Archive for December 2007

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23 December 2007

It’s almost here!

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: family, gym, Wisconsin

Ho, ho, ho! So tomorrow is Christmas Eve and in true family tradition, this year’s potent cocktail is one shot of simmering resentment, one shot of anal-retentive holiday planning with a splash of “when can I go back to Chicago?” Seriously though, I’m kidding…partially. I give it until Tuesday evening when the drink will explode.

So the weather here sucks…much like the Packers/Bears game did today too. Nice 40 mph winds mixed with light snow, which makes it snow horizontally, which is always a treat too. So far so good on the homestead. Today, dad and I went to the local gym, where apparently they only hire unhelpful, unmotivated tools? Who knew!? My doctor will not be happy that I engaged in aerobic activity, but between being inactive for two weeks, along with holiday eating, trust me, I’ll take my chances. Fortunately, I felt great after – no chest pain, unfortunately, the elliptical machine smacked me around like a red-headed stepchild (actually I’m a brown-haired stepchild).

Back to the gym tomorrow before it’s time to get ready for family togetherness and church. I was a good elf and wrapped all my gifts last night – and I have to say – yay to me for the lovely wrapping job. Liz would be so proud of me and my corners!

Happy Holidays everyone, more to come in a day or two, when I’m sure there will be more juiciness to share!

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22 December 2007

Let the Festivities Begin!

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Chicago, family, Wisconsin

Back in Wisconsin – ready to officially start the holiday fun, which includes fighting, drinking and faux happy togetherness in our household. I’m kidding – about only one of the things that I listed.

Fortunately the train ride into town was pretty easy, I even found a Chicago cab driver who didn’t fight me about paying with a credit card! Lucky me.

The weather here is horrible – gray and rainy and dismal, which makes 2 p.m. feel more like 8 p.m. Definitely plan on starting to wrap my gifts and relax tonight. My Ipod is 13 songs fuller and I feel slightly festive.

Well I hear an argument starting downstairs so that’s my cue to go, before the yell for my help comes out of dad’s mouth.

Until later (likely tomorrow)!

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21 December 2007

Chicago’s Next Top Model and the 151

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Chicago, CTA, Friends, Knitting, shopping

Last night I pilgrimaged to Lincoln Park to see the most beautiful newborn, who is bound to be Chicago’s Next Top Model…Miss Ada Quinn, who is 8 lbs of beauty and with a full head of brown hair! Amanda is a rock star, looking totally normal after 5 hours of labor and delivering a child less than 24 hours ago. And the cutest part of all? Ada “hums” when you hold her, apparently it soothes her but it is the cutest thing ever!! And she didn’t cry when I held her so maybe babies do like me.

En route to the hospital, Rebecca and I were doomed to ride the slowest 151 in the city…which caused me to have a near emotional snap after it took us an hour from South Water to Diversey/Sheridan. I did say a few expletives near the Wrightwood stop, followed by the phrase “can we go???”

More great news! The Daily Show and Colbert Report return to Comedy Central on January 7, which makes this member of the Colbert Nation beyond happy. Plus, the AP just named Colbert its Person of the Year, which makes me highly anticipate a hilarious “Who’s Honoring Me Now” segment!

While doing laundry last night I watched the “Fun Run” episode of The Office, where Michael hits Meredith with his car (which wins my vote for the best season premiere opening yet). I still find the parts about Angela’s cat dying hilarious (claw marks on frozen peas!) but it makes me sad that there is nothing but crap TV on anymore because of this strike. My DVR is not happy with its new taping selections either.

Tonight is my platonic girl date with Liz – cannot wait! But first there is laundry and of course, a trip to Nordstroms spa to pick up my rock star Christmas gift for Cathy – OH YEAH! More on that later.

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20 December 2007

Much excitement in the Windy City

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Chicago, Friends, shopping

Great news to start off today!

My knitting yoda, Amanda, and her husband Rick, welcomed the newest member to our Chicago knitting family – Ada Quinn – last night at 8:32 p.m., weighting 8 lbs. This knitter is so excited, she could burst! Part of the knitting family will be heading to St. Joe’s tonight to visit her and the new mom and dad. Thank goodness I brought the digital camera with me today!

Also – my wine is no longer being held hostage by Bin 36 – dad confirmed that it was delivered last night at 7:30 p.m., outside of the scheduled 2:00-4:00 p.m. delivery time, but hey it’s here.

Finally – check out this great article I read over the weekend in the New York Times about department stores overhauling their shopping bags to make them more multifunctional for us city-folks. As a Nordstroms devotee, I do reuse those bags frequently to carry shoes and lunch items. I sadly also save the large J.Crew bags that they give me when I rarely buy a large item from the store to reuse as well. It’s definitely true what they say in the article – the bags are an extension of my purse many times. And from the look of the Scoop bag, I might have to save my pennies and get one of those after the New Year.

My vote for the next store bag to be overhauled – the Gap with it’s horrible draw-string bag, which makes it awkward to hold with multiple other normal-size bags. Anyone agree or have thoughts to add?

More to share tomorrow about the newest knitting family member!!
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19 December 2007

Pre-Christmas dilemmas

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Chicago, CTA, Friends, shopping

Oh Christmas-time, headaches galore, along with some holiday cheer. Right now UPS is holding wine that I bought and shipped home from Bin 36 hostage – yes hostage. According to UPS.com this evening, my wine is still “out for delivery,” which is impossible because I’ve never seen UPS work after 5 p.m. We’ll have to see what dad says tonight when I call to check-in. Might be time to call and complain to Bin 36, I think I smell a refund on shipping coming…

On a separate note, I had an interesting ride home on the 146 tonight. The very stuffed bus was making its way down Lake Shore when apparently the back bus exit wasn’t working. So rather than walk their way up the front of the bus to exit, people started pulling the emergency exit level to pop the back door open and de-bus, leaving our bus to stall while the door had to be manually shut. Imagine having this happen at every stop, because why would it be only one person that pull the emergency lever in a non-emergency situation. This was combined with an older man who was carrying his briefcase and a bag of groceries on his side, allowing his several-pound turkey to continuously collide with my knee. This along with the exit and my unsuccessfully trying to blow my nose, it’s a typical trip home on the CTA.

In closing tonight, big blog shout-out to my KMo, whose poor baby toe was inappropriately assulted and pinched by her high heel late this afternoon. We’re pulling for your toe KMo, stay strong.

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