10 things i learned in chicago

1. i have a new found affection for imbibing on ouzo. who knew that black licorice could be bottled in liquid form and slide down the throat with that much ease.

2. that the history, architecture and expansiveness of one city could make denver look like it was an ant colony.

3. that navy pier closely resembles disneyland's main street where it is unbelievable the amount of people that can be packed on to one strip of concrete.

4. to enter rush street means that you must have a median income of probably close to a million dollars. no where i have seen a rolls royce and two lamborghini's parked less than one block from each other.

5. where my presentation at the conference could go so well, that i've decided to redirect a dissertation that was seriously in cardiac arrest.

6. that billy goat's tavern could set the standard for all dive bars i enter into the future. when my elbows stick to the bar, grease from decades of burgers line the walls and house beer is on tap for a decent price, i knew i was in love.

7. an invigoration to learn how to ride a harley. 'nuff said, i think i've officially entered my midlife crisis at 34 beginning in the windy city.

8. that lake michigan is so expansive and windy, i feel like i'm back on the pacific coast. i wouldn't want to feel that wind in the winter. brrrrrrr.

9. cicadas are nasty, ugly, flying space aliens who lurk in trees and screech so loud it feels like fireworks going off in your head.

10. that i'm ready to take my next step professionally in terms of my research and i can't think of a better place to have had this knowledge illuminated.

thank you, chicago, for schooling me .

you are my sunshine

on thursday, the family celebrated the birth of the youngest scarletspark. six years ago she made her entrance with vigor, which continues to this day.

over the years she has acquired an obsession with lions, disdain for chocolate milk, wearing only dresses, eating her earwax ( i know, ewwww), having boys as best friends, coveting motorcycles when she sees them, insists that she will own a truck someday...one that looks unusually like a trash truck...running naked in the backyard and playing mudmonster in the dirt. for all of this, she is our unique little sagesong and i can't imagine life without her.

i love you babygirl.

summertime rolls

now that i have regained somewhat of my mind from this past quarter's teaching "experience," i.e. grading 80 papers, i'm almost ready to start my summer. yes, almost. i have one more paper to write. a long overdue independent study, a holdover from last year's spring. my last hurdle of coursework toward the ph.d. once completed i can officially hold the title of ABD....all but dissertation....or.....all but done essentially. oh, did i mention this needs to be done by thursday at 10pm...um, yeah, details, details.

while trying to sort out that last itty-bitty challenge toward the doctorate, i also still need to write a paper and presentation for a conference i'm attending/presenting in chicago in a mere 10 days. yikes! why did i sign up for this madness? if only i could write on the joys of drinking one of these:

.........mmmmm dale's...........

or one of these:

..........mmm mojitos............

then i'd be set. no mental exertion in that. or too bad i can't do an interpretive dance after drinking one of the aformentioned for my collegues and call it a "presentation." ( and yes, grading and students have driven me to drink....).

but when i'm not drinking my post traumatic classroom stress away, i've been disc golfing with the scarletsparks. it's slowly but surely replacing my skiing detox diet and has reinvigorated the hippie in me....(she always is lurking, laying dormant until a good shakedown street gets cranked on the ipod or the occasional nag champa incense gets lit). there's nothing like throwing the discs around....."it brought peace to my mind in the summertime... and it rolled...."

.....scarletsparks disc golfing on a boulder course......