Dressed to the 9s' in the city of Imagination

I think I am a composition of several different people/ personalities including
Holly Golightly (the girl that loves to dress to her 9s'), the regency equestrian lady (loves her farm and horses to ride but from her distance from the land.. since she is afraid of bugs), Carry (Sex and the City) who embraces things that are different...slightly irresponsible... and loves the outrageous as well as her best friends, and the typical child who says I love to you to all her loved ones...enjoys Disney movies, and will still play Hide and Go Seek.

I say all this because I have recently started to spend a lot of time in Chicago (or as I have learned (Chi-town.) I am seeing it through all of my personalities and am in love.

There is always something magical about places that embrace the different, the confused, the artistic, and the corporate boring. If Lady Gaga was not so New York, I think her next stop would be Chicago.

Since my college days in Richmond, VA, I have really enjoyed being able to walk side my side with a transsexual mo hawk sporting person who does not need to worry about anyone judging them. At the same time, I love to be able to feel safe somewhere and at the same time find the newest, coolest bar, and walk home.

Ladies and Gentleman this town is it.

I kid you not. Last week in Chicago not only did I walk to the Magnificent Mile next to a man in a life like Darth Vader outfit but also discovered the best bar of my life. Gourmet meets Mixologist = THE AVIARY
Please look it up and read about its glory!

Yes, the drinks are shockingly expensive, but when that drink tastes like liquid perfection and comes in the coolest, most creative ways (ie: like the huge Bunsen Burners and dried fruit on the table which created my perfection) this place is worth it.

Besides the taste bud stimulation of the drinks and food or as they say "bites"
the visual atmosphere is quite embracing. Think Art Deco meets Hollywood Regency. Beautiful chandlers, huge curved high back couches with beautiful pillow to spare.

Many times when are large amount of money is spend on a non-tangible item, people think... "it was not that good" and will have buyers remorse. To me I thought " I cant wait to go again."

Chicago has many, many, wonderful attributes that I will eventually write about, but I can still think about that night and smile.

The Arrival of Fall

A new visitor has graced my front door...

Fall

There is an episode in Sex and the City where Carrie can tell when fall has arrived and I believe that is has indeed.

There is something magical about the beginning of a season. Fall has the tempting allure of the smell of crisp leaves, the color portfolio of reds/orange/yellow along the tree lines. Apple cider on the stove with the sweet smell of cinnamon perfuming the air. I love the change in the air.

I think this fall I would like to camp. The perfect weather for camping is when it is comfortable during the day but cool enough in the evening to warrant a roaring camp fire toasting treats, and maybe the possibility of seeing ones own breath in the air.

I would also love to make fall crafts. I foresee a date with my Christina Marie Brown Leake for a nice afternoon of fall crafts with a relaxing documentary in the background.

Another great aspect of fall is the arrival of my FAVORITE kind of apple

Honey-crisp Apples

Hopefully, this will be a lesson to myself to enjoy the season. It goes by so quick.

A Long Time Coming

Being how it has been two years since my prior post so this is a long time coming.
After enjoying that lovely snow storm feeling nostalgic, I noticed my stomach started to hurt.
Since knowing that work would be cancelled, I was liberally partaking in adult beverages. Thinking that the stomach ache was a self induced affliction, I ignored it.

(SLEEPLESS NIGHT)

After a restless night, tossing back and forth, and various pleas to God to make my stomach stop hurting I accepted that I was not going to sleep anytime soon and was up...

I would say that I have a good pain tolerance. So, I was understandably concerned when not only was it getting worse but unbearable. Looking outside and seeing the over three feet of snow it was a "now or ever" moment to go to the hospital.
Now heading to the hospital was no easy task. A normal 10 minute trip took way over an hour and included a Kubota tractor.

Who knew that after hours of ignoring the pain that I also had ignored my appendix burst and now narcotic tissue was causing a full on septic shock to my body.

Normally, this would be a big deal. During an epic snow storm and not having a surgeon in the hospital makes it a huge deal. Needless to say, after hours of getting a gastric surgeon into the area, I finally got to "the room"

You know that room. You see it on every House or ER episode. Man, let me tell you it is a different perspective when you are on the table. Even more different when you then discover that 5 does of "Micheal Jackson Propofal" is not working! Usually, a patient counts backwards from 100 and passes out on 93.... people were starting to wonder when I was at 23...22...

Finally, I was out on the table and four hours of cutting and sewing me up I was back in the room to recover (missed both Christmas Eve and New Years) and was in the hospital for almost two weeks and three months from work.

I may not be a big blogger.... but I will always remember that blog. I had no idea what was coming with the snow storm1

And the world stands still

Grant me the gift to see the beaulty in a moment and capture it with my soul; To appreciate things that the world passes by and to have the power to stand it still; The ability to grasp the everyday and offer it for others to reflect

Today the world stands still.

The snow has done what other things have failed and has frozen time. The moment brings me back to

early morning raido that school is one more day away. Smelling cinnamon apple cider on the stove while impatiently waiting for socks to dry on the radiator. It is astonishing the time travel one can experience in a single moment of snow.

At some point I will post photos of the snow but for now I am just enjoying the moment.

Somthing old Something new

I am 26 and am now just relinquishing my usual comfort to post my thoughts and feelings in this big bad world of blogging. It is funny how far the Internet has come; when I graduated high school and entered the world of college things like e-mail and AIM were a new commodity!
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After graduating college and moving on to be an "adult" I stopped using my AIM and have transcended into that scary 401K obsessed career environment and find myself missing racing home to move my mouse and read responses to my away message.
To be honest I stopped using my AIM due to going through two laptops and one killer Trojan horse virus. Multiple computer crashes make me poor!
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That leaves me here and in the land of "I don't know what to expect from this"
I guess I should tell you about myself...

1. Emotionally hard ass childhood, but was financially comfortable, so I can't complain too much
because I watched my friends struggle who had both
2. I may be 5'2 petite and blond, but it takes a lot to scare or intimidate me. I believe in fighting for the underdog and the people who need it most; don't get me wrong I am a catty sorority girl too, but I have a soul and refuse to deviate from what I believe in.... which gets me into trouble. I am that girl that gets in too deep to defend her friends.
3. I cannot spell... I blame it all in the land of spell check. I went to a "business writing" conference this past week and they were looking at the common mis-spelled words and every one of them Microsoft Word fixes for you! I felt pathetic! The worse part is my grandmother and mother were famous writers and here I am a college educated girl mixing up the spelling of inconvenience and incontinence which are two totally different things!
4. I have been engaged twice both were soul breaking loves. Thinking about both of the breakups they were equally blessings in disguise, even though they didn't feel like it at the time.
5. Love fashion. I was a fashion major at the top school for business in the fashion industry, but like most people the bottom line is what pays the bills, so I am in the insurance industry and reside in a sea of cubicles.
5. Friends are the best thing a girl can have! Fuck diamonds. When push comes to shove girlfriends are what make or break you when you need someone. When I joined my sorority I came in with the common mis-conception that "I don't pay for my friends" but they were the best friends I have had. Thick or thin, breakups, drunken memories, weddings, babies, cancer, loss, and laughter.... its all about the best loves of your life and that is usually your best friends.
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So I am going to shut up know. Walk the dog. Eat my oatmeal and get ready for another day of TPS reports and sarcasm.

If anyone has any tips on this new online world feel free to share because a girl can always use suggestions!