got me down on my knees/next stop, vegas please

Ok chickadees, I’m but 24 hours from getting out of dodge and getting into some trouble, and I cannot wait.

I’m looking forward to ridiculously warm temperatures, bright lights, and cocktails straight until Monday.

Sounds like a pretty good little weekend, right?

The last time I was in Vegas, I was 22 years old- I spent the majority of the time sitting at a slot machine playing a game called “Hot, Hot, Penny,” and losing my phone in various locations.

JC kept trying to teach me a lesson by picking up my phone and not telling me had it, but this backfired when it turned out I could go hours without caring that it was missing.

Especially when I was fixated on paying penny slots.

I have not gotten one iota cooler in the past seven years, so this should be an interesting mini-vacation.

The above is nothing more than proof that I am not the kind of person who should vacation in glamorous places.

And yes, I’m pretending I’m in a WWI trench in this picture.

Don’t ask.

In any case, tonight’s activities include yoga, manicures, and trying to figure out if I actually own anything I want to wear this weekend.

Also, deep breathing, because my doctor’s assistant explained to me that they don’t refill xanax prescriptions anymore without actually coming in to see a professional.

Even if I just want it for flying? I said, you know, casually.

Even then, it turns out.

Enjoy this one, chickadees, we’re about to hit the weekend!

 

i just want you to know who i am

Good morning chickadees!

And welcome to the beginning of another full week.

I’m not complaining: after a weekend of visiting with family, celebrating birthdays, doing yoga, playing soccer, and putting more of my apt in boxes, I’m feeling rested and accomplished.

I’ve also seen the forecast for this week, and it looks beautiful.

We’re moving in the right direction.

Also amazing this weekend:

The Farmers’ Market has re-opened, which essentially gives me a reason to live.

Or at least a reason to stop eating so many frozen vegetables.

Since it’s only mid-May, the offerings were limited to flowers, asparagus, cheese, and eggs, but man, I’m not complaining one bit about that.

 

I ended up with two big bundles of asparagus, a dozen eggs, and some bison jerky, up-sold to me by the delightful farmer who always manages to make me spend more money than I was anticipating.

I’m a sucker for a man who teaches the population about the importance of locally sourced meats, chickadees.

And yes, I know that sounds a little bizarre.

And with that, I’m off to start a new week with a new book (it seems I’m loving teen novels only, these days)- this is gonna be the kind of Monday that’s fully bearable, chicks.

Enjoy the sunshine if you’ve got it.

making it simple

Chickens, it is Friday.

And rainy.

And colder than it was yesterday.

But still, Friday is progress.

So we’ll take it.

And smile about it.

This has been a crazy week of running around, getting things done, and not going to yoga quite as much as I’d like to.

Also: Gene the kettlebell instructor has taken to his mother Russia for three weeks, leaving me with no swinging and lifting outlet.

When I whined to him that three weeks was a long time, he told me he had to inspire us to travel by traveling himself, and then cheerfully suggested that we simply eat less in his absence.

It’s a good thing I like him so much.

Up this weekend: JW’s parents are in, which means lots of eating and hanging, celebrating Mother’s Day, and maybe trying to pack a couple more things into boxes.

Our apartment was rented this week, so now we’ve got an end date: June 27, there’s a lot between now and you.

And because I likely won’t get myself to post this weekend among all of the goings-on, here is a lovely picture of my mom to celebrate her nearly 30 years of hanging out with me.

 

Enjoy this one chickadees, we’ve earned this weekend!

telling the story

Morning chickens.

Despite the fact that the weather has cooled off and it looks like rain out there, it’s a Friday, and that’s the story I’m sticking to this morning.

It’s the right story to tell.

Yesterday I was busy running late for an early meeting (early meetings, you guys, are the worst) and blogging for my little sister over here, so I couldn’t make an appearance on my own landing page.

Sorry about that.

In any case, after a long week of adult appointments, meetings and other office-y woes, I’m ready to put my head down, get through this day, and then head to a little Friday evening yoga.

I’ll take 60 minutes of calm any way I can take it, chicks.

Bonus when there’s a good playlist and a head stand involved.

Also tonight: a Cinco de Mayo-esque mini-celebration with my pals involving both Mexican food and tequila.

I can think of nothing else I’d rather be doing to start off the weekend.

The next two days are the last ones before mid-June that aren’t full-to-the-brim with activities, plans, and traveling.

That means a combination of packing, relaxing, and laughing as much as I can.

I’m enjoying every last second of it, chickadees.

Enjoy this one- we’ve hit the weekend!

please shine down on me.

I’m making this one quick, chickadees.

I may have had too much fun yesterday, resulting in lots of laughs and an early bedtime.

I don’t regret that it’s got me moving a little bit slower than usual this morning.

Also a delight: the sun finally made an appearance this weekend, along with seasonal temperatures, clearing the way for soccer game watching, bonfire having, and deck sitting.

All things I’ve been waiting (im)patiently for during the past few months.

So in the absence of well-placed words this morning, here’s what the weekend brought to me.

 

 

That’s how you enjoy two days off, chickens.

Next up, a day at work, a hot yoga studio, and trying to make my home look a little bit less like a crack den.

Things get weird when you’re in the midst of something new, chicks.

It’s time to get things organized over here.

Enjoy this beautiful start to the week, everyone!

five good things: that’s what makes you beautiful edition.

Chickadees, Friday is upon us.

And the sun is shining.

And it’s rumored to be in the 60s this weekend.

So in the spirit of what’s been a long, gray, tough couple of weeks, let’s focus on five things that make it all right.

1. My baby sister’s pal KC has written a book.

A book that will be published.

A book with a new cover.

KC is from New York and lives in Boston and is generally my soul sister and my role model.

I’m just so proud of you, sweet girl!

2. Walking from work to the train the other day, after a week of umbrella incidents and swollen joints and general malaise, I strolled across the State Street bridge to this.

 

It’s a good week to be breathing, chicks.

3. We’re in full purging mode over here in our apartment. I’m trying to picture all my weird, old stuff in my new condo, and if I can’t think of a place for it, it’s got to go. Determined to contribute in what has mostly been a JW-driven project thus far, I decided to deal with all of our living room drawers last night. I bravely opened what I knew was a drawer jammed full of strange objects, but it slid right open, and was basically empty.

JW, I’m onto you.

Also, thanks for staying a step ahead of me.

In addition, what’s more fun than finding photos like this?

4. Minimal things are planned around here this weekend. I’ve got several options, which include bells, organizing, soccer, trying to see the teens & their baby brother, and hanging on my parents’ patio.

This is what a spring weekend should look like, chickens.

5. I’m starting this weekend off with yoga in a big, airy studio and my sticky mat. There is no cure to a long week like a couple yoga poses and some deep breathing.

Namaste, chickadees, and enjoy every second of this beautiful day. You deserve it.

 

keeping it serious

Morning, chickadees.

So far, no more rain.

And a forecast that includes weather in the 60s this weekend.

I.will.take.it.

Last night, I headed to kettlebells, hoping to drum up some positive energy.

“I have so much energy for you tonight!” G yelled in my face.

This seems to be a common theme with him.

I spent the hour swinging and hoisting, and listening to G tell me of the improved state of my triceps.

Comforting news, since generally, every time I manage a tricep move, my elbows crack like a whip.

It’s unpleasant sometimes, in this weird, unpredictable body.

But it’s nice to be recognized for my triceps.

Later on during class, I found myself working into an oblique twist when G started tickling me.

You guys, I think I’ve made it known that bells is serious.

It is not a time for joking around.

However, G apparently thinks I need to lighten up, and let the class know that he thought it was funny that he could tickle me while I continued to work out.

He’s lucky I still have work to do on my triceps before summer.

Enjoy this dry one, chickens. The weekend’s about to hit us.

 

feel good about this one.

Morning, chickadees.

And here we are again.

I’m feeling pretty slow moving this Monday, after a weekend full of errands, fun, and soccer games.

It turns out that two soccer games in three hours is in fact, exhausting.

I slept like a rock last night.

Aside from playing soccer all evening (am I getting too old for that, chickens? Ok good. I didn’t think so either), I spent two days off kettle-belling, manicure-getting, and hanging out with my pals.

Also, laundry.

My least favorite task on the planet.

All in all, it was a lovely, non-raining couple of days in the Windy City, so I’ll take it.

I still have some misplaced faith that spring’s gonna show up here any second.

I’d even take straight up summer at this point, you guys.

Remind me of that in July.

And with that, I’m off for another productive day of planning, meetings, and hot yoga.

Good stretching, a hot studio, and a sticky mat at the end of this one is always the best cure for the first work day of the week.

Namaste, chickadees, and enjoy the sunshine if you’ve got it.

In fact, enjoy it even if you don’t.

getting right into it.

Morning chickens!

And welcome to a brand new week.

Yesterday was a lovely respite in this otherwise still.pretty.bleak spring season that we’re having.

Friday is threatening snow flurries, and I’m really having a hard time wrapping my head around that one.

All this rain better make for one beautiful, green summer.

That is all I can say about that.

However, in the spirit of keeping it positive, and also, you guys, at least it’s not 25 degrees out, I give you the following:

 

It’s good advice, chickadees. And what I have is one lovely weekend complete with condo hunting, sunshine, soccer, bells, celebrations, and dinner with my mom and dad and baby brother.

Also one long, lazy afternoon in which I finished the entire first season of Girls (and yes, it’s my favorite thing), and rifled through old papers and pictures under my bed. Here’s one of the gems I found:

 

Yes, the sweatshirt is awesome.

I know it.

Also found: rules for a happy bedroom written by Jennie and I circa 1995, a letter I wrote my roommates’ when we graduated from college, and original artwork by Aus when he was eight.

Also, a note he wrote me from his second grade class. Of course, original anything by tiny Aus made me burst into tears, because when did he get so old?

In any case, chickens, I have a whole host of beautiful, amazing things that are propelling me into this week with a good attitude.

Despite the rain.

I’ve got an umbrella, after all.

Enjoy this one chicks.

hillsides and high lunges.

Hey there, chickadees!

Happy, happy, happy Friday!

We deserve this one.

It occurs to me that during this long, gray week, I’ve been a little dreary.

Blame it on the rain.

In any case, that does not mean that things haven’t been spitting.water.out.of.my.mouth hysterical around here, and so I thought I’d share a couple of gems.

Laughing is just about as good as sunshine, after all.

*****

It has come to my attention during the past several weeks that my bed is on a slant. At first it was just sort of irritating, but lately, I find myself positioning my body on the top corner of the mattress, so I don’t slide down during the night.

JW insisted this was in my head.

Meanwhile, I was mountain climbing in my dreams.

Eventually, I forced him to lift up the bed, where it has been revealed that the frame is a little bent.

Maybe too many gluten free cheese curls?

Despite my pleas to fix the corner , JW refuses to use his brute strength to bend it back into place until at least the weekend.

I’m sleeping on a hillside, chickens.

*****

Generally on Thursday nights, I hang out at work until 6:30 or so and then go to yoga.

Last night, I realized that after arriving to the office over an hour earlier than usual, there was no way I would make it until 6:30 in my cubicle.

We’ve all got our limits.

I texted Ky and asked her if she had plans, and met her for dinner, since my house really only has green smoothie ingredients and weird sweet popcorn that I bought by accident in it.

The end of the week gets a little weird around here.

Despite knowing that I had yoga in an hour, I decided to have a glass of wine with my pal.

One glass couldn’t hurt, right?

Then I had another.

Ky laughed at me, because she knows my willpower in the face of wine is nonexistent.

I only ordered this wine so we could split the bill right down the middle, I hissed.

It’s a wine of convenience. 

Ky raised her eyebrows and told me not to worry, she wasn’t reading into my wine that much.

It was a lesson though, chicks.

High lunges and spinal twists are not really compatible with two glasses of red wine.

But it’s important to learn something new every day.

Enjoy this one, chickadees!