Battle Scars

I got back to my half-packed studio apartment around 1:00pm, 70 degrees, a beautiful fall day. My anxious Dad who can't sit still without drumming his fingers and yet spent two listless days in a hospital with me while I whined and felt like my stomach had been turned inside out, helped me out of his car and to the sidewalk. He carried heavy grocery bags and took small steps so that I could shuffle behind him. Bent over and running my fingers along the sides of the buildings as we passed just in case I decided I couldn't walk anymore. I was so excited to leave the hospital that I hadn't bothered to wait for a wheelchair and I'd ripped the irritating pain patch off hours ago. I was starting to feel the effects.

The previous week I had my gallbladder removed, my stomach reconstructed, and my nerves clipped so hopefully all my gastritis woes would be behind me. This following an extremely emotional time in the ER where I came to grips with the fact that I would be missing work and weeks of performances for All My Sons. Countless friends and family members were there to console me from over the phone, in person, and through some very beautiful floral arrangements. One particular special lady brought me magazines and sat by my side while I slept, mumbled and hyperventilated. Another special guy wrecked his back sleeping on my hospital room sofa so I wouldn't be alone and let me rest my tear-streaked snot-nosed face on his arm. A very special Mom helped me practice walking and getting to the restroom when I was too physically weak to sit up and too emotionally spent to do anything but cry. I'd never felt so lucky to have these people in my life while simultaneously being completely miserable about events completely out of my control.

On the warm fall day I got out of the hospital I sat down on my courtyard apartment's lobby radiator while Dad carried the groceries up the stairs. Anthony came just in time to ease me into bed and prop pillows under my feet and tell me that the pain wouldn't be forever. I cried for maybe the 1,000th time in ten days and he stroked my hand while I fell asleep.

I woke up around dusk to eat some chicken noodle soup and curl up on the couch like a rickety old cat. I watched History Detectives with Dad, who confided in me that it's exactly how he pictured us spending my recovery time together. It was a rock n' roll episode tracing Bob Dylan's guitar and a collage made by Frank Zappa. The collage struck me. An artist more commonly known for his musical experimentation producing such a wild piece of artwork that expressed his musical thoughts on paper before sitting down to write the music itself. I asked myself: "What have I created lately?" I fell still at the thought of unfinished projects, once desired creative goals and this blog.

Armed with new battle scars I'm ready to run back into the trenches of my creative outlets. To do what I set out to do when I moved to Chicago and get my writing back on track. Nothing can stop me now, not even my own internal organs. 

Z-Pak Holiday

Back in November I had a debilitating  phlegm-y nasty cough for the majority of the month. I kept convincing myself that it would get better on its own and I couldn't possibly break from my busy schedule just to see a doctor. Then a new hire, on his third week of training said: "You know you've been sick since I met you."

I tore myself away from my Saturday of coffee drinking/leaf watching/rain avoidance to go to my local Minute Clinic. Lifesavers those RNs. Ten minutes later and I was out the door with bronchitis and four different medications to get me through the rest of the week.


I got home, took the medications and despite their lack of codeine fell instantly asleep on the couch only to wake up and hour later and discover that the cough medicine had "disagreed with me". As I was hugging the porcelain throne, I lay there uncomfortably warm against the cool tile waiting for someone to come in and ask if I was okay. But Roommate was out and the Captain can't move, so I crawled back out to the living room and nestled myself back on the futon. All at once I just wanted my mom.


24 years old, independently moved out to Chicago to pursue my own goals, have the ability to pay rent all by myself and yet, I still need my mom. Running Buddy and I laughed about it: college degrees, full time jobs, almost to our thirties, and I still want my mom to check up on me and bring me ginger ale. Of course when I'm sick isn't the only time I need my mom. Other times include when I want to see that new musical/romantic/Brad Pitt movie and no one will go with me, when I can't figure out how to switch a magazine subscription, and when my new healthcare plan just doesn't make any sense...

That's why I'm pumped to be seeing her on Sunday!

T-Day Turban

Thanksgiving was themed "turbans and caftans" this year. Despite my extreme admiration for Golden Girls I didn't have a caftan laying around the house, so one scarf and two seconds made a nice head wrap that did a decent job of looking turban-esque and keeping my hair out of my eyes. I actually really enjoyed wearing it, in a 1940s Hollywood starlet kind of way, but with a little more kitsch.


Would you try wearing a turban? Next step: one of these bad boys:

Thanks and Thanks

Happy Turkey Day All! This is the first Thanksgiving ever that I didn't go back to Columbus for, so I kicked it off right last night with drinks and dancing in Wrigleyville, also known as "Black Wednesday" "Turkey Night" or "Thanksgiving Eve". Thank you clever marketing ploys. Today will be lounging around and making sweet potatoes for dinner tonight, and hopefully finding an open coffee place in the near future. 

I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving full of parade watching/food cooking/family and friends or just sitting in your apartment eating chicken wings. Hey, to each their own. 

Whatcha' Making?

Thanksgiving is mere hours away and although I can't run back to Columbus (I work Black Friday, ugh) I'm headed to Roommate's new place for an orphan Thanksgiving. I thought about bringing some sort of sweet potato dish but I'm having second thoughts. I only have tonight and tomorrow morning to make whatever it is I'm making, and I'm being a little indecisive. Tell me what you think sounds good...

/ Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Here / Green Beans, Recipe Here / 

 /Apple and Onion Stuffing, Photo Via Recipe Here / Ginger Apple Bourbon, Recipe Here /

It's okay if you want to pick "all of the above". What are you cooking up this Thanksgiving?

Error!

 

Don't think I've abandoned ship on this blog! My laptop decided to go swan diving from the living room table and is in need of a new hard drive that I'll be getting on Saturday. But I've learned a few things from this laptop-less week (teehee, laptop-less)

1. Redbox is king

2. Books are cool

3. Friends are fantastic

4. UPS customer service really sucks.

In the mean time Mama will be coming to visit this weekend and I'll be gearing up for the big move to my little studio this Monday. Hope everyone is enjoying their crisp October!

Apt.

This Monday I became an official big girl. I sat through new hire orientation and an employee health care meeting and only laughed at the sexual harassment video once (I'm sorry, but those things are just so darn contrived). After that I hopped on the el, set foot on a new red line stop and signed my first solo lease. No co-signers, no roommates, just me and my little studio in Chicago!


I wish I had taken some pictures of it, but it opens up in to a bedroom with a hallway leading to a kitchen and breakfast nook and a giant walk-in closet. I can't wait to move in at the end of October and make it my own!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Sunday

Yesterday I noticed that the tops of the maple trees in Chicago are just starting to tint orange. Fall is coming and I am truly not ready for it. My stomach is in knots and I wake up in a panic so alarming that I can rarely get back to sleep. I haven't figured out where I want to live or what I want to do with the next year, and it's all coming at me too quickly. But I'm making plans as best I can and moving forward the only way I know how, by just letting it happen. Somewhere in the grand scheme of things, I'll land on my feet.

Happy Beatles Sunday!

-K.K.

Fall Fall Fall

Yesterday was the first day of Fall and it slipped right by me. I didn't do anything the least bit Fall-y except for wear boots and contract a nasty change-in-the-weather cold. I should have had pumpkin coffee or apple cider and "lit a fire" in the fireplace at the apartment, so I tried to make up for it this morning...

You can almost hear it crackling, can't you? Don't tell Roommate but I left the apartment this morning with it still "burning". 

The issue is I don't know what fun Fall activities Chicago has to offer, but I have my ideas...mostly because I Googled "Chicago in the Fall" and was inspired to come up with a list. Here are a few things to get me started:

Making a trip to the Doughnut Vault for some roasted almond glazed and other seasonal treats

Go on a Chicago ghost tour just in time for Halloween. Chicago Hauntings offers tours on a nightly basis!

Pay a visit to the Andersonville Farmer's Market for fresh honeycrisp apples or salted caramel popcorn.

Sign up for the Frank Lloyd Wright 5k in Oak Park, just in time to get running before the cold really kicks in.

Take a day trip to Starved Rock State Park for a hike through the changing leaves.

Try the pumpkin pancakes at Pauline's, the "awesomest Andersonville brunch spot in the universe"

Treat myself to a fabulous new fall coat, or this girly long sleeve tee, OR this ah-mazing printed dress.

Decorate my apartment for fall just in time to move and start putting up Christmas decor

Learn to make tasty fall favorites like this, this and this

What's on your Fall To Do list? Anything else I should be doing in Chicago?

Blue Skies

There is one thing to be said about my hour long commutes...

The view doesn't suck. 

My first day at my new job was Wednesday, and I have been coming straight from downtown to my theatre job on the north side, and then passing out when I get home. We're currently in previews, but I'll be so glad to get the show on the road so I can come home occasionally. Fortunately I've had stunning Chicago skies and new-job jitters to keep me happy...

Fall Picks 2012

The glorious days of lounging around my apartment with the windows open wearing shorts and a tank top while munching on a peach are numbered. I'm in bed on this crisp Chicago morning Pinterest-ing fall style ideas and wondering if I'll be brave enough to pair my expansive shorts collection with my equally copious amounts of tights this year. The answer: probably yes. I own too many pairs of shorts to simply put them away when Chicago starts to get a little nippy. The sudden shift in temperatures from 90 degrees to 70 got the ball rolling for me to start thinking about my "back to school" shopping.

I didn't realize but based on this board I'm feeling pretty moody. Edgy but girly, with a penchant for dark colors and brooding prints. I'm in love with dark (faux) leather and military detailing but with bejeweled accents. The snake ring in particular is called out to me because it reminds me of a ring my grandpa passed down to my dad. Balancing out the rebel detailing are lacy sweaters, femme fatal brocade prints and peter pan collars.  The chain strap purse seems to be the best representation of where I am with fall style this year.

Apparently the section of my wardrobe calling out for a make-over is pants. Not only am I in love with the floral, burgundy, and high waist varieties shown above, I'm also loving coated denim, zipper ankles, slouchy khakis, brocade, pleated crop and knit pants. Yeah, it's a lot of pants. Luckily obsession comes swiftly and leaves just as fast. By the time leaves are falling I'll know what I really want to spend my money on. 

What are your obsessions this Fall?