why is it...

That you only run into people who you haven't seen in years and years when you look like total shit? Like today, I was in the middle of baking (for my cousins' break the fast celebration monday night) and realized that we were out of brown sugar, so I had to run up to the little grocery store in Glencoe. I haven't showered yet today and my hair is kinda gross and in a ponytail. I was wearing a baseball cap, but I didn't put it back on when I went out. And of course I ran into this girl who I went to junior high and high school with (but probably hven't spoken to since junior high) and she recognized me. Super. Never happens when you look good, or even normal. Nope, only when you look like a total schlub.

Anyway, this weekend is a bit busier than last. I've spent most of the day running around and am now baking for Monday night. Not quite what I wanted to spend my afternoon doing, but I won't want to do it tomorrow because I have a manicure and I really won't want to do it Monday while I'm fasting. So I'm baking today.

I should go shower while my stuff is in the oven...

bad timing

I keep having all these great bloggable ideas when I'm at work, where I can't access my blog (and I really dislike posting via email) and then I forget it all when I get home. Or else I'm so overwhelmed with myself by the time I get home that I can barely get out a full sentence in any sort of logical manner. Oh well.

Question: how do you find a new doctor? I know in theory your old doctor should be able to recommend someone but I'm trying to replace 2 doctors at the moment and neither was able to give me any suggestions. I know that Northwestern has a referral service, but it's not really -- the doctors don't have to be affiliated with Northwestern and pay to be a part of it and can be as long as they're in good standing and the referrals are basically a lottery -- it's not about matching you up with the right doctor. But what do I do? One of these doctors I need soon I think... Any thoughts?

Also -- if you're in Chicago don't make other plans for Oct 21 (it's a saturday). This organization that I'm on the associate board of is having a fundraiser and it's a really cool party at Kaleidescope. If you are in Chicago and want to go, talk to me about it and I'll give you more details. I'm supposed to get 10 people to go but I don't think I know 10 people...

Anyway, back housesitting/dogsitting for the weekend (until Weds). Not so bad though and I'll be back at my apartment for part of Sunday and part of Monday (Yom Kippur and I'm going to services near my apartment so I can at least stop in and check the mail, etc).

boring weekend

One thing about housesitting in the suburbs -- it's boring. There have been a few highlights, however.

1. I bought more pants. This was important because most of my pants are currently at the cleaners and I wasn't really sure what I was going to wear to work on Monday. Yay pants.

2. BEARS WON!! Three for three now and that's pretty exciting. I watched the beginning of the game and left to run errands when the situation looked desperate in the third quarter, but they bounced back! And luckily I was in a store (Dick's) where they announced the major plays over the loudspeaker.

3. I found an old camp friend on MySpace today. I didn't friend request her because it seemed sort of weird but this is someone I've been wondering about for years. So it was really interesting to come across her profile. Strange how she seems to both be completely the same and entirely different -- both exactly what I expected and nothign like what I expected. Fascinating, I know.

Anyway, driving the puppy into the city tomorrow morning, then I stay in the city until Thursday night. Looking forward to going back to my apartment (though I doubt I have any food...).

the long way home

I would have written this last night, but I was far too tired and irritated by the time I got home to do much of anything. You see, it took me 2 hours to drive from the city back out to Glencoe last night. You're probably wondering why I was going to Glencoe (and, given that I was going to Glencoe, why on earth I was driving). Well, I'm housesitting for my parents right now. Part of housesitting means taking Zeke into the city to puppy school every day. Well I obviously can't bring him on the train, so I have to drive. Fun. Or not.

Anyway, normally, driving out on a Friday evening (and not right at 5 either -- we didn't leave downtown until after 6) takes about an hour. But there were some massive storms last night. While I was driving. I mean, I've never seen rain like that. The visibility was worse than in any blizzard I've ever driven in (and I've driven in a few). It was actally quite unnerving (and the puppy didn't like it either!). By the time we finally got home after 8, I had just about had it.

Anyway, I'll be out here all weekend and next weekend too. And finally, to all of my other jewish friends, l'shana tova (I don't know how to spell it in English, but you get the picture -- happy new year!).

Tomorrow's Going to Hurt

I'm in pain right now. I don't want to know how much pain I'll be in tomorrow, but there will definitely be pain. Did a 65 mile bike ride this morning (besting my previous longest ride by over 20 miles). It was really cool (well, aside from the waking up at 5:30 bit to drive up to my parents' house). There were a lot of people and large parts of it were on streets without heavy car traffic. And I did it. I'm really proud of myself for doing it -- even as we left the house this morning I wasn't sure if I could go the whole way or if I would wind up doing the 50 mile route. But I did it! But I will pay. I'm already pretty stiff (not to mention physically exhausted) and I only expect tomorrow to be worse.

I guess I haven't updated the blog in a few days... not a lot else has happened. Work continued to be fine. Didn't have much to do but that will definitely be changing in the very near future. On Friday night, Tyler and Lisa came over and I made dinner and we drank a lot of wine and it was really fun. Didn't do much of anything yesterday (Saturday) because I was feeling the effects of a lot of wine + staying out until after 2 AM + waking up at 7:30 AM (dont' ask why -- I have lost the ability to sleep much later than that). It was a nice doing nothing day though.

Back to the grind tomorrow... Going to bed early tonight...

a new phase

I think my internet is actually working for good now. I hope. The cable guys were here today...

But that's not interesting. What's interesting is that I started work yesterday. I was going to post yesterday, but it felt weird to blog on 9/11 about anything other than 9/11...

So work. It's been 2 full days of orientation so far. Nothing really interesting to report. But I think it's going to be good. And I found a gym near work that I really like. Now I just have to join (instead of being on a guest pass) because it's annoying to have to schlep my workout stuff, toiletries, and makeup to work every day!

In other thoughts, I'm watching House right now and the new season is interesting. They've really glamorized the show -- all of the characters are much "prettier" than last season -- the females and the males. Weird, but it's still a great show. Off to watch more tv and enjoy the internet!

rained out

So we didn't get to do our bike ride this morning. It was about 55 and pouring at 5:45 (decision time) -- good decision too because it never got above the low sixties and it kept raining all day. Yuck! Oh well, we have another 62-miler next weekend -- hopefully it won't rain then.

The Alison Breitman show last night was really fun. She's got a sort of Indigo Girls/Liz Phair vibe but a little more mellow. The up-tempo songs were especially good. There were lots of NT people there and I probably knew more than I realized. Definitely something to do again!

And tomorrow I start work. AAAH! So scary! I'm ready to start -- it's boring not doing anything and God knows I need to make some money -- but still, the prospect of working for real is terrifying! I'll let you know how it goes...

a quickie

So for whatever reason my internet decided to work for a few minutes, so I thought I'd post a quick one. Yeah, the RCN guys came today and discovered that it's not my internet that's broken, it's faulty wiring in the building that they have to come back and fix next week. NEXT WEEK! Grr. Oh well, it's working at the moment and I'll be in Glencoe a few times this weekend. And then I start work on Monday.

Not much of interest to report here. I bought some more work clothes -- shirts -- so that I won't have to show up topless on my first day. Probably a good career move. Just watched "Rent" on TV. I forget how much I LOVE that musical. Don't love the movie as much (it was well done, but it's just not the same) but even the movie is enough to remind me of how much I love the musical and the music. No day but today.

Actually have a pretty busy weekend planned. Tomorrow I'm going to help out at a Colorado College event for prospective students in the afternoon and am then going to Double Door in the evening to see Alison Breitman (a friend of a friend is the bass player) -- should be cool. Luckily it's an early show, because Sunday morning I'm doing the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation's Boulevard Tour -- all 65 miles! YIKES! Then I start work on Monday. It'll be a whirlwind of a few days!

happy internet!

I have internet in my apartment! And I was successful at setting up a wireless network. I now have everything that I absolutely NEED to live here :) YAY! Just had to share my joy!

I'm in!

I have officially moved into my new apartment! YAY! It's pretty awesome. My parents helped me move a lot of stuff down from their house yesterday (though I have a lot up there still to move, mostly books and stuff) and I slept in my apartment last night! I'm so happy with it :)
Anyway, I'd post pics, but I accidentally left my camera in my parents' kitchen so I'll have to get it when I got up there tomorrow.
No internet access at home yet, which is rough. I'm at starbucks right now and will probably be back here later. I'll call RCN tomorrow though and with a lot of luck, they can be at my apartment on Weds (more likely THursday though I think). Definitely I hope they can be there this week though, because I start work 1 week from today!! Whoa -- scary!
Time to enjoy my last week of freedom!

new computer!

I am typing this blog post from my NEW COMPUTER!! Yes, I finally broke down and bought a new one (given that my old one wouldn't even turn on, this was probably a good move...). Anyway, the real news is that I got an apple! I have converted (well, assuming I like it...). Anyway, I got a MacBook in white with 1G RAM and 80G memory, among other things. I'm pretty psyched about it. It's definitely going to take some getting used to though -- I'm just so used to windows and the Mac OS is just a bit different. Should be fun!

In other news, I unpacked the boxes in my apartment today and should be moving a bunch of stuff in from my parents' house tomorrow (like all of my clothes). Still don't know whether I'll sleep there on Sunday or not but definitely by Monday night.

Too much excitement for one day! It is definitely nearing my bedtime...

starting the move

Well, the move officially started today. The movers came and my parents and I spent pretty much the whole day putting together my Ikea furniture. And we didn't kill each other!! No, seriously, it was pretty good and I'm really excited to move in for real. I won't sleep there until probably Sunday night but it now at least looks like someone really lives in my apartment, which is pretty cool.

Today was also my mom's birthday (happy birthday mom!!) and so we went to a nice dinner tonight. It's sort of neat being with my parents and their friends and really being treated like an adult. Weird, but neat.

OK, bedtime -- busy day tomorrow...