Monday, December 20, 2010

Buddy's 1 year passing anniversary

So, haven't been on here for about seven months. A lot of exciting things are happening in life...but this weekend whipped me back into reality. Buddy passed away a year ago this past Saturday.

So. Depressing.

I remember writing that blog last year with tears streaming down my face, but Saturday, I decided to do it up one more notch by watching "Marley & Me" on Sunday afternoon while doing laundry. SUCH a bad idea. What the hell was I thinking?

I have to say that a year went by quicker than expected, but it was as sharp a pain as it was last year. My dad sent the Buddy Smilebox picture compilation to my brother and me, which I watched for five minutes straight with a box of Kleenex by my side. Poor Mister Velveteen ears, I miss you.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Kitchen Tales: Blackberry - Orange Teacake

So, I bought the Cook Yourself Thinbook about 6 months ago after seeing the series on TV & hearing good feedback from friends, and I must say I am completely surprised and happy with the things I've made out of the cookbook.

As there is with any cookbook, there are favorites among myself and friends. The #1 choice for my new roommate is the teacake recipe. In the book, it is a raspberry - lemon; however, blackberries were on sale when I first made it. So, that's what I used. I did add a bit more sweetness to it by making a lemon glaze. Yes, I realize it's not healthy, but it made the cake shiny and sweet on top.






Here is the result of my second round at the teacake. For the glaze, combine 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon (or more until you reach your desired consistency) of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir, stir, stir. I promise you that it doesn't take a lot of liquid to thin out the powdered sugar.



Great Chicago weather...as bikini season starts.

The weather has changed this past week. No more of this half-ass Spring weather mixed with Winter cold/frosts. It has been above 87, consistently, since Sunday! Summer is here, people. Officially. Unfortunately, it makes me realize I am NOT ready for bikini season. At all.

This is getting out of control. 2 summers ago, I was walking around proud. Not right now. Time for some changes. Hence the weight loss challenge my friends and I are in right now. We've created our own separate blog, The Celery Stick, that you can go to & read up on our journey.

10% of our weight in 12 weeks. Through diet & exercise only. None of this diet fad BS. I'm ready for this. I'm ready to get back to where I was less than 2 years ago, before life, work and love stress hit me. No more excuses as I am the person of my own destiny!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

My dad thinks of Buddy today...

So, our family isn't over our loss of Buddy this past December before Christmas. He sent me an email this morning that Bob, his friend who runs Dirks Fund Golden Rescue in the St. Louis area, has been subtly hinting that my dad should adopt Clifford.

Clifford is a cute golden with an angular face. He has recently gotten over bloat and now has a 13-inch scar on his tummy. My reservation is that when dogs get bloat and survive, they are much more likely to experience it again.

This is my dad's email to Bob and it made me cry (like anything does when I think of Buddy). I love my dad.

My Buddy would have been eight today. His family of humans, canines, and felines still miss him. He was one of God's great blessings in my life. When I walked the neighborhood with my three boys, I felt like the richest man in the world. Some of the angels God sends us walk on all four legs.
-John Ewers

Monday, May 3, 2010

Kitchen Tales: EASY PEAS-IE STIR FRY

So, I haven't posted quite a few of my foodie rants. Time for catch up.

Watching Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" solidifies that I need to start cooking with more organic foods. Furthermore, I need to use what I've got in the kitchen rather than going directly for processed, packaged items, which I've been doing more and more when I don't feel like cooking. On one of the episodes of FR, Jamie does a cooking class and he teaches people to make an easy stir fry. I make stir fry's all the time and decided to show Jamie what I got.

EASY PEAS-IE STIR FRY
*Rule #1--use what you've got! I had celery, carrots, mushrooms, onion and pea pods in my fridge. So, that's what I used. Nothing fancy. But, use what you have!

Ingredient list:
Veggies &/or meat of choice
1 medium large orange--zested & juice from 1 half
2 Tbsp organic honey
1 inch grated ginger (I get fresh at the store, pop it into the fridge until I need it)
2 cloves grated or finely minced garlic
1-2 Tbsp peanut oil (or veggie oil/EVOO, I just like peanut oil because it adds another layer of flavor)
Soy sauce
Sesame oil (optional)

Let's get started...
Slice veggies
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high to medium heat
Pour peanut oil (or veggie/EVOO) into skillet, swirl to coat bottom
Add veggies/meat and stir quickly (don't let the veggies stick) for 1 minute
Add orange zest, garlic and ginger (*You may need to add a touch more oil to the pan if there's not enough. If the garlic burns, you'll have to toss out the batch)
Cook veggies with ginger and garlic for 5 minutes until veggies get a more vibrant shade
Add honey, OJ, soy sauce & sesame oil to taste and bring to a simmer
Let simmer for 1 minute until soy sauce infuses with the veggies





Now, I had a half box of whole wheat pasta left in the pantry. I decided to add that to my stir fry instead of rice. Just cook the pasta as normal and have ready to add. After the veggies have been cooked with the soy sauce, add noodles and toss. Add a bit more soy sauce if you think it tastes bland.





This is easy for anyone to make and is great for using up veggies, pasta, rice and other random things in the fridge. I made a big batch and put the majority in the freezer for quick, healthy meal options. It takes less time than ordering take-out and goes a lot further for the money. Slice up the remaining half of the orange. Never let anything go to waste! Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have them.


Adventures in redecorating

Since I moved into my current apartment over Memorial weekend 2009, I have HATED the color of my bedroom walls. Well, actually only three of the 4 walls, because the 4th wall is the "accent" color. The remaining 3 walls, though, were an awful brown...a mixture of what I call a poopy-orange. Definitely not my color palate or choice.

But, I didn't try painting my room because I knew that I might want to change my bedding at some point as it was time for an upgrade. Still, almost a year into our 15 month lease, I hadn't found bedding I liked nor did I paint the walls. That was until this past weekend.

My new roommate, Stephanie, moved in on Friday, and our first task Saturday was to get our living room decorated. Which meant we were painting our accent wall in the living room to fit our styles. While Stephanie and I talked about what color to paint the living room, I told her that I hated my room.

I took her back to my room, opened the door and showed her the gloriously tacky color on my wall. She sort of laughed and said it "wasn't that bad." To which I replied, "Yeah, for you! Try staring at the wall with that color on it." I also told her that part of my hold back in painting my bedroom was that I didn't want to paint it to fit my current bedding, because I was looking to get a new set but hadn't found one I really liked enough to buy. (Actually, I found one a few at West Elm but couldn't rectify spending $200+ on just a comforter when I could get a whole set at Target or Carsons.)

So, when we were out running errands at Target before heading to Home Depot to stock up on paints and supplies, we went through the bedding. And voila! I found a set I really liked. Just so happened that this set was the same that Steph had been deciding against the one she ended up buying. I'm learning we share a lot of the same tastes....

With the new comforter in toe, we went to Home Depot. We picked out a slate blue for the living room. And I then turned my attention to getting my paint picked out. I decided to go with Behr paint, because I've heard good things. And it was cheaper than the eco-friendly paint. (Why is all the stuff that is GOOD for the Earth up to 30% more expensive? I know we need to save THAT question for a Coffee Tawlk discussion.)

Roll this around on your tongue...Mushroom Bisque. "A yummy soup?," you might ask. Indeed, it is; however, it is now the color on 3 of my walls. It's a neutral, so the next tenants won't be shocked by a poopy-orange wall. As for my accent wall, I ended up using the same slate blue as we painted in the living room. And while it's a little darker than the seafoam blue in my comforter it goes...but it doesn't match. Ladies, you will understand this concept more than men.

Steph and I painted the living room that Saturday night, but I knew my bedroom would have to wait until Sunday. The bed room was a bit larger project scale after all.

Sunday @ 7:30am, I hop out of bed and start taping off my walls, door frames, window sills, outlets, vents and baseboards. 9:06am rolls around and I finally am finished. I couldn't believe it took me just over an hour and a half to tape off my room. I started to get scared at how large the project was. I still had a few things I needed from Home Depot. So, out I ventured again.

Coming back, I told Steph I was going in for the kill. It was party time. Sure, I had a few hiccups. Like when I thought that it would be a good idea to NOT paint the wall that was already the lighter shade already. I mean, the colors were so similar. Yeah, but when I went to put some touch-up paint on that wall where a crack was showing, it revealed the colors were NOT that close. So, I ended up having to paint that wall, too.

Or how about when I dropped my wet "mistake" cloth on the floor, bent down to pick it up and hit my head on the wall which resulted in THIS:




When I hit my head, all I could do was say an expletive, close my eyes, shake my head and keep going. I didn't look at my hair until after the entire room had been done, and all I could do was laugh. I consider myself to be a great painter, and I haven't had paint in my hair like this EVER. Just minor splish splashes.

The re-decorating was all worth it, because now, I live in THIS room....





I'm quite proud that I did it all by myself. I took ownership of it and got it done around 3pm that afternoon. It was fully dry and aired out by bed time. Going through this, I realized that one reason why I didn't hang out in my room more was because I couldn't stand the color in it. It's amazing how much our environment can influence our moods. But now, I don't think I'll be worrying about that. And yes, I realize I have only 4 1/2 months left in my lease, but I'd much rather do this now, enjoy the rest of my time and know what I will be doing in my new apartment if I move out at the end of August.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

A Traffic Halting Puppy on the Ike

For the past two days, there were traffic and news reports of a black pitbull mix puppy dog running along the Ike (290) in morning traffic. The dog wasn't hit yesterday and people assumed that he was back home or had been picked up by animal control.

Not so! This morning the little guy was back in his four-legged action running along side cars and weaving through the 2 lays of traffic. The worst part is that the Eisenhower is under construction and any reason to slow down on top of the already reduced speed limit can be frustrating for drivers. Thank God drivers on the road were willing to break for the pup.

When the police showed up, the puppy had been running for almost an hour and a half. I still cannot believe that the pup hadn't gotten hurt. Or any drivers for that matter. The pooch evaded police for about a half hour before they got him sandwiched between the concrete barrier and a couple police SUV's. One of the officers put out his hand in greeting and patted his leg. The dog, which has been rightfully named Ike, ran up to him and followed the direction of the officer into the back of one of the SUV's.

The follow-up story on the news this evening had him hooked up to an IV. Poor thing was in rough condition. Check out the link here. Read the story and watch the video!

*ARF ARF*

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Chicago Marathon 2010

So...I've never run a marathon. Never ran anything over a 10k. Still, I'm going to attempt (and hopefully complete) the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October. I'll be running as a member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention charity team.

I've been volunteering with them for the past year and did publicity for their community walk this past October. Still, this marathon is a bit more frightening. It's 26.2 miles. Am I nuts?

AFSP's marathon team is the 1st of its kind in AFSP history. And we're hoping to set an example in our efforts, do some fundraising and give other state chapters inspiration to try this in their community.

Now....which running shoes to get? I need to get in marathon shape!

If anyone out there is running but isn't affiliated with a charity team but wants to...check out our team website!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Cindy the CR-V

I've been thinking of trading in my car for awhile now. But I love my CR-V and really don't know what car would or could possibly take Cindy the CR-V's place. That car has moved me to and from Phoenix. Moved me to Chicago. Taken me to Orlando, Houston, Toronto, Niagara Falls & Buffalo for Spring Break. And has been my outlet when I needed last minute road trips.

But...tomorrow's the day. I test drive a Honda Insight. In my efforts to go "green" when I can, I'm hoping that if I do decide to downsize to a sedan, it will be reliable and green.

More to come.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day to all! I don't understand the people who don't believe in Global Warming or that our landfills could essentially kill the planet. Are you absolutely insane? Or can you just not read?

People need to start realizing that the actions we are taking can and will either kill or maintain the Earth. We've only got one planet to live on...so far...but we seem to take for granted what we have at our fingertips. I hear too many people say, "Well, I won't be around when the Earth dies." Wow, what great humanitarian ideals you have. It shows maturity and care for your kids, nieces, etc.

I tweeted some easy green tips today. That EVERYONE can do:
1. Recycle your plastic bottles/aluminum cans!
2. Turn off the lights if you're not in the room!
3. Don't leave the water running when you're brushing!

Sadly, I got the inspiration to tweet this today, because 3 of my best friends DO these things, and it drives me absolutely insane. I have never and will never tell them to change what they do, but it doesn't mean that it's not any less important. Everyone making small steps can make a huge difference. I watched Oprah this morning and couldn't believe some of the things I heard.

One family left lights on from 6am-11pm, even when they weren't home. The air conditioning was set on 68 with the windows open at the same time. Oh, and the external temp was colder than the A/C setting. This family also had 3 garbage cans of trash but no recycling. Oprah ended up doing her version of a green "Wife Swap" with a family from Oregon, and that eco-friendly Portland mom taught the new family to recycle, turn off lights and don't waste what you don't need at the time (i.e. electricity). All these things are easy to do and can conserve valuable energy.

Another part of the show this morning dealt with the huge aquatic landfills we've made of the oceans. There is plastic and garbage so sever that it can be as much as 90 feet deep. This debris is killing and contaminating our aquatic wildlife.

My parents have raised my brother and I do be aware of the little things we can personally control. My mom has a green thumb, and I remember having mini-compost bins at our house. The upkeep became overwhelming, and it ended up only lasting a couple of years. But I remember my mom saving our veggie and fruit "scraps" to feed the bin to create fertilizer.

Recycling was never a thought in our family--it was natural for us. My dad installed a pop can crusher in our garage right next to our recycling bins. And I remember my brother and I having a jumping war when we would crush the gallon milk jugs before tossing them into recycling. The sound they made as we both crashed our feet into the plastic was s0 loud. Back in the day before pop cans came in convenient sleeves, they came in 6-pack plastic rings. When we had finished a full ring, we would cut the rings because my dad would say we didn't want a seagull to get caught and die.

I just want everyone to care. Which is sometimes too much to ask. My brother says that people will live in the way they want and is most convenient for them. It just sucks we're killing mother nature doing so.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

GLEE Auditions

So, Season 2 auditions are being held online via Myspace. I am determined to audition and get back into the world of the performing. It's something missing in my life. It's a void in my soul. I always wonder why I don't feel completely satisfied at work.

Probably because I'm getting bored with the everyday corporate scene...I need a little step touch, jazz hand action in my life....

Monday, April 12, 2010

Spring Break 2010

Every Spring, I try to take a mini vacation with my friends or family. I know that I've been out of college for almost 5 years, but this is one tradition that is needed both for my personal sanity and to fully disconnect from work.

After a very stressful year at work, I knew that Spring couldn't come soon enough. I was going with two of my besties. Like me, Lizzy was looking forward to a much needed break from domestic and corporate life. Liz's past year included some big life changes: a move to Wisconsin, an engagement and a new job. That is a lot of good stress but it can extremely shake up the normalcies of your everyday life. And Bri...well, Bri is a teacher, which basically means she's looking for to Spring Break from day 1 of each school year.

As you may recall from my post last March, Bri & I took a road trip down to Houston to visit my friend and roomie, Denise. We drove for 16 hours each way to have 3 days of vacation. And it was tiring! We decided this year that a road trip would still be the most economical solution, but we were set on finding something closer in distance. During a conference gchat with Lizzy, Bri & me, we decided to take our travels "international" and journeying to Toronto. It was only 9 hours away and was close enough to take a side trip to Niagara Falls--a wonder of the world none of us had seen!

In preparation for our trip, we all put together a food list to take in the car on the way too and from. Bri was packing a cooler wish some drinks, pretzels & grapes.

On my menu? Homemade granola bars. I made a chewy dried fruit & nut bar as well as a crispy almond chocolate bar. (NOTE: The almond chocolate bars were completely and horrifically consumed at the paws of Lizzy...who couldn't keep her grubby hands off of them!) The recipe is out of Cook Yourself Thin & was so easy to make, I probably will never waste money on pre-packed bars again. I also made the blueberry and banana muffins out of the cookbook, too. It was nice to have some easy go-to food for starting our day or snacking. I think that saved us a lot of money, too, as Toronto was more expensive thatn I had imagined.

We hit the road early on Saturday, March 27th and crossed over from Michigan into Canada in the early afternoon. I have never been in Canada before, and I wasn't sure what it was going to be like. Crossing over that bridge was the most amazingly beautiful site. The bridge is quite high, and due to the weather, there were floating ice chunks in the lake. The water was shimmering in the sunny afternoon and the trees were already turning green. Yeah, the beautiful scenery soon was dull when we got about 5 miles past the border. It looked like Oklahoma. It was all tan and flat with no civilization other than farms!

The drive into Toronto on the QEW was a nice entry into the city. We got a pre-sighting of: CN Tower, harbor, China Town and Dundas/Yonge. When we finally arrived at the hotel that evening, we grabbed a late dinner in time for Earth Hour. Toronto had so many things happening, including a free concert in Yonge|Dundas Square. Yonge is like NYC's Time Square. What I loved most about Toronto was the multicultural atmosphere. It's the most diverse city I've been to. The city has a lot of shopping, too, which surprised me. While it wasn't in my budget to ape-wild on my love of everything retail, it was nice to see some cool shops/boutiques. Looking for nightlife on Saturday, we took a cab to Queen West to Rivoli and had some wine/beer with some locals. Not exactly "bumpin'" but it was entertaining.

Sunday, we took a guided bus tour around Toronto and got to see some amazing sites. The most breathtaking....Casa Loma. Back in the time it was being built, it took an estimated $3mil, which is about $300mil today. They ended up losing the castle due to money problems...duh...and the city of Toronto absorbed the property as a local real estate investment.



The tour allowed us to see some sites in Toronto and helped us plan what we wanted to do the next day, which was our last there before venturing to Niagara. We saw Parliament, City Hall, CN Tower & the harbor on the tour.

Starting off our final day in Toronto, we went to the harbor because the weather was nice and sunny. The private airport is on a small island close to the harbor. Kind of weird to see a hanger on a small island. I kept thinking it was going to sink into the water. But it didn't. Toronto's Police Dock is in the center of the harbor walk. It is close enough to patrol the lake and be close to the private hanger.



But what happens if the police need help? Don't you worry about that! The police have their own protector...the biggest male swan I have EVER seen!




After the dock, we walked into Lawrence Market and grabbed a quick lunch before taking a walk up to see the MTV building. We also wanted to go out that way because our waiter at lunch said he has seen Cameron Diaz & Justin Timberlake in the area. Yeah, we didn't. But it was still nice to think they might be there.

Other mention-worthy happenings were at China Town and Village Idiot Pub. Amazing, fresh and authentic Chinese food and a wonderful bar with amazing "house" beer. We had our last night in Toronto at the Village Idiot. I would definitely go back!

We left Toronto in the morning on Tuesday and took our second leg of our Spring Break. Niagara Falls or BUST! It was the perfect time of year to go to the falls. There weren't too many tourists and the air was crisp and fresh. It was beautiful and peaceful. I can't believe my parents never took my brother and me for a family weekend.








What we weren't expecting was for Niagara to take less than 2 hours. There really isn't too much to do there unless you want to shop or gamble. We had made arrangements at a hotel in Buffalo since it was only 45 minutes away. Back on the road we were. The cross over back into New York and the U.S. was a welomed site. IT was in the line at the border check that we finally turned our cell phones back on. If you haven't been able to shut off your phone on a vacation and completely disconnect, I sincerely recommend you do. After checking into the hote, we grabbed lunch at Gabriel's Gate and had an amazing burger...if you're in the area, go there! Our Front Des Rep at the hotel recommended it and we were not disappointed.


Note to self, if you are done at Niagara Falls around noon, just drive home. After lunch in Buffalo, we laid around in the hotel taking naps for about 4 hours. L-A-M-E! But we were short on cash & hadn't planned anything to do there. Around 7pm we did venture around Allen Street Neighborhood and grabbed a couple of drinks at a local pub. It was kind of scary. Probably wouldn't go back there.

We left Wednesday morning at 5:45am to drive back to Chicago and got into the city around 2pm. With a wonderfully adventurous trip under our belts. It was time to get ready to go back to reality. We unloaded my car, did some laundry, ate some lunch and went to bed.

Yet...my journey wasn't over. The next night, I flew out to Phoenix for Easter with Katie and baby Oliver. Travel blog to be continued.

Kitchen Tales: Meridith's New Signature Sandwich

There couldn't possibly be more delicious selections than what goes between two slices of bread. I'm talking about an American classic--the sandwich. Creations are ENDLESS. And while I like to go all out when I cook or entertain my friends, sometimes, you have to just stick to your guns and make it a sandwich.

When Brianne was in town a couple months ago, we had a lazy Saturday afternoon and decided to stay in for lunch. I knew we'd have sandwiches because I didn't have much else, but it wasn't until I went all gourmet on that sandwich that I got excited about it.

I present to you....Meridith's New Signature Sandwich.




Please wipe the drool off your face. Salivating will not help. To make this sandwich, you will need:

Ingredients:
Whole wheat & grain organic bread
Mayo mixture (see below)
Sliced chipotle turkey
Sliced pepper jack
Bacon, lettuce, sliced tomato & avocado

For the mayo mixture:
In a food processor combine lite mayo (I use Miracle Whip b/c I'm from the MIDWEST! WOOT!), 1 clove garlic & fresh dill. Pulse & blend until chopped, combined and smooth.

How to make...
Toast bread under broiler
Spread mayo mixture on 1 side
Top bread w/ turkey & pepper jack (*toast the meat & cheese under broiler for 1-2 mins if you want the cheese to melt)
Add turkey bacon, lettuce, sliced tomato & avocado


COOK'S TIP: Being that turkey bacon has proven to not be any better for you than regular bacon, you might as well just use regular bacon. God knows it tastes better. Just make sure it's a decent kind & tear off the fatty parts. Turkey bacon was all I had in the fridge that day.

ENJOY! And let me know how you like it.

Kitchen Tales: Wild Mushroom & Pea Risotto

So, I'm a mini-chef. I admit it. My friends know it (and love it). Growing up with a mother & grandmother who could cook, I sort of was born with it in my blood.

My family has their favorite dish of mine. Top family favorites: PB & chocolate chip cookies, Mediterranean Frittata & Fall Salad.

But the favorites might change after I cook this Wild Mushroom & Pea Risotto for my family and friends. Jennifer "Bacon" Blakeman got to try a bit of my leftovers this past Friday when she was in town for the 2nd Annual Chicago Snuggie Pub Crawl. When I told her she didn't have to tell me she liked it if she didn't, she turned to me, silent, with the spoon in her mouth. "It's delicious." She said. And I knew we had a winner!!!

Courtesy inspired by Emeril Lagasse.


I did add some differences in wine, which I truly believed made the best difference. I'm not telling you what kind I used; however, if you are nice, you can ask. This recipe really would be delicious with many other veggies, including asparagus.

I ended up making a huge batch but froze the majority of it. I took a couple servings out of the freezer last Tuesday. It defrosted and heated back up perfectly. You could add a teaspoon of water/cream, but don't do so until you are sure you need it.

Since you couldn't enjoy the deliciousness with me, here are pictures for your viewing pleasure:

BEFORE



AFTER

Sunday, April 11, 2010

RIP Dixie Carter

Like many of my friends, I watched "Designing Women" with my mom. I loved the show because my mom did, even though I didn't understand a lot of the adult humor. As I got older and watched re-runs, I ended up loving the show and would stay up during college to watch it on the 11pm time slot.

My favorite character? Julia Sugarbaker, obviously. Probably because she was the center of the best parts of the show. The character had a feisty attitude and was blatantly honest. Come to think of it...Julia Sugarbaker reminded me a lot of my mom.

Honestly, I couldn't see anyone other than Dixie Carter in this role and doubt anyone else could have done the party the justice it deserved.

Dixie Carter's most infamous clip? Defending her sister, played by Delta Burke, to the '86 Reigning Miss Georgia World. And in honor of this brilliant actress. I present the YouTube link for your enjoying pleasure.

Click here

RIP Dixie Carter.

Hustle Up the Hancock 2.0

Well, being that I've had a blogging break for 2 months, I believe it's time to jumpstart this catch-up by discussing the Hustle Up the Hancock 2010 Climb.

Last year, my friends and I signed up for the Hustle as individual climbers, because we weren't sure we could get enough people for a team to make the cost do-able on our limited budgets. Being that I had never done anything like this before, my adventurous and challenging nature kicked in. The climb was amazing. I had never seen so many people up and ready so early in the morning before in my life! To make things better? My friend, Angel, ended up placing in the top 20 for the half climb (and in the top 10 for the half climb women results). My one complaint and overall shock was how stuffy and dry the air was in the stairwells. Even though our Hustle e-newsletter and tips warned about the air, it did counteract some of the training we all had done, because we weren't expecting it to be that bad.




So, this year, we were all in! And we were well aware of what to expect. I happened to recruit another friend to make our team 4 strong. The full climb was completely registered by the time our team went online to register, which meant we were stuck with the half climb. That ended up being perfectly OK as all of our schedules didn't lead to the best training.

Last year, my training consisted of Stair Master (at least) 5 times a week...sometimes training once in the morning and again after work. Yet, this year, I completely flacked. Elizabeth and Bri had a lot of stuff as well...gotta love work projects!!! Angel was the only teammate who consistently trained as well as she did last year, and she finished just like she did last year. She brings a tear to my eye...my little winner.

After we all reached the top and had eaten our banana, we were waiting waiting in line to take the elevator back down when it hit me. The worst allergy attack! I was sneezing non-stop, and I thought I was about to get a bloody nose. Liz reminded me that this happened last year, even though I had forgotten.

Our reward for the climb...a big cup of hot chocolate and brunch at Uncommon Ground. Definitely much needed after climbing a gazillion steps at 7:30am!



I'm definitely excited to do the climb again next year. We're going to keep going until we're all either married or move out of the city! It's always great to get to do things like this that are both athletic, challenging and with your friends. Note to self: Take an allergy pill before you go next time!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

ERIC CLAPTON CROSSROADS GUITAR FEST

Earlier this week, I got an email newsletter from JAM Music. They always have awesome performances/concerts that I don't get from Ticketmaster.com.

The first concert it detailed was Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival being held at Toyota Park (in a Chicago 'burb) on June 26th. I knew he was back on tour; however, I had no clue that Guitar Fest was happening, and with SO many awesome performers. With the tickets being only $100, no matter what seat, I thought it was a steal for having the caliber of performers already confirmed.

Tickets were on pre-sale; however, you had to have a code or something. So, I had to wait along with the majority of the ticket buyers for the sale to begin on Saturday at 10am CST. As I waited the 48 hours to buy tickets, I kept getting more and more excited.

My dad had already told me he wanted to go, but we hadn't asked my mom or brother yet. But when my dad asked them, their response was "let's roll!" (Gotta love the Ewers family.)

I grew more and more anxious waiting for tickets because I KNEW this would sell out rather quickly. But I didn't realize exactly how quickly. I got on Ticketmaster.com around 9:50am and clicked refresh every minute until it opened at 10am. I put my request in for the maximum 4 tickets and went to the jump page that shows you how long you have to wait until your available seat confirmation comes up. Usually when I do it, it takes maybe 10 seconds tops but I waited well over 2 minutes. It was CRAZY!

Long story short, we were able to get Section 112, Row 10, Seats 1-4 reserved. I went back right after I got the confirmation to get 2 tickets for a friend who had mentioned giving them to her boyfriend as a gift, but they were already sold out. That was around 10:11am.

CAN'T WAIT UNTIL 6/26!!! We've seen Eric Clapton before (my parents a few times) and it was awesome. I can only imagine what the whole day will be like!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Kitchen Tales: A Valentine's Day Chinese New Year Dinner Party

So, this past Sunday's/Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year feast was AMAZING! Just a recap, I had quite a few things on my menu: baked mini egg rolls with sweet and sour sauce, sesame chicken, orange chicken, steamed broccoli and almond cookies (at first). I've never been afraid of cooking Asian cuisine; however, cooking it for a group of 6 people (3 of whom I didn't know), I was a tad nervous. But I must say, you get into a groove quickly.

Starting around 3:30pm on Saturday afternoon, I started making any and all the sauces from scratch. Since I've made the eggrolls with sweet & sour sauce before, I wasn't too caught up on it. However, making a homemade orange and sesame chicken sauces was a bit frightening. And as a side note, I must say that corn starch has become a new friend. My extensive knowledge and exposure to corn starch was from Thanksgiving, when my mom would use it for gravy. The sauces used a lot of similar ingredients, rice wine vinegar, sugar, soy, etc. So, it made the process more of an assembly line...which was also helpful in the timing of everything. By the time I was done with the sauces, the apartment smelled like my very own, personal Chinese restaurant.

Moving on to the chicken, I started marinating it in soy sauce and corn starch. I did fry the chicken but not in an actual flour-based batter in a deep fryer. It was more of a stir fry process. The chicken was not as I would have seen in take-out boxes, but it still looked nice and crunchy and yummy. I split up the chicken into two batches since the marinade for the sesame chicken was a bit different than the orange chicken. But it didn't really affect the overall taste from sharing the same pan. When the chicken was done, I popped it in the oven on a basic warm temperature to start dessert.

After consulting with D about about dessert, we made the executive decision to nix the almond cookies in case of allergies or dislike of almond flavor. Instead, we would make homemade fortune cookies in both traditional and chocolate flavors. I reviewed the recipe online and thought I had everything I needed. Which I did...except eggs. At this point, I didn't have time to run to the store again, and Denise was cleaning the apartment to get ready to meet her friends whom were coming into town.

Hurriedly, I called Chantel to pick up some eggs before coming over, except she had to run to Target and other errands when she got off work at 4pm. Which wouldn't work since she wouldn't be able to make it to the apartment in time for me to make the batter, cook, form and cool the cookies before the party started. So, we decided to do a light angel food cake, with frozen strawberry puree and chocolate sauce. D ended up rushing the final cleaning and getting ready so she could pick up the angel food cake before meeting her friends at the train.

The last thing I had to do was make the mini eggrolls. I encourage you...DO NOT BE AFRAID TO MAKE THEM YOURSELF! I bought wonton wrappers at the store, and they're usually right above the celery, carrots, snap peas, etc. Use pre-cute slaw mix for the base and add your other veggies/proteins of choice. I used the slaw mix, red pepper, scallions and mushrooms. Then you just wrap the veggie mixtures in the wontons, pop in a well heated oven and bake! Voila! While the eggrolls baked off, I just threw some fresh broccoli in the steamer. I set the serving burea and set the table.

Overall, the entire dinner party was a success, and we all had a good time. And minus a slight breakdown over the sesame chicken not tasting the way I wished, everything cooked perfectly with easy clean-up. The guests loved the food. They all commented on the freshness of the taste, which made me feel like I was truly on my way of mastering my most-loved Chinese dishes. It truly is noticeable when the food hasn't sat in a box in the fridge and was then reheated in the microwave. Do I wish I could have tried making the fortune cookies? Yes, but I will have to save that for another time.

The biggest "Oops!" of the night was when I discovered we were out of diswasher fluid tablets and couldn't run the dishwasher full of dirty pots and dishes before the dinner party guests arrived. But hey, if that's the biggest of our problems for the night, it wasn't too bad.

The picture below is for your taste buds' viewing pleasure. Let the drooling begin...

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentines Day...but I'm celebrating with Chinese New Year




HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE! While this Hallmark holiday makes me cringe, I am glad to see my family and friends having fun with their significant others. I was lucky to have TWO valentines this year....Chippy Do & D. Best friends are the best valentines. This year, I got Hello Kitty mini valentines for everyone a la grade school when you got the box full of pre-made cards and had to leave one on everyone's desk! They've been a big hit so far! <3

Because we have no one to really smoochie-smooch today, D and I are throwing a Chinese New Year themed party for a few friends in OUR celebratory style. Screw V-day. ;-) We will be making homemade Chinese...because I've found I can pretty much cook anything...baked mini eggrolls, sesame chicken and crispy almond cookies. I'm a bit nervous about the cookies, because they have some big shoes to fill. When I lived in Oak Park, Lizzy & I would go to the same Chinese restaurant because it was amazingly delicious every time. You know sometimes food at a restaurant will be perfection, but when you return and order the same exact thing, it tastes like camel spit? Yeah, never here. This place has THE BEST almond cookies. So, while mine may be "ok" for tonight's dinner gathering, I already know they won't live up to the best almond cookie in the world!

Please have a great day, whether or not you like this Hallmark holiday. Find a way to deal with the overly zealous couples and have fun with friends. And if you can, steal a kiss from the person you're pining for!



(Hey, if I can break up with a boyfriend ON Valentines Day (literally on 2/14/07 @ 6pm) but still remain happy, anyone can!)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

It's blizzard and earthquake season in Chicagoland

Only in the Midwest, and around Chicagoland,can the two polarized natural occurrences of a blizzard and earthquake happen simultaneously. Yes, it can happen.

Snow started falling the evening of Monday, January 8th and has been consistent since. We were supposed to get 6-10 inches over night, but I think yesterday got the brunt of the hit. It wasn't as bad as the East coast getting foots upon foots of snow. And while the swirling specks of snow are beautiful, I would never have thought that at around 4am this morning, we would have an earthquake (ranked at a 4.3 I'm told)!

Is it only me or is an earthquake in the midst of a blizzard just odd?

This earthquake is the second I remember happening in the past few years. A couple years ago, I woke up to my bed shaking. I sat up and looked across the room to see my dresser rocking back and forth with some spare change on top of the dresser sliding to the floor. It wasn't a HUGE earthquake, but my IKEA furniture isn't that stable.

My first thought was NOT an earthquake. Why would I think of something so obvious? Instead, I seriously thought there was a demon/devil in my room shaking my bed. I was FREAKED OUT! After a few seconds, the shaking stopped and I laid in bed clutching my blanket to my chest. It wasn't until I woke up and caught the news of the earthquake that I was ok. Otherwise, I would have slept somewhere else!

For this morning's earthquake, I was fast asleep at 4am and didn't fully wake up. But in my dream, I sort of remember thinking something was moving in my bedroom. It was about 50 miles Northwest of Chicago, almost at the WI border. My cousin in WI felt it.

Just goes to show you, our earth is a magical thing/place. Random things happen all the time!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Standardized testing shouldn't determine educational worth!

As a whole, I think of myself as an intelligent, well-spoken and confident individual. Yet, today, I feel as stupid as I can feel, and it is all because of today's LSAT. After the test, I felt like vomitting.

For those of you unfamiliar with the LSAT, it is the Law School Admissions Test and consists of five sections and a writing sample (which isn't scored...of course, my best area isn't even scored!). There are three types of sections that make up the LSAT--reading comprehension, logical reasioning and, my personal enemy, analytical reasoning. Every LSAT has 2 logical reasoning, 1 reading comprehension and 1 analytical reasioning. BUT...there is one more open section that could be either another reading comprehension or an analytical reasoning.

Just my luck, today I had two analytical reasoning sections. It is truly my worst nightmare as my brain doesn't think in the confines of this section as quickly as the 35 minutes allots.

For the past two years, I've been contemplating, dreaming about and analyzing going back into graduate school. Going back and forth between music, advertising, business and veterinary medicine, I keep returning to law school as it has been a repeated calling of mine. Even my General Manager has stated to me a few times that "(I) should be lawyer."

Five years ago before graduating college, I took the LSAT but decided to move to Phoenix instead of going straight into school. When Phoenix didn't work out the way I wanted, I came home and immediately found a job in Chicago. I put off returning to graduate school, because I wanted to prove that I could make it in the real world, which I did. However, the pride I felt at paying my own bills was stifled by my repeated questioning if "sales" is really my professional calling. Quite frankly, I don't want to be in sales forever. Regardless of my success, it's not something I feel I could sustain for the next forty years and remain happy.

Still, the thought of sitting for the LSAT has really made me nervous due to its end-all decision whether or not law schools see you as a viable and deserving candidate for acceptance.

You see, every law school puts more stress on the LSAT score than it does on everything else a student and/or working professional has accomplished. So, when I realized that I had 2 analytical reasoning sections, I felt screwed from the start. On top of the analytical reasoning, there was a time during section 2 that I could not focus on the questions, which resulted in me spending 5 minutes reading and re-reading one page of questions. And not even attempting to answer them!

This frustration only reaffirms my hatred at the United States educational systems. More indubitably, standardized testing. From high school, my hatred of standardized testing has been a recurring theme of my life. What is that test that we had to take before college? The ACT (the one that scores up to 36)??? Yeah, that I got a 22...twice.

I had a 3.75 GPA in high school and was in English AP, which was the first time any AP class was offered at my high school. Do you think that the ACT concretely and accurately gauged my intelligence and capability? No, it obviously did not.

This fact is proven that in college, I became very active in organizations, residence life, IM's and graduated in honors with a 3.61 GPA.

When I was younger, I was clinically diagnosed with ADD. I was told that I could grow out of many of the prepubescent symptoms with proper dedication, teaching and focus. And I did. Nevertheless, I still could not focus during testing and quiet restrains of classes. I contribute this to be a leading factor at my overall impediments and shortcomings to my performance.

Leading into this LSAT as adult with involvement in two philanthropic organizations (one of which that asked me to be on its board-as the youngest board member), supportive upper management, successful professional experience and my previous collegiate GPA, I still don't feel confident that these components will be enough. Perhaps its the fact that I always think I could have done something better and different.

But I know that I'm better than what that test may be. I know my worth as not only a student but also as a formidable candidate for law school. I just hate that rejection or acceptance can be as impersonal and biased on a single score.

Furthermore, I hate the fact that those that scored well on the LSAT but had a much lower GPA than others will have an easier time of acceptance. Just because they scored well on a test. You can see this if you research some law school's acceptance requirements wherein the LSAT must be 155 or higher, but the GPA minimum could be 3.20!!!

Which is more important? The person or the test? It is my personal believe that a test should not be deeming one adequate.

My friends keep encouraging me to remain positive, and I will. My life isn't defined by this test. My life is defined by me, and me alone. And I choose to not let this LSAT be my end-all decision.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

The Comeback of the Dinner Party

I'm on a mission...and that is to bring back the mid-week dinner party. It used to be prevalent in a time where we, as a society, seemed to have more class and chivalry. Dinner parties were held to introduce friends, catch up on who moved in the house next door or impress the big boss man. But as we have gotten busier and more into our search for total global domination, we've let stress and rudeness dominate our overall interactions with each other.

For as modern/liberal minded I am, I find myself liking a certain classic way of life. And a good meal, cooked at home and enjoyed amongst friends is one of them. I get the whole idea that we are busy and schedules don't allow for much wiggle room, but seriously, people. Eating among friends over a good plate of food is better than any TV show. Life's problems can be forgot, even if for a short time, with a single bite of delicious food.

I'm not talking about picking up take-out and dropping it in one of your nice china serving dishes either. I'm talking about putting in some chopping time--giving it your gusto in the kitchen as you prepare something both yummy and pretty (because after all, food with more color is more enjoyable). Speaking for myself, I find great relief and solitude cooking after work. It is the only time in the day that I can focus on something other than the stressors of work/life and control what I am doing.

As my friends and family are well aware, when I say I love to cook, I mean I LOVE to cook; however, sometimes I get bored of cooking for myself and Denise, my roomie. There are times when I yearn for a group of friends to get together for some wine/cocktails and a stuffing meal. The lucky part? Most of my friends entertain my last minute whims...such as a Mexican Fiesta Dinner Party night thrown together in less than 24 hours...

Monday evening, I had asked a good friend of mine to come over as he had just moved to Chicago and I hadn't seen him since my NYE party. He suggested Wednesday as a good dinner night, and I was game. However, as I decided upon our menu last night, it hit me. "I should make a small dinner party out of this!" I thought to myself. After sending out the "text invitations" last night, I was set for a nice little gathering.

Just five of us, including me & Denise. A manageable menu with a nice go-around of the table. Perfect size for a mid-week dinner party. The best yet...everyone needs to eat dinner! So, it was already killing 2 birds with one stone: 1) Eating & 2) Socializing.

Our menu consisted of jicama salad with red onions, grape tomatoes, corn seasoned with chili powder/cumin/paprika, red peppers and dressed only with lime juice. The main course was a green chili chicken enchilada bake (which is out of the Cook Yourself Thin cookbook & is delicious but HEALTHY!). Stephanie was a doll and brought over some chips and salsa to add to the feast!

Overall verdict...a top night, top night.

People, join forces with me and plan a monthly dinner party. It will relieve stress, prove to be a good way of getting through the week and allow you time with your friends. Bring back some tradition to meal time, and I promise, you won't be disappointed.


***BUDGET TIP***
If money is tight but you want to get people together, make it a potluck! Everyone must bring a dish to be shared. That way, you won't feel the monetary heat at each meal. However, I caution that most people ask to bring dessert...so, don't be afraid to say "First come first serve" on what they bring: appetizer, main dish, side, dessert or cocktails. You can also plan a theme as I did with the Mexican Fiesta. Then, the menu will be cohesive instead of all over the place.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

ILLINOIS PRIMARY ELECTION 2010


Illinois' primary polls opened at 6am this morning and close at 7pm tonight. Get your cute little caboose to that poll, people.

VOTING IS A PRIVILEGE THAT YOU SHOULDN'T OVER LOOK AS SO MANY OTHER COUNTRIES DON'T ALLOW/EXTEND THAT PRIVILEGE TO THEIR COUNTRYMEN!!!!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Grammys, or should I call them "Schammys"

I turned on the Grammys at exactly 7:02pm CST to see the ending of Lady Gaga's "Pokerface" with the transition into "Speechless/Your Song" with Elton John. I love Gaga but find her live performances to be a bit confusing to me. And while I love the theater and musical expression, I still don't completely understand her.

Some of the award winners weren't exactly who I would have thought deserving of the Grammy, but it is not my job to decide. To be nominated in the category alone makes them worthy, I guess...

What I have most been disappointed with is the quality of performances. Specifically focusing on Taylor Swift. While I believe her to be wise beyond her years as a lyricist, I find her vocal quality as low as you can imagine. Still, she has dominated the music scene this year winning numerous awards. Should I not feel duped when this happens? To award a singer for her inability to remain on key while performing live?

Seriously? Do you think the Grammy Committee was contemplating a polite course of action for asking for the Grammy back? Because if I were them, I would be embarrassed.

I understand the purpose of the Grammys is to celebrate ALL music forms; however, I feel as though it's an excuse for horrible performances.

People complain about performances and have no merit to their critique. These people base it off of what they've seen/heard by the judges on "American Idol," but let me be clear. I wouldn't take advice or direction of critiquing musical capabilities by people who use the word "pitchy." I do understand music and have been surrounded by it since birth and studied it. Which probably isn't a good thing when you want to just sit back and enjoy a performance.

Still, I think there needs to be some responsibility put on "performers" when it comes to tonality, rhythm and creativity.

Now, let's end on a positive note of the evening. I enjoyed Pink's aerial expression and choreography. The fact she dipped herself into a pool a la "Flash Dance" was AWESOME! Also, Beyonce in her military "Don't Mess With Me or You'll Go Home a Hen vs. Rooster" get-up was sweet. When she broke out into "You Oughta Know," I thought I had died. I had heard she performed this song while on tour, but it was awesome to have it on the Grammys. I was surprised how much I enjoyed David Foster, Andrea Bocelli & Mary J Blige's performance. It really did move me. The ice and fire of the two genres/sounds was great.

Most surprising fact about tonight's performers...Bon Jovi had never performed before tonight! What? You're telling me that during all the Grammys of the hair band years, Bon Jovi NEVER performed? Well, I was shocked. It was a great touch to allow the public to vote on which song Bon Jovi performed. Of course I voted. When my friend, Jennifer, told me it was open voting. I hopped on www.cbs.com/grammys to vote. When I saw "Living On a Prayer" was one of the 3 songs, I knew it would win. Even still, I voted for "Always." Can't beat a rock ballad.

Each year, the Grammys puts together a year in review of all the musicians and executives who had passed. I was a bit upset that Ellie Greenwich didn't get any further respect than her name at the end. A lot of well-known music has her influence.

When Les Paul's RIP came up, I thought of my dad. And when they paid a tribute playing a Gibson Les Paul electric, I remembered my dad. From when I was younger, I remember my dad jamming out in the basement with his Les Paul.

***BREAKING NEWS: Taylor Swift just won for album of the year.***

On that note, I need to go. I seriously cannot believe that. I like the girl but come on...that's some BS.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Missing Buddy the Wonder Dog


One of my last posts back in December was right before Christmas. It candidly detailed the struggles my family was having in choosing whether or not to operate on Buddy's, our family Golden, front left leg. It was an amputation surgery due to stage 1 bone cancer. And even after University of Illinois' Veterinarian Department reported Buddy as a good candidate for amputation surgery, our family all had reservations about it. The UofI reports coupled with the stories from friends' experience with dogs having only 3 legs, the decision was made to go through with the surgery. Even though my dad, mom, brother and I all were scared that the morning we took Buddy into the vet would be the last we would see him "healthy," none of us said anything to the others about our fears.

I wish we had.

Buddy died the Saturday, basically a week, before Christmas.

Buddy came out of the surgery as well as expected for a 107 lb dog to. He was groggy, uncomfortable, scared and crying. But he seemed to be as any other dog before him that had this type of surgery. Aunt Doctor Becky (ADB) asked us to stay away from the vet clinic that Friday of his surgery, because she wanted to keep his blood pressure/heart rate as steady and low as possible. However, she did say we could come that next morning to see him.

Saturday morning hit, and my dad was anxious to get us all over to see Buddy. We rushed to get our warm clothes on and got to the vet around 8:30am. Buddy was lying in his recovery pin with only three legs. It was definitely a shock to see him, but I have to say that I was expecting a horrible wound that would have been bleeding profusely. Instead, there was a clean, white gauze bandage wrapped all around his front shoulder and just a hint of stitches where the top of the surgical cut was.

Buddy laid on the floor with a morphine drip to ease his pain. Doped up or not, he knew we were there and started whimpering when he saw us. ADB suggested that we speak calmly to him and make sure to give him pets and kisses. Each of us took turns, Dad-Mom-Me-Rob-Me-Dad-Mom-Me-Rob-Dad-Me-Mom-Dad-Rob-Dad to cover Buddy in as much love and positivity as we could to help him start his healing process. Earlier, Buddy had been able to get help onto his 3 legs and out to go potty with the assistance of ADB and one of the vet techs. ADB tried to help Buddy onto his legs to show us how he was progressing, but Buddy struggled in pain and confusion. My mom sucked in a quick gasp of air. I looked over to see her sea green eyes start filling with tears of fear.

I've never told my family, but when I saw Buddy struggle that morning, my heart sunk with pessimism that we would lose him instead of see him recover. Still, I prayed and prayed that our Golden Angel, Buddy, would be ok.

Saturday evening at about 10:15pm, Buddy passed away. His red cell count had dropped by 24% within an hour, but ADB couldn't find any severe bleeding when they went back in to try and save him. Truth be told, we believe Buddy's pain was too severe for him to handle, his heart couldn't take it, his fear was inconsolable and the anesthesia made him sick.

Amputation may be right in a black and white sense in that it takes away cancer. But it truly can be seen as a selfish decision. We do it to keep the dog with us instead of really thinking about the quality of life that dog would have. We didn't stop to think whether or not Buddy would really want that. He was like a little boy who never really understood the big and scary things around him. We did the surgery to make us feel as though we had done everything to keep him with us.


I haven't written about Buddy's passing because I still cry every time I think about the end result of that surgery. I cry at remembering the look on my dad's face when he rushed into my room screaming for me to move my car so that he could get to the vet. Not being able to understand him, I asked "What?" and watched him break down in sobs. I cry at the fact that ADB called my dad that Saturday afternoon crying and urging him to get back to the vet office as quickly as possible because Buddy was leaving us. I cry at never being able to forget the sobs coming from my dad on the car ride to the vet as he cried "I've killed my dog...I've killed my dog."

I cry that our best friend didn't get to see that Christmas and run with his brothers in the snow just one last time. Or the fact that Buddy was probably so confused why we would have done that to him. Or the fact that our once perfect Golden passed with one of his legs missing. Or the fact that I'll never be able to come home to visit my family and see him waiting with a toy in his mouth and his Golden plumed tail wagging in greeting.

I wouldn't wish bone cancer on any pet. It is the worst cancer to have to decide treatment for. All the treatments suck balls. We had 3 options:
1. Manage the pain through medicine, which only lets the cancer grow, causing extreme pain and suffering.
2. Cancer/Tumor Removal surgery, which removes the "infected" area but leaves only a minute chance of Buddy living past three years without it coming back.
3. Amputation

There's no right choice. Every choice has to come from the respective family. Our family's initial reaction was to not do the amputation. But we were hopeful and chose the option that would have ridden his body of all the cancer to ensure it never came back.

If you ever have to make this choice, I cannot stress enough the most important step-make sure you are completely comfortable with your vet and staff. Without a doubt, we are incredibly and immensely blessed with the staff at Northgate Pet Clinic in Decatur, IL. This clinic is truly THE BEST in that town (Sorry everyone else, but the truth is cruel).

Northgate treated Buddy like their own, and ADB was part of Buddy's extended family...don't forget that Winston is Buddy's uncle (even though he's younger) and ADB is Winston's mom. During those seven hours when we fought to keep Buddy alive, Northgate attempted everything short of trying to reverse time to save him. I don't know of any other clinic that would have had the dedication and quick thinking to do some of the things the staff did. They wanted him to stay as much as we did, because he was one of their favorites (Sorry all the other pet parents, don't be jealous. No puppy can be like the Buddy dog).

I did learn one lesson out of this loss-I will never choose amputation.

Our family didn't have the Christmas spirit after losing Buddy. We all cried for a week, off and on. My mom missed her daily snuggle fest with Buddy--something that started when Buddy was a wee babe. Buddy would find time in every afternoon to cuddle up with Mommy for nap time, just like a four year old would. The grieving got easier and our family was inundated with food, cards, memorials, José (for margaritas of course!) and loving stories. It really showed how many people were touched by Buddy.

Kaiser, Buddy's German shepherd brother, was and still is in mourning over the loss of his best friend. He wouldn't eat for a week straight, and he had tear marks down both sides of his eyes/nose. Kaiser didn't move from the front door for three days straight in hopes his friend would be walking up the sidewalk to reunite with him. Still, now a month later, Kaiser isn't 100% back to his normal self. Well, that is if we could even call Kaiser normal. However, he is starting to eat and start playing with Cody.

Any person who thinks dogs don't feel or build relationships is on crack and should never EVER have a pet...other than a fish or a bird.

Since Christmas, I hadn't really cried about Buddy. Until this past Monday, and I have cried each night since...including as we speak. Most of my family and friends know that I believe in the Power above, and as a result, I pray. Whether it's in the morning as I prepare for the day ahead, during the day when work sucks, gasping through a workout when I feel like I'm about to pass out or at night in a traditional manner, I find time to reflect and pray. Each time I get to praying about Buddy, I BREAK DOWN! It's crazy.

Last night, I told God to make sure that if he was going to take Buddy from us to make sure he's getting long walks and not too many cookies because my mom and dad had worked so hard to get him down to a "respectable" Golden weight. I think I told Him, "We don't want him fat again, now do we?" Haha! Seriously? Have I lost my mind???

I don't think my family will ever get over Buddy. We were so lucky that we were his family. Absolutely no other dog had Buddy's personality. I mean, what other dog have you heard played practical jokes on his family and four-legged siblings? For instance, when Mom and Dad put him on his diet, Buddy would have to eat his gross diet food alone in the laundry room so he wouldn't steal Kaiser or Cody's food. One day, Buddy planned his rebellion. He ate his dinner, which only took three seconds as he swallowed instead of chewed his food, and started running toward the front door barking. That caused Kaiser and Cody to follow suit. Well, Buddy only got six feet before turning around and heading to the other two food bowls. When K & C returned to finish eating, Buddy stood over the last bite of Kaiser's food chewing eagerly at the stolen morsels. He was genius, cunning and hilarious. What else is there to say?

He will always be our supersized Golden boy with the most perfect Golden tale and incurable stink foot disease (thank you Dad). He'll always be the best cuddle bunny and friend who ate anything if it smelled slightly edible. Buddy will always be the most perfect puppy with velveteen ears the softest I've ever felt. And we'll love and miss him until we see him again...

Weather Watch on Monday, January 25, 2010

Today, a Monday, started as off as any normal Meridith Monday does. Absent-minded and rushed. I couldn't get myself out of bed, because the air in my room was so cold. So cold, in fact, that I imagined my life as a winter hermit, who lived in a heat tent underneath her own comforter. After coming to my senses and barreling out of bed, I was able to get ready and pack a breakfast in under 45 minutes, but I was still running fifteen minutes late.

As I rush out the door and take my first few steps outside, I stop dead in my tracks and see what's happening in front of me. There's a slight sprinkling of snow commencing its fall from the clouds above, and the air is as cold and icy as a deceived lover as it wraps around me like an airtight seal.

"Great," I think as I look down at my black pumps with no stockings to cover the bare skin of my feet, "my piddies are going to freeze today!"

Continuing my walk to the car, the wind pushes me just slightly off my balance. The rush of cold air seeps through my coat, beats its way through the barrier of my cotton sweater and silk top, and rests icily on top of my skin. As the goose bumps blush their way onto my skin, I stop to look at nothing, purse my lips and acknowledge the fact I stupidly chose to wear my "early winter/late fall" coat, which is light weight, due to the fact that the past few days warranted a lighter coat. However, I didn't bother to check Monday's forecast to dress appropriately.

"Seriously, Meridith, could you have paid anymore LESS attention to today's weather forecast?" I rhetorically ask my knowing self.

Being that I didn't want to be any later than I already was, I jumped in the car and made my way into the office. Traffic started off the bat as my CR-V made its way onto I-90 West. But getting further along, it broke up right before Rosemont. I love living in Chicago now, and I waited almost four years to do so; however, the fact it can take up to 75 minutes to drive only 20 miles into work baffles me.

Even though I woke up late and was running way behind schedule, I got to work at 8:42am-just twelve minutes past my desired time. Hurriedly, I grab my work bag and breakfast. I stepped out into the briskly chilly air and felt the wave of cool air rise up my legs and past my non-stocking'd, pump wearing feet. Shuffling across the black top of the parking lot, my feet felt like icicles and I wondered if I could make it to Target and back before our 10:00 a.m. conference call. "Deal with it, you dumbass," was all I could think to myself as I walked to the sales office door. I unlocked my way in, turned on the lights and stepped into my cubicle. Our office always runs cold, and today was exponentially more painful given my attire for the day-there was no way to gain my heat back and stay warm.

Note to self: Watch the news in the morning for weather updates!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Contemplation of a rhinoplasty...

Are you perturbed about the thought of plastic surgery? Or the fact that many people (especially in L.A.) look nothing like they were supposed to? Yeah, I am, too...except for the fact I've been contemplating a rhinoplasty, aka nose job, for the past 8 years and totally understand why people go under the knife to correct their insecurities.

Granted, Heidi Montag's recent nip/tuck/plump/pull procedures were a tad much (as there were TEN of them), but I don't agree with people passing an arbitrary judgement that everyone should be happy with what God gave us and learn to deal with it. Well, not all of us were born with some of our current appearances...so, does that mean some of us are ok to go under the knife to get it back???

***WARNING: TMI in the following posting. Abort now if you don't like to hear a girl talk about gross things...***

For those of you still with us, this blog will detail why I've considered plastic surgery and why I feel that no one has the right to tell you if you should/shouldn't feel badly about going under the knife.

My story begins when I was eight or nine years old. As a young kid, I was an athletic, rambunctious tom boy having a hard time learning to grow into my quirkiness when all the other "pretty" girls were so different looking than me. This is the place where my nose was altered for the rest of my life, which has caused me physical and beauty-related problems. Furthermore, I have broken my nose twice and truly know how it feels to wonder what I would look like if it hadn't happened.

Aaaaactually, the first time my nose broke was because of my BITCH of a next door neighbor's purposeful maliciousness. Before a softball game, Mandy (bitch neighbor) agreed to help me warm up. She was three years older than me and thought she was hot shit. As we threw back and forth, Mandy kept throwing harder and harder. Because I knew she was doing this on purpose to watch me flinch or to ask her to ease up, I kept acting as though I didn't notice. When my mom and dad came to get me from the front yard, I threw Mandy's softball back to her. I told her I'd see her later and thanked her for warming up with me. Then I hear her semi-yell...

"Hey Meridith..."

As I was turn around, I felt the softball *SMACK* right into my face. I hadn't even got completely turned around. So, I KNOW she had thrown the ball while she called my name. I staggered backward clutching my nose and looked up to see Mandy smirking at me. She snottily said, "Ooops! Catch!" and started smiling. Knowing that she had done this on purpose for her own amusement, I started crying my eyes out. My parents were getting into the car, which was in the garage, when Mandy threw the ball at my face and didn't know what had happened until they heard me whaling in pain. I remember the heat of my body surging to my face, the metal taste in my mouth and blood running through my fingers and down my red jersey.

As my family and friends know, I snort when I laugh/cry. Even though I have a better control on it now, back when I was a kid...I couldn't stop it. There I stood, hyperventilating and snorting blood back into my throat. It felt as though I were choking and suffocating.

My dad, my hero, rushed out of the garage and asked what had happened. Turning my face back toward the softball's line of flight, I took my shaking pointer finger and indicated with bloody certainty that Mandy, who was sauntering up her stairs as if nothing had happened, had done this. From the lovely, malevolent attitude of her mom and brother just like her, I still, to this day, have no doubt this was for her own enjoyment and entertainment.

Sadly, this wasn't my first adventure to the ER, because I was quite "graceful" as a youngster. I had been in three times before for stupid, idiotic occurrences. Like dancing in the freezer aisle at the grocery store and ramming my head into freezer case door handles, or twirling in the living room and tripping on the carpet and landing my eye on the corner of the TV, or playing on top of our playhouse and falling off onto a cinder block lying next to our deck. (True definition of a klutz.)

Still, this broken nose was the first time I had truly broken something.

The nurse and doctor told my parents that the bridge of my nose was broken right under the bridge between my eyes. I distinctly remember the click, and resulting rush of pain, as they set it back in place. After taking an x-ray to ensure it was aligned, they inserted some tight gauze roll up each nostril. I had to breath through my mouth that night and couldn't do anything physical for about 3-4 weeks. Being the fact it was right before summer, I was PISSED. There went softball, hide & seek, kick the can, basketball and swimming. And for that following month, I tried to avoid Mandy as best as I could. However, because our neighborhood consisted of only 3 blocks and had only ten kids at the time, it was difficult to avoid her.

The result of my break left me with an elevated, and quite distinct, hump on my nose that looked like a "camel's back." I was in my formidable years and already extremely self conscious of my face.

Four years passed before the second nose break. It was during a basketball game. Oh basketball-it was a love/hate relationship. I LOVED the game and was actually pretty good. I started playing when I was in 5th grade and found I had good instincts for the game. I still was klutzy, though, and tended to get a lot of bruises during games.

Our team's point guard and I would always end up smacking our heads or tripping each other...didn't matter if it was during practice or a game. It was bad, and quite painful. Clarification on this, I should say that I was the one responsible for this, due to my klutzy nature, and Becky was the innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time...every time. To this day, my mom talks about Becky and basketball saying, "Didn't matter where on the court they were, Meridith and Becky had a magnet that led them to disastrous collisions. Oh, and the SOUND when they ran into each other...!!!" *insert cringe face here*

So, during a basketball game, I went up for a rebound and was literally butted out of bounds, which caused me to lose my balance and trip over my feet. My balance was lost and I couldn't find it quick enough. My face met the "padded" wall with a terrifying CRUNCH, and I instantaneously felt my nose crack. Another trip to the ER.

From my second nose break, the hump got bigger and resulted in a soft spot on the ride side of my nose. Any time the weather gets worse, it gets softer and causes horrible sinus problems and congestion. I have suffered from migraines since I was 12, and I find that my nose only escalated the level of intensity. Even worse, I haven't been able to breathe out of both nostrils at one time since I was 8 or 9. Imagine that...l-o-v-e-l-y.

During my freshmen year at Millikin, my parents urged me to talk to my ENTA doctor about my nose to see how bad the damage was from his perspective and to ask for a plastic surgeon referral. After an x-ray, the doctor told me that there was a deviated septum but it wasn't the worst he had seen. Well, YEAH! It hadn't been crunched into a million cartilage bits. But it definitely was causing some airway constriction and added "height" to my once pretty curvature of my nose.

But my decision to NOT get a rhinoplasty came when my ENTA doctor told me the surgery could alter my vocal range and tone. Because I was a vocal music education major and was performing in opera scenes, I opted to deal with my large schnoz. However, that didn't stop me from feeling extremely sensitive and conscious about my nose. To me, it is my worst feature. From it, I have a hard time looking into peoples' eyes for an extended period because I don't want them looking at me back. I don't want them to look long and hard and see the huge bump on my nose that shouldn't be there.

I've learned to deal with it, and it's almost as though my broken nose stories are my battle stories. Looking in the mirror every day, I think about my nose every day. And I would opt into rhinoplasty if I could afford it.

If people can afford corrective/plastic surgery and choose it is right for them, more power to them. I just wish people would be more tolerant and stop peremptorily judging people they do not know.

(Except, I did judge Heidi Montag because I thought she looked prettier before. Bad, I know. Eat my own words!)

***FOOT NOTE: The debate is still out whether or not I broke my nose for a 3rd time while in my junior year at Millikin. I tripped and fell into my friend's buttock area. My nose clicked a bit and started bleeding, but I didn't go to the doctor. My dad thinks it was broken, but I think ti wasn't. ***