What the @#$!?

My sister is in town. Just for a few days for work, but while here, she’s staying with me. She emailed Monday saying she was arriving Tuesday night. So Tuesday morning I decided to stay home and do some major, much needed cleaning. I dusted everything, I cleaned the bathroom, I did laundry and I even cleaned and vacuumed the rug, and then the entire apartment. The rug needed special treatment because with all of Maxy’s tummy issues, that poor things has been through the ringer!

I was amazed at how much I got accomplished from 7:30 to 12. A lot! I had to head out runs some errands around 2pm, and also stop by my office to pick up my students’ work, so I could grade once home. That took me 3 hours top, so by 5 pm I was back. Yet, to my surprise (not the good kind) I came home to pee and poo on the rug. The recently powders, brushed and vacuumed rug! (@#$!)

I’m telling you, sometimes I get so mad at him, I could really kill that dog!

Weekend Update

On a lighter… or I guess happier note (because these are not light foods) than yesterday’s post, this is was we were up to this past weekend:

DePaul’s men basketball team, the Blue Demons were playing Providence on Saturday, and I had tickets. So after my class, I picked up Mike, who was already at my place, and we headed over to Allstate Arena. It was fun, I hadn’t been at a live basketball game since… I really don’t remember when, that’s how long, so this one was specially appreciated.

After the game we went home to take the boys out for a walk and have a little down time, and while watching a bit of TV we caught and old episode of Check Please, in which they reviewed a Greek restaurant not too far from us. So we set out to go there for dinner and check it out. It’s a family style, yet upscale type, called Melanthios Greek Charhouse. Mike had a pork chop with feta cheese and potatoes, and I had gyro moussaka. Both delicious. But the best part was the bread. This bread is to die for, and if you add a little taramasalata, you’re in heaven!

After this yummy and very filling meal, we walked back home, walked the dogs and settled in to watch Bridesmaids on demand. It was ok. Funny at the beginning, and then as Mike said, it got chick-flicky and sappy.

On Sunday the boys let us sleep in until 8! A miracle never heard of. Thank you boys! We went for a long walk around the lake and when we came back we made breakfast at home. Delicious! We had bread from the doggie-bag we took home from Melanthios, and after it was heated up a bit, it was as good as the night before.

We did some chores and ran some errands, and had a late lunch at New Tokyo, another place around my neighborhood, we had never been to. It was good.

After picking up some supplies at Target for the upcoming week, we headed home to watch the Oscar’s. At some point before the end of the show, Mike and Charley headed home, and Max and I were left to watch the end snuggled in bed. It was a great weekend, a great one indeed.

Change…

Have you ever noticed how one incident can completely change the course of your life? You are living and enjoying your life, merely, minding your own business, maybe even being very thankful and appreciative of all the good you presently  have, and suddenly, out of nowhere, completely unexpectedly, comes flying in this thing, this little or big thing, and wham, just like that everything changes.

I’ve been thinking about that lately. But I had been focusing on the big, bad things, like cancer, car crashes, accidents, and the sort, that suddenly happen, when you least expect them to, and change everything. Of course, there are also positive good things, that come along and wham, change our lives too. But for some reason I’ve been thinking about the not so great, big things.

And then over the weekend I started thinking of the little, bad things. Things, oh you know, like job interviews, moves, secrets you find out, random phone calls out of the blue, or texts messages, that come swooping in and suas! change your status quo.

I’m happy, I like my life right now, the people around me, the places I go, the activities I choose to do, and even those I just have to do. I like it all, I like it all as it is. But this weekend I realized, once again,that nothing stays the same. Everything changes, and when it’s all good, it can only change for the not so good, right? Because things can’t get better when they’re already are as good as they can get.

This term has been great student-wise. Last term was a bit of a pain in the butt, because I had three or four students in one class whom I didn’t really like. Well, to be fair I think they didn’t like me either, or the course, or the content, or the schedule, or the program, or… whatever it was they didn’t like, in any case they took it out on me, and frankly I tend to not like people who are rude to me. I was glad when the term was over. And even gladder, because this term has been great. I love my current students. I would maybe change some particular attitudes, but in general, I really like them. Yet… I have access already to my roster for next term, and in one of my classes I will have one of the students I really didn’t like last term, and I am already dreading having to see her twice a week for 11 weeks.

I ask myself, why? Why does she have to take this course with me? Why again? Why now when I was feeling great about my students and liking my classes so much? Why do I have to go back there? Why couldn’t she have signed up for the hybrid course, so that way I would only see here once a week for 6 weeks. Why?

Well, because things change, and there is no way around that. If things are bad, we always have the solace they will improve eventually. If things are good, then we need to brace ourselves because they can’t remain great forever, they too will change. So my great student spree will change, I guess it was bound to change, and now I see it, it’s coming, like when the light at the end of the tunnel is actually a freight train coming at you at full speed! She’s coming back and I’m not liking it, not one bit.

Also, on the topic of little things that can change your life, I had a conversation with Mike this weekend about an event that can potentially change us very much. I’m not going to get into it here, because he doesn’t even like me writing this blog in the first place, but I am going to say, it made me stop and think about the cow, and how this started to feel like it might just be a cow.

Remember the cow? The one that (figuratively) lands on your head, or rather mine, when I least expect it? Remember? No? Well, that’s what I call these unexpected events (little or small), that come barging into my life and alter and change everything, just when I thought everything was going great. Yep, it’s like a cow falls out of the sky and lands right on top your head, and squishes you flat! Splat! Just like that.

Well, this event can potentially do that, and I felt sad, because, even though it hasn’t happened yet, it could, and if it does the status quo as we know it will change, and that change will not necessarily be a positive one. The end of us ran past my thoughts, and in a matter of seconds I felt as how I would feel if my present suddenly disappeared from it’s current state and turned into the consequences of that event.It was sad, and I didn’t like it.

So needless to say, between the awful student and the potential of an unwanted change in my relationship with Mike, I woke up a bit down this morning… because it kinda sucks when things change when they were finally all going great. Am I right? So, I’m left asking myself: Why do things have to change? Why can’t we reach a certain state of blissfulness and just stay there forever. Why?

Hush already!

Charlie is staying with us this week. He’s always left so sad when Max and I leave Monday mornings, that this time I asked Mike if he could come with us, and lo and behold, he agreed. So here I am with two dogs who seem to not be able to spot barking during the day. As you can imagine that makes working from home a tad difficult.

Today I noticed that Max has now picked up barking as a way to “talk” to me or Charlie. The thing is we can’t understand a “word” he’s saying, at least I can’t, I can’t really speak for Charlie. So now the barking is not only due, to passing dogs, kids, people, trucks, planes, cars or any and every noise they hear, it’s also due to wanting to go out, wanting a treat, or wanting to play. It’s nonstop.

Speaking of play, we have this routine down now. We go for a walk, we come back and have a treat, then I make them dinner, they eat, get another treat as a dessert after dinner, and then they want to play. Play consists mainly of me trowing the ball, them catching it, sometimes bringing it back, others chewing on it until it breaks, or fighting each other for it. Because even though we have 4 balls and 2 dogs, they always seem to want the same one. Typical, right?

I now dread working from home, as you can imagine I get little to nothing done. But I found a solution today. One way I get them to quiet down is if I close the door on all of us in my bedroom, curtains pulled, lights out and take a two hour nap with them. Difficult my life is sometimes, wouldn’t you agree?

Forever?

“How long have you lived in the US?”

“Well, let’s see. For 4 years from 3 to age 7 in Davis, CA. Then 1 year when I was 14, again in CA, but this time in Irvine. Then 3 years while getting my MA and MEd in NY, from 24 to 27. And then this time around. I moved to NYC in late December of 2004, when I was 32, to get my doctorate, and then moved to Chicago in 2010, but haven’t really left the US yet. So that’s, 4, 1, 3, and now almost 7, so almost 15 years I’ve lived in this country all together. This last time has definitely been the longest I’ve lived here in one stretch.”

And then it kinda hit me. I knew when I moved to NYC the second time around, I would not go back home when I was done. I had applied for a F1 student visa, instead of a J1; I paid for my studies this time, instead of having a scholarship from a Venezuelan Governmental agency; I made sure I had no ties back to Chavez because I didn’t want to be caught again in the situation of having to go back, if I didn’t want to. I did all of that consciously, because I knew that eventually I wanted to stay in the US. And yet, realizing that this time around has been the longest I’ve lived in this country continuously, gave me a little pause.

I have no plans of moving back to Venezuela. Ever since my parents sold everything, including their beautiful house in Caracas, and moved to Miami back in 2010, I have no home to go back to. Sure, my extended family is still there: aunts, uncles, cousins and my only living grandparent (Tata), and some of my high-school and college friends are still there too, though mostly they live all around the world now. Yet, I don’t have a home to go back to. Not any more.

Now when I think of home, my adult-life home, I think of New York. When things get a little harder, or sadder, or just plain uncomfortable here, and I want to go home, I think of going back to NY. My parent’s new place in Miami is nice, but it’s not home to me. I’ve never lived there, and despite the major efforts my mom makes almost daily to get to move to there, Miami is not home to me.

People ask me if I’ll stay in Chicago forever. And my answer usually is: I don’t know. The truth is I’ve never been anywhere forever, and the longest I’ve lived in the same city for one continuous stretch, has been 9 years, from age 15 to 24, during high-school and college in Caracas. So forever, at my modest 39 years of age (I turn 40 this October!!!!), has never really existed as a possibility even.

Will forever happen now? Will I stay here for the rest of my life, which I’m thinking will be another 30 to 40 years? Who knows? What I do know is I will probably (and I say probably because who really knows) never go back to live in Venezuela again. The US, whether I stay in Chicago or not (move back to NYC baby!), will probably be my home for the rest of my life. And to be truthful, I don’t know how I really feel about that yet.

Sometimes it seems sad, like a part of my life came to an end, and I want to mourn it and cry a little. Other times it is what it is, and I don’t even think about it, kind of in a neutral mode of sorts. And yet others, it’s a happy thing, the past is behind me, this is the present with an endless possibility filled future, and I feel happy here, with how things are now.

It dawned on me last night though, as I walked to the garage at work to get my car and drive home, that this could be it. Is it for sure? I don’t know. Could it be? Maybe, I guess. Although, knowing my track record, I really doubt it. Moving seems to be written in bold letters in the map of my life. It seems to be the common denominator. I do think I will be here for a while though. I have no plans to move to another state anytime soon, so I’m staying put. But is it forever? Really, how could I know? I could say yeah, sure, but as the saying goes “We make plans, and God just laughs.” So, is it forever? Yeah, for sure, maybe, and probably not. How’s that for an answer?

Happy Valentine’s Day

May it be filled with love and laughter and all things sweet for you and all your loved ones.

 

Valentine’s Weekend

We’ve been celebrating milestones and holidays before they actually happen these days. Last weekend we went out for our anniversary dinner on Saturday, when the date actually was on Monday, and this weekend we celebrated Valentine’s, when we all know it’s not until tomorrow. But hey, when you can only see your sweetie on the weekends, what else can you do if these special dates keep wanting to fall on a week day? Celebrate early, that’s what!

Mike, Charley, and Charlotte, came over Friday night. The snowing had stopped and apparently the roads were free sailing, because they found no traffic on their way over to the city. We ordered in Friday night, Chinese from Joy’s Rice and Noodles, and it was all great except for them messing up our order and bring crazy noodles with beef (!!!), instead of chicken Even the receipt said chicken, so I’m guessing Mike was right and someone out there was enjoying our chicken noodles, while we fished the beef out of ours.

I taught Friday morning ,and made a pit stop at Macy’s after my class to get Mike’s present. I knew what I wanted to get him, and had actually been to another store but didn’t find one I like, so off to Macy’s it was. After dropping the bag in the car, I met Mike at the Museum of Contemporary Art, we were finally going, hurray! We saw their current exhibit on 80s art, called This Will Have Been: Art, Love, and Politics in the 1980s.

These are some of the things we saw. There were many interesting pieces, but some had a no photography sign attached to them, so you get to see only the ones where photography was allowed.

After the museum, off we went for Valentine’s dinner/lunch, at Gino’s Pizza. Mike had suggested the signature room, but I spotted Gino’s on my way to Macy’s and since we had wanted and tried to go there before, but it was packed, we figured we give it a shot now, and there was no wait! So the Signature will have to wait until some other time, I’m sure it’s lovely, and we’ll be ready for that with reservations and proper attire, but for now, it was jeans and deep dish Chicago style pizza at Mike’s favorite place. It was good!

Deep dish pizza is different from any pizza I’ve ever tried. The dough for one, is more crackery than any other pizza I’ve had, although this particular dough was less crackery than others I’ve tried in Chicago. They apply the cheese and meats first, directly on the dough, and last they drip the sauce… it just seems strange to me, when I’ve always seen it done the other way around. Regardless though, it was still delicious and highly recommendable. I had a chocolate chip cookie for dessert and it was great too. Perfect consistency, moist and fresh, and we got a little treat from the house too, because of Valentine’s. I yet have to try those.

After our lunch/dinner eat out at Gino’s we headed home, walked the boys and exchanged gifts. Saturday was definitely our Tuesday this year for Valentine’s. Mike got a new hypoallergenic, 100% down, 300 thread count cotton cover pillow And I got a bucket (I bucket I tell you) of candy and chocolate and a nighty from VS. The cards were sweet too, but I have no pictures of that sorry. We stayed in at night and watched Moneyball on demand. Really liked it, I guess I’ll like any movie about baseball, and this one was a good one.

On Sunday we took the boys for an early morning walk and after that had breakfast at home. I made eggs and Mike cooked bacon, we added bread and butter and voilá! We lounged and napped and once we were ready we headed out to have lunch at Adobo Grill (delicious Mexican food and Margaritas). And then went to see a comedy show at The Second City Up Comedy Club, called: Sex, Love & The Second City: A Romantic Dot Comedy

Both the margaritas and the guacamole at Adobo Grill were superb, highly recommend them, and the show was really good too. Very funny and entertaining. If you’re in town you might want to check it out. Did you know that The Second City is a place were comedians like Bill Murray, Steve Carrell, and Tina Fey performed earlier in their careers, and where SNL gets most of their people? I surely didn’t, but I can see how that would be so, the actors were very talented and the show was simple, but well done.

That was our Valentine’s weekend. How about yours? Do you celebrate Valentine’s? Did you do it early this year too?

Weekend Fun

The weekend was great, a breeze, it went by so fast, but festive and fun. I teach Saturday mornings this term, so it wasn’t until after lunch that I could head out to Mike’s. Mike’s dad was in town, he came to meet his new granddaughter and was staying at Mike’s place. So instead of heading out and going directly to Mike’s place, I drove to Scott and Mary’s place to meet them there and to meet little Adriana, who is now 3.5 weeks old. Isn’t she just a dream?

We stayed over and held Adriana to our hearts’ content and then were off home to take the boys out for a walk, before we headed over to Emilio’s for our anniversary dinner. Yep, it’s been a year since Mike and I met and started dated, and we went back to the restaurant where we had  our first “real” date, to celebrated it. The food there is really good, authentic Spanish food. We had tapas, as we did the first time we were there, and shared every dish. I forgot to take pictures, I guess I was too caught in conversation, but I did manage to remember the photo taking at the end of the meal, and got a picture of our dessert: fried banana with caramel sirup, pistachios, and vanilla ice cream.

Saturday was Super Bowl day, but we still had to get up early and take the boys for a walk and then head out to run some errands, a stop by the liquor store and Petco, because those are the bare necessities right? After the errands we had lunch at Tap House Grills in Plainfield and we had the time of our lives drinking beer (them) and eating carbs and fried foods (all of us). Take a look:

That first item, in the first photo, those were deep fried bacon strips covered in chicken flour batter. Yes, DELICIOUS. After lunch we went home for a brief nap, and then headed out to Mike’s sister place to watch the game. There was a great spread there too, but again I forgot to take pictures. I know, what is it with me these days? I’m losing my photo touch!

The game was great, the Giants won, hurray! I even won the second quarter’s score card, $20, which I was surprised about since I rarely win at random pickings. The company was awesome, and Max (we took the boys) was overall good. He hadn’t been around so many people since I got him, so I was weary of how he would react, but aside from being super hyper (he always is a bit) and not being able to relax and take a nap because so much was going on (ribs and wings were being served!), he was good.

So there you have it. This was us, gathered after the game and before everyone headed back home.

We were missing Beth’s two boys and Bobby, who was taking the photo. But I thought I’d share anyway.

So how was your weekend? I know, it’s practically Thursday already, but bare with me, will ya.

Our Walks

Do you go on walks early in the mornings? Ever since I got Max I do, every single day. Today was different though, today I noticed a bunch of weird things left behind on the ground by others. I’m usually mindful on what’s on the floor, trying to prevent Max from eating anything he’s not supposed to, but I hadn’t seen the array of things we saw today. A blue striped tie, a small black hair clip, a half way used tooth paste tube, an array of single gloves, a pack of ketchup, some random chicken bones, and a scarf.

It made me wonder where all these unfitting-for-the-setting things had come from. Do you notice things on the floor when you go for walks?

#FEBphotoaday

I found out about this through Sizzle’s blog post yesterday, and I thought I’d join this month. We’ll see how it goes. I’ll be posting my daily photos on Instagram and Twitter, and at the end of the month I’ll do a recap here. If you’re interested, here are the daily prompts:

And the original blog post is here. Cheers to daily photos!