August 2008 Recap

August totally made up for July - the crappiest month of 2008. This was the best month I've head since I've moved to Chicago. Maybe it was the visitors, maybe it was the lack of travel, who knows... either way, it rocked.

Rock on:

1. VISITORS! They are great. 1. it makes me feel loved, 2. I get to entertain, 3. I get to plan adventures in the city. It's nice having a little piece of home in Chicago, even if it is only temporary.

2. Jeff Henn. What a great friend. Jeff even ventured to Iowa to visit - that's commitment!

3. My boys. I'll admit it, I want to be PJ. I forgot how much I enjoy hanging out with my guy friends until I went to Baltimore. It was a weekend filled with beer, baseball, couch sitting, and guy banter. Plus, I like being the guys girl - I'm there for chick advice, sex talk, fashion tips but also who you should pick up in your fantasy draft.

4. Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-day walk. This was one of the most amazing experiences in my life, I was lucky to share it with my mother. After 6 months of training, 480 miles, 4 pair of sneakers, $2700, and a stress fracture later the event finally came. Looking back, it really wasn't that hard. Sure my muscles and feet killed, my blisters rubbed, it was hot, sleeping in a tent with my mom was no party, but hell, it's beats chemo. The real inspiration were the survivors who walked, many seemed to be my age or early 30s. That's why I walk, so my friends don't experience the same.

5. A real massage. I'm not one for strangers touching me, but really, what was I so afraid of? Massages are awesome!

6. Magic. My friend Melissa turned 30 and her brother got her a magician. That's right, a magician. Magic is weird. I fall for it every time. Every card trick, every ball under the cup, every ribbon pulled out of his mouths. It's bizarre I tell you. It's magic.

7. Kayakchicago.com. Check it out. I did two tours this month, one architecture tour, one night paddle with fireworks. Both were amazing, both were killer work outs. The great thing is they teach you how to maneuver the paddle and are so encouraging throughout the entire event. It's worth the $50, especially when you have active visitors in town.

8. No travel. I do believe I'm lucky to be able to travel the Midwest, I've seen a lot of great places and met a lot of wonderful people. BUT, I just want to stay put! I want to have ownership of projects, see things to completion, monitor results. Who's hiring?

9. I am officially a Certified Safety Professional and I am very proud of that designation. Not many people my age are certified. I studied my rear off. I know many random safety facts that most likely will not help me in my profession, but hell, they got me the designation didn't they?!

10. Night Ministry. This organization hands out bagged meals to the homeless, but it's not so much about the food as it is the camaraderie and the relationships you built. The night I volunteered I met so many wonderful people, judging on personality, you would never have known they don't have a roof over the head. This beats working at a soup kitchen shoveling slop on a plate and handing it over. You get to know, learn from, and understand people. That's what it's all about.

11. Brother/Sister bonding. Ryan and I were never that close growing up, I would force him into my lipsyncs, but we fought like cats and dogs. Now, we respect each other. We talk, we share, we joke, we laugh... we're really a lot more similar than I thought. Lots of love Ry Guy.

Cut that mic:

1. Sake bombs. Although tasty, they make me crazy and erase all memory. No more!

2. The bartender at Paddy Longs. Why is it that I want you to be my friend so badly? Is it that mop of curly hair? That way you pour my smithwicks? The sideways look you gave my mother as she was rambling on and on? Please, please, make me hate you!

3. Ruth Chris Steakhouse. I never get sick, I was sick. The night before my walk, everything in my stomach and then some, I didn't think I was going to make it...

4. Yankees baseball. Yes, I loved seeing you at Camden Yards, but no 2008 playoffs? Now what? Please rebuild that farm system. I won't complain about a lack of playoffs for 5 years as long as you build build build! Remember where you got Jeter, Posada, Pettite, Williams, Mo... remember!

5. Job postings. St. Charles, Buffalo Grove, Naperville, Frankin Square... are not Chicago, don't pretend a 20+ mile commute is nothing. Here, that's over an hour. Give me a break!