Category Archives: my life (personally speaking)

Gee, what is this? Another photo of my walking foot. I seem to really like taking those.

This is what I’ve been doing: walking, packing, driving, packing, busing, packing, working, packing, eating, packing, sleeping, donating, packing, cleaning, and packing. And socializing. I can’t deprive my friends of myself now can I?

I’m really, sincerely and in all honesty, kind of enjoying this process, this business, this insanity. Undoing three years of life in one place isn’t a huge deal but damn if it isn’t time consuming. Add to it the fact that I’m really trying to make this move in a way that will facilitate some new steps and changes in my life, and, well, it becomes a little mind consuming as well.

I remember the last time I felt crazed in this way: a little over four years ago in the month before my wedding. I was working six days a week back then– as a regular schedule, not just because the restaurant I ran was in a busy stretch, but because that is what my weekly schedule was for the entire two years we spent in California– and I had four Sundays a month to dedicate to the big day. I planned and planned my little heart out and it all got shot to shit because of a little hurricane named Dean but I loved the process. The feeling of accomplishment that seeing that laborious task completed brought forth is what I keep coming back to. The goal, the deadline, the d-day. I seem to really need them to get anything of note done and I always feel so GOOD once I get there. So why don’t I set deadlines for myself more often?

The deadline for the move is Saturday. Last night before bed The Mister and I were lying side by side looking for something murderous on ID Discovery to lull us to sleep and he remarked that on this night next week we would be cuddled in the same bed in a new apartment, the packing and moving behind us. I shivered a little and bit my lip, mentally tallying all that had to be done before then. Then I shrugged to my mental tally, kind of gave it the middle finger in my head, and promised myself that I’d get it all done with a smile on my face.

Onward. These boxes won’t tape themselves closed no matter how much I wish it.

I’m channeling the wolf/dog in the kids’ art above. It looks happy and serene, just hanging out under a red sun with red clouds and red birds.

My usually sunny disposition (real life friends, stay out of this and don’t contradict me on “sunny”) has been a little cloudy lately which has made it hard for me to want to do anything other than curl up on the back porch with a book and cup of decaf after work. Working on the apartment, thrifting, and taking photos with a real camera and not my iPhone– the things I think I post most about– have all slid to the back burner which means posting here has, too.

There are, however, a few things that are cheering me up.

American Tabloid by James Ellroy. This book is unputdownable. Isn’t that a word grocery store novels always have on their covers? With a quote attributed to USA Today or something? It should totally be a word based off the strength of this book alone. American Tabloid and the two novels that make up a trilogy by Ellroy were recommendations for The Mister from his brother. After seeing him so thoroughly engrossed night after night, I knew I had to snatch it up when he finished. The book takes place in the late 1950s and is a sprawling not-so-true story of the FBI, the Kennedys, the CIA, LA movie types, Castro and Cuba, the Mob, and three fascinating characters in the middle of the whole damn thing. Because of course all of those things are tied together, right? It’s an older book, published in 1995, and I can’t believe I’d never heard of it until now. The Mister is reading the sequel now and I’m hoping that we’ll be done at the same time so I can jump right back into these characters. Listen, it’s so damn good that I missed my bus stop yesterday. Which leads me to the next item on my happy list.

The Bus. Who the hell knew that I would look forward to getting on the bus each day after work? It’s official. I’m a convert. And a bus rider who still pays in all quarters because it takes too long to pay in dollars and I haven’t gotten around to purchasing a refillable Chicago Card Plus. I LOVE the bus. It’s crowded, I’ve gotten my toes stepped on more than once, the smells sometimes leave me reeling, I’ve witnessed a few altercations, but whatever. The convenience and time alone on the way home with my nose buried in a book more than makes up for it. And the kids. I love eavesdropping on the kids; the text above is one I sent to The Mister a few weeks ago while a young man named Atticus sat perched beside me. Excuse my typos, I’m not the best texter.

A Clean Apartment & The Mister For Cleaning It. We’ve been half-assed searching for a new apartment. Our lease is up in six weeks and it can’t hurt to see what’s out there. Man, listen. People are filthy. You’d think that if you were showing your apartment to people the least you could do is pick up the panties off the ground, rinse out the tub, and put a clean case on your yellow-from-drool pillow. I won’t even go into the blades on every ceiling fan we’ve seen or the dirt caked blinds or the freaking cat hair. Sneeze! My dog sheds a lot but it’s nothing compared to these folks. The two of us walk into our apartment every night after checking these spots out and breathe deep sighs of relief. Oh. I just heard the vacuum cleaner click on so bye-bye dog hair. The Mister must have been itching the way I was after the apartment we viewed tonight. Thanks, pal!

Weekend Plans. The Silver Room’s Block Party is this weekend! Folks are coming into town for this most festive and fun occasion and I can’t wait to see beautiful people, dance to good music, and experience a neighborhood come alive. Check it out if you’re in Chicago and let’s say hi to each other.

Friends, what cheers you up when you have the blues? I’m counting on the four items above to get me to Saturday. Cross your fingers for me!

I totally meant to put up a nifty “Gone Fishin’” sign while we were away and then I forgot.

After a whirlwind week in Boston, Woods Hole, MA, Martha’s Vineyard, Toronto, and Detroit, I am finally perched on my back porch in the beautiful neighborhood of Ukrainian Village in the great City of Chicago. It’s about eighty-five and sunny. There is no better place in the land than right here.

Whenever we go away, be it for a weekend in Milwaukee or a week in Central America, I always walk into our apartment door and sigh with deep contentment. No hotel or B&B or condo or cabina can top the comforts of being in your own space. Home sweet home, indeed.

I’ll be back soon for pics and prose about our little vacation. Hope you all had a fantastic week and will enjoy your weekend!