Oh, hey, Chicago

At the end of 2012, I decided 2013 would be a new year for me. A year that I became brave again and actually pursued the opportunities and adventures that I wanted to pursue. 

Working in a cubicle can make you lazy. Not just I-sit-and-type-all-day lazy, but mentally lazy, even your dreams became lazy. This was the effect on me, anyway. I retreated into my 6 x 6 space and stayed in this safe zone. I stopped writing independently and quickly found myself working, going to the gym, and then sleeping, a less-than-intriguing life.

During college I was braver. I found internships in New York, moved with basically no cash, but seemingly endless drive, and found a way to afford it. But after graduating, practicality won out and I knew my NYC dreams wouldn't work with $500 in my bank account and no promise of immediate work (not to mention, school loans preparing to knock on my financial door). So I moved back to Cincinnati, lived at home and found a job at a law firm. I worked as a paralegal until a week ago. My co-workers were kind, funny and interesting people. Alternatively, the work was boring and I missed writing. At 23, a person should be experiencing life and seizing opportunities, and I felt drained and dull, no longer intrigued by my surroundings. Being comfortable was easy, but I wasn't happy. 

So I used some of my savings and traveled to Paris for a week with my sister. Upon my return home, I quit my job, bought a coat that resembles a Coleman sleeping bag and moved to Chicago (embracing that be-brave-and-take-charge-2013 mentality). My parents and I (and a 14-foot U-Haul) arrived in Chicago on Saturday to a grungy apartment that will be my home for the next few months. After days of scrubbing and organizing my belongings, it's finally starting to feel like me. 

I'm currently interviewing with temp agencies while I seek out writing opportunities. Hopefully, I'll start to learn the El and find jobs that actually intrigue and challenge me. We shall see. In the meantime, I'm snuggling up in my sleeping bag-wannabe coat and exploring. 

I'm thinking it's going to be a good year. 

You Know There's No Pet Store In Town When....

A family in India that plays with a sloth bear as they would any other family pet was given a nod on MSNBC today. While this sloth bear seems to be comparable in size to a hefty St. Bernard, haven't we seen this humans befriending wild animals and then being torn to pieces play out before? (Did Timothy Treadwell's death not deter you from finding a pet in the woods?) I'm sure they're cute and cuddly at first, gladly taking food out of your hand and becoming giddy over long belly rubs, but when the food stops coming, the humans become the meal. In this case, the sloth had no time to pick up salt and pepper as it was recently taken from the family by wildlife officials. If you look past the claws, he actually is pretty cute, no?

                                           Photo courtesy of MSNBC/Biswaranjan Rout / AP

Lazy Weekend

When I was young, I thought my early twenties would be full of glamorous nights on the town, fancy cocktails, and fabulous clothing (side note: using phrases like "on the town" may be part of why I don't feel like a typical twenty year old. I'll be updating my iPhone and my expressions today). But when work is busy, going to the movies and then laying around in my tights and Target kimono while watching full seasons of SATC for the rest of the weekend is feelin' pretty fabulous to me. 

(this is totally what I look like while lounging. from peacocklaceface.blogspot.com)

Happy Weekend 

Running a 5k

Hello blog spot--long time, no type (That's going to be my only reference to my insanely sporadic blogging. My excuse is too typical to warrent writing).

Since we last spoke, I graduated from college, found a (temp) job--temp to hire!--and have done little else with my life. In college I had all of these grandiose ideas of how life would be post-graduation: I'd have a nonexistent but roach-free apartment in Williamsburg with two cool, foreign roommates, with whom I would spend almost no time because I'd be busy impressing magazine editor's at my job as an editor's assistant and spend my nights living it up in Manhattan. Television and optimistic professors can really mislead people.

This is not to scoff at my current situation--one that I won't divulge too deep into or else it'll sound like self-pitying. I'm currently doing alright considering the job market. But devotion to a desk job certainly isn't fulfilling, so I've been training to run a 5k (Note: training in the case means since last Tuesday, when I decided to run this thing, I've jogged three times. Here, here for progress!) My hope is that I won't be running it alone; I "recruited" my boyfriend who used to run cross country (but now intently sits on his couch) to join me, but his progress is even less impressive than mine (0 times since Tuesday).

I'll let you know how the training goes. I'm off to the gym!

Snow Shoes Makin' a Comeback

For years my dad has held onto these old side water boots he and my mom would pull out every winter. Since I started university 3 years ago, he consistently attempts to convince me to bring them with me so my feet will survive the wet snow. But I always declined because they wouldn't match my carmel houndstooth coat and my floral dresses. This year, thanks to the gorgeous J. Crew Holiday catalog, I've had a change of heart. I wish I could say I found the fashion inspiration from within, but no, twas my favorite brand, the lovely J. Crew. After a quick "Do you still have those shoes, per chance?" followed by an aggravated are-you-seriously-asking-me-that-look from my dad, I now have a pair of new, old snow boots. They look like a grungy version of these:

They are practical and the perfect juxtaposition to my sequin skirts and silk tops. Not to mention, great for the snow ball fight that will inevitably go down on the walk home from church tomorrow.

I'm so glad he held on to them. Sometimes hoarders have the right mentality.

Rupert Grint Makes Me Swoon, Even When He Decides to Wear Trashy Make-up

I am an obnoxious I've-read-all-the-books-and-can-and-will-quote-every-line-from-the-movies-back-to-you Harry Potter enthusiast, who happens to have a massive crush on Ronald Weasley and, because of my odd imagination, Rupert Grint. (Can't say the same for Harry. Something about Daniel Radcliffe's creepy smile reminds me of Al Lewis. Don't get my wrong, I'll watch an episode or two of The Munsters if it happens to be on a random channel from my low-cable package, but Grampa Munster doesn't shriek "heart throb" to me). Either way, after watching this video so impressively suggested by The Huffington Post, I'm having mixed feelings about my long time crush. Rupert, I think you looked better in the wonky homemade Weasley sweaters. I'll always heart you, but if you're going to go on a bagel run in the middle of the night with a group of wannabe drag queens who insist on taping your journey, shouldn't you don the wig and heels too? Have some spirit. Just sayin'.

Lessons Learned from the Characters of Halloween P. 2

A Haughty Pirate

A mile or so away, there was another girl starting her Halloween night. She decided to be a pirate of sorts and wore a short, flouncy skirt, a black and red bustier, and stiletto heels, cuffed from the cement that she fell on as she walked from party to party. One of these parties was hosted by The Bumblebee and the Pumpkin. The Pirate hadn’t been invited, her invitation came from a friend of a friend, but she decided her presence at this event was to be highly regarded. She hadn’t blessed everyone’s party with an appearance.

With two Ninjas and Alice leaving her wonderland to enter another, the Pirate walked in the party and began to mingle. But after a few drinks, this little pirate had to empty her barrel, so she headed to the bathroom.

A Scuffle Breaks Out

While walking the seven feet to the bathroom, the Pirate bumped into the orange character.

“Move it, pumpkin,” she grumbled as she shoved the wide-eyed host.

“How rude,” the bruised pumpkin commented to a friend. After searching for the Pirate’s connection to the party, the Pumpkin concluded that she was an uninvited guest. Noticing that the Pirate moved outside, she decided to solve the mystery.

“Who do you know here?” inquired the pumpkin, her cheeks growing more and more rosy, “do you know the Pumpkin? What’s my name, huh?”

“Uhh,” the Pirate stuttered, thrown off by the Pumpkin’s courage.

“Do you know the Bumblebee? What’s her name?”

At this point, a group of characters formed around the assertive Pumpkin and the alarmed pirate. One of these characters, dressed as a used car salesman from the 70s, was the Pumpkin’s boyfriend.

“Well, I know Erwin,” said the Pirate uncertainly.

“Wrong answer,” smirked the Pumpkin. Get outta my house.”

And with her final statement, the Pumpkin gladly allowed the Car Salesman and his retro pals to send the bad-mannered pirate back to her galley. Next year, the Pumpkin will stay with her posse and the Pirate will be nicer to strangers.

Lessons Learned from the Characters of Halloween P.1

A Bruised Pumpkin and a Swollen Bumble Bee

One Halloween night, a girl dressed up as a pumpkin, for it was her last time to celebrate as a college student. Her costume was round and orange, decorated with a black glittery smile, and an orange and green hat. With rosy cheeks and doe eyes, the happy pumpkin started her night.

Her roommate was dressed as a bumblebee. Her costume was poorly sewn together and stuffed on both sides, making her look like a hunchbacked-bee. As a finishing touch, she added a glittering plastic crown to her head, elevating her status to Queen Bee.

Because it was their last Halloween, they were hosting a party, and happily allowed friends and friends of friends dressed as all sorts of creatures to pile into their apartment. Once they prepared snacks, spiked the hot cider, and added faux web with multi-colored spider rings around their apartment, they opened their door and greeted guests as they arrived.