Thursday, February 24, 2011

Current Top 16 Songs

Okay, so this is what I have been listening to, in this particular order. Or.. frequency? Anyway, now that I am really good at riding the bus, I am able to listen to a lot more. These are the songs that I keep turning to for happiness.

Please note, this is only music. This in no way represents the use I get out of my iPod. Maybe I'll have a podcast post later.

  1. Animal Neon Trees
  2. Alright With Me Kris Allen (Quite honestly, I'm not exactly sure what he's saying, but I like it anyway.)
  3. Stupid Cupid Connie Francis (Connie is brilliant. I also like Vacation and Hollywood, but I haven't been listening to them lately. I think it's mostly her ballads that she is known for, but I listened to some of them, and meh.)
  4. Something That I Want Grace Potter (from Tangled)
  5. It Snowed Meaghan Smith (I thought I would be over this song by now. But it keeps snowing, and there is no other song I feel like singing when it snows.)
  6. Baby Justin Bieber & Ludacris (So.. as far as I know, this is the only Bieber song that I like. I think it's just that Ludacris takes it up 12 notches for me. I love that Luda.)
  7. Everything Michael Buble
  8. Do You Believe in Love Huey Lewis & The News
  9. Change of Seasons Sweet Thing
  10. For Your Love Marching Band
  11. Haven't Met You Yet Michael Buble
  12. If You Find Yourself Caught In Love Belle & Sebastian
  13. You Don't Send Me Belle & Sebastian
  14. Love It When You Call The Feeling
  15. Never Be Lonely The Feeling
  16. New Shoes Paolo Nutini
So it turns out that most of these songs are about love and relationships.

Please don't think any less of me.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!


I found that little heart at this place:

Friday, February 11, 2011

Walgreens on Western and Lawrence

My 30 day transit pass happened to expire right around the time I was at the intersection of Lawrence and Western. Thankfully, there is a Walgreens on that corner. I've never been inside, but I've walked by a lot, and there are always pigeons milling about. This does not give this Walgreens an air of sophistication, so I was a bit weary as I walked in.

Immediately, I knew something was up. I didn't see any staff at the registers, so I decide I would just move deeper into the store without looking around. If you look around and find the trouble, you could risk becoming a witness, and that was the last thing I wanted to do that day. I decided I could do with a beverage, and moved toward the cold cases. That's when I noticed someone staring at the Walgreen's entrance, saying with mild panic, "There's a pigeon in here!"

In a mid-western accent, a reply comes from about ten feet in front of me, "Well, tell them to move away from the door, or all the pigeons will come in! We already have one over there!" And she points toward the check out stands.

 I follow her finger with my gaze and sure enough, I see a pigeon. All Hell breaks loose. Mid-western accents are flying! "But he'll get in my hair!" "Oh no he'll poop on me!" "What are we going to do?!"

The woman behind the photo counter takes charge. She tells Sam to capture that pigeon and take it outside.

Sam gets a ladder.

Sam gets a towel. (Really, a pink fleece type thing.)

Sam gets some courage.

Sam places the towel over the pigeon.

Someone shrieks. "Did you get him!?!? Oh no, did he go behind the sign?"

Sam reaches up to grab the towel he placed over the pigeon. Apparently these pigeons haven't been trained in combat. He slowly pulls the bundle toward him and descends the latter. "Oh, I got him."

Sam walks to the door. A woman who I determine to be the cashier follows him. I follow her. I need my CTA pass. We are near the door and the registers. She is just staring out the door. I decide to say, "So, do you carry CTA pass.."

But I'm interrupted when Sam comes back, and the cashier says, "Wow, Sam, that was amazing! Where did you learn to do that?!"

Sam just shrugs and mumbles, "Uhh, it happens a lot.."

The cashier continues, "Oh my gash, that pigeon was going to get in my hair, and you gat him, Sam!"

Sam walks away.

The cashier has hands on her hips, shaking her head in the sheer disbelief of a close call.

I speak again.

She turns to me, sees the line of people that has now formed, and goes around to her side of the register. I say hello. She says, "Did you see that pigeon?!"

I said, "So, do you carry 30 day CTA passes?"

She looks at me with wide eyes and says, "Oh, I'm gonna have to call back for that."

I put on my serious face and say, "Okay. Let's do it."

So she does. Then she looks at me. "Did you see that pigeon? I thought it was going to get in my hair! And Sam just captured it like it was nothing!"

"Oh, yeah, that was something alright."

The manager comes up with my pass, I pay, and as I'm leaving I heard the cashier say to the woman behind me, "Did you see that pigeon?"

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Garfield Park Conservatory

Last weekend I went to the Garfield Park Conservatory with my friend Tamry. That Saturday was filled with glad tidings.

The first is the discovery of the Sacred Fig Tree. I've been looking for a Sacred Fig Tree for awhile.


Second was warmth. I don't know if you know, but Chicago is cold. Wicked cold. But the Conservatory was so warm. So, so warm. Sigh. I'm going back in a few days to experience the warmth. And the Sacred Fig Tree.


Third, flowers! Blossoms! Blooms! I couldn't believe my eyes! Coming from California, I have a high nature requirement, and I feel my eyes and soul have been starved for beauty these past few weeks. It felt good to see and feel the green again.


Fourth, this picture was taken from a bench. Which means it's basically the perfect spot for my future husband to get down on one knee. It meets all the requirements: warm, semi private, beautiful, with thick foliage all around so Tara can hide in the bushes, recording the whole exchange and also be close enough to sing back-up when my future husband croons his "will you marry me" song.


Fifth, The International Domino League. I spied this store front on the way from the Conservatory. The International Domino League? Who knew there was such a thing? You probably did. You are probably a member of your local chapter.



Birthday Phase 2

For Phase 2 we hopped on a train, hopped on another train, got off at the wrong stop, then hopped in a taxi to take us to Anong Thai to meet up with friends for dinner. It was straight up delicious. I love that place.

On the left is Amanda, my roommate, and on the right is Hope. 


We ordered papaya salad and shrimp rolls (with bacon). That's my plate at the bottom of the picture. See that tomato?


I'm going to eat it.


Turns out there was some mega spicy pepper nestled in there. And this is how I felt about it:


Things turned around once I realized Shermeka and I were wearing matching coats.


Hope and Diana made me this cake. It was delicious, and I highly recommend it. You should know it's not actually cake, but mostly ice cream and pretzels. Really, if I were to describe it, I think I would use one word: happiness.


At dinner Amanda mentioned that she never saw Tangled. I told her it was playing at the theater around the corner, and that we could probably catch a viewing in about 45 minutes. We busted out our phones, confirmed the time, and we went to see Tangled for $4. It was a great birthday.


Birthday Phase 1

I think all birthdays should come in phases, and mine started at the John Hancock Building, on the 94th floor.


I went ice skating with my friend Diana. They call it "Skating in the Sky" and I think that's fairly accurate.


We got up there just as the sun was going down. This is Lake Shore Drive.


And, Lake Shore Drive once the lights came on. This is the road that got hammered by the blizzard, with all the cars getting stuck on the road overnight.






Have I ever told you that I love Chicago? Well, I do. I love it. There. It's official. Check out the traffic in this one:


And all the ice in this one:





The roads are on fire.

ThunderSnow, Blizzaster, or in other words, Blizzard of 2011

During the Blizzard, we never lost power. Thank goodness, because I had very important things to do like paint my nails, clean the kitchen, read a magazine, and email back and forth with Hope and Diana about what exactly I wanted as my birthday cake.

I was fairly busy, but I did manage to go outside for a quick Blizzard 2011 pic:


And, because you want to see more pictures of the snow, I will be happy to oblige.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011



Wednesday was officially declared a Snow Day, which apparently hasn't happened for over 10 years. Or something.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Everyone back to work, no matter what.


This is my street. It didn't get plowed until Sunday or Monday or something.


But, the main roads were cleared in no time at all.


This is my building:


And again, my street.





The End. I hope you enjoyed the Blizzard of 2011 as much as I did. Next up, my birthday!!

Safe in Bubble Wrap


In my birthday package from home, I found this:


I love almond butter, but I never buy it. It was awesome for Mother to buy it for me. When I spoke with Mom after I got the package, she asked if the almond butter got there okay. It certainly did. That bad boy is safe in bubble wrap!

Why I Don't Go Outside

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Blizzard 2011


So I was searching for videos and pictures of the Blizzard of 2011 on the local news page, and I came across this picture. The caption read, "Woman thrown to ground from wind gust." (It actually read "women" but I decided it was a typo, as I didn't spy any other women on the ground in the picture.) The caption subtext was, "Just as I stepped outside, a wind gust literally took this woman's feet out from under her. I helped her get to the parking garage and she was shaken up, but OK." 

I'm just glad they took the picture. I laugh so hard every time I see this picture.