I know you've all been dying to know what I am doing on my first day off.

Well, people, it's been exciting.

Last night I came home and Andy and I did one of our favorite dinners---where we combine any leftovers we have and make it a big giant dish.  He had roast pork cooked in weird spices and pasta with black beans and tomatoes (not tomato sauce, just tomatoes from a can).  I had marinated  Mozzarella and proscuitto.  So, we combined it and it was DELISH!  

I grabbed a cab over to the old Martyrs for The Moth Story Slam competition, hosted by our new friend, Brian Babylon.  I met him last week at the Freople's Flexiest Man Alive Party, along with the BBC host who was following him around for a piece on BBC.  Hi-larious.  Anyway, my new work friends and I loved hanging out with him, and even more, loved seeing him on stage. 

I was in a heckling mood I guess--or at least really vocal---and the Story Slam certainly heard my opinion.  Here's what happens---Brian hosts, and 10 people's name are drawn from a hat and they have 5 minutes to tell a story on a topic (this month, it was themed around "Blunders").  They tell, three sets of audience judges judge, and we listen and then boo and hiss at the judge's score.  Most were really great---some stories had a lot of affectation, even for this nerdy NPR crowd.  I have to say, can't we all get over the fact that we were the smart nerdy kids who got shit on in high school?  Big deal---at least we got to go to high school.  Whatevs lady who told your story about living in West Africa and surprising all the locals by speaking their language.  That's your story?  It ended up being a story about using a phrase and gesture that were inadvertendly dirty---I mean, we all learn about that in Spanish or French 101---but you're just excited and proud because your story takes place in darkest AFRICA.  Wow---aren't you a treat?  Gross.

Anyhow, she was scored very lowly, and we didn't boo the judges for that.

At one point, Brian Babylon pulled a name and called for a contestant who didn't come---and I yelled "Move On.Org".  That nerdy NPR crowd loved it.  Or, that's what I perceived.  I think I'll TM that usage.  Or copyright it. Or, at least shop it around at Thanksgiving.

Afterwards, over to Brownstone for some work gossip and then over to the old Wilde Pug for something---I'm pretty blurry on this part and then back home.  

And today, I FORCED myself to sleep in (I woke up in the 7am hour, per the usual) but then went back to sleep.  I finally arose at 10:20 (REBEL) and watched some Top Chef (I'm so BAD) and then got restless and will now go workout, do some laundry and clean up a bit.

Tonight=GLOGG at Simons.

Happy day before Thanksgiving--I love this day so much.

Last Day

Faithful readers may know that I am currently working at Scheople Magazine (I've changed the name to protect the innocent people at Scheople) and am wrapping up, well, today.

Yes, today is my last official day.  I will roll in on Monday for about two hours in the afternoon, but that's it.

Here's the funny thing at Keople---I've actually made some work friends!  I know, I know...as a freelancer, I've always just kept my head down and thought "I just need to get my work done--there's no time for me to dilly dally and go to lunch with work people" but at Teople, it's been different.

One day, I had a hankering for Pompeii (Herb Chicken Ravioli, please) and forced the other girls to go with me (I like to make decisions, and make them quickly and then move on).  We got there, sat down, and just started a funny, personal, open chat about life, love and Summer's Eve Feminine Spray (How do you know when you need it?  You just KNOW).

Since then, the gals and I have been palling around, dancing in the halls and yukking it up there at work.

What a delight!

So, I will miss them a lot.

I'm taking a poll, dear readers---what should I do on my first day free?  Keep in mind, it is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving:

1) House chores!  Cleaning, laundry, cooking, eating at home (BORING)

2) House entertainment!  Watch DVRed TV (hello, Glee!), go online and daydream about trip to London/Paris/Tuscany/Rome

3) Look for new job!  Send out resume, apply for internship (secret place), work on getting headshots out to agents, etc

4) Outside entertainment!  Go to gym, go see movie, go for walk, eat outside of home 

5) None of the above---go day drinking!  (Pro---it numbs and makes you forget!  Con---I really do like to get things done with my day, and drinking gets in the way of that.)

Respond in the comments with your thoughts!

And, I FINALLY got a new camera---check out the pic...

Darn it!

I'm plagued with injuries this week...all of a minor and completely inconsequential sort.

My heel has been bothering me---my workout friends tell me it's Plantar Fusticial Booby boo boo---basically, my heel hurts.

So, if I run/walk/etc I end up in ouchy town.

And just now, I was chopping onions for a multi-meal cooking project (turkey chili, salad and marinade for the steak) and I cut my middle finger.

I think it's time for me to hop on my bike and get out for a little non-heel pressure, much-needed air.

But first, I must recommend to you a lovely sporting event---my town's little sports team is known as the Chicago Bulls.  I attended a game last night, against another town's sports team, the Philadelphia 76ers---and our team won!  

There were many people out in droves, the weather was a balmy 62 degrees (in November! November!) and a lovely evening was had by all.

Those sporting events are DELIGHTFUL!  I cheered for the donut in the dunkin' donuts race! (Donut won, in a come-from-behind victory against the bagel with schmear and the coffee cup, who amazingly never sloshed his contents even as he chugged around the dunkin' donuts track)

I watched amazing MAGIC at Halftime which culminated in "Metamorphosis".  Friends, I've seen a lot of MAGIC in the last few years on cruise ships, and let me tell you, nothing gives a magician a bigger boner then METAMORPHOSIS---they LOVE it!  They love to present it at the end of their act, and introduce it as though it's the one thing we've all been waiting for all this time...and then they perform it!  And the man gets tied up in a velveteen or satin bag, goes down into the box and a curtain is pulled and the woman/helper hops out and then man comes out and has on a new outfit!  METAMORPHOSIS!  I'd be much more impressed if he came out a like a giant bug ala Kafka....but he came out wearing a BULLS jersey!  See---he customized his act to the BULLS game!

There was also a circus dog that I found to be very cute but mostly desperately clinging to his master's back as opposed to impressing us with his dog tricks.  I mean, all dogs can jump and give high paws, right?  Why isn't he jumping through hoops of FIRE???

The T-shirt cannons were great!  I just missed winning one.  And, the italian sausage was De-lish and De-lightful!

A party after at a friends' new place (nice carriage house, Chad) and a quick pop in for some late night dancing at that bar on Belmont that has a liquor store and sells shots at the front door and a lady bathroom attendant who hands you paper towels and offers you selections of Ban Deodorant, Tampons and condoms?  Big City?  Anyway, we danced to three songs and then there were no more so we left and tried Berlin but the cover was too high so we hopped on the el and went home.

And now, I'm injured and contemplating getting out of my jammies and putting on a bra and hanging out on the roof deck for a bit.

It is Sunday, yes?

Getting Laid (off)

I am not...not yet. But there are a bunch of layoffs in my industry (doesn't that sound so official!  Almost like how sometimes people call their neighborhood their "community" like "we should all be more involved in our community". )  Anyway, I'm trying to stay positive...but since I work in my industry as a highly-specialized temp---doing contract maternity leaves for ladies who have babies...when they start laying people off, it means less jobs, less (and possibly no) maternity leaves, and people looking for jobs...any jobs.

It just happened a few weeks ago...I was the finalist for a job and then another person who had been laid off in my "industry" was hired instead of me, because she was available sooner.

Or, that's what they told me to make me feel better:)

Anyway, that's totally fine and fair...but I'm worried because I've carved out this little niche that allows me to work 3 days or so/week for 14 weeks and it's slipping away.

And I know I could get a job job but I'd like to get one I like.  A lot.

So, I'm dreaming and scheming and trying not to be too down on it all...

If anyone knows anyone in these areas...here is how I am thinking of spending my winter:

--Interning somewhere super-cool:  Sundance, WBEZ, theatre producer's office

--Working abroad doing something:  Preferably, somewhere warm

--Living in LA doing something for money, and maybe "checking" it out

All advice gladly accepted!

Yours sincerely...

Becky

Musings---for my own amusement

Wednesday October 7, 2009

Coffee Studio

Andersonville, a neat-o neighborhood in Chicago

Wednesday, almost noon

An exercise in observation

 

Me: Laptop, big latte, foam topped with heart shape (I prefer the fan-shaped leaves)

 

Soundtrack: One of those mixes, that range from 90s lady alternative-crooners with haunting background that sound like a twin peaks song to a new hipster quiet song of sadness and sorrow.  I like it.

 

In front of me:  My friend who I come write with.  We’ve dropped our weekly meeting habit of the spring/early summer, but have recommitted to it. I like it.

 

A women who just tromped in here with her wheeled briefcase, is suspiciously eyeing the occupants of the surrounding tables, and sniffing her tea like it’s also suspicious.  Now, she looks over to her immediate right, and takes in the tattooed, blond-streaked women to her right, who is bent over her papers and documents with intensity like a teen taking the ACT.  Now she is fumbling for her cell phone (flip phone, not a razor, probably mid-range, free when she renewed her contract).  Her HP laptop is open and she looks up and catches me catching her.  Moving on!

 

I love the artwork here—I feel like I’ve wondered into a coffee shop in a Scandinavian capital---Helsinki?  Oslo?  Stockholm?  What are the capitals of Scandinavian nations?  It’s brick walls on the outside, and the space is dominated by the counter and coffee, the sitting down bar is made of plain black counter, trimmed in frosted glass, spa-colored wood and silver accents.  A mirror on the back wall, 5 hanging pendant lights, 4 have working bulbs.

 

A man in front of me listens to his portable audio device and cross-stitches and I think, “I should take up my cross-stitching or knitting or some kind of handicraft again.”  I have been influenced by the abundance of Ready Made magazines, which read to me like “YOU SHOULD BE MORE CREATIVE! YOU SHOULD MAKE CRAFTS!  YOU ARE A LAXY, UNCREATIVE, NON-HIPSTER!”

 

Now the soundtrack has shifted..I think its Rufus Wainwright.  Of course.

 

At least I wore my new cap…it’s jaunty and plaid.  And I have on clogs…so I am approaching something that is what the judgey me wants me to be.  Cool.  Inspired.  Constantly creating.  Finding love.  Balancing said love with happiness, joy, self-direction and trips to cool places and towns and travel.  That cooks and is known for a certain recipe, which people beg her to bring.  That heats her home with a wood-burning stove, and cools it by building windows that perfectly circulate the air in the summer.

 

Instead, I am here.  I live in a vintage condo with mostly blank walls in my bedroom, and all the other walls are covered in my roommate’s mother’s art.  I squeeze in a few of my own things, and see that the frames are cheap and from the 90s. I go on adventures in Michigan, not Minsk (the first M I could think of!), and I try to go to yoga, to class and work.

 

I am ready for change.  And I like it.

It's all over

The big late summer/early fall push of 09 seems to be winding up.

I have started my job and am settling into life at People magazine.   It's wonderful to be there and I'm learning so much.

Montgomery and Cooke wrapped up our first run ever--and we had a really successful time working through the bits, tweaking parts, etc.  We want to keep performing together, so we are putting together a video and looking at venues in Chicago.

So, that meant that I was free to let life be lived for a bit.

I went to Michigan with my best lady friends from Ohio--and it was delightful! I ran on the beach, I read my book, I watched the sunset, I read more of my book (what was I reading then?  oh!  The Laws of Harmony) and then the ladies came, and we had snacks and caught up.  The next day we went and ate lunch outside on a harbor that reminded me of Vermilion, where my grandparents lived and my dad grew up. It's the sweetest, cutest, loveliest little Harbour Town in Lake Erie.  But I think it's very racist there, so I don't like that part of it.

Then we went to the winery, drank wine on the beach, dinner and then back home.

These girls are so much fun---I loved hanging out with them.

This week, we got the car fixxed (BRAKES!  TIRES!  $700!) . 

Yesterday we taped some footage for Montgomery and Cooke and then last night, I enjoyed a glorious night in, on the couch.

Hello couch.  It's nice to see you again.  You look great. 

And now, a beautiful sunny fall morning---off to the gym, then writing and then perhaps a little bitty walk along Lake Michigan.

What a wonderful morning.

Show! Cantaloupe! Sunshine!

We had our second show!  We had to cancel last week because of low numbers...but this week happenned.

Lillie and Gillian and Fuzzy and Shaun were our delightful special guests with Lillie and Gill doing a wonderful Lucy and Ethel...and F&S doing an awesome who's on first sort of thing.

I think both Jamie and I felt "bumpy" but loyal fans (Jamie's mom) said it was great.  I finally played my trombone so it sounded like something and it turns out that competency is more fun then just blatting!  Plus, we discovered a really great new trombone moment on accident.

Overall, very fun, and huge thanks to those who made it out!!!

Onto cantaloupe...we got the biggest one I've ever received from the share...and it's the perfect, almost melting it's so good flavor.  The texture is mushy.  I feel like I want to tell you it's fine..to defend the cantaloupe that I am currently eating---but it is mushy.   I just told it as much too and feel better because I am being honest with the cantaloupe, since it is my favorite fruit.

It is SUNNY today!  I am going to go hang out with Wee, a baby I know, and I hope he wants to go for a walk.

Because I do.

That is all.