chicago

Tidbits

/ chicago, friends, writing

As always, after an awesome experience, and as life settles back into normalcy, little memories are steadily floating back to me.

** Unbeknownst to Mandy (mandywriter), Ronni’s car is a Hyundai Accent
Mandy (talking about her rental car upgrade): Yeah, this is a lot better than a shitty Hyundai Accent!
Ronni: HEY!

** Mandy’s car screaming in protest because Adam (adamselzer) wouldn’t put his seatbelt on.

** Singing Dora the Explorer songs with Adam, even though I had to pee so badly it was painful.

** Nadia agentobscura (to me, Mandy, Sara…): I’m serious. Go sit in the back. NOW.

** The Highways: Oh, by the way, you merged!
(Chicago’s highways aren’t known for letting you know that a merge is coming up. It just sort of happens. In one case, the sign was there AFTER the merge).

** Mandy’s random driving noises and being put in the “boat” ever so often.

** Ronni: We should go stand under there, where it’s dry.
   Nadia: Oh yeah. You’re so smart.

** Nadia shielding me from ghosts in the Garden of Evil.

** I’m about as skeptical about ghosts as the next guy (*innocent whistle*), but I remember when we first got to Death Alley, and Ken (the other guide) had us all stand on around a sewer. There was supposed to be the spirit (?) of a little boy there, and supposedly moms and very sensitive people could sense him. Before he’d even told that story, I remember my jacket moving, almost as if it were tugged. THEN the guide told the story about the ghost/poltergeist there who tugged on clothing. Freaky much? I was already upset and spooked because of the whole story in the first place, but that just… I don’t know. Of course, Ken could have been making the whole thing up, so yeah.

** Seeing Harpo Studios (it’s supposedly haunted!)

** The REALLY cute guys who walked by the bus before we pulled away for the tour. The girls were all freaking out.

** Ken: Shh, inside voices, girls.

** Going “ooooooo” to the random guy walking by.

** The cute way Nadia scrunches up her nose at you.

** People randomly waving to the bus. That was totally cool.

** Mandy: I think he wants to race. *guns engine*

I PROMISE I’ll post informative conference-related stuff soon.

‘Til next time! :)

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Chicago Spring Fling Conference! :) (Long & Lots of Pictures)

/ chicago, friends, pictures, writing

[X-posted at bananagirl19]

Hello! I am back from an amazing, exhausting, completely fun weekend in Chicago! The Chicago-North RWA chapter is incredible, and so are the people I met there.

FRIDAY

Mandy (mandywriter) picked me up from the airport and it was like we’d been friends forever, which we pretty much have. We started talking and joking right away. She took me to the hotel and chilled out while I unpacked in my VERY NICE hotel room. Let me tell you about this room. It was more like a suite. 25 inch TV, desk, easy chair, couch with a foldaway, king sized bed. Beautiful. I’d ordered strawberries and champagne, but I didn’t open it right away, and I’m glad I waited. More on that later. 🙂

Mandy and I registered for the conference (we were the first two!), then went out to lunch at a place called RAM. I’d never heard of it, but it was pretty nice. Of course, I got the messiest meal ever, but it was really yummy. By the time we got back to the hotel, Sara (sbennettwealer) was there! We went up to their room and hung out for a while, then headed down to the conference. I spotted Dia (agentobscura) right away, so we went to say Hi. She gave us all a group hug and seriously, we all hit it off right away. I felt like I’d been hanging out with these women my whole life.

The first thing we did was attend a “panel” of sorts. Four authors, open dialogue. It was interesting. Alesia Holliday, Mary Alice Monroe, Jennifer Crusie, and Bob Mayer spoke and it was funny and really nice. Afterwards, I went to Alesia to introduce myself and she recognized my name from the Yahoo! teenchicklit loop. She was awesome, and here I am with her:

We had a HUGE break, so Sara, Mandy, Gail and I went to an Italian restaurant. It was yummy. I got a half order which turned out to be a good decision, because it was the perfect amount of food. When we went back, there was class. Sara and I went to “Get Out of Deadwood” where we met Stephanie Hale (stephhale) and a really cool girl named Carmen. We went and had chocolate at the Chocolate Reception (um, check out this damn sign:)


DESERT????????

More pictures….

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Spring Fling Plans

/ chicago, writing, yay

The Chicago Spring Fling is next Friday!!!! Oh my gosh!! How excited am I??

The schedule has been posted, so these are the classes I plan to take:

Friday:
Getting out of Deadwood

Saturday:
Be the Best Applicant for the (Writing) Job
Making Your Characters Real
Charms for the Writing Life /Gris-Gris for Writers
Inside an Editor’s Mind
The Care and Feeding of Agents

While I am there, I get to meet cool people, do cool things, and hopefully get insanely inspired to finish my current WIP (which is now titled!). I’ve never been steeped in writing like that before, so I’m definitely looking forward to learning what I can, networking, and just being there. Good times!

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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The Decision’s Been Made

/ chicago, writing

Guess what! GUESS!!!!

Okay, I can’t wait for you to guess.

I’m going to the Chicago Spring Fling!!!

See you there, Mandy, mandywriter, Sara, sbennettwealer, and Nadiaagentobscura!!!!!

I just booked everything–flight, hotel, registration. I’m really excited now, and can’t wait to get there. YAY!!!!

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Chi-Town (Pictures)

/ chicago, friends, pictures, vacation

I got to Rob’s about 6ish Friday night. It had started to snow really badly which SUCKED! But Rob and I had a few moments of quality time before Becky got there. Then Bizzy showed up. Rob and Bizzy rode to Tyler’s together and I drove myself and Becky there. We gathered Tyler, used the bathroom and we were on the road about 7ish.

The weather was iffy and traffic was a little slow. Becky, Bizzy, and I sat in the back with freezing feet until we took off our shoes. Funny how that made us warmer. The boys were cracking me up.

Tyler: I would like to respectfully request that no one opens their butt also.

Rob: If I say I have to puke Tyler will have this car on the side of the road so damned fast…
(it’s funnier if you have a mental picture of Tyler rushing to move the car over…bah, never mind!)

Tyler (talking about pooping twice in one day): The second one was mostly chili.

As we got into town, the weather had gotten really bad and the car windows were a mess and people in Chicago drive like MANIACS. Holy Aggressiveness!!! I’d never survive there!

The lights on the buildings were green. St. Patrick’s Day is a week-long event in Chicago. It’s kind of cool.

We got to Mark’s place about 12:30 CST, which was 1:30 EST. But the night was YOUNG! 🙂 Rob had called Mark and demanded pizza and that sweet guy delivered. I wasn’t hungry, but I hopped in the shower almost immediately. Tyler followed suit. Please read those sentences carefully so you don’t get the wrong idea.

We were all tired and kind of slaphappy and very excited to see Mark. And his roommate Nick, who was really cool as well. At some point, Rob and Mark went to Dominick’s (a store) and how many times did they forget to bring Bizzy and me Ho-hos? Hmm…I’m not even sure what they bought to be honest.

Rob (talking about dying): My time may be sooner and that’s okay, because I’m at peace with the Lord.
Laughter from kitchen.
Bizzy: Yeah, right!

Mark (after Rob kicked the white trash can AGAIN): You kicked that for the fifth…second time!

I haven’t talked about Mark much because he lives in Chicago and I don’t get a lot of time to hang out with him. But I got to very quality spend time with him this weekend and he’s truly awesome. 🙂

Mark lives right by the El tracks—I mean, look out the window and they are there.



Me, by the tracks. I’m standing on Mark’s back porch!

The trains aren’t annoying, though. You get used to it quickly and it can be soothing. Becky, Bizzy, and I stayed up really late talking. Ah, I love girl talk. I know Rob could hear every word we were saying even when we were whispering. Tyler says he was sleeping but I truly doubt he was. Although he is an abnormally silent (and still) sleeper….

Saturday, we got up around—not sure, actually. I talked to Jen*Jen a bit on the phone. People got ready and we headed to a place called “Nookies, Too” for breakfast. Yummy! I had Belgian waffles with strawberries, and bacon. Apple juice to drink. I got flirted with by the waiter. I think Mark may have drawn his knife but I’m not sure… (just kidding!)



Mm, yummy food!


Tyler, me, and Becky.


Mark and Bizzy study the menu. Anyone notice anything weird about this photo?

After breakfast, a panhandler begged for change. I gave her fifty cents. She then went off on everyone else I was with because they didn’t give her any money and she and Rob got into an argument. It was kind of amusing.

We walked back to the apartment and warmed up a bit, then went to Dominick’s and got public transport passes. My first time on the El. Woo-hoo! It was cool. No joke, though. You have to get on and get off like NOW or else those doors will close and you’ll be out of luck. You get a few seconds to act. It’s wild.

We went downtown! Saw the green river, the Navy Pier, went to the Water Tower and ate. LOTS of walking. Especially from the river to the Pier. We were tired! I was so cold I was getting mad. Ack.



The river is GREEN! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!


Tyler, me, Mark, Rob, Becky (Bizzy is the photographer here!)

Went back to the apartment to get ready for Jinnie’s (Mark’s girlfriend) 21st birthday party. The train ride back was quite adventurous. Some girl bent down in front of us and we could totally see the top of her butt. She didn’t even have on thongs or a t-back. With jeans! Gross!

Random Guy on Train: HE EATS HIS OWN FARTS!

We girls looked HOT when all was said and done! Rob told me that I was going to get hit on by so many guys and he’d be ready to beat them down for me.



Becky, me, and Bizzy.

The party was okay. It’s always awkward when you know no one! Tyler hit it off very well with a certain girl, though. Some of the people in our group got a kick out of how he was “macking.” I hit it off with a girl, but not like that! She was really cool and I want her to move to Columbus! She has such a beautiful soul. I liked her a lot and I miss her already. Here we are:



Liz and me.

Aside from Liz, the party wasn’t much fun for me though. I got sick (possibly from dinner—could not have had anything to do with the two Amaretto Sours, the Fuzzy Navel, and the two Apple Jack shots I did, right?) and spent a lot of time in Jinnie’s room being the drama princess I am, and yes, I ADMIT that I’m a drama princess. Not a queen, but a princess. Or maybe a duchess. Whatever!

Went back to the apartment, wrote in my journal, and went to bed.

I got up early Saturday morning and did more journaling. Did a word find. Did some stretching while no one could see me. At least, I think no one was watching…and I read some Scripture. It’s rare that I do that on my own accord but I needed it that morning. God and I had some serious conversing to do. And when I say serious conversing I meant raging (on my part) but I am not going to go much further into that.

People woke up around eleven or so? Ack, I’m not sure what times to use! I’d been up and I was ready and was actually falling back to sleep about this time. But everyone got up. A couple of people got showers while Rob, much to most people’s chagrin, recharged his camera battery just enough to take millions more pictures. (I actually don’t mind the pictures). I checked my email on Mark’s computer. 🙂

We left Chicago about, oh poop, I’m not even going to try to figure it out. The ride home consisted of music wars, Becky and I playing games on paper, me getting pouty during that dang “green glass door” game because I couldn’t figure it out, and us eating McDonalds for dinner.

Rob: Did it seem like cars were blurring as we passed them?

OMG, that McDonalds—albeit cool-looking, had terrible service. They forgot to give me half of my order and I had to ask for the rest of my food, and man. It was BAD. I said that the sixteen-and-under crew must be working that night. No offense to the responsible teens who read this—but I know that I couldn’t have cared less about anything other than getting paid at my job when I was sixteen. That’s that attitude they had. Not good.

And the nuggets didn’t taste that great either.

Ronni (sing-song voice): I have an extra cherry pie for anyone who wants it.
Rob turns around with cute face.

Of course he got the pie. 🙂

Can I say that I love my girls? Bizzy and Becky are amazing. I’m so glad they were there with me!

So that’s my trip in a nutshell. Woo-hoo! I can’t wait to see Mark again!

More pictures coming soon in a photo album… just wanted to give you a taste, though. 🙂 Hope you enjoyed!

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