just thought you all should know

shhh, don't tell but I am now officially a two-timer. To check out the other woman go to http://mennogirl.wordpress.com Ps. it's still in template form, but the header is mine and eventually post css update and dreamweave arrival all will be mine.

things I am grateful

The radiators have kicked on these past few days, which means that autumn is for real now. We had three visitors sleeping in our apartment last night. I got to see Tara. Trips to Le Peep for very filling brunches, and finding a dail (spelling?) rod for my Chinese wall hanging The fact that it is only Saturday night the Chicago Botanic Garden leaves cameras water and sun good friends emails from brothers a job that pays me well and doesn't ask for a whole lot in return hugs oh and kittens and kites and brown paper packages tied up with string PS. My adobe CS2 software should get here next weekend with Steph!

one reason I love Chicago

It snowed today! Granted in three months, I will probably be so sick of snow flurries in Chicago, that this glee will be long faded. Still it snowed today, yes the 12th of October, and real snow. Not just a few flakes, but actual dusting cover and I got to walk in it. Flipping between blue sky with softly turning leaves, to grey-white pelting flakes, the weather today was unexpected, shifting and glorious. How many times does one get to look up into brilliant blue sky, see one's breath, and watch snow coat orange red leaves!

cat torture

Jess and I trimmed the kitty's claws tonight. Or should I say I held a 10 lb squirming hissing ball of fur wrapped up in a blanket for 5 minutes while Jess plucked a paw out of the mass and trimmed an eensy tensy bit of each nail off. Oh and of course Becca captured this whole scene with her camera. But I do believe the cat has forgive me, seeing as she was curled up next to me just a few short minutes ago.

being inspired

I just got back from Stephanie Klein's reading for her new book Straight Up and Dirty. I have been reading her blog for almost a year now and I really like her style. And I mean that in the whole life she presents to the world. It obviously isn't an entirely wonderful one, but she makes the single life in the city sound appealing, but also realistic. But most of all I like it that she is so honest, from sharing her mishaps with dating, to her issues with weight, to her beautiful photography, Stephanie seems to be a very genuine person. Plus it was a lot of fun to meet in person and to hear the voice of someone who I feel like I know so well already. Hearing about the work and energy she puts into writing both her blog and her book (she is working on a second one about going to fat camps as a child), is definitely inspiring to me. I think I really want to take this blog more seriously and use it not only as a way of updating people on my life, but letting out a little creativity now and then. Plus I am hoping that I soon will be able to a real overhaul of the design and change a lot of the parts of it that have been frustrating me for a while. The other good part of the night was wearing my new grey blazer, red shoes, matching purse and feeling quite cityified. But I do indeed need to go to work tomorrow, so I think I shall say goodnight.

listening: Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap

This song is quickly rising the charts of my favorite current songs. I love both the phrase "crop circles in the carpet" and "spin me 'round again and rub my eyes, this can't be happening when busy streets a mess with people would stop to hold their heads heavy" Anyways this was a lovely day, I had off because of Columbus' noble discovery of the empty new world (or alternatively titled Columbus' accidental calamitous visit to the civilizations of North and South America). I slept in to 10:30am because last night Andrew, Jess and I watched Junebug until almost 2am. It was a decent movie, although the only really redeeming portion of it was Amy Adams performance as a young pregnant woman married to the younger brother of a traditional southern family. So today I got to be lazy for the first time in quite some time. Becca and I worked in our room for a while and got some more things put away and up onto our walls and we also took a walk down to the lake. But then for most of the afternoon I watched three episodes of Project Runway season 1. Quite a delightful show, I love the emotions that get kicked up and I absolutely love one of the contestants Jay, who has the best sound bites and outfits. Anyways I keep get distracted by random internet browsing, so I think I am going to go do more of that.

saved post from a few days ago

I must say our apartment is coming together, tonight our chosen project was hanging up Jess's beautiful Chinese painting and our two hall mirrors. And when combined with last night's project of hanging our three paper lanterns, I think our living room especially is quite beautiful. However I still have to get my contributions to the wall framed so they can be hung up. But I will have to make this short because my battery is running low and Becca is already asleep. Today I turned 23, yes more old age ruminating from a young whipper snapper, yes I know that this is kind of obnoxious. Yet I can't help feeling like I am heading into a period of my life that will fly by. I officially don't have any more big milestones in my life (well except for that whole house, marriage, babies thing, which at this point I don't even know if those will happen). I have been thinking a lot more about this whole librarian thing and getting an MLS, I think it might make a lot of sense to get a graduate degree sooner as opposed to later. Maybe overseas things will have to wait for a while. But then of course when I did eventually go overseas I would have more to offer, instead of just an willingness to work and an ability to speak english. Okay now I really need to go, battery dying.......

happy pre-birthday to me

This evening was much better than yesterday, thank goodness. Life with my three wonderful roomies still has working out to be done, and our apartment still has unfinished bits. But tonight was a good one, although shorter than I would like. I think I may check into reducing my after school days to one, because getting home at 7pm two nights a week, really cuts into my time to get work done. But tonight after hanging our three paper lanterns, we watched another firefly episode, which I always love. Seriously, the captain...........sigh. In other news I am turning 23 tomorrow, which seems both bizarre and very normal. This past month I have embarked on all kinds of adult behavior, but yet this has seemed very normal too me. However at the same time I am beginning to realize I am quickly entering the stage of life, where the years fly by and quickly blend into old age. I look back on my childhood and see that time as such a drawn out period. I mean don't the years spent in elementary school feel so much longer than those spent in high school and college? If anything it seems this acceleration in time only increases. Which reminds me that once again I missed the anniversary of this blog. This past September 17th, marked the 2 year anniversary of this blog. In looking back at that time, I noticed that tried for some time to post something everyday. Maybe I should once again, try to get myself into that kind of regularity. Well this post is definitely a jumpy one, sorry for the lack of complete thoughts, but here are some other things that have been skipping through my brain -going to grad school to get my MLS (Masters in Library Science) -Egypt -love -magazines -watching new musicals such as the Pirate Queen last night -playing with the kitty -etc -checking out irish pubs in evanston Anyways I think I will leave you with links to my previous two birthday posts. 21 My actual post is around halfway down the page and includes a 21 picture intro. I can't seem to remember how to link to an individual post anymore! 22 This one can be found almost at the bottom of the page and is of course my famous birthday in China. P.S. Today and Yesterday I rode the bus home, and I must say there is something about public transportation that I think I will always love! UPDATE: Tim showed me how to link to individual posts, so now you can all find the post through the link directly! Thanks Tim.

ughishness

blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah no real post today may post regularly later but not now

thank God for Yom Kippur

So despite my lack of Jewishness, I must say I am very greatful for this important day, mainly however because my school is closed today! Unfortuately, next week I will also be developing a similar gratefulness for Columbus day.