Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood

Today I'm one year wiser, and to continue my productive non-productive week, I thought I'd take a stroll around the block to capture my neighborhood - and some of Chicago prettiest - and most famous houses. Can you guess which one is the Playboy mansi...

Continue reading...

Kobey: Tall, Dark and Handsome

Today, on the first day of my annual Birthday week stay-cation, after being incredibly productive this morning, I traveled up to Wrigleyville to meet the newest recruit to the Chicago crew - Kobey - my friend's adopted greyhound dog. This was a scheduled play date that I set a week before Joanna even got the dog - as I was sending her Petsmart coupons....

Continue reading...

2010 Anthem: Good Life

Tonight, as I was playing who-can-stay-on-the-treadmill-longer game with the worker-outer next to me, I stumbled upon "Good Life" by OneRepublic on my Ipod... and instantly decided this must be my 2010 Anthem.Listen to it and tell me you're not inspired.So I'm vowing, today on December 27th at 9:01 p.m. CST to see my life as it is - the Good Life-...

Continue reading...

Driving with a Cat Under the Influence

Because this was such an experience, I feel that it needs to be documented. And, I promise, in 2010 I'll cut back on my cat posts. As much as I'm sure they entertain everyone. Also, as a caveot, I would've captured this adventure in pictures as well... but I felt that this made the trip even more hazardous to my health... and am just happy to have pulled into 405 E. Fairlawn Blvd unscathed.So the Best of Driving 6 hours with a Cat Under the Influence (CUI) of tranquilizers:Administering the drugs....

Continue reading...

The Night I Drugged My Cat

I have to admit. I'm a sucker for animals. They are at the softest of my soft spot. There's something about those big eyes looking right at you... saying play with me... feed me... love me. They can make you laugh after a bad day... and calm you down after hours of stressful work. They are your favorite roommates even if they wake you up at all hours...

Continue reading...

Christmahanakwanza in Pictures

Christmahanakwanza weekend came and went... and here are some of the best pics from the festivities. Enj...

Continue reading...

Twas the Night Before...

Wednesday, December 16In the past four and a half years, I've lived in five apartments, had a total of eight roommates, lived in three different area codes, made dozens of new friends and said goodbye to a handful.The one thing that has stayed constant since I moved from Ohio to Chicago, is that Monday through Friday, I have arrived at 233 N. Michigan at 8:30 a.m. (give or take a few minutes), have been greeted by the same security guy, potentially picked up my grande non-fat chai and bagel at Cosi,...

Continue reading...

2009 Holiday Letter

Tuesday, December 15For those of you who just can't wait for the snail mail to arrive... Okay, I understand only a handful find my updates amusing... but either way, here's my writing project of the day: My 2009 Holiday Letter (Tell me if I should retract all the mailings!)So this year kind of sucked. I don’t think many will argue with that statement. I’m not suggesting my year was any worse than anyone else’s… I’m just saying that when VH1 creates “I Love the 00s!” they are going to be hard-pressed...

Continue reading...

Notable Quotables

How Does Love Happen? (from the December Redbook)"The process can take five seconds or five years. It's an incredible vulnerable feeling that suddenly this person - this stranger - has your happiness in their hands." - From the new book Love by Karen Porter Soren...

Continue reading...

A New Tradition of Treats

Monday, December 14Baking sheets. Measuring cups. Ovens. All quite foreign to me. Although when push comes to shove, I can put on an apron like the best of them and bake up a pretty "wicked" good holiday treat or two.This Sunday, my friend Bullets had three of us over to her place to bake, have a few holiday "spirits" and watch a marathon of Christmas...

Continue reading...

Case of the Angry Suburbian

Last night was my flag football's holiday night out. So the players of TDMP (touch down my pants) took to Lincoln Park's ComedySportz improv show. I was expecting, as one might, that this was an improv about sports... but alas, I was corrected. This was a competitive show, complete with two different improv teams and a referee. Of course, this was...

Continue reading...

Best TV of the Decade

Throughout the day I often re-tweet (RT) interesting posts from media outlets, friends and bloggers. You really don't know if they appreciate your Twitter pimps, so today when @Metromix sent out a link to their Top TV Shows of 2000s, specifically calling me out knowing I would enjoy it... I have to say, I felt pretty freaking sweet. THANKS @Metromix!Especially...

Continue reading...

Christmas Song of the Day

"Let there be peace on earth" - Harry Connick Jr. Download it. Call Delilah and request it. Enjoy.A little shout out to G.ma Walsh... this was her favorite song and she loved Christmas :) Her over-enthusiasm for Christmas and month of spoiling her grandkids may have something to do with my December holiday obsession......

Continue reading...

Daily Dose of Bacon

I'm thinking of getting a dozen or so of these for my Christmas letter this year. What do you think? Bacon-flavored envelopes... who said snail mail couldn't be tasty?...

Continue reading...

Playlist of 2009

Sunday night insomnia led me to this post. Listening to tunes on Itunes... thinking about the year...and thought it would be interesting to think about the 10 songs that will always remind me of 2009. Here we go...10. I've Got a Feeling - Black Eyed Peas9. How Far We've Come - Matt Nathanson8. PYT - Michael Jackson7. Waking Up in Vegas - Kate Perry6. Fight Like a Girl - Martina McBride5. Kiss Me I'm Irish - Gaelic Storm4. Lucky- Jason Mraz/Colbie Caillat3. Run this Town - Jay-Z feat. Rihanna/Kanye...

Continue reading...

Wine in a Boot?! Yes, please.

This Saturday afternoon I did something outside my usual routine... left the apartment. Not only did I leave... my friends and I joined hundreds of Chicago families and tourists at the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza.Perhaps Saturday at noon may not have been the best time to head to a tourist spot like that... but none-the-less... it helped me locate...

Continue reading...

There's a Sale at the Clothes Shop

Yes, when writing that title I had the automated voice in my head of Mall Madness. Anywho... so last night, I had some time to kill before my all-so-important bang trim appointment, so I sauntered on down to H&M in hopes that I might find a trendy outfit for this weekend's shenanigan's.What I did find was a slew of ready-to-fall-apart outfits that...

Continue reading...

The Day the K Drive Died (Momentarily)

We felt the first hiccup of the Big Move to the Merchandise Mart today. It came unexpectedly and almost quietly. But it came... oh did it come.Around noon, I get a call from my co-worker. The conversation goes a little something like:Cool Co-worker: So... I was working on a few documents last night... I saved them in the K: (shared) drive, and they...

Continue reading...

Taking Back December

I've always loved the holidays. I was that kid that begged Dad to go get the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. I played with the nutcracker ornaments like they were Barbie dolls. I decorated the entire house the year I was going into surgery in December and thought I'd miss it. I listened to Mariah Carey Christmas cd starting in October. I...

Continue reading...