mass transit

no lucrativo=non-profit

Today this woman came in playing Korean charades with my Mexican secretary. I overheard the attempt at conversation, “no English”, was all the woman could make out verbally. We have free ESL classes four mornings a week at my non-profit. One of the things about Chicago that I love is the fact that one cannot assume ESL students will be of Latin decent. Most days Russian, Polish, and (today) Korean accents are repeating nouns of color, country and weather in unison. The sounds come muffled from under my door while I examine client files for the day.

I like to look at their faces when I go by the classroom to fill up my Nalgene bottle. Some of them are giggling nervously through a grammar exercise. Others are cautiously eyeing their interesting neighbors searching for some form of connection other than language. All of them hopeful that the morning will bestow a bag of words to distribute in varying pairs throughout their day.

If you encounter them in salutation this afternoon, be kind, and show mercy. Their phrases are limited, but their spirit undefined by semantics.

when myspace works

I actually still have friends from the 6th grade who I am connected to. Due in part to myspace. Some of us have kept in better touch at various times over the last many years since our Beverly Hills days, but our recent reunion was because of myspace.


Three of my longest friends came out to Chicago for a reunion. We had not all four spent time together since Project Graduation back in '98. And wouldn't you know, we're all just as funny, just as bossy, and just as cute as when we were eighteen.


The funny thing about it is that we all sorta fell back into our same roles. Regression, it seems, can occur in friendships just like in families. I go back to being the I'm-so-annoyed and-bossy one, Meg is the I'm-going-to-make-you-laugh-no-matter-what one, Manda is the what-the-hell-are-you-doing one, and Nat is the funny-girl-capture-the-joy one. Luckily they've all changed to add other quality traits.




Having them here was such a great reminder that friendship is a plentiful herb that i need in my life more than I realize. I loved showing them Chicago, but I loved being shown their constant acceptance and graciousness. These are the people who have been with me through aspects of my life that so few others know at all. These are the people who know my family, know my home, and know what I'm like at 5:30am on a Saturday after a huge Fajita dinner, hours of Dr.Pepper, Funnyuns, & Sweetart wars while rocking out some SkipBo. I wouldn't want to wrap a house with any finer human beings. These are my friends.

I know you've gotten crap about how some people use your site, but, Thank you myspace people.

i need more granola friends

somehow i missed out on this : http://www.muddybuddy.com/

i don't know how it is that nobody gave me the heads up about this amazing event. if there is anyone interested in preparing for next year, consider me TOTALLY in. i cannot miss this again. i will fly to your city and endure the challenge.

evidently, this year they added a new feature: a costume contest.

clearly i need new friends.
granola friends.

you can't win 'em all

i met a 14 year old today who doesn't want to be my friend.
what a shame.

sometimes being a therapist isn't all it's cracked up to be.
(pun intended)

p.s. now Jack has a new cousin. good thing i'm already head over heels.

when .99 cents becomes thirty bones

i can't stop buying music on itunes. i'm addicted.

recent downloads include The Last Kiss soundtrack, some Pete Yorn, a little Chris Isaak. now i'm deliberating between Jose Gonzalez and Joshua Radin.

autumn always makes me hungry for new music. and you?

me and jack are going to be spending a lot of time together as the leaves change.

consumer product de jour

is vitamin water; you can buy them at trader joe's fairly cheap.

i'm here at the office and just took the time to actually read the label of my most recent Tropical Citrus. you should buy some vitamin water. especially if you're like me and like to pretend that your vitamin water tastes like kool-aid without the sugar. you have to be either really imaginative or masochistic to do this. i'll let you pass the judgement. (i also like to pretend that sore hamstrings are yoga's good fortune)

all week karma has pointed me to soccer. my orangey b+ guarana bottle today has this light-hearted description of how the added vitamins will "give you an extra kick (pun intended)".
now, i'm not sure what guarana is but the people at Glaceau have convinced me that i need it plus my "b" to get this extra kick. consider me one step ahead.

vitamins + water= all you need
this was $1.10 worth spending.

GAS

I just filled up for $2.95. I think I am in heaven.

Crikey

This is absolute tragedy. The world has lost the Crocodile Hunter, and wildlife education will never be the same.

Honestly, I hope I go similar to our Croc Hero. Doing what I love. That guy is such a stud. Crikey-we'll miss you.