Go Cubs!

I went to my first Cubs game on Sunday... I must say, I'm a big fan and I have the T-Shirt to prove it! haha I watched the game from a rooftop location just outside the stadium, which was a really fun experience. I went with a big group of friends and I think we had the best seats in the house (or across the street from the house). I loved seeing some of the traditions that Wrigley Field has kept up through the years... For example, the old-time band that greets everyone at the front gate really set the mood as you walked into the stadium. (you can click on any of these pictures to enlarge them) Kristen and I ran around before the game started and played with the Cubs Mascot... the weather was beautiful and everyone was happy to be at the ballpark. Even though it was the fastest baseball game I've ever seen and the Cubs lost to Cincinnati (0-1)... we all managed to pick up our heads and continue to enjoy the evening :)

Next time I plan on watching the game from inside the stadium... I can't come all the way to Chicago and not step foot IN Wrigley Field... if anyone wants to come to a watch with me... LET ME KNOW :)

GO CUBS!

Miss you already...

“Life gives us brief moments with another...but sometimes in those brief moments we get memories that last a life time...”


Grandpa Wyman
1923 - April 13, 2007

What City Birds Really Think...

I went down to the beach today to take a walk and came across a really funny scene. I was actually entertained by a seagull... yes, the same annoying bird that gets into your picnic, begs worse than a dog and gawks in your ear. But I guess the beach just wouldn't be the same without them. Anyway, I found myself feeling really bad for this one seagull because it was like watching the scrawny kid get picked on at the playground after school. Here's the story line... We'll call him FRED :)
So Fred was feeling pretty good about himself... He just found a washed up crawfish and he was psyched about his dinner. He had to find a safe place quick because he's been bullied before and he knew he was being followed.... QUICK! RUN!
DARN IT! Too slow... Here comes the tug-o-war match. Fred was determined to hang onto his dinner with everything he had. MY CRAWFISH... NO MY CRAWFISH... I FOUND IT FIRST... DO YOU THINK I CARE! (Obviously their mother's didn't teach them how to share)! Mine.Mine.Mine.Mine.Mine. Fred put up such a fight that the bully had to call in reinforcement... It was two against one now! He was doomed. I think he would have been happier if they had just given him an atomic wedgie and left his dinner alone but that wasn't the case....

The number three man few off with the goods. Fred was left alone on the beach once again with no food. He sulks and waddles his way up the shore and trudges into the deep sand. He takes a short look back at the ocean and then gazes into the city skyline... Look at all those opportunities and possibilities that lay on the other side of Lakeshore Drive... Finally, he quietly thinks to himself...

I wish I were a pigeon!


(hahahahaha - so that was my cute picture book story of the afternoon - It was more of a procrastination piece that turned into one of those bad email fwds but I thought it was kind of funny)

2 weeks down... 8 more to go

So I still like the city... the weather could be cooperating a little more between the rain, snow and cloudy days but I guess that's April. (There was one absolutely beautiful weekend here and I took full advantage by the lake!) Haven't had much time to update my journal because I've been doing a ton of writing for my classes. Sitting down at my computer (again) never seems quite like the study break I'm looking for. haha
Classes have been going well. I'm taking one called the Social Context of Sport and the other is Management and Organization of Sport. Both of them are pretty challenging but I really like my professors, which makes it fun. The most frustrating aspect of coming back to school after I've been away for four years is having to re-teach myself all those simple things that just came naturally in college. For example, how to study affectively, how to write a bibliography, how to manage your time, how to take notes efficiently... things like that. But it's all coming back slowly but surely.
I've had some company in town here and there the past two weeks. First Eric stopped by for a few days on his road trip to California and then Caleb on Thursday. It was great to have familiar faces here - we've all come to the same conclusion that Chicago is a great city. It's very laid back and the people are really friendly. Plus, I'm always amazed at how clean it is kept.
My cooking was definitely put to the test... I had been bragging about my new talent since I had gotten here so the pressure was on to make an awesome dinner. But don't worry... once again... I even impressed myself! I have the picture to prove it and the food tasted better than it looks! It's so much more fun cooking for someone else... I've been making these great meals and then sitting in front of the TV to eat them... I mean, Jerry Springer makes decent dinner company but the yelling and screaming has got to stop! haha Catch my drift??
As for training... I joined a really nice gym downtown that has a special rate for Northwestern students (Can't beat $20/mo)! I've made myself a schedule so I can fit everything in that I need to do. Basically combining my track workouts and lifting workouts into one session in the morning so I can study in the afternoon and evening. Last week was the start of our new summer program so I was pretty sore to say the least. I'm not a big fan of training on my own so on top of my workout, I've been jumping in on yoga and core strengthening classes at the gym. Yesterday I decided to join in a pool workout even though I was the only person under the age of 60! It's just something new and different to try so that's been fun.
So anyway, that's what has been going on the past two weeks. The opening home game of the CUBS is tomorrow so I hear that's quite an experience in town. I have tickets to a game in two weeks, which will be cool... although I won't be IN the stadium... I guess one of the neat things about Wrigley Field is that there are building along side of the stadium that are tall enough to watch the games from the rooftops... so I'll be at a rooftop party enjoying the view :) Can't wait!

That's all for now :)