Finally a day off! I slept in until 9:30 and woke up to a call from Marvin. He wanted to meet me for breakfast. I told him that I needed to follow up on a few things and do laundry, plus it was raining, I didn't really want to leave the house. He said, no worries, I'll bring it to you! Who can say no to that. An hour later, I had the most decadent breakfast ever. Pancakes, French toast with blueberries, turkey sausage, veggie omelette, roasted potatoes, raisin bagel, corned beef and hash, and every condiment known to man. We shared everything, and some good conversation. I gave him a tour of the house and introduced him to Simba and Misty. He seemed a little thrown by the cat on the countertop (just like my aunt) but he said it was a small sacrifice for such a nice place.
My afternoon was full of laundry and Judge Judy. I had planned to follow up with some of the repositories that I want to learn more about, but I took a nap instead. By the time I caught up on my blog and put my laundry away, Lauren was home. We had a relatively good chat about her realizing the futility of chasing men, and she was going to be open to finding someone better for herself. At the same time, she wants to have a baby, so the "one" needs to come along very soon. Some things that I don't understand...I don't mind being a sounding board. I haven't told her about Marvin, I suppose I will have to eventually, but it is nice to have my little secret. Lauren made kale with ham and garlic, and gracioulsy shared it with me, it was pretty good. We watched Grey's Anatomy together and now I'm debating when to leave to pick Lauren (friend) up from the airport. Her flight out of Phoenix was delayed, so she should be here around 11:30..can't wait for the fun to begin!
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Day 86 - Cutest Outfit
I am loving this weather and the super fun clothes that I get to wear. Today's ensemble will be called, Wildberry Skittle. I wore my powder blue lacey tights, tall black boots with silver buckles, magenta broom skirt, lavender cami, and a blue cardigan. I was working the IV out of Roy G. Biv. To make things better, Marvin surprised me at work. He was finished with his classes and heading to work. We talked for a minute and then I walked with him out of the store, we may or may not have been holding hands. When I got back, all the girls were giving me the business. "Chaitra, I see you blushing!" All I could do was laugh and head upstairs. I know I'm too old to be this giddy but he is super sweet, I like him.
After work, I cleaned up my room and got ready for my nightly, television, computer, letter writing, and reading routine. Around 9:00, Marvin called asked me if I wanted to come over and watch a movie. That sounded like more fun than what I was about to do, so I got ready and picked him up at the train station. He was thinking about going to Riverdale to see his friend, Craig and Craig's son, Anthony. I guess that Anthony is leaving for the Air Force next week. I offered to join him, but Anthony was sleeping, so he will have to go another time. Instead of watching a movie, he set up his record player and we listened to Harry Belafonte. Apparently there is a lot more to him than the Day-O song, he is a folk singer and Broadway actor. I feel so ignorant some times. All of his records were great, throw in a little Sam Cooke, Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson, I fell down a soul music tunnel. I drove myself home after a little while, life is good.
After work, I cleaned up my room and got ready for my nightly, television, computer, letter writing, and reading routine. Around 9:00, Marvin called asked me if I wanted to come over and watch a movie. That sounded like more fun than what I was about to do, so I got ready and picked him up at the train station. He was thinking about going to Riverdale to see his friend, Craig and Craig's son, Anthony. I guess that Anthony is leaving for the Air Force next week. I offered to join him, but Anthony was sleeping, so he will have to go another time. Instead of watching a movie, he set up his record player and we listened to Harry Belafonte. Apparently there is a lot more to him than the Day-O song, he is a folk singer and Broadway actor. I feel so ignorant some times. All of his records were great, throw in a little Sam Cooke, Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson, I fell down a soul music tunnel. I drove myself home after a little while, life is good.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Day 85 - Return of the Admiral
After watching 90 minutes of Dancing with the Stars on Hulu, I was running a little late in getting ready for work. Luckily the weather was nice and I busted out the Admiral. I made it to work in 5 minutes flat. Once there, I did my best to avoid Caitlyn (she is so dull, I can't take it). Then I did my best to stretch out the work so that I wouldn't be caught standing around. This job is so stupid, just keep reminding myself to stay the course. When I got home, I made spaghetti with leftover spinach mixed into the sauce. I watched Tim Allen's new show, the parallels to Home Improvement are cute. Now, I'm watching the Results show of Dancing with the Stars. I am looking forward to scrap booking and working on my application essay for Drexel University, I've decided on their archival certification program, it is ranked #4 in U.S. News and World Reports. The next application deadline is February 1.
I almost forgot, when I go to work this morning, Mary said that someone from the DuSable Museum came into the bookstore looking for me. Mary is a little old lady who works as a cashier in the bookstore. Every time she climbs up the stairs, she grunts and I am a little concerned. She is sweet and she told me that DuSable wanted to offer me a job as a docent. When I called, I found it was just another way to volunteer. Darn it Mary, you got me all geeked up for nothing! Honestly, it wasn't that serious and I see that they really need knowledgeable people to be docents, but they should also look for some money to offer people some kind of compensation. Who can afford to spend all of that time learning the ins and outs of the exhibits, give tours all through the week, and still support him or herself. As soon as my schedule is set, I'll see if I have any time, but I can't make any promises.
I almost forgot, when I go to work this morning, Mary said that someone from the DuSable Museum came into the bookstore looking for me. Mary is a little old lady who works as a cashier in the bookstore. Every time she climbs up the stairs, she grunts and I am a little concerned. She is sweet and she told me that DuSable wanted to offer me a job as a docent. When I called, I found it was just another way to volunteer. Darn it Mary, you got me all geeked up for nothing! Honestly, it wasn't that serious and I see that they really need knowledgeable people to be docents, but they should also look for some money to offer people some kind of compensation. Who can afford to spend all of that time learning the ins and outs of the exhibits, give tours all through the week, and still support him or herself. As soon as my schedule is set, I'll see if I have any time, but I can't make any promises.
Day 84 - Carrots and Humus
Short and sweet. I went to work. After work, Marvin and I walked around the Midway. When I got home, I ate humus and carrots. I caught up with my sister and then I went to sleep...
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Day 83 - Clybourne
I had planned to sit down somewhere today and rest, but Lauren invited me to a play with her and her family. Lauren's parents picked us up around 2:00 and we drove to Steppenwolfe Theater in Lincoln Park. The play is called Clyborn and it has been compared to "A Raisin in the Sun" with its themes of racism and housing. Lauren's sister and her boyfriend also met us at the theater. I found out that today is Mrs. Richardson's birthday and the tickets were a gift. The show was very thought provoking. The first half is set in the 1950's when housing is having a hard time getting integrated, and modern times where a new couple is trying to tear down a house and build a new one, unknown to them, erasing the history of the neighborhood. There are moments when I wanted to close my eyes, partly because I was tired and partly because the tension on stage was a little too much for me.
After the show, I walked with Lauren to CB2, Crate and Barrel, and Bed, Bath and Beyond, she was looking for a stainless steel mixing bowl. Then we linked up with the others at J. Alexander for a birthday dinner. I had fish tacos and shared chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Although I spent more than I wanted to, I understood how it might have been awkward for Lauren to hang out with her family by herself. Kristin and Tahir were all coupled up, whispering to one another. Lauren's mom and dad argue often and are just reaching out for supporters of their respective positions. Then there is Lauren, that might have an impact over time. Another element of the dinner conversation that irritated me was their emphasis on superficial things. Lauren's mom whispers across the table to me, "have you found another job yet?" I told her about JPC, but in hindsight, why does it matter? While Lauren and I were walking to the stores, she asked if I had tried a Brazilian Blow-Out for my hair. It is supposed to be a new way to straightened hair, no I like my big frizzy curls!
I tried to follow their conversations and stay engaged, but by my second taco, I had to tune them out..the sarcasm and bickering, was exhausting after awhile. The kicker is that, I assumed her dad was going to pay for the meal, so I ordered very lightly. When the bill came, they spilt it among everyone, so there I am paying a percentage of the automatic gratuity and the cocktails that everyone else was enjoying. I promise I'm not cheap but I hate having to pay for something that I didn't enjoy. Tomorrow is a new day, and I don't hold grudges but I will definitely be more cautious about throwing my lot in with those folks.
After the show, I walked with Lauren to CB2, Crate and Barrel, and Bed, Bath and Beyond, she was looking for a stainless steel mixing bowl. Then we linked up with the others at J. Alexander for a birthday dinner. I had fish tacos and shared chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Although I spent more than I wanted to, I understood how it might have been awkward for Lauren to hang out with her family by herself. Kristin and Tahir were all coupled up, whispering to one another. Lauren's mom and dad argue often and are just reaching out for supporters of their respective positions. Then there is Lauren, that might have an impact over time. Another element of the dinner conversation that irritated me was their emphasis on superficial things. Lauren's mom whispers across the table to me, "have you found another job yet?" I told her about JPC, but in hindsight, why does it matter? While Lauren and I were walking to the stores, she asked if I had tried a Brazilian Blow-Out for my hair. It is supposed to be a new way to straightened hair, no I like my big frizzy curls!
I tried to follow their conversations and stay engaged, but by my second taco, I had to tune them out..the sarcasm and bickering, was exhausting after awhile. The kicker is that, I assumed her dad was going to pay for the meal, so I ordered very lightly. When the bill came, they spilt it among everyone, so there I am paying a percentage of the automatic gratuity and the cocktails that everyone else was enjoying. I promise I'm not cheap but I hate having to pay for something that I didn't enjoy. Tomorrow is a new day, and I don't hold grudges but I will definitely be more cautious about throwing my lot in with those folks.
Day 82 - Marvin's Room
After work today, I had plans to meet Marvin at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater to check out The Follies. He is the box office manager and was able to comp a ticket for me. I had to take two buses and a train to get to the theater which is located on Navy Pier. The second bus was extremely crowded and extraordinarily late. At every stop, I had to get off of the bus let someone, most likely with a double decker stroller off of the bus. The door opened on my butt more than once. I had never seen Navy Pier lit up and crowded as it was tonight, I made it to the theater, just in time to get my ticket and be seated just before the curtain rose.
Steven Sondheim's Follies is the story of vaudeville performers from the 40's who get together in 1971 for a reunion, just before the theater is shut down. It was really cool the way that it was designed to show the older and younger versions of the characters, often on stage at the same time. The first half is very dramatic, but the second half has that super quirky, musical, comedic vaudeville style to it. The music was great and I really enjoyed the dance numbers. The character of Phyllis was after my own heart, her rival Sally was a twit. During intermission, I watched fireworks from the theaters' windows. After the show, I met up with Marvin on the fourth floor of the theater. He walked me out to the balcony, off of the administrative offices of the theater. The view was breathtaking. Marvin pointed out the significant buildings and explained that on a clear day, you can see all the way to Indiana. After that, he gave me an informal tour of backstage. All of the actors were gone, but I saw the costume department and where they kept all of the props.
Since we were at Navy Pier looking for something to do, we decided to check out the IMAX theater. Although it wasn't my idea, I was complicit in taking us to watch Real Steel with Hugh Jackman. I understand that the movie is ridiculous and should have went straight to video. In the interest of not being a Debbie Downer, I took it for what it was and rode out the highs and lows. When the robot with the heart of gold defeats the battery operated behemoth, I clapped and cheered. After the movie, we walked around the Botanical Garden at Navy Pier. I told Marvin that I wanted some greasy late night takeout, but he decides to take me to Cafe Tiempo instead. It is a 24 hour cash only restaurant in the Gold Coast neighborhood. I had an omelet and we shared some interesting conversation. It was probably about 3:00 AM when we left the restaurant.
From there, we went back to his place for a tour and jam session. We listened to his box set of doo wop classics, Gil Scott Heron and some group called Reindeer Station. He drove me home just as the sun was coming up, and I went straight to bed. I think that Marvin is a great person to know in this city and his work ethic really inspires me.
Steven Sondheim's Follies is the story of vaudeville performers from the 40's who get together in 1971 for a reunion, just before the theater is shut down. It was really cool the way that it was designed to show the older and younger versions of the characters, often on stage at the same time. The first half is very dramatic, but the second half has that super quirky, musical, comedic vaudeville style to it. The music was great and I really enjoyed the dance numbers. The character of Phyllis was after my own heart, her rival Sally was a twit. During intermission, I watched fireworks from the theaters' windows. After the show, I met up with Marvin on the fourth floor of the theater. He walked me out to the balcony, off of the administrative offices of the theater. The view was breathtaking. Marvin pointed out the significant buildings and explained that on a clear day, you can see all the way to Indiana. After that, he gave me an informal tour of backstage. All of the actors were gone, but I saw the costume department and where they kept all of the props.
Since we were at Navy Pier looking for something to do, we decided to check out the IMAX theater. Although it wasn't my idea, I was complicit in taking us to watch Real Steel with Hugh Jackman. I understand that the movie is ridiculous and should have went straight to video. In the interest of not being a Debbie Downer, I took it for what it was and rode out the highs and lows. When the robot with the heart of gold defeats the battery operated behemoth, I clapped and cheered. After the movie, we walked around the Botanical Garden at Navy Pier. I told Marvin that I wanted some greasy late night takeout, but he decides to take me to Cafe Tiempo instead. It is a 24 hour cash only restaurant in the Gold Coast neighborhood. I had an omelet and we shared some interesting conversation. It was probably about 3:00 AM when we left the restaurant.
From there, we went back to his place for a tour and jam session. We listened to his box set of doo wop classics, Gil Scott Heron and some group called Reindeer Station. He drove me home just as the sun was coming up, and I went straight to bed. I think that Marvin is a great person to know in this city and his work ethic really inspires me.
Friday, 7 October 2011
Day 81 - First First Friday!
I was so tired at work today, I didn't think that I was going to make it to quiting time. I was on the phone for awhile with Marvin last night but I'm always taking naps, I didn't think it would have such an impact. At 4:00, even though I needed to get ready for First Friday, I had to return my red box and get an energy drink, which added an extra twenty minutes to the moment when I would be home.
I got ready quasi-fast and headed downtown to meet Coleman at 6:30 at the Metropolitan Contemporary Art Museum. I had bought tickets in advance with the "Meet Up" that I joined, and we got wrist bands at the entrance. The museum looks very interesting but I didn't get to see it because as soon as we entered Coleman was approached by two women that he went to college with. Then those women had friends approach our group, everyone was very friendly and they were excited to tell me their Chicago snow stories.
When we broke away to get drinks, we learned that we had to go to another kiosk to get tickets to use to buy the drinks. Coleman wound up buying me 2 white wine spritzers and I was feeling pretty good. We staked out a table outside and we talked with two more of Coleman's friends, they were at his party a few weeks ago, but I didn't recognize them. We ran into one more acquaintance of Coleman's from college who is a Zumba instructor at the YMCA in downtown Chicago, I have her card, I might have to check that out.
My drinks were spread out over the evening, and when we took seats on the steps outside, Coleman and I crossed a friendship bridge. The name of this bridge is the blues, I used to think that my parents were the only ones who listened to certain artists, gone are those assumptions. Johnnie Taylor, Peggy Scott Adams and Clarence Carter were artists that we both knew. He was telling me about Millie Something and Etta Jones, Someone LaSalle, and Bobby Blue Bland that I need to check out.
It was nice that he could have spent the night following around the familiar faces that he encountered but he stayed with me instead. We left after an hour and a half because he had another party to go to on the north side. Before he did that, we had to check out one of the gay bars close to the museum. This place is called Second Story and it might be 900 square feet on the second floor of a building. Coleman knew quite a few people in there and some of them had heard of me. These men were so sweet, and we spent about 45 minutes laughing, talking and people watching.
From there Coleman walked me to Club Vertigo. I took an elevator to the penthouse level and ordered a glass of water. I walked around the space in awe of the view, and found a wall to lean on. This is when I was approached by Mark. I felt like I was on Jersey Shore, and he moved on as soon as he realized that I was not DTF. It was flattering but I might have been chopped up and put in his freezer, messing around with him. He was talking about wrapping me in bubble wrap and sneaking me out of there and his skills with Reiki massage, thanks but no thanks Mr. Mark.
That encounter was a sobering experience for me and I knew that I was ready to go home. I got a little turned around, but I figured it out. When I got to Hyde Park, I stopped at the Wok and Roll and ordered some cashew chicken, delicious. I would take that over 99 cent tacos at Jack in the Box, any day of the week. Lauren was up when I got home, I filled her in on the night's events and headed to bed. Downtown Chicago was everything that I hoped it would be. I had a very good evening, and I am looking forward to many more, just like this.
I got ready quasi-fast and headed downtown to meet Coleman at 6:30 at the Metropolitan Contemporary Art Museum. I had bought tickets in advance with the "Meet Up" that I joined, and we got wrist bands at the entrance. The museum looks very interesting but I didn't get to see it because as soon as we entered Coleman was approached by two women that he went to college with. Then those women had friends approach our group, everyone was very friendly and they were excited to tell me their Chicago snow stories.
When we broke away to get drinks, we learned that we had to go to another kiosk to get tickets to use to buy the drinks. Coleman wound up buying me 2 white wine spritzers and I was feeling pretty good. We staked out a table outside and we talked with two more of Coleman's friends, they were at his party a few weeks ago, but I didn't recognize them. We ran into one more acquaintance of Coleman's from college who is a Zumba instructor at the YMCA in downtown Chicago, I have her card, I might have to check that out.
My drinks were spread out over the evening, and when we took seats on the steps outside, Coleman and I crossed a friendship bridge. The name of this bridge is the blues, I used to think that my parents were the only ones who listened to certain artists, gone are those assumptions. Johnnie Taylor, Peggy Scott Adams and Clarence Carter were artists that we both knew. He was telling me about Millie Something and Etta Jones, Someone LaSalle, and Bobby Blue Bland that I need to check out.
It was nice that he could have spent the night following around the familiar faces that he encountered but he stayed with me instead. We left after an hour and a half because he had another party to go to on the north side. Before he did that, we had to check out one of the gay bars close to the museum. This place is called Second Story and it might be 900 square feet on the second floor of a building. Coleman knew quite a few people in there and some of them had heard of me. These men were so sweet, and we spent about 45 minutes laughing, talking and people watching.
From there Coleman walked me to Club Vertigo. I took an elevator to the penthouse level and ordered a glass of water. I walked around the space in awe of the view, and found a wall to lean on. This is when I was approached by Mark. I felt like I was on Jersey Shore, and he moved on as soon as he realized that I was not DTF. It was flattering but I might have been chopped up and put in his freezer, messing around with him. He was talking about wrapping me in bubble wrap and sneaking me out of there and his skills with Reiki massage, thanks but no thanks Mr. Mark.
That encounter was a sobering experience for me and I knew that I was ready to go home. I got a little turned around, but I figured it out. When I got to Hyde Park, I stopped at the Wok and Roll and ordered some cashew chicken, delicious. I would take that over 99 cent tacos at Jack in the Box, any day of the week. Lauren was up when I got home, I filled her in on the night's events and headed to bed. Downtown Chicago was everything that I hoped it would be. I had a very good evening, and I am looking forward to many more, just like this.