Tonight I spent the first half an hour of Earth Hour watching my third or fourth episode of the Law & Order SVU Marathon. Then, Greg (Melissa's boyfriend) and I made a Scooter's run. After they shared a piece of their deep dish pizza with me, I went for the Caramel Fudge Nut Brownie Chip (AKA. "CFNBC")- "Vanilla Custard, Scooter's Fabulous Fudge Nut Brownie, Caramel Fudge & Chocolate Chips." It was delicious. In general, it was a lazy, amazing day. This morning I picked up Sarah and Sarah from their hotel downtown, and we came back my way for brunch. (There was a bit of drama last night, and I didn't end up meeting up with them.) They both said they didn't need meat for breakfast, so we went to Victory's Banner (http://www.victorysbanner.com/about.php). You would find this out by looking at the website, but all of the employees are meditation students and study with the Indian Spiritual Master Sri Chinmoy. "The restaurant is a reflection of the impact Sri Chinmoy has had on our lives, and it is inspired by him. His philosophy encourages a sincere inner life with an active outer life." You know me. I like supporting these types of places. :)
I would say that we waited no more than 15 minutes, and we got our food after about ten minutes. I started out with Very Veggie Juice (tomato, carrot, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce,watercress and spinach) and ordered "Eggless Wonder #2" (marinated tofu with broccoli, onion, tomato, mushroom, zucchini, potato, feta cheese, pesto and brown rice, served with
hearth bread). Both were flavorful and delicious. There lunch menu has some great offerings as well, so I will have to go back again sometime soon. It was great to catch up with the two of them; it had been awhile.
After brunch Sarah Richards needed to go to Navy Pier to pick up her "bib bag" for the Shamrock Shuffle tomorrow. It was crazy there- people and cars all over. The most humorous part of the day was the drive from Navy Pier to Union Station. While it was about half a mile away, the GARMIN (GPS) was having a hard time getting us there. I don't know if it was the skyscrapers or what, but it would say, "Turn right. Then turn left. Recalculating... Turn left then turn left." We were driving all over the place and in crazy tunnels.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
It's Official...
I am a full-time student starting May 4th.I had my final interview with the dean before work this morning and am now even more excited to start school. :)
I am on my lunch break now and feeling tired. I did not sleep well last night. It was Kaitlin's (my roommate) Birthday, and she had her family and some friends over. I must say that I was pretty jealous of her parents' display of love. They brought her a birthday cake and champagne on top of her presents: a wii, wii fit, controllers, games, some flip-flops- pretty special. Some of those are definitely apartment gifts.
In general though i haven't been sleeping very well. Surprisingly, when my alarm went off around 5:30 this morning, I actually did wake up and go to the 6AM Turbokick class.
All in all it's been a good week but also a rather exhausting one. One of our teachers left last week, so I have been trying to help out everywhere and anywhere I can, which often means being with the two year-olds. For that reason I have had a very hard time getting out of bed most mornings, feeling utterly exhausted. Sarah Dahl's coming into the city tonight, and I can't wait to see her, Sarah and Vanessa.
I am on my lunch break now and feeling tired. I did not sleep well last night. It was Kaitlin's (my roommate) Birthday, and she had her family and some friends over. I must say that I was pretty jealous of her parents' display of love. They brought her a birthday cake and champagne on top of her presents: a wii, wii fit, controllers, games, some flip-flops- pretty special. Some of those are definitely apartment gifts.
In general though i haven't been sleeping very well. Surprisingly, when my alarm went off around 5:30 this morning, I actually did wake up and go to the 6AM Turbokick class.
All in all it's been a good week but also a rather exhausting one. One of our teachers left last week, so I have been trying to help out everywhere and anywhere I can, which often means being with the two year-olds. For that reason I have had a very hard time getting out of bed most mornings, feeling utterly exhausted. Sarah Dahl's coming into the city tonight, and I can't wait to see her, Sarah and Vanessa.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
New Loves of My Life
I typically despise going to the gym after work, but since I haven't been sleeping well lately, I packed a gym bag and went to Xsport straight from work yesterday for a 7PM "Turbokick" class. Oh my gosh... I loved it- so much fun! It definitely broke my workout rut. I would describe it as a combination of kickboxing and dancing. I guess they do a new routine every 12 weeks. I caught the last class of the session and caught on pretty easily. The instructor, Julie, was totally into it and had the perfect personality to teach the class: funny, yet motivating. I guess she teaches on Friday mornings at 6AM also. There's really no need for me to wake up that early during the week, but I may just have to for this class.
One of my favorite things to do after a good trip to the gym is head next door to Whole Foods to pick up some healthy ingredients for dinner. There's a guy in produce named Robbie, who is always having me try new things. He told me that a lot of people come there after the gym to get "young coconuts" for their water. I guess coconut water is known for aiding in relaxation?! I was immediately curious and asked him what the water tastes like. He went and opened one up for me. I was surprised at how "sweet" this water is. I have a pretty big sweet tooth, but maybe a glass of coconut water would help curve it. I wonder how I can use it in recipes.
One of my favorite things to do after a good trip to the gym is head next door to Whole Foods to pick up some healthy ingredients for dinner. There's a guy in produce named Robbie, who is always having me try new things. He told me that a lot of people come there after the gym to get "young coconuts" for their water. I guess coconut water is known for aiding in relaxation?! I was immediately curious and asked him what the water tastes like. He went and opened one up for me. I was surprised at how "sweet" this water is. I have a pretty big sweet tooth, but maybe a glass of coconut water would help curve it. I wonder how I can use it in recipes.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sushi Champion!
While it's a bit gloomy today, I have been LOVING this spring weather. I was stir crazy in the car on my way back to the city yesterday afternoon. I had the windows down, and the sun was shining. I found out on Saturday that Dave is back in Chicago for a little while, so we made plans to get together yesterday. It was originally just dinner, but once he heard that I was going for a run, we decided to go together. I didn't think that would be a good idea since I haven't been too consistent with my running, but it worked out well. It was so good to see him. Was it really about a year since we'd seen each other? Time really does go by fast.
I wish I knew how much we ran. Just going to and from my place, I ran about 3.5 miles. After running we got ready and went out for sushi. We had decided on another place, since I went to House of Sushi and Noodles recently, but he was pretty pumped to hear about the all you can eat buffet, so we had a change of plans. I didn't really care, so we went there.
I don't know if this is something that I should be proud of, but for him being "starving" and me feeling "not so hungry," I ate more sushi than him (just by a piece). I finished all three of my rolls: North Carolina Maki (Sweet Potato Tempura with Crunch Batter, Cream Cheese, Green Onion, Unagi Sauce with Mayo, Crunch Batter), Mang Tango Maki (Unagi Tempura, Mango, Cucumber) and some kind of Tofu Maki. I actually felt like I maybe could have eaten another one, but it definitely was not necessary. haha In his defense, one could argue that his were more filling because they had fish in them. If I wouldn't have been so full on sushi, I might have suggested a stop at Scooters, which has reopened for the season, but I think that will have to be another day.
I wish I knew how much we ran. Just going to and from my place, I ran about 3.5 miles. After running we got ready and went out for sushi. We had decided on another place, since I went to House of Sushi and Noodles recently, but he was pretty pumped to hear about the all you can eat buffet, so we had a change of plans. I didn't really care, so we went there.
I don't know if this is something that I should be proud of, but for him being "starving" and me feeling "not so hungry," I ate more sushi than him (just by a piece). I finished all three of my rolls: North Carolina Maki (Sweet Potato Tempura with Crunch Batter, Cream Cheese, Green Onion, Unagi Sauce with Mayo, Crunch Batter), Mang Tango Maki (Unagi Tempura, Mango, Cucumber) and some kind of Tofu Maki. I actually felt like I maybe could have eaten another one, but it definitely was not necessary. haha In his defense, one could argue that his were more filling because they had fish in them. If I wouldn't have been so full on sushi, I might have suggested a stop at Scooters, which has reopened for the season, but I think that will have to be another day.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Busy Week!
Once again a week has gone by, and I have not written at all; I constantly feel like there aren't enough hours in the day. This entire week I stayed up later than normal and had an almost impossible time waking up to start my day.
Monday morning started out well as I dropped off a few Bum Bar sample packages. The morning was warm, and the sun was shining. However, as soon as I walked into the classroom, I sighed. I just didn't want to be there. Yet. as the day and week progressed, I found myself enjoying work more, especially on St. Patrick's Day. The temperature reached almost 70 degrees that day, and we spent the afternoon outside playing. Everyone was out and about in full force Tuesday night. On my walk to yoga I saw so many people running, walking their dogs and playing outside with their children. The warm weather really is a beautiful thing. :) I was planning to meet up with friends in Lincoln Park that night, but as they changed their party location to Wicker Park, and my workshop got out early, I opted for a quiet night at my place instead.
Wednesday night I made a delicious dinner of "nutty broccoli." It was so simple: I steamed some broccoli as I made a sauce of peanut butter, Braggs/soy sauce and orange juice. I combined it all with brown rice and chopped some peanuts for the top. (If you'd like the recipe, let me know.) Then, I went to work on so much waited for cookies for my grandparents. My Grandma's favorites are Mexican Wedding Cookies, and my Papa likes your American favorite chocolate chip (with pecans). Before I knew it, it was much later than I wanted it to be.
I don't know which days these happened, but here are a few funnies from the kids at my school:
Me: "X, You better be careful, or you could fall and crack your head open." X: "I'm not an egg. Eggs crack."
Me: "Y, Did you toot?" Y: "No, I farted."
One of my four year-0lds was singing Beyonce's "Single Ladies" as she was supposed to be working on here homework. Another one of the girls, who just changed her name for the second time, decided that she wants to be a queen when she grows up. :)
On Thursday morning I met with Master Alena to discuss my Shim-Sung experience and receive guidance from her. I am to do 103 bows, a form of meditation, each day. (In case you were wondering, it takes me about 25 minutes, but my mind is pretty clear halfway through.) My Shim-Sung follow-up occurred later that night. After a week in the "real world," it was nice to be re-inspired to have visions and to make a difference. The mental state/happiness of our world is so much lower than it should be, and the more "enlightened" each person becomes, the more the world will change for the better. I have hope that conditions will improve. I should have tried to write more on Thursday, and I'm a bit tired now, so I will try to write more later.
I drove home late Thursday night because I scheduled myself a dentist apt and a doctor's apt on Friday. Those did not go like I expected. After brushing at least twice a day and flossing every day, I have a cavity that I need to get filled. The dentist told me that sometimes the enamel forms so deep in the tooth that bristles cannot reach those spots. I guess there's not much I can do about it. As for my doctor's appointment, I don't want to write too much, but what I expected to be the typical yearly exam turned into an ultrasound (No, I'm not pregnant.) and blood work. I was freaking out during the ultrasound: she was checking for cancer. Fortunately, all looked good there. I just have a lot of follicles in my ovaries?! I'm still not entirely sure what this means, but she told me not to stress. She'll call me this week with the lab results. So more to come on this.
That night I grabbed dinner with my parents and just relaxed. This morning I woke up to go to my massage at 10 at Essential Elements. I was redeeming a gift certificate, which makes any massage even more enjoyable. :) It was a Beautiful afternoon, and I spent it with my Grandparents and then taking Chief for a walk with my parents. Tonight I met Jesse for dinner at India House Restaurant. I had not seen her in so long, so it was great to catch up, and the food was delicious. Time for bows and bed haha. Oh yeah... official "final interview" for school on Friday. Otherwise everything else is in for a May 4th start.
Monday morning started out well as I dropped off a few Bum Bar sample packages. The morning was warm, and the sun was shining. However, as soon as I walked into the classroom, I sighed. I just didn't want to be there. Yet. as the day and week progressed, I found myself enjoying work more, especially on St. Patrick's Day. The temperature reached almost 70 degrees that day, and we spent the afternoon outside playing. Everyone was out and about in full force Tuesday night. On my walk to yoga I saw so many people running, walking their dogs and playing outside with their children. The warm weather really is a beautiful thing. :) I was planning to meet up with friends in Lincoln Park that night, but as they changed their party location to Wicker Park, and my workshop got out early, I opted for a quiet night at my place instead.
Wednesday night I made a delicious dinner of "nutty broccoli." It was so simple: I steamed some broccoli as I made a sauce of peanut butter, Braggs/soy sauce and orange juice. I combined it all with brown rice and chopped some peanuts for the top. (If you'd like the recipe, let me know.) Then, I went to work on so much waited for cookies for my grandparents. My Grandma's favorites are Mexican Wedding Cookies, and my Papa likes your American favorite chocolate chip (with pecans). Before I knew it, it was much later than I wanted it to be.
I don't know which days these happened, but here are a few funnies from the kids at my school:
Me: "X, You better be careful, or you could fall and crack your head open." X: "I'm not an egg. Eggs crack."
Me: "Y, Did you toot?" Y: "No, I farted."
One of my four year-0lds was singing Beyonce's "Single Ladies" as she was supposed to be working on here homework. Another one of the girls, who just changed her name for the second time, decided that she wants to be a queen when she grows up. :)
On Thursday morning I met with Master Alena to discuss my Shim-Sung experience and receive guidance from her. I am to do 103 bows, a form of meditation, each day. (In case you were wondering, it takes me about 25 minutes, but my mind is pretty clear halfway through.) My Shim-Sung follow-up occurred later that night. After a week in the "real world," it was nice to be re-inspired to have visions and to make a difference. The mental state/happiness of our world is so much lower than it should be, and the more "enlightened" each person becomes, the more the world will change for the better. I have hope that conditions will improve. I should have tried to write more on Thursday, and I'm a bit tired now, so I will try to write more later.
I drove home late Thursday night because I scheduled myself a dentist apt and a doctor's apt on Friday. Those did not go like I expected. After brushing at least twice a day and flossing every day, I have a cavity that I need to get filled. The dentist told me that sometimes the enamel forms so deep in the tooth that bristles cannot reach those spots. I guess there's not much I can do about it. As for my doctor's appointment, I don't want to write too much, but what I expected to be the typical yearly exam turned into an ultrasound (No, I'm not pregnant.) and blood work. I was freaking out during the ultrasound: she was checking for cancer. Fortunately, all looked good there. I just have a lot of follicles in my ovaries?! I'm still not entirely sure what this means, but she told me not to stress. She'll call me this week with the lab results. So more to come on this.
That night I grabbed dinner with my parents and just relaxed. This morning I woke up to go to my massage at 10 at Essential Elements. I was redeeming a gift certificate, which makes any massage even more enjoyable. :) It was a Beautiful afternoon, and I spent it with my Grandparents and then taking Chief for a walk with my parents. Tonight I met Jesse for dinner at India House Restaurant. I had not seen her in so long, so it was great to catch up, and the food was delicious. Time for bows and bed haha. Oh yeah... official "final interview" for school on Friday. Otherwise everything else is in for a May 4th start.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
I Can Be Anybody; I Can Do Anything!!
This is my powerful, positive mantra that I found during Shim-Sung this weekend.
Part of me feels tired right now and another part of me feels so much energy and drive and wants to do so much before going to bed. Either way, I knew I had to write before I retire for the night:
So one of the rules of shim-sung is that you cannot tell anyone about what actually happens in the workshop, but you are supposed to share your discoveries and your feelings. (It makes the experience more meaningful and real.) So where do I begin? In general I feel like I am gaining more confidence, not caring what others think so much. I feel a ton of love in my heart and am working toward more love for myself. I have a better understanding that my mind, my soul and my body are all different entities, and I have to be conscious of this. There are times of physical challenge when your body wants to give up, and your mind encourages you to give up, but if you want it bad enough, and believe in yourself enough, you can do/endure anything. As I wrote before, when there's a will there's a way! What's on the inside truly matters more than anything else. The past affects you, and it is important to recognize the pain and emotions but also important to move past these feelings. Music is so so powerful. I think the world has the potential to move in a much more positive direction, but people need to be willing to change.
More specifically the hardest realization I had during this training is that I have A LOT of negative thoughts about myself. The biggest, most painful thought that goes through my head on a daily, probably hourly basis is "I am a bad person." I feel bad if I forget to do something, especially when it is for someone else. (Speaking of... I just ran into my roommate's room to text her some information that she asked about on Friday.) I feel bad if I don't wake up early enough to be productive in the morning. I feel bad if I'm a little too hard on the kids at school. I feel bad if I haven't been in touch with a friend or family member in awhile. The list goes on and on.
On the side of more positive realizations, I have changed the way in which I view my relationship with my parents. I understand that the way they are comes largely from their past, and no matter what, they love me so much. At this training I realized that while I sometimes try to back out of this role, I am naturally a leader, a teacher and a cheerleader.
Those are the biggest lessons I can think of right now. Trainings always leave me feeling so amazing and wanting more! :)
If you read my last post, you know that this weekend was more than Shim-Sung: After work Friday night I met Kathryn, Lindsay and Ema at Cristy's. We ordered in Thai food, caught one another up on life and had some meaningful conversations, which included a discussion of how, unlike the transition from high school to college, no one is prepared for the transition from college to the real world. This makes the first year out of college incredibly difficult. I personally think talking about it makes people feel better and more "normal," but each of us, in addition to many others, talked about how hard it has been for us. It had been (w0w!) almost nine months since we had all been together, but everything felt so right. Friends are so important in life, and I am so grateful for mine. I probably do not thank them enough.
Shortly before going to bed (Kat and I slept over.), Cristy asked Kat and I to be Parker's Godmothers. Of course we both said yes while simultaneouslt shrieking. haha I was flattered and excited at the time, but as I continue to think about it and talk about it, my heart feels more and more love, honor and privilege. Like Cristy said, "Now we kind of have to be friends forever." Not that I didn't plan to before, but it solidifies our relationship even more; we will always be connected. Now I also have even more of an excuse to spoil beautiful baby Parker, who I met in his first 24 hours of life. I'm Aunt Karissa. :)
Part of me feels tired right now and another part of me feels so much energy and drive and wants to do so much before going to bed. Either way, I knew I had to write before I retire for the night:
So one of the rules of shim-sung is that you cannot tell anyone about what actually happens in the workshop, but you are supposed to share your discoveries and your feelings. (It makes the experience more meaningful and real.) So where do I begin? In general I feel like I am gaining more confidence, not caring what others think so much. I feel a ton of love in my heart and am working toward more love for myself. I have a better understanding that my mind, my soul and my body are all different entities, and I have to be conscious of this. There are times of physical challenge when your body wants to give up, and your mind encourages you to give up, but if you want it bad enough, and believe in yourself enough, you can do/endure anything. As I wrote before, when there's a will there's a way! What's on the inside truly matters more than anything else. The past affects you, and it is important to recognize the pain and emotions but also important to move past these feelings. Music is so so powerful. I think the world has the potential to move in a much more positive direction, but people need to be willing to change.
More specifically the hardest realization I had during this training is that I have A LOT of negative thoughts about myself. The biggest, most painful thought that goes through my head on a daily, probably hourly basis is "I am a bad person." I feel bad if I forget to do something, especially when it is for someone else. (Speaking of... I just ran into my roommate's room to text her some information that she asked about on Friday.) I feel bad if I don't wake up early enough to be productive in the morning. I feel bad if I'm a little too hard on the kids at school. I feel bad if I haven't been in touch with a friend or family member in awhile. The list goes on and on.
On the side of more positive realizations, I have changed the way in which I view my relationship with my parents. I understand that the way they are comes largely from their past, and no matter what, they love me so much. At this training I realized that while I sometimes try to back out of this role, I am naturally a leader, a teacher and a cheerleader.
Those are the biggest lessons I can think of right now. Trainings always leave me feeling so amazing and wanting more! :)
If you read my last post, you know that this weekend was more than Shim-Sung: After work Friday night I met Kathryn, Lindsay and Ema at Cristy's. We ordered in Thai food, caught one another up on life and had some meaningful conversations, which included a discussion of how, unlike the transition from high school to college, no one is prepared for the transition from college to the real world. This makes the first year out of college incredibly difficult. I personally think talking about it makes people feel better and more "normal," but each of us, in addition to many others, talked about how hard it has been for us. It had been (w0w!) almost nine months since we had all been together, but everything felt so right. Friends are so important in life, and I am so grateful for mine. I probably do not thank them enough.
Shortly before going to bed (Kat and I slept over.), Cristy asked Kat and I to be Parker's Godmothers. Of course we both said yes while simultaneouslt shrieking. haha I was flattered and excited at the time, but as I continue to think about it and talk about it, my heart feels more and more love, honor and privilege. Like Cristy said, "Now we kind of have to be friends forever." Not that I didn't plan to before, but it solidifies our relationship even more; we will always be connected. Now I also have even more of an excuse to spoil beautiful baby Parker, who I met in his first 24 hours of life. I'm Aunt Karissa. :)
Friday, March 13, 2009
Excited About My Weekend!
So last night everyone is supposed to be dancing at the beginning of YEHA class. As I think I've mentioned before, dancing is a way to clear your mind. However, I cannot clear my mind. I keep thinking about how I want to go to the Shim Sung ("Heart Opening") self-discovery workshop this weekend. So I leave in the middle of the song to ask Master Elena if there is any way that I can still attend the training. I feel bad, but I canceled on a babysitting job for Saturday night and went to the center at 8:30 this morning (before work) to anything to come up in the future: Carpe Diem, I guess!
So for a little bit about the workshop: Shimsung is described as "a powerful transformational workshop that unlocks the spiritual core. The training focuses on my "energetic essence," as opposed to my numerous vocational roles: sister, friend, daughter, etc. It will take place 12-7:30 on Saturday and 8:45-7:30 on Sunday. In the end I am supposed to "regain self-confidence, eliminate negative personal traits and achieve more harmonious relationships by attaining a deeper understanding of the people close to me" by examining my mental thought patterns and emotional behaviors. This morning Master Elena explained that to find one's true self/nature you have to get through layers of preconceptions, emotions, thoughts and behaviors, which can make life challenging and burdensome.
Class last night was cool because after the dancing we held three different postures last night knowing that our body physically can hold the postures. It's whether or not our thoughts and/or emotions take over, telling us to release from the posture. At my second YEHA class I had to hold a posture for awhile, but I did not receive the explanation beforehand. I kept thinking: this is miserable; I don't want to do this; I can't do this. With that negative thinking, I definitely dropped my arms a few times. Last night I was able to hold all of the postures for the allotted time. It was at least five minutes I think.
I will keep you posted on Shimsung. I am also incredibly excited to have Kat coming into town this weekend. Tonight a few of us are meeting up at Cristy's. :)
So for a little bit about the workshop: Shimsung is described as "a powerful transformational workshop that unlocks the spiritual core. The training focuses on my "energetic essence," as opposed to my numerous vocational roles: sister, friend, daughter, etc. It will take place 12-7:30 on Saturday and 8:45-7:30 on Sunday. In the end I am supposed to "regain self-confidence, eliminate negative personal traits and achieve more harmonious relationships by attaining a deeper understanding of the people close to me" by examining my mental thought patterns and emotional behaviors. This morning Master Elena explained that to find one's true self/nature you have to get through layers of preconceptions, emotions, thoughts and behaviors, which can make life challenging and burdensome.
Class last night was cool because after the dancing we held three different postures last night knowing that our body physically can hold the postures. It's whether or not our thoughts and/or emotions take over, telling us to release from the posture. At my second YEHA class I had to hold a posture for awhile, but I did not receive the explanation beforehand. I kept thinking: this is miserable; I don't want to do this; I can't do this. With that negative thinking, I definitely dropped my arms a few times. Last night I was able to hold all of the postures for the allotted time. It was at least five minutes I think.
I will keep you posted on Shimsung. I am also incredibly excited to have Kat coming into town this weekend. Tonight a few of us are meeting up at Cristy's. :)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A Delightful Dinner
Yesterday I wished away the rain only to wake up to a 15degree morning. (I will never understand how that happens.) When I walked home last night, it was still in the fifties?!
Last night was a really nice start to my week. Emily invited me over to her apartment for dinner. We talked a bit until Daniel got home. I had never met him before but assumed he would be great since I like Emily so much; I was right.
For dinner Emily made a version of "beef" stew filled with tofu, potatoes, carrots and kale. It was hearty, flavorful and filling. To accompany the stew she made some simple biscuits, which I used to dip in the stew. At the table we shared the food as we got to know each other a little more. I find them both incredibly interesting and intelligent people.
The meal ended with a little dessert: mango passion coconut milk ice cream, a homemade chocolate chip cookie and some hot tea- this almond flavor that I had never had before. I guess Emily made the cookies with buckwheat flour, an ingredient I have never used before but liked. It left the cookies with almost a blue tint to them, and I really liked the flavor and the texture.
It was getting late, and I knew I should leave soon, but Daniel told me that I couldn't not partake in their ritual of live music after dinner. Unfortunately I had nothing to add to the duo, so I sat on the couch as Daniel sang and played the guitar and Emily accompanied him on the piano. I was not sure exactly how to explain it to him. Daniel sounds like a professional, very natural. When I told him that I wish I could sing, he told me that he hasn't always been able to sing. I should try. He just worked at it a lot. Then, when I commented that I wish I played an instrument, he asked me why I didn't? So is there hope for me?
In general, they were a great couple to be around. Although they've been together for awhile, I can tell that they really love each other, which is always refreshing. Talking to hem has made me think about age more. When Daniel told me that he is 32, I was shocked. Am I more mature? Does he have a young spirit? (He calls it immaturity.) Is it a little bit of both, or is age really just a number, irrelevant once you hit a certain point? I definitely hope to spend more time with them in the future, which I don't think will be too hard.
So far today (I got in at 10.) I have spent most of my day trying to drown out screaming two year-olds. I have a headache!
Last night was a really nice start to my week. Emily invited me over to her apartment for dinner. We talked a bit until Daniel got home. I had never met him before but assumed he would be great since I like Emily so much; I was right.
For dinner Emily made a version of "beef" stew filled with tofu, potatoes, carrots and kale. It was hearty, flavorful and filling. To accompany the stew she made some simple biscuits, which I used to dip in the stew. At the table we shared the food as we got to know each other a little more. I find them both incredibly interesting and intelligent people.
The meal ended with a little dessert: mango passion coconut milk ice cream, a homemade chocolate chip cookie and some hot tea- this almond flavor that I had never had before. I guess Emily made the cookies with buckwheat flour, an ingredient I have never used before but liked. It left the cookies with almost a blue tint to them, and I really liked the flavor and the texture.
It was getting late, and I knew I should leave soon, but Daniel told me that I couldn't not partake in their ritual of live music after dinner. Unfortunately I had nothing to add to the duo, so I sat on the couch as Daniel sang and played the guitar and Emily accompanied him on the piano. I was not sure exactly how to explain it to him. Daniel sounds like a professional, very natural. When I told him that I wish I could sing, he told me that he hasn't always been able to sing. I should try. He just worked at it a lot. Then, when I commented that I wish I played an instrument, he asked me why I didn't? So is there hope for me?
In general, they were a great couple to be around. Although they've been together for awhile, I can tell that they really love each other, which is always refreshing. Talking to hem has made me think about age more. When Daniel told me that he is 32, I was shocked. Am I more mature? Does he have a young spirit? (He calls it immaturity.) Is it a little bit of both, or is age really just a number, irrelevant once you hit a certain point? I definitely hope to spend more time with them in the future, which I don't think will be too hard.
So far today (I got in at 10.) I have spent most of my day trying to drown out screaming two year-olds. I have a headache!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Kids Say the Darnest Things!
Many times when I tell people that I work in a Kindergarten/daycare, they want to hear stories. I know I have to have a lot, but I do not always remember them. Here are a few that happened yesterday:
One of the boys in my class woke up late from his nap, so when he woke up, I had him come to the table for a quick snack, and then we started working on a class art project (potato heads). It was not until he went on the computer, and I was closer to him, that I noticed he smelled like urine. I asked him if he had an accident. He told me n; his pants were wet but drying. I pulled him aside, told him that I was not mad at him but wanted to know if he had an accident. He told me "No. The water came when I was sleeping." When he was changing his shirt he also told me that he had to go into the bathroom because he "didn't want anyone to see him." His Mom took it as lying, but I thought it was cute.
On a not so cute side, one of the boys in my class asked one of the other girls (5) why she has a baby in her stomach. When I told him that she does not have a baby in her stomach, he asked me why she was so fat. I told him that she was not fat. Let's just say that kids are brutally honest, and I was the one lying.
The other day one of the kids brought up Michael Jackson, and one of the boys in my class (3) replies, "Michael Jackson is scary!"
The rain was nice on a Sunday, but it can go away any time now.
One of the boys in my class woke up late from his nap, so when he woke up, I had him come to the table for a quick snack, and then we started working on a class art project (potato heads). It was not until he went on the computer, and I was closer to him, that I noticed he smelled like urine. I asked him if he had an accident. He told me n; his pants were wet but drying. I pulled him aside, told him that I was not mad at him but wanted to know if he had an accident. He told me "No. The water came when I was sleeping." When he was changing his shirt he also told me that he had to go into the bathroom because he "didn't want anyone to see him." His Mom took it as lying, but I thought it was cute.
On a not so cute side, one of the boys in my class asked one of the other girls (5) why she has a baby in her stomach. When I told him that she does not have a baby in her stomach, he asked me why she was so fat. I told him that she was not fat. Let's just say that kids are brutally honest, and I was the one lying.
The other day one of the kids brought up Michael Jackson, and one of the boys in my class (3) replies, "Michael Jackson is scary!"
The rain was nice on a Sunday, but it can go away any time now.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
What to Do on a Rainy Day?
Grrr... I stayed up late last night to post this entry only to discover that it not only did not post, but it also only saved about 1/6 of what I wrote.
I woke up yesterday morning, or shall I say afternoon, with the intention of going to the gym. (PS If Dominique wouldn't have called me at 11, who knows how long I would have slept.) Then, I heard the rain beating down on the roof and decided that it would be a much better idea to stay in my apt and be productive. The hard question was... What do I do? I am usually so "go, go, go" that it was hard for me to stay focused on any one task when I have a large amount of time. Throughout the day I did some laundry, downloaded music, tried to clean my room, went through papers, mail, etc, got some Bum Bar samples (http://www.luminouskitchens.com/lkproducts.html) delivered, picked up a few groceries, made an avocado sunflower sandwich spread and later a "creamy green salad dressing" and then met Lauren for dinner.
I dropped off the Bum Bars at two new places: All the Best on Devon St, where I picked up some of those strange ear wax candles that I've always wanted to try and licorice root tea and then New Leaf Grocery (www.NewLeafNatural.net ). Besides dinner with Lauren, my trip to New Leaf was my favorite part of the day. It reminds me of a store that I go to in Rockford called Choices Natural Market (www.choicesnaturalmarket.com) and Ethical Planet (http://www.ethicalplanet.com/) in Evanston. There I picked up some macaroni & cheese from Soul Vegetarian East (The best vegan mac&cheese I've had thus far.) and some cinnamon and sugar pita chips that I like to get when I am home. I also learned that New Leaf' provides an affordable alternative to overpriced organic produce by offering weekly organic produce boxes at the lowest cost available. You can buy one of just fruits, just vegetables or a mix of both, and inside each box you receive a couple of recipes related to the produce. What a great idea?! I think I will definitely have to sign up for that program.
Lauren and I met for dinner around 6:30 at House of Sushi and Noodles (http://www.houseofsushiandnoodles.com/). Even though it took me about 3 minutes to get there, and Tessa, my roommate, raves about the place, I had never been there. I am so glad she suggested it. The two of us hadn't seen each other in awhile, so it was really nice to catch up. At one point in our conversation she mentioned that I have changed a lot since my freshman year of college: Bri and I used to call Lauren our little hippie. Just the other week one of the parents at my school called me a "flower child." I took it as a compliment. Our meal started with miso soup, and I was craving seaweed salad. We shared two rolls: a new sweet potato maki and Tofu Tempura Maki: Tofu Tempura with Kampyo (a Japanese squash). I wish they would have had more than mochi ice cream as a dessert option, but no worries... I had one of my chocolate peanut butter brownies dipped in some hot soy milk. so good!
Back to Friday night: I ended up staying at Cristy and David's Friday night. It was so funny. They had to help this really drunk woman (Betty) get into her apartment when they got back. She came into the apartment and literally grabbed Parker out of my arms. She kept repeating "too much, too much." Cristy and I had no idea what was going on.
Luckily I had an umbrella Saturday morning because I walked out the door to have the wind blowing this crazy rain in my face. I don't know if I have raved about these yet via blog, but Lush (There's one in Water Tower.) has some Amazing products! I'm really into these new massage bars. Check them out http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/body/massage-bars. That afternoon I had a vegan meet up lunch at Ras Dashen (http://www.rasdashenchicago.com/), an Ethiopian Restaurant. Dave, the organizer, asked me to come a little early and check people in. It always feels good to be a little more involved. Emily came, and it was so nice to see her. We spent most of the lunch catching up.
The menu included:
Komodoro salata – Diced tomato, cucumber, onion and jalapeno salad
Yeqaysur salata – Beet salad served chilled with a tangy dressing
Tikil gomen alicha – Mildly spiced cabbage, potato, and carrot stew
Gomen – Chopped kale, slow cooked with mild spices
Misser wat – Pureed red lentils in a spicy barbecue sauce
Kik alicha – Yellow split peas cooked with onions, garlic, ginger, and green peppers
The Ethiopian staple bread, injera, accompanied our meal and was used in lieu of eating utensils to scoop up the food. Injera is unique to Ethiopia and is made from teff, the smallest grain in the world. It’s a tangy, spongy, crepe-like flat bread that beautifully complements the food it is eaten with.
Before babysitting that night I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a veggie tray, hummus and crackers (Carryn's request) and took it to the Dance Marathon dancers. (I can't believe it was a year ago that Caitlin and I danced 30 hours straight for Bear Necessities.) It was so nice to see some of the girls and take a small part in the 30 hours. Congratulations go to Carryn, Kay, Kim, Shannon, Ralitza, Kirsten, Katie Euphrat, Talia, Andrea... I know there's more!
While they raised a little less money this year than last year, $917,834 is remarkable! On the upside, they were up on dancers (750 in '08 and 1,000 in '09). This year's beneficiary was Project Kindle. Project Kindle's primary purpose is to provide cost-free camping programs, year round support and advocacy for children, young adults and families infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS and to offer innovative peer-based HIV/AIDS education for young people ages 12-24. Seeing all of that made me want to do something philanthropic soon. Maybe a race?
That's all for now... Back to work!
I woke up yesterday morning, or shall I say afternoon, with the intention of going to the gym. (PS If Dominique wouldn't have called me at 11, who knows how long I would have slept.) Then, I heard the rain beating down on the roof and decided that it would be a much better idea to stay in my apt and be productive. The hard question was... What do I do? I am usually so "go, go, go" that it was hard for me to stay focused on any one task when I have a large amount of time. Throughout the day I did some laundry, downloaded music, tried to clean my room, went through papers, mail, etc, got some Bum Bar samples (http://www.luminouskitchens.com/lkproducts.html) delivered, picked up a few groceries, made an avocado sunflower sandwich spread and later a "creamy green salad dressing" and then met Lauren for dinner.
I dropped off the Bum Bars at two new places: All the Best on Devon St, where I picked up some of those strange ear wax candles that I've always wanted to try and licorice root tea and then New Leaf Grocery (www.NewLeafNatural.net ). Besides dinner with Lauren, my trip to New Leaf was my favorite part of the day. It reminds me of a store that I go to in Rockford called Choices Natural Market (www.choicesnaturalmarket.com) and Ethical Planet (http://www.ethicalplanet.com/) in Evanston. There I picked up some macaroni & cheese from Soul Vegetarian East (The best vegan mac&cheese I've had thus far.) and some cinnamon and sugar pita chips that I like to get when I am home. I also learned that New Leaf' provides an affordable alternative to overpriced organic produce by offering weekly organic produce boxes at the lowest cost available. You can buy one of just fruits, just vegetables or a mix of both, and inside each box you receive a couple of recipes related to the produce. What a great idea?! I think I will definitely have to sign up for that program.
Lauren and I met for dinner around 6:30 at House of Sushi and Noodles (http://www.houseofsushiandnoodles.com/). Even though it took me about 3 minutes to get there, and Tessa, my roommate, raves about the place, I had never been there. I am so glad she suggested it. The two of us hadn't seen each other in awhile, so it was really nice to catch up. At one point in our conversation she mentioned that I have changed a lot since my freshman year of college: Bri and I used to call Lauren our little hippie. Just the other week one of the parents at my school called me a "flower child." I took it as a compliment. Our meal started with miso soup, and I was craving seaweed salad. We shared two rolls: a new sweet potato maki and Tofu Tempura Maki: Tofu Tempura with Kampyo (a Japanese squash). I wish they would have had more than mochi ice cream as a dessert option, but no worries... I had one of my chocolate peanut butter brownies dipped in some hot soy milk. so good!
Back to Friday night: I ended up staying at Cristy and David's Friday night. It was so funny. They had to help this really drunk woman (Betty) get into her apartment when they got back. She came into the apartment and literally grabbed Parker out of my arms. She kept repeating "too much, too much." Cristy and I had no idea what was going on.
Luckily I had an umbrella Saturday morning because I walked out the door to have the wind blowing this crazy rain in my face. I don't know if I have raved about these yet via blog, but Lush (There's one in Water Tower.) has some Amazing products! I'm really into these new massage bars. Check them out http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/body/massage-bars. That afternoon I had a vegan meet up lunch at Ras Dashen (http://www.rasdashenchicago.com/), an Ethiopian Restaurant. Dave, the organizer, asked me to come a little early and check people in. It always feels good to be a little more involved. Emily came, and it was so nice to see her. We spent most of the lunch catching up.
The menu included:
Komodoro salata – Diced tomato, cucumber, onion and jalapeno salad
Yeqaysur salata – Beet salad served chilled with a tangy dressing
Tikil gomen alicha – Mildly spiced cabbage, potato, and carrot stew
Gomen – Chopped kale, slow cooked with mild spices
Misser wat – Pureed red lentils in a spicy barbecue sauce
Kik alicha – Yellow split peas cooked with onions, garlic, ginger, and green peppers
The Ethiopian staple bread, injera, accompanied our meal and was used in lieu of eating utensils to scoop up the food. Injera is unique to Ethiopia and is made from teff, the smallest grain in the world. It’s a tangy, spongy, crepe-like flat bread that beautifully complements the food it is eaten with.
Before babysitting that night I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a veggie tray, hummus and crackers (Carryn's request) and took it to the Dance Marathon dancers. (I can't believe it was a year ago that Caitlin and I danced 30 hours straight for Bear Necessities.) It was so nice to see some of the girls and take a small part in the 30 hours. Congratulations go to Carryn, Kay, Kim, Shannon, Ralitza, Kirsten, Katie Euphrat, Talia, Andrea... I know there's more!
While they raised a little less money this year than last year, $917,834 is remarkable! On the upside, they were up on dancers (750 in '08 and 1,000 in '09). This year's beneficiary was Project Kindle. Project Kindle's primary purpose is to provide cost-free camping programs, year round support and advocacy for children, young adults and families infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS and to offer innovative peer-based HIV/AIDS education for young people ages 12-24. Seeing all of that made me want to do something philanthropic soon. Maybe a race?
That's all for now... Back to work!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Proud of Myself
Unlike last week, I feel like this week has been a little more meaningful for me. In addition to a couple days of spring-like weather, I started running again. On Sunday I ran a mile, 3 miles on Monday and 5 miles on Tuesday. I feel inspired to do it more. I actually woke up to work out, or go to yoga, every day this week. I started my own routine of keeping my ipod by my bed and putting my headphones on right when my alarm goes on. Right now I listen to this song called Better Day by India.Arie.
Last night at YEHA we did some awesome vision training. We made 3-day goals and 7-day goals based on some principles that I will have to add later. My 3-day goal is to pay a stranger a compliment each day. My 7-day goal is to practice Dahn Yoga in some capacity each day.
I feel like I had so much more to write, but now I feel at a loss for words. Right now I'm watching my friend Cristy's little guy Parker. He's been asleep since I got here about an hour ago. I came to visit the two of them this past Tuesday night, which was really nice. I had not seen them in a few weeks. Parker's getting so big! I can just watch him.
Wednesday night I made chocolate peanut butter brownies because I like to bake, and Melissa (one of my roommates) got into medical school- yea!! I brought them into work, and they went over well. :) I made blue banana muffins last night that I wasn't as crazy about.
Last night at YEHA we did some awesome vision training. We made 3-day goals and 7-day goals based on some principles that I will have to add later. My 3-day goal is to pay a stranger a compliment each day. My 7-day goal is to practice Dahn Yoga in some capacity each day.
I feel like I had so much more to write, but now I feel at a loss for words. Right now I'm watching my friend Cristy's little guy Parker. He's been asleep since I got here about an hour ago. I came to visit the two of them this past Tuesday night, which was really nice. I had not seen them in a few weeks. Parker's getting so big! I can just watch him.
Wednesday night I made chocolate peanut butter brownies because I like to bake, and Melissa (one of my roommates) got into medical school- yea!! I brought them into work, and they went over well. :) I made blue banana muffins last night that I wasn't as crazy about.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Baths are Underrated
I cannot believe how quickly last week flew by. Before I knew it, it was the weekend already. I can't think of anything incredibly noteworthy from the week, but my Mom came into town last Sunday. (I had not seen her since Christmas.) She had never had Indian food before so we grabbed lunch at Indian Garden Restaurant. Then, we made our way over to Navy Pier for its celebration of Black History Month which focused on 29 notable African-Americans, including Chicago's own Barack Obama. It was not a long exhibit, but it was nice to learn about so many remarkable individuals. For example, I did not know that an African-American man, Daniel Hale Williams, performed the first successful open heart surgery. I don't know how long it will be up, but check out the website: http://www.navypier.com/cal_events/bhm.html.
I don't think I have mentioned this yet, but my Mom started school a couple of weeks ago for massage therapy. For that reason, she could not get home too late. She had more studying to do. So, while the visit was short, I definitely enjoyed it and hope it happens again soon. We have both been so busy that we have not talked on the phone as much as we used to. During lunch it was funny to hear her talk about the differences between me and my sister (Monica). I guess I never napped as a child, and I constantly wanted someone to entertain me. Monica, on the other hand, slept a lot and was quite content to play on her own. My Mom said she used to hear Monica in her room talking as she used her imagination to play.
This past Friday night I went into Wicker Park to meet Grace for dinner. We had not seen each other since New Year's Eve. We grabbed dinner at restaurant named Handlebar (http://handlebarchicago.com/). Dinner was delicious. I ordered ground nut stew: sweet potato, coconut, zucchini & kale stew with brown rice, peanuts and toasted coconut. Grace decided on black beans maduro: crispy, sweet plantains layered with brown rice and beans with a side ofspicy chipotle-tomato sauce. There were more enticing dinner items, and their lunch/brunch sounds great too! We had great cnversation, which included the possibility of living together next year (+ Charlie and Emily).
On my way home I got the opportunity to catch up with Kathryn, who I had not talked to in a couple of weeks. I miss her!
It was a early wake-up for a Saturday... I had my alarm set for 6:45. I pretty much got out of bed, brushed my teeth and got clothes on to pick Deanna up for Hung Bo (advertising) at the Schaumburg Center. From 8:30-10ish a small group of us ran door-to-door with energy and love to pass out flyers. :) The time I spent doing this will help me pay for future retreats and trainings.
After Hung Bo we traveled over to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park for an outreach event: we provided massages to breast cancer survivors through an organization called Sisters Embracing Life. It was kind of ironic because I received a lot of compliments, was asked how long I had been giving massages, and one guy even asked for my card. haha The event was scheduled 11:30-2, but we ended up massaging until after 4:30. We were all so hungry, so we stopped at Panera before driving home, but I was still pretty drained. On the way home I decided that a bubble bath sounded perfect. :) So I relaxed with a bath and finished Brain Wave Vibration, which helps explain my yoga practice. I need to take baths more often.I was in bed by 9 and slept soundly.
Yesterday, Sunday, I did some stuff around my apartment, went to the gym and then went over to Dominique's for "delivery and a movie." We watched Vicky Christina Barcelona. Penelope Cruz definitely did a fabulous job with her role, but I was not crazy about the movie. I am glad I saw it, but I don't feel like I need to see it again for awhile. We ordered dinner from a Thai/Japanese restaurant called Indie Cafe (www.indiecafe.us) near her apartment. I ordered tofu teriyaki, and she got chicken teriyaki. All in all, it was a good weekend. This week I hope to get everything turned into school. It's already March!
I don't think I have mentioned this yet, but my Mom started school a couple of weeks ago for massage therapy. For that reason, she could not get home too late. She had more studying to do. So, while the visit was short, I definitely enjoyed it and hope it happens again soon. We have both been so busy that we have not talked on the phone as much as we used to. During lunch it was funny to hear her talk about the differences between me and my sister (Monica). I guess I never napped as a child, and I constantly wanted someone to entertain me. Monica, on the other hand, slept a lot and was quite content to play on her own. My Mom said she used to hear Monica in her room talking as she used her imagination to play.
This past Friday night I went into Wicker Park to meet Grace for dinner. We had not seen each other since New Year's Eve. We grabbed dinner at restaurant named Handlebar (http://handlebarchicago.com/). Dinner was delicious. I ordered ground nut stew: sweet potato, coconut, zucchini & kale stew with brown rice, peanuts and toasted coconut. Grace decided on black beans maduro: crispy, sweet plantains layered with brown rice and beans with a side ofspicy chipotle-tomato sauce. There were more enticing dinner items, and their lunch/brunch sounds great too! We had great cnversation, which included the possibility of living together next year (+ Charlie and Emily).
On my way home I got the opportunity to catch up with Kathryn, who I had not talked to in a couple of weeks. I miss her!
It was a early wake-up for a Saturday... I had my alarm set for 6:45. I pretty much got out of bed, brushed my teeth and got clothes on to pick Deanna up for Hung Bo (advertising) at the Schaumburg Center. From 8:30-10ish a small group of us ran door-to-door with energy and love to pass out flyers. :) The time I spent doing this will help me pay for future retreats and trainings.
After Hung Bo we traveled over to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park for an outreach event: we provided massages to breast cancer survivors through an organization called Sisters Embracing Life. It was kind of ironic because I received a lot of compliments, was asked how long I had been giving massages, and one guy even asked for my card. haha The event was scheduled 11:30-2, but we ended up massaging until after 4:30. We were all so hungry, so we stopped at Panera before driving home, but I was still pretty drained. On the way home I decided that a bubble bath sounded perfect. :) So I relaxed with a bath and finished Brain Wave Vibration, which helps explain my yoga practice. I need to take baths more often.I was in bed by 9 and slept soundly.
Yesterday, Sunday, I did some stuff around my apartment, went to the gym and then went over to Dominique's for "delivery and a movie." We watched Vicky Christina Barcelona. Penelope Cruz definitely did a fabulous job with her role, but I was not crazy about the movie. I am glad I saw it, but I don't feel like I need to see it again for awhile. We ordered dinner from a Thai/Japanese restaurant called Indie Cafe (www.indiecafe.us) near her apartment. I ordered tofu teriyaki, and she got chicken teriyaki. All in all, it was a good weekend. This week I hope to get everything turned into school. It's already March!
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