Love to Gert

Some days sound like nothing. Today sounded like my Great Aunt Gert's funeral. I share the following words of wisdom from my elders:

quotes of the day!

5. "What lie was I about to tell?" asked my grandfather after he lost his train of thought.

4. "You go in healthy then, boom, boom, boom..." my grandfather explained the demise of the human once entered into an assisted living facility.

3. When asked what he'd like to drink my great uncle Andy replied, "something with pills in it."

2. When asked what my grandfather would like to drink my grandfather suggested, "another Vodka and get me that blonde from the bar."

1. "When I die people are going to leave my funeral smelling like Polish sausage and whiskey...mumble...I'm not supposed to Drink." In my great uncle's defense, he is 88! There is no excuse for my grandfather, however.

the usual

I feel dry, safe and surrounded by comfort...the guilt might end up giving me a belly ache. That might balance it all. Yep, it did.

Coverage

I flew to Nashville to help my brother move to the other end of town. What you see here is the dirtiest scrabble board kept indoors.
Later, I lined up similarly with college students. I forgot how much fun campus life could be. I swore I'd never wish I was back in college...






My drink.







It took us 10 hours to drive home. This cloud kept us hostage in Kentucky for 4 hours and then chased us home. I've never seen rain like that before. That night I woke up numerous times thinking I was about to crash the U-haul into a pond.

Overtime

I squeezed 45.5 hours of work within 4 days. My most creative project this week was decorating a coworker's cubicle to welcome them back from a 12 week sabbatical. We automatically hummed carols while we wrapped their keyboard, chair, phone, phone cord and reference books. It took them all morning to set the seasons right. Sadly enough, that was the only pat on the back I received from my boss all week long.

Dancing with eyes shut, elbows out and feet kicking if need be

Dancing in Grant Park...whew we! I caught the last day of it for the summer and I feel lucky, tired and worked!
Thumbs up to my friend who at 6'-4+" was easily spotted at all times.
Thumbs down to the man who beat on my back side for half a song until I drew up the courage to give him a slap.
I don't know these people. I was attempting a shot of the skyline. This is where you nudge your mouse and leave a comment:

Q: which funny face/look is your favorite?

a. the man who is licking his hand.

b. the man who is disgusted by his potential hook up who is licking his hand.

c. the woman who is too chill to care

d. the woman who just turned around and saw the man licking his hand and is now about to imitate the action.







I haven't seen this many people on a stage since a 446 show. On that note, I saw a few things tonight that Tha 446 might benefit from if incorporated correctly:
-police stage presence
-3 fights in the audience
-1 attempted fight between an MC and the audience
-children dancing, on stage, in the middle of it all

Predicting Autumn

I didn't sleep well. My online telepathy woke me up at 1 and I couldn't shake the dream that accompanied it until 2. But when I stepped out the front door and breathed in the crisp air I thought...this is good. So much has been changing, why not the season along with it?

Yesterday, while at the Wolf Road Prairie, I listened to an old woman tell me that frogs were stupid. She said that her boys used to raise frogs and they were so stupid because they are finicky and uncompromising. Supposedly, they'd rather starve to death than eat a dead cricket. I decided to take her comment as a wise joke.

Sometimes, the need to react to your surroundings is so strong that you have to sprout another leg, a third eye, another hobby...you'd be silly not to.

Outing alone + In a group = Community

I lined up with the best of 'em today at the Wolf Road prairie, Westchester IL. Dr. Gerould Wiheim, Botanist and Conservationist, gave a two hour lecture on the preciousness of our prairies.
*kick*
That's me kicking myself for not bringing a pen and paper.
My hope is that my pictures will be inspiring enough to encourage my return for other lectures and real studies.
Between me and all of you...I stood next to a man (not pictured) who looked like Paul Newman. Old men should not look that good... I feel dirty now.

Made it

I woke up late today. I knew I could since there wouldn't be anyone at the office to hound me. Turns out...I was right.

My horoscope has been prompting me to change my style. I immediately began thinking about my wardrobe, hair, and all other things superficial.

I should have thought about altering my thought patterns, communication style and attitude. Firstly.

The compromise was that I bought a new tube of Mascara and I'm contemplating the accuracy of my fortune cookie.

Unoccupied

It is nice working with practical jokesters. I think everyone should approach their desk with as hearty of a laugh as I did this morning.

Holding that moment

Sooooooooooooooooo, tonight I found myself so introverted that it is a wonder I was able to carry on certain conversations. Ever have those moments? They aren't all together bad unless you emerge with no new findings. Luckily for me, I surfaced with a new personal to do list, a date in Paris in 2010 and my dignity.

I can't beat that right now, and I don't think I'll try.

The best $16.50 I ever spent on a free movie

Minnesota Fat vs. Fast Eddie vs. his own vices vs. ? I left the movie early to catch my train back to the burbs...Chicago is beautiful, especially with the addition of a larger than life tweety bird.

Boolu Master Saves The Day

1- Temporary promotion (not mine)
1- Temporary demotion (not mine)
1- permanent dining room set (not mine)
1- permanent dining room set in expected transit (mine!)

...Who saved the day??? BOOLU MASTER.

He brought the beat back ya'll. Weeeeeeeee!

Harder

I saw a toddler get smacked in the head with a tennis racket today. Even as I approached the scene from a half a block away things didn't seem right. It was a couple in their early 30's playing tennis with one another while their two young children huddled close to their legs. They were serving balls as if trying to hammer out last night's remaining resentment. The little girl caught her father's racket hard on his follow through.

The parents laughed as they consoled their child. I'm pretty sure they saw the look of horror on my face.

I've heard stories of my dad accidentally putting my young life in danger (the water bed incident and the family Grand Canyon vacation). At least my parents waited a couple days before laughing...I think.

In the wild suburbia

I had the afternoon off and after waking up from a much needed nap I scooped my camera up and departed into the wild preserves of Hinsdale, IL. This is Graue Mill. An elementary school field trip destination that like dozen of others, I took for granted.

There was a sign posted on either side of the wheel that read Stay off Wheel. I wonder how many attempts to ride the wheel were made before signs were posted.
The tree jumped in front of the line.

Happy strangers. I hope that picture sits on their mantle for years to come. Her work.
His work.

Smell me...that's right...closer...closer...

lean back

There are legitimate reasons to having a mirror free yoga class.
If there had been a mirror in front of me I wonder would I have:

a) adjusted my posture?

b) compared my abilities to those of my comrades ?

c) cropped my body down until I saw only what I wanted to see?

Even the cat took notice

I've been struggling with the cat for 7 months. The issue has been her behavior. She can't seem to separate her attitude from her cat box functions. By default I introduced a new litter and to my amazement she did something I've never seen her do before...She used the box correctly.

Home Remodeling...I'm taking notes

I've been observing my good friends purchase and revamp homes. They offer love to their projects and interject individuality into every nuance with the hope that one day it will be just the way they want it.

This week I realized I am the greatest home I will ever own and it is time to revamp.