i feel it in my fingers, i feel it in my toes

this holiday season everything seems to be lined up perfectly -- minus of course the small part that i'm not with my family, but chicago has made me feel more welcome than i've possibly ever felt since leaving minnesota. i was invited to more christmas celebrations than i can count or remember with everyone from two of my closest friends and roommates to a new friend to random coworkers. it is refreshing and comforting to know that i am surrounded by people who care about me and want to make sure that i am not alone for the christmas holiday centered on the birth of jesus and family.

however, i think the best part of this christmas is that i am giving back to those who can't celebrate with their families either. i volunteered to cook/serve dinner at a homeless shelter not too far from my apartment in chicago, and i haven't been this excited for christmas in a long time. for the first time in a long time, i'm giving something to those who have nothing and no one -- their situation is much more grave than mine. and i'm happy to give them a little holiday joy, something i've been blessed with my whole life. it should be fantastic. also, for the first time in my life i am cooking a turkey. a 20 pound turkey no less. this should be...entertaining. but alas, you've gotta start somewhere!

and then tomorrow i found myself torn between 2 christmas celebration the kolak and the orange. two fabulous friends who opened up their homes and families to me. i am ever greatful. i only wish i could be at both at once. but due to the fact that my holidays have never maxed more than 10 nelson-johnson relatives, i opted for the smaller, more intimate holiday where it will be a little more like home...at least on some level.

other than that things i'm greatful for this holiday season:
*family--you're my family. you put up with me. you're the best. enough said.
*my girl friends--you always are there with a good laugh or a shoulder to cry on. and you most definitely always have my back.
*a handsome physics teacher--you always make me smile, challenge me and keep me on my toes.
*northwestern university--for giving me a job and having faith in me that i will do it well.
*chicago--for being my playground, keeping me safe and making me feel right at home. i may never leave you at the rate we're going.
*minnesota--for always welcoming me back with open arms. i love returning to the place i know and love so much.
*hope college--you gave me amazing memories and friendships. i wouldn't be where i was today without you or the fabulous professors you employ
*argentina--you stole my heart, but taught me more than i ever asked for or dreamed of.

so merry christmas, happy holidays! much love to you all.

poem of the day.

poem of the day. inspired by ck who kindly gave me the topic: killer bunnies (in love)

killer bunnies everywhere
killer bunnies for eachother care
they show their love with jabbing ears
they claim their mate by killing bears
the end.
(its the end cuz they just killed one another)

Labor Day Delights

After 2 1/2 months of monotonous work, I found myself with the possibility to embark on a much favored adventure: a return to the homestate for the all-around fabulous Minnesota State Fair, or more commonly known around Minnesotans as the "Abyss-on-a-Stick."

Fashioned with my New York bestie and her two roommates, we conquered the fair eating a wide variety of goodies from:
*hotdish on-a-stick
*deep friend fress fruit on-a-stick
*spaghetti and meatball on-a-stick
*pickle on-a-stick
*chocolate dipped bacon (yes, it was really good)
*mini donuts: which will apparently allow you to retire at thirty if you design a coffee carts serving these delectable treats and perch yourself on a good corner in NYC every morning for the next 6/7 years.
*sweet martha's cookies
*fresh french fries (the best french fries i have ever eaten)
*lefse + cinnamon sugar
*deep fried candy bar on-a-stick
*delicious keg rootbeer

and we witnessed amazing sights such as:
*princess' faces carved in huge bricks of butter
*the miracle of birth -- a women's arm that was lost insdie the pig's uterus, searching for a piglet.
*a little too much cow dung
*fabulous john deer tractors
*lots of gorgeous Minnesota art
*the worst thought out competition ever: buying clothes for cheap
*the worst theatrical display i have come across in years
*fabulous fashions
*a stand selling "deep fried spam curds on-a-stick"
*fabulous Minnesota fashions that only come out for the fair

it was a 5 hour delight. followed by hopping on the wrong shuttlebus to realize that the closest we would get to our car was 2 miles away, without spending another hour 1/2 on the bus. to which, when we declared we would 'walk' to our car, we heard murmorings on the bus of 'but thats two miles. are you really going to walk two miles?' and 'they're really going to walk' and 'i can't believe that they're going to walk.' -- honestly, it was ONLY two miles. Minnesotans, apparently we're lazy.

this was followed by a delectable dinner of salmon and a day spent water skiing and basking in the sun while downing beers on the lake. which resulted in a lobster colored chest due to the fact that that part of my body had not yet been exposed to the sun this year due to the fact that i have a job. total turn around from the 6 weeks spent on my dock last summer. *sigh* i guess we all have to grow up someday.

and now its September 2nd. and summer is over. what honestly happened to summer?! can somebody please tell me? it may be 92 and humid as hell, but summer is gone. gone gone gone.

por un sueno...

last tuesday i got a call from the temp agency saying "we need someone to start work tomorrow at northwestern university law school." me, being despearate to stop moping about the house took the job. just over a week later, i'm pretty sure this is going to turn into a permanent, long term job in the field i want: economic research.

its like since i've moved to chicago, everything in my life has been lining up perfectly. a sure sign that i was meant to be here. seriously. i couldn't have planned out my life better myself
*2 amazing roommates
*an awesome job
*great location
*good friends all around
*pure joy

though i am realizing maybe my aspirations for life might be too much: maybe i shouldn't go back to grad school. after watching kolak study for the gre, i've realized that its a lot more of a pain in the ass than i thought it was: the vocab words are ridiculous -- who uses those words anyways? the answer? noone in their right mind. good riddance.

but i guess you can dream about the future, but its not worth while without dealing the cards in front of you, which i don't think i'm going to mind playing for a while because they seem to be right, at least for the time being. where the game will go, i don't really know. but right now, these cards are a-okay, and you couldn't make me trade them in for the world. no way, no how.

chicago: i am falling in love with this city. its not just a dream anymore, its reality.