Updates for Jess!

I've pretty much abandoned this blog, as you would know if you ever check in to read it. (Hellooooooooo out there...echo, echo) But my loving and loyal Jessica tells me that she still stops by every now and again, and that if something's not on my blog, she most likely doesn't know about it. As the last living 25-50 yr old living in Western civilization without a Facebook account, Jessica really may be somewhat out of touch with my life and times. (Everyone else probably knows way more than they want to.) But she is truly the last man standing who ever stops by here, so the following updates Jess, are all for YOU! Thanks for checking in sweets ;)

1)I joined a running group (!) and ran my first two races in March. It's been thrilling. This time just last year, I remember clearly a night that I sat on the bench at the edge of the track in Lakeshore park crying my eyes out because I was too scared to take the first steps onto the round clay course to run even a single lap. My runner's anxiety when combined with my absolute ASSURANCE that I could not make it even one lap around the track without losing my wind and embarrassing myself, kept me glued to the bench, in the dark covered in tears. That night, with Bryan right next to me, promising me I could do it, instilling in me every confidence that he had in my ability to do it (to do ANYTHING I wanted to) I would never EVER have imagined that in less than a year I'd be finishing my first 5k, then 8k, then 10k (coming up in just two weeks!) and knocking out these races with what closely resembles (dare I say) ease! It's been an AMAZING journey in the last dozen or so months, and I am the proudest I have been in myself possibly ever. At each of my first two races, Bryan was at the finish line, waiting with a camera and a huge smile to tell me how proud he was. I could probably have done it on my own I guess, as I'm a young, healthy and basically fit chick. But I WOULDN'T have done it. Not without him. I didn't know how to believe in myself before he told me I could. Before he believed in me (without hesitation). He knew I could do it before I knew I could do it. And as it turned out, as it usually turns out, Bryan was right. I'm so proud of my accomplishment, I'm so lucky to have such an amazing boyfriend, and I am SO stoked to be able to call myself A RUNNER.



2)We adopted another cat. I know, I know...I'm quickly becoming a crazy cat lady. I don't have an excuse except that we thought we were doing the right thing for Bo. Having been separated from his Mom SO EARLY in his little baby cat life, and having been SO sick at such a young age, Bo never really learned to be cat-like. He's not agile, he's aggressive but not playful, he's moody and picky about who he likes and doesn't (you can tell he learned most of these traits from hanging out with me) so our vet suggested perhaps adopting another cat, who might hopefully show Bo the cat ropes and socialize him a bit to other animals the way that he should be. So Bry and I headed over to Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society to check out the cats they had to offer. I was skeptical about getting an adult cat (isn't the most appealing part to getting a new pet, the fact that they're usually a puffy baby for at least a couple of months?) but Bryan fell for a 1yr old gray and white short hair named Samson. (Pronounced sans P sound...it's hard to say.) The volunteers were shocked to see how lovable and cuddly Sam was being with Bry and I, as he was apparently notoriously antisocial. But he was all up in our grills- and Bryan was sold. We waited a day or two, thought it over, and went back to get the little bugger. Adoption is so important, especially when it supports shelters who are doing all the right things for their animals. Places like P.A.W.S. and Anti Cruelty are too few and far between. We felt it was the right move for a guy who might otherwise have trouble finding a home. (Everyone wants kittens and puppies, and often not adults.) Anyway, it's been a windy road in the two months since we've had Sam. He is absolutely hilarious- a completely different kind of cat than Mr. Man Pants. He's agile and active, running around like a maniac at every waking moment. He's playful, precocious, interested, entertaining and SUPER ACTIVE. Bryan is pretty much convinced that he's a robot, since he seems to be able to speak and understand English.(You cannot believe how smart this guy is.) He's brought a lot of laughs to the apartment, but also some heartache. Bo hasn't responded well to the addition AT ALL and seems more sulky and withdrawn than he did before. While his "play aggression" has abated, his moodiness and recurring stress-induced colds have not. He seems to have developed a stress-related twitch in his hindquarter that causes his back feet, back fur and tail to twitch almost constantly. We're now working with his vet as well as two certified animal behaviorists (one of which is my amazing Mom) to diagnose and solve his personality and health crisis. It's heartbreaking to watch the thing that I love most in this world (Bryan often jokes that if his and Bo's lives were both hanging in the balance, I'd be more apt to save Bo than him) suffer in ANY way. Especially since I was responsible for bringing this pain (Samson) into his life. Everyone assures us that in time they will grow accustom to one another, and our household will find peace again. I'm not so sure? But we both DEFINITELY HOPE SO!!!

3)The ongoing struggle to leave Chicago wages on. Do we move back to NY? Do we move to the West Coast? Do we get a grip and settle down here for a few years, accepting the fact that an interstate move in the worst economy since the great depression is an almost impossible feat, even for two brilliant and capable people like ourselves?? I just don't know. I struggle with it EVERY DAY. I know I should just let be what will be, and stop trying to predict the future. But how can I plan if I don't know where we'll be living in a year? How can I anticipate my next career move? How can we hope to get engaged? Should we buy a car? An apartment? Should we send out our resumes? In Chicago, or New York, or California, or Colorado? I long for New York, I think I always will. And I do believe, as I have always believed, that we will go back some day. But the timing has never felt right. I admitted to Bryan yesterday that if not for him, I'd have left Chicago a long time ago. But there are finally pieces of this city that are falling into place for us. Are my friends here? No. But the New York I left is not the same place either. Jerry, Missie and Ryan are gone. Would I be going home to the same amazing thing that I left? I love New York and I will always love New York. But sometimes I wonder if I'm screaming at the rain. Chicago is an entirely livable city. Although I don't love it, we've become comfortable enough here, and financially it's been a good move. The older we get, the harder it is to make impulsive, romantic decisions. It's the burden of time, I guess. It wears on your impulses with reason...urging you to think about money, careers...you get the idea. I don't have an answer...just as many questions as I did when we got here.

4)MORE WEDDINGS!! So EVERYONE is getting married. Between labor day of 2008 and Memorial Day of 2009 we will have been to six weddings. Each in a different city and only ONE in Chicago. First was J&C's in Portland, which marked my 1st visit to the West Coast. The next weekend was R&J here in Chicago, and in December was D&J in Central Park. For those of you who don't know (Jess was around for all of that excitement!) I became ordained as a minister in the World's Church (ha!) and married Danielle and Jaymes. It was a beautiful ceremony in Central Park, and hopefully everything they wanted it to be. I was honestly honored to be a part of it (although there was some craziness in the planning and execution of the big day!) and I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. We had a break at the beginning of this year, but wedding season II is about to ramp up! The next big event is B&K's wedding in Santa Barbara CA, at the Four Seasons Resort. Bryan and I are STOKED!!! First, Bill and Kelly are two of our favorite people. An amazing couple who truly make you believe that some people are just meant to be. They just recently bought a gorgeous apartment in Manhattan and this wedding is the culmination of their fantastic relationship to this point! We're so excited to be a part of it. Also exciting is that it's a black tie affair, and we are going to look HOT. Bryan had his tux fitted today, and I just bought the final touches for my beautiful ABS floor length dress. It's going to be a blast! Also exciting is that all of Bryan's best friends are going to be there, including the NY crew. Reunited! Four weeks after the BK nuptials, Nat and Tyson are getting married in St. Louis, a city Bry and I have never visited. So we're excited for what promises to be a FUN wedding and some awesome sight-seeing in a brand new town. The very next weekend, my beautiful best friend Missie is walking down the aisle at what is going to be her dream wedding in Charleston SC. (We've never been there either- SO EXCITED!) We get to spend a few days with Missie and Cam before the big day, and I'm so proud and thrilled to be one of the bridesmaids. It's an awesome bridesmaid dress (that I don't currently fit into- EFF) and it's going to be a beautiful wedding. If her shower last weekend in Charlotte is any indication, her friends are all amazing and fun and will give Missie and Cam a fantastic day. Despite the stresses of planning a wedding with her Mom, Cam's mom, a wedding planner, and 200 guests in mind...Missie is doing great, and hopefully getting as excited for the big day as I AM!!

5)Then it's summer!! Summer in Chicago is honestly a good time. (As crabby as I may be the rest of the year here.) We're lucky to live just a block from the lake which provides some really beautiful scenery, good recreational outdoor opportunities, and new for me this year: a GREAT running path. Also exciting about Summer: I just bought my Lollapalooza ticket and as always, I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas morning, awaiting all of the magic of Lolla weekend. It's my favorite three days of the entire year, and it promises this year to be just as good as the last two! If nothing else, Chicago has given me tons of fond memories of Lolla weekends :)

That's probably enough for now. Per usual it's rainy and FREEZING here today (36 and windy) and in New York my Jessica is probably outside walking around, drinking coffee and reading the paper, which she does on Sundays. It is afterall 60 AND SUNNY in New York today. BAH!!

Have a happy Sunday afternoon, everyone. I'm going to do some laundry, take a nap, and dream of exciting things to come!!