oh me, oh my.

Remember what I last wrote about things slowing down soon?

Well, there ain't no rest for the wicked.  I should have known better than to show my cards like that!

The last six weeks have been... crazmazing?  I just made that word up, because I don't have one that accurately describes life at the moment.

J is still unemployed, but I am so incredibly proud to announce that he was accepted into Columbia College Chicago just before the holidays.  It has been a longtime dream of his to work in the radio communications field, and he intends to pursue a degree in both production and talent at Columbia.  Right now, we are anxiously awaiting a financial aid package that will either make or break this dream for the time being!

I was very lucrative in my job search at the end of November and had a few great phone interviews.  Thus far, one of them has resulted in an on-campus visit that I am very excited about.  Next week, I will be traveling to North Carolina for a two day interview for a position that really matches my next desired career step.  I have also recently moved into a new position on my current campus that I'm very excited about, and I do love Chicago... it will really come down to gut instinct, I guess!

Of course, if I am fortunate enough to be offered the position in North Carolina, we will have some hard decisions ahead.  I am extremely supportive and encouraging of J's desire to further his education.  However, I also feel that the opportunity to move on in my career is something that can't be tossed aside flippantly.  There are other things to consider in the equation as well, such as finances, location and whatnot that weigh heavily in the decision.  I have a great/awful feeling though, that we will both get what we want (J =  a full ride, E = job offer) and someone will end up feeling like they might have missed out.

Further complicating matters, yet extremely exciting, is the fact that we're engaged!  J popped the question on Christmas Day (much to my chagrin... the story will get its own entry soon) and I, of course, said yes.  The funny thing is, things don't feel terribly different.  I mean, I now have this amazing ring on my finger to gaze at all day, but everything else is as wonderful as always.

have you ever seen something so pretty?

Don't get me wrong-- we are excited.  But, not excited in a Monica-from-Friends-I-have-my-entire-wedding-already-planned way.  In actuality, I have found that I have very little desire to plan a wedding.  It seems like so much work and so much money for something to please other people.  What would please me most is being married, not having a party.  I've bought a little more time on the wedding planning at the moment, however, until we figure out where we'll be in the next few months.  It doesn't make much sense to start planning something that might have to change due to moving or a class schedule.  Hopefully in the next month or so, all that will settle out and we can start planning... but really, anyone who finds wedding planning fun or thrilling, hit me up.  Your energy is welcome and appreciated!

With that, 2011 has passed and 2012 is here.  2011 in its entirety was crazmazing, now that I think about it.  We traveled abroad, celebrated big birthdays and anniversaries, dealt with being a one-income family and got engaged!  There was a lot of stress, but a lot of good in there as well.  I hope 2012 brings more positives and I'm committed to doing my best wherever I land and being appreciative for what I have and those around me.

What are you committed to in 2012?

really busy that day.

I think there comes a time in every blog's life where they get tossed aside, forgotten and bypassed for shinier, prettier or more pressing things.  It seems the last 3 months have been this blog's such dormant period.  My apologies-- we've had a bit of a wild ride.

J lost his job at the end of August, the result of an incident with his supervisor that was turned into a scapegoat for company financial mismanagement.  We've been jerked around since then with unemployment.  We were lucky to have the benefit for about six fulls weeks until losing an appeal filed by his former employer two weeks ago.  We are now engaged in litigation, which is exactly the sort of thing you DON'T have money for when you're a one-income family.

It's been an experience, though... on one hand, I have my hilarious, loving boyfriend back, and I cherish that more than anything.  On the other, we are struggling financially, and it is starting to take a toll on me.  I never imagined being the sole provider for our family, and quite honestly, make just enough money to pay the bills and have a little left over for the month.  The bright side of all of this is that we are ok-- we can't live as comfortably as we once did, but we have a place to live, clothes to wear and food to eat.  Others aren't as fortunate, and I am especially cognizant of that at this time of year.  It also gives us a great opportunity to re-evaluate where we are-- J never got to finish college and it looks like this is the perfect time for him to pick back up and get his degree.  As a strong believer in higher education (and an employee of a university), I couldn't be more thrilled for him.

That's the update on our personal struggle for now.  Updates to follow soon regarding our recent trips to Virginia and the Bahamas, my own work-related stress and our plans for the holidays.  Welcome back, readers!

time management.

It's funny that summer is my easiest season at work, but busiest personally.  I think it's a little silly that I haven't updated this blog in nearly two months-- my time management skills are not at their peak in the summer when I actually have time to breathe at work and enjoy myself at home!

It's been a good summer, overall.  I am over the moon with how productive we've been at work-- the amount of things we've accomplished is staggering.  However, it makes me a little apprehensive for the semester to begin.  The days of quiet focus fly out the window in exchange for deafening chaos.  I've been in this field for almost 10 years now, and it still takes some adjustment every August!

We've been super busy at home as well.  Jeremy's football schedule rules the roost once games start in June-- every Saturday is all but devoted to the love of the game.  We sleep in, eat lunch by 1pm so J has enough time to digest before playing, and he's off to the field by 330.  I hang out at home or run errands and head to the game by 7, and by the time it's all over and we've grabbed (hopefully a celebratory) dinner, it's 11pm!  This season, the Lions are doing pretty well.  Hopefully their momentum will carry them to a playoff season again, just as in previous years.

Beyond football, we've spent a lot of time with friends.  There's a lot going on all around-- new babies, big moves, birthdays and more!  The next baby to arrive, however, is the most exciting for me.  Ellen and Andy's little boy will be here within the next three weeks!  I can't wait to meet little man.  As sad as it was for Ellen to leave at the beginning of July, I am so grateful for technology that allows me to text/call/IM her every day.

I was able to go home for a week in mid-July.  Time just flew by, as I had scheduled myself pretty much down to the minute before I even landed in Virginia.  I spent time with my favorite little boy, my parents and sister, traveled to Richmond and Charlottesville to catch up with great friends and even squeezed in a mini-trip to the Outer Banks (one of my favorite places on earth).  It was much-needed away time, but also... enlightening.  As I get older and my parents age, I do miss my family.  However, it was a big lesson to learn that my parents might not necessarily realize that I have aged as they have-- it's hard to be treated like a child when you're 30!

I'll lay this lengthy review to rest for tonight with a(nother) promise to update more often again.  I suppose now that busy time is setting in at work, my blogging skills will revive as well?

introverted introspection.

Watching me at work, you might not know that most personal interactions, especially with groups, make me extremely anxious.  I tend to hide my discomfort well, a combination of great public speaking classes and forced personality changes when on the clock.

Those who do know me both in and outside of the office understand-- I'd much rather spend a day with one or two close friends, chatting and enjoying a quiet place than experiencing the sensory overload of a crowded, loud space.  I'm an introvert at my core-- a trait I think comes partially from my shy father and homebody mother.

This being said, I was too excited to see this article posted in my friend Ellen's google reader the other day.  Finally, a primer for helping people understand me!  It's so odd to be around extroverts all the time (my field tends to be chock full of 'em) who don't understand why I may sometimes come across as cold or boring.

In the case of Jeremy, the conversation is generally more "OMG WHY WOULDN'T I WANT TO GO TO A DAY LONG CONCERT AND THEN GO TO A PARTY AFTERWARDS?!"  It's hard being in a relationship with an extrovert-- J craves social interaction, has a lot of friends and always has something on the agenda.  I, however, am simply exhausted when even thinking about some of the things we have on deck sometimes.  It takes a lot of out of me to be talkative around people I don't know and to force interactions-- I  hate that this makes me come across as a bitch sometimes, but it's who I am.  If you don't believe me, pay special attention to Myth #10 in the article I posted above.

So, dear reader, are you an introvert or extrovert?  What do you find the hardest to deal with when interacting with "the other type"?

bundle of joy.

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of honoring my very best Chicago friend, Ellen, with a baby shower!  Ellen and her husband, Andy, are expecting their first child in early September (Jeremy hopes that the baby will arrive on his birthday).  I am super excited for them to become parents, but admittedly, terribly sad-- Ellen and Andy are moving about 500 miles away to eastern Ohio in three weeks, as Andy embarks on his career as a college professor.  Such is life in academia, I suppose.  We have to go where the jobs are!

The shower was a lot of fun to plan-- it is rare that I get to plan an event for myself to enjoy!  I was fortunate enough to have two co-planners in two of Ellen's close friends, Anna and Gwen.  Each of us filled kind of a unique niche in the planning genre, so it was a great way to divide labor, creativity and funding!

We held the shower on the campus of Loyola University Chicago, in a little hidden gem of a room, the Mundelein Center Greenhouse.  Overlooking Lake Michigan, the Greenhouse was the perfect location-- sunny, breezy and easily configured for different seating arrangements.

This view faces east over Lake Michigan.  I LOVE the round balloons that Anna found!

Ellen is a very crafty lady, so we chose some activities that focused on her interests.  Gwen purchased a shadow box and craft supplies, and we allowed guests to spend some time crafting a memento for the box.  Anna also supplied an instant camera and scrapbook, where guests could take photos and write a note to the family.  We strayed from the cheesy games in favor of another Ellen favorite-- trivia!  It was a fun, interactive way to enjoy the shower.  

Since the shower was held in mid-afternoon, we served light snacks like veggies, hummus, chips, salsa, fruit skewers, cupcakes and sparkling limeaide.  The cupcakes were delicious-- I wish I could say I made them myself, but I  have to admit they came from The Fresh Market , one of my favorite stores!  

The banner reads "IT IS YOUR SHOWER" - bonus points if you can name what TV show it was inspired by!

After the games and obligatory gift-opening, we spent some time talking and mingling.  The afternoon ended with the best part of any event-- the favors!  We hadn't really thought much about favors until a week before the shower, and were admittedly strapped for ideas.  I love the way that a local cupcake boutique, more, packages their goods, and suggested the idea to Anna and Gwen.  We took the idea and ran with it, since we already were ordering cupcakes for dessert.  I absolutely adore the way they turned out-- Anna designed the labels and Gwen found the perfect ribbon to complement the idea.

Takeaway boxes, labels, ribbon and cupcake - total cost around $2.50 per favor!

The idea for this shower was that simplicity and the guest of honor's personality should dictate the event.  We were inspired by countless items in Ellen's google reader, which helped frame some of what we did.  I definitely recommend soliciting the help of friends when planning an event like this-- it made things much less stressful and costly, and it helped to have others to rely on!

Most of all, I was so happy to be able to share the day with Ellen.  Friends in a big city are quite hard to make, and Ellen has always been there for me.  I am sad that she'll soon be so far away, but I am so happy to be a part of her life!  I can't wait to meet her baby boy soon and enjoy all that is to come for their family.

cruisin' along.

About a month ago, you might recall that I posted about the search for our next vacation.  While our requirements were stiff, we finally found a winner a few weeks ago, and I forgot to share!

In late October we will be sailing east from Miami aboard the Norwegian Sky!  Our trip includes four nights on the ship, with three full-day stops in Freeport, Grand Stirrup Cay and Nassau.  I am still a little apprehensive about cruising, but I chose this route specifically because it allows us to be off the ship for at least 10 hours a day, if we choose to do so, and includes no full days at sea.  I am terribly worried about getting seasick, and figured the option that allowed us as much land time as possible was the best idea!  Although we were in the Bahamas in February, this sailing will allow us to see two new islands and we'll get to spend the day in Nassau doing a few things we didn't have time for before.

Immediately prior to sailing, we will be in Richmond, VA (where I went to college!) for the wedding of a dear college friend and his partner.  We'll fly to Miami on Monday morning, board the ship and enjoy the Caribbean until Friday.  We are debating whether to stay in Miami Friday night or return to Chicago-- while extending vacation is never an unwelcome idea, we are trying to be budget-conscious, so returning to Chicago might be the better idea.

Speaking of budgeting, we got a GREAT deal on the cruise thanks to a lot of price comparisons and bargain hunting.  We spent under $600 for the cruise total, in an oceanview cabin for 4 nights, with all meals included.  We even scored some on-board credits, 2 bottles of wine and a few other freebies that will come in handy!  That shakes out to under $150 a day for lodging and meals-- we would definitely exceed that on our own had we booked a strictly land vacation.  While I know we'll spend some money on at least on excursion and some alcohol, I feel really good about our adventure so far!

This summer will be light on travel for us.  I do plan to go home to Virginia for a week in late July or early August, but beyond that, we'll be staycationing here in Chicago-- enjoying friends, festivals and all the fun this city can offer.  What travel plans do you have for the summer, friends?

(in)famous words.

One of the best parts about being in a relationship is laughter, and the ability to laugh with someone.  It definitely helps to share the same sense of humor as your mate-- something Jeremy and I have quite in common.

But sometimes instead of laughing with someone, we get to laugh at them.  This, too, is one of the unspoken greatnesses of being in a relationship!

Sometimes, J says things that are... amazing.  Regardless of context, intention or audience, little gems of hilarity occasionally spill forth into the world and are permanently imprinted into our repertoire.  This past weekend blessed us with two such statements:

"How could I possibly poop without my iPod?"


"Where did you see a billboard for 4000 wieners?"

My friend and colleague, Alex, has taken this idea to another level by creating a twitter account for her partner's one-liners.  For now, I'll keep Jeremy's deep thoughts here on my blog... I never know when I'll need to refer back for a good giggle!