back in action

After wandering through Southeast Asia without internet access (or, in China, access to non-censored internet, including this blog), I'm back in the US. I'm still a bit woozy from the nearly 30 hours of travel; a sense of disorientation that will not wear off anytime soon considering I'm flying out to Seattle tomorrow to visit my newly engaged sis. Strange, to be traveling in the States (toilet paper? air conditioning? no smoking?) and with my parents nonetheless, although I'm looking forward to it. My trip's not all pleasure though--meeting with some professors at U of Washington to discuss PhD options, so I'm actually quite nervous. It's hard to believe that after all that work and anxiety just two years ago, that I'm about to plunge right back in again. That I have no idea where I'll be living or doing this time next year, although I have my dreams. I've caught a bit of a travel bug, that's for sure--both literally and figuratively. Literally, as I'm still sick, after nearly 3 months of chronic GI infections (I never knew there were so many ways to be ill. Forget nutrition as a public health concern in China... I think perhaps they should get soap and sinks outside toilets and consider washing hands before meal preparation before getting to the contents of those meals!) Figuratively as in I've fallen in love with the itinerant lifestyle, and am already daydreaming about my next venture (Argentina next summer, con suerte). In any case, I'm going to backdate all my travel writing and photos on this blog before school starts again, so here goes...

sojourn to seattle, good-bye chicago

After a delicious four week hiatus from all things computer, I'm back! 


Seattle was absolutely wonderful. The gorgeous natural surroundings- multiple mountain ranges and lakes- combined with the laid-back intimacy of the city itself are right up my ally. Each time I visit the west coast, I find myself increasingly drawn to it. I'm looking forward to exploring New England, but the charm and easy-going, quirky attitude of Seattle definitely got to me- if only I had had the forsight to apply to U Wash!

We did a bunch of fun stuff during our brief stint in Seattle, but the most memorable was "climbing" Mt. Rainier:

We were shocked to find it was still snow-covered in mid-July, but that didn't stop us from slipping and sliding in our shorts & sneakers up the base of the mountain. Check out the beautiful view of our little lunchspot:

It was wonderful to get away for a few days, and of course to see my little sister, who suddenly seems very adult in her quaint, law book-filled apartment in the hills of Seattle!


It was a bit sad coming home, though, since it meant the end of my six years in the Chicago area. Even though I grew up in Ohio, I've dreamed of living in Chicago since I was ten. I'll never forget that first visit to the city- I was starstruck by the House of Blues and enchanted by Michael Jordan's restaurant. I felt then, and still feel, like anything could happen at any moment. 


My sharpest memory of that first visit was my first Starbucks cappuccino. We only had the gas-station variety growing up, and as I sipped that frothy and exotic beverage, I felt the glamour and excitement of the city pressing up and around me in a way I never had before. Driving home on Lakeshore Drive, I fell in love with the glimmering beauty of Lake Michigan and the impossibility of the skyline. 


Yes, I'll confess. My choice of college was mostly based on its proximity to the Windy City and to the now-ubiquitous Starbucks (whose $4 lattes seemed much less glamorous as my pocketbook thinned).  And let's get real- my years here have not been all espresso and daydreams.My love affair with Chicago has been fraught with miserable weather and endless parking tickets, and my fair share of painful growing up.Yet, like all first loves, this cold and capricious city will always  hold a dear place in my heart. 


So yes, Chi-city, I may cheat on you for the next year- or ten. But please don't take it personally. To quote the esteemed Ross Geller, we're just "on a break."  I'll be back. 

good-bye, mando!

Today my lil sister packs up her bags and begins her days-long journey to Seattle, Washington, where she will begin law school at Seattle University this summer. I'm proud of her, for graduating at the top of her class from DePaul University, and for taking the leap to embark on such a big adventure.

Perhaps most of all, though, I am scared for her. Scared because she's about to spend 4 days in a Uhaul with this guy:

(Nels, Mandy)

That's our dad, who apparently thinks he is Madonna and is also attempting to rock a new fashion trend by stringing more than one pair of specs around his neck (his record is three). He may be goofy, but the man's a saint. Between Mandy and I, he and my mom will have moved us over 15 times in the past 5 years, crossing the entire country thriceover in the process. The two of them are packing up and taking off this afternoon and taking 90 west until they reach Mandy's new city, and her new life as a law student.

I have no doubt that my sister will be tremendously successful in law school. Her energy, passion and intelligence will make her a formidable lawyer, and I feel sorry for any sorry schmuck who has to come up against her in court!I hope her years in law school are filled with adventures and learning...as long as she doesn't learn how to out-argue me!

It's been really wonderful having Mandy so close to me in Chicago the last four years, and I feel like our relationship has finally evolved from the love-hate immaturity of high school to the deep friendship it was truly meant to be. Sadly, our combined moves means the distance between us will jump from 1 mile to 2,928 miles, but I am sure we will remain as close as ever!

Good luck, Mando. I'll miss you, but I can't wait to hear all about your new adventure!

take me down to paradise city

Also known as Port Clinton, Ohio. Skeptical?

View from my parent's lakeside condo:



Ok, I'll fess up. I didn't take this photo, but it is Lake Erie, the most beautiful place on earth (through my rose-colored lenses, anyway) and the place where I am gladdest (is that a word? dunno but it's how I feel).

I am heading home tomorrow to spend my holiday weekend there. It's my last weekend with my baby sis before she moves to Seattle to law school, so we better make it good!