Chicago Notes

    Since I didn't have a pen and paper handy, I was pretty much clickety-clacking away on the Notes section of my iPod Touch. I totally forgot about my notes until minutes earlier when I was cleaning up the random notes I've saved up.

• While waiting for the Chicago-bound train to arrive, everyone inside the station were nose-deep in their smartphones. No human interaction of any kind. Not a timid smile, a nod of acknowledgement, a good morning, nada.

• Everyone was also sitting ridiculously spaced out enough that no person can sit in between. A bench that would have sat 8 people has four people (and their bags) sitting comfortably. Tsk tsk.
• No man offered a woman a seat. Even when that woman was standing next to a man who was sitting with his legs crossed.
• As the train was rolling by the scenery, I saw a plane land. The sight of it made me feel trapped. I need to be somewhere other that where I am and what I am right now. I need to finish this year the right way so that I can breathe again. So that I can feel like (at the very least) have the option of soaring again.
• We passed by a cemetery and I saw a car driving slowly inside. I'm sure he's going to visit a loved one. It made me feel really sad for him. I hope he's happy now.
• I've never had to retrieve legal documents before. I walked inside the Daley Center (which used to be the Chicago Civic Center) and everything was fast-paced and everyone was walking with a purpose. It gave me such a headrush! I wanna be part of this kind of setting! It would probably get too intense for me but I guess I work best under pressure.
• While in line, I saw a guy donning a pair of Dr. Dre Beats Headphone. What a bad-ass. I'm jealous. Those babies cost AT LEAST $300.
• To celebrate my successful Chicago Adventure, I stopped by a bookstore that had a sale going on. I got two books for a dollar each, so.. SCORE!!

•  They say never buy groceries when you're hungry, and all I can say is "True Dat!"  What was supposedly a quick lunch from the McDonald's dollar menu turned out to be a $12 tasteless lunch from the Corner Bakery. I'm sure it's not that bad, but this particular sandwich I got was horrible. -blech-
• I wish I had a real camera with me (not a digital camera, but a digital SLR camera), because there were a lot of things that warranted a decent photograph and all I had was my handy dandy iPod.

    Now that I am semi comfortable with going downtown by myself, I can't wait for summer to arrive! I can go to the museums anytime I want to, Chinatown, even just chill at the lake or Millenium Park. Chicago and I are going to have a very good relationship this summer year.

Thriving Under Pressure

    I had to run an errand in the city and since I'm not a very good city driver, and I figured I should do something I've never done before, I decided to take public transportation to the city. I parked my car at the trains station that's less than a mile from my apartment (I should've walked but it was raining and I didn't have an umbrella). En route to the city, I was pretty content with the book I brought and the music in my iPod.

     I ended up taking the long way because parts of the streets were under construction. I got to the place nonetheless only to find out that I was in the wrong establishment. Good thing the ladies at the building were kind enough to direct me to the right direction. Lesson Learned: When they say Blue Line, it doesn't mean the bus. It means the subway. Me=Idiot. But I didn't let that deter me, because I try to learn something new everyday.
    I got to the right building, did what I had to do and left the building.. only to find out that I had walked the opposite direction of the train station! I ended up on Michigan Avenue, and thinking I was lost, I phoned a friend (no, really I did). But by the time I got on the phone with her, I saw the Art Institute and found my way. I was actually tempted to go in but I need to catch the train and go to the post office to send the paperworks I got.
    I made sure I was back at the Union Station with plenty of time to grab something to eat. And before you know it, I was already 

back on the train and on my way back home in the suburbs. Side note: My leg cramped up while I was on the train and I had to make sure my face and body language didn't give that away because it might make me feel like a newbie. All that one day of walking downtown and I cramp up on the way home.. Sheesh!
    All this time that I was making my way to, around, and back to the city made me feel really good about myself. I had a specific itinerary but I was thrown off the loop. That obstacle didn't stop me from composing myself, regrouping, taking a deep breath and figuring something out. My little city adventure showed me that I can get through small or big things alike. I wasn't fazed, I didn't panic, I didn't let the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago eat me whole. This may sound mushy, but the city made something out of me that day. I feel a little more confident in myself knowing that I get get past any hurdle thrown my way.. because little did I know that I can be a bad-ass like that.

The Best Monday Ever.

    I went to work today with nothing special in mind. All I was thinking was that if I can just get through today, I'll be set, because I have the next two days off. What do I find on my desk when I walk in the office?

A bunch of lovely and colorful flowers and balloons.. and a strawberry shortcake! Not only did this very sweet gesture from my coworkers make my day, it totally made my week! What a wonderful way to kick off my birthday week! All afternoon at work, I kept looking at the flowers and I couldn't stop smiling. I've never been given flowers by anyone other than a boyfriend. I gotta say, receiving flowers unexpectedly from someone that is expected to give you flowers and receiving flowers unexpectedy from the people you would least expect to do so.. well, they're both awesome feelings but it's all two different feelings. I'm still giddy from my little surprise. I guess, what makes it even giddier is the fact that my coworkers didn't think I was working on my actual birthday (which is three days from now) so they decided to give me an early birthday surprise.
    The best thing about it is that my birthday greetings have already started pouring in! I don't want to sound vain or anything, but birthdays are my absolute favorite holidays! Yes, they're holidays to me. It's the one day of the year when a.) I can get away with almost anything, b.) people are extra EXTRA nice to me, c.) I get to be the center of attention for a little bit, and d.) on the off-chance that people decide to be generous.. well, I get to unwrap presents! Oh, and one more thing, the most important one, e.) it's the one day of the year that I can hang out with all the people that I love all in one room.. or something like that.
    Anyway, that is all for now. I have to wake up extra early tomorrow for my downtown mission. Here's to hoping I have a rockin' adventure tomorrow!

Bring It.

    In a few days, I will celebrate my birthday that will transition me from the mid-twenties bracket to the early late-twenties. That means that in a few years, I will be bringing down the house in my dirty thirties. I have to make what is left of my twenties count and I am hoping that this blog will help me chronicle these amazing adventures that I will be making with family, friends, and by myself.
    I hope you guys have fun reading my blog okay?