Farewell June

What a fantastic month June was.  I had visits from everyone in my family--first Sara, and then Mom, Dad, Catherine, and Matthew later in the month.  I had the chance to explore the city more than I ever have before and I actually had people to explore it with!  I went to the beach 3 or 4 times, started marathon training, and have experienced several concerts at the Grant Park music festival--my favorite thing about the city so far.

I had so much fun being a tourist here with my family.  It's so much fun to show people the city you're trying to make your own.  And the use of googlemaps aside, it's really gratifying to show them that you kind of know your way around now.

Today I had a long run day.  I was supposed to run 9 miles.  I planned on running 9 straight and then finding a bus or something to get back.  I got to just past Navy Pier (6.23 miles) before I could tell I was in trouble with a thunderstorm.  I sprinted back to Navy Pier and took shelter inside for the worst of it.  Then I headed home on a couple buses before deciding to exit at Belmont and finish my run.  I had 2.75 left and it was just drizzly at this point so it actually felt kind of nice.  Can't say it wasn't interesting.

Well, farewell June--thanks for being spectacularly amazing.

Living the life you want

Living the life other people think you should live instead of the life you want to live will not make you happy.
We all want to be happy. Being true to yourself is the only way to make that happen. So let’s not waste any more time trying to fit in. Let’s not let other people decide what we should be doing. We’ll do the things that make us happy and give our lives meaning, even if other people think we’re huge nerds for doing them.
Some people are sad because they conform to everyone else’s expectations.
Some people are happy because they refuse to let anyone else dictate their choices.
Who will you be?

That's a quote off of Susane Colasanti's blog.  I 100% agree.  But this type of thinking can be hard at first and it really takes some bravery.  There's also some ideas like that in The Happiness Project.  It means being who you are, even if other people or society in general think it's weird or unconventional.  


Don't drink just because "everyone else is doing it."  Don't go sleep around just because it seems like you're the only one who isn't.  Do the things you like.  Do them alone if you want to.  Do what makes you happy.

So I was sitting there tonight listening to the classical concert in Millennium Park and suddenly I was seized with the most amazing feeling.  It was like God or fate or something was coming down on me saying, "You are exactly where you are meant to be at this moment."  The last time I had this strong of a feeling was last summer at Philmont.  I just looked around and saw all of the lights in the skyline, listened to the music swelling around me, and thought, "How amazingly cool is this?  I live here.  AWESOME."  After it was over, I snapped a few more pics of the bean, because you really can never have enough pictures of the bean, and then made my way to the bus stop, loving how familiar it all felt.


Be who you want to be.  Do what you want to do.  Don't let anyone tell you what you should be doing or where you should be.

Somethin' 'bout the summertime

Went to the first summer classical concert in Millennium Park tonight.  I asked a girl in my class if she wanted to come along so we grabbed a bite and then went to listen.  I was vastly unprepared and without a jacket or blanket, but it was still so much fun.  If you know me, you know that I LOVE classical music and just don't go a lot because I don't have the money.  But the good thing is, these concerts are free all summer!  It's amazing.

At lunchtime, I stopped by the park where the symphony was rehearsing.  Let's just say I have found what I shall be doing every Wednesday at lunch for the rest of the summer.  Bliss.

During the concert, I just thought, "Look at this.  Look at me.  I'm really doing this.  I freaking live here now."  Pretty cool thought.

I'm super excited for the rest of the series and hope I can find people to go with.  If not, I'm going anyway though.  Love it too much to care if I'm alone.  Especially excited for "Bolero."  I've loved that piece since I first heard it in Music Appreciation in high school.

Yoga

I do vinyasa yoga.  I first started doing yoga in February of 2010 at 24 hour fitness and continued doing it for just over a year to March 2011.  I then had to quit the gym because of money and because of moving away.  My teacher there, April, was fantastic and she did a great job considering she had a class full of 25-35 students every class, and the stupid weights' class always barged in screwing up our shavasana (relaxation).

So I was sad to quit and super excited when I randomly found Namaskar yoga in February of 2012 through great reviews on yelp.  It's this studio a mile from me.  It's so great and so much better than 24 hour corporate fitness.  The first class I took was unknowingly a difficult class.  Gina is the teacher and it's nice to be able to get feedback and help on poses with the classes being smaller.  I like her style and that class, because even though it's difficult and a lot of people are ahead of where I am, yoga is still so individual that it doesn't matter what everyone else is doing, and also it's great because you can learn from them.

I can feel myself getting stronger all the time.  It's so fulfilling when you go further than you ever have before.  When I first was able to push myself up into wheel it felt amazing.  Gina also helped me strengthen my shoulders so over time I was able to get up into headstand.  Someday I'd love to be able to do even tougher poses but it's awesome because you just go at your own pace and steadily improve.

I have a livingsocial deal now so I have a month unlimited which makes it all even cooler.

Well, namaste.

Day 1: Chicago marathon training

Started officially training for the Chicago marathon today.  I chose the novice 1 program over the novice 2 from Hal Higden because honestly, although some days I love running, others I very much do not.  This way I only have one run that is 20 miles before race day in October, which already sounds insane to me.

The run went really really well.  I was supposed to go 3 miles and ended up going 5.  I couldn't help it!  The lake was glittering, the weather was absolute perfection, and the skyline and beach were enticing me!  This is my first mid-week run and the first long run is 6 miles on Friday, so not too bad during week one.  I have got to start remembering sunscreen though.  I keep getting burned.  Eeek!

I'm trying to figure out how the heck to eat for marathon training.  If anyone has any tips on how calorie intake should change during marathon training, I would really appreciate it.  Food and eating properly has always confused me.

In other news, my roommate is moving out soon and I am in the process of finding a new roommate as well as outfitting and replacing all of the things that were hers.  It's going to cost a lot of money sadly because a lot of the bathroom, kitchen, and living room things were hers.  I've gotten a few things so far but it's going to take time.

Anyway, beautiful day outside.  Loving this June weather!

Living in the moment

You know those moments when you just feel so incredibly alive?  Those moments when you are just living life and enjoying it in that moment to the very fullest?  I think those are some of the best moments in our lives.  I was lucky enough to have a few moments like that today.

The moment that I really felt it tonight was when Sara and I were riding the swing ride at Navy Pier after the fireworks show and it felt like we were flying and you could see the Ferris Wheel all lit up and the skyline glittering in the background.  It just made me feel thankful to be here and thankful to be alive.

Sara's visiting me this week and we've been having tons of fun.  Today we went to some of my favorite spots.  We hit up the Lincoln Park zoo and saw every exhibit.  It really is a neat little zoo and really beautiful.  We also stopped in the Conservatory which is my favorite spot in the city.  They had set up their summer flower exhibits and it was wonderful.  We then went to Molly's cupcakes which has the best cupcakes I've tasted in this city so far.  We got four different cupcakes and split each of them in half so we could try them all.  The most amazing one of all was the butterscotch caramel.  Just bliss biting into that.  We also grabbed an absurdly cheap falafel sandwich at Sultan's Market in Lincoln Park.  It was delicious.

We went back to my place and I went off to yoga while Sara went exploring the lakefront.  I had the most amazing class. I just felt so strong all class and was able to do my headstand again as well as bridge and camel!!!  It was AMAZING.  Yoga is so empowering.  You feel so good when you can go further than you ever have before.

Later Sara and I stopped in a little store and bought some groceries for dinner.  We made a homemade salad which was delish, and I chopped up my first ever pineapple (yay!  So yummy!) and I made some agua de Jamaica which I found out about thanks to our visit to Little Village yesterday.  We ate our dinner out the patio watching the sunset.

Tonight we went and saw the fireworks at Navy Pier.
Good times.

Break has been awesome.  The hiking trip through the Smokies and AT was amazing.  It was challenging and intense and such a great experience.  We met some really cool people and I really hope they make it to Mt. Katahdin.  Sadly, summer classes start Monday but at least it's only two of them!

:)  Ready for some good times this summer.  I'm already having them.