The great outdoors: Chicago edition

Today I had the pleasure of kayaking on the Chicago River. Our launch site was at Rockwell & Addison. I thought we'd go downtown, but this was just as nice. We were lucky to have great weather. It was very peaceful and I had a wonderful time just being outside.

I've never kayaked before (only canoed at summer camp), so I was really looking forward to trying it. We paddled for about 2 hours and OMG I can already feel it in my arms! Some people acted like pros and paddled their hearts out way ahead. It was technically a "leisure paddle" so I took my time and took in the sights. We saw a lot of hawks,  herons, and air planes.out

Well, I'm pooped from my trip so I'm going to end this. My apologizes for the shortness of this. One week until class starts!

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Things I am tired of hearing about

1. Libya
2. Hurricane Irene
3. High School Sports

I really just want to figure out what I should eat for lunch & what to do with myself today.

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I realized the other day this month is the most I've ever eaten deep dish pizza and ridden the blue line.

My deep dish quota is about once every one-two months. August? 3 separate times (that's not counting the leftovers). What's better than Gino's? Reheating it the next day in the microwave!

I rarely ride the blue line (because I am a Lincoln Parker) but I've ridden it twice this month to go out to meet my mom because she's in the Jefferson Park area this week.

Does this mean I'm a true Chicagoan now?? I should start my own tour guide service.

The biggest question on my mind right now is what do I want for dinner?? I'm not ready to eat now, but because I'm a planner I want to have something figured out so that I'm not starving once 6:00 comes around.

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The Mindset List

You may have heard on the news/read in the paper about the “mindset list” for this year’s  incoming college freshmen. I decided to look up the list for the Class of 2013 & add comments in italics

The Beloit College Mindset List for the Class of 2013

   Most students entering college for the first time this fall were born in 1991. I was born in 1990

1. For these students, Martha Graham, Pan American Airways, Michael Landon, Dr. Seuss, Miles Davis, The Dallas Times Herald, Gene Roddenberry, and Freddie Mercury have always been dead.
2. Dan Rostenkowski, Jack Kevorkian, and Mike Tyson have always been felons.
3. The Green Giant has always been Shrek, not the big guy picking vegetables. I know who the Green Giant is, even though I have always hated vegetables
4. They have never used a card catalog to find a book. You have when you went to Catholic Grade School
5. Margaret Thatcher has always been a former prime minister.
6. Salsa has always outsold ketchup. Really? I did not know this
7. Earvin "Magic" Johnson has always been HIV-positive.
8. Tattoos have always been very chic and highly visible.
9. They have been preparing for the arrival of HDTV all their lives.
10. Rap music has always been main stream.
11. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream has always been a flavor choice.
12. Someone has always been building something taller than the Willis (née Sears) Tower in Chicago.
13. The KGB has never officially existed.
14. Text has always been hyper.
15. They never saw the “Scud Stud” (but there have always been electromagnetic stud finders.)
16. Babies have always had a Social Security Number.
17. They have never had to “shake down” an oral thermometer.
18. Bungee jumping has always been socially acceptable.
19. They have never understood the meaning of R.S.V.P.
20. American students have always lived anxiously with high-stakes educational testing.
21. Except for the present incumbent, the President has never inhaled.
22. State abbreviations in addresses have never had periods. If I remember anything from 6^th Grade English, it’s that you NEVER use periods w/ state abbreviations
23. The European Union has always existed.
24. McDonald's has always been serving Happy Meals in China.
25. Condoms have always been advertised on television. True, but I rarely see any
26. Cable television systems have always offered telephone service and vice versa.
27. Christopher Columbus has always been getting a bad rap.
28. The American health care system has always been in critical condition.
29. Bobby Cox has always managed the Atlanta Braves.
30. Desperate smokers have always been able to turn to Nicoderm skin patches.
31. There has always been a Cartoon Network.
32. The nation’s key economic indicator has always been the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
33. Their folks could always reach for a Zoloft.
34. They have always been able to read books on an electronic screen.
35. Women have always outnumbered men in college.
36. We have always watched wars, coups, and police arrests unfold on television in real time.
37. Amateur radio operators have never needed to know Morse code.
38. Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia, Lithuania, and Estonia have always been independent nations.
39. It's always been official: President Zachary Taylor did not die of arsenic poisoning.
40. Madonna’s perspective on Sex has always been well documented.
41. Phil Jackson has always been coaching championship basketball.
42. Ozzy Osbourne has always been coming back.
43. Kevin Costner has always been Dancing with Wolves, especially on cable.
44. There have always been flat screen televisions.
45. They have always eaten Berry Berry Kix. SO GOOD, but so hard to find!
46. Disney’s Fantasia has always been available on video, and It’s a Wonderful Life has always been on Moscow television.
47. Smokers have never been promoted as an economic force that deserves respect.
48. Elite American colleges have never been able to fix the price of tuition.
49. Nobody has been able to make a deposit in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI).
50. Everyone has always known what the evening news was before the Evening News came on.
51. Britney Spears has always been heard on classic rock stations. What are you talking about? I remember hearing Britney on the pop stations
52. They have never been Saved by the Bell I’ve seen a few re-runs
53. Someone has always been asking: “Was Iraq worth a war?”
54. Most communities have always had a mega-church.
55. Natalie Cole has always been singing with her father.
56. The status of gays in the military has always been a topic of political debate.
57. Elizabeth Taylor has always reeked of White Diamonds.
58. There has always been a Planet Hollywood. I’ve never been to one though
59. For one reason or another, California’s future has always been in doubt.
60. Agent Starling has always feared the Silence of the Lambs.
61. “Womyn” and “waitperson” have always been in the dictionary.
62. Members of Congress have always had to keep their checkbooks balanced since the closing of the House Bank.
63. There has always been a computer in the Oval Office.
64. CDs have never been sold in cardboard packaging.
65. Avon has always been “calling” in a catalog.
66. NATO has always been looking for a role.
67. Two Koreas have always been members of the UN.
68. Official racial classifications in South Africa have always been outlawed.
69. The NBC Today Show has always been seen on weekends.
70. Vice presidents of the United States have always had real power.
71. Conflict in Northern Ireland has always been slowly winding down.
72. Migration of once independent media like radio, TV, videos and compact discs to the computer has never amazed them.
73. Nobody has ever responded to “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”
74. Congress could never give itself a mid-term raise.
75. There has always been blue Jell-O. A personal favorite

 You can check out the Class of 2015 here:

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Fish Bar

See the full gallery on Posterous

After been wanting to try it for some time, I finally managed to get around to Fish Bar on Wellington/Sheffield in Lakeview. It's a small little place but they have a rewards card in congunction w/ DMK Burger Bar. The food was good, but you didn't get much for what you paid for. The unique feature about fish bar (besides it being a seafood place in Chicago) is that the beverages are served in these jar things, not traditional glasses. My mom was excited because they had fried clams which is hard to find.

Sorry this is a little short, but I'm a little blogged out. I just wrote a post for the Redeye about the great brunch place Orange. You can read it here.

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Well, it's Saturday night and I'm not back in the 'Burg for the great Freeburg Homecoming. It's something I've been going to since I was born. The past few years I haven't really found it all that fun because I'm too old for rides & I don't dig tractor pulls. I don't really feel like I'm missing anything this year because none of my friends will be home. But still, it's weird. Part of me feels like I should be there.

I guess I've officially declared Chicago my home. I'm going home next weekend for a wedding though which should be fun. Hopefully the weather will be nice. I've been enjoying the Chicago summer weather. Not as ridiculous as SoIL heat/humidity. Summer weather won't be around much longer so I might as well enjoy it while I can.

Life Update

Hello!

So we're already half way through August which means summer will soon come to a close. I have about 3 1/2 weeks until classes start and am determined to make them all count. I have been having a fabulous summer though. Weather's been pretty nice (Oddly cool today though) and my internship has been going really well. I have about 10 more days left there. Style Chicago is hosting an event on Wednesday at Venue One so I'll be helping with that. Hopefully my experience with DAB events will come to good use. I'm all finished with my internship class as well. Honestly, I'm kind of looking forward to the working world. I liked being able to leave my work at the office and enjoy my evenings and weekends. I didn't have to feel guilty when I went to the beach or shopping knowing I should be studying or writing a paper. I know I picked the right career field too. The day just flies by.

I still give tours for DePaul. It can be a little tiring because I basically do 3 in a row but it's still fun. I love sharing my DePaul experience with prospective students. We're very busy because it's the summer and it's when most high school students visit colleges.

I am still blogging for the RedEye and really enjoy sharing my experiences in Lincoln Park. It's fun to read the other blogs as well. I absolutely love this city and never want to leave. You can read what I've written here.

I'm still trying new recipes. I found one for homemade pop tarts that I want to try. I also bought an indoor electric grill from Amazon for $40 and it's AMAZING! I love it and recommend it to anyone thinking of buying one. It's easy to clean and basically smoke free. You don't have to mess with charcoal and it heats up pretty quickly. It's great for kabobs (which I love making).

Well, that's about it. My mom's coming to visit soon and I'm really excited to show her my favorite places :)

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My Portfolio is Done!

Check it out here:

http://students.depaul.edu/~cemge/

::Insert Big Sigh of Relief::

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30 Minutes or Less

This summer I’ve been able to see a few summer movies (mostly comedies, because this is me we’re talking about): Bridesmaids, Friends with Benefits, Harry Potter pt 2 (duh), Horrible Bosses, and just recently, 30 Minutes or Less.

Because Chicago is awesome, every once & a while I can catch a free screening. I was lucky enough to get a pass for 30 Minutes or Less, which I had been wanting to see ever since Aziz Ansari mentioned on his Tumblr that he was filming a movie with Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, and Jesse Eisenberg (what a cast!). I had slightly high hopes due to the cast and what I had seen in previews.

My expectations were met. Clocking in at about 1 hour, 30 minutes, this is a hilarious comedy about a pizza-delivery man (Eisenberg) who gets jumped by Swardson & McBride and wakes up with a bomb vest. Eisenberg has about 10 hours to get $100,00 or else he’ll blow up. So he decides to rob a bank. Hilarity ensues

Lemme just say I LOVE Aziz Ansari. I love his voice, his stand up, his character Tom on Parks and Recreation, and finally, his performance in this film. In my opinion, he has the best jokes in the movie. Swardson (who is all “hicked-up” that you can only sort of tell it’s him) makes the BEST facial expressions in this movie though. He sometimes does it when someone else is talking, so make sure to keep an eye on him.

If you’re looking for some laughs, definitely go see this. I hope other critics agree with this amateur’s review when the film comes out August 12.

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Cheesy but funny, my dad always makes sure I have a smile on my face :)

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Oh look who is in the Red Eye 2nd week in a row??

I've been having a lot of fun blogging for the RedEye! You should read my latest post!

My Lincoln Park RedEye Blog

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