Halloween

Halloween is not my favorite holiday.  It's probably not even in my top 5.  If I had to rank Halloween, it would likely fall into a tie for last with Valentine's Day.  I suppose I enjoyed Halloween when I was a kid; I seem to remember having fun deciding on a costume and trick-or-treating.  Now that I'm old, eh, not so much

In my opinion, Halloween could be so much better with just a few changes.

1. Change the date to sometime in late spring.  Half the time little kids (especially girls) are running around and freezing in skimpy costumes.  It's no fun to be Princess Jasmine if you have to cover up your pretty outfit with your winter coat.  Where I live, Halloween Day is usually cold and blustery -- snow or rain is often an unwelcome possibility.  May would be a much better month for princesses and super-heroes to trek door to door.

2. Make sure everyone knows and follows the rules.  I know I am being totally unrealistic, but isn't just about everything better when people follow the rules?  In my corner of the world the Halloween rules are pretty simple: a) observe the village's stated hours for trick-or-treating -- if trick-or-treating ends at 7:00pm, don't knock on my door at 7:10pm; b) only approach houses for candy if the porch light is turned on -- it doesn't matter if it looks as if the entire Halloween departments of JoAnn's and Michaels threw up in your neighbor's yard; if their porch light isn't turned on, they aren't participating in trick-or-treating; c) be courteous -- the proper greeting when someone opens the door is "trick-or-treat!" and the polite response upon receiving one's candy is "thank you!"  Shouting out the names of other holidays, neglecting to express gratitude, or complaining about the type of candy you received are not acceptable and, in fact, are downright rude.  d) be safe -- black bats, black witches, black cats, black vampires, black pirates and so on are difficult to see as they scurry from house to house and sometimes even dart out into the street.  A little bit of reflective tape on a costume or the glow from a flashlight can help to make little trick-or-treaters more visible as the sun goes down.  Incredibly, I saw several groups of children, accompanied by adults, and everyone was dressed completely in dark colors.  Not only can a flashlight help you be readily seen by drivers and other trick-or-treaters, it can also help you avoid falls as you navigate curbs and uneven sidewalks.                   

Should I worry now?

The open door.

Music Monday

To date, thirteen people have died, almost 6 million people are without power, and wind and flood damage reports continue to mount -- all because of Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy.  It is a scary and uncertain time for the eastern third of the country and countless others who have family and friends in the path of the storm.  E and N (and Penny!) have been without power for almost eight hours now.  I'm sure their house is cold.  And because they are on well and septic, they also are without water.  Not fun.

This song is a good reminder that God is more powerful than the fiercest storm.  He is worthy of our praise, even in the midst of the storms, literal and figurative, that sweep through our life and threaten to overwhelm and destroy us.  I choose to praise the One who rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" and at His word, the wind ceased and it was completely calm.

We bit the bullet

We finally bit the bullet.  We really couldn't put it off any longer.  As much as I had hoped we would be able to hold out until November 1, today we turned on the furnace at both our house and GAI's house.

I am not looking forward to getting those Nicor bills.  : //

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

I heard it on the radio

Love your neighbor.

Music Monday

It's Monday . . . and it's raining.

Thankful Thursday

We got an interesting phone call this evening.  My MIL and her husband just wanted us to know that they had sold their house (what?!) and they will be moving to Wisconsin next month (WHAT?!).  Obviously a lot has been going on that they chose to not share with us.

It was less than two months ago that we were all together for my SFIL's birthday bash at our family's go-to Italian restaurant for celebrations.  I'm pretty sure that all of these plans were in the works at that point in time, but no one said a word.  At least no one said a word to us.  I am willing to bet that my husband's siblings were very much in the know in regards to this planned move.

Bottom line -- what my in-laws choose to do is their business.  Unless they're doing something dangerous or illegal, I have no right to offer my unsolicited opinion.

So this Thursday, I'm thankful that my in-laws have sold their home and are moving into a house owned by and located across the street from my younger SIL.  GA will be able to keep an eye on her mom and stepfather and help them out when they need a hand.  The day was quickly approaching when my in-laws would not have been able to live independently, so I'm thankful that they made the decision to move before the decision had to be made for them. 

I heard it on the radio

"Eve was in the mind of God before she was ever in the arms of Adam." ~ Pastor James Ford, Jr.

Let me know when I should start to worry for real

Burning down the house.

Music Monday

Sometimes it's not too late and the wisest choice is to turn back. 

Oh well, the "I believe, I believe, I believe" line in this song is the best. So much fun to sing.

While I like these images paired with the song, I'm disappointed that the creator of the video didn't include actors of color, especially considering that Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose are black.

Another last

Head of the Rock.

What was she thinking?

I just watched one of my Friday night favorites, Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta.  After several years you would think nothing could faze me anymore.  You would be wrong.  Tonight the show featured a bride that was so unbelievably dumb and crude, I couldn't help but believe the entire appointment had to have been staged.

Lots of brides change their appearance before the big day -- lose weight, get their hair highlighted, visit a tanning salon, have their teeth professionally whitened, or join a gym to get nicely toned upper arms.  What most brides don't do is get breast implants.  Most brides, but not this bride.

Dissatisfied with her perfectly normal 36B rack, this southern ding-a-ling (I can't insult decent southern women by calling her a belle) had her bustline surgically enhanced to a way more than ample 36DD.  In her street clothes, she didn't look too bad.  But when she tried on the low-cut, strapless, figure-hugging dress styles that she wanted to wear on her wedding day, she looked, and sounded, like the lowest class of hooker.

The bride kept saying that she wanted all the attention to be on her "boobies."  She also said that she got them especially for the wedding so she definitely wanted to show them off.  When she modeled the dress for her family that she ultimately decided to purchase, her crass comment showed how little emphasis she was putting on the solemn and sacred ceremony that would unite her to her husband.  Posing on the runway in a deep v-neck gown with her "boobies" squeezed into a vulgar display of cleavage that looked like she had a pair of 16" softballs stuffed into the bodice, she crowed, "My ladies are comin' out to play!"

Really?  On your wedding day, the day you promise to be faithful to one man for the rest of your life -- that's the day you want to show off the goods like a Kartrashian, that's the day you want to look like you're making a play for every man in the room?

I can understand wanting to look beautiful.  I can understand wanting to look alluring and desirable for your husband.  But isn't that what the honeymoon lingerie is for?  Shouldn't a bride want to kindle that physical longing in her groom when they are able to come together and burst into flames of sexual intimacy, with no hesitation?  And no bride should want to stir up any sort of lustful feelings in the groomsmen or other male wedding guests.

In many churches the pastor or priest stands one step above the couple as he delivers the wedding charge or homily and when the bride and groom recite their vows to one another.  What self-respecting bride would want to distract or tempt the wedding officiant with the threat of a nip slip or Playboy worthy cleavage?  Ugh.

Unbelievably, after rejecting some of the bride's early possibilities, her family was 100% behind her dress choice.  I cringed when the bride's mom approvingly said, "I think her boobs look awesome in this dress."  How sad that this young woman had been reduced to nothing more than a pair of grossly inflated, fake breasts.  When the big day arrives, will this girl be happy to have her friends congratulate her with comments like "Wow, your rack looks amazing!" or "Damn girrrl, your boobies are the bomb"?  Or would she rather hear "You are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen"; "You look gorgeous"; "You're glowing with happiness"?          

Thankful Thursday

E & N's hospitality

Music Monday

I finally got to eat at Big Star in Wicker Park.

It was all that I had heard and hoped it would be.  Al Pastor tacos with a dulce de leche milkshake.  Delicioso.

In honor of Big Star's phenomenal tacos, I'm featuring the most famous song of a group that calls their music Texican rock n' roll.  I bought the Los Lonely Boys debut CD when it first came out, and, if it had been an old school record, I probably would have played it enough to wear it out.  I think I need to find that CD and revisit all of the great Los Lonely Boys songs.

Los Lonely Boys "Heaven"

Chicago Marathon 2012

G ran his 12th Chicago Marathon today and he recorded his best time since 2006.  The cooler temperature definitely agreed with him, and apparently, many of the other runners as well.

The first place finisher in the men's division set a course record, breaking the record set in last year's sweltering heat by 59 seconds.  The second and third place finishers broke the former record as well.

In the women's division, the first place finisher won by less than 1 second.  Race officials had to resort to finish line photography to determine which woman won.  Spectators said the finish was more reminiscent of what one would expect from the 100 yard dash, not a 26.2 mile marathon.

While G didn't set any records, not even a personal best, he was very happy with the race that he ran.  He said he didn't get overly excited at the start and go out too fast.  He stuck to his race plan and ran within his limits.

I stuck to my race day plan as well.  K and I had a mid-morning snack at Magnolia Bakery and then shared a bowl of chicken and wild rice soup at Panera before we met up with G just beyond the finish line.  In between, we cheered and looked for G to run past.  And we shopped . . . but we didn't buy anything.

I would say that all three of us were happy with how the day turned out.  : )    

Itchy

I have a difficult time transitioning from one season to the next.  When fall arrives, it takes me forever to give up wearing flip flops and capris.  Fall to winter is my hardest transition, but the others can be challenging as well.

One of the worst issues I have with going from fall to winter involves my skin.  I get super itchy.  As I type this, I feel like I have a fever.  There is tingly itch on my arms, legs, and lower back, and I experience waves or heat, then cold.  All of this is more than extremely annoying. 

I've tried moisturizing lotion, but it doesn't help.  Even resisting the temptation to shower with hot water or turn the electric blanket above 2 doesn't make a difference; I still get the twitchy itch.  Usually after a week or so, my body adjusts to the lower humidity and the contrast between cold natural air and heated indoor air.

The way I feel now, "adjustment day" can't come soon enough.  : /            

Another ghost bicycle

A 32-year old lawyer was struck and killed while riding his bike to work today on the near North Side of Chicago.

The company he worked for is about a block away from the place where K was a baker for three years.  Chances are pretty good that this guy came to her business for lunch or coffee.  He might even have eaten some of her amazing pumpkin hazelnut cookies or zucchini cake with crunchy lemon glaze.

When I first read about the accident on the Tribune website, my stomach clenched.  The story didn't identify the victim, not even whether it was a male or female.  I checked the address and realized that it was unlikely that K would have been on her bike at that location at the time the accident occurred.  Some of my fear and anxiety subsided.  Later I read an update that stated the victim was male.  In addition to his name, the article also gave his work address.  It was then that I realized how this man's life had most likely intersected with my daughter's.

I try to not worry about all the dangers that could befall K as she lives in Chicago, but it's not easy.  One of the things I worry about the most is the potential for injury (or worse) when K is riding her bike all over the city.  I know she is very careful and takes great pains to choose the most bike-friendly routes possible, but accidents happen and clueless drivers are everywhere.

The man that was killed today also rode on what he felt were the safest streets.  He wore a helmet and rode defensively.  But it wasn't enough.  Some idiot, parked along the curb, opened their car door into traffic without looking to see if a biker was approaching from behind.  In an attempt to avoid being "doored" the cyclist swerved to keep from hitting the car door.  He missed the parked car, but unfortunately wasn't able to avoid being struck by a semi that was traveling in the same lane with him.  I can only pray that he died instantly.

A little more than two years ago, K was struck by a car while she was riding her bike to a college graduation party being held in her honor.  She flew over the handlebars of her bike and hit her helmeted head as she landed in the middle of the street.  Fortunately, neither the car that hit her, nor the CTA bus (that the car's driver sped up in order to avoid being stuck behind), ran over her as she lay in the street.  The accident occurred just outside the party house and her friends rushed out to see if she was okay and took care of her while they waited for the police to arrive.

K was incredibly lucky that day; we've told her that her guardian angel must have been working overtime.  We can even joke about the incident because she was spared serious injury -- there is no bare-bones bicycle spray-painted white to mark the site of her accident.  But within a few days, the friends or coworkers of the man who died today will erect a ghostly white memorial, perhaps even using the mangled frame of the bike he was riding today, as a silent reminder of a life that was ended by ignorance and an attitude that put self first, above the interests and safety of others, especially those who are defenseless or in a more vulnerable position.

Eventually my stomach relaxed today, but somewhere a mother, grandmother, aunt, girlfriend, father, brother, cousin, roommate, or lifelong friend is dealing with the pain and shock of sudden, inexplicable loss.  I feel guilty when I say that I'm glad I can only imagine how they feel.       

Thankful Thursday

After more than a week in the hospital, J gets to come home today!

Music Monday

Music Monday