Roommate Bonding: Day 1

I had movers come yesterday. In two hours, they cleared my entire apartment, drove across town, unloaded the truck, and gave me a compliment on my peacoat. They were absolutely amazing. 

I've managed to get about 3/4 of things unpacked, including a photo of my Babcie ("grandmother" in Polish). When Christine came home, she saw the photo on my desk, picked it up, and we started our first great get-to-know-you. 

Christine: Is this your grandma??
Susie: Yeah! 
Christine: She's adorable! This is the most grandmotherly photo, too!
Susie: Haha, I know!
Christine: Where does she live now?
Susie: Oh. She doesn't.

Snatch vs Snatch

My friend Lexi sent me this real Facebook status message that, unbeknownst to her Cross-fit loving friend, has a deeper and more disgusting meaning than she knows.

P.S. How is your snatch looking today? #girl_problems

Groupon Stock Photography

Your third favorite blogger is now in the Groupon stock photography rotation! 

Other things you could sell with this photo:
- tampons
- panty liners
- birth control pills
- maxi pads

Overheard: Witches

From yesterday's kid improv class: 

Occupational therapist: What should I be for Halloween?
7-year old girl: A witch! Because of your hair.

Book Titles: U.S. vs Them

U.K. edition

Last month, Deepak Chopra interviewed Dr. Rupert Sheldrake on his podcast. Sheldrake has recently published a book that questions whether science has become its own religion, and if in the process, has lost its ability to make new discoveries. 

According to Sheldrake, the scientific community discourages people who think "outside the box" and question deep-rooted facts/theories. Scientists have been pushed out of jobs for holding alternative view points, creating a sort of "boys club" of modern science. But without innovative thinkers like Galileo and Darwin challenging the scientific conventions of their time, we wouldn't be where we are today. So what ideas are they labeling "unscientific" that could be the next big step for science? 

It was a fascinating discussion.  But why I was really inspired to write this blog post was because the Sheldrake's book was published in the U.K. and America under different titles that seem to hint at our national interests (or at least the Publisher's idea of what will catch our attention). The U.K. edition is called "The Science Delusion", while the American edition is "Science Set Free."

This isn't "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" to "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." This is big. Do Europeans like mysteries and deception? Do Americans like freedom? Are there any horse socks? Is anyone listening to me?

American edition

The Snozberries Taste Like Snozberries

I would say that 90% of my editorial co-workers are dressed like the children in the 1971 hit Willy Wonky and the Chocolate Factory.  

Seasons of Love

I just watched the episode of The Office where Michael leaves to move to Colorado. It was already sad, but then the scene where everyone sings a cover "Seasons of Love" from RENT came on and I lost it. So bittersweet.

I then added the song to my "Not Guilty Pleasures" playlist on Spotify...after listening to it 5 times in a row. But I stopped crying after the first two plays so does it really count? 

Lose Yourself

Look. If you had one shot, one opportunity 

To seize everything you ever wanted, one moment 

Would you capture it? 

Or just let it slip? Yo. 

- 10-year old rapping Eminem's song from 8-mile before the obstacle course at Wednesday's improv class. He then continued to rap the entire next verse before I asked him if he was ready to race.

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy 

There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti 

He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready 

To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgetting 

What he wrote down, the whole crowd grows so loud 

He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out 

He's chokin' how, everybody's chokin' now, 

The clock's run out, times up, over, blaw!

Spirits You Shouldn't Drink

I slept over my parent's house a few weeks ago, the night before leaving for a trip. Feeling a bit restless, I went for a late-night walk. Since they live in the South Loop, there's not a lot of nature to absorb, so I took a couple laps around a small fountain just a few blocks from their house. A pathway circled the fountain, which had a stone hawk as its centerpiece, it's wings stretched wide and washed in the fountain's spray. 

I had been circling the same stretch of pavement for 20 minutes, looping the fountain, before I noticed the white footprints on the asphalt. Eerie footprints jumping this way and that. I froze. When did these get here? What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On. 

Like an irrational and excitable human, my immediate thought was: a g-g-g-g-ghost!  

It had to have been a ghost, I thought, because they had not been there before. I'd walked this same stretch countless times and there was nothing of note on the ground. And no person could have been by here without me seeing them. I mean, I was RIGHT HERE. 

But to pretend I had a brush with the paranormal would be to miss the reality, which is (almost) as thrilling. And that's this: sometimes we aren't ready to see what's in front of us. Let's get real. Those prints had been there from the very beginning of my walk, but because there was so much other stuff I was "seeing" in my head, I couldn't see what was right in front of me.

Two "lessons" hit me right away: 1) I am way to quick to assume a "ghosts" explanation and 2) I'm too self-involved. The whole world plays out before you, and yet you only see the stories and desire of your own mind. If you're missing small, obvious things, what else are you missing? It was a great wake-up call.

Seriously though. It was a ghost right? 

Never Going Back Again

The guitar in this is great. Can't stop listening.

 

Someone to Watch Over Me

On Thursday night, I celebrated my mom's birthday with her and my dad at Francesca's, an Italian restaurant in Streeterville. A pianist played throughout the night and near the end of dinner, my mom *casually* said she really wanted to hear one of her favorite songs, "Someone to Watch Over Me". My dad took the hint and pulled out a little cash to tip the pianist. Soon her song was on.

It was all kinds of wonderful. Seeing a husband and wife request an old romantic song on a special night and hearing the music I associate with a more romantic time was such as pleasure - even if it was my own parents. 

I was taken aback by it, too. I'm not used to that sort of thing happening. Being able to request a truly beautiful song and knowing it's played just for you. The closest I've ever been is having "Mo Money, Mo Problems" played by the DJ at Interskate 91 in the 7th grade. 

Sometimes the problems and anxieties of the world can be over powering and exhausting. To have just a few moments where there's peace among people and good music in our ears was a real treat.  

There's a saying old, says that love is blind
Still we're often told, "seek and ye shall find"
So I'm going to seek a certain lad I've had in mind

Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet
He's the big affair I cannot forget
Only man I ever think of with regret

I'd like to add his initial to my monogram
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?

There's a somebody I'm longin' to see
I hope that he, turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me

I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
I know I could, always be good
To one who'll watch over me

Although he may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
To my heart he carries the key

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me

Someone to watch over me