bring. it. on.

My original idea for this week was to go to a few cannoli places in the city, try their fare and then pick my favorite of the bunch.  A breakfast this weekend with my friends Ann and Becky made me think otherwise.  When I happened to mention my relaxed plans of  casually trying canonoli, I looked up to shocked silence from them both.  Before I knew it, Becky had the note pad, I was getting grilled on the characteristics of my ideal cannoli, and Ann was talking sliding scales for rating systems.  Somewhere in the middle of breakfast we came up with this list of what makes up my dream cannoli, and I realized just how important a good cannoli is to people.  So, list in hand I plan to spend this week diligently trying, testing, and tasting as many cannoli as I can. This week is going to be good.

what's new. 4

O.k., o.k., so maybe this week was a little boring.  It was also a lot harder than I thought it would be, but at least its done. (And by done I mean the week, because I am certainly nowhere near finished with my book.)  Here's what was new for me this week:

-It's waaaaaay more interesting to read a book than it is to write about reading a book.
-Finding time isn't always easy.
-I'm a super slow reader.
-I lose things.  a lot.
-I hate being sick.  a lot.
-I like reading, but not as much as I love cannoli.

So boring.

Sooooo, I never considered the fact that things I might really want to do would end up being really boring for other people to read about. I'm not sorry I took a week to try and read, but I apologize for the lack of entertainment value. I wish I had more to update on. I'm still reading, I was sick for two days, and now I'm playing catch up. Totally uneventful, but totally true.

Open Books.

still reading...

...and helping?  In honor of my week of reading I wanted to share an organization I think you should check out.  'Open Books' is a Chicago based nonprofit that helps promote literacy for low income kids who need extra reading help.  OB runs a book store stocked totally with donated books, and in turn they use their profits to provide community literacy programs in and around the city.  I love these guys because there are so many ways to get involved.  Have some extra books you're done with?  Donate them to the book store to help fill their shelves.  Looking for a new read?  Try their store in person or go online and buy a few things and help fund their programs.  Or, if you've got the time and are looking for another way to help, think about volunteering.  There are a ton of opportunities on their website.

Open Books:
www.open-books.org

still reading.

Yep, still reading...

Since that's possibly the most boring blog post in history, I thought I'd use today to make a much anticipated announcement.  It'll take a little planning on my part, and some interest from you, but I'm positive its going to be amazing!  Drum roll please... Next week's new adventure is:

FIND THE BEST CANOLLI IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO

Holy Jesus I'm so excited about this one I want to jump out of my skin!  I'm going to spend next week with a few friends trying to discover the best canolli Chicago has to offer.  It won't be easy, but its a challenge I'm willing to face.  So, if you think you know the most amazing canolli in the city, please let me know.  I'm taking suggestions, and I'm also open to a little help with the taste testing...

Found... Well sort of.

If this is actually my copy of 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' or an extra copy laying around at work doesn't really matter I guess.  The important thing is that I found the book.  At least, that is what I thought.  Yesterday my drama was wrapped up in actually finding the book.  Today's problem is actually finding the time to read said book.  I won't bore you with details, but putting in extra hours at work this week plus early mornings means I'm not as far along as I thought I would be.  In fact, I'm pretty positive there is no way I'll be done with this thing by Sunday.  Here I was thinking that this was going to be an easy week with just some relaxing and reading.  Turns out, I'm running around like a mad woman with a book in my bag that really has yet to see the light of day, trying to sneak quick breaks to grab a few pages here and there.  Who knew reading could be such a challenge!?!   I'm not saying this so you'll pity me, or to get off the hook.  Its more of a reminder to myself of how great the weekend will be sitting in a chair with a coffee and some actual time to enjoy the story.

still looking...

 

I'm trying to find a book to read.  I mean literally trying to find a book I want to read.  A few weeks ago I was at the book store and picked up a few things I had wanted / been meaning to read.  There were 2 early David Sedaris books of short stories, there was an Augusten Burroughs Holiday book, and then there was 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson.  So many people have recommended it to me over the last few months that it's been on my short list for a while now.  A little confusion from my mom as to which book in the series she had read, if there actually was a series, and if I could borrow said book, put reading it on hold for awhile.  So, when I happened to see it at the book store and remembered how much people wanted me to I wanted to read it, I added it to my pile.  Since then, I have read one of the Sedaris's and the Burroughs, and can, in fact, locate them with no problem.  However, 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' seems to have vanished.  Even more frustrating because I remember telling myself that I needed to put this specific book somewhere so I would know where it was, and not lose it, so I could read it when I had time.  As the pictures above indicate, not only have I looked all over for said book, but I do actually have other books I could read.  However, I kind of had my heart set on reading it, and it's no coincidence that 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' is the book Karen is so excited to be reading now, which means it's kind of responsible for this whole week.  So, if you happen to know where my copy is, would you remind me?  Otherwise, I'll be at the book store if you need me.

Just one little thing.

This week all started with a 30 second conversation I had with my friend Karen while we were waiting for the Bears game to start yesterday.  We were 2 hours in to claiming our seats at the bar, with an hour still to go before kickoff, and Karen happened to mention she wished she had brought her book.  Not in the lame reading a book in a bar way, but in the it was getting so good she really wanted to know what happened way.  It got me thinking that I couldn't tell you the last time I finished a book.  I don't dislike reading, I just forget to do it.  I mean, I'm forever checking the Tribune, or the New York Post on my phone, and I've got blogs I look at daily, but to actually have a book in hand that I'm totally invested in hasn't happened in awhile.  So, this week I've decided I'm going to read a book*.  That's it.  Just read a book.  I'll relax and read, and hopefully find something I can't put down.




*This one isn't the craziest thing I'll try this year, but I'm looking forward to reading a new book.  Any suggestions?  Or, if you want, you should read a new book this week too!

what's new: 3

This week's what's new is coming to you from Celtic Crown where I'm simultaneously drinking coffee and baileys, hanging out with friends, taking pictures, blogging, and praying for a bears win, but I digress. My week of museum trips left me filled to the brim with pictures and sound bites and snippets of information. Here are a few of the new things I learned:

-I love this city. I love it's history, I love it's energy, and I love actively being a part of all of it.

-No matter how 'cool' or educational, I will always get a little grossed out by filleted bodies.

-Sometimes what you're looking at isn't pretty, but it's imperative that you see and remember it.

-No matter how old you are, making a tornado, or a top with robots, or making electricity or rainbows will ALWAYS be fun.

-Fish are cool, dance parties with a 2.5 year old are better, and shark hats are the best.

-Its not always about the meaning of the art, it's just nice to be surrounded by pretty things.

-Spending time with friends will always be worth wading through science, or fish, or art, or anything really.

Opposite Day...(or the day I went to the Shedd and the Art Institute)

 

 

Today I got a double dose of museum.  I started the day off at the Shedd Aquarium and Oceanarium with my friends John and Marla (and their beautiful boys Logan and baby Reid), and ended my week at the Art Institue with my friend (and the birthday girl) Emily.  I've been to the Shedd a ton, and while seeing the same things over and over could have been boring, watching Logan find them for the first time was pretty exciting.  (Also, we had to keep stopping to take dance breaks- per Logan's request, so that broke things up a bit.)  After spending some quality time with some of my favorite friends, I headed over to the Art Institute where Emily graciously became my own personal tour guide and gave me a crash course on what the AI has to offer.  While we may have gotten lost a time or two, spending an afternoon surrounded by such pretty things and pretty people was well worth the confusion.

The Museum of Science and Industry... (or the day we didn't go to the nature museum.)

We started the day in Seattle.
(Not really.)


Nick posed by a train.


We saw a baby chick being born.
(Happy Birthday Chick!)


Nick decided to make a top.


Giant robots put it together.


Still assembling...


Sadly, it didn't pass the quality inspection.


We got bored waiting.


He finally got his Gravitron.


Nick climbed a science-y rock wall.
(I understand the science of gravity, so I did not.)

I saw my second Zach Morris phone in a week.

Nick found a light board.


He did light-y things.


Some of those light-y things.

Even more light-y things.

Then we went in the molecule mirror maze.
(It is unclear what molecules and mirrors have to do with each other.)

We toured the giant plane.

Nick sat in the engine.


I was excited Nick sat in the engine.

Nick found some electricity.

I found a double rainbow.


This guy found me.
(Filleted bodies are everywhere- crazy.)

We saw a light up dress...

and a light up bubble wall.


And I proved you can have fun, even in the gift shop.

I'm giving credit for this one to my friend Jackie. I was at brunch with another friend Nick getting ready to go to the Notebart Nature Museum when I got a text from Jackie:
'You need to go to the Museum of Science & Industry for your blog! It's the best museum! Jan 23rd is the last day for the Jim Henson exhibit!'
Nick and I were sold at Jim Henson, and in the time it took to pay the bill we changed plans and headed to the MSI. I had originally said I was going to try and go to museums that I'd never been to, but with all the changes and new exhibits, it may as well have been a totally new museum to me.