• Best Thing Ever,  Favorite Things,  Friends,  Fun in Chicago,  I've Got Mad Skillz,  Music,  Pretty Pictures

    Pitbull In Pictures

    August 29, 2014

    On Wednesday I had the extreme pleasure of, along with my friend Samantha, being an audience member at the taping of the season premiere episode of Steve Harvey’s daytime talk show. Steve is great and all (and in fact I found lots of his small talk between takes to be very inspiring), but the “extreme pleasure” part can be credited to the presence of his guest, Pitbull. Pitbull is currently one of my very favorite entertainers. His music makes me very, very happy. His music also makes me dance, even if I’m sitting down. Sofa dancing? Totally. Car dancing? Yes, please. When I’m standing up? Look out. For real. You…

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  • Best Thing Ever,  Blessings,  I've Got Mad Skillz

    Happy Friday!

    August 15, 2014

    Indeed, it is. Sidenote: I absolutely know that just prior to 5:00 p.m. on a Friday is perhaps the absolute worst time to publish a blog post if you want people to notice and maybe even read it, but I’m throwing caution to the wind and just doing it. I’ve been trying to build back up to posting four to five times each week and I think the “posting” part is more important to me at the moment than the “having it read by actual people” part. (That said, big sloppy kisses to you if you’re reading this.) I have to say that I have felt an internal change over…

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  • Best Thing Ever,  Blessings,  Pretty Pictures,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    Slow No Wake

    August 7, 2014

    I went on sabbatical yesterday afternoon. It was extremely out of character for me, but I have been out of character for a while now. I’ve been working even more than usual, sleeping less than usual, and feeling more drained than usual. Last week it all seemed to hit me at once and I walked around on the verge of stress- and exhaustion-induced tears for days. I had the strong desire to take a road trip somewhere, anywhere. Just…away. That’s why, when I ran into a friend of mine while running errands and she noticed that I was so tightly-wound and subsequently offered up her lake house as a possible…

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  • Amazing People,  Best Thing Ever,  Travels

    Balancing Act. (Or, Bringing This Full House Home With Me. Sort Of.)

    June 12, 2014

    For the past three and a half weeks, I’ve been attempting to make some minor tweaks in how I operate during the day around here. It all started when I was in New Jersey with Liz last month. I did a lot of thinking about how relaxed and happy I am when I’m there, even though it was part vacation/part work week. Obviously a lot of the major endorphin spike I experience in New Jersey is purely caused just by being there with her and her family, who I positively adore, but there’s something else. Routine. I mean, you can’t expect a family of six (ahem, SEVEN when I’m there)…

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  • Best Thing Ever,  Friends,  Pretty Pictures,  Travels

    Better Than Sea Glass

    June 2, 2014

    When I visited Liz in New Jersey last November, I was tremendously excited to find a bunch of sea glass (and a couple of other treasures) on a little side trip to Seaside Heights. I thought Liz was just pulling my leg when she told me that in her entire life of living there, she had not found as much sea glass on the beach as I had on that one day. “Ha ha, Liz. Very funny.” I was all ready to go back to Seaside during my visit a couple of weeks ago and just, you know, grab another handful of it. As you do. Um. Best laid plans?…

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