The Adventures of Kinky Reggae: A Vagabond for Beauty

For many years, I have dreamed of being like Martha Stewart. I used to watch her show and subscribe to her magazine. I would cut out useful articles and recipes from the magazine and organize them all in my big Martha Stewart binder. I loved looking at her ideas, and I also thought it would make me a good wife someday. But after today, I think I've given up hope. It wasn't that anything especially awful happened today, it's just the last straw. It seems like every time I try to cook something new, something goes wrong. Yesterday I went apple picking, so today I wanted to make an apple pie for my friends at work and apple crisp for small group tomorrow night. Thank God Sarah (the pastry chef) was here, or my apple pie would be ruined. For some reason I thought the recipe said to preheat the oven to 450. Common sense should have told me that was a bad idea, but for some reason, it didn't even occur to me that that seemed a little high. My crust started to burn,

I think I've mentioned before that I tend to form these unhealthy emotional attachments to fictional characters. Usually this happens when I read. For example, I feel like I am best friends with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants girls. And whenever I read those books (I've reread them several times), I feel the need to call my friends and tell them I love them. I get way too emotionally involved. Well, this has spread to TV now, too. I've decided that Thursday nights can't get any better: Ugly Betty, The Office, and Scrubs. I think I blogged about the fact that I was devastated when Santos was shot, especially because they just had to go and tie in West Side Story. It was just so beautifully done, I was in tears. It took me all summer to get over it. Well, last night Sarah and I were shouting with excitement when Santos appeared with that bandage on. I was so relieved! And then, to find out that that was all Hilda's imagination, and that he really is

Yesterday our whole small group traveled to Indianapolis for Carla and Ryan's wedding. Here is a bad picture of our small group. (I'm hoping someone will send me a better one; we had like, 5 people taking our picture. We're just that fabulous.) The ceremony was beautiful! I love how Catholics make it such a big thing. I like that it's a longer ceremony with communion and everything. Carla's dress was gorgeous- I love that dark red accent! The fall colors were just perfect. Besides being a really good time, Carla and Ryan also had a " green wedding ." It was so nice to have a vegetarian option at dinner. And their rings are made from recycled gold! Carla is definitely one of the coolest people I know. Whenever I'm trying to figure something out at small group, she's the one with the wise words. In fact, she is the one who came up with the Incubator name and designed our tee-shirts. Can you tell we really love being a group? If you loo

I took up cross-stitching when I was pregnant. I think it's a good hobby when you're pregnant, because it seems like most cross-stitch designs are either for babies or old ladies. So I made Jacob a Tigger cross-stitch, since his room was decorated in Winnie the Pooh. But there are no more babies in my life to make things for, and my grandma has been on the receiving end of my cross-stitching for several Christmases now, so I think she deserves a break this year. I didn't know what to do. I like cross-stitching, but I don't like any of the designs. Then I thought of embroidery. I've always thought it looked better than cross-stitch, but it was a little intimidating. Also, I wasn't sure if there were any cool patterns; I didn't want to have the same issue I have with cross-stitch. Well, last night I found this website: Sublime Stitching . They have the most awesome vintage patterns, and stuff like pin-up girls and tattoo designs. It's designs I wo

I know this is going to be long. My blog is like my journal, and I thought that writing about my thoughts might help me. So this will probably be long and boring. This month, I’ve been feeling very restless. This definitely isn’t an unusual feeling for me. You can tell by my previous posts that there are all these things I want to do, and I can’t decide between them. I know that the way I think about things is complicated, and that it’s silly to be worrying about next year right now. But I can’t help it. The other day at lunch, I decided to ask my coworkers for advice. When I started explaining, Charity told me to be quiet because I was giving her a headache. Michelle just didn’t understand what I was worrying about. But Chad got it. And he said he can totally picture me just picking up and moving and starting an adventure somewhere else. This is exactly what I want to do. But then I start thinking of the logistics of it all, and I don’t know if I co

Nina and I are on a new mission to meet boys. Before, we would just complain about how hard it is to meet someone, but not really do anything about it. Well, except the speed dating, which actually was somewhat successful for Nina. So we're doing it again next week. But we have made a list of other options as well, and we are going to try at least one a week. Honestly, I don't think we'll be all that successful, because I think when you're looking for a boy, you're not going to find one. But I think our mission will be fun, so I'm willing to try. 1. Speed dating 2. Matchmaker (Nina and I are going to pool our resources and send her to a matchmaker. Because first of all, I think she is more likely than me to find a good match. And second of all, I'm at the point where I don't think I even want to get married. I really can't picture myself feeling that way about someone AND having him feel the same way about me. I just don't think it

So the day after the Spy Bar vs. Sound Bar incident, we all had tea at The Drake. Here is the infamous Tripod and Tabletop, reunited at last. (Girls, we really need to think of a better name. Tripod was good for the three of us, but it can't be fun for Sarah to be the Tabletop.) And here is Rachel with her delicious birthday dessert. I am truly at my happiest when I am with these three girls.

I have a cold. But I hate saying this; it sounds so harmless, like it's not a big deal. My head feels like it's going to explode, my face hurts, I had a fever the other night, my throat hurts, and I feel like I'm going to pass out. Doesn't that sound worse than just a cold? I actually called in sick yesterday, which I was not happy about. First of all, my students can't subtract- I can't waste any time I have with them. Second of all, I hate taking a sick day because I'm sick. Usually I use them for mental health days. I end up staying home and cleaning and grading papers. Yesterday I graded like, 5 papers and that was it. But the weekend has not been a total waste. Faye and I went to the Garfield Park Conservatory today, which was gorgeous. And Sarah might come over tonight to watch the new Pride and Prejudice with me. Tomorrow I'd really like to go to the Sandwich Fair, but first of all, I can't afford the gas money to go all the way ou

So I left work in a bad mood because that boy who fought yesterday and should have been suspended was not suspended and started another fight at the end of the day today. I couldn't wait to get home and relax. But I needed to stop at the library downtown really quick. It's only about a 5 minute drive from my apartment, and I needed to get a book I was going to use for school. I parked at a meter on State, like I usually do. I found my book quickly, but then I went up to the 10th floor to hang out with my friend for a few minutes. By the time I got back to my car (in a downpour with no umbrella), it was gone. There was a sign on the meter that said you couldn't park there till after 3:30. But I missed the other sign that said you couldn't park between 4 and 6 p.m. I stood there in the pouring rain and tried to figure out what to do. Oddly enough, my biggest concern was that my library books were getting wet. Luckily, some people at the Pacific Garden Mission acr

What a day. First I had to deal with A. and A., who I found out were bullying this sweet girl, T. And it was the nasty, subtle bullying, like the kind I read about in Odd Girl Out . (Awesome book, by the way.) They have been making fun of her hair. That's such a big deal with my girls. And when you look at this poor girl, you just know she can't afford to get her hair done. So anyway, I really went off on these girls, and now I think they're kind of scared of me and they know I'm not playing around. I also talked to the most popular girl in the class (who is also the nicest girl) and let her know what's going on, and she's going to look out for T. It's never the popular girls that I see doing the bullying. They're secure in themselves and nice to everybody, which is why they're popular. It's like the not-so-popular girls think that if they put someone down, they'll look better. So upsetting!!!! Then I had issues with this boy, L.

Seriously, what are the chances that there would be two bars down alleys on the same block, right across the street from each other? My friends were all at Spy Bar. I wasn't excited about meeting them in the first place because I knew it would be a hassle to get there and I'd have to pay cover. But it was Rachel's birthday, and since she is my female soulmate, I'd do just about anything for her. So I drove by this bar that I thought was the one I was supposed to be at. I thought this because it was on the right block, down an alley, and there was a line and bouncers and everything. I paid a $20 cover to get in, and Nina texted me and said they were right in front of the dj. They totally were not. So I'm looking and looking and starting to get panicky because I have anxiety issues anyway, and being all alone in a crowded, super trendy bar was about to put me over the edge. And I'm feeling bad because I know I'm ruining Nina's fun because I'm