Whoa, cute!

Merry Christmas! I got my parents a webcam!











I die.

In the fast category

The snow doesn't seem to stop.

It snowed all day yesterday, so much so that you nearly could not distinguish the roads from the yards. That of course, did not hinder my mother and I from going to Meijer for some groceries and last minute Christmas gifts. That of course meant that I ran into people from high school, which was fine, but even though I know it will happen it still takes me off guard. I find myself wondering if my answers to questions sounded big enough, which of course is silly, but these are the things that go through my head.

In the evening we made our way to the church that my parents now call their church community. I can't say I was excited to go, for a number of reasons, but my father was singing in the church cantata and I wanted to support him in that. The sermon made me squiggle a few times as it mentioned Bill O'Reilly's war on those who are trying to use Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. It also involved a rapture invoking rendition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." But you know, there were also tidbits of lovely and so I did my best to hang onto those and enjoy the place that my parents seem really excited to be a part of.

So, just in time for the snow I got my boots yesterday from Tretorn that I ordered. Here is something that amazes me about the USPS. How unbelievably fast things can arrive. What is equally amazing is how excrutiatingly sssslow other things can arrive. In the fast category would fall these boots:





Which really are a bit more like wool lined golashes, but they will be perfect for my travels amidst the wet and snowy city streets. I can't bring myself to clunk around in "real" boots as my feet just get to hot, but I think these will do the trick.

I'm going to do my best today to take some photos. I need to jump back on that horse before it rides away.

Beyond Train Travel

I come to you from the land of more and more snow.
The Today Show plays in the background as I sit by my parents gas fireplace which conveniently turns on by the flip of a switch. This is a far cry from last year where my father used to go out and chop wood in an effort to get the fire started, but this is in general a different year.
The fact that I am able to use the internet is a big change.
They have new cell phones too. I set them up for them last night.

I took off yesterday after running a fool for about a week. It was quite a lovely train ride as the sun shown upon us. I nearly missed my trip because I for some reason am in the habit of not paying close attention to my departure times. This is actually a habit that extends beyond train travel as I find myself showing up to the wrong airline for flights etc. I digress, but I made it and I got here and we've already been sitting around the tree and wrapping presents with coffee in hand.

Though, this very moment, right now, right here, is a classic experience with my mother. She sits down and just starts talking and talking and talking... and I do nothing more than grunt at her, but she keeps talking. It usually takes place while I am trying to watch a television show I am interested in, but currently she is just chattering mid blog composition.

Actually, she just left and came back spraying Lysol around the room. My father has a cold and her exact words were "I told dad I'm gonna spray Lysol to keep the bugs down!" That she did.

I'm glad to be here.
It is always a test of sorts when I return home. I feel simultaneously relieved and terrified when I make my way back... and I think it all eventually gives way to just eating and watching satellite television. I'm ok with that.

Anthony Bourdain's travel channel show marathon will keep me company today. I can't complain.

Still Full

I've had two days of nonstop eating, possibly in preparation for the next week of eating?
Wednesday evening, I took the ladies to Semiramis as a Christmas gift.
I think it was everything I had cracked it up to be. They really loved it and we all ate more than people should eat in a lifetime. I actually woke up during the night longing for a time when I would not be full. But then, last night, I made my way over to Karyn's Cooked and did the exact same thing. But, I must express that it was sooo worth it. Yum.

Last night we had snow storm number two of the season, resulting in my shoes sitting atop the vents right now as they are soaked. Chicago is somewhat of a slushy mess, with more snow this early on in December than I have seen before. I fear the Farmer's Almanac is right.

I completed some of my Christmas shopping yesterday, taking full advantage of the fact that everything is on clearance everywhere. It is a bit overwhelming to walk down State street and feel as though each store is calling your name with something cheaper than the previous. I stuck to my guns and purchased only things needed, but I'm curious to see what things will be like after Christmas.

This is me right this very minute.



Wearing plaid, and with a freshly shorn do. Zoran gave me the same haircut he always gives me and for that I thank him.

My coworker snapped it on her iPhone and sent it to me.
I question why I'm actually at work today, given the weather and the lack of bodies in the building but I suppose it is necessary that I wrap things up before two full weeks of vacation. When was the last time any of us had two weeks of vacation? It seems like it's not actually going to happen, but my calendar says it will.

Tonight I'm eating stuffed shells and having holiday beverages with my coworkers. The remainder of the weekend will be singing, holiday partying, getting ready to go... and then out the door and off to Michigan.

I'm ready!

Wassreallygoin'onhere?

Here are two gems I came across yesterday on the internet:



Ha! Now I presume Miz B and Mizter J (ha!) are at a basketball game, so then one would ask what would provoke a reaction like this? It appears to be a look of disgust? And then if you look and think further you might wonder .. Is that Chloe Sevigny next to them? Does she go to basketball games? That's weird. But wait, look at that dude behind them all.. the one with the busted up face.

Wassreallygoin'onhere?

And then I came across RuPaul who managed to make the best Christmas Card of any of us.



Thanks, Ru. That made me lol.

We had a terrible snow storm yesterday. I mean, in the grand scheme of snow storms it wasn't that bad, but the first storm in the city is always bad because people have to relearn how to deal with it. I actually just got off my bus and walked home because the bus was simply not moving and it seemed more efficient if also a bit more cold. I love how the news always interviews people on the street and person after person is all "Get over it! This is Chicago. It snows."

After teaching a voice lesson, I managed to just stay in, take care of things around the house.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming time away.

Explain That

Ok, I mean, this has to make you giggle a little, right?



It did me.
There is a part of me that feels it inappropriate to giggle at such a thing, but then I think of all the lives lost in Iraq and I think Bush can handle a shoe to the head. Although, he managed to move quite quickly. I'm sure I would've taken the size 10.

This weekend was nonstop singing and I can't say I don't feel exhausted by it.
Friday evening I was in Oak Park at this beautiful Church Called St. Edmunds with the William Ferris Chorale. The concert was sort of a comedy of errors due to sickness and transportation issues but given the nature of the beast it all went off without much of a hitch. The inside of the church was so beautiful. I snapped it with my iPhone.



I think I've said this before but one of the weirdest and cool thing about my singing jobs is the fact that I end up in all these beautiful churches all over the city that I think most people never enter. They are really quite wonderful. After the concert, Linsey, Christina, Ryan, and I enjoyed some hoity toity mexican food that tasted quite yummy.

Oh, I forgot about the fact that I woke up Saturday morning with some sort of weird allergic reaction that caused my eyes to swell up. I didn't even realize this until I put my first contact in and realized how weird I looked.



I honestly don't know what the cause was. By the end of the day they had gone down and I was back to normal, but I've never had anything like that happen to me before. I looked pretty crazy.

Yesterday I did our Lessons and Carols service at Grace Chicago Church, to which many people came! Even some of my coworkers made their way out on the windy morning. It was great to have so many familiar faces there. Afterward we enjoyed a nice brunch at Kitsch'n.

Today the temperature is 40 degrees less than it was last night at about 10pm. It was 46 degrees then and now it is 6. Explain that.

Whoa, Frustration

Nothing works!
Ever.
Argh.
Blargh.
Blam.

As of last night my external hard drive isn't working properly which begs the question why do I back up on an external hard drive?? Is it not to protect my stuff? So technically should I be backing up twice? Ugh.

So I call the manufacturer and they tell me I have the wrong number and to call another number. That number gets me to an answering machine which tells me to call the original number! So I call back and they finally get me to another number where I wait on hold only to be transferred to an answering machine where I have to leave a message.

Has this become the story of my life? Is all I do deal with the nightmare of being a small consumer in the midst of these poorly run manufacturers and internet providers. grrrrr. I feel greatly frustrated with the impermanence of things.

In other news, I've stopped reading Perez Hilton.
Maybe I shouldn't admit to having been a reader in the first place, but I figure it is common knowledge when one sits at a desk for most of the day it is easy to get into reading things that update so often... its a bit addictive, but the truth of the matter is I think he is not a good person and it occurs to me that I shouldn't support that kind of behavior. Besides, Michael K over at DListed is actually funny. :D

It was 13 degrees farenheit this morning.

I have a weekend of holiday shtuff ahead of me, and I'm thankful for that.

I can't get enough of this song today.