244th Day

My flashback wish: English dreams.

I would much rather be in England right now than staring out my window at the beginnings of what is predicted to be Death Storm 2011.

Day 244

I might feel most at home with a basketball in my hand, but playing the trombone is a close second. And on a cold and snowy night like tonight, there was no better way to stay warm -- especially when we're playing a medley of Civil War tunes. It's been a long break since marching band, but I'm starting to get my chops back!

243rd Day

I love me some black bean, avocado tostadas.  I think that Mexican food is my comfort food.

Day 243

Sunday afternoon Scrabble, coffee, and old movies with Nora.

Best. Board. Ever.

242nd Day

 Ode to Wicker Park,

You Mecca for hipsters.

With your loud, crappy music and

your odd mix of cheap PBRs and expensive cocktails.

Adorned in plaid and flannel, 

I just don't get you. 

But you're nice to visit every once in a while.

Thank goodness Matt and Ashley aren't hipsters.

Day 242

I'm an RA. And that means I spend a good portion of my weekend nights trapped in my apartment on duty. But I'm blessed with some pretty amazing friends who come and keep me company...by playing Just Dance.

P.S. This is probably the only way you will ever see me (try to) dance.

241st Day

Zero-Zero.  State & Madison. Looking North.

Thanks to Daniel Burnham, Chicago is a grid city, which means that one could hypothetically be dropped anywhere within the city limits (just imagine the little person you can drop anywhere on Google Maps) and they would be able to figure out where they are because of the numbers.  This took me some time to figure out, but after seventeen months I have it down.  Zero-Zero also happens to be the halfway point of my morning commute two days a week.  

And no, that is not the bus I need to transfer to. 

Day 241

My typical Friday morning @ 10 am: Coffee (skim milk, two Splenda) and The Courier.

240th Day

I'm been eating too much bland food lately so I was very excited by this colorful Sweet & Sour Pineapple dish.  I've always wondered why dishes with pineapple are considered Hawaiian, so I asked the resident Hawaiian.  Oddly enough, according to her, most of their pineapple is actually imported from South America because the pineapple business is no longer a large industry.  How interesting!

Day 240

I'm German...there's no secret there. So that's why I wear a German coin around my neck everyday -- to remember where I came from and to have a piece of my history with me everywhere I go. The other pendant is a tree branch. It reminds me to keep my roots strong, but to spread my branches.

Day 239

As weird as it sounds (or as it may be), conversation hearts are my favorite candy. It's at this time of year that I start to stock up on them like I'm saving for the Apocalypse. I don't know what it is about this crazy Valentine's candy, but I just can't get enough!

239th Day

"I still believe in summer days. The seasons always change and life will find a way." Sara Bareilles
Today was just one of those days.
I'd prefer fewer days like this in my life. 

Day 238

I had to get a picture of this awesome ice before it melts!

238th Day

The sun poked its head out for just a little bit this afternoon. It was a much welcomed treat as I left work.

237th Day

These new cowboy-esque boots make this city gal remember her country roots and a little homesick. Or at least in the mood for wide-open spaces and room to breathe. 

Day 238

When I arrived back at my apartment after a long day of classes I was super excited to find that my package from BeadforLife had arrived! BeadforLife is an amazing organization that creates sustainable opportunities for women in war-torn Uganda to lift themselves out of poverty. These bracelets were handmade by Ugandan women who roll recycled paper into beads. You should definitely check them out!

Day 237

My dad's homemade donuts before church on a Sunday morning = love.

Oh hey, Zoe. This was probably taken right before she hit me in the face. Good thing she doesn't have claws!

237th Day

This afternoon some friends and I joined hoards of Chicago Bears fans (and a few Packers fans) at a bar called Kincade's (Stephanie, it's so close!!) to watch one very sad football game. 

236th Day

Saturday was spent cleaning/organizing my desk and moving most of the books to my windowsill.  And look at that giant crane thingy outside.  There is a new building going up two blocks away.

Day 236

On a snowy and cold Homecoming weekend four years ago I scored my 1000th point of my high school basketball career. The third in school history. And what makes it even better was that one of my teammates scored her thousandth point one game before I did. That weekend was quite a celebration. So was this weekend, as my alma mater was victorious in all four games that took place at good ol' MCHS on Saturday! Go Raiders!

Day 235

My sister (in her rocking red heels) and her friends before the Homecoming dance. Yes, our high school is lame and doesn't have football. So Homecoming is during basketball season. While she was dancing the night away in the cafeteria, I was playing Just Dance 2 on the Wii. I think I may have missed my true calling as a Bollywood dancer...no joke.

235th Day

Yes, on one of the coldest nights of the year we ordered frozen margaritas.
What a foolish, (shivering), foolish idea. 

Day 234

Today was definitely a hat and mittens day. Mittens. Never gloves. And unfortunately, I have a feeling tomorrow will be too. Dear Winter, as much as I love you and I love wearing sweaters every day, I'm ready to move on.

234th Day

I love a good loaf of bread, especially sweet breads with extras in them like raisins and walnuts.  This Morning Glory Loaf is divine.  

Day 233

Don't let that snow deceive you. The walk to Wallace Hall for Philosophy this morning was treacherous! There was a lovely layer of ice hiding underneath on the frozen sidewalks, but I was victorious and didn't take a spill...yet.

233rd Day

Like Liz Lemon, I often think that all anyone ever needs is a good sandwich and some peace and quiet. I've been craving a good sandwich lately and found this delicious recipe in my new vegetarian cookbook for a cucumber, red pepper, cheese spread.  Perhaps sandwiches are the one true human commonality =)

Day 232

Grebner, Hope E. 22nd Birthday Cupcakes for Nora from Kristen and Hope. 18 January 2011. Nora Carleson's Birthday Festivities. Harding House. Monmouth College. Monmouth, Illinois.

(If you didn't notice, I'm really in the mood for some Chicago Style citations).

232nd Day

I may not be able to see out of the window after one more trip to the library...

231st Day

Blast! Another day of food - today was sort of like roommate bonding day.

Kate, Hep, and I had the day off and we had pancakes for breakfast! 

Swice was off keeping the world running.

We gathered together at The Purple Pig after Swice got off work.  My favorite part of the meal: fried brussel sprouts {note: they were not at all what I was expecting or had pictured in my mind!}

Day 231

Dear postcards circa 1920, how should I use you in one of my crazy craft projects? Any ideas?

230th Day

Today was a day of food. 

Brunch with the boys. 

And home made pizza with the gang.

Pure gluttony. 

I'm going to have to go on a diet after this weekend of food. Ugh.

Day 230

Eating breakfast for dinner on a relaxing Sunday evening -- what could be better? Especially now that I finally made it to the store and have milk and coffee creamer.

P.S. I am extremely proud of my math skills in dividing a recipe that makes 12-18 pancakes into one that makes three! Cooking for one is more difficult than imagined.

Day 229

First official grad school acceptance letter...on the fridge. Will I be living in Bloomington, Indiana this time next year?

229th Day

For Christmas I gave Gavin a ticket to see the Chicago Bulls play the Miami Heat.  His friend Scott joined us and 23,000 other fans to watch an extremely close game. Thankfully the Bulls managed to hold off the Heat and we got to see a win!  What a fun night!

228th Day

Flowers and champagne are a fantastic house-warming gift!

Day 228 {Friday Flashback}

Grenada has been on my heart a lot recently, so I decided to flashback almost seven years to show you some photographs from the time I spent there. Being the western most island in the Windward Islands, less than 90 miles off the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea, of course it is beautiful. But the island's true beauty is in its people. This is the place where I have found the most happiness. Hopefully I'll go back soon...this summer perhaps?

227th Day

I generally begin my Monday mornings at work listening to the podcast of Saturday's episode of NPR's news quiz game show Wait, wait... don't tell me!  But! Tonight, I got to be in with the cool crowd of 500 audience members at the taping of the show at the Chase Bank auditorium in downtown Chicago.  It was honestly the most I've laughed in a good while. {Note: my co-workers usually find me sitting at my desk laughing to myself and have finally caught on that I'm just listening to Wait, wait.}  Peter Sagal was back from a cruise and Korva Coleman filled in for Carl Kassel.  Mo Rocca, Amy Dickinson, and Maz Jobrani were the panelists.  Find out when your local public radio station airs Wait, wait and tune in! It was a great show {AND you may just hear my laugh in the audience!}

Yes, I got some autographs. My roommates indulged my moment of geek. 

The adorable Amy Dickinson -
 we chatted about our mutual love of dresses.

Oh, Peter Sagal, how your awkwardness makes me laugh.

Day 227

I have a somewhat odd affinity for campaign buttons, so this was pretty much the best (after) Christmas gift ever! Thanks to Scott and his awesome dad my collection has grown by leaps and bounds and now includes buttons to represent the elusive Barry Goldwater among many others!

226th Day

Tonight I had dinner with a dear friend from camp.  The Chicago Diner is all vegetarian and totally cool.

Day 226

All of my books for class don't fit on my bookshelf, so I keep them here by my big creepy underground window. Today might just have been the best first day of school ever -- from philosophy to religion, from Sherlock Holmes to WWI -- I love them all! It's going to be a great semester for reading!