Family is not RED, family is an array of colors

"Sometimes families are the ones you choose." -Vanessa Carlton

And just like that, the week is drawing to a close. Instead of doing productive school work, I caught up on life. I know that wasn't the expressed function of "reading week" but I made it "catch up on life week." Well, there was that one time I looked at some Greek vocab cards. Go me! Otherwise, I spent quality time with the fam.

After hanging out in Washington with family, I went to visit my Grandma at her assisted living facility which doubles as an independent living facility (which to me, means happier people in general). I did little tasks around the apartment for grandma and we even got out to run errands. We went to the grocery store, the florist and cemetery (to say hello to Uncle Scott and Papa), the bank, the Mendota Reporter office to renew her subscription, and by the old house that we both quite miss. Quite a successful outing, though. Grandma came home for a "rest" and actually feel fast asleep! I told her she would sleep really well that night and she simply looked at my gravely and nodded. Haha!

Alright, I guess I actually should get to some of that Greek homework. Till next time, I remain your 1L.

My toes are not RED, they are light purple :)

I just got a pedicure... and ate a delicious grilled cheese sandwich on french bread. I got to take a nap with baby Tyce fast asleep on my chest today. I got a really good nights sleep in the guest room that Tommy moved upstairs for me. I am loved and relaxed. And happy.

"Heaven. I'm in heaven."

Unfortunately, I haven't got a lot of work done. Haha. I even tried to go and get my IL ID and register Henry. Sadly, I didn't bring my social security card with me from the city. So, they said no.

Aside from that, I've been reflecting on the idea of head vs. heart. What it means when you are following emotion instead of logic... or if there is such a disconnect between the two in the first place. I've often thought there were times when I could completely go off logic and others when I could go purely on emotion. So what is it? Why does one emotional thought change our mind... or one logical conclusion change our heart? Are they connected or not? I'll let you know when genius thought has graced my mind and I finally know the answer. Haha!

State Radio is not RED, for they are against bloodshed

"Oh make me feel good, rock and roll band, I'm your biggest fan!" - Joni Mitchell

Wore my new State Radio t-shirt today. I'm still glowing from getting to see them. All in all the venue had a little something stuck up its backside (as in, we got carded, got bracelets for being over 21, got directed to wait in certain areas and back away from the stairs, Chris had to check his camera... for $5 fee, then they carded you at the bar as well, continually busted underage drinkers, and were just generally very cranky - I'd prefer to never go there again...). I do have to say that the sound, however, was incredible. Best yet. That's the benefit of a larger venue, I guess. I just tend to like my personal space bubble and it was invaded multiple times that evening as it was a standing room only concert.

Alas, the guys played an incredible show. I already told you they ended the night with Chris and my favorite song, "Mr. Larkin." So we were... happy about that. They also played Alias, which was beautiful. Altogether, an amazing show. And a great weekend.

The boys and I went to the Field Museum, the Aquarium, Cedars, Medici's, Pizzaria Uno, and Giordano's. They say Uno's has the most amazing pizza they've ever had. So that was a success. That and all the walking we did equal a pretty amazing weekend. Yay for my sibling and my
"sibling" visit.


And now pictures for your enjoyment. :) Click on them if you want to see the larger versions.

An amazing view of the city from the guys' hotel (the Hilton, downtown).

This would be Kevin modeling with the Greek New Testament. He takes to seminary fast, doesn't he?

And finally a picture of sibling and I. Ha. Really, though, these are two of the coolest iguanas I've ever seen. I wanted to hug them. Alas, that's why there's glass between us. Awesome picture, though, I thought.

Sibling being funny with "art" near the Field Museum.

And lastly, myself.

the CTA is Red, right?

Yes, the State Radio concert ended with Mr. Larkin. Corinna said she has never seen me so happy. I was jumping up and down and screaming like an idiot. It was fabulous.

So, I apologize for a devastating lack of posts. You haven't been lonely, have you? Plenty to read on the internet. I have been, what's the word, um - BUSY. Last weekend started off early Friday and I wasn't back here until 2:30am because of my delayed flight out of Atlanta. Then I've spent the week doing book reports, catching up on life, and avoiding laundry. Thursday I slept in, went to chapel, went to a meeting I had previously forgotten about, then went to Greek and turned in the incomplete assignment (surprise meetings = incomplete work). After class, Corinna and I navigated our way to O'Hare. This is around 3:30, mind you. We got there around 4:15, parked, and found Corinna's friend. Then that put us in 5 o'clock traffic all the way home. That was about 6pm. I was having friends over for mexican lasagna at 6:30 and it takes 45 minutes to cook. Well, it got cooked eventually and it was delicious. I didn't kill anyone. Watched the debate with Tyler and then watched Princess Bride with a bigger group.

Which brings us to this weekend. The boys arrived early Friday. We got food and futzed around. I attempted to do some laundry (I just collected my last load from the laundry room around midnight last night). Sasha and I took the guys to the hotel and attempted to find David's Bridal to pick up my dress. An HOUR AND A HALF later, as I am screaming, we find it. The dress is beautiful. I just wish they didn't make it mandatory that I pick it up in seven days... and in some of busiest seven days I've had since I've been here. Ah, well. A little Target retail therapy fixed that. Then we got the guys, gathered friends, and went to get pizza and go to Jimmy's. Saturday was museums, dunkin donuts, and the State Radio concert. Most excellent.

I don't know what other news I have for you. I'm still planning on doing a last weekend post, so look for that with pictures. Chris has been taking some from this weekend, so hopefully I can steal some of those as well.

Okay, I'm going to go pick the guys up and we are going to the Aquarium! Super yay.

Love and hugs,
1L

p.s. I have successfully navigated the CTA... twice. :D

Bright Eyes are Bright, they aren't RED

"So I'm singing, drinking, breathing, writing;
Everyday I'm on the clock.
My mind races with all my longings,
But can't keep up with what I got."

~Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
(frankly the whole song has amazing lyrics... but it's bright eyes, so you've gotta expect that)

I'm a little stressed; I'm not gonna lie. I'm still finding time to laugh and smile and sleep, I promise. But I can't help feeling that there is no way to ever keep up with everything so we do the best we can with what we've got.

:)

Abs is not RED, in this picture she is in white and blue!

I am home safe. More later when the book reports (yes, plural), Greek Lexicon assignment, and readings for my other classes are finished. Until that time, I leave you with this beautiful little face:


This also is short because I decided around 3:30 to take a little nap... and then I woke up at 8:30pm. (!!!) My body is very grumpy with me right now.

Is Delta RED?

Before I lived in Chicago, I liked airports. I liked traveling. I enjoyed it.

...wait, scratch that. I have and will always enjoyed traveling... with people.

Unfortunately, this is one of those things I get to do on my own. Yes, I get to "grow from this experience." This by myself traveling, parking, figuring it out ain't fun at all. Just when I had Midway all figured out, I have to fly out of O'hare for this synod retreat. On top of that, I have to fly into the Atlanta airport and figure out how to get to the hotel where the retreat is. Mmhmm. I have so much sympathy for any of you that have ever traveled alone. SO much.

Expect phone calls tomorrow from me, friends. Expect phone calls where all I need you to do is tell a story or just listen to me ramble so I can fumble around in the airport and find where I'm supposed to go... and look less like more of an idiot because I'm on the phone. *Laughs*

In other news, L, Abi, and Kels are coming to visit me Saturday afternoon when my little retreat thing is over. I CAN'T WAIT!! I get lots of good quality time before I have to flip the whole insane trip around and come back here, to my home. :D I'm smiling, I assure you.

And beneath the smile, my chest is all tight and I'm nervous about it. The driving and finding my way part - not the flying part. That's the easiest part of the whole trip. All I have to do is sit back and watch the people here in Chicago get smaller and smaller until they are all just clouds. Yay.

Until Monday, then, I bid you farewell. Hamilton will stay at home. Books to read for book reports due next week will come with me. Perhaps even a little Greek. Or maybe just the flash cards...

White is not RED, otherwise it would be RED

So I finally figured out an appropriate description of my apartment. Have any of you seen the Producers? You know the part where Ula decides that clean means white? Well apparently, she did the painting here at LSTC, too. Basically the scene opens up and she is painting the very last bit of wall space white. The table is white. The flowers on the table are white. Everything is WHITE. Now, picture if you will MY humble apartment. Not only are the walls white, but the door frames, the doors, the cabinets, the cabinet door handles, the window frames, the door handles have their spots as do the locks, and there's even door locks painted shut. I heart it here in my little clean white palace.


I was thinking of this as I was drifting off to sleep a few nights ago. *Nods* It's still true.

Story People are Read, and they please the soul

I made it through today...

So of course all that conversation about balance has completely changed the day. Had a somewhat rough night last night and didn't sleep too well. Woke up at 6AM and knew that I needed to sleep a little longer so I got up at 7am. I've lost my ability to sleep in. I just CANNOT sleep in anymore. So sad...

Anywho, ate a good breakfast, went to yoga (which is really just stretching...), then to class, to chapel, to lunch, and home to study. When I got tired of being here alone and studying, I called up Sasha and we went for a walk! See the balance? The quiet/alone/reflective/study/indoor time then social/play/active/spontaneous/nature time? Oh, the amazing other balance I had forgotten yesterday that was profound: new vs familiar. I love it! So many different ways to balance.

Also fabulous about today was that I was introduced to Story People. Some of you may have received e-cards from me through them today. I love the quotes. They are quirky and they make me feel normal. Kind of like being around family - it explains a lot. Let me see if I can gather a handful of favorites (a steadily expanding category).

*If you can't laugh at yourself, my grandpa told me, you're not doing enough stupid things. I told him I didn't usually run out of stupid things, but it's hard to laugh that long at anything.

*Hoping something will happen soon, so she can sit down & watch it with a fresh bowl of popcorn.

*I like this place best by moonlight, she told me. During the day, it just looks like dirt.

* I don't think of it as working for world peace, she said. I think of it as just trying to get along in a really big strange family.

* For a long time, she flew only when she thought no one else was watching.

So, go check 'em out. I might have to get some notecards to feed my addiction. *Sigh* The office supply fetish raves on....

Stress is not RED, but we sure get cranky sometimes

So when I say that I've been on a lyrics kick - I think I've been lying to you. This "kick" will just never end. At least not any time soon. So, I apologize for lying to you. Welcome to me. Haha!

"Ma ma mama don't you see?
'Cause it's just one of them lonely days,
When we say how we fear that the last fence has fallen."
-State Radio

Ain't it grand? Yeah, I know. I get to see them (for the 5th time) the first weekend in October with my big brother. Remember when I ventured into downtown? Yeah, that was for the purpose of getting tickets for their show. I have also recruited my friend Corinna and her friend Barbara to go with us! Anyone else wanna go??

In other news, I had my second GIF tonight and we talked about the idea of balance. Mom, you would have loved it. The part that I enjoyed the most was the discussion about the different kinds of balance. The avenues of balance, if you will. I can easily think in the vein of the social vs personal time. Or the study/play. Or activity/rest. The newer ideas to my ways of thinking were urban/nature, planned/spontaneity, thinking/feeling (Myers Brigg), and external/internal. So, I quite enjoyed seeing which of those things were more balanced and which needed "a little" work. Fascinating.

So after discussing what was out of kilter (sp?) in our lives, we discussed our own personal tricks to alleviate some of that undue stress. Carolyn had my favorite: remember that even in our own body, processes are working constantly. Take a breath. Think about that air going into the lungs and the oxygen going out into the body into cells. The physicality of how we are living and breathing - fascinating!

Of course we talked about taking a walk, stretching, calling a friend, writing, or the other more classic stress relievers. Other ideas mentioned: affirming the areas of our lives that are going well or are in balance (at least more so than the area we are stressed about), putting it into perspective that though we have mountains of books to read... we HAVE mountains of books to read (!!!!), or remembering that even the son of God wept and asked his father to take away the task at hand if it wasn't entirely necessary. Love it...

So I'll leave you with that. I am going to read a bit and as usual, study some Greek. Oh, one last thing, we sang this song at chapel yesterday and I feel completely in love with it. It is the Canticle of Turning. Check out a blog here for the lyrics... and here for a youtube of a congregation singing the song (the only version I could find that sounds right). It is BEAUTIFUL and moving. Apparently an Irish tune. *Sigh*

Edit: Found out the lyrics are newer while the tune is older. Classic. Check out this quirky little folk song called, Star of the Country Down. (I LOVE that it has star in the title...)