It is Freaking Freezing!

I know I really shouldn't complain, nor do I have any excuses as I have been living in Chicago for over a year now..almost 2, but it is f*&%-ing freezing! I always bundle myself up in this cold weather, wear my extra warm jacket, scarf, hat, super warm mittens, and boots. Today I was stupid and wore sneakers-did you know sneakers do NOT keep your toes warm in 5* temperature? Well I am here to tell you they do not-could not feel my pinkie toes this morning. And I could not have been outside longer than 5-10 minutes. 

What really pisses me off are these assholes walking around outside with no gloves or hat on. Do they not realize its 5*?? Really? Reaalllly? Your nose and lips are purple and I am pretty sure your ears are not supposed to be that color. You live in Chicago- you know it is cold- be prepared! I understand there are many people who do business here and may not have been prepared, but your going to Chicago...in January...hopefully your business smarts are a whole lot better than your common sense. 

Koosh!!

I saw a guy get on the bus this morning with a Koosh attached to his leather briefcase. I was so excited! Except at the time I could not for the life of me think of what the damn thing was called-koozy? cozy? coozy? Once I got into work I googled every possible root word for kozy and then it clicked-koosh! Does anybody else remember these things?? I am pretty sure I had a large collection in all sorts of colors and sizes. What was the point of these things? Were they supposed to replace hackey sacks? Or were they just collectibles like my lovely troll collection I cherished so much. Why trolls? no idea. I would like to bring back the koosh-I think I will go out and buy one right now....or this weekend.

To strut or not to strut?

I always wonder what people are listening to on their iPods, is it the same song I am listening to? I know the guy two seats over on the bus is definitely not listening to my type of music because I can hear it..over my own headphones! Then there are the guys who tap their feet to the beat or play the bar they are holding onto like a guitar. I like to put my iPod on shuffle and just skip around looking for something to wake me up and put me in a good mood for the day-start it off right. There are a few songs that just make me want to turn into a runway model or act like someone in the opening credits of a movie. For example this morning, Labels or Love came on my iPod just as I was getting off the bus and I could not help but notice my walk got a little longer and I felt a little cuter. I even pictured myself as Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada...except after she gets all done up and has the best wardrobe ever! So yea...I think the music I listen to in the morning really perks up my day. What if the city blasted happy perky music during the morning and evening commutes? Would that make people's days start and end better? I wonder if I start listening to hard rock in the morning if I will be grumpy and angry. Experiment anyone?

Cha Cha Changes...

I grew up in an Italian household which meant dinner was on the table by the time my father got home. I rarely got to have peas (my favorite veggie) because my father did not like them-so my mom would not make them. I never understood this- I always said that I would never be that kind of wife, someone who made dinner for her man and made sure he was always happy-ha! My mom is also the type of person who wants everyone to be happy and does whatever she can to ensure that happens. I was always the person who told everyone what I thought and did not care how they felt about it.

Well that was then...I am 26 years old now and I become devastated if my mashed potatoes, that I made from scratch, are ruined because that means my boyfriend does not get his favorite side. I should clarify some things- yes my dad liked his dinner when he got home, but if that did not happen it was not a big deal. If I really wanted peas, my mom would make them and my dad would eat them. I grew up in a warm and loving house where my parents respected and loved one another-and thinking back I think a lot of that wore off on me. I now love to cook for my boyfriend, even though I do have my fair share of screw-ups, I may even be the next contestant on World's Worst Cook. And I do speak my mind more often than not-but I do care what people think. I guess my point is that I never would have thought that I would be living with my boyfriend in Chicago cooking him meatloaf and mashed potatoes, (although not last night because I ruined the potatoes.) In the words of my best friend...I am becoming quite the little housewife. Who would have known? 

PS-I cook peas whenever I can-but I am the only one who eats them because my boyfriend hates them (I make him his own side of green beans)

OCD or quirky

Yesterday I was talking to my mom trying to figure out what I should do for my birthday this year- considering it is a big year that only happens once a lifetime. (10-10-10) So I started to plan my next 5 years of my life all based on my birthday, we won't get into detail as to what these plans are but I picked out a few dates and letters...all in order. Does this make me OCD or quirky? My mother said quirky, but I think it is a bit OCD as everyone knows I need things neat and organized and also I need an order to everything. So picking a few important dates out.. 10-10-10, 9-10-11, and the letters EFG. I will only say that the letters EFG are actually initials-but that is all I will say. I don't think it is a big surprise I ended up in the position I am at my company-my entire day is spent organizing a schedule and making sure everything is in order.

I also make sure all of my winter accessories are coordinated, white jacket, black scarf and mittens. Blue jacket, white scarf, blue and white gloves...I could go on forever. Normally I just think of this as being fashionable or accessorized, but after this morning I realized I really do have some sort of "quirky" thing about me. My company is having a big event tonight so I got a bit more dressed up than I normally do, did my hair, make-up, the whole nine. And then I picked out my outfit....which matches the colors in the brand of the company we are doing the event for. I am sure no one else will notice that I have matched but I couldn't help myself. So....quirky? or just plain weird?

Hungry Hungry Hippo-ette

Why is it that after I work out at the gym and burn a bunch of calories and feel great I am always searching the kitchen for more food? I went out last night and bought 150 calorie ice cream sandwiches thinking that would take care of the hunger. Well...I ate it. Still hungry! Maybe if I have some tea...nope. So now I am staring at the english muffins and peanut butter-that is 100 calories right? For both? And that is totally okay to eat at 7:30 at night right? Maybe blogging will cure my hunger-maybe that should be my new diet!

Strega Nona

I enjoy my morning ride to work on the #65 bus, I listen to my iPod I get ready for my day. Most mornings I can get a seat and there are very few people on the bus. This morning was not like regular mornings. This morning the bus was quite full, so there was one seat open next to an older woman-who I have now nicknamed Strega Nona because I am quite positive the children's book character was drawn to look like her. I know right away that sitting next to this woman may be a mistake but I think- as I usually do, that I should not judge older people because this person is someone's grandma or grandpa. My commute is typically 25-30 minutes based on traffic and such. Today it was about 35minutes, this woman was putting on her make-up for 30 of the 35 minute commute. Now don't get me wrong I understand we don't always have time to put on make-up and many woman do it on the way to work. I for one admire the many woman who always look perfect and just so every morning- I am not one of those women of course. 

Anyway...so she is putting on her make-up, and as I said before I don't do the whole make-up thing so I don't really know how long it should take. But I think a half hour is a bit excessive, so every time she reaches into her bag she is elbowing me in the arm-so I try and move over a bit but the bus is so packed I keep getting hit or pushed from the other side. So I am sitting here stuck, unable to move and I feel bad getting up and standing because then I think her feelings will be hurt (yes I am typing away about this stranger but I was worried about hurting her feelings-I get the irony) Then she is finally done with the make-up process and she is spraying something into her hands...bugspray? sunscreen? anti-bacterial? Still not sure- but she sprays it and it ricochets off her hands onto me! and she doesn't stop spraying either, she must have sprayed the entire bottle into her hands. And now the bus is really packed and there is a man who is trying to get by and his butt is in my face so I try to lean away from him but then I am leaning against Strega over on my right, so again- I can't win. Okay, I am 2 stops away, almost to work, Yay!! And then she starts to wrap herself up, she puts her little headwrap thing on and then her scarf at which point she wraps around her neck and hits me in the eye with the damn thing. And then I just start laughing in disbelief-but HOORAY! it is my stop and I can get off. If I have more mornings like today this blog may turn into my adventures on the #65.

PS-my eye still stings a little.

Random Thoughts by Kristin

The thought of creating a blog has crossed my mind several times for several reasons. One of them being a have a lot to say-nothing particularly interesting...just random things really. Another reason is because I tend to ramble to my friends and family about nothing and I am pretty sure after 5 minutes of rambling they tune me out. What better way to ramble on and on then start a blog?? A girl I work with-let's call her "Anna" mentioned to me one day that I should have my own blog or TV show because of my random thoughts and commentary on everyday things. The everyday commentary happened to be about Tide coming out with a new "To-Go" stick...in a mini version, to which I commented, "like they're not small enough already." 

Anyway...another reason I started this blog is because that same friend started one and so I got inspired. One of her reasons was to stay in touch with friends who have since moved away and emailing back and forth amongst her friends turned into several pages of emails instead of the quick paragraph or two. 

Okay...case and point of why I now have a blog....3 paragraphs and it is only my first entry. Anyone still interested?