Sprung

We’ve had gorgeous weather this week — warm days and plenty of sunshine. I got to ride my bike to campus on Tuesday and Thursday, and as I rode through the neighborhood, I couldn’t help but appreciate the emergence of spring. The trees are blooming a bit earlier than last year. The daffodils are nearly gone and the tulips are nodding their heads in the wind.

Since I was up early this morning, I decided to take a walk through the streets of Rogers Park with my camera. I do love it here!

A few things you’ll recognize from last year —

• the snow fence on the beach is being dismantled
• the tulips at the Frank Lloyd Wright house are blooming
• the green puff trees are fully puffed
• my favorite beach trees provide a great frame for the downtown skyline

Enjoy!

 

All aboard!

There’s something about trains that I love. I never grew out of the joy that comes from hearing the whistle of a train as it approaches a station. I am nostalgic about a time when people depended on trains to travel the country and  talked to strangers in the dining car or became a 4th in a bridge game. I get that silly grin on my face when someone suggests taking the train somewhere. Why don’t we do this more often?

Today I headed up to Highland Park, which is a suburb north of Chicago, to work on a homework assignment with a classmate. Our task was to administer a standardized vocabulary test. No big deal. The big deal is that instead of hopping in my car and sitting still on the tollway, I took the train! My classmate suggested it and I leapt at the opportunity.

The ride from Rogers Park to Highland Park was only about 30 minutes, but it was still divine. I was reminded of the trips with my sister up to LA to visit our grandparents — once we were chugging down the tracks, I couldn’t wait to get up and walk to the snack car for some M&Ms. Today there was no snack car, but I found a vending machine at the station and enjoyed my M&Ms all the same. Good times.

 

Training Wheels

This time last year, I was on my own for the first time in my new home town. After an amazing trek through select National Parks with my sister and a tour of small town Dairy Queen’s, I had to drive her to Midway and say goodbye for a time. I knew I would make it on my own in this strange land where people say “fantastic,” but I was already heartbroken with the notion of missing friends and family for a few years. And look at me now, breaking free of the training wheels and finding my way among the Chicagoans.

A lot has happened in the past year:

• I learned my way around a new city, on foot, bike, bus, train, and by car. My favorite modes of transportation are still foot and bike.

• I embraced the generosity of my neighbors (as I sit here typing, one of the Fitzgerald brothers is chatting with Freddie across the gangway about “sauerkraut, Polish sausage, and the beauties on the beach” — I kid you not!)
• I marveled at the amazing weather the midwest has to offer. Winter wasn’t that bad.
• I learned the difference between speech and language, and I acquired an entirely new vocabulary to describe the different ways we communicate. /ænd ͜aɪ gɑt tu lɚn ə nu w͜eɪ tu ɹ͜aɪt/
• I had my heart broken a few times, saying goodbye to Cleo and to a love I thought might last
• Each week, I gather up all my confidence and sit with clients, hoping to guide them toward better communication
• I’ve made friendships that will last through the ages
• I’ve built a home for myself, a place for this next phase of my life.

There have been hard days over the past year, to be sure, but mostly it has been wonderful. As much as I miss my friends and family in CA, I know this was the right choice for me right now. That confidence buoys me and helps me look toward the next adventure. Oh, yes. It has been  a good year!

July 15, 2009

July 15, 2008

/hæpi ænɪvɚsɹi ʃɪkɔg͜oʊ/

 

Patriotic

As it turns out, I live in the best place to enjoy fireworks in Chicago on 4th of July. My luck continues to astonish me!

I walked out to the Pratt Street Pier around 8:20 last night to see what I could see. There were people grouped along the beach, having picnics and enjoying the break from the rain we’d had earlier in the day. Around 8:40, while it was still light, the fireworks down at Navy Pier (downtown) began. I could see them clearly, but my camera ran out of juice so there aren’t any good pictures of the spectacle. Then, as darkness began to creep north along the lakefront, I watched each neighborhood’s show. Oak Street Beach, North Ave. Beach, Lincoln Park, Belmont Harbor, Montrose…. it was wonderful to see a new show begin just as the show to the south was shooting off their grand finale! By the end of the night, I could see the fireworks display as far north as Wilmette and Winnetka.

The best display of the night, though, was right on my own beach. People from the neighborhood bought fireworks and set them off right along our lakefront. The “oohs” and “aahs” came out in unison and the comeraderie of it all reminded me of the neighborhood park we used to frequent on 4th of July when I was young. As I stood on the pier, smiling at the sparkling sky, I hummed a few patriotic songs to myself and was thankful for my freedom.

 

Summer Season

It is finals season again, so this will be a cheat… a post full of lists. As I went on my morning walk around the neighborhood today, these are the things that reminded me Chicago is in a transition to the summer season.

• Little league games are in full swing.
• The sand tractor sifts the beach every morning.
• The red brick buildings are covered with green ivy again.
• The white stuff floating around in the air and collecting in piles on the street is pollen, not snow.
• Irises are blooming everywhere!
• The swallows that made a nest on my back porch dive bomb me as I come and go.
• The concrete bench at my beach has been wiped clean in anticipation of a new set of murals.

 

Mine

My native Chicago friends warned me about it, but I didn’t believe them. They said that when the snow hits, people are ruthless about keeping their parking spaces. They’ll use whatever they have to hold the space after digging out all the snow. Brittney mentioned the use of traffic cones. Freddie said I’d see milk crates and boxes. Robert…. well, Robert took it to a whole new level and said I’d see couches and chairs and statues of the Virgin Mary. Of course, I thought they were all exaggerating. Silly California girl.

Now, my street isn’t so competitive for parking that people are being insane about their spaces. But when I went out this afternoon to dig out my car from the 8-10″ of snow that fell over the weekend, I noticed something peculiar. There were parking cones in the street for no apparent reason. Brittney greeted me with a shovel and pointed it out — “that, my friend, is a saved parking space.” As I was shoveling snow, I told her that I really did think this idea of calling dibs on your parking space on a city street was an urban mythn. And then someone walking by on the sidewalk joined in our conversation. “Oh no. That’s a trademark Chicago behavior. You’ve gotta save your spot after digging out from under the snow. Where are you from??” When I told her I’m from California, she shot Brittney a look and just sort of chuckled. That seems to be a typical Chicago response (especially in winter). After about 20 minutes, I managed to shovel all the snow I needed to ensure I’ll be able to get out next time I need to drive. When I came back in the house to warm up, I checked the Chicago Tribune site and saw an entire photo montage dedicated to the creative ways people are currently holding their parking spaces while they’re away.

For the record, when asked what would happen if you just got out of your car and moved someone’s stuff to take a parking space on the street, one of my Chicago friends said it could result in anything from frozen locks to slashed tires, depending on the neighbor. It is a whole new world here.

In other news, tonight we’re in for an honest to goodness blizzard. Apparently, a blizzard is characterized by at least 3 hours of continuous snow and winds of at least 35 mph, resulting in white out conditions. I’m glad I don’t have anywhere to go tonight!

Before

After

 

Stuck

It turns out that my car, reliable as it is, doesn’t really like to drive in 8 inches of unplowed snow. I learned that the hard way. See, after my morning walk I came home and straightened up the house. It is one of the many things I have found is an effective way to avoid doing homework while still being productive. While I was straightening the house, I started thinking about lunch and I got a hankering for taco salad. Now, I usually have all the fixings for a taco salad in my pantry, but it’s the end of the week and I needed to go grocery shopping anyway. I bundled up, grabbed my shopping list and canvas bag, and headed out to my car.

Did I mention it’s snowing? A lot? It is. Since my adventure this morning, it has only gotten more blustery. There was a ton more snow on the ground. I did the usual sweeping of my car so I’d be able to see out the windows and I tried to assess the reality of the situation. Sure, the street was packed with snow, but there were tire tracks, so someone had been up and down the street. Sure, the snow was pretty thick and the lady across the street was actually using a shovel to dig out her car, but my side wasn’t so bad. And besides, this is Chicago. People don’t stop living just because it’s snowing. Right?

I kicked a bit of snow out of the way and got in my car to give it a go. I managed to pull out of my parking spot and drive 20 feet to the driveway at the end of the cul de sac to try and turn around. I pulled in to the driveway to start my 3 point turn and when I put my car into reverse and pressed the gas, nothing happened. Hmmm….. I tried again and moved a couple of inches back, but not much. What does one do in this situation? I tried again. Still no luck. Some neighbors walked by with their dog and headed slowly toward the lake. I got out of my car to look for an answer. I walked all the way around my car, not really knowing what an answer might look like, but certain that there must be one. And then I heard it. “Do you need some help?”

Those kind people who were walking their dog knew I was in trouble and offered to push my car out of the snow. Another neighbor saw what was happening and joined in. I put my car in reverse and it took 3 adults about 10 minutes to move me so that I had enough traction to drive. You know where I drove? Right back into that parking space. I took the train to the grocery store and laughed as I trudged through the streets that weren’t plowed. What was I thinking? Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers and for lessons that aren’t too painful. From now on if my street hasn’t been plowed, I’m going no further than the train will take me.

 

Walking the dog

I like dogs. I like cats, too, but dogs feed that feeling of unbridled joy in me. They are always happy to see you, they are constantly discovering new things, and they make friends easily. What’s not to love?!? For a few years, I’ve been wanting to get a dog of my own, but it hasn’t been the right time. Now that I’m in Chicago (which is definitely a dog town), I’ve been thinking about how nice it would be to have a dog. I’ve got the beach right there… we could walk, play in the water, chase balls. Divine. At least that’s what I thought until I woke up this morning and saw how much snow fell over night. The door to my neighboring building is blocked with snow. There are drifts of snow at least three feet deep. And it’s really cold. Who wants to go outside multiple times a day to walk a dog in this kind of weather?

I was out on the beach by 8:15 this morning, to get photos of the nearly untouched snow. The only other people who were out (and bundled up much more smartly than I was) were those with their dogs. I grinned from ear to ear as I watched the dogs bounce and skid and leap through the snow. It was a great way to start the day. Maybe walking a dog multiple times a day in the dead of winter wouldn’t be so bad.

I took a series of pictures in the snow last night and another series (without dogs) this morning. Check out flikr if you want to get a taste of this storm.

 

A New Year

Happy 2009! I’ve spent the past 24 hours reflecting, as have many of my friends and family, I’m sure. The last year was definitely good to me.

This time last year, I was struggling with the final details of my grad school applications, wondering where in the world I would land. I took a trip to the Midwest in February to check out Northwestern and UW Madison. The goal was two fold: to investigate the Speech Language Pathology programs further and to ease my concern about surviving a winter of sub-zero temperatures. I remember the shock of walking through the streets of downtown Chicago, feeling tears stream down my face as my body fought the wind and cold. Somehow that didn’t deter me from moving here. In March, I dealt with the emotional roller coaster of waiting to hear back from grad schools and accepting the humbling experience of being rejected. By April, things were in motion as I struggled with the reality of leaving everything familiar and comforting in the Bay Area, of leaving friends who have known me forever, and of living more than 5 miles from my sister. I wasn’t sure I’d survive it, yet here I am. And I dare say I’m thriving. May and June were a whirlwind of packing up my life and then the adventure took off like a rocket in July when Susan and I took to the road. Six months later, I find myself looking out the living room window at the lake (which is once again full of ice) and looking forward to classes starting again on Monday.

Yes, 2008 provided me with a season of change and I suspect 2009 will be a season of growth. I look forward to the challenges, the delight, and the life ahead. Happy New Year!

 

Finals

Have you noticed that I’ve been silent lately? ‘Tis the season for finals, which means I’ve been trying to study instead of spending my time being creative (or lazy). It doesn’t always work. I stayed inside most of the day yesterday, refreshing my memory about the sternocleidomastoid and phonological processes like cluster reduction. Good times.

When I got up this morning, the sun was gleaming off the snow and I just had to bundle up and go for a walk. It was worth it. My neighborhood is even lovelier when covered with a fresh coat of snow. I smiled at the dogs who leapt with joy along the length of the beach. I tried to find a place to make a snow angel (it’s not deep enough yet). I walked out along the pier and marveled at the icebergs that dot the surface of the lake. And it’s still autumn. Imagine what the lake will look like in winter!

My main objective this morning, aside from getting out of my sweltering apartment, was to make a snowman. It’s harder than I expected! Maybe the snow needs to be wetter. Maybe I need a lesson. Maybe we need more than 3 inches. Who knows…. I managed to make a very small snowman with a leaf hat. It made me smile and gave me a break from thinking about the vocal tract. It was exactly what I needed.

Two finals down, and two to go. The big celebration will happen Wednesday night after 9pm, when I’ll be done with my first quarter at Northwestern. Rock on!