life

Autumn and Ohio (Lots of Pictures!)

Gourds Happy Autumn!

Now that it’s here, there is no good reason to keep fighting it, right? Getting out of Chicago and to Ohio to visit friends and family really helped me remember what I love about autumn. First of all, the colors. The glorious colors! We were in Ohio for six days and every day I watched the trees get more and more brilliant. Then, harvests and pumpkins and apple cider and all sorts of neat things. So, yay for autumn. Just wish winter didn’t have to happen after. But not gonna dwell on that. Instead I’m going to dwell on the fun trip to Ohio I had this past week!

I got to eat yummy Mexican food and drink a delicious margarita, I got to feed a giraffe, see a camel up close, and ride a horse. I met a friend who I’d been emailing with for years, and I saw Andy, one of my best friends. Chris and Matt brought up Aidan and we all went to Amish country, where I bought lots of pies, cookies, and cheese. My camera was on hand, and of course I got loads of photos.

We hit the Amish country in the middle of the state. First place we stopped was Hershberger, where there was lots of good desserts and breads, and animals (including a HUGE Clydesdale) to pet. Then we went to the cheese barn, and then to Berlin. Adam and I agreed that the more authentic Amish/Mennonite places were better because they weren’t mired in touristy gimmicks. Just yummy food.

Aidan and some Pumpkins Aidan and some Pumpkins Aidan and some Pumpkins
Pumpkins Galore!

I got to ride a horse for the first time ever. My friend Amy (who I’ve known for years but only through email) arranged for us to get together at the stables. There, she saddled up Jessy and let me and Adam take turns riding her. By the end of the ride, I was going a pretty good job of getting Jessy to walk and go in the direction I wanted her to go in. We also go to ride Pablo bareback. That was neat, too.

I'm on a Horse!

Horseback Riding! Horseback Riding! Horseback Riding!

We got to eat good food, have good laughs, and have good times. The Mexican restaurant, El Camino, was delicious. I had an enchilada and a tostada, and a yummy raspberry margarita. Delicious!

Mommy My Magarita Hi Aidan!

Mommy and Greg

Most of my extended family is in Cleveland. I don’t get to see them often, so a lot of us used this trip to reconnect. It was good. Some of these people I hadn’t seen since 1996. I hadn’t seen all of them for many years. That’s a long time. It was nice to see them again.

My Cousin Mazayron and Me Aunt Geneva Falandos
Good Saturday Night

So many new experiences. I got to feed a giraffe! Do you have any idea how much I love giraffes? They’re so graceful and beautiful. They’re definitely in my top five of animals. Getting so close to one was amazing. Also, I never knew how gorgeous camels were until I saw them close up. Petting zoos are cool, especially when they have animals like emus and llamas and zebras.

Aidan and his Grandmommy A Big Chair! Aidan Playing in the Corn Pit
Awesome!

UM Camel
Pumpkins!

Another really cool thing. I am an Ohio State alumna, but I had very little OSU clothing. I’ve been slowly, slowly building up a collection of tee-shirts, but I really wanted a hoodie. They’re expensive, though! Well, we went to Marcs to get snacks and groceries (and my BBQ Fritos and Snyder of Berlin chips that are not sold in IL) and they had OSU gear. CHEAP OSU gear. So, I got three sweatshirts and two tee-shirts for a grand total of $40.00. I’m wearing one of the shirts in a few photos above. I really, really, really wish we had a Marcs in Chicago. I’d go all the time. I love that place.

Anyway, I had a great time. What a wonderful way to start off autumn 2011. It’s just gonna get better! πŸ™‚

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Why, Hello There, Fall

YAY Leaves! Well, there’s no more denying it. Even though the official Equinox isn’t for a week, autumn has definitely settled in the Chicago area. The temperatures are way cooler, and even the days where the temperature is in the 70s, there is still that certain “bite” in the air.

I suppose it’s time to drag out my bin and pack away the tank tops and shorts, and pull out the sweaters and cords and knee highs and tights. The pea coats and jackets and boots can be moved to the front of the closet. It won’t be tank top weather for a long time.

Fall makes me want to shop. I have to be more careful with my money these days, but I can always use sweaters. It’s hard to find nice, basic sweaters these days. They’re all flowy and drapey. And as I mentioned in my last entry, most of mine are dark. Greys and blacks. I need some brighter colors, don’t you think?

I love fall as long as I don’t remember that there is a bitterly cold winter following it. It’s Adam’s favorite season, especially with all the pumpkin treats to eat. Adam really loves pumpkin, and he looks forward to enjoying a gallon of Edy’s pumpkin-flavored ice cream every October. I don’t like pumpkin, but I do like fall colors. And I like the gorgeous blue sky. I also like how pretty the leaves look on the trees. I hope to take a LOT of seasonal pictures this year. I hadn’t had much time during my other Chicago autumns.

Check out this adorable fall bucket list:


source

From this list, I plan on doing these things this fall:

Take a nature walk. I’m FINALLY going to Morton’s Arboretum. I’ve been wanting to go for years. I’m going to go later in the season, when the leaves have changed colors. (I also plan to go in the spring, when all the trees are blossoming.)
– Instead of the fancy coffee drinks, I’m going to drink hot cider! πŸ™‚ Yum!
– I’ve already done the corn maze.
– I’m going to try to bake a pie. I probably won’t be cutting apples or anything, and the crust won’t be homemade, but dang it, I will make a pie. I haven’t made a pie in years. Mmm, pie.
– I don’t know what counts as fall cookies, but I will be baking some chocolate chip ones. And seeing as I am not domestic in the slightest, they will be made by our friends Pillsbury.

I guess I like fall a lot more than I thought. I know it used to be my favorite season once upon a time. But the past few years, it’s just been a stress ball. I’m excited to go back to enjoying it again. There is holiday planning, another taping of The Rosie Show, and hearty Crock-Pot meals. Not to mention new TV shows to check out, a new cycle of America’s Next Top Model, and Halloween candy to eat. And then there’s Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving will be awesome. Mmmm, turkey and gravy. Peach pie. Mac & cheese (made by me). Good times. πŸ™‚

What are your plans for the fall?

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Well, Hello There September (Multimedia)

And August is out the door. I think I’m still kind of in denial about that; I know I haven’t changed all the calendars yet. I don’t know. It’s so weird, how quickly summer goes by. It’ll be time to seriously think about the holidays before long. I’ve already started my holiday shopping. A little bit, anyway.

So, check this. You all know how much I love yoga, right? So, a few weeks ago, I was talking to one of the managers at Moksha. We got to talking about my editing skills and I mentioned that if they needed anyone, I’d certainly be interested working with their promo materials. She gave me the name of the marketing manager. I contacted her, she contacted me back. We met, hit it off, and well, yesterday was my first day as a work study student at Moksha. Basically, I do six hours of editing a week for them in exchange for unlimited yoga. You guys, I get to do what I love for an organization I love, and in exchange, I get unlimited amounts of WHAT I LOVE. How amazing is that?

And as always, the question of yoga teacher training came up. See, it’s been in the back of my mind since last summer. I daydream about teaching classes, and I wish I had some official training so I could teach classes, or even teach Aidan. But I thought I needed to be way more experienced. Turns out that I don’t have to be at all. All the things I thought I needed to know as a prerequisite? Nope. They teach me everything I need to know. The fall session starts next week, so I don’t think I’ll be ready for that. But I am looking into the spring session that starts in March. Everyone who’s gone through it says it’s one of the best things they’ve done in their life. And more than one person has come up to me and asked if I was in training, and seemed surprised that I wasn’t. And then they told me that I should do the training.

So. It’s a possibility. Not sure if I could teach yoga full time, but it would be an awesome part time/side gig. And who knows where it might take me?

In the meantime, I’ve been taking much better care of myself and let me tell ya. It feels good. I’ve been doing yoga and I’ve been on the bike again. For a while, it felt like my legs weren’t stretching out enough on the bike, so I adjusted the seat just a bit. Now it feels great. I guess it was just a little bit too short before. I did have it at the lowest level. I’ve been halfway considering doing a “Couch to 5K” program, but I’m not very comfortable with the idea of running outside. Also, I need really good shoes and I know the investment for that won’t be tiny. Still, it’s worth considering. Running a 5K would be super neat. I just really want to vary my workouts. Not that I consider yoga to be just a workout, but that’s another post.

Now, if I could just get my diet in check. I know what I need. I need Kanani, the 2011 American Girl doll of the year, but seriously, I need more fruit that I manage to actually eat. Peaches. I’m craving peaches. Sweet, juicy peaches. Maybe I’ll go to Stanley’s tomorrow and get some. Mmm, peaches. WAIT, I have some fruit cup peaches. Those can tide me over til I get fresh ones. YAY!

I’ve managed to read more than 50 books this year. It was hard. I’m usually nearing 100 by now, if I haven’t passed that already. But I was way too busy for a while there. Things are much better now.

Other random things:
– I have eight unopened Monster High dolls, an unopened Professor Snape action figure, and I still haven’t opened my She Ra toys yet. I really need to get on that.
– But before I can play, I have a lot of projects going on and many deadlines to meet before I can take a breather. They’re projects I enjoy, though, which makes doing them seem less like work and more like fun.
– I need to seriously QUIT the Facebook games (again) and focus more on my work. The games are so demanding with their quests and begging that one could easily spend hours and hours “playing” them. That’s not good for me or my eyes or my brain, so it’s time to step away. I only play three of them regularly, but even that’s too much.
– I have more self-control with The Sims, which I am so happy I can play again. When my Mac’s OS was updated to Lion, something wonky happened with the video cards and the game, rendering the game unplayable. A patch was just released the other day making the game playable again. But I can only play The Sims for a few hours before it starts lagging and they need to sleep too darn much so I get bored. That’s a good thing. Else, I’d play it for 10+ hours straight. No bueno.
– Adam and I’ve been going through Arrested Development again. That show never gets old.
Tumblr is my newest addition. Holy awesome. Another time suck I have to be aware of.
– Aidan’s in third grade now. He has his own phone, so he sends me random texts and he also showed me how to attach audio files to text messages. I miss him. Look at this picture of him and Fi:

Aidan & Fi

Poor Fi has conjuctivitis. It’s not contagious or anything, but his right eye was red and swollen and teary when he first came to live with us. Now, his eye isn’t red and swollen anymore, although he is very teary. I’m pretty sure he has allergies. He sneezes all the time. Still, he’s my baby.

Fi

When I lived with him in Columbus, he stopped being very cuddly when he turned about… three or four, I’d say. But now, he’s always near me or next to me. He and Helena’s relationship is still pretty tumultuous. Just last night, they bumped noses while they were waiting for me to pass out the treats. (Come to think about it, they get along fine when there is food involved.) Today, he was next to me, she was right across from me. She leaned over, maybe to bump his nose again, and he swatted at her and hissed. She made this face like “But but but…” I mean, she looked so devastated. I chastised Fi gently and pet Helena, but she seemed mad at ME. πŸ™ Oh dear. I wonder if they’ll ever LIKE each other or even tolerate each other. I don’t know. Fi’s kinda old and set in his ways. We’ll see. He’s sleeping right beside me right now. Let me tell you. A warm summer evening. Friday. Kitty beside me who I can pet constantly. Glass of juice behind me and lots of pillows. Pizza burgers and tater tots for dinner. All of that after a day of being productive. That’s a good day.

Ooh, ooh, ooh!!

I made a video demonstrating how to make a simple hair fall! πŸ™‚ Wanna see? Fi’s in it, too! Please watch it. I had too much fighting with iMovie to do for this to go unappreciated.

I have a headache and need to get to bed. But first, maybe some chocolate. Or peaches.

Byeeee!

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The Winding Down of Summer (Pictures)

Summer will be officially over in a month. That makes me sad. I’ve been waiting all year for it, and it’s already almost over. I’m not looking forward to nine more months of cold!

Aidan went back to Ohio on the 14th. It was not a happy day. He was actually fine until it was nearly time for him to board. He didn’t sob, but he was whimpering and crying and that made ME whimper and cry. Didn’t help that I was alone; Adam was in Atlanta to celebrate his grandmother’s 80th birthday. So, what did I do when I left the airport? Went shopping, of course.

As you all know, Borders is going out of business. I went there and got some books and started Christmas shopping. How disturbing that it’s already time to start sort of thinking about Christmas shopping?

I miss my little boy. *sigh*

The first weekend of August, I went to MuseCon. It was everything I could have asked for in a con. For one thing, SJ Tucker was the guest of honor. I had been aware of that since 2010, and I’d already blocked this weekend for the con. If SHE’S there, then I’m there. Secondly, the con was less sci-fi based and more creativity based. There were two photography panels, a fire spinning show, and I even got to participate in an improv class! The hospitality suite was incredible. Loads of my con friends were there, and I got to make some new friends. It was awesome. It was also very relaxing. The panels and workshops were long, and there was a lot of downtime. There were people sitting in the lobby playing instruments and singing. There was time to sit and have great conversations with people. There was a wedding; my friends Lizzie and Eric got married. The sound system didn’t want to cooperate during the processional, so the guests all hummed Canon in D as the bride was coming down the aisle. Gorgeous. And finally, it was in the Itasca, IL, Westin, and I LOVE Westin hotels. We had a really good time and I am very much looking forward to going next summer.

Tango/Conga Line Fire Spinning Fire Spinning Lizzie and Eric

Then, if that wasn’t enough s00j (and let’s face it, there’s never enough s00j), she did a show at the Life Force Arts Center that Sunday night! Check out this beauty:

SJ at the Life Force Arts Center

πŸ™‚

Also since I last wrote, I cleaned like a madwoman. The poor apartment needed it. I’ve been doing more yoga, eating more junk food (eek), and reading more books. My face has been breaking out like a teenager’s, and I can’t figure out why I’m suddenly being so blessed by the acne gods. Maybe it’s the junk food. :O Anyway, I’ve made some major life changes (OK, just one) and I’ve been so much better for it. πŸ˜€ Oh, and I got this neat little toy:

LEGO-compatible Doctor Who building set
LEGO-compatible Doctor Who building set

I also got some really cool Monster High and She-Ra stuff b/c my awesome friend Seanan (who TOTALLY gets the doll and toy thing) was nice enough to pick them up for me when she was at Comic-Con a few weeks ago. (No pix yet! Soon, my friends. Soon.) I have FIVE Monster High dolls coming in the mail from Amazon. It is my goal to own every version they make of Frankie Stein because I adore that doll. So basically, I’m getting three Frankies, a Spectra (YEA!) and a Cleo de Nile. Because I’m crazy. And as far as my doll obsession goes, these are the less expensive ones that I’m gaga over.

I’ve begun blogging for Sharemickey.com, a social network site for Disney fanatics like myself. If you’re into Disney, you’ll want to check this site out. It’s pretty rad. My first post will be up this Wednesday.

Summer’s winding down, but there’s still a lot to look forward to. There’s the Chesire Moon show this weekend at the Life Force Arts Center, the new Doctor Who starts Saturday (OH YEAH), a party thrown by one of my favorite yoga teachers, a wedding shower, Labor Day weekend (a possible trip to Ohio in the works), and another wedding! So yeah, it’s going to be busy but not overwhelming, which is good.

OK, I think that’s about all. I’m getting hungry. Also, I’m hearing noises coming from the kitchen that sound cat-made, which can never be good. ‘Til next time!

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A Proper Update (Pictures)

Hello! So, it’s not as if there are tons of people reading this anyway, but just in case you are, I’m actually posting an update rather than a meme. Miracle, right?

Hmm, let’s see.

Some Stuff:
– Apartment is a fall down mess. I have no energy to bother cleaning it at this juncture. But I need to very soon.
– Hoping, praying, and working for a major change in my life. Some positive and supportive vibes from you awesome folks would be much appreciated. πŸ™‚
– I’ve discovered the most amazing cookies from Hearts & Flour Bakery. They’re vegan cranberry chocolate chip. I get them every week at the Daley Plaza Farmer’s Market. I pay $2.50 for four or five cookies AND I REGRET NOTHING. They’re sooooo delicious.
– We got a new cat. Well, he’s actually an OLD cat, as he was my cat when I lived in Ohio before Chris and I separated. Yes, Fi is back in my life. He’s living here in Chicago with me, and he’s a LOT more affectionate than I ever remember him being. Adam’s pretty sure he remembers me. I think Adam might be right. I also think Fi is happy to be with me again, but he’s not so happy that he has to share the attention with Helena and Crookshanks! He and Helena get into it all the time. Crookshanks tries to be Fi’s friend, but Fi isn’t having it. I hope they all get along very well soon, and not just when they’re in the kitchen eating treats or joining forces to beg for my dinner.

Hi Fi!

I am totally pumped to have a black cat in the house again! πŸ™‚

– I’ve been LOVING the weather. Absolutely loving it. Mostly everyone I know hates it. But honestly, give me the choice between this and the blizzard we had in February? I’ll take this IN A HEARTBEAT. I like wearing tank tops and shorts outside and feeling the sun warming my skin. I like sucking down water because it tastes so good and refreshing. I feel like these precious warm days are slip, slip, slipping away.
– Movie score music. I can’t get enough of it. Especially anything by Hans Zimmer. Did I already tell you this? I feel like I have already.
– Lastest song obsession: COURTYARD APOCALYPSE from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 soundtrack. I can’t get enough of it. It’s so haunting and pretty.
– I straightened my hair last weekend. It’s gotten REALLY long. Just to give you an idea of the shrinkage I deal with, here is a picture of me with the straight hair alongside a picture of me with my wash-and-go curly hair:

I Have Long Hair! Hi!

Crazy, huh? I just wish it would stay straight for longer than 20 minutes when I actually straighten it. You can see in the photo that the humidity is already getting to it. Friday morning, I had the top of my hair in a curly ponytail, and the back amazingly straight and long. Seven minutes outside, and eight in a crowded non-air conditioned train car took care of that really quickly. I had curls the rest of the day!

Oh well.

– I bought a djembe! I love the sound those drums make and they’re fairly easy to play (or at least fake). I bought it person because I wanted to try it out, hear it. I also knew I wanted a rope-tuned one because they have a better sound. I love my djembe. I’m not sure Adam likes when I get the urge to bang on it at 1am.

Here she is:

My new toy!!! :)
My djembe!!

I’ve not named her yet. Usually, everything I own that’s huge to me is called some form of Little Ronica. My car and my computer are both Silver Little Ronica. I know, it’s weird.

Despite what this entry blog may suggest, it seems that all I’ve been doing is working. Working, working, working. I work long days at the office, then I come home and work all evening on freelance projects. I’m usually pretty “meh” about it, but lately it’s been taking its toll. I’m stressed and cranky. I haven’t done yoga in ages. I barely make it onto my bike. It takes me forever to read a book when I used to tear one in days if not hours. I’ve not been eating exceptionally well, and I rarely do anything I really enjoy doing, like taking photos. I feel like the summer’s ending and I’ve barely seen Aidan at all. I want need my life back.

I feel the need for a real vacation. Don’t get me wrong, I love Disney World, but I want to go somewhere I don’t feel obligated to do a thing except lay on the beach, bake in the sun, read books, and get a tan.

I’m a member of Living Social, which is basically a Groupon clone. But they have Living Social Escapes, which are amazingly cheap deals for resorts. I’m talking a seven day trip to a Mexican resort for two (and kids free) costing around $500, with some meals and drinks included. Of course, I’d have to pay to get there, but $500!

I get those deals about once a week or so. And every time I read them I want to book RIGHT NOW. But there are reasons keeping me from clicking that mouse button, the main one being that I don’t have a passport. So, Friday, we were very slow in the morning at work. (I know, right? That could only mean trouble for the evenings and the poor sap who’s stuck coming in over the weekend–this week it was me.) But anyway, I took advantage of the empty racks and headed out to the Secretary of State’s office to finally switch my license from an Ohio one to an Illinois one. It was a relief to finally get that errand done. Plus, these people were very friendly, which I suppose is a rarity when it comes to driver services. Back at my desk, I got the itch to go ahead and apply for my passport. Fortunately, I work in the Loop, and the place to do so (photo included) was a block and a half away from my office. I went on my lunch break. Took me less than 30 minutes, and in 4-6 weeks, I’ll have a real life passport! I’d been meaning to get one for years!

Soon, I’ll be able to leave the United States. FINALLY! Now the question is: Where should I go first?

‘Til next time….

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