Sometimes you just need a challenge. Not eating meat (or eating only ethical meat) isn't so challenging to me anymore, especially since we don't buy meat for our apartment. Two years ago I did a sugar fast right before Halloween, but we don't buy a lot of sweet things either. What I want to do is a dairy fast. I know. Blasphemous. How dare I claim to be from Wisconsin and want to give up dairy products for 10 days.
I tried starting this on Friday, and here is a list of ways I've already cheated:
-ranch dressing
-cheese pizza
-chocolate chip cookies
-a lot of cheese pizza
It's a lot more difficult than one would think. Milk is in everything, not just your average dairy products. But all the research I did on giving up or limiting dairy said it would be worth it. So I'm starting over today. I already don't drink milk, substituting it with almond milk. Now I just need to commit to resisting the temptation of all the cheese in my fridge. :( If I make it through these 10 days, I might go crazy on day 11.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Halloween: Meh
We got a Halloween costume flyer in the mail a few weeks ago and I was not surprised to find that, as a woman, my choices were limited to whatever sexy object I wanted to be. This trend (which merely requires that girls wear beachwear and heels and come up with a creative/alliterative label like Naughty Nurse, Sexy Sailor, or Foxy Firefighter) is not new or strange to me. It's still a little upsetting and I understand why people hate it, but honestly, I'm over it. Getting my undies in a bundle over what girls wear on Halloween feels a little cliche at this point. We get it; it's sexist. Here's a redeye article that discusses it further, and this Jenna Marbles video makes a good point as well.
Even though I'm not in the mood to get on my soapbox about holiday gender stereotypes, I'm still not crazy about Halloween itself. I've thought this through, and it really has little to offer me. You don't get the day off from school or work, there's no giant meal involved, you only technically celebrate for three hours, and the celebration requires you to do most of the work. Plus, if you live in Wisconsin, you have to wear a winter coat over your costume.
As an adult-type person, I feel like I'm supposed to enjoy Halloween even more than a child, because even though many adults don't go trick-or-treating, they still get to have parties and dress up. Here's the thing: I don't see how that's any different than any other weekend in an adult's life. I could host or attend a themed party every day if I really wanted to. As for the trick-or-treating, I can eat candy whenever I crave it. And if Halloween is really about letting your freak flag fly, well then let's be honest: I never take mine down. If I want to dress up, I kind of just do. All jokes aside, I'm a grown woman. As long as I'm paying my bills and not hurting people or evading taxes, I can do whatever I want.
Except eat with chopsticks. Can't figure those things out for the life of me.
Even though I'm not in the mood to get on my soapbox about holiday gender stereotypes, I'm still not crazy about Halloween itself. I've thought this through, and it really has little to offer me. You don't get the day off from school or work, there's no giant meal involved, you only technically celebrate for three hours, and the celebration requires you to do most of the work. Plus, if you live in Wisconsin, you have to wear a winter coat over your costume.
As an adult-type person, I feel like I'm supposed to enjoy Halloween even more than a child, because even though many adults don't go trick-or-treating, they still get to have parties and dress up. Here's the thing: I don't see how that's any different than any other weekend in an adult's life. I could host or attend a themed party every day if I really wanted to. As for the trick-or-treating, I can eat candy whenever I crave it. And if Halloween is really about letting your freak flag fly, well then let's be honest: I never take mine down. If I want to dress up, I kind of just do. All jokes aside, I'm a grown woman. As long as I'm paying my bills and not hurting people or evading taxes, I can do whatever I want.
Except eat with chopsticks. Can't figure those things out for the life of me.
Friday, October 21, 2011
As the Bed Turns
Well folks, I made it almost two months. Tonight was my breaking point: I'm back on the wagon. (Off the wagon? Whatever.) I rearranged my room tonight. Something stirred in me and I realized I couldn't do anything other than clear out the old 8 by 8 and, well, rotate my bed 90 degrees. Because that's really the only rearranging I can do up in hurr.
Check it out:
The best part so far of this new arrangement: optimal viewing of our hoarding neighbor. Seriously, I can see right down into her apartment. Confession: the other night I watched her watch TV and eat cereal straight from the box while I ate a bagel and sat on the edge of Britney's bed. Who's more pathetic? I'll let you decide.
Check it out:
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The best part so far of this new arrangement: optimal viewing of our hoarding neighbor. Seriously, I can see right down into her apartment. Confession: the other night I watched her watch TV and eat cereal straight from the box while I ate a bagel and sat on the edge of Britney's bed. Who's more pathetic? I'll let you decide.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Never: Hyperbolic Marketing
I feel out of the loop when it comes to new songs now that I'm not spending most of my time with teenagers. The only time I listen to the radio these days is when I shower. I realize for many that means daily, but if you know me, you know that isn't my reality.
As I showered & listened the other day, two commercials struck me. The first was for North Face and encouraged me to "Never Stop Exploring." A few seconds later, Lowe's implored me to "Never Stop Improving." [Remember when Lowe's was "Improving Home Improvement"? Now the focus is on the customer. Clever.] Both ads reminded me of Ray Ban's "Never Hide" slogan.
What do these ads say about our culture & society? Americans are traditionally socialized to embrace rugged individualism & continual advancement--more money, things, education, success, power--and these three companies have definitely embraced that. I personally appreciate all three ideas, though I think there comes a time we should ease up on exploring and improving to enjoy what's here and now. I'm sure there are times we should definitely hide as well. Like during Hide-n-Seek or Sardines. I also don't need expensive outerwear, construction supplies, or sunglasses to follow through with these three ideas.
Okay, the sunglasses might help. I always thought it was funny (funny-weird, not funny-ha ha) how some people use sunglasses to stand out, while others use them to blend in. Ray Ban is clearly in the stand out camp. No evading the cops or paparazzi allowed. Nevermind their actual use, to Ban the Rays of the sun.
It's nearly 5 am, and time for another room check here at work. I'm doing the overnight, which means checks every half hour along with late night TV. And you all know what that means: infomercials. Do you have a frying pan that can be used as a hammer in emergency situations? I know I don't, but for a few simple payments I can have one shipped to my door. Now that's Amurrrica at it's finest.
As I showered & listened the other day, two commercials struck me. The first was for North Face and encouraged me to "Never Stop Exploring." A few seconds later, Lowe's implored me to "Never Stop Improving." [Remember when Lowe's was "Improving Home Improvement"? Now the focus is on the customer. Clever.] Both ads reminded me of Ray Ban's "Never Hide" slogan.
What do these ads say about our culture & society? Americans are traditionally socialized to embrace rugged individualism & continual advancement--more money, things, education, success, power--and these three companies have definitely embraced that. I personally appreciate all three ideas, though I think there comes a time we should ease up on exploring and improving to enjoy what's here and now. I'm sure there are times we should definitely hide as well. Like during Hide-n-Seek or Sardines. I also don't need expensive outerwear, construction supplies, or sunglasses to follow through with these three ideas.
Okay, the sunglasses might help. I always thought it was funny (funny-weird, not funny-ha ha) how some people use sunglasses to stand out, while others use them to blend in. Ray Ban is clearly in the stand out camp. No evading the cops or paparazzi allowed. Nevermind their actual use, to Ban the Rays of the sun.
It's nearly 5 am, and time for another room check here at work. I'm doing the overnight, which means checks every half hour along with late night TV. And you all know what that means: infomercials. Do you have a frying pan that can be used as a hammer in emergency situations? I know I don't, but for a few simple payments I can have one shipped to my door. Now that's Amurrrica at it's finest.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Happy Mad Hatter Day!
Remember the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland? His hat had a slip of paper reading "10/6" ... and thus, October 6th is now celebrated as Mad Hatter Day. A day similar to April Fools' Day, but more for celebrating/noting silliness.
Silliness of course being the very things our society regards as "normal," but are in actuality completely mad:
--bottled water
--gym memberships
--vitamin supplements
--frozen meals
--cartoon characters not wearing pants
--working more to afford things you don't need and can't enjoy anyway because you are always working
--why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?
--shoes
--shoes designed to feel like you are not wearing shoes
--Crocs
--lotion
--swimming pools
--arm rests at movie theaters
--fancy ketchup
--the Easter bunny
--Donkey Kong
--the phrase "head over heels"
--child pageants
--plastic utensils
--Spam
--placemats
--sweater vests
--GoGurt
--country music
The list goes on. Let me know what other strange things we have been socialized to believe are normal!
Silliness of course being the very things our society regards as "normal," but are in actuality completely mad:
--bottled water
--gym memberships
--vitamin supplements
--frozen meals
--cartoon characters not wearing pants
--working more to afford things you don't need and can't enjoy anyway because you are always working
--why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?
--shoes
--shoes designed to feel like you are not wearing shoes
--Crocs
--lotion
--swimming pools
--arm rests at movie theaters
--fancy ketchup
--the Easter bunny
--Donkey Kong
--the phrase "head over heels"
--child pageants
--plastic utensils
--Spam
--placemats
--sweater vests
--GoGurt
--country music
The list goes on. Let me know what other strange things we have been socialized to believe are normal!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Chicago V Madison: Streets & Bikes
I don't mean this post to be a competition; Chicago and Madison both have pros and cons. I just love comparing cities, and since I recently spent a bunch of time in Madison, these differences/similarities are fresh. As far as city comparisons go, this one's fairly weak. I'm not going to get into the sports, food, music, politics, or any interesting stuff of either city. I just want to write about the streets and the biking. FYI, I didn't research any of these; I'm post-workout blog vomiting.
Streets
Okay, if this were a competition, Chicago is the winner hands down just by virtue of The Grid. Directions and maps don't confuse me; I'm actually a great navigator. Madison, though, always gets me turned around. I wonder if living in Chicago has spoiled me; maybe The Grid is a crutch of sorts. Or maybe I just haven't spent enough time in Madison. Either way, I love hearing an address and knowing almost exactly how to get there without googling it. Madison (and most of Wisconsin) operates on the some streets straight, some not so much system. It's super easy to get lost and you most likely need directions to get anywhere, unless you are already familiar with the area.
Bikes
Chicago is a huge bike city. Some neighborhoods more than others, but overall, biking in the city is a normal, popular thing to do. And yet, there are still very few protected bike lanes. In some areas, there aren't bike lanes at all, just the several feet between parked cars and traffic for bikes to maneuver through. A biker in Chicago needs to be super aware of his/her surroundings. Luckily, most drivers are also aware of their surroundings, even if they hate bikers. Madison also appears to be a bike city, and besides confusing streets has bike trails. Partially I'm guessing it's a college student thing, though I know Madison usually ranks as a healthy city. Still, I did see a lot of way protected bike lanes--like literally a separate area of the road just for bikes. So that's awesome for Madison bikers. Streets are confusing, but you can pay more attention to where you're going since you don't have to worry as much about being in traffic.
There you have it, for anyone wondering just how Madison and Chicago compare on two minor city details that actually come into play a lot in my own personal life, these are things I observed. I hope I've been super helpful.
Streets
Okay, if this were a competition, Chicago is the winner hands down just by virtue of The Grid. Directions and maps don't confuse me; I'm actually a great navigator. Madison, though, always gets me turned around. I wonder if living in Chicago has spoiled me; maybe The Grid is a crutch of sorts. Or maybe I just haven't spent enough time in Madison. Either way, I love hearing an address and knowing almost exactly how to get there without googling it. Madison (and most of Wisconsin) operates on the some streets straight, some not so much system. It's super easy to get lost and you most likely need directions to get anywhere, unless you are already familiar with the area.
Bikes
Chicago is a huge bike city. Some neighborhoods more than others, but overall, biking in the city is a normal, popular thing to do. And yet, there are still very few protected bike lanes. In some areas, there aren't bike lanes at all, just the several feet between parked cars and traffic for bikes to maneuver through. A biker in Chicago needs to be super aware of his/her surroundings. Luckily, most drivers are also aware of their surroundings, even if they hate bikers. Madison also appears to be a bike city, and besides confusing streets has bike trails. Partially I'm guessing it's a college student thing, though I know Madison usually ranks as a healthy city. Still, I did see a lot of way protected bike lanes--like literally a separate area of the road just for bikes. So that's awesome for Madison bikers. Streets are confusing, but you can pay more attention to where you're going since you don't have to worry as much about being in traffic.
There you have it, for anyone wondering just how Madison and Chicago compare on two minor city details that actually come into play a lot in my own personal life, these are things I observed. I hope I've been super helpful.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Spoiler Alert: I'm Eating as I Type This
I'm about to surprise no one with this confession: I love food. Cooking it, eating it, talking about it (sometimes preaching about it), and reading about it. Well, I've been reading food books for a long time. But after a short hiatus during which I read books about Chicago and introverted philosophies, I'm on a nonfiction/food kick again. Unless the novel about a piano tuner in Burma written by a medical doctor (the other book I recently began reading) sucks me in.
Following is a short list of my favorite foodie-type books. They are all fairly similar and have been integral in my quest to eat food. As a result of reading several of these books, I am mostly vegetarian. (I know, you either are or aren't. I'm not, but it's easier to tell people I am than to explain flexitarianism/being an ethical omnivore. Although I guess that undermines the reasons for differentiating in the first place.)
When I used to have food discussions with the youth I worked with they thought it was hilarious that I wouldn't eat the cafeteria meat just because I didn't know where it came from, or whether it was treated humanely: "So you mean, if you saw a cow die, and you knew where it was from and that it was killed quickly, then you'd eat it?" they'd ask. I'd nod. "EW. I could never eat something that I just saw killed," as they scarfed down hot dogs or hamburgers or chicken of questionable origin. This discussion grew into a running joke: "Rachel, do you want a hamburger? I think it was laughing when it died." "Rachel only eats meat from happy animals, like if the chicken gets to dance around and play before someone kills it."
So, if you are looking for something to read, or if you never want to look at ground beef the same, here's a few informative, but also entertaining, reads:
In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
I've discussed this book before...it's still awesome. Check out his other ones as well, or read the many articles he's written, or watch videos of him on various news/talk shows. Basically, become of fan of this guy.
Eating Animals - Jonathan Safran Foer
Again, the man, his books, etc...all pretty great. Don't let the movie version of Everything is Illuminated ruin J.S. Foer for you.
Fast Food Nation - Eric Schlosser
Now a major motion picture, starring Wilmer Valderrama, Greg Kinnear, and...Avril Lavigne? Whatever, still an informative and frightening read. Not that I ever eat fast food anyway.
Okay, so...it's not an exhaustive list. These are just the three that come to mind. I finished FFN just yesterday, and the other two have always stuck with me. I figured they were worth revisiting. Now go eat some real food!
Following is a short list of my favorite foodie-type books. They are all fairly similar and have been integral in my quest to eat food. As a result of reading several of these books, I am mostly vegetarian. (I know, you either are or aren't. I'm not, but it's easier to tell people I am than to explain flexitarianism/being an ethical omnivore. Although I guess that undermines the reasons for differentiating in the first place.)
When I used to have food discussions with the youth I worked with they thought it was hilarious that I wouldn't eat the cafeteria meat just because I didn't know where it came from, or whether it was treated humanely: "So you mean, if you saw a cow die, and you knew where it was from and that it was killed quickly, then you'd eat it?" they'd ask. I'd nod. "EW. I could never eat something that I just saw killed," as they scarfed down hot dogs or hamburgers or chicken of questionable origin. This discussion grew into a running joke: "Rachel, do you want a hamburger? I think it was laughing when it died." "Rachel only eats meat from happy animals, like if the chicken gets to dance around and play before someone kills it."
So, if you are looking for something to read, or if you never want to look at ground beef the same, here's a few informative, but also entertaining, reads:
In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
I've discussed this book before...it's still awesome. Check out his other ones as well, or read the many articles he's written, or watch videos of him on various news/talk shows. Basically, become of fan of this guy.
Eating Animals - Jonathan Safran Foer
Again, the man, his books, etc...all pretty great. Don't let the movie version of Everything is Illuminated ruin J.S. Foer for you.
Fast Food Nation - Eric Schlosser
Now a major motion picture, starring Wilmer Valderrama, Greg Kinnear, and...Avril Lavigne? Whatever, still an informative and frightening read. Not that I ever eat fast food anyway.
Okay, so...it's not an exhaustive list. These are just the three that come to mind. I finished FFN just yesterday, and the other two have always stuck with me. I figured they were worth revisiting. Now go eat some real food!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Say No To Pinktober
[2016 update: 5 years later, this is still relevant.]
If you haven't noticed, it's October. Many great things happen in October. Baseball is finally worth watching, hockey and basketball seasons start, and football is, well...that's a story for another post. There are apples, squash, and candy to contend with. A lot of pink things start showing up as well. I'm personally not a fan of the pink initiative. Before you hate me, let me include a disclaimer: I'm against cancer. I just don't know how strong the link between "awareness" and "cure" is. If October were National We Found a Cure for Breast Cancer month, I'd be more supportive.
There's a great article here [2014 update: here, here, here, and here, 2016 update: here] that sums up my feelings on the month. What angers me most is how much of a lucrative business gimmick it's become. If someone wants me to buy a pink item to raise money for breast cancer awareness, the answer's no. I'm not paying to bring about awareness. Awareness doesn't equal action or results. I'll support finding a cure, supporting survivors, families, and those who currently have cancer, providing treatment, and introducing programs for early detection, but I think we're all well aware of breast cancer itself at this point.
Besides, can't we all just agree the "I (heart) boobies" bracelets (and their offshoots) are objectifying? Women are more than their chests. A woman who's had a mastectomy probably misses not just her boobs, and she's no less of a woman (or a person) without one or both of them. Plus there's the fact that breast cancer is still most common in women past the perky point in their boob life--I doubt they refer to their breasts as boobies. And let's not forget men, who can also get breast cancer but maybe don't care about "boobies," per se. [2016 update: All this to say, I do (heart) boobies. I think they are great. But breast cancer is not about boobs, it's about a malicious disease that affects a whole person.]
What I'm saying is: wear pink if you want. Or don't. But let's not pretend that this color is doing the real work of preventing, treating, or curing breast cancer. That's for us (and teams of qualified doctors and scientists) to do. And while we're at it, let's treat people with cancer like humans, not like body parts that happened to have people attached to them.
If you haven't noticed, it's October. Many great things happen in October. Baseball is finally worth watching, hockey and basketball seasons start, and football is, well...that's a story for another post. There are apples, squash, and candy to contend with. A lot of pink things start showing up as well. I'm personally not a fan of the pink initiative. Before you hate me, let me include a disclaimer: I'm against cancer. I just don't know how strong the link between "awareness" and "cure" is. If October were National We Found a Cure for Breast Cancer month, I'd be more supportive.
There's a great article here [2014 update: here, here, here, and here, 2016 update: here] that sums up my feelings on the month. What angers me most is how much of a lucrative business gimmick it's become. If someone wants me to buy a pink item to raise money for breast cancer awareness, the answer's no. I'm not paying to bring about awareness. Awareness doesn't equal action or results. I'll support finding a cure, supporting survivors, families, and those who currently have cancer, providing treatment, and introducing programs for early detection, but I think we're all well aware of breast cancer itself at this point.
Besides, can't we all just agree the "I (heart) boobies" bracelets (and their offshoots) are objectifying? Women are more than their chests. A woman who's had a mastectomy probably misses not just her boobs, and she's no less of a woman (or a person) without one or both of them. Plus there's the fact that breast cancer is still most common in women past the perky point in their boob life--I doubt they refer to their breasts as boobies. And let's not forget men, who can also get breast cancer but maybe don't care about "boobies," per se. [2016 update: All this to say, I do (heart) boobies. I think they are great. But breast cancer is not about boobs, it's about a malicious disease that affects a whole person.]
What I'm saying is: wear pink if you want. Or don't. But let's not pretend that this color is doing the real work of preventing, treating, or curing breast cancer. That's for us (and teams of qualified doctors and scientists) to do. And while we're at it, let's treat people with cancer like humans, not like body parts that happened to have people attached to them.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday Funday
One of my favorite lines recently has been, "When you're funemployed, every day is a day off!" It takes the bite out of thinking about endless boring days and answers the question, "When do you have a free day to hang out?" for my friends. The more I experience funemployment, though, I realize every day is also a day on.
Take Sunday: rainy, chilly, the city was busy sleeping or buying groceries for football parties to take place later in the afternoon. I had been to a housewarming party the night before. Ideally I'd be sleeping off a hangover, at the very least just sleeping in. Instead I was up at 8, gauging my adrenaline level so I didn't overdo it on coffee. Interviews always make me anxious, but it takes me a while to wake up in the morning. Too much coffee and I'd be super buzzing, words crashing out of my mouth and hands unable to stay still; too little and I'd still be asleep even after the bus ride to Andersonville, where I was headed to meet a family for a possible nanny position.
I erred on the side of too much coffee: for me it's usually better to weaken the brain-to-mouth filter than to have it on high alert. When I don't talk people say I look sad or angry. I headed out, even bringing an umbrella. I never bring umbrellas. They're too much trouble I think. But umbrellas make people look mature and prepared, like someone you'd trust your child with.
I don't believe in jinxing, but I'm going to refrain from describing the interview at this point. Until further notice, let's just say I'm still working odd jobs and doing support at Mercy. I did somehow manage to construct a fairly busy week, though. A few extra shifts, then leaving on Friday for Madison/home!
Take Sunday: rainy, chilly, the city was busy sleeping or buying groceries for football parties to take place later in the afternoon. I had been to a housewarming party the night before. Ideally I'd be sleeping off a hangover, at the very least just sleeping in. Instead I was up at 8, gauging my adrenaline level so I didn't overdo it on coffee. Interviews always make me anxious, but it takes me a while to wake up in the morning. Too much coffee and I'd be super buzzing, words crashing out of my mouth and hands unable to stay still; too little and I'd still be asleep even after the bus ride to Andersonville, where I was headed to meet a family for a possible nanny position.
I erred on the side of too much coffee: for me it's usually better to weaken the brain-to-mouth filter than to have it on high alert. When I don't talk people say I look sad or angry. I headed out, even bringing an umbrella. I never bring umbrellas. They're too much trouble I think. But umbrellas make people look mature and prepared, like someone you'd trust your child with.
I don't believe in jinxing, but I'm going to refrain from describing the interview at this point. Until further notice, let's just say I'm still working odd jobs and doing support at Mercy. I did somehow manage to construct a fairly busy week, though. A few extra shifts, then leaving on Friday for Madison/home!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
It's My Roommate!
Check out this blog post all about my roommate and Partner In Crime, Britney!
My own post is also on this blog.
My own post is also on this blog.
At Least It's Not Winter. Yet.
When my tan fades and the motivation to shave my legs wanes, I know it's fall. I don't mind fall in and of itself, but it lives so close to winter. As much as I hoped summer would help me forget what winter is like in Chicago, I can't shake it. I truly enjoy scarf and sweater season, but I know it's only a matter of time before it's parka and boot season. And no daylight ever season.
So, in an effort to look on the bright side and embrace the present season, here is a list of things to love about fall from chicagoist.com.
So, in an effort to look on the bright side and embrace the present season, here is a list of things to love about fall from chicagoist.com.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Chicago Personality Quiz
I found this gem the other day. What's intriguing is, while I'm technically a Transplant, I tend to align more with the "Wontcha Be My Neighbor" category. PS: I saw this after my recent blog post with the same title. Also, I think the reason I feel more like a local than a tourist is because of how intentional my community was at Chicago-immersion.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-01-17/news/0901160283_1_corner-bar-field-museum-personality-spectrum
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-01-17/news/0901160283_1_corner-bar-field-museum-personality-spectrum
Funemployment!
Guess what happened today!?!?!? The 'Naw got internet. After a frustrating evening spent doing more electrical work that I should be trusted with, Frank came over this morning and fixed us up real nice. I can't get the wireless to work on my hp, which means I have to stay connected to the modem, but I crafted myself a makeshift office in the living room annex area. (This area also turns into my second bedroom when my room smells like fresh paint. So versatile!)
In life updates, I'm pretty solidly unemployed. I pick up odd shifts at Mercy when they need support, but that's not guaranteed. I've had a few interviews for full-time nanny positions, so hopefully I'm working again before too long.
But until then, I'm enjoying the shit out of funemployment. I figure there's no point moping around lamenting the fact that despite a year of pro bono service, no one is jumping to hire me...I might as well take advantage of this forced vacation. Here are things I do in my obnoxiously abundant spare time:
-look for and apply to jobs/go on interviews (I'm not just lounging around, I promise! Why do I feel like a few of you are wondering that...)
-run (No kidding. Who the heck am I? Nearly 3 miles daily. wtf?!)
-organize/rearrange things in my apartment (No one is surprised by this, I'm sure.)
-grocery shop
-brainstorm inventive tweets
-mod podge/make collages
-read
-hang out in the Bucktown/Wicker Park library
-write (Probably the best part: all this time to write stuff...if I could only find someone to subsidize my life expenses so I could continue this lifestyle.)
-make food
-eat food
-ride my bike around Chicago, but mostly to the Charleston
-ChaCha all my life questions since (until today) internet was scarce
-laundry
-nap
-blast music
-clog/blog
As you can see, I keep myself fairly busy. Miss and love you all!
In life updates, I'm pretty solidly unemployed. I pick up odd shifts at Mercy when they need support, but that's not guaranteed. I've had a few interviews for full-time nanny positions, so hopefully I'm working again before too long.
But until then, I'm enjoying the shit out of funemployment. I figure there's no point moping around lamenting the fact that despite a year of pro bono service, no one is jumping to hire me...I might as well take advantage of this forced vacation. Here are things I do in my obnoxiously abundant spare time:
-look for and apply to jobs/go on interviews (I'm not just lounging around, I promise! Why do I feel like a few of you are wondering that...)
-run (No kidding. Who the heck am I? Nearly 3 miles daily. wtf?!)
-organize/rearrange things in my apartment (No one is surprised by this, I'm sure.)
-grocery shop
-brainstorm inventive tweets
-mod podge/make collages
-read
-hang out in the Bucktown/Wicker Park library
-write (Probably the best part: all this time to write stuff...if I could only find someone to subsidize my life expenses so I could continue this lifestyle.)
-make food
-eat food
-ride my bike around Chicago, but mostly to the Charleston
-ChaCha all my life questions since (until today) internet was scarce
-laundry
-nap
-blast music
-clog/blog
As you can see, I keep myself fairly busy. Miss and love you all!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Here is a brief introduction to my neighbors, or at least the ones I see all the time and who inspire me to write short stories. Before you judge me as a creep, Peeping Tom, Nosy Nora, or any other number of harmful names, let me remind you I don't have TV or internet at my apartment, and many of my neighbors don't have curtains...or these activities occur on the balconies three feet from my bedroom window. All I have to do is sit back and observe.
The Hoarder
One of the more interesting neighbors. Not only is her apartment swimming in piles of random things - a giant kimono on the wall, a collection of scales above the cupboard, papers, dishes, vases - but her outdoor patio is also a mess of plants, furniture, and kitschy statues. As far as I've seen, it's just her and the dog (who shall remain nameless for its privacy). Because we have an unobstructed view of her kitchen and living room, she provides the most convenient entertainment for our apartment.
The TV Junkie
Probably the most mysterious neighbor, s/he/they literally keep the TV on 24/7. In the week and a half we've been here, I think I've seen it off once. Otherwise I get to see pieces of America's Got Talent, CSI, Dora, Judge Judy...all closed captioned, all the time. But I never see any people. One night I was convinced Extreme Hoarders was on and I about peed myself. The TV Junkie and the Hoarder live right next to each other. True love?
The Exotic Gardener
I don't see these neighbors often, but they must go out on their balcony sometime to tend to the exotic garden growing there. They have patio furniture too, but its hard to spot among the bamboo shoots and blossoming vines all over.
The Honeymooners
I recently discovered these neighbors, despite their location directly across from my bedroom. I first assumed it was a guy, maybe several, since they seemed to be having a typical Chicago bro party the night we moved in (drinking beer on a balcony with a bunch of dudes = Chicago), and I began wondering how to make friends with them in time for football season. I found out the other day this may not be the case. I came home to find a guy sitting on his balcony underneath a woman, who was straddling him. They were making out pretty passionately until they realized I was in my bedroom literally three feet away. Then they went inside. It happened again last night--they were laughing and talking on the balcony, then it got quiet and I looked out to see him standing, holding her. She had her legs wrapped around him...and again, it wasn't long before they went inside. I guess I would feel less like a creep if I knew their names, but then again, if they are comfortable, who am I to feel weird? Human connection is a basic need.
The Circus Troupe
These people live on the south side of us, in a 3-story building set back from our street to give them a front yard complete with a pine tree and a small flowering garden. There is also a patch of yard that is more dirt than grass, and this is where one of the tenants practices his flaming baton routing. He keeps the batons unlit and goes over his routine several times each day. Okay, so that doesn't make all the tenants (or even him) part of a traveling circus, but I have also seen a girl wearing a dress and hat with feathers on it, so it could be true.
The Hipsters
This group lives directly below us, on the first and garden levels of our building. Technically they are two groups, but I have yet to fully delineate who lives on which level. My biggest interaction with any of them is if they are on the front porch when I leave or come home. They are either sketching, smoking, or just porch sitting.
And those are my neighbors. These observations make me wonder what they think of our apartment. Are we just the new girls right now? The crazy Germans? We don't have curtains either, so I'm sure they've seen/heard some interesting things.
The Hoarder
One of the more interesting neighbors. Not only is her apartment swimming in piles of random things - a giant kimono on the wall, a collection of scales above the cupboard, papers, dishes, vases - but her outdoor patio is also a mess of plants, furniture, and kitschy statues. As far as I've seen, it's just her and the dog (who shall remain nameless for its privacy). Because we have an unobstructed view of her kitchen and living room, she provides the most convenient entertainment for our apartment.
The TV Junkie
Probably the most mysterious neighbor, s/he/they literally keep the TV on 24/7. In the week and a half we've been here, I think I've seen it off once. Otherwise I get to see pieces of America's Got Talent, CSI, Dora, Judge Judy...all closed captioned, all the time. But I never see any people. One night I was convinced Extreme Hoarders was on and I about peed myself. The TV Junkie and the Hoarder live right next to each other. True love?
The Exotic Gardener
I don't see these neighbors often, but they must go out on their balcony sometime to tend to the exotic garden growing there. They have patio furniture too, but its hard to spot among the bamboo shoots and blossoming vines all over.
The Honeymooners
I recently discovered these neighbors, despite their location directly across from my bedroom. I first assumed it was a guy, maybe several, since they seemed to be having a typical Chicago bro party the night we moved in (drinking beer on a balcony with a bunch of dudes = Chicago), and I began wondering how to make friends with them in time for football season. I found out the other day this may not be the case. I came home to find a guy sitting on his balcony underneath a woman, who was straddling him. They were making out pretty passionately until they realized I was in my bedroom literally three feet away. Then they went inside. It happened again last night--they were laughing and talking on the balcony, then it got quiet and I looked out to see him standing, holding her. She had her legs wrapped around him...and again, it wasn't long before they went inside. I guess I would feel less like a creep if I knew their names, but then again, if they are comfortable, who am I to feel weird? Human connection is a basic need.
The Circus Troupe
These people live on the south side of us, in a 3-story building set back from our street to give them a front yard complete with a pine tree and a small flowering garden. There is also a patch of yard that is more dirt than grass, and this is where one of the tenants practices his flaming baton routing. He keeps the batons unlit and goes over his routine several times each day. Okay, so that doesn't make all the tenants (or even him) part of a traveling circus, but I have also seen a girl wearing a dress and hat with feathers on it, so it could be true.
The Hipsters
This group lives directly below us, on the first and garden levels of our building. Technically they are two groups, but I have yet to fully delineate who lives on which level. My biggest interaction with any of them is if they are on the front porch when I leave or come home. They are either sketching, smoking, or just porch sitting.
And those are my neighbors. These observations make me wonder what they think of our apartment. Are we just the new girls right now? The crazy Germans? We don't have curtains either, so I'm sure they've seen/heard some interesting things.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Eternal City, Second City
Remember how obsessed I was with ancient Roman history when I studied abroad? (Refresh your memory in my archived posts.) Brit is probably just as obsessed with Chicago history and has quickly turned me on to it. She's got me reading books like Sin in the Second City by Karen Abbott and it's uncanny how similar the cities actually are.
Chicago is notorious for its crime and corruption, and much like Rome it has many mob connections. Both cities have rich traditions of underworlds, secret groups, and dark sides exploited in books and movies. In Rome, "que bordello!" is uttered to comment on something being wild (literally, a whorehouse). Chicago was home to one of the most illustrious bordellos in America at one point.
The Eternal City and the Second City of course share less corrupt things in common as well: an intense passion for food, varied and diverse neighborhoods, sports rivalries (Lazio v Roma soccer/Cubs v White Sox baseball), and funky street smells (hot garbage, piss, dog) for example.
My apartment reminds me of living in Rome as well. I stand on my front porch and watch traffic on my one-way street, I hear many conversations from the building next to me through my window, my downstairs neighbors are always smoking, and I'm only a little way from the train into or out of the city. My neighborhood is residential and has an old working-class feel. It makes me want to write a lot.
The biggest difference between my two lives is most likely having fairly efficient public transportation and streets on the grid. It's far less difficult to get lost or be late here. Sad day.
Chicago is notorious for its crime and corruption, and much like Rome it has many mob connections. Both cities have rich traditions of underworlds, secret groups, and dark sides exploited in books and movies. In Rome, "que bordello!" is uttered to comment on something being wild (literally, a whorehouse). Chicago was home to one of the most illustrious bordellos in America at one point.
The Eternal City and the Second City of course share less corrupt things in common as well: an intense passion for food, varied and diverse neighborhoods, sports rivalries (Lazio v Roma soccer/Cubs v White Sox baseball), and funky street smells (hot garbage, piss, dog) for example.
My apartment reminds me of living in Rome as well. I stand on my front porch and watch traffic on my one-way street, I hear many conversations from the building next to me through my window, my downstairs neighbors are always smoking, and I'm only a little way from the train into or out of the city. My neighborhood is residential and has an old working-class feel. It makes me want to write a lot.
The biggest difference between my two lives is most likely having fairly efficient public transportation and streets on the grid. It's far less difficult to get lost or be late here. Sad day.
Monday, September 5, 2011
SoLoNoHumming
The best part about living in SoLoNoHum so far: walking distance to so many things. Like my friends, mostly. But also the Blue Line...I hope to rarely, if ever, ride the 49 all the way up and down Western again. Back to living in a neighborhood where my friends also live: it is one of the most awesome things to walk a few blocks to see people.
Yesterday I was feeling sad and lonely and codependent because Brit was at work and Brooke is still gone, then I remembered my coworker was having a party. Suddenly I had so many friends! All I had to do was cross Western and bam! Not so lonely anymore.
And today, even though I'm mostly just trying to clean up my life and organize things and be an adult, I also found time to one-on-one with Becca and Kate. It doesn't hurt that they have wireless at their place. (I tried to hack into my neighbors for a while the other day, to no avail.) It's really a win-win, because I get to use them for their Internet AND be friends with them...and they get to do the same to me when they want to do laundry. (Did I mention I have an in-unit front-load washer/dryer? Spoiled.)
The apartment is really coming together quite nicely - we have things in our hutch, we found some actual silverware, we bought toilet paper - so hopefully we can have a housewarming before too long. I've really enjoyed rearranging my room several times. Yes, even though my room is an 8x8 square, I somehow have had a couple different arrangements. I'm a master.
We haven't had a chance to do any real grocery shopping yet, which means we've had bisonburgers for breakfast the past few days. And Aldi is closed today for Labor Day, so it'll probably be chips and salsa tomorrow. We do have a fresh basil plant, so once we get food it will be mighty flavorful.
Another thing we acquired: a shopping cart. A baby one at that. It was sitting on the sidewalk the other night and we decided to rescue it. Well, I convinced my friends we should. Not everyone understands the inner workings of shopping carts or why I have such a deep connection to them. I'm sure we looked strange dragging a shopping cart onto the train, but sometimes you need to do these things. It now sits on our front porch holding our firewood and basil plant. That was the final touch in the apartment, when I knew this was home.
Yesterday I was feeling sad and lonely and codependent because Brit was at work and Brooke is still gone, then I remembered my coworker was having a party. Suddenly I had so many friends! All I had to do was cross Western and bam! Not so lonely anymore.
And today, even though I'm mostly just trying to clean up my life and organize things and be an adult, I also found time to one-on-one with Becca and Kate. It doesn't hurt that they have wireless at their place. (I tried to hack into my neighbors for a while the other day, to no avail.) It's really a win-win, because I get to use them for their Internet AND be friends with them...and they get to do the same to me when they want to do laundry. (Did I mention I have an in-unit front-load washer/dryer? Spoiled.)
The apartment is really coming together quite nicely - we have things in our hutch, we found some actual silverware, we bought toilet paper - so hopefully we can have a housewarming before too long. I've really enjoyed rearranging my room several times. Yes, even though my room is an 8x8 square, I somehow have had a couple different arrangements. I'm a master.
We haven't had a chance to do any real grocery shopping yet, which means we've had bisonburgers for breakfast the past few days. And Aldi is closed today for Labor Day, so it'll probably be chips and salsa tomorrow. We do have a fresh basil plant, so once we get food it will be mighty flavorful.
Another thing we acquired: a shopping cart. A baby one at that. It was sitting on the sidewalk the other night and we decided to rescue it. Well, I convinced my friends we should. Not everyone understands the inner workings of shopping carts or why I have such a deep connection to them. I'm sure we looked strange dragging a shopping cart onto the train, but sometimes you need to do these things. It now sits on our front porch holding our firewood and basil plant. That was the final touch in the apartment, when I knew this was home.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Washing Machine? Washington? Wash Your Face?
After what seemed like 12 hours, but was actually 15, Brit, Brooke & I are now successfully living in our very own apartment. Located on Washtenaw Ave, our second story walk-up has all the modern conveniences one would hope for coupled with the old world charm of the Chicago of yesteryear. AKA, we have a dishwasher, but also an old school pulley system for bringing up bags of groceries.
Let me tell you how fun it is to move the belongings of three people from both deep central Wisconsin and the North Side. It's not.
But if you have the help of parents and nephews, it's not so bad. We enjoyed teaching Adam how to say "Washtenaw," a fairly confusing street name we are pretty sure is Native American for "too cool for school," while we hauled up three mattresses/box springs/bed frames. We only had to take the door off once to fit our monster of a couch, and Brit and I learned to just trust Joe. (Her Dad. Master of angles and leverage. Somehow knew exactly how to arrange every piece of furniture to maximize space in the van.) We have pots and pans and plastic utensils, along with a freezer full of bison meat and a pound of cheese in the fridge. (From my parents. I somehow went from a vegetarian to having a fully stocked freezer. Gotta love ethically-treated animals.) The giant margarita glass has already found a prime position in our hutch, alongside the beer stein and the five sets of salt & pepper shakers we somehow accumulated.
Because I'm the baby of the apartment, I have the closet-under-the-stairs bedroom. (Not literally, I think the closet under the stairs actually belongs to the tenants below us.) My view is of the swanky apartment complex next to us, or rather the balconies of the swanky apartment complex, filled with exotic plants and Weber grills and all-weather patio furniture. (Trying to make friends, don't worry.)
My favorite apartment feature is the front porch. Right now it is home to the basil plant and my TOMS, which are super smelly and aren't allowed inside. It's the perfect space for neighbor-watching (besides the bougie people on one side, we are also neighbors to what appears to be a traveling troupe of circus performers). We can also watch all the traffic on the bustling one-way below. There's not much, but let me tell you, what traffic lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. I'm talking Astro vans with 22" rims and Bikers Who Take Themselves Seriously.
It may be a while until all of our possessions find their places in the apartment, so if you see me wearing the same two or three outfits in the next couple of weeks, have no worries. Contrary to popular belief, I shower, and we also have our very own front-loading washer/dryer, so the limited wardrobe I have access to at the moment is clean.
Let me tell you how fun it is to move the belongings of three people from both deep central Wisconsin and the North Side. It's not.
But if you have the help of parents and nephews, it's not so bad. We enjoyed teaching Adam how to say "Washtenaw," a fairly confusing street name we are pretty sure is Native American for "too cool for school," while we hauled up three mattresses/box springs/bed frames. We only had to take the door off once to fit our monster of a couch, and Brit and I learned to just trust Joe. (Her Dad. Master of angles and leverage. Somehow knew exactly how to arrange every piece of furniture to maximize space in the van.) We have pots and pans and plastic utensils, along with a freezer full of bison meat and a pound of cheese in the fridge. (From my parents. I somehow went from a vegetarian to having a fully stocked freezer. Gotta love ethically-treated animals.) The giant margarita glass has already found a prime position in our hutch, alongside the beer stein and the five sets of salt & pepper shakers we somehow accumulated.
Because I'm the baby of the apartment, I have the closet-under-the-stairs bedroom. (Not literally, I think the closet under the stairs actually belongs to the tenants below us.) My view is of the swanky apartment complex next to us, or rather the balconies of the swanky apartment complex, filled with exotic plants and Weber grills and all-weather patio furniture. (Trying to make friends, don't worry.)
My favorite apartment feature is the front porch. Right now it is home to the basil plant and my TOMS, which are super smelly and aren't allowed inside. It's the perfect space for neighbor-watching (besides the bougie people on one side, we are also neighbors to what appears to be a traveling troupe of circus performers). We can also watch all the traffic on the bustling one-way below. There's not much, but let me tell you, what traffic lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. I'm talking Astro vans with 22" rims and Bikers Who Take Themselves Seriously.
It may be a while until all of our possessions find their places in the apartment, so if you see me wearing the same two or three outfits in the next couple of weeks, have no worries. Contrary to popular belief, I shower, and we also have our very own front-loading washer/dryer, so the limited wardrobe I have access to at the moment is clean.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Another Blog Post About My Service Year
This past weekend we had a MercyWorkers Unite/Reunite party at Becca, Mikaela, Kate & Shannon's apartment in Bucktown. Between four years of MercyWorks, plus friends of MercyWorks, there were about 40 of us in their 4-bedroom apartment. I thought it was amazing that not that long ago, we were all strangers. Oh, the powers of simple living and community to bring people together.
In honor of that party, and of being out of MercyWorks for a month now, and of the new class' first shadow day in program today, here is yet another reflection. This one I wrote for Mercy Home's website as an adjunct writer on their writing team. I know I've been reflection-heavy lately. A year of service takes a lot of processing. Without further adieu, here are more Post-Service Reflections:
In honor of that party, and of being out of MercyWorks for a month now, and of the new class' first shadow day in program today, here is yet another reflection. This one I wrote for Mercy Home's website as an adjunct writer on their writing team. I know I've been reflection-heavy lately. A year of service takes a lot of processing. Without further adieu, here are more Post-Service Reflections:
Last August, 14 recent college graduates came together in Chicago to support kids in crisis and live in an intentional community. We didn't know each other, and some of us feared we wouldn't even like each other, but one year later, we are family. We know each other's dreams for the future, and we support those dreams with letters of encouragement and practical advice. We share meals and wardrobes, offer hugs and cups of tea after a long day at work, pull pranks on each other, and now that the year is over we've already planned our first reunion.
Through retreats, nights spent cooking dinner and reflecting on MercyWorks' five program values, trips to see Chicago's landmarks, watching marathons of our favorite TV shows, celebrating holidays and birthdays with local friends and families, and comparing work stories, we got to know each other--ups and downs, what drives us, what annoys us, what makes us scream with excitement. We also got to know the youth of the agency in similar ways: sharing meals, helping with chores and homework, playing games, and exploring the city. The similarities of MercyWorks and youth programs were a common discussion topic during community nights.
Other realizations from the work side of a volunteer year were that many times what meant little to me meant a lot to a teenager lacking support in his or her life. Also, not knowing everything or having all the answers can be a good thing--kids like to know that adults need to ask for help too. Finally, just because you grew up in rural Wisconsin doesn’t mean you can’t relate to a teenager growing up in Chicago.
A MercyWorks year is more than living with coworkers or working with roommates. It's late nights making beans and rice because your 13 roommates ate all the "fun food" from last week's grocery shopping already. It's early mornings reading the Chicago-Tribune over coffee and eggs to discuss the best ways to recycle in the city, or just reviewing your horoscope to see what the day holds. It's a full-time job, plus community responsibilities, plus discovering a new neighborhood or city or state. It's a year of personal, spiritual, and professional growth.So there you have it. As if you haven't heard enough about this year from me, I just went and over-clarified it for you. :)
Friday, August 26, 2011
HoboFest
Pullman Hobofest is this weekend. Too bad I already have plans, otherwise I'm sure I'd be fully accepted there.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
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