A Brand New Love

I'm just now coming up for air after an insane, emotional roller coaster ride of a week. However, past blogs would demonstrate that I'm not really up on sharing the personal stuff. I'm pretty sure my most emotional blog to date has been a love letter to my old truck. And, as I'm only 1.2 work days until some much needed vacation time, I'll stick to one of my new loves in life.

Now before I share what it is, I have to mention that my inner snob has somehow surfaced and is demanding high end brand names. Nothing I can do about it - except go with it and hope for the best! Because, alas, my new love is Burberry. I know, at times I consider it totes ridiculous, I can't help it! I could blame the children, but I really blame my gorgeous new winter boots. I actually bought them at the Burberry store on Michigan Ave. in Chicago - no Ebay, no discount website - legit brand name purchase. Granted, I'll probably wear them with my Target coat and Goodwill sweater, but the too late - the monster inside me that loves Burberry is like the mythological Cracken - released and hungry.

Downside to this newfound love of the British high-end label? Ah, yes, that would be the fact that I do not work at a profession that results in copious amounts of money allowing me to indulge my need at a whim. And by whim, I mean, maybe once a year I will be able to get something - if I save up.

I can handle it though, I'm a strong girl. Just now a strong girl that covets all things Burberry.

My apathy wins

So in yesterday's blog post I highlighted my apathy towards, well, everything...at least for the day.

And apparently, voters for new entries into the Collins English Dictionary agreed with me. Lexicographers everywhere enthusiastically voted to enter the word "meh" into the dictionary. Odd that they were excited about "meh," is it not?

HarperCollins made the announcement that the word will be included in the dictionary's 30th anniversary edition.

Fun fact for the day: Allegedly the word came into popular usage after a 2001 "The Simpsons" episode where are Bart and Lisa are watching TV and Homer comes in to suggest a day trip, to which they both reply "meh."

So big congrats to "meh" for beating out inferior contenders such as "jargonaut," "frenemy," and "huggles."

I could write more about this event, but...meh...

Blarghety Blargh Blargh

I know, I should have already blogged by now...I had been doing so well.

I could totes blog about the heinous pre-Broadway production of Dirty Dancing I saw last Wednesday. The weird Australian accent, the cheesy set, the lack of outstanding talent, and the empty void where Jerry Orbach should have been.

I could totes blog about how the current state of the economy is freaking this corporate fundraiser out, and how I'm practically reading the NYTimes Business section in my sleep.

I could totes blog about the fact that I've already seen Quantum of Solace twice. Including dressing up in formal wear for a martini party with friends and working it in 4 1/2 patent leather red heels at the theater.

I could totes blog about that fact that this past week, I never made it home before 10:30pm at night which resulted in an extremely cute, extremely needy Sugar. We're snuggling as I type.

I could totes blog about how I've taken 4 vacation days this entire year - not a good idea.

However, I totes won't - because today is apathetic Sunday. I've cleaned, grocery-shopped, organized, e-mailed, and downloaded pictures - all through a haze of blahness. Really, though, I kind of need these days every once in a while. I consider it saving my energy for the crazy week ahead.

Totes.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Ah, yes, winter in Chicago, I believe, has officially started after a couple false starts. This means lots of things to this Chicago transplant: an overactive steam heater, wild crowds at the movie theater (inside activities only from November to March), lots of warm scarfs, fabulous winter boots, and a wicked cold. Malheursement, the cold came early this year.

I have years of memories from my long ago school days in Indy of copious amounts of tissues and coughing my way through standardized testing. Fortunately, I also had a mother who would remember to give me medicine, make hot tea, and always had tissues on hand.

When I went off to college and then grad school, my treatment of said colds went downhill. Instead of a mother's care, I only had myself...not a promising situation. I remember my freshman year when I had the flu during my winter finals. I also remember using toilet paper as a substitute for tissues, using dayquil as a substitute for antibiotics, and fighting fatigue - not with sleep - but with concentrated Mountain Dew and ginseng and pizza and running around the classroom building in my socks to stay awake. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I listened to DMX as a soundtrack for my studies. Not my finest moment.

Now, as a working "adult," things are slightly better. I usually have tissues, I remember to take the cold medicine on time and even pop Vitamin C every once in a while. The downside? I can no longer make myself feel just good enough for a two-hour class, but rather an eight-hour work day. I can't run across the quad and use my student points for supplies, but have to hoove it down to my friendly area Walgreen. I also have a 17 pound cat (he lost a pound!!!) that prefers to sleep on my chest at the exact moment that I can no longer breathe through my nose.

By I like to look on the brightside of having a cold: constant sneezing gets me my own seat on my morning commute, not breathing well=shorter workouts, chai tea makes everything better, and I now have the strength to resist the siren song of Mountain Dew...well, most of the time.

O is for Oh yeah, Obama!

On Tuesday, November 4, 2008 I was lucky enough to get a ticket to the celebration in Grant Park. My friend Rachel went with me, and let me just say it was the best time!!! First of all, please, to be part of huge party celebrating the election and successes of the first black president? It's hard to complain when witnessing a watershed moment in American history.

The lack of food, huge crowd, and cramped legs from standing for 7 hours were completely worth it. But the pictures from that night will tell a much better story than I could in words, so here we go!!

Waiting in line to get through the metal detectors.

The press tent - all of Columbus Ave. was covered in trucks and many had also been parked at Soldier Field for overflow!

One of the jumbo screens that broadcast CNN throughout the night - this pic features the Grant Park crowd!

My friend Rachel and I.

The crowd (just the front half) and more press tents. On the left you can see the flags of the stage where Obama came out after being declared the president-elect.

The moment Obama was declared our next President. The CNN screen flashed "Breaking News" and the whole crowd breathed in then starting yelling hysterically - tons of pictures and hugging of random strangers.

The celebration on the jumbo screen.

The crowd when Obama came out on the stage.

Obama during his acceptance speech (I have pictures of him on stage, but he's so tiny that I didn't include:))

Biden out on stage with Obama - the crowd went wild for him as well.

Sweet moment.

The amount of people still in Grant Park after many people had already left!!!!

Miraculous Manon

Whoops!! A little late on my opera blog post...my sincerest apologies dear readers. One week ago, I once again graced the Lyric Opera with my presence in order to witness the brilliancy that was Jules Massenet's Manon. The Chicago Tribune had the following to say about this production:

"She came, she saw, she conquered...the ovation Dessay received was one of the longest and loudest in recent Lyric history."

Yes, Tribune, I concur.

Manon was amazing...I had heard others raving about it before I went, and that always makes me suspect. But alas, true to their word, I was entranced from the moment the curtain went up. Natalie Dessay was truly spectacular, and even a last minute tenor swap didn't alter the soring beauty of the opera. The set was multi-faceted and with the movement of just a few props, the mood was completely altered.

While this probably won't end up in my Top 5, I definitely enjoyed it and will continue to. Favorite part? Understanding the French that was being sung WITHOUT the surtitles...oh, yeeeahhh...

I Dream of Paris in Black and White

I've been told that a person can tell they are truly learning a foreign language when the begin to dream in that language.

That last several days, I've been dreaming in French...in black & white.

I start my French classes at the Alliance Francaise again in a week. I will be in a Level 14 class - my 11th at the Alliance. The classes have become a huge part of my life. I count my classmates as dear friends, and wonder what I would do without being able to see them twice a week.

Granted, sometimes I wonder what I'm doing - the classes are very expensive and can be time consuming and in this economy I should probably be saving my money.

But I can't bring myself to say au revoir. I have an ongoing passionate love affair with French language and culture, and hold the hope that one day I will live in the City of Lights.

And whenever I'm frustrated trying to master the subjonctif, or can't remember the words that I want to say, I remember how beautiful the language is, even though I may be messing it up.

So when I started dreaming in French, I was thrilled - still am. In my dreams I can speak it perfectly and understand all, and I'm always in Paris. I'm not sure why in black & white - maybe too many French art films and still photography.

Regardless, in a week, I will pack up my workbooks and dictionary, welcome back my witty and intelligent classmates, follow the guidance of my brilliant instructor, and wonder when my real life will catch up to my dreams.