Since no one reads this blog except for me (hello, empty room!), I'm going to blog about how crummy I feel.
I am broke.
My eyes are twitching (yes, for real. The right one is kind of...twittering, on and off).I think this is from reading too much.
Yesterday, I cried in front of some of my grad-school 'friends'.
And I put friends in quotes because, well, they're not really friends.They're people I talk to in class.They are very nice, and very supportive, but I am still by myself in my apartment. With too much homework.
Going a little crazy.
I am waiting for the cable man because Comcast screwed up.
So what will make me feel better?
Boston Terriers. Any dog, really.
Fall, especially in Vermont.
Scarves.
Hot chocolate.
I feel slightly better already...
Lots of homework, these days, and schedule that keeps me up (and wakes me up!) at odd hours. I rarely have time to surf the web (tear) and keep up with blogs and readings I enjoy (mostly reading things I don't enjoy). A coworker at the library turned me on to this amazing site, and I had to look through it.
Pitt and several partners have collaborated to create digital archives of historic Western Pennsylvania. One archive in particular, the Smoke Control Lantern Slides, is absolutely breath-taking. Before 1941, at the height of industry, Pittsburgh (which basically sits in a bowl in the earth) had ridiculously terrible air-quality. Apparently men who worked downtown brought 2 shirts to work because by midday, the first show would be completely soiled. You can read about the legislation passed to clean the air on the site, and see shocking before and after pictures.
This one is my absolute favorite.
(photo Smoky Church, ca. 1940, creator unknown, via the Historic Pittsburgh Digital Library as cited above)Good night!
So far I'm really liking Pittsburgh. I had a chance to explore last weekend when my sister came out here with me, and then when E visited for a few days.
There are some really neat things to do and see:
*the strip district (this gritty, wonderful market area; fish, flowers, cheese, pasta, spices, you name it)*funicular trains (Pittsburghers take them to work up the mountain!)
*lots of yummy restaurants (Pho Minh, D'z, Primanti Bros.)
I had two days of orientation after E left; I'm excited about my program and the people in it. My particular concentration (school librarianship) has a wonderful set of women (yes, all women!) who seem perfectly suited for what we're doing. I think everyone is pretty dedicated to this, and I am, by far, the oldest person in the program. I'm a little worried about this whole writing papers thing.
All that said, I really miss Chicago. Odd, since I was having plenty of it the past year. I also miss E, and I know that this first month is going to be hard.
With that, I leave you with this amazing photograph that put a lump in my throat.
(via maplesyruponly's flickr photostream. thank you, it's beautiful)
I'm always a little bummed out when 'Teen Jeopardy!' is showing. While it signals the start of a new Jeopardy! season at it's end, the Teen tournament leaves me feeling bad about myself. One one hand, I gloat when I get the questions right. On the other, I feel really terrible about myself when I don't know the answers. It's a lose-lose situation. One thing I love about this season, though- the 'Ask Alex' bit during the commercials. Viewers get to ask Alex Trebek things like 'why did you shave your mustache' and 'what do you think of Will Ferrel's impression of you on SNL?'. Love it.
This morning we moved most of my things- packed boxes, posters, some furniture- into my mom's 1985 Westfalia VW camper. Most of it fit, thank goodness. We're going to have to do another trip later in the month, but it won't be as much stuff. Still, I'm a little nervous. I'm really going to miss...
E, of course
this tasty, delicious can't-get-enough gelato
the metallic earrings at Penelope's
Napoleon
my neighborhood, at night especially
Mario's Ice on a cool day
and a host of other things...
Feeling a little overwhelmed, but that's how it goes.
I spent the last six days in Vermont, my yearly pilgrimage to see my extended Vermont family. The main reason for celebration? Carmen and Matthew's wedding! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures (E took his camera, mom's was out of batteries, and I'm too cheap/broke to buy one) and the wedding photog is taking his sweet time posting the pictures he took. It was a really lovely time, starting Thursday night all the way through Sunday (whew!). Carm had asked me to sing, and I did. my favorite part? Halfway through the ceremony we had to move it inside (unpredictable VT weather!) and I was asked to start singing the song I had just sung to help Matthew and Carm down the aisle, again. I started singing and everyone joined in! It was one of my favorite moments.
More later...
While I'm packing for Pittsburgh, I'm making piles. Oh, piles of things to give away, to throw away (straight to the rubbish bin!) and to perhaps sell in a yard sale that will most likely never come to fruition.
Making piles, listening to back-logged This American Life podcasts (what a crime!) and thinking about how I might decorate my new place.
Really, this should be the last of my thoughts, as I still have this book to finish for a discussion on my first day of grad student orientation. There are more pressing issues, I know, but what to put on my walls?! Where to put the (yet to be purchased/found on craigslist) sofa?! I've never lived by myself and this is a serious conundrum.
I know for sure I'll put up some pieces that E has drawn for me (and framed! What a nice beau) but I was thinking I might steal some of his Mat Daly prints, too.
(This is off the CHAIN in person! via MatDaly.com)Mat and E have a sort of mutual admiration thing going and often trade posters (that's, apparently, the thing to do around here. I must say, there are loads of great poster artists in Chicago). I really, really love his work.
We've been quite busy as of late. I'm moving to Pittsburgh for graduate school in a few weeks (master's in library science, ahoy!) and E leaves for tour tomorrow.
Tomorrow night is Mannequin Men's release show at the Metro. I'm actually really excited for the show, and so proud of them. This past Sunday E and Kev were interviewed for Local Anesthetic on XRT. You can go to the archives and hear it.
A poster E screened for the show:
Things I'd like to do before leaving Chicago:
go to Penelope's (just to, you know, look)
eat some mashed potaters at the Diner
go to Montrose Harbor and eat a Vietnamese pastry
Then I get to explore a new city!
It was recently announced that our fair city's Sears Tower will be renamed the Willis Tower by summer's end.
My immediate thought was 'Nuh-uh...it won't!'
Next thought? 'Who is Willis?'
The Tribune and Sun Times set me straight on that one (an insurance group. Hmmm...all shades of interesting! Bah!) but I still am not at all sold on the name change.
Then I saw a group on Facebook (don't laugh) called something like 'Chicagoans for Wesley Willis Tower'. Now that's a name change I can back!
Just look at this incredible art...
(image via http://www.nieves.ch/)Doing some further research I found this fun posting. In your face, snooty British insurance giants!
Recently, my college friend Doug, a very talented musician, asked E to create some art for him. He plans to use it for perhaps an album cover, or a CD insert, maybe even poster art to advertise for gigs.
This is E's specialty! He's talented in the arena of screenprinted posters, but I love his collaged and colored pencil work, too:
It's like...the color plate from an adventure story. Straight outta Jack London...or McKenna's Gold...or...a dream.
Oh, my, banh mi.
While driving down North Ave. to drop off some posters for an upcoming art exhibit
at Heaven Gallery, E and I passed Bon Bon near the cross at Western Ave. (2333 W. North Ave.) While I frequently eat down off Broadway and Argyle (which is mostly Vietnamese. You MUST go to Pho 777. Now. They are ridiculously nice) and had seen signs for banh mi, I had never tried it. Hmmm...Vietnamese sandwiches. A lingering cough/cold combo has my tastebuds in bland mode, so today I needed food that sounded REALLY GOOD. You know what I'm talking about?
I have to say, I love a good sandwich and this place was excellent. A double thumbs up for good grub. I tried the portabello sandwich, and E the pork with a lychee drink. He loved his, but I couldn't get much of a description from him between bites. Mine had the perfect spiciness (jalapenos), pickled veggies (think daikon, carrots, cucumber), the nicest amount of mayo for taste and hydration, a sprinking of cilantro and portabellos that were inoffensive (as I often find food from the mushroom family to be, well, icky). The best part, aside from the kind, fun owners? The bread. Oh, the bread. I love me some carbs, and this bread was perfection- soft and chewy, but not so much that my jaw hurt.
Even the coffee was amazing- nutty flavor with something sweet and milky. I didn't ask, because I was too busy liking it. Try the coffee sandwich combo for $5.50. What a deal!
Interested in making this at home? Angry Chicken blogged about creating her own banh mi months ago. I haven't tried her recipe, but she's pretty spot-on with most DIY endeavors.
It's Fat Tuesday, or in my neighborhood, Pazcki day! Pronounced 'poonch-key' these tasty deep-fried treats are basically Polish doughnuts.
While doughnuts traditionally give me terrible heartburn (sorry for the overshare) I had to indulge. Who could pass up their jelly-filled powdered sugar-coated goodness?
Mmmmm...
We went to Rich's Deli for our fix, but they have them at Kasia's (while you're there, do yourself a favor and get some pierogis. Seriously) and Caesar's has been advertising their paczkis for days.
Enjoy! Et laissez les bons temps roulez!
Watching the footie game during recess today, my mind wandered a bit (hey, I only get 15 minutes to eat some days. I have to get some 'me time') and I started noticing how 'hip' the kids are looking these days. One boy had on buffalo plaid pyjama pants and black and TURQUOISE Nikes. So COOL! I hit up The Sartorialist and they're noticing it, too.
I love these email Valentines from Kate Spade...
(thanks, Cup of Jo!)
I am, of course, obsessed with Boston Terriers, so that made my day.
There are also the non-electronic variety...
Handmade!
Miley! (one of my students gave me one of these, with a chocolate attached. She was SO EXCITED about the chocolate, and that it's 'crunchy'. Hah!)
Mmmmm...the kind I made for my beau.
This makes me quite sad-
The Rose, Brandeis University's art museum, is closing.
Read a bit about it here.
Less culturally significant, perhaps, but filling when I need some color-
Domino is folding. Read about it here. I still miss Blueprint, which I enjoyed for it's DIY projects (of COURSE it was a Martha Magazine!) and lovely layout.
Of course I am also thinking about stores that are closing, and folks that are losing their jobs, as it's affected my family, too. Every day it's something new. And I'm applying to graduate school right now? Sheesh...
It's been a very busy week, with lots of 'drama' at school (work). Fourth grade boys...whew! At any rate, I'm nearly passed out, but of course finding time to 'surf the interweb' and look at nice, lovely things.
Which, I realise, is a problem.
I spend so much time reading other people's blogs that I don't update my own (oh, I'll get to that, I say) or I update here with something that I've culled from someone else.
No longer!
At least for today. I wanted to focus for a moment on my beau.
This is some of his art.
I love it.
Currently this piece is on display from January 15 - March 15, 2009, at the Chicago Tourism Center (72 East Randolph). 50-plus artsits from Chicago (or with a connection to the city) participated by creating a city block made entirely from cardboard.
It's really amazing.
I had the opportunity to go to Iceland a few years back, when my sister was studying in Copenhagen, but we went to Northern Denmark and Norway instead.
I loved Oslo (the Vikingship Huset! The Kon-Tiki Museum! The glasses that haven't left my face since!) and driving through Denmark, I could see why so many Scadinavians settled in the Northern Midwest. It looked so much like Wisconsin. Grassy, open and brown in spots, inviting. Iceland, though...something special. It makes my nose tingle like I'm going to cry when I think about how beautiful these places look.
Photos by Bob O'Connor, based in Boston
(via my new favorite internet reading material, A Cup of Jo)
Ethan talks about going to Greece or South America, someplace warm, but I can't get that grass out of my mind. Check out the rest of the photos for an escape from where ever you are...
It snowed here this weekend, making it seem as though this winter will be long and filled with lots of precipitation (we've already had a few major storms; even a thunderstorm, complete with lightning). I don't mind- in fact, I enjoy winter.
Sure, the sunless days get old by February...digging out your car only to have the spot taken over by someone who thinks they own it, and shows said ownership by filling the spot with random pieces of lawn furniture and broken wood (true)...the added stress of no plowing/salt (thanks, Mayor D)...wait a second. I think I'm getting kind of sick of winter!
Maybe if everyone dealt with it like so...
(via Copenhagenize)In Chicago, people rarely ever shovel their front stoop, much less the bike lane.
More fun, after spending the weekend holed up...
Flimsy, but cute clothing from Eternal Child (via Vintage Mint).
Home inspiration, via Cookie Mag.
Still needing to finish some presents.
And why does everyone look good on a bike in Europe?
It's grey here. Weather up and down. Feeling kind of tired and well...ugh.
This photo by Sharon Montrose makes me so happy, though.
I love animals, and her photographs are fantastic.
