Woolly Mammoth Chicago

You know how sometimes you go to antique stores and find really fancy, classy things. That's nice.

You know how sometimes you go to antique stores and find really weird things. Let's call this Chicago store one of the second places.

And it is amazing. At least they warn you in their name: Woolly Mammoth: antiques & oddities.

Still, you may not be expecting to see things that are this... odd... and hilarious... and dare I say, genius:

Yes, that is a horse's tail.

At another store in the neighborhood, there is also this what I can only imagine is deerhide chair for your dining room:

You're welcome, world. I know you were missing a little bit of the bizarre in your life this morning.

The Festy City

This weekend there were five significant festivals going on in town. We went to three of them.

Lit fest on Printers Row:

Four blocks of books--new, used, and locally authored--resulted in my next commute read. We Band of Angels is the true story of Army and Navy nurses who were bombed, set up a field hospital in the jungle, and were imprisoned for three years in Japan during WWII. I'm already hooked.

Midsommarfest in Andersonville:

Photos need only tell the tale--

Bogey joined us for the festivities

Meet the Windy City Cowboys

They are a-mazing.

Ribfest in Lincoln Square:

 

A vegetarian, a gluten-free-ian, and an omnivore go to a fest.

I've always thought of New Orleans as the festival town... and I hate to say anything even close to less than all-positive about that fair, beautiful city... but with multiple festivals scheduled nearly every weekend all summer long, I think Chicago must be the City of Fests. The Festy City may be just as apt as the Windy City for a Chicago nickname.


I think the Snyder sisters had a good time too.

PS - I realized today that "festy" conjures the word "festering" to mind, which is probably the reason that there is no Festy City. Fine, we'll stick to the Windy City.
 

National Hug Your Cat Day

I found out under the wire that today is National Hug Your Cat Day-- thanks, Facebook!


The truth is, I make it a point of hugging Zoe every day just to make sure she knows I care. This has been my instruction to each of her caretakers over the years, too. She acts like she is fine being unnoticed, but when you meet her where she is (or snatch her up as she stalks by), she often purrs and from time to time ends up sitting for long periods of time in a lap. She just doesn't always like to initiate things. That's her way. She's aloof like that. It's part of her charm.

Zoe and I, years ago - life is basically the same today.

Pure aloof charm.

I give Bogey (the dog) quite a bit of attention on the blog. He's kind of an attention whore. He's also a charmer and hilariously laid back. Zoe is less keen on the media exposure.. and the attention, frankly. (See the Blogess' post on the dangers of National Hug Your Cat Day. Though Zoe is not a claw-er, other cat owners are to be warned.)

I feel like parenting a cat like Zoe and a dog like Bogey (who happens to be one of the cuddliest creatures known to man) is a lot like the parenting my mom conducted in mothering a kid like me amidst the outgoing, sociable, talkative siblings I grew up with.

Me, the introverted, introspective, pensive, middle child surrounded by extroverts. Sometimes, the extroverts are just more visible by their nature. They certainly are better at voicing their needs, especially those pesky emotional ones. Sometimes they just get more attention. And honestly, the introverts don't want it that much.

It must have been tough to balance that attention giving amongst the four of us, for my mom. And yet she, like me, hugged her introvert against her will. And every once in a while, I appreciated it.

Happy Hug Your Cat Day! (It's special because it's rare.)

A tip for graduates: work-life balance is a thing

Congrats, grads, from the Polkaholics stage!

It is graduation season. Congrats former high schoolers, undergrad grads, new Masters and Doctors, and Certificate holders!

While you are enjoying your loved ones and basking in your much deserved accolades, many of you may be pushing some undesirable thoughts to the back of your mind - thoughts about future plans and job searching and new responsibilities - undesirable, stress-inducing thoughts.

Luckily, in addition to your graduation speeches, Linkedin is running a series called "If I were 22" to give you lessons and advice on how to approach your next steps.  And whether you are 22 or 18 or 37 or 56, some of the thoughts are applicable and inspiring and worth taking to heart.

This one by PBS' CEO struck me in particular.

"And finally, I wish someone had told me how important it would be to maintain a sense of balance."

Work-life balance is important to me, and in my opinion it should be important to everyone. Work-life balance is not doing yoga in your cubicle or taking a 20 minute break to eat lunch not-at-your-computer. (These are things that some employers suggested to a few of my young professional type friends recently.)

Work-life balance is different for different people, but for me it means being able to make dinner on weeknights, go to the library, write letters and blog posts, binge on West Wing and Modern Family, and doing things like this on weekends:

He dug the hole himself!

For Fifi, I found a blow-up doll!

German Maifest in Lincoln Square

I enjoy my job and my co-workers. And there are days where I work until 8 or 9. And I did a little work this weekend. But being able to have balance, I think, not only makes me happy, it also means I can do my job better.

Congrats, graduates! Celebrate your accomplishments and reach for your work-related dreams, but make room for balance. As Mr. Kerger says, "You are more than just your job title, or your salary. You are a daughter, a son, a parent, a friend, a mentor, a neighbor, a volunteer, an entrepreneur, and a leader. Don’t let one of those roles define you fully- but let each one of them inform and inspire you."

If this isn't inspiration, what is?

Grits and lots of love

Last weekend was spent in a whirlwind trip in sunny, steamy Georgia with family, friends, and fur-babies - with plenty of nature and good food.

Highlights of the weekend:

• A beautiful wedding in rural Georgia
• A night out with the siblings (including Ash and Kolbie)
• The food, oh the food
• The uproarious laughter and chatter of the Martin household
• Basking in the glorious heat

Any time spent with my family will result in the inevitable Fifi quote of the weekend:

"I'm just glad his girlfriend isn't a blowup doll."
(No context needed, really. It really was that awkward. This is why she has her own quote book.)

And the cuteness award goes to:

While it is a toss up between the four dogs, one cat, and all the children, it goes to the nieces. Because they are adorbs to the nth degree.


And in case you didn't know that KM is Fifi's granddaughter... the KM quote of the weekend:

After being told that being pulled in a wagon (her "royal carriage") over and over was wearing the adults out she said, "Well, it's not wearing me out!"
...meanwhile, she waved to her royal subjects on the deck.



It's been cool and cloudy at home in Chicago today. I had grits and blackeyed peas for lunch yesterday.

Lots of love to my Southerners from my quiet Midwestern apartment.

Repost: 16 things I will miss about India

Wow, it's been nearly a year since I moved back from India. I can not believe that.  Turns out, I do miss these things about India... and the friends I met there... and my India mom jeans... and so much more.

Bare with me as I reminisce.

16 days until Home.

Green oranges from the street vendors

I will certainly miss all of the food, the friends that have been my family and support system this year, and finding simple victories in a world where nothing makes sense. 

I am sure I will also miss things that I can’t fathom missing at this moment (like the noise and all those things that don’t make sense), but for now here are the other things I know I will miss about India:

Animals everywhere

1. Old ladies talking to me endlessly, regardless of the fact that I don’t speak Telegu
2. Veg Manchurian.. this is a supreme guilty pleasure
3. The smell of frying peppers
4. “Excusememadamfromwhichcountry?” – all one word from street strangers
5. “Hello, sista! How are you?” - from the girls in the neighborhood
6. Children laughing uncontrollably if I smile at them
7. Monkeys - *jazz hands* - (and pigs and goats and cows and buffalo)
8. Being blissfully surprised when the street stall has masala chai
9. MANGOS
10. Colors and celebrations, constant
11. Buying veggies from Naveen
12. Buying fruit on the roadside (now that I know what things cost!)
13. Finger bowls (they are like a little post-dinner hand spa – but in India they are never this fancy.  Who snobbed up the finger bowl?)
14. Limca – I don’t always drink soda, but when I do I prefer Limca.
15. Ridiculous English mistakes
16. And yes, maybe even Kingfisher.. (maybe not.)

My favorite English mistake

Also, 5 things I KNOW I will never miss:

1. The garbage
2. The pigeons
3. The men gawking
4. Being required to cover my legs
5. The vast inequalities
   
   

   

   Home Sweet Home

   

   Celebrations

A Very Merry Unbirthday to You!

Today is technically my 29 1/2 birthday. In six months, I will be 30. Do you remember when half birthdays were so important? I was totally that 4 1/2 year old who clarified with a loud "and a half!" to the adults who thought she was just 4. (And if a friend was 4 1/2, I was absolutely 4 3/4!)

I'm the sassy 4 1/2 ish one with the white gloves. Big sis Rae is not impressed.

Those were the days, huh? The days when being six months older (or three months, or just saying that you were even when you weren't) was meaningful and boast-worthy.

In truth, I am very much looking forward to being 30 and putting these pesky 20s in the past. I like that I am more confident and have a path (for now) and feel steady (but still adventurous). I'm ready for 30.

But, as I type, I have a heating pad on my knee because it has been aching all week for no particular reason whatsoever. On my other knee, a sizable bruise is developing from ramming it into the coffee table last night.

We ordered dinner in tonight. And there are beer and wine options. What a fitting way to spend a Friday night that happens to be one's 29 1/2 birthday.

But, you know, it's lovely.

I hope you, too, are having a very merry unbirthday. (Unless of course it is your birthday, in which, happy birthday!)

Also, how trippy is Alice in Wonderland??




The true brilliance of being an adult is realizing all the things you missed when you were a kid!