Tales from Car Shopping

In preparation for my move back to Chicago, I made the decision that having a car in the city, and especially during the winter, would be too wonderful to do without again.  I’ve been through four winters in Chicago now, all carless and all bleak.  But, as time went on and more friends brought their [...]

Cops and Robbers Movie

It all started by looking at a bank.  Well, that’s not entirely true because we had been doing things like this all our lives.  But for our purposes,  it started by looking at a bank.  “Doesn’t that bank look like the perfect bank for an old fashioned cops and robbers movie?”  I don’t remember who [...]

The Best Fortune Ever!

I just opened up a fortune cookie expecting the usual disappointing piece of paper stating something useless and lacking in pith.  Oh how wrong I was to underestimate the fortune cookie! Check it out!
“You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life.”
Score!  But what does it mean??? Why is it just a [...]

What an Open!

The US Open drew to a close yesterday with Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina defeating defending champion Roger Federer for the Men’s Singles Title. A fabulous five setter, full of drama and suspense, the twenty-year old pulled ahead with a break in the last set to literally bring about an end of an [...]

Oh Frick

Today I went to the Frick museum for the first time. In retrospect, I can’t understand how I’ve never visited before. Growing up near New York City has always been a privilege for me, being so close to cultural and educational stimuli, and I had thought I had taken full advantage of it [...]

Mountain-top Eavesdropping

A few days ago I hiked to the top of Bear Mountain. Not a major feat, as it is only about a mile and a half ascent, but it was one of the top-ten days of the year, as my dad likes to say, so a nice little day hike was certainly called for. [...]

I did it!

I did it! I did it! La la la la la la! I completed the triathlon! Yes, it was only a sprint triathlon, but still, I did it!
The morning of the race I awoke apprehensive and slow moving. I told myself that it was going to be fun, that it was like [...]

Where I Live

Some high school friends and I bonded the other day when we realized we all have the same reaction to cower and hide when we saw someone we recognized in town. Even if we liked the person growing up, those questions all pointing towards “What are you doing with your life?” will inevitably emerge [...]

1-888-WeJoust

I had never been to Medieval Times. I told Josh I had been to the Renaissance Faire a couple times, to which he responded, “Oh, this is so much more.” If you say so…
For those of you unfamiliar with Medieval Times, it is basically a Renaissance-themed dinner theater. There are chicken dinners, [...]

The Mighty Power of the Coconut

“What do you mean, ‘Don’t panic?’” cried James, “This is a disaster!” Apparently my burning forehead and other symptoms didn’t appease my jumpy traveling companion. I suppose he had a right; we were, after all, sixteen and traveling alone in the Costa Rican jungle. James ran out the door, mumbling between various expletives, “Maybe [...]