Vida

I get my weather forecasts from other people.   If someone doesn't mention it's supposed to snow, I'm screwed. Example A: Thursday morning As I enter the gym I talk with a guy about how warm it feels outside and he informs me it's supposed to drop throughout the day.  Thank you, sir. On my bike ride to work it starts out dry and fine and changes to sleet then snow during my ride.  As the snow pelts my eyes (those bikers with goggles are smart  not strange) and I think/yell to myself, "It wasn't supposed to snow." Upon arrival at work I discover it was indeed supposed to snow all along. No one mentioned this to me... See those friendly/useless weather conversations you have with others may not be useless after all.  The person you're talking to may only get their forecast from such conversations...like me.

My rational self knows this is crazy, but Mercury's retrograding. I'm sure this is just a coincidence, but in my world the below has happened: I lost my bike lock key (I do not lose things) I locked myself out of my gym locker My co-worker lost an earring  My co-worker overslept ... twice ... which is not normal for her My other co-worker and one of my gym friends both couldn't seem, which isn't normal for them My friend's car window stopped working I realize this is all just a coincident, but  I feel like I have to be extra careful! This weekend one of the big programs I manage at work all the judges are coming to Chicago.  I really need things to go well!  So I'm going to double check everything and cross my fingers.  And my stress level is showing, right under my eyes, like usual...

I've mentioned Mindy Kaling in this space before .  I just can't get enough of her.   The Mindy Project might be my favorite TV show. And now there's an interview in Good Housekeeping ! She's just the best.

i was yawning? Here I am: 28! Top 5 of 27: LouFest Marathon Florida (how can a vacation not make it?) New Job trip to Savannah to meet Callie ! My parents came to Chicago last weekend to help me celebrate & celebrate we did!  It was a super fun weekend!  And it was 40 degrees! Friday I was on the phone with a member from Kansas City.  He started chatting with me about the weather and I said, "we are currently experiencing a heat wave in Chicago of 34 degrees."  He responded, "it's supposed to be 60 here this weekend, we're going to pull out our bbq grills."  I laughed, but thought, 'why are my parents coming here?!? why am I not going where it's warm?!?' SIXTY DEGREES!  We won't see that til...april?  may? obsessed  i made a baby snowman, no one wanted to help so i went with a tiny one... ;) What I would give for the day off today!  I want a nap ;)

Who else hits the kitchen hard core in the winter? I've said this before, but all summer I can happily survive on tomato & mustard sandwiches then we ease into fall and cooking starts to happen more.  Winter hits and I start planning recipes, grocery store trips, and my kitchen always seems to be a mess busy. I rarely make the same recipe twice.  With so many recipes out there, why would I? The Post Punk Kitchen has been one of my favorite sites to get recipes for awhile.  I have one of her cookbooks and it's vegan.  Over the weekend I made  Chipotle Mac & Cheese .  Pretty good one there.  I always love me some chipotle (peppers...not the restaurant). Last night I made  Pesto Soup with Gnocchi, Beans & Greens  I made a few substitutions, using kale instead of swiss chard (kale is cheap right now!) and adding chipotle because I had some extra from the weekend and adding chipotle is never a bad idea to me.  I loved the idea of a "creamy" soupish di

I listen to music at work a lot, for different reasons. I am a die hard Spotify fan, but sometimes my playlists just aren't what I'm looking for (I have a lot of them...) I know Pandora's still around. But what if I want someone else to create a playlist for me.  Allow me to introduce you (or maybe you've already been introduced) to songza !  I'm personally obsessed with their Sunshine Indie Pop playlist.

With the release of Bonnaroo's lineup for 2015 all I can think of is LouFest . The lineup looks legit (of course it does), but, let's be real:  I'm not ready to drop those sort of funds yet and PTO days look like they're going to be tight for 2015. Leading the festival this year are Billy Joel, Mumford & Sons, Deadmaus, Florence and the Machine, and Robert Plant. So I'll just be here dreaming about summer and music and the magic when they both come together. Maybe someday Bonnaroo...

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? I'm very on the fence about it.  Some years I go all out and other years I skip it all together.   I don't think they are bad.  It's never bad to set goals.   My co-workers (one in particular) have definitely made some new year's resolutions/goals.  From taking more public transportation (aka less cabs), drinking tea (rather than soda, etc.), eating out less, learn the fishtail braid, the list goes on... After thinking about it a few days I decided Tuesday what mine will be:  say Yes.  This mostly applies for work because I'm pretty good at giving things a try in my personal life, but for some reason professionally I start thinking of all that has to go into that task  immediately  and then that shows on my face.  (FYI I do not have a poker face!)   So I'm going to try to start thinking anything is possible.  And hopefully this will create an atmosphere where we can do great things! ( via ) p.s. D

Here we are.  January.  My second least favorite month of the year. 3 degrees today means no bike ride for me. Hello crowded bus. But I did get to walk by our Chicago Love Locks. And I found my new favorite youtube video . Tomorrow's a new (hopefully better) day!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I decided to kick off the new year by making my grandma's cinnamon rolls! After doing some reflecting on 2014 on NYE and journaling my thoughts.  I came to the conclusion for the year that priorities change.  I know.  Groundbreaking.   I don't have a 9x13 pan. Girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. One year ago, some things that were priorities just aren't priorities anymore.  It's not good.  It's not bad.  It's just the fluidity of life. And being ok with that.  Being ok that I didn't achieve something that was a priority is ok.   I have new areas of focus and I'm trying things I hadn't thought of a year ago. Finding the balance of the two and enjoying the steps along the way. And sometimes realizing it's not terrible, but maybe you need more practice.  My first attempt at Grandma's cinnamon rolls was good, but they are nothing in comparison to my grandma's, which I've had severa