Let's be honest. Winter sucks. As far as I'm concerned, once Christmas is over it has no relevance in my life. But...I live in Chicago: Mother Nature's designated target for cruel and unusual punishment. She keeps pounding us over and over again. Just when we think we see the light (the actual sun) at the end of the tunnel, she strips it away and drops more snow on top of us. Not only that, but I have never experienced this level of COLD before. And I never want to experience it again. It hurts. It just plain hurts.
Sure there are places up north of here and other parts of the country that claim to be in worst shape than us, but come on...you were asking for it by choosing to live in such a forgettable state in the first place. No offense.
I have no lessons learned from this never ending tundra of a winter. No tips for survival. No cures to beating the winter blues. No motivation to do anything but hibernate.
All I've got for you is my angry list of reasons to hate winter.
1. So. Much. Snow. Sure it's pretty sometimes, but I'm over it. It's piled up everywhere and any beauty it once had is now tarnished with every dog's pee.
2. Traveling is treacherous. I've never had a worse experience at an airport than when we had Chiberia round 1. Flu + flight delays + 50 lb bags + subzero temps + nice but annoying persistent guy trying to make friends with me + crowds of rude people.
Even commuting to work is a huge pain in the ass. Gotta love standing at the bus stop and watch your bus whiz by you because it's already crammed full of people.
3. My dog even hates it. Barrett usually loves the snow and shoving his face into it. He's been second guessing it lately. Between the unbearably cold ground and the clumps of salt spewed all over, he sometimes refuses to go out. I don't blame him. The minute I pull out those hideous purple rubber booties to put on his feet, his expression sags and the whites in his eyes start to show.
4. When your tears and snot instantly freeze to your face and you don't even know it because you can't feel anything anyways.
5. Oh you want to go try a new restaurant in another neighborhood? Screw that. I'm thinking takeout Thai food from the place around the corner.
6. Knowing that what's ahead weather-wise makes it all worth the pain and suffering...until you realize how short lived summer is here and that this hell of a season waits for us again right on the other side.
7. I am the epitome of attractive right now. I don't know how guys aren't lined up at my front door right now for me.
Is it the hair? Am I supposed to actually wash it and style it? Is it the unshaved legs? What, you get to have the extra layer of warmth on your legs but I can't?
8. Frozen pipes. Don't even get me started.
9. Never having a snow day. Screw you public transportation. If you're working, so am I.
10. The only sensation I feel in my big toes when I'm waiting for the bus in the morning is pain. Throbbing pain. I have to take off my shoes when I get to work because I need to hold my big toes to warm them up and coax them not to fall off.
My only saving grace for surviving this beating of a winter is KU basketball. It's pretty much the only reason I'm getting out of bed today. Rock Chalk, fellas. Make it worth my effort.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Monday, September 9, 2013
Quarter Century Bucket List Update
"CAN ANYTHING BE SADDER THAN WORK LEFT UNFINISHED? YES, WORK NEVER BEGUN."
I've got to say, I'm rather disappointed in myself. My "to do" list has too many things on it still...at least I made a dent.
Here's an update of my Quarter Century Bucket List items:
1. Get My Scuba Diving License
Nope...hasn't happened. T-Minus 3 and a half months until I'm in the Caymans...license-less.
2. Day Trip(s) to Milwaukee
Made it up to Milwaukee and it. was. BEAUTIFUL. However, it wasn't a day trip. I unfortunately was limited to just a few hours of exploring before going to a concert (an awesome one at that). I'll for sure need to make it up there again soon. It's definitely an underrated city.
3. Attend MULTIPLE Summer Festivals!
It's a sad realization that Summer is coming to a close and I was VERY lame at achieving this goal.
Although I have Taste of Chicago as its own action item below, I'll count it in my Summer Festival attendance category since I did make it to one evening of its festivities.
Last weekend we went to the Chipotle Cultivate Festival in Lincoln Park which was also a success. Even though it was pretty toasty out and some of the lines for the different fact stations got really long, we got to sample some food and drinks from local vendors, listen to some live music and even walked away with a coupon for a free meal at Chipotle. Score.
4. Beach Yoga
Yeah. This didn't happen. No excuses. I even had the damn Groupon.
5. Concerts Concerts Concerts
So, as stated in #2 above, I went to Milwaukee for a concert. MUMFORD AND FREAKING SONS. I was LIVID that I didn't get to see them at Lolla this Summer, but I'm so happy I got to go see them at the Marcus Amphitheater instead. Great venue right next to the lake shore. I may have been way back on the lawn and could barely see the stage, but they rocked it nonetheless.
I ALSO got to go see Mr. Michael Bublé (!!!) at the United Center this last weekend. The man is brilliant and can serenade me any day. That is all.
Segueing onto my next item, Fun. was another great concert I got to witness (FOR FREE) this Summer at Taste of Chicago.
SUCCESS!
6. Experience Taste of Chicago
I made it to ONE evening of the event and it was very satisfactory. I got to skip a lot of the crowds (don't get me wrong, it was still crowded) and the heat. Food? Good. Beer? Good. Free Concert? Good.
7. Summer + Me + Boat
I'm a little bitter about this one. TECHNICALLY I made it onto a boat (TWICE). Going on river and shoreline boat tours count, right? Maybe next year I'll step up my game.
8. Be a Chicago Sports Fan
At least this is a year-round item I can work on. So far I've made it to a Chicago Fire (vs. Sporting KC) soccer game and also a Cubs game up at Wrigley. Not a bad start.
I still need to go to a Blackhawks, Bulls, Bears and Whitesox game (maybe in that order).
9. Eat a Damn Chicago Hot Dog
CHALLENGE COMPLETED. I finally indulged at Portillo's a couple months ago. I like to keep it pretty simple when it comes to my hot dog dressings, so I will likely not be ordering many Chicago style dogs in the future. Glad to say I tried it though.
10. Go to IKEA
The death of me. This is going to be a serious love-hate relationship. Made it out to Schaumburg over Labor Day weekend (WHEN IT WAS CRAZY PACKED WITH TOURISTS AND FOREIGNERS) and could have spent several stupid hours exploring that place. It's a black hole. We walked out relatively unscathed in comparison to some others around us. Next time I may not be so lucky.
In looking back at this list, I think it's about time to create a new list of things to do for the next part of my 25th birth year. If you have any ideas, shoot them my way!
I've got to say, I'm rather disappointed in myself. My "to do" list has too many things on it still...at least I made a dent.
Here's an update of my Quarter Century Bucket List items:
Nope...hasn't happened. T-Minus 3 and a half months until I'm in the Caymans...license-less.
2. Day Trip(s) to Milwaukee
Made it up to Milwaukee and it. was. BEAUTIFUL. However, it wasn't a day trip. I unfortunately was limited to just a few hours of exploring before going to a concert (an awesome one at that). I'll for sure need to make it up there again soon. It's definitely an underrated city.
3. Attend MULTIPLE Summer Festivals!
It's a sad realization that Summer is coming to a close and I was VERY lame at achieving this goal.
Although I have Taste of Chicago as its own action item below, I'll count it in my Summer Festival attendance category since I did make it to one evening of its festivities.
Last weekend we went to the Chipotle Cultivate Festival in Lincoln Park which was also a success. Even though it was pretty toasty out and some of the lines for the different fact stations got really long, we got to sample some food and drinks from local vendors, listen to some live music and even walked away with a coupon for a free meal at Chipotle. Score.
4. Beach Yoga
Yeah. This didn't happen. No excuses. I even had the damn Groupon.
5. Concerts Concerts Concerts
So, as stated in #2 above, I went to Milwaukee for a concert. MUMFORD AND FREAKING SONS. I was LIVID that I didn't get to see them at Lolla this Summer, but I'm so happy I got to go see them at the Marcus Amphitheater instead. Great venue right next to the lake shore. I may have been way back on the lawn and could barely see the stage, but they rocked it nonetheless.
I ALSO got to go see Mr. Michael Bublé (!!!) at the United Center this last weekend. The man is brilliant and can serenade me any day. That is all.
Segueing onto my next item, Fun. was another great concert I got to witness (FOR FREE) this Summer at Taste of Chicago.
SUCCESS!
I made it to ONE evening of the event and it was very satisfactory. I got to skip a lot of the crowds (don't get me wrong, it was still crowded) and the heat. Food? Good. Beer? Good. Free Concert? Good.
I'm a little bitter about this one. TECHNICALLY I made it onto a boat (TWICE). Going on river and shoreline boat tours count, right? Maybe next year I'll step up my game.
8. Be a Chicago Sports Fan
At least this is a year-round item I can work on. So far I've made it to a Chicago Fire (vs. Sporting KC) soccer game and also a Cubs game up at Wrigley. Not a bad start.
I still need to go to a Blackhawks, Bulls, Bears and Whitesox game (maybe in that order).
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| Sporting KC vs Chicago Fire Soccer Game |
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|
9. Eat a Damn Chicago Hot Dog
CHALLENGE COMPLETED. I finally indulged at Portillo's a couple months ago. I like to keep it pretty simple when it comes to my hot dog dressings, so I will likely not be ordering many Chicago style dogs in the future. Glad to say I tried it though.
10. Go to IKEA
The death of me. This is going to be a serious love-hate relationship. Made it out to Schaumburg over Labor Day weekend (WHEN IT WAS CRAZY PACKED WITH TOURISTS AND FOREIGNERS) and could have spent several stupid hours exploring that place. It's a black hole. We walked out relatively unscathed in comparison to some others around us. Next time I may not be so lucky.
In looking back at this list, I think it's about time to create a new list of things to do for the next part of my 25th birth year. If you have any ideas, shoot them my way!
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