I was listening to the Eclectic Company the other night on 93.1 XRT, and they were speaking with Neko Case, and she was talking about this Canadian band, The Awkward Stage. They followed the conversation up with this song by the band. A band worth checking out, for sure.
Now that the weather is warming up, and Chicago is bursting with energy, I’ve decided that it’s time to start living it up. With everything that has gone on in my life since November, it has taken me a while to dust myself off, pick up the pieces, and even start to feel remotely like myself again. I’m thrilled to report that I’m starting to feel myself come back to life. I’m still feeling a little bruised and battered, but I am very fortunate. And, on top of it all, I live in a really amazing city, and I have great people to share it all with. So… I’ve set off on my love affair with Chicago. I’m committed to try new things, go new places, and just soak in all that this beautiful city has to offer whenever I get the chance.
This week, I went out for Tapas with a friend at Nia. Like most tapas, I found it to be pretty pricey, but it was delicious. It was nice to sit in a beautiful restaurant, have a great drink, eat great food, and spend time with a great friend.
Tuesday night, I hung out with the same friend. He has never been to Second City, and I am always more than willing to catch an improv or sketch show. I had not yet seen the new main stage show anyway. It was a really great time. So we caught Taming of the Flu at Second City. I almost always enjoy the post-show improv more than the sketches, and this time was no different. Still, the show was great, and I highly recommend that you catch it if you get the chance. Second City has smaller performance spaces as well, and those tickets are usually cheaper, so if you want Second City on a budget, check those other shows out on their website as well. I have yet to not have a fun time at SC.
So… my one and only amazing niece, Penny, will be turing 1 in less than a month! As part of her birthday gift (don’t worry… she’ll get fun stuff too), I really wanted to comprise two mixes for her. One mix for bedtime, to help her relax and calm down (she’s teething), and another mix to inspire her to bust out her newly developing dance moves. Ideally, I’d like to avoid Classical music (because I like a challenge), and I REFUSE to use typical children’s music like Raffi because… well… even as a child, I could only stand such music in extremely small doses.
So this is where I open things up to you! I am hoping for, asking for, and excited about any suggestions that you might offer! Bring it on! I have ideas brewing, and playlists started, but I’m feeling a bit stumped at this point. Please let me know your thought.
*This band will be appearing at Lollapalooza*
Thanks to an extremely unexpected and delightful gift from my Step Mom, I will make it to Lolla this year! Not overly thrilled about the headliners, but certainly excited about many others in the lineup.
I really felt the need to bring it way back this week. I remember my brother playing Counting Crows to me, and how I promptly had to order the cassette tape from my sweet BMG music service. Yes, I said cassette. And yes, I said BMG. I am undoubtedly dating myself here, and I am totally fine with that.
Anyway… without any further ado, I give you…
Oh, August and Everything After… why you do me like you do?
I’ve been feeling pretty down about myself as of late, which is not totally unusual, but it’s been worse than usual. I heard a bit of a challenge today that made me think about the idea that it is entirely possible to change your view if you don’t like what you’re seeing. Essentially, if you spend time looking in the mirror, and focus on your flabby arms, rolls of fat, your large pores, or… whatever “flaws” you see in yourself, all you have to do is shift the focus. A simple concept, surely, but one that is not always the easiest to grasp. The idea is that you should look deep into your own eyes, and deeper into yourself. What makes you who you are? What should you celebrate and embrace within yourself?
So… as a first step for myself, I’ve decided to attempt to describe myself in an honest way that celebrates who I am and what I have to offer myself, life, and the world. Baby steps…
I am young, both in body and spirit. I am an outgoing adventurous young woman with a great sense of humor. I love the fact that I have the ability to make myself and others laugh. While I have a tendency to focus on the negative at times, I also have an uncanny ability to laugh at life’s uncomfortable circumstances. I am artistic and loving, and when I love, I love with all I have. The only person in my life that I fail to love whole-heartidly is myself, and I am willing and ready to change that. I am always ready to learn and grow. I’m ready to shift perspective.
Lena Horne passed away this weekend at the age of 92. She was one of a kind, and will surely be missed.
Thank you for showing us all how it’s done…
I was recently exposed to this band thanks to the many wonders of independent radio. I hope that you enjoy them. I have a sneaking suspicion that if you like The Avett Brothers or Mumford & Sons, you will dig on these guys. If you happen to be in Chicago for Lollapalooza this summer, you can catch them live. Give a listen…