Tonight, I called my parents for the first time in quite a while. For me, “quite a while” means for the first time in probably a month or so. I had been busy with work (and apparently, with blogging!), so I hadn’t called them in quite some time. I have e-mailed them, though, so I’m not a bad daughter. Honest, I’m not!
When I started talking to them, I realized how much I missed them. I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, talking to my parents after having not talked to them for a while is like walking into a kitchen and smelling apple pie baking. It’s that comforting, loving feeling of home. I just know that no matter what happens in my life, my parents will always love me. And that’s a pretty good feeling!
I gotta say, I’m very lucky to have these people as my parents.
My Mom is the kind of woman who always wants to make sure you are taken care of. She’s a Mom, after all!—and a wonderful one, at that! In my awkward teenage years, she sat there and listened to my problems (oh, what problems teenagers have, you know!) over and over again, and held me as I bawled over the latest boy who had broken my heart. I can remember her saying to me, many times as I was growing up, “It’s going to get better, I know it will.” And you know what? She was right! Things have gotten better for me throughout the years. I am more secure in myself now, and I’m married to the most wonderful man in the world. Things have gotten damn good! I hope my Mom knows how much I appreciated her always being there for me. And of course, nowadays, she’s still always there to offer a hug or a prayer or a word of encouragement. I’m very lucky to have her.
And then there’s my Dad. My Dad is the kind of man who would do anything for his family. I can’t even count how many times my Dad has helped my siblings and me throughout the years. He was always there for all of us, helping us during bad times, and laughing with us during good times. He helped my siblings and me move countless times, and he’s the Mr. Fix It of the family and is always willing to help out where needed. I remember one time when he was working on my brother’s roof, and he fell off and broke his toe! We laughed, relieved that he had only broken his toe. (Of course, later we found out that he fractured his sternum, too. Ouch!) But he of course recovered and just kept on helping. Even nowadays, he helps build houses for Habitat for Humanity. I’m very proud of my Dad.
And both of my parents have a great sense of humor. I think that’s what helped them get through all those years of raising 8 kids! When I was little, my Mom would sing me silly songs (like Mairzy Doats—if you don’t know what that is, you’re missing out!) while she washed my hair, and my Dad would wake me up in the morning with a funny rendition of “Good Morning to You!” (Again, if you don’t know what this song is, I’m telling you, you’re missing out!)
Even tonight, my Dad made me laugh while we were chatting on the phone. I was telling him about some troubles that I’d had lately, and that I was strong and overcame them. He responded, “You know, I never thought you’d be such a bad-ass daughter!” Wow, I’m bad-ass! My Dad is 80 years old and just called me bad-ass.
I’ll tell you something, I’m one lucky bad-ass.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Not So Perfect
Here’s one thing about the idea of possibly having many lives…
It sure helps me relax!
I mean, when I think about it—if we have many, many lives to become the best we can be, then I don’t have to try to be perfect all the time!
Yes, perfectionism runs in my family. My Dad is a bit of a perfectionist—I think he’d really like to be perfect and right all the time (don’t we all?). I remember this little statue he had when I was a kid that said, “I once thought I was wrong…but I was mistaken.” And I don’t know why I know this (I must have done laundry at some point when I was a kid), but I remember his sock drawer being extremely organized, with all the socks perfectly folded and lined up in a row. I always thought that was funny.
Now I find myself being like him and trying to be perfect, too—although not so much with the sock drawer (he would probably cry if he saw my sock drawer nowadays)—but in the way of always trying to do everything exactly right. I suspect that some of my siblings share the same drive toward perfectionism. I absolutely hate it when I’m wrong about something. (Although this rarely happens—ask my hubby! On second thought, maybe don’t ask him...he’s proven me wrong more times than I’d care to remember.)
But most of all, I try to be calm, loving, and patient all the time. And I fail at this sometimes—especially the whole “patient” thing. Well, and the “calm” thing, too. Damn, and the “loving” thing, as well. I am just not perfect, as much as I’d like to be.
Now, if I have many more lives to live, I can continue to try to do my best, but when I fail, I can forgive myself and realize that I have perhaps hundreds of more lifetimes to become that perfect calm, loving, patient person.
For a perfectionist like me, that would really be a relief.
It sure helps me relax!
I mean, when I think about it—if we have many, many lives to become the best we can be, then I don’t have to try to be perfect all the time!
Yes, perfectionism runs in my family. My Dad is a bit of a perfectionist—I think he’d really like to be perfect and right all the time (don’t we all?). I remember this little statue he had when I was a kid that said, “I once thought I was wrong…but I was mistaken.” And I don’t know why I know this (I must have done laundry at some point when I was a kid), but I remember his sock drawer being extremely organized, with all the socks perfectly folded and lined up in a row. I always thought that was funny.
Now I find myself being like him and trying to be perfect, too—although not so much with the sock drawer (he would probably cry if he saw my sock drawer nowadays)—but in the way of always trying to do everything exactly right. I suspect that some of my siblings share the same drive toward perfectionism. I absolutely hate it when I’m wrong about something. (Although this rarely happens—ask my hubby! On second thought, maybe don’t ask him...he’s proven me wrong more times than I’d care to remember.)
But most of all, I try to be calm, loving, and patient all the time. And I fail at this sometimes—especially the whole “patient” thing. Well, and the “calm” thing, too. Damn, and the “loving” thing, as well. I am just not perfect, as much as I’d like to be.
Now, if I have many more lives to live, I can continue to try to do my best, but when I fail, I can forgive myself and realize that I have perhaps hundreds of more lifetimes to become that perfect calm, loving, patient person.
For a perfectionist like me, that would really be a relief.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sick Day and Deja Vu
I am sick today. I have sinus and tummy issues. Both extremely fun issues, let me tell you.
So I called in sick to work. The worst part of the day was that my head feels like Paul Bunyan stepped on it. The best part of the day was that I got to sleep a lot (which I love), and I got to read a very interesting book. The book is called “Many Lives, Many Masters” by Dr. Brian L. Weiss. Essentially, this book is about reincarnation.
I’ve always been interested in the concept of reincarnation, but I’ve also always been skeptical about it. If there is a heaven (and I believe there is), why in the world would we want to return to this earth, which for all its good points, also has so much negativity in it?
Then I read this book. It was fascinating. The book is written by a medical doctor and psychiatrist who had never had any experience nor belief in reincarnation. However, one day, in the midst of using hypnosis to treat one of his patients for extreme anxiety, his patient began recalling a life before her current life, in stunning detail. The doctor was interested but still skeptical. He couldn’t believe she could have made up all of those details, but he still had doubts. Then, in subsequent sessions of hypnosis, the woman remembered more and more of her previous lives, both happy times and sorrows and pain. And through all of her sessions, without consciously receiving “traditional” therapy, all of her symptoms began to improve. Just through recalling previous existences and events, she was healed.
OK, this doctor could be making it all up. By why would a well-respected medical doctor and psychiatrist risk his entire reputation and profession to tell this story?
You might think I’m crazy for believing this, but something in my gut tells me it’s true. And why would we want to return from heaven to this earth? To learn lessons. To grow spiritually. And we often need to suffer, to feel pain, in order to grow.
I’ll tell you one thing. If and when I come back, I want to come back to a life exactly like this one.
So I called in sick to work. The worst part of the day was that my head feels like Paul Bunyan stepped on it. The best part of the day was that I got to sleep a lot (which I love), and I got to read a very interesting book. The book is called “Many Lives, Many Masters” by Dr. Brian L. Weiss. Essentially, this book is about reincarnation.
I’ve always been interested in the concept of reincarnation, but I’ve also always been skeptical about it. If there is a heaven (and I believe there is), why in the world would we want to return to this earth, which for all its good points, also has so much negativity in it?
Then I read this book. It was fascinating. The book is written by a medical doctor and psychiatrist who had never had any experience nor belief in reincarnation. However, one day, in the midst of using hypnosis to treat one of his patients for extreme anxiety, his patient began recalling a life before her current life, in stunning detail. The doctor was interested but still skeptical. He couldn’t believe she could have made up all of those details, but he still had doubts. Then, in subsequent sessions of hypnosis, the woman remembered more and more of her previous lives, both happy times and sorrows and pain. And through all of her sessions, without consciously receiving “traditional” therapy, all of her symptoms began to improve. Just through recalling previous existences and events, she was healed.
OK, this doctor could be making it all up. By why would a well-respected medical doctor and psychiatrist risk his entire reputation and profession to tell this story?
You might think I’m crazy for believing this, but something in my gut tells me it’s true. And why would we want to return from heaven to this earth? To learn lessons. To grow spiritually. And we often need to suffer, to feel pain, in order to grow.
I’ll tell you one thing. If and when I come back, I want to come back to a life exactly like this one.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
A Fabulous Day
Yesterday started off with an oil and vinegar tasting and ended with a wine tasting. My kind of day!
And the moments in between were all wonderful, too. Here are my 4 favorite events of the day (besides the oil and vinegar tasting—I already wrote about that in my previous blog entry):
1. Ducks and Rats
On the walk back from the oil & vinegar tasting and shopping, my friend Diane and I stopped on the Dearborn Street bridge to watch a mother duck and her ducklings swimming down the river. They were so adorable that we decided to walk down the stairs to river-level to watch them. Did you know that ducklings don’t quack? They tweet! And it’s the cutest little tweeting you ever could hear. Diane and I sat to watch them, and a moment later, we saw a rat running out from behind a pillar, and then run back behind it. Twice more, we saw the rat dart out. The third time, the rat kept running and got a little too close to us. We decided that it was probably best to get the hell out of there.
2. The Reagle Beagle
OK, so no one likes the Reagle Beagle as much as I do. Truth be told, it has a limited menu and is a little overpriced. Maybe I like the idea more than the actual place. Either way, we had fun. I enjoyed being Chrissy, and hanging out with Jack Tripper, Janet, and Mr. Furley. Mr. Furley entertained us with stories of strange objects that he saw earlier in the day on North Avenue Beach. (I won’t elaborate. Trust me, it ain’t pretty.)
3. The Wine Tasting
Buck had a bottle of estate Sauvignon Blanc wine from a Texas winery. To do the tasting, he purchased 2 additional bottles of Sauvignon Blanc from Trader Joe’s—a Chilean wine and of course, the requisite 2-buck Chuck. Buck had been holding on to the bottle of estate wine for a while, and we looked forward to trying it and comparing it to the others. Iwanski set up the blind taste test. Two of the wines we enjoyed, but one of them was very sour and bitter-tasting. Guess which one that was? The estate wine! We were surprised. The 2-buck Chuck came in second, and the Chilean wine was the favorite. The best part was that the Chilean wine was only $4.99. Score!
4. The Game
We decided to play a “game” (that’s what I call it, anyway) where we each wrote our names down on a piece of paper, and then every other person had to write down 5 things they like about you. At the end, each person had a list of 15 nice things the others thought about him or her. It was a fun exercise that turned out to be a nice little self-esteem boost for each of us.
We also each wrote down 5 goals that we had for our lives. We all hoped that writing our goals down would be the first step toward making them become reality. It was fascinating to hear what everyone’s goals were.
Today, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I live in a city with delightful natural and culinary experiences around every corner, and I get to experience them with the most wonderful friends one could have.
I am very blessed.
And the moments in between were all wonderful, too. Here are my 4 favorite events of the day (besides the oil and vinegar tasting—I already wrote about that in my previous blog entry):
1. Ducks and Rats
On the walk back from the oil & vinegar tasting and shopping, my friend Diane and I stopped on the Dearborn Street bridge to watch a mother duck and her ducklings swimming down the river. They were so adorable that we decided to walk down the stairs to river-level to watch them. Did you know that ducklings don’t quack? They tweet! And it’s the cutest little tweeting you ever could hear. Diane and I sat to watch them, and a moment later, we saw a rat running out from behind a pillar, and then run back behind it. Twice more, we saw the rat dart out. The third time, the rat kept running and got a little too close to us. We decided that it was probably best to get the hell out of there.
2. The Reagle Beagle
OK, so no one likes the Reagle Beagle as much as I do. Truth be told, it has a limited menu and is a little overpriced. Maybe I like the idea more than the actual place. Either way, we had fun. I enjoyed being Chrissy, and hanging out with Jack Tripper, Janet, and Mr. Furley. Mr. Furley entertained us with stories of strange objects that he saw earlier in the day on North Avenue Beach. (I won’t elaborate. Trust me, it ain’t pretty.)
3. The Wine Tasting
Buck had a bottle of estate Sauvignon Blanc wine from a Texas winery. To do the tasting, he purchased 2 additional bottles of Sauvignon Blanc from Trader Joe’s—a Chilean wine and of course, the requisite 2-buck Chuck. Buck had been holding on to the bottle of estate wine for a while, and we looked forward to trying it and comparing it to the others. Iwanski set up the blind taste test. Two of the wines we enjoyed, but one of them was very sour and bitter-tasting. Guess which one that was? The estate wine! We were surprised. The 2-buck Chuck came in second, and the Chilean wine was the favorite. The best part was that the Chilean wine was only $4.99. Score!
4. The Game
We decided to play a “game” (that’s what I call it, anyway) where we each wrote our names down on a piece of paper, and then every other person had to write down 5 things they like about you. At the end, each person had a list of 15 nice things the others thought about him or her. It was a fun exercise that turned out to be a nice little self-esteem boost for each of us.
We also each wrote down 5 goals that we had for our lives. We all hoped that writing our goals down would be the first step toward making them become reality. It was fascinating to hear what everyone’s goals were.
Today, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I live in a city with delightful natural and culinary experiences around every corner, and I get to experience them with the most wonderful friends one could have.
I am very blessed.
The Tasting
Yesterday, my friend Diane had mentioned that she wanted to go to an Oil and Vinegar store here in Chicago. When she told me that, I thought, OK, whatever. It doesn’t sound too exciting, but if she wants to go there, we’ll go. Was I in for a treat!
We ended up going to “Old Town Oil” in the cute Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. I had assumed that this place was just going to have oil and vinegar sitting in bottles for purchase. I was wrong! Instead, there were probably about 30 big metal “kegs” filled with different types of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. And the best part for me—and I had never heard of this before—is that you could taste them all! How fun! All you had to do was take a little tiny paper “cup” from under the keg and “tap the keg” to give yourself a little taste.
And the taste of these oils and vinegars? I was absolutely astounded. Everything we tasted was so delicious! For me, this was an especially amazing thing, because: a) I’ve never liked olive oil, except for the “light” kind that you can buy (which doesn’t have much flavor, anyway), and b) I’ve never much liked balsamic vinegar, either.
But this was no ordinary oil and vinegar. I learned that with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, you really do get what you pay for. And although this stuff was on the pricey side (an average of $16-17 per 12-ounce bottle), I am telling you, it was totally worth it. I have never tasted anything so wonderful.
I learned that pure extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is remarkably different than the cheap olive oil you can buy at the grocery store. To me, there is absolutely no comparison. EVOO is outstanding. And they had about 15 different olive oils. (Click here to see the oils on their website.) I love, love, love garlic, so their garlic olive oil was my absolute favorite. The salesman really won me over when he said it was really excellent for making grilled cheese sandwiches. Yummy! But I seriously could have bought every single oil I tried—they were all so delicious. It was a tough decision, but eventually Diane and I settled on buying the garlic, blood orange, and lemon oils.
And the balsamic vinegar was also completely different—and much, much better!—than any balsamic vinegar I’ve ever bought in the grocery store. According to their brochure, Old Town Oil only buys vinegars that are aged for a minimum of 12 years in wooden barrels. Wow, what a difference that makes! They were all so delectable—I could have bought every one of those, too! (Click here to see the vinegars on their website.) Again, it was a tough choice, but Diane and I eventually decided on the pomegranate and tangerine vinegars. Yummy!
You might be wondering how we chose those particular oils and vinegars (and if you’re not, I’m going to tell you, anyway!). Well, I’ve already told you about the garlic oil/grilled cheese connection. That was a no-brainer for me. But the other ones were special recommendations by the salesman, who made two mixtures for us to try: blood orange oil with tangerine vinegar, and lemon oil with pomegranate vinegar. Outstanding! Miss Healthypants’ salad dressing repertoire just opened up substantially!
Later that day, we bought a nice crusty loaf of French bread and did a tasting with Iwanski and Buck, who also agreed that the oils and vinegars were fabulous. They liked the blood orange/tangerine combination the best.
I was just so surprised by the whole experience. What I had expected to be a normal, perhaps boring visit to an ordinary store turned out to be a delightful new experience. My taste buds—and I—were well-pleased.
We ended up going to “Old Town Oil” in the cute Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. I had assumed that this place was just going to have oil and vinegar sitting in bottles for purchase. I was wrong! Instead, there were probably about 30 big metal “kegs” filled with different types of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. And the best part for me—and I had never heard of this before—is that you could taste them all! How fun! All you had to do was take a little tiny paper “cup” from under the keg and “tap the keg” to give yourself a little taste.
And the taste of these oils and vinegars? I was absolutely astounded. Everything we tasted was so delicious! For me, this was an especially amazing thing, because: a) I’ve never liked olive oil, except for the “light” kind that you can buy (which doesn’t have much flavor, anyway), and b) I’ve never much liked balsamic vinegar, either.
But this was no ordinary oil and vinegar. I learned that with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, you really do get what you pay for. And although this stuff was on the pricey side (an average of $16-17 per 12-ounce bottle), I am telling you, it was totally worth it. I have never tasted anything so wonderful.
I learned that pure extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is remarkably different than the cheap olive oil you can buy at the grocery store. To me, there is absolutely no comparison. EVOO is outstanding. And they had about 15 different olive oils. (Click here to see the oils on their website.) I love, love, love garlic, so their garlic olive oil was my absolute favorite. The salesman really won me over when he said it was really excellent for making grilled cheese sandwiches. Yummy! But I seriously could have bought every single oil I tried—they were all so delicious. It was a tough decision, but eventually Diane and I settled on buying the garlic, blood orange, and lemon oils.
And the balsamic vinegar was also completely different—and much, much better!—than any balsamic vinegar I’ve ever bought in the grocery store. According to their brochure, Old Town Oil only buys vinegars that are aged for a minimum of 12 years in wooden barrels. Wow, what a difference that makes! They were all so delectable—I could have bought every one of those, too! (Click here to see the vinegars on their website.) Again, it was a tough choice, but Diane and I eventually decided on the pomegranate and tangerine vinegars. Yummy!
You might be wondering how we chose those particular oils and vinegars (and if you’re not, I’m going to tell you, anyway!). Well, I’ve already told you about the garlic oil/grilled cheese connection. That was a no-brainer for me. But the other ones were special recommendations by the salesman, who made two mixtures for us to try: blood orange oil with tangerine vinegar, and lemon oil with pomegranate vinegar. Outstanding! Miss Healthypants’ salad dressing repertoire just opened up substantially!
Later that day, we bought a nice crusty loaf of French bread and did a tasting with Iwanski and Buck, who also agreed that the oils and vinegars were fabulous. They liked the blood orange/tangerine combination the best.
I was just so surprised by the whole experience. What I had expected to be a normal, perhaps boring visit to an ordinary store turned out to be a delightful new experience. My taste buds—and I—were well-pleased.
A Taste of Heaven
You know how sometimes people have what they refer to as “The Day from Hell”?
Well, yesterday was a day straight outta heaven for me. I enjoyed a wonderful new “tasting” experience (actually, two great tasting experiences!), got to hang out and go shopping with my good friend Diane all day, and later enjoyed great food, wine, and conversation with Iwanski, Buck, and Diane—three of my most favorite people in the world. What’s not to love about a day like that?
More details will follow…
Well, yesterday was a day straight outta heaven for me. I enjoyed a wonderful new “tasting” experience (actually, two great tasting experiences!), got to hang out and go shopping with my good friend Diane all day, and later enjoyed great food, wine, and conversation with Iwanski, Buck, and Diane—three of my most favorite people in the world. What’s not to love about a day like that?
More details will follow…
Friday, April 25, 2008
Beagle!
I am very excited about tomorrow. My good friend Diane is coming down from Wisconsin, and we’re going to eat, shop, and just have a great time chatting and exploring this lovely city.
Then, for dinner, Diane and Buck and I (and maybe Iwanski) are going to the Reagle Beagle. The Reagle Beagle, for those of you who don’t know, is a 70’s & 80’s themed restaurant/bar that resembles the Regal Beagle Lounge from Three’s Company.
I. Love. It.
So Buck said that if he, Diane, and I go to the “Beagle,” he would be Jack Tripper, and I (the blonde) would be Chrissy, while Diane (the brunette) would be Janet. Then I said that if Iwanski came, he could be Jack’s friend Larry. But Iwanski insisted that he would be Mr. Furley. That’s right. I’m married to Mr. Furley.
Don’t you envy me?
Then, for dinner, Diane and Buck and I (and maybe Iwanski) are going to the Reagle Beagle. The Reagle Beagle, for those of you who don’t know, is a 70’s & 80’s themed restaurant/bar that resembles the Regal Beagle Lounge from Three’s Company.
I. Love. It.
So Buck said that if he, Diane, and I go to the “Beagle,” he would be Jack Tripper, and I (the blonde) would be Chrissy, while Diane (the brunette) would be Janet. Then I said that if Iwanski came, he could be Jack’s friend Larry. But Iwanski insisted that he would be Mr. Furley. That’s right. I’m married to Mr. Furley.
Don’t you envy me?
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