Things are Coming Together

Let me start by saying that I started this post earlier in the week but never got around to finishing it: It feels so good to be "reconnected" to the world. (Now I just need everyone's numbers again!) It turns out that I had not just "left in a hurry" last Wednesday." When I returned home, and looked through my room, I realized that my wallet was no where to be found. As a result, I spent the night calling cta to report my wallet, (I think I left it on the bus?), canceling my credit/debit cards, temporarily disconnecting my phone line, etc. I should have been/am grateful that nothing was used, but it doesn't mean I didn't cry a good amount and go to bed really early- haha! The next few days/nights are kind of a blur. I didn't feel too comfortable going anywhere late at night without a phone, so I just hung out around my place.

On Friday night I got in touch with my Mom who informed me that she bought me a new phone and renewed my calling plan. She encouraged me to go to US Cellular to see if I could get a temporary loner phone. I went there and received one with ease. That afternoon I met up with E Liz at Take Five on Southport to watch the Northwestern game. We watched Northwestern beat Iowa 22-17, which means a 5-0 start for the Wildcats. (If I have my stats right, this hasn't happened since 1962.) After the game I ended up catching up with a friend from school (Sara) for a long time. It hadn't talked to her since I moved in and started my job, so we had a lot to catch up on. That night one of my roommates had a Belated Birthday Pizza Part for one of her friends at out place. Melissa and Greg (her boyfriend) went crazy in the kitchen! They made bruschetta, 5 different pizzas and baked brie. For dessert she picked up this amazing "atomic" cake from Whole Foods. After that I was pretty much in a food coma, so I didn't go out. I also knew I had to wake up early the next morning.

On Sunday I left my apartment around 10 to meet my Mom, Grandma, Godmother and others for lunch at Santorini in Greektown. We were served soo much food, family style: TZATZIKI (thin slices of cucumber in homemade yogurt with essence of garlic), TARAMOSALATA(Greekstyle caviar spread made from the delicate roe of carp), SAGANAKI (Cheese flambe), ATHENIAN SALAD (mixed romaine lettuce with green onions, tomato, oregano, feta cheese, olives, anchovies and Greek dressing), DOLMADES (vine leaves stuffed with 100% certified Angus beef), KEFTEDES (meatballs topped with a tomato sauce and cheese), PASTICHIO (made with 100% certified Angus beef, macaroni pasta, baked in a Bechamel sauce), VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA (zucchini, eggplant and potato bake in a Bechamel sauce, topped with feta and romono cheese) and GREEK CHICKEN. To top it all off, there was KADAIFI (shredded pastry dough with walnuts and honey syrup) and CREMME KARAMELE (custard baked in syrup). I obviously didn't eat a lot of what was served, but the stuff I ate was pretty good. A lot of people didn't like the food and didn't think they could ever live in Greece. I told them that food on the island is completely different- so fresh and delicious! I don't think it helped that Santorini made food for 50+ people. After lunch I took the bus over to see Mamma Mia at 2. Oh how I love the theater?! I wish I had money to go more often. I liked Mamma Mia, but it wasn't my favorite. In New York I saw Movin Out, which is probably my favorite. Not far behind that is Wicked, then Avenue Q. This season I would love to see Dirty Dancing, Mary Poppins and Jersey Boys. I'm not sure how I feel about Legally Blonde. That night I finally saw a Bears victory but nothing else too special!

Tuesday night I had a dessert date with Charlie at Chaos Theory Cakes & Confections on N. Lincoln. We shared a piece of carrot cake and symphony cake (hazelnut dacquoise, caramelized hazelnuts, caramel, caramel mousse, mocha buttercream). Both were delicious, and the girl that was working was so sweet. She sent us home with some other goodies to try: a caprese cupcake, a strawberry basil cupcake and a green tea mango tart. I was a little turned off by the caprese cupcake but really liked it! They have a lot of different stuff there, so you have to be adventurous. It's a little more on the expensive side, but the bakery is so bright and cute on the inside and for me was a great, quiet place to catch up with Charlie.

After work on Wednesday I met Tessa (my roommate) and her friend Regan at Yakzies in Wrigleyville to watch the game. It was not a good night! Not only did Tessa and Regan spend way too much on beers, but we all know that the Cubs lost. :( Thursday night I had Grace and Jess over for an Oriental dinner. Grace brought sushi. I made my favorite "Asian Noodle Creation" recipe and heated up some butternut squash soup to start. Together we watched a bit of the VP debate. Jess's sarcastic commentary was great! Once the Cubs game came on, we switched to that and went back to the debate during commercial breaks. They left around 10. I stayed up for awhile watching the game, but it was getting miserable, and I was tired.

Yesterday was E Liz's birthday. I went over to her (and Anique & Stacy's) place around ten. Let me tell you, it was hard to mobilize around my typical bed time, but I ended up having a nice time. I talked to Stephanie Sorensen a lot. I had met her before, but we ended up talking most of the night, while everyone else was paired up for beer pong. The two of us were pretty exhausted and decided to pass on going to Schoolyard.

Today has been completely different that I thought it would be. I planned to wake up early and go to a farmers market, but I didn't wake up until almost 11. I was going to try this new restaurant in the loop, but everyone was meeting at noon, and I couldn't get the internet up to get directions. Instead, I went to the gym. Later this afternoon I was supposed to meet up with someone about babysitting, but she had to cancel on me (again). I planned/hoped to visit with Cristy today, but she had errands to run. As a result, I spent the day chillin on the coach watching movies. Right now I'm watching the Cubs game with Greg, and then a group of us are hoping to go out for Karen's Birthday. Let's hope the Cubs can pull it together!!

Here's a special shoutout of Congratulations to Blair and Tim who finished their LSAT today! I hope it went well. :)

Just One of Them Days....

This morning started like any other: I woke up and went to the gym, showered and got ready, made breakfast, got my lunch together, etc. Then, as I was getting ready to leave for work, my roommate asked me to call her cell phone. At that time I realized I didn't have my phone. I gathered up my stuff, left the house and headed to the gym to see if I left it there. No such luck! Then, when I went to try and catch the bus, I realized that I didn't have my wallet with me, which meant I did not have a bus pass or any money. So, I ended up walking the 2.3mi to work. Even though I knew I was going to be late, I tried to think positive thoughts: It is a beautiful day. I'm getting exercise. Then, I passed a dead squirrel laying on the side of the road. :(

I was about 15 mins late and walked in to find a note informing me that my director needed to talk to me. "Great!" I thought. I went to her office and ended up having a long talk with her. She just asked me how things were going. (For some reason I used that question as a lead for me to break down about everything I've been upset about lately... I guess it was building up?!). She kept telling me that I have to stop being so hard on myself. (It's something I've struggled with since I was young.) I set really high standards for myself and feel like a failure when things don't go as predicted. So, needless to say, it was not a good start to the day, but it's going better now.

When I went outside a bunch of the kids ran up and gave me a hug. That made me feel better, and then I played on the playground with them! I'm on my lunch break now and just hope my phone and wallet are both in my room somewhere when I get back.

Positive happenings: Monday night I got a belated birthday present from Caitlin: a set of colorful candlesticks and the first addition for the walls in my room: a plaque that says something like, "Friends are like stars. Even though you can't see them, you know they are there." It really meant a lot to me. Then, I had Grace over for an Italian feast last night. She brought some merlot, and I made minestrone soup, peperonata and charming chocolate cupcakes for dessert. It was so nice to have her over. Then, I finished the night watching Sex and the City with my roommates. :)

1st Blind Date, Check

After work Friday night Mike picked me up from work. We went to Adobo Grill in Old Town and started with fabulous margaritas. Then, I ordered the plato vegetariano (sliced jícama, mango and cucumber with guajillo vinaigrette; sweet corn tamalon stuffed with figs; vegetable tinga steamed in a corn husk; zucchini stuffed with goat cheese), and he got
Enchiladas de Mole Rojo (chicken enchiladas basted in mole rojo, topped with sour cream, añejo cheese, onions; black beans). My dish was good, but I don't think I would rush back there for dinner.

General thoughts on the date: It's hard for me to even remember what we talked about. (For some reason, it's kind of a blur.) It was interesting to not know anything about him, which meant there were a good number of things to talk about. He is a really nice guy, and dinner wasn't at all uncomfortable, but I didn't feel any sparks. I thought he was meeting up with one of his friends after dinner, so I figured I would just be heading home, but I found out that he didn't have any plans. I had my bag with me from work and wanted to head back up North, but I felt bad that he had nowhere to go at the time. We walked around Old Town for a little bit, but then I hopped on the train toward home. If he asked me to go out again, I would, but I would not let him pay again; I don't think that would be right.

I thought I might head out once I got home, but a conversation with my Mom led me to not really want to go out. According to her, she thinks my expectations for daying are way too hight, which makes me not ready for a relationship. In general, this weekend hasn't really been what I thought it would; I haven't met up with any of my friends that I thought I would see. I did have a nice, long workout yesterday afternoon, which felt good. Then, I did laundry for the week, cleaned my room, went to the grocery store, etc. before I went to a "Stress Free Saturday" get together. I was invited over by my friend for "drinks, appetizers, catching up and free facials." What I got to the apartment, I received a 90 min. presentation on Mary Kay, followed by pressure to buy products and become involved in the compay. I felt deceived and did not leave very happy. The facial did not happen, and I hardly got a chance to catch up with my friend. That night I was supposed to make dinner for Grace and Jess, but Jess was babysitting for her sister, so Grace suggested we opt for another night. It made sense, but I was planning on spending a large portion of my night with them.

Once I got home, Tessa, my roommate, and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and walk around Wrigleyville since the Cubs clinched the division. The bars were all packed, so we just walked around for awhile and took pictures (leading to another early night for me), but the energy in the city was amazing, and i loved seeing everyone in red, white and blue. I slept in today and then went to the farmers market in Wicker Park where I loaded up on some fresh fruits and veggies. Now, I'm watching the Bears game and hope to make a nice dinner and bake some cupcakes later (after I pick up a few more groceries).

I don't have any updates on a second job, but I definitely hope to find something soon!

Yesterday was NOT an Inspiration to Teach...

I almost quit... No joke! One of the little (4 year-old) girls in my class is so ridiculous. I will explain the afternoon for you (in case you want to know a little more about my day). In the afternoons, I have the kids on my own 3:30-6. During that time, there is usually a combination of packet work, a craft project and free time. Well, half of the kids were doing their work, and the other kids were off playing. Instead of trying to discipline kids that were not doing their work, I decided to reward the ones who were working diligently. When the time came, I gave a little presentation and allowed the hardworking students to pick their prizes. This girl, I'll call her Anna, didn't get a prize. She tried to rip the bag of prizes out of my hand. When she didn't succeed at that, she grabbed a baton out of the bag. As she angrily pulled it out, she hit one of the little boys in the face. He started crying and covering his eye. For a little background, Anna likes to make people mad, so I didn't yell at her. Instead, I pointed to her "friend" who was crying and told her that I couldn't believe she hurt him like that. She merely smiled, showing no remorse, and went into the other room. I called her back into the room for a time out, and she knocked a box of crayons on the floor. When I asked her to pick them up, she threw them at her classmates and the music teacher and went back into the other room. When I went to get her out of the other roomagain, she refused to come with me and started destroying the two year-old classroom. I picked her up to bring her back into our room. She kicked a two year-old in the head and started pinching me. I called the director, who told me she didn't have time to talk to me. I was so frustrated! Yes, she's four, but I don't deserve to be hit, kicked, pinched, spit on, etc.

Today was a MUCH better day, even though I was kicked in the back by another kid, but I'm kind of getting used to the physical abuse.

If I'm in a a good mood/feeling optimistic, I tell myself that these kids just need love and attention that they may not be getting at home. In these moments, I see myself sticking with teaching. The other side of me says, "This isn't my job."

I must say that the week has gone by quickly though. I can't believe tomorrow's already Friday. Speaking of... After work I'm meeting up with a guy. Last week my aunt called me and told me that she met this really great (single) guy, who she thought that I should meet. She asked him for his business card, and then she gave me his e-mail. I figured why not, so I e-mailed him last week. We're grabbing dinner after I get off work. I'm a little nervous but also excited. If anything, it's company and dinner at a new place.

I've been very bad!

Hi everyone!
Every day, while at work, I tell myself that I really need to update my blog, but when push comes to shove (aka I come home from work, make/eat dinner, pack my lunch for the next day), I feel incredibly lazy and haven't written in over two weeks. After getting an e-mail from my Shanghai loving, ex-roomie (Daphne), I was reminded that some people do care what I am up to. While I would like to start from my birthday and try to do a thorough recap, I know I don't have the energy to do that right now. (I'm in the process of changing my schedule to a 6AM wakeup, which means I'll be heading to bed after I write this.)

Since the last time I wrote was my birthday I just want to give a couple of shout outs to a couple of friends who gave me such fitting presents. Blair mailed me this amazing chapstick that smells like a cupcake! (I put it on every night before I go to bed.) She also got me this scrapbook cardmaking set- so cute. :) Tonight I finally had the opportunity to meet up with Lauren tonight for dinner at The Chicago Diner (her suggestion). It was my first time there, and I ordered one of the weekly specials: Shephard's Pie (lentil base casserole blended with seitan, onions, celery and mushrooms, topped with mashed sweet potatoes and Diner gravy, served with steamed greens) It was good, but I wasn't crazy about it. It was a little cold when I first got it, so I asked our server to heat it up. He was very apologetic and offered to buy us a dessert. Lauren and I shared a peanut butter cookie dough shake (I had heard that they are awesome there.), and let me tell you that I basically licked my cup clean!! Lauren knows how much I love sweets, so she bought me a vegan baking cookbook- so very thoughtful. :)

So about my job, my apartment, my roommates, etc.

My job is going well. There are definitely better days than others, and that mostly depends on the moods of the kids. Even certain parts of the day go better than others. I definitely have my moments when I want to throw my hands up in the air because I do not know what to do, but then there are other times when the work is so rewarding. That being said... I am considering going back to school next year for a Masters in Education. Working in a classroom has made me better understand just how important it is for children to gain a positive sense of themselves, a strong work ethic, etc at a young age. I see how being a teacher would allow me to be creative with the setup of the classroom, the lesson planning; yet I would be thorough and incredibly organized when it comes to tracking the progress of each student, trying to teach using all modalities, etc. The downsides to teaching (that I've thought of so far) are dealing with behavioral issues and the pay, sadly. I feel like each day I go back and forth between wanting to go back to school for teaching or nursing. I definitely plan to do some nurse shadowing and also volunteer in a hospital before I make any decisions. And yes, I know I do not need to decide right now, but I'm a person who likes to have a plan.

While I like my job, I know that I need to pick up something else on the side to make some extra money. There are just too many good restaurants, cafes shops and things to do in the city to try and be living paycheck to paycheck. I've been searching for serving jobs, but I've realized that's going to be pretty impossible when I don't get out of work until 6. I thought it would be fun to work in a bar/restaurant to meet new people and switch up my days, but now I am looking into babysitting and tutoring jobs for the flexibility. Hopefully I'll figure out something soon.

On to my apartment: I love it! I definitely need to personalize my room more, but I fit everything into a small space quite nicely (in my opinion). The location lends me to be less than five minutes away from the Belmont, Lincoln and Ashland buses. I take the Ashland bus to work, which is a quick commute for me. It just needs to be a little more reliable. Yesterday I waited for 30 mins for the bus, making me late to work, even though I was ready for the day earlier than necessary. Back to the positive: My roommates are also fabulous. There is Tessa, Kaitlin and Melissa. All three graduated from Notre Dame in '07 and have great about introducing me to their friends and such.

On the Cubs victory I think I'll finish here and get to bed. I promise to try and be better! More to come on things I've done in the city.

(PS My parents were at Z's no hitter Sunday night- not fair!)