more minutes.
Flash 4: Dad decided that we wouldn’t go into Bend to watch Jared play hockey on Sunday night.
Flash 5: Steve totally sounded like he was in the car while on the phone.
I’m sure there were many more, but this is what I remember. And, as you can tell from the above, my Dad and brother were the only ones that knew what was going on (Steve had called to ask Dad for permission a few weeks before to set it all up). I didn’t know for sure…but I was 90 percent sure when I found Steve on the step, that he was there to propose.
But, instead of kneeling down right on the stoop, Steve told me that we had reservations for the Blacksmith. According to Yelp, this is the best place to get a steak in Bend. We arrived early, had a few drinks, and then were brought to our booth and ordered our dinner. We had amazing crab fondue and our steaks were so tender and delicious. I was still half in shock and TOTALLY nervous when we finished eating. It seems so odd how I reacted now…because we’ve been a couple for five and a half years, and have lived together for all five and a half of them.
After dinner, he put his arm around me, said something like, "Well, I lied, I actually planned this out long in advance. We've had some good times together, huh?" He then slid off the booth and onto one knee as he presented the ring and asked the question I knew was coming. I teared up a bit, said yes immediately and we spent the rest of the evening there cuddling and admiring the beautiful ring. When we got home to Sisters, my parents congratulated us and we had some Champagne. It was truly an engagement to remember and we’re so thrilled and giddy about it even still!!! We don’t have any plans on a date yet or anything, but I will be sure to update often.
So, although not much has changed other than the lovely addition to my left hand, we made our trip to New York this past weekend and had great celebration of our new status. And since this blog is a book already, I will save the wonders of the Big Apple for tomorrow’s post!
Steven and I are now engaged! And that crafty Fiancé of mine gave me a great story to tell about how it happened…
As I wrote about before, I took a trip back to the hometown of Sisters, Oregon on March 18th. The weather was gorgeous for most of the time and I had a blast with my parents and brother when we went to see the Irish Rovers in concert at the Bend Theater. I was settling down in my parent’s house on Sunday night, getting ready for dinner and thinking about my trip home the next day, when Steve called. I first noticed that he sounded like he was in the car…but quickly shook it off as he asked me about the day, and what I was having for dinner. After about 10 mins, he quickly said, “I have to go…call you back in a few.” Thinking nothing of it, I hung up and went back to whatever I was doing on the computer.
Not three seconds later, the doorbell rang. I was in my sweatpants…and since I wasn’t expecting anyone, I didn’t get up to answer it. Then my dad told me to get the door. Imagine my surprise when my boyfriend – who was supposed to be in Chicago – was standing there on my parent’s doorstep in Sisters, Oregon. My little brother had brought him from the Redmond Airport.
My brain literally “did not compute” for about 3 seconds. I had no idea who he was or why he was standing there. I didn’t even let him in the house until he asked, “can I come in?” about one minute later. I finally hugged him and everything started to rush through my head at once—like when the hero in a movie finally puts all the missing pieces together and figures out the problem (and the audience sees it in flashbacks).
Flash 1: Dad took me dress shopping, playing it off as if I would wear the dress to the concert the night before. Then, suddenly, changed his mine the day off and told me to save the dress we got for a different time.
Flash 2: Although mom thought it would be better to have our Mock Easter Dinner (cause I wouldn’t be home for the holiday) on Sunday night, Dad insisted we had it on Saturday instead.
Flash 3: Mom had asked about dinner Sunday night about an hour earlier, and was going to start making it. But dad insisted we wait a bit longer because he wasn’t hungry. When my mom asked again a half hour later, dad said to start it in 20 more minutes.
Flash 4: Dad decided that we wouldn’t go into Bend to watch Jared play hockey on Sunday night.
Flash 5: Steve totally sounded like he was in the car while on the phone.
I’m sure there were many more, but this is what I remember. And, as you can tell from the above, my Dad and brother were the only ones that knew what was going on (Steve had called to ask Dad for permission a few weeks before to set it all up). I didn’t know for sure…but I was 90 percent sure when I found Steve on the step, that he was there to propose.
But, instead of kneeling down right on the stoop, Steve told me that we had reservations for the Blacksmith. According to Yelp, this is the best place to get a steak in Bend. We arrived early, had a few drinks, and then were brought to our booth and ordered our dinner. We had amazing crab fondue and our steaks were so tender and delicious. I was still half in shock and TOTALLY nervous when we finished eating. It seems so odd how I reacted now…because we’ve been a couple for five and a half years, and have lived together for all five and a half of them.
After dinner, he put his arm around me, said something like, "Well, I lied, I actually planned this out long in advance. We've had some good times together, huh?" He then slid off the booth and onto one knee as he presented the ring and asked the question I knew was coming. I teared up a bit, said yes immediately and we spent the rest of the evening there cuddling and admiring the beautiful ring. When we got home to Sisters, my parents congratulated us and we had some Champagne. It was truly an engagement to remember and we’re so thrilled and giddy about it even still!!! We don’t have any plans on a date yet or anything, but I will be sure to update often.
So, although not much has changed other than the lovely addition to my left hand, we made our trip to New York this past weekend and had great celebration of our new status. And since this blog is a book already, I will save the wonders of the Big Apple for tomorrow’s post!
Monday, March 8, 2010
A Short Lapse in Laps
So, I kinda fell off the wagon a bit with blogging. Certain ailments and antibiotic regimens have not allowed me to work out for a week and 1/3. And as my motivation for working out had dwindled, so did my motivation for blogging. Odd. I'll also chalk it up to two of the busiest weeks ever here at Cision. Hectic was an understatement last week.
Anyway, I got back in the mix last Wednesday with Hi Low Aerobics class. I'm so glad I don't take that class every week, because I've done that class only one other time about a month ago and I can swear to you that it was the SAME music and the SAME routine. Not that the workout is not effective...it could just get old. I highly prefer Monday's Kwando class. So I guess I'll just stick to swimming on Wednesdays and Fridays. It's odd how fat I feel after only taking a week off of the routine. I had forgotten how good working out makes you feel. I'm all ready to go for Kwando tonight though-- I even purchased a new gym bag at Target. It's a pink duffel bag, and it's only pink because it was the only color besides "Is that your bag or mine?" black. I would have bought a kickboard too, if Target would have had something besides Spiderman and Dora the Explorer plastered on the fronts.
Other than the short break from the gym, everything has been normal on the home front. Steve and I went to the Field Museum two Sundays ago to look at bones and diamonds and other cool things. We've also had a few more Poker Nights with law students, Happy Hours with Cision folks and lazy errand days.
Next weekend(!!!), I'm going home to Sisters, Oregon to visit the family. It'll be a much needed break from work and big city life. The weekend after that, Steve and I head to New York, NY for our very first visit to the Big Apple. I'm SUPER stoked about it. We're going to see the Lion King on Broadway and pack as many touristy things in as we can for the three days we'll be there.
AND, on April 8th, my cousin Melissa and her fiance, Daniel, will be visiting us here in Chicago! I can hardly contain myself from planning out every minute of their stay here. It's going to be so fun to show them the city!
Perhaps something I am looking forward to equally as much is the end of winter! Spring should hit Chicago soon (I hope)!
Anyway, I got back in the mix last Wednesday with Hi Low Aerobics class. I'm so glad I don't take that class every week, because I've done that class only one other time about a month ago and I can swear to you that it was the SAME music and the SAME routine. Not that the workout is not effective...it could just get old. I highly prefer Monday's Kwando class. So I guess I'll just stick to swimming on Wednesdays and Fridays. It's odd how fat I feel after only taking a week off of the routine. I had forgotten how good working out makes you feel. I'm all ready to go for Kwando tonight though-- I even purchased a new gym bag at Target. It's a pink duffel bag, and it's only pink because it was the only color besides "Is that your bag or mine?" black. I would have bought a kickboard too, if Target would have had something besides Spiderman and Dora the Explorer plastered on the fronts.
Other than the short break from the gym, everything has been normal on the home front. Steve and I went to the Field Museum two Sundays ago to look at bones and diamonds and other cool things. We've also had a few more Poker Nights with law students, Happy Hours with Cision folks and lazy errand days.
Next weekend(!!!), I'm going home to Sisters, Oregon to visit the family. It'll be a much needed break from work and big city life. The weekend after that, Steve and I head to New York, NY for our very first visit to the Big Apple. I'm SUPER stoked about it. We're going to see the Lion King on Broadway and pack as many touristy things in as we can for the three days we'll be there.
AND, on April 8th, my cousin Melissa and her fiance, Daniel, will be visiting us here in Chicago! I can hardly contain myself from planning out every minute of their stay here. It's going to be so fun to show them the city!
Perhaps something I am looking forward to equally as much is the end of winter! Spring should hit Chicago soon (I hope)!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Valentines Day = Throwing Calorie Counting Into The Wind
Everyone who swims at the gym must have read my blog post last week, because there was not a soul in the pool when I arrived for my workout on Friday at 5:00 pm. After thoroughly checking the area to make sure that there were no signs announcing a shark attack or rat infestation, I hopped in the first lane. There was only one guy who got in for the entire 60 mins that I was doing my workout. And just in case you're super concerned about me drowning if I do in fact have the pool all to myself - have no fear. Not only is the hot tub and sauna (which usually have people in them) about 10 feet away from the pool, but the pool itself is only about 3 and a half feet deep all the way across. It's a good idea in theory, but it might still be a little too shallow. Those big guys have a heck of a time with the underwater turns.
After my workout, I showered and went over to a friend's house to watch the opening of the Winter Olympics. I was pretty impressed with the opening ceremonies and wished the whole time that I was still on the west coast so I could take a jaunt up to Vancouver to check out the spectacle.
The weekend was pretty low key - I went shopping to find some new workout shoes (because I'm so hardcore now) and hung around the house. Sunday was the day of love - Valentines Day and Steve and I celebrated by going to Lawry's Prime Rib and having an excellent meal and a delightful evening. If you're into to it, check out my Yelp review (lindsaykell.yelp.com).
Monday's kwando (kickboxing) class was as brutal as always, but my endurance is up and I'm hardly sore for it. I look forward to my swimming workout today. It always makes my muscles relax and loosen up. It's disappointing that I haven't lost any weight yet...but I probably need to modify my diet along with this new exercise regimen and remind myself that just because I'm working out doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want.
Other than that, all is quiet on the home-front. The boyfriend is sick with head cold, which thankfully doesn't happen to often, because I don't dodge colds very well. Only time will tell if I can successfully keep my immune system in check and not catch it from him. I did my taxes last night and am totally not getting as much back as I thought-- bummer. February is almost over, and that means the worst of winter in Chicago is also almost over. I am massively looking forward to March, because I have a trip home to Oregon planned the 18-22 and a trip to New York (first-timers) with my boyfriend planned the 25-28. Both should be a VERY sweet (and much needed) break indeed!
After my workout, I showered and went over to a friend's house to watch the opening of the Winter Olympics. I was pretty impressed with the opening ceremonies and wished the whole time that I was still on the west coast so I could take a jaunt up to Vancouver to check out the spectacle.
The weekend was pretty low key - I went shopping to find some new workout shoes (because I'm so hardcore now) and hung around the house. Sunday was the day of love - Valentines Day and Steve and I celebrated by going to Lawry's Prime Rib and having an excellent meal and a delightful evening. If you're into to it, check out my Yelp review (lindsaykell.yelp.com).
Monday's kwando (kickboxing) class was as brutal as always, but my endurance is up and I'm hardly sore for it. I look forward to my swimming workout today. It always makes my muscles relax and loosen up. It's disappointing that I haven't lost any weight yet...but I probably need to modify my diet along with this new exercise regimen and remind myself that just because I'm working out doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want.
Other than that, all is quiet on the home-front. The boyfriend is sick with head cold, which thankfully doesn't happen to often, because I don't dodge colds very well. Only time will tell if I can successfully keep my immune system in check and not catch it from him. I did my taxes last night and am totally not getting as much back as I thought-- bummer. February is almost over, and that means the worst of winter in Chicago is also almost over. I am massively looking forward to March, because I have a trip home to Oregon planned the 18-22 and a trip to New York (first-timers) with my boyfriend planned the 25-28. Both should be a VERY sweet (and much needed) break indeed!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Adding Poeple to the (Pool) Party
When I got to the pool on Wednesday, it was more crowded than I had ever seen it. There were two people in every lane and another guy had jumped in to add three to a lane as soon I arrived. I've only been a member at this Bally for four weeks, but I'd never imagined it could get like this. So much for being one of the few.
In lane one was a girl who was swimming hardcore laps, along with some brave soul who had jumped in with her to swim right after I got there. The problem with the brave soul, was that when he started to "swim laps," he kept his head above water and doggy paddled down to the end of the lane. Maybe he'd just gelled his hair?!? This obviously didn't impress the hardcore swimmer, because she nearly ran him over with her vicious turns and strokes. I chuckled at the spectacle.
In the lane next to them, a third guy had jumped into an already crowded lane with two more good sized guys. He was pretty aggressive when he asked if he could join the lane, and although one of the guys in the pool tried his darnedest to hint that it probably wasn't a good idea, Mr. Aggressive got in anyway. They proceeded to swim in an awkward circle. I've swam in many a circle at the U of O, but those lanes we of Olympic size width and length. Three should not be done in these skinny, short Bally lanes.
The third lane was pretty unremarkable, as there were only two guys swimming side-by-side like normal lap swimmers. The last lane, also identified by a sign as the"Loafer Lane," held a small Asian woman and a girl that I recognized as one of the trainers at Bally. Said trainer was obviously giving the woman swimming lessons, because when she asked her trainee to swim to the end, the woman looked worse than hair-gel boy in the first lane. Needless to say, I raised my eyebrows in amazement that they would be doing this at 5:00 pm, the busiest time at the gym.
I then reflected on how quickly I had regained my former position of Pool Snob from the U of O rec pool. It was now I, who was rolling her eyes at the non-hardcore pool users. I felt ashamed for 2.5 seconds and then proceeded to stand at the end of the pool, hoping a lane would open up.
Five minutes later, one of guys in the third lane got out. If I was not such a Pool Snob, I might have waited to see if one of the guys in the three-lapper wanted to move over to swim. BUT, I instead rationalized that if Mr. Aggressive would have waited 7 more minutes, he would have had a lane with only one other person-- so I jumped in the pool.
It turned out to be an excellent choice because my lane partner got out about 10 minutes later. When I looked up, I realized that hair-gel boy, and one of the other guys in the three-lapper had also gotten out. I swam for the next half hour with a lane to myself, and was then joined by one of the "kick board twins," a name I've affectionately given to the two girls that swim around the same time as me, but use their kick boards to swim down the pool together and chat. I envy their cleverness, as Bally (as far as I know), does not store kick boards for gym use and I will need to upgrade my gym bag from my backpack before I consider buying one and hauling it around.
As I walked out of the gym after my workout, I saw the culprit that brought on the events of the day. The flyer read something like this-- "Want to add something new to your work out? Training for a Triathalon? Come check out our pool! See Heather for details." Great.
In lane one was a girl who was swimming hardcore laps, along with some brave soul who had jumped in with her to swim right after I got there. The problem with the brave soul, was that when he started to "swim laps," he kept his head above water and doggy paddled down to the end of the lane. Maybe he'd just gelled his hair?!? This obviously didn't impress the hardcore swimmer, because she nearly ran him over with her vicious turns and strokes. I chuckled at the spectacle.
In the lane next to them, a third guy had jumped into an already crowded lane with two more good sized guys. He was pretty aggressive when he asked if he could join the lane, and although one of the guys in the pool tried his darnedest to hint that it probably wasn't a good idea, Mr. Aggressive got in anyway. They proceeded to swim in an awkward circle. I've swam in many a circle at the U of O, but those lanes we of Olympic size width and length. Three should not be done in these skinny, short Bally lanes.
The third lane was pretty unremarkable, as there were only two guys swimming side-by-side like normal lap swimmers. The last lane, also identified by a sign as the"Loafer Lane," held a small Asian woman and a girl that I recognized as one of the trainers at Bally. Said trainer was obviously giving the woman swimming lessons, because when she asked her trainee to swim to the end, the woman looked worse than hair-gel boy in the first lane. Needless to say, I raised my eyebrows in amazement that they would be doing this at 5:00 pm, the busiest time at the gym.
I then reflected on how quickly I had regained my former position of Pool Snob from the U of O rec pool. It was now I, who was rolling her eyes at the non-hardcore pool users. I felt ashamed for 2.5 seconds and then proceeded to stand at the end of the pool, hoping a lane would open up.
Five minutes later, one of guys in the third lane got out. If I was not such a Pool Snob, I might have waited to see if one of the guys in the three-lapper wanted to move over to swim. BUT, I instead rationalized that if Mr. Aggressive would have waited 7 more minutes, he would have had a lane with only one other person-- so I jumped in the pool.
It turned out to be an excellent choice because my lane partner got out about 10 minutes later. When I looked up, I realized that hair-gel boy, and one of the other guys in the three-lapper had also gotten out. I swam for the next half hour with a lane to myself, and was then joined by one of the "kick board twins," a name I've affectionately given to the two girls that swim around the same time as me, but use their kick boards to swim down the pool together and chat. I envy their cleverness, as Bally (as far as I know), does not store kick boards for gym use and I will need to upgrade my gym bag from my backpack before I consider buying one and hauling it around.
As I walked out of the gym after my workout, I saw the culprit that brought on the events of the day. The flyer read something like this-- "Want to add something new to your work out? Training for a Triathalon? Come check out our pool! See Heather for details." Great.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
I Love to Swim: Lindsay's History
Picking up swimming again at Bally makes me want to reflect on how I became one of the few who choose this activity as part of their weekly workouts...
I've been swimming since before I can remember. And probably the only reason I can be sure of that is because my parents were avid video-tapers of my activities. The way I see it, I had a 50/50 chance of liking the water. My dad's family is all about swimming. According to my dad, my grandfather used to swim regularly in Boundry Bay with his five children. My two cousins were both captains of the swim teams in high school, and my ancestors were supposedly Pirates. Most of my mother's side of the family is deathly afraid of the water, which is odd considering they all grew up in Monterey, CA; inches from the Pacific Ocean.
My dad has a great respect for the water, which I have found is much different than my mom's fear. When we moved to Oregon when I was five, he signed me and my then two-year-old brother up for swimming lessons. According to the videos I've seen, I loved it (bro, not so much). My parents had to all but pull me from the water when it was time to leave. From there, we took swimming lessons every summer at the pool in our town. I used to loathe my dad for making me stop playing with my friends and do extra laps when we went to the pool for fun. I guess it didn't scar me too much. I never swam in high school, or on any swim team for that matter. I was busy with basketball in the winter, but looking back I wish I would have tried swim team instead; I was pretty fast.
I got a job at that same pool during the summers that I was in college. I started swimming laps for fun and after the summer was over, I realized how good it felt to be stronger (and thinner!). So, I started swimming in college. There were two pools at U of O-- one Olympic-sized pool in the main rec center and a smaller, older one in the old rec building. I made the mistake of marching into the main rec with my summer two-piece on. I'm sure it was not as dramatic as I remember, but I felt like I was met with stares from everyone who was SO hardcore in their speedos, swim caps and goggles. It only took one time for me to realize that this would be the pool that I would have to work up to. I swam in the old pool for many months, until I finally bought a swim cap, speedo and plunged like a pro into the new rec center pool to take my place among snobs.
I also took a swim class my junior year of college. It might sound super lame, one of the greatest moments of my life was when the instructor asked ME to demonstrate good technique for a drill. No one else, including the kids in the "best lane" (which, I'll admit was only one over from mine), had been asked after or before for the rest of the term, so I felt like a true pro.
Fast forward to Chicago in 2010 and you will now find me swimming up a storm at Bally after work on Wednesdays and Fridays. I love the feeling of gliding through the water, and clearing my head to focus on the feeling of each stroke. It's slow going now, but I'm determined to work back up to where I was, and hopefully get fit in the process! I know that swimming will be something that I can continue enjoy for my entire life.
I've been swimming since before I can remember. And probably the only reason I can be sure of that is because my parents were avid video-tapers of my activities. The way I see it, I had a 50/50 chance of liking the water. My dad's family is all about swimming. According to my dad, my grandfather used to swim regularly in Boundry Bay with his five children. My two cousins were both captains of the swim teams in high school, and my ancestors were supposedly Pirates. Most of my mother's side of the family is deathly afraid of the water, which is odd considering they all grew up in Monterey, CA; inches from the Pacific Ocean.
My dad has a great respect for the water, which I have found is much different than my mom's fear. When we moved to Oregon when I was five, he signed me and my then two-year-old brother up for swimming lessons. According to the videos I've seen, I loved it (bro, not so much). My parents had to all but pull me from the water when it was time to leave. From there, we took swimming lessons every summer at the pool in our town. I used to loathe my dad for making me stop playing with my friends and do extra laps when we went to the pool for fun. I guess it didn't scar me too much. I never swam in high school, or on any swim team for that matter. I was busy with basketball in the winter, but looking back I wish I would have tried swim team instead; I was pretty fast.
I got a job at that same pool during the summers that I was in college. I started swimming laps for fun and after the summer was over, I realized how good it felt to be stronger (and thinner!). So, I started swimming in college. There were two pools at U of O-- one Olympic-sized pool in the main rec center and a smaller, older one in the old rec building. I made the mistake of marching into the main rec with my summer two-piece on. I'm sure it was not as dramatic as I remember, but I felt like I was met with stares from everyone who was SO hardcore in their speedos, swim caps and goggles. It only took one time for me to realize that this would be the pool that I would have to work up to. I swam in the old pool for many months, until I finally bought a swim cap, speedo and plunged like a pro into the new rec center pool to take my place among snobs.
I also took a swim class my junior year of college. It might sound super lame, one of the greatest moments of my life was when the instructor asked ME to demonstrate good technique for a drill. No one else, including the kids in the "best lane" (which, I'll admit was only one over from mine), had been asked after or before for the rest of the term, so I felt like a true pro.
Fast forward to Chicago in 2010 and you will now find me swimming up a storm at Bally after work on Wednesdays and Fridays. I love the feeling of gliding through the water, and clearing my head to focus on the feeling of each stroke. It's slow going now, but I'm determined to work back up to where I was, and hopefully get fit in the process! I know that swimming will be something that I can continue enjoy for my entire life.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A Gym Rat in the Making
http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=-E-Fui3-t6jkMoQfANZ9TQ
My Yelp Review of the Bally gym that I just joined says it all. It's not pretty, but it is functioning. I didn't think it was possible to get a cheap gym membership in Chicago, but I only pay $28 dollars a month and can go to any Bally now.
I was so tired of gaining weight over these ridiculously cold winters that Chicago is known for. I was NOT motivated to work out by myself in the little gym of my apartment building and doing work out videos in my living room was getting old. I'm not one to push myself without some type of motivation.
This Bally is working pretty well for me. I do kickboxing class on Mondays after work and I swim on Wednesdays and Fridays for an hour. This Wednesday will mark the fourth week of my routine. I haven't noticed that much of a difference in my body yet, but I do feel better about myself...which I guess is a good start.
The classes are NOT for the weak willed. We start at 5:30 sharp and do NOT stop until 6:30. Our instructor encourages us to drink water, but there is never a time when everyone takes a break. Push-ups, football shuffles, jumping jacks, squats and planks are mixed in between kicks, jabs, crosses and upper-cuts. I took a kickboxing class in college, but I don't remember it being this tough. I was probably in better shape, though. I'm happy to report that I'm not nearly as sore today as I was after last Monday's class.
I LOVE to swim. I've been doing it since before I can remember. It is the best way for me to work out....no soreness/sweating/gasping for air. I realize I probably don't push myself as hard as the instructor in kickboxing does, but I still feel like I get a good workout. The pool at Bally is not the best. There are only four lanes and I can touch both the right & left lane separators at the same time when I reach my arms out to my sides. I've only had to share the lane a few times, and never for the full duration of my workout. I don't really mind when I share with a smaller individual, but larger guys make it tough.
All in all, I have been pleased with the gym. It is most certainly not perfect, but it gets the job done. I basically have no excuse NOT to go because it's only four blocks from work. Here's to slowly becoming a gym rat and hopefully not gaining any more weight this winter!
My Yelp Review of the Bally gym that I just joined says it all. It's not pretty, but it is functioning. I didn't think it was possible to get a cheap gym membership in Chicago, but I only pay $28 dollars a month and can go to any Bally now.
I was so tired of gaining weight over these ridiculously cold winters that Chicago is known for. I was NOT motivated to work out by myself in the little gym of my apartment building and doing work out videos in my living room was getting old. I'm not one to push myself without some type of motivation.
This Bally is working pretty well for me. I do kickboxing class on Mondays after work and I swim on Wednesdays and Fridays for an hour. This Wednesday will mark the fourth week of my routine. I haven't noticed that much of a difference in my body yet, but I do feel better about myself...which I guess is a good start.
The classes are NOT for the weak willed. We start at 5:30 sharp and do NOT stop until 6:30. Our instructor encourages us to drink water, but there is never a time when everyone takes a break. Push-ups, football shuffles, jumping jacks, squats and planks are mixed in between kicks, jabs, crosses and upper-cuts. I took a kickboxing class in college, but I don't remember it being this tough. I was probably in better shape, though. I'm happy to report that I'm not nearly as sore today as I was after last Monday's class.
I LOVE to swim. I've been doing it since before I can remember. It is the best way for me to work out....no soreness/sweating/gasping for air. I realize I probably don't push myself as hard as the instructor in kickboxing does, but I still feel like I get a good workout. The pool at Bally is not the best. There are only four lanes and I can touch both the right & left lane separators at the same time when I reach my arms out to my sides. I've only had to share the lane a few times, and never for the full duration of my workout. I don't really mind when I share with a smaller individual, but larger guys make it tough.
All in all, I have been pleased with the gym. It is most certainly not perfect, but it gets the job done. I basically have no excuse NOT to go because it's only four blocks from work. Here's to slowly becoming a gym rat and hopefully not gaining any more weight this winter!
Friday, February 5, 2010
A Needed Farewell
I posted this today on my Myspace blog, I thought I would post it here as well and make my myself official...
Whether out of sentiment or some other reason, my mother has kept my bedroom in my old house in Sisters, Oregon EXACTLY the same since the day I walked out for college in the Fall of 2003. The pictures of all my sports teams, clubs and school dances still litter the walls. My glow-in-the-dark plastic stars still stick to the closet mirror. I still have candy in the second drawer of my desk that I used to munch on when I was doing homework. Several stuffed animals still sit on the headboard of my bed. My purple blow-up chair sits slightly inflated in the corner, and the candles that I used to burn on my dresser still have books of matches by them, ready to be lit again.
Aside from my mother mentioning that I probably need to go through the clothes that are STILL in the closet and dresser from high school, there has never been talk of turning my bedroom into a craft room, an office or removing any of the silly high school things to make it a proper guest room.
It’s so different to visit your old house when you’re in college than when you’re 25 and have been in the work force for three years. College is still like a home-away-from-home. Dorms and apartments only allow for so much stuff, and I always returned home for long periods for Christmas and the summer. My friends from high school were all on the same schedule too, then. Now that most of my friends are gone and I have a life in Chicago with my own home, job, bills, etc, I ultimately feel like a visitor.
But when I walk into my old room and am immediately transported back in time 7 (SEVEN!) years, I know that this house will always be safe, familiar and a place I will always belong. Maybe Mom knows how I feel, even though the sentiment has never been spoken.
I have no doubt that Mom and Dad will eventually move out of that house, and my room will have to come apart. But I’m okay with that. My room represents so much of who I was and how that has influenced who I am right now. It’s a world that slowly fades with every year as I realize how old those pictures of Prom are. Although that room will not always be mine, the memories will be.
This will be my final blog for Myspace. I hardly come on here anymore, so it seems silly to keep a barely-used blog in a place that doesn’t really fit me. Have no fear—I’ll still check comments and update pics and stuff, but I have decided to move my blog to http://lindsaykell.blogspot.com/ in hopes that I’ll actually be motivated to write more. Please feel free to check it, subscribe, etc. Thanks for reading and sharing comments here in the past years!
Love,
Lindsay
Whether out of sentiment or some other reason, my mother has kept my bedroom in my old house in Sisters, Oregon EXACTLY the same since the day I walked out for college in the Fall of 2003. The pictures of all my sports teams, clubs and school dances still litter the walls. My glow-in-the-dark plastic stars still stick to the closet mirror. I still have candy in the second drawer of my desk that I used to munch on when I was doing homework. Several stuffed animals still sit on the headboard of my bed. My purple blow-up chair sits slightly inflated in the corner, and the candles that I used to burn on my dresser still have books of matches by them, ready to be lit again.
Aside from my mother mentioning that I probably need to go through the clothes that are STILL in the closet and dresser from high school, there has never been talk of turning my bedroom into a craft room, an office or removing any of the silly high school things to make it a proper guest room.
It’s so different to visit your old house when you’re in college than when you’re 25 and have been in the work force for three years. College is still like a home-away-from-home. Dorms and apartments only allow for so much stuff, and I always returned home for long periods for Christmas and the summer. My friends from high school were all on the same schedule too, then. Now that most of my friends are gone and I have a life in Chicago with my own home, job, bills, etc, I ultimately feel like a visitor.
But when I walk into my old room and am immediately transported back in time 7 (SEVEN!) years, I know that this house will always be safe, familiar and a place I will always belong. Maybe Mom knows how I feel, even though the sentiment has never been spoken.
I have no doubt that Mom and Dad will eventually move out of that house, and my room will have to come apart. But I’m okay with that. My room represents so much of who I was and how that has influenced who I am right now. It’s a world that slowly fades with every year as I realize how old those pictures of Prom are. Although that room will not always be mine, the memories will be.
This will be my final blog for Myspace. I hardly come on here anymore, so it seems silly to keep a barely-used blog in a place that doesn’t really fit me. Have no fear—I’ll still check comments and update pics and stuff, but I have decided to move my blog to http://lindsaykell.blogspot.com/ in hopes that I’ll actually be motivated to write more. Please feel free to check it, subscribe, etc. Thanks for reading and sharing comments here in the past years!
Love,
Lindsay
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