Adventures of Suelo... featuring Yogapest

Farewell....

2010-01-06T15:14:00.002-06:00

Hello all & Happy New Year!
I just wanted to drop a note that I feel it's time that The Adventures of Suelo blog come to an end.
My initial intention for this blog was to follow my move from Dallas to Chicago waaaaay back in 2007. Since then I have obviously completed that task and my life has continued to take many turns in different directions.
Now that I am in Florida, my life is in a completely different stage & I feel that this blog has run it's course.
I want to thank each and everyone of you who followed me, especially in the insane early posts of my move to Chi-town... That adventure was one of the greatest challenges and accomplishments of my life to date and I couldn't have done it without the support of my friends, families...and even a few foes...

One thing I learned for sure is what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Is this the end of my blogging??? NO WAY! Just the end of this saga... so to those of you who are closest to me... be on the lookout for a new blog coming your way soon... to those of you who's friendship is no more but you still feel the need to read... farewell and I wish you the best in all of your own adventures.
Namaste,
Kristen

Holy Karma Batman!!!

2009-12-06T14:33:00.002-06:00

Well karma does exist... not to mention, a little prayer helps!
For various reasons unknown to me, I have been blessed with an amazing amount of work! In the past 2 weeks I have gone from teaching one class a week to picking up an additional 6 more! PLUS I have an additional email out there for what might be 1-2 more classes on top of that!
So when all is said and done, I will definitely have 7 by January & potentially could have 8 or 9. Wow...
Let's just say that I have faith and I do believe in how things work. I have never been perfect by any stretch of the imagination and I have made TONS of mistakes, blunders, pitfalls, sins, whatever you want to call them... I won't get too spiritual on those of you who are not but as someone who has found God in her life more and more the past several years, I truly believe that he helps you and leads you in the right direction... even if that means going in the wrong direction first to learn things the hard way...and more than once....
Not to get off track but...
I had some nasty comments posted on this blog a few months back & I know exactly who they were from. Am I mad about it? No... do I feel sorry for those who feel the need to judge others when they are far from perfect? Yes. I only hope that those who have made their mistakes are willing to pay before judging others. I am a firm believer that "those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"... and those comments were definitely from some fragile houses.
...at any rate, things can change for the better, even if you have ever felt like you are at rock bottom. Sometimes it just takes time and asking for forgiveness...over and over again... deep and from the heart....'cause He knows if you are sincere or not!
Happy Holidays to everyone! xoxo

I need a fix...

2009-11-06T09:47:00.002-06:00

I need my needles... my knitting needles.
I've been home sick for 3 days & outside of have an Office marathon yesterday, I've done nothing, which I suppose is what you're supposed to do when you're sick but I don't sit still well.

I've been facebooking & watching all of my old Stitch N' Bitchers still talking about their needles. It only seems like yesterday that I couldn't get enough of my sore shoulders, wrists, & back from cranking through 2 hours of stitches. Now, I haven't finished the scarf I started LAST AUGUST. How sad is that?
So with box of tissue in hand, I think I will drag myself out into the garage & dust of the box that clearly says "Closet of Doom"... which is where all of my knitting gear resided in Chicago.

K1P2K1P2K1P2K1P2

Step-?

2009-11-04T15:00:00.002-06:00

According to GNR, it is supposed to be "the cold November Rain"...yet it's still 80 degrees where I am. Funny that I know that all of my Chicago friends are bitching about the cold rain & dreary weather yet I'm dying for a reason to wear a sweater!
One thing I will not miss how the time change affects the midwest. At its peak, the light fades away & disappears at 4:15pm... seriously. 4:30 looks like midnight & SAD disorder sets in, hard.
Halloween has come & gone & I was super proud and excited to put together my first costumes for the little people. I even got a pretty good response from the face painting. Surprisingly enough, Kieron was far more receptive to the make-up application than his sister was. He'll be in good shape for his future days in drama class... 'cause with the dance moves & the voice that boy carries, I predict some stage stardom in his not too distant future.
I am super jazzed about being daddy's girlfriend. They've decided that stepmom isn't appropriate as that means 2 mom's & they only have one mom so until we come up with another term, I'm just Kristen... daddy's girlfriend...and that's just fine with me.

Pooped...

2009-10-10T23:14:00.003-05:00

So with this move I've been the sucky blogger. I WISH I had time to blog! In one month I've bailed across the country, changed careers, bought a house, moved twice, and become Stepmom For Dummies...
I'm toast....

Workin' 9-5... well not really

2009-09-18T15:30:00.005-05:00

After a week of not working, I've decided that I'm meant for the job market. I am SO ready to teach!!! I did a few hours at the "office" today which was a nice change from sitting 'round the apartment watching the dog & the cat try to get along.

Aside from that all is well. I learned that I am almost as smart as a 3rd & 4th grader based upon my help with this weeks homework...and I've also learned not only from this experience but from the frustrations of my other friends that 4th grade is apparently one big bitch all the way 'round. These kids are CRAMMED full of hours upon hours of homework. No down time whatsoever.

When do they find time to enjoy Space Invaders? Galaga? Going to Six Flags & eating Pop Rocks with Coke?

...a 10 year old should NOT, I repeat should NOT have digestive problems....

Sunshine State!!!???

2009-09-14T15:40:00.002-05:00

Well here I am! Officially in Florida! We arrived late Thursday night after 2 days & 22 hours on the road... quite the trip...especially while holding a 10lb. dog the entire way!
All went pretty smooth with the small exception of a flat tire on the car trailer. Lucky that there are not only helpful people in small town Georgia, but that you can always count on a Wal-Mart when you need one!
Everyone is settling nicely... dog & cat are working things out...slowly but surely.
Today was my first real day not having to get up for work! I can't really decide how I feel about that... I should start work by the end of the week & early next week. A few more gigs will begin in October.... not to mention we close on our house in two weeks... woo hoo!!!
Now if I could just get used to seeing cows & hay bales on the side of the road...

Summer Fun

2009-08-09T08:12:00.002-05:00

This has been the year of no summer... at least that's what the locals are saying. I for one have enjoyed not haveing the A/C on, not sweating my nuts off, and having good hair.

This was the perfect time for a bike ride... 23 miles to be exact. Who knew I had it in me? I love this city.

allo allo!

2009-07-18T19:05:00.002-05:00

I am sitting in humid Florida with a houseful of Brits! Well, actually Julian's mum corrected me and said, "no, we are not British, we are English".... so there you go...
I have been here since Wednesday evening & leaving tomorrow. This trip has been a blur. We ended up working at the factory a few days this week to help Julian get the office somewhat pulled back together as he had to fire yet another office manager.
You would think that in the current economic situation this country is in, that it wouldn't be hard to find good, dependable, trustworthy help. Yet the thief seems to be a recurring theme. Is it small town USA? ... or just hillbillies in general? I am not only speaking on behalf of his current situation but from my own experiences in business. There are plenty of trustworthy folks out there but it seems that the pieces of scamming, lying crap out there tend to come in droves.

As I teach this week I am going to focus the intentions on trust and truthfulness... 'cause if you're not truthful and trustworthy, it all comes out in the wash my friends.... trust me.

Solo Efforts

2009-07-12T20:07:00.002-05:00

I spent the weekend alone again... not that this is anything new as I spend many weekends alone, but I really enjoyed this one.
Being alone is complicated. Some people love it, others hate it... there are those of us who are torn in between.
I've lived a life with someone who I was around all waking hours of the day (by my own choice) but occasionally felt smothered. I have also lived alone and dialed my fingers off looking for someone simply to have coffee with.. with no success.
I'm not exactly sure what it is... the weather, the events, hmmmm... I didn't really run any errands which as we all know can suck the life out of you. Now that I think of it, I don't think I did any errands (out & about) as I tried to complete them during the week (is that the key?).
I did beach yoga Saturday morning, then taught a class shortly thereafter. I took myself out for a wonderful lunch & coffee break and then headed home. As I parked my car I thought, "what are you doing? you were going to hang flyers this weekend?"... but that interest wained on Friday night after I thought it through. At any rate, I decided to hang one flyer at Whole Foods and on route, stopped at both a vintage clothing store and used book store that are in Evanston. I have seen these two establishments there since I moved here 2 years ago & never made the time to stop.
I found a great shirt and 5 books all for about $20. Hung my flyer, headed home.
Instead of banging on Facebook all weekend, I actually READ an entire book from cover to cover... yeah me.
I taught an amazing free community class today at Lululemon and when I arrived, I was informed that we were taking the class to the park... absolutely perfect.
I cleaned, did laundry, changed the sheets, walked the dog a few times, took a 1 hour bike ride along the lake, then drug out the grill & cooked a steak & a baked potato.
...and here I sit writing about it comtemplating a bowl of vanilla ice cream with blackberries & raspberries...

I'm not sure why but this weekend gave me a fresh outlook on life... and I like it.

too much techno

2009-06-29T23:13:00.001-05:00

I have a blog, I'm on Facebook, and I've joined Twitter... do I really need all of this freaking technology while I'm working something like 5 jobs??? What the hell is wrong with me? I should go meditate... and twit about it.

A-B-C

2009-06-27T16:32:00.002-05:00

..."it's easy at 1-2-3".... and now I say R-I-P???

While I have always loved Michael Jackson's music, I must admit that his ever-changing looks and behavior over the past few decades has made me say "what the hell" more than once. At the same time I have always felt sorry for him for feeling the need to continue to change his appearance over and over and over again. While my senses tell me that he was happy with success, it also tells me that it was unhappy with the same.
For some odd reason, within the past 6 months or so, I saw something about MJ and thought to myself, I wonder if he will live a full life? Will he live to be an 80 year old man?...or will he die an early death as the few icons of his statute have?.... strange... question answered.
I drank a beer and listened to my Off The Wall album the night of his death... and yes, it was an album, on vinyl, on my turntable.
I am deeply a child of the 80's & remember vividly sitting at Francesca Sabara's house watching the Worldwide Premier of Thriller....and stunned at how amazing it was for it's time.
My heart goes out to the family and I hope that they are able to be left in peace as much as humanly possible at this difficult time.
R.I.P. and thanks for the music

Yoga life

2009-06-06T18:01:00.003-05:00

I have been teaching now for 5+ months. What have I observed? Well, taking on a part-time job is a bit more than I bargained for. Not because it's such hard work but because I find that all of the sudden, I have NO time for anything. Maybe that's just the beauty of being ADD & struggling with focusing!!! Seriously, with all of the yoga added into my life, I am WAY more calm, things just rooooolll of my back, and I am the fittest I have ever been in my life. My weight has not fluctuated in the past 5 months AT ALL... and the reality is, I don't really give a flip about the scale.
I am happier, more content, less-stressed, lighter (mentally and physically) and have a better sense of who I am.
I recently launched http://www.traveling-yoga.com/. My newest enterprise. I have a strange but good feeling about this as we just returned from the first event and got really amazing feedback. Beware, I might be traveling to you soon!!!
On a different non-yoga note, I think Radar is losing his hearing... of all the senses, his EARS... for goodness sakes, his name is RADAR!!! Bloody hell... I guess considering he's an unknown age of which I predict to be around 13-14, the little guys is not really doing that bad. He doesn't hear me call him that well but I'll be damned if he doesn't hear the front door open!
Anyway, I did 3 1/2 hours of yoga today... taught 2 classes & took one of my own. I can't really decide how my body feels about that. I guess I'll find out tomorrow!
Until then... I'm going to make a fabulous dinner for myself!
Here is a link to the pics from the first Traveling-Yoga event... enjoy and namaste...

Announcing...

2009-05-17T09:51:00.002-05:00

The fruits of my labor....
www.traveling-yoga.com
Check it out & pass it on!

:(

2009-04-26T08:48:00.002-05:00

I am so sorry I have been gone for so long! Unfortunately my day job that pays all my bills has gotten a little insane.
Now, the YOGA is going smashing! I just picked up another 10 week session at Crate's corp. fitness center, I love teaching at Know-no-limits gym in Andersonville, AND I have contracted a gig at the Beneteaus Rendesvous in Annapolis, MD at the end of May!
I am also currently building a web site which I will reveal when it is complete. I spent way too much time last weekend in front of this screen so now I'm jumping into it in bits & pieces.
On random other things....
I am attempting to be a greener individual... both for the planet, my yogic beliefs, and my wallet. I am making a conscious effort to unplug anything I can when not in use, and especially when I'm out of town. I think it has visibly lowered my electric bill! I'm on a crusade to reuse/recycle what I can. I am disgusted with all of the plastic I am accumulating. Anything that can be reused at this point is taking up space in my bathroom cabinet. I know I'm a girl & all but even trying to clean out all of the freebies & samples that I've gotten (by actually using them) has brought on a stupid amount of plastic waste. If I didn't already have a zillion things going on... I would attempt an art project about this.
Another weird thing... I recently read an article which stated that it has been proven that plants leaves perk up when their owners walk into the room. So in the interest of experiment, I have begun talking to my one, lone, plant. Not only have the leaves stopped turning brown, but it is FLOURISHING with growth! It's a type of palm tree which was really doing poorly. Now it has busted through the side of the stalk with an entirely new branch of greenery! I am super jazzed about my horticultural efforts... in other words, I am a dork.
That's all for this shitty weather Sunday morning in Chicago. I hope all of you in the rest of the country (and beyond) are enjoying spring/summer like weather as it is 45 degrees here on April 25th, 2009!

Things are a happenin'

2009-04-02T19:56:00.001-06:00

I picked up another teaching job! I am on a roll!
I will be teaching at Know-No-Limits on Clark Ave., Saturday's from 12-1pm. Yipeeeee!!!!

what time is it?

2009-03-29T17:05:00.003-06:00

This may sound stupid and/or not much of a "wow" factor but I spent 2 days not knowing what time it was. I am amazed and stunned not only at how difficult it was sometimes but how liberating it was simply not to care.

While camping in St. Augustine this past week, the watches came off and the cell phones were turned off after about 3 hours. That evening it didn't really occur to us what we were doing but the next morning it hit home. As my eyes opened (to a confused little dog), one time it was dark outside, the next it was light. The first instinct was to look at a clock & wonder "what time is it?". When I realized I didn't have a clock, the next instinct was to find one. Instead I just layed there & thought, " do I really care?" "does it really matter?".
It's sad how our lives revolve around the fucking clock. So the order of the day was... No Time. We ate when hungry & slept when tired & showered when dirty... and gaged the time by the sun.

How primative and lovely all at the same time. I can only dream of living an entire week this way!...but wait! What about my Facebook addiction???

Health Class 101... or not...

2009-03-22T14:51:00.003-06:00

I just spend the weekend in a 3 day Ayurvedic workshop. My head is totally spinning. Not only did I completely fill my head to capacity with information... but I think I have found one of MY teachers.

As someone who got my certification through a program not associated with a studio, I have been wandering the city like a nomad in search of a studio to call home, as well as hoping to resonate with more teachers as I have with Bhakti at Chi-Town Shakti.

James Tennant presented the workshop which covered how to apply Ayurveda to your asana practice. His teaching was amazing, the content was insanely comprehensive, I could just feel the passion he has for Yoga and Ayurveda in how he presented the material, the practices we did made a huge amount of sense, and well, he's pleasing on the eyes (bonus) even if he's not on my team AND, well, I'm head over heels in love with my Brit...

I am STOKED about going to one of his full practices. It's like when you find the perfect pair of shoes... I think that he might be my perfect pair of shoes... for yoga.

For you yogis & yoginis out there, I recommend checking out Moksha Yogas studio at 700 Carpenter if you haven't been there before. The staff was super friendly and they have a great boutique full of yummy yoga goodies.

Namaste :)

Give me the flip flop

2009-03-17T20:27:00.002-06:00

... not in terms of the weather, although I'll take that too! ... but in terms of career. I can't complain, I'm working a full-time job and a part-time job... but the place I spend the most time all week is the one I loathe the most. I should be and I am, greatful to be employeed in this oh-so-shitty economy. But does that mean I can't complain about REALLY NOT LIKING the job that I do? In addition, I KNOW what I want to do when I grow up, but once again, we are in an oh-so-shitty economy so pounding the streets for a new job ain't the easiest of tasks.
In the spirit of yoga, I will say that I am happy with what I have. I have a good paying job, an amazing relationship, family, and friends, and the most super-uber cool dog.
... but that damn day job is truly sucking the life out of me. If it sucks anymore I'm gonna start looking Lohan...

The luck o' the Irish... and British

2009-03-16T09:19:00.005-06:00

Saturday Julian & I went to the Chicago St. Patricks Day Parade. I was SO excited about it! I am Irish, (duh, booze!) and have wanted to attend this since I moved here. Chicago has the 2ND largest Irish population in the country so this has to be balls to the wall right?

Wrong... Before I criticize, let me say that about 1/3 into the parade I looked at Julian & said, "okay I guess considering that we are in a horrible, global recession, a parade is the last thing that anyone wants to put there money in". This I understand. So there were a handful of marching bands, and LOTS of random family's of politicians walking behind banners. Not my idea of a super exciting event. BUT whoever was supposed to be organizing the parade did a fairly crappy job. A great bagpipe band would march by & get everyone geared up, then POOF!... nothing... for, like, 3 minutes. There was no flow & huge gaps of space in between groups. There was little or no excitement from the crowd and overall everyone seemed bored.

Maybe I'm spoiled 'cause my idea of a PARADE is what cruises down Cedar Springs in Dallas every year for Gay Pride. I mean come on, even in the worst of times, you KNOW those G&L's can do some mean shit with some crepe paper and no recession is going to stop that!!!

...and what the HELL does Ronald McDonald in a humongous red shoe have to do with Ireland????

Working on da J-O-B

2009-03-08T20:25:00.002-06:00

It's really frustrating knowing you've finally figured out what you want to do when you grow up and you can't do it fast enough.
That's how I feel right now. I feel very fortunate to have the classes that I do but going to my FT job every day is sucking the life out of me. I am EXTREMELY blessed to have a job in the current times so don't think I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth. I do realize that there are millions of people who would kill for me job.
I just continue to think positive and pray hard.
Today it paid off... I went to yoga myself at Chi-Town Shakti and I was the only person there so I got an amazing private lesson with Bhakti! I can't believe how much I learned from her in an hour & 1/2... she rocks.
Then I went to Lululemon in Evanston to poke around and after much conversation with the girls there, I signed up for the Research & Development discount ('cause I'm a teacher!)... bought a great top, and got signed up to teach a community class in May! Who knew....
The weather was crappy but it was bright & sunny inside my little world.

going holistic part 1

2009-02-18T18:58:00.002-06:00

I forgot to mention my change o' diet.
I did start to eat MUCH healthier this past weekend since I was sick of being sick. Couple that with some major exercise and I felt like a million bucks... until Monday night when I got the most KILLER migraine I've had in years. Not so much the intensity of it as the length of time I had it. It crept in behind my right eye around 2:00 in the afternoon & I didn't finally crash until 4 migraine pills later at 2:00 am... good Lord.
The migraine is a bitch. I don't care for her, she's ugly, she's mean... and she'll borrow your favorite jeans and never give them back... whore.

The early bird catches a plane

2009-02-18T18:54:00.002-06:00

I have a 5:50 am flight tomorrow. What the hell was I thinking booking that???? I think that means i have to rise & grunt around 3:ish. The good part about it is that I will be in FL by lunch time. I'm flying Delta who I haven't flown in forever. I will be doing a comparison between them and AA. I used to be a huge Delta fan until they pulled back from DFW. AA has much better non-stops & their pricing is awesome... BUT, their flight attendants tend to be kind of crabby bitchy.
It's sad, there are no more restrictions that say you have to be thin, cute, & perky... now you can be fat, old and bitchy... and WE pay for these people to be rude to us and serve us cranapple? I'm in the wrong business....

resume, resumE', resume, resumE'

2009-02-12T22:18:00.002-06:00

Okay I'm trying to emphasize the two words in case you're a fool...
I'm a fool. I'm plastered to this f-ing computer sending yoga resumes out like mad. I have only once done the unthinkable... I forgot to attach the attachments. It's what I get for trying to do this while I'm STILL sick.
Did I mention I'm sick? I'm sure if you're on Facebook then you are all too familiar w/my illness, drugs, and misery.
I've decided today that if I don't start feeling remarkably better by tomorrow... I'm going holistic. The new antibiotic they gave me is used for various bacteria's... like anthrax. Good lord... the body is NOT made to inhale all of these chemicals. Antibiotics, steroids, Mucinex, ventolin...
I have realized that stress and my somewhat shitty diet are the reason I'm sick. No doubt about it. I don't care that everyone else in the free world is sick, if I was taking better care of myself on those two scores... I think I would be healthy. So girls & boys, here goes... tomorrow I'm going light. Not as in consumption, but as in what I'm consuming. Fruits, veggies, tons of water, & light meats.
I have been sick for two freaking weeks... stick a fork in me, I'm done.
News report tomorrow at 6:00, complete with news anchor hair!

Who the hell is???

2009-02-09T17:54:00.005-06:00

Yogapest... who and why...

I've been bartering with a girl from my student exchange program at school. Not not battering, BARTERING. She is a personal trainer who is also in the massage therapy program. Long story long, we (try) to meet every Sunday to swap services (not nearly as kinky as THAT sounds) as in 1 hour of yoga for 1 hour of personal training.

I emailed her a few weeks ago to discuss utilizing her as a reference. Throughout several emails I finally signed myself off as yoga pest. The name seems to have stuck but is now one word. It seems to be my name and I like it.

I think I've mentioned before that I'm not looking to be a yoga pimp. I'm sure the money's good but I have no interest in beating my bitches.

Seriously, I REALLY want to share everything I've learned... mostly because it has affected me so positively and because I know just how good it is for you! However, I don't want to push yoga like a Shaklee, Amway, or Mary Kay representative. Then again maybe I could???... Have my own yoga pyramid scheme? Pass out pink yoga mats for the instructor who recruits the most students???

Hmmmm.... I may be on to something...

A-N-Y-W-A-Y I like the name Yogapest better 'cause it fits... and it sounds like Budapest.

I'll buzz around you... but I won't land close enough to be slapped away.

Oh yeah... thanks Jackie :)

Meet the Crisps

2009-01-26T21:01:00.002-06:00

A couple of weekends ago I flew to Florida to meet Julians children. We hit it off wonderfully. They are amazing and I felt totally at home with them. I guess it helps that I'm perpetually a 10 year old myself... no wonder they liked me so much... that and I bribed them each with a dollar :)

Part-time madness!

2009-01-26T20:57:00.005-06:00

Wow, first off I haven't updated this blog in a long damn time!
Well now that school is finished and the holidays are over, life is back to normal... HA! not really... I've started two teaching jobs back to back. I'm teaching Monday nights at the Crate corporate fitness center, and Thursday nights at a local coffee shop (for a community class). I also have one private client on Sunday mornings. All in all this is AWESOME!...but I now officially realize that I am working a part-time job. Realistically... it doesn't feel like work to me at all and I love it!
I don't want to be a yoga pimp, but I can honestly say that it has changed my life for the better. The physical part is good, but the mental part is stellar. I have an amazing amount of focus, and I'm no longer bitchy. Everything just kind of rolls off the back... and I can't even attribute that to booze as I've quit drinking all together!
What's wrong with me?!!!!
Seriously, I've never felt better in my life... now if I could only get that silly Brit in the same town with me, I would be in heaven.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T14:12:00.003-06:00

Well hello all... it's really 2009. That's crazy. I remember when the big millennium scare was going on & that doesn't seem that long ago.
With this new year I have reflected on the last one and how crazy it really was. I went through a ton of emotional upheaval for a multitude of reasons, came full circle with my job (and how devoted I was going to be to it), began yoga school & got certified as a yoga instructor, and most importantly, met my soul mate. Yes I know that's the cheesiest most cliche word to use in a relationship... but it's true.
I look at 2009 not with resolution, but with intention. Intention to strengthen my faith and get back to church (even though I missed this morning...not on a good start!), to take yoga to a completely different level in my life, to help others who are less fortunate than I am, to continue on my alcohol-free path (which I haven't really advertised up until now!), to enjoy the relationship with my parents that has come to a completely different level, and to work towards getting my relationship with my sister back.
I call these intentions because it's all about the act of working towards these things, rather than a goal or final outcome. It's easy to say, "I need to lose weight" but if you don't, then you've set yourself up for failure. If you say, "I intend to eat better and work on my health", then you've got a much better chance of change then the previous statement. It's all in how you look at it and how you perceive it.
With all that mumbo-jumbo, I want to with each and everyone of my friends, family, and strangers who may read this, a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year full of good things and happy memories!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-24T17:18:00.002-06:00

...or Happy Kristmahkwanzaka... or whatever... May everyone have a happy and healthy holiday season :)

HIGH SCORE!!!

2008-12-23T19:23:00.003-06:00

I got my grades back & I got the HIGHEST SCORE IN THE CLASS!!! Grades were based on a 500 point system with an optional 60 additional extra credit points. I got a 454/500 on the reg. section & 48/60 extra credit for a total of 502... which translates to 100%!!!!!
I AM OFFICIALLY A YOGA INSTRUCTOR!!!!
Namaste baby!!!

4 hours and I'm not shitting you!

2008-12-20T21:54:00.003-06:00

That's how long the exam took!!! Holy cow... I know Livia said she was going to give us that long to take the test but did anyone really think it would take that long??? Hell no...

It was 26 pages long and I am SOOOOOOOO glad that I studied as hard as I did. I only left one thing blank.

...and can I just say, I haven't written that much since I was in high school and the computer wasn't really an option! Everyone of us was bitching by the end of class about how bad our hands, wrists and arms hurt. Whah whah whah...

Now we just sit back & wait for Liv to grade the tests & get back to us with our totals and certifications.

Then I'm officially a Yogi...

Yogi Neill... smarter than the average bear

...the countdown begins

2008-12-19T20:31:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is the big day! I am as studied up as I'm going to get. I can't study anymore. If I hear one more sanskrit word or anatomy part, I'm going to have a meltdown.
On the good side of this, I have to think this is truly the most passionate I have ever been about anything. I have NEVER studied for anything as hard as I have for this test. Once completed & graded, I will be able to register w/the National Yoga Alliance. Then I can officially put letters after my name... like, "Kristen Neill h.o.t" Hee hee hee

Tick, tock, tick, tock

2008-12-17T20:23:00.002-06:00

I have 2 more classes left. You have NO idea how happy I am! Not only to be completed & ready to move on, but to have an entire weekend to myself!!!! YIPEEEEE!!!!!
I have been studying like a banshee all week. I was informed on Saturday that we would be given 4 hours to complete out exam this Saturday.... 4 hours!!!! I don't know if I've ever taken a 4 hour exam outside of taking the SAT in 1986!!!
Thank God for Julian. He has been the most amazing study partner. He drilled me questions for days while he was here, and now that he's back home, he's doing revisions with me via webcam. True dedication that boy has... true dedication.
I have Sanskrit words and anatomy parts floating around in my head 24 hours a day. Its beginning to disturb my sleep.
Well, wish me luck as I test this Saturday. I've been working on a few projects to get the teaching ball rolling and I'm about 99% completed with one of them. I'll keep it under wraps until it's a done deal & then I'll share the news.
Hope everyone is having a good holiday season & enjoying their friends & families.
Oh yeah, we're buried in snow up here!!!! The Fudd hat is in full swing!
Chat soon :)

Wow, did I fall off or what?

2008-12-06T20:12:00.002-06:00

I have fallen off of the face of the earth due to this school thing. I have 6 classes left over the next two weeks and then I am a certified Yoga instructor!!! I am super duper jazzed about this!
I have taught twice the past week within our class and next Thursday I teach my first real class with strangers. Part of me is cocky and confident with it, the other part is scared shitless. I guess it's all how I prepare myself to go into it.
Okay so with that, the holiday is right around the corner. Is it wrong not to do any shopping when I'm working full time and going to school the equivalent of full time hours??? I will be going to Big D for Christmas and I really want to go empty handed and take the family out for a nice event. Any thoughts? Opinions on that? I am still trying to decide if it sounds selfish or not. I am more concerned simply with spending time with the family VS. getting stuff.
My materialism has finally fallen completely to the wayside... I guess that is the true meaning of Yoga.

Me old bones...

2008-11-17T21:21:00.003-06:00

Okay I am LOVING my yoga certification classes BUT my body is still screaming every week from doing 3-5 hours of a yoga practice 3 days a week. I guess since the sore muscles hurt in the good way AND I am feeling muscles I've never felt AND I'm getting super toned... it's all okey doke.
I took my first test on Saturday. It was over the Sanskrit language and sequencing. I got the highest grade in the class... a 98! Yipeeeee! The only one I missed was the only one I didn't answer because I didn't know it. I am pretty freaking super jazzed about this.
Coming soon to a studio near you... Yogi Neill

Lordy Lordy... or Holy Shit!

2008-10-26T07:28:00.006-06:00

Well who knew.... I made it to age 40!

I don't think I look it, act it, and I certainly don't feel it!

I was given the most amazing surprise party last weekend. Thank you so much to Julian and everyone else involved. He did a fantastic job of pulling it off and bringing together the most important people in my life. He continues to amaze me every single day. I'm a lucky, lucky girl.

Thanks also to those of you who couldn't make it but sent your well wishes.

I had 5 people fly in from Dallas for this event! Imagine my surprise when I not only heard, "SURPRISE!" from the back of Morseland, but even more so when I saw the screaming blond hair of my mother as I went up the stairs! Yup, mom & dad flew in for the event. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. Brian, Wayne, & Nolie also came in... so we had the full Neill/Foose party crew!

Oh yeah... and who knew I would ever dance with my mother? See, miracles can happen!

I just ran across a saying that really made me think... "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"... mmmm...food for thought. I'll have to get back to you on that one... maybe 29? Maybe 59 after the after party we had! That's okay, if Nolie Foose can hang until 3:00am at 72 years old, then I will be just fine.

Control Freaks

2008-10-06T21:49:00.002-05:00

I've been talking lately to friends of mine about how sometimes feeling out of control can be a very empowering feeling... especially after the fact. During, however, you tend to feel like you want to choke someone or curl up into a ball in the floor and bawl your head off.

In hind site, I think that moving from Dallas made me understand myself and who I am by about 1000%. Even more so was going through quite a bout of depression. I never really got the definition of what depressed really was until I was deep in it. It's like that person who calls into work with a migraine... someone who doesn't get migraines thinks, "good Lord, take a Tylenol and come to work"... the ones who get migraines think, "oh no, poor thing, I feel for you... do you need any good drugs?". It's empathizing through association. If you haven't been there then chances are you really don't get it.

I've been depressed, I get it. The funny thing is, as shitty as it was going through it, it was probably one of the best, most informative things that could have ever happened to me. I honestly think I'm a better person because of it... how crazy is that?

Everyone wants some sort of control whether at home, work, or internally. Control the house, control the kids, control your boss, control your employees, control the finances, control your spending, control your bad habits, my hair needs extra control, mission control, etc...
Isn't being out of control much more liberating and how you learn the most about yourself?

I thought this was a great article to pass along.

Yoga Journal - Yoga Philosophy - Break Away

You're kidding me....

2008-10-04T20:14:00.001-05:00

I'm so not ready for this...
My heater came on today....

Namaste... or ZZZZZZ

2008-10-03T17:29:00.002-05:00

I started school last week. For those of you who didn't know, I am going to school to get certified as a Yoga Instructor.
I've been interested in doing this for some time, but stopped looking into it seriously when I realized that no studios/programs/schools worked around work schedules.
I stumbled upon this totally by mistake. Long story short, this program is 2 nights a week and Saturdays for 13 weeks.
Today was the first day reality hit and I thought, "Holy shit, I'm working full time and taking 15 hours of school, no wonder I'm tired". Not to mention that each class is 3-4 hours of poses straight through. Not in a steady flow, but being held for some time while we breakdown the makeup of each pose. Needless to say, my body is screaming at me.
The way I look at it, it's 13 weeks out of my life (11 after tomorrow's class!) and it's going to pay off big time in the long run. This will totally be worth it.
Until then, I must go get some rest... and figure out when the hell I'm going to do things like laundry!

Vintage Fun!

2008-09-11T22:43:00.003-05:00

I found this little gem at the Randolph Street Market a few weekends ago. Not only was it a steal but it works and makes those pieces of crap that are sold today look like hunks o' junk! Solid metal, super quiet, and mixes up to like 100 mph!

Not a bad break for $20...

I guess it's time to break out my apron & get to whippin'...

No time like the present...

2008-09-05T19:02:00.004-05:00

Wow, Labor Day hit and the temperature dropped. I guess we can blame good old Gustav for that one. Or is it the fact that I live in Chicago? I can't refresh my memory enough to last year to remember how quickly summer ended but at this moment... it's too soon.

One thing I did remember from last year was my winter panic mode. I began buying and planning about this time for my bundle-up package. I think I may have actually had my coat by late August!

Well, knowing how quickly things can hit, I must admit...I'm a sucker again this year. Last years snow boots (made by Totes I must add) had a blow out after a very successful and harsh winter. At least the locals tell me it was rough. I just thought that was how it was supposed to be so I wasn't really all that shocked.

So, I bucked up and bought my snow boots this week. I am the consummate sale shopper (except in the case of the bad ass shoes posted a few weeks ago) and know there are plenty of good deals out there. I got a GREAT pair of Sorel snow boots, brand new, for $40. I must say, I'm super jazzed... and my feet will be super dry. Now I'm just waiting for my local Walgreens to put out the bins of winter gear so that just like last year I can stumble in to get an RX filled and come out with a great pair of Thinsulate gloves for $8.99. Those too railed right through the winter up until the bitter end when the webs between the fingers also started to have a blow out.

I'll even be nice again and share a great web site: www.sierratradingpost.com This is where I got the AMAZING deal on my boots and if I remember correctly, where I got the AMAZING deal on my North Face jacket last year. It's all overstocks and discontinued styles that go from 30-50% off MSRP. My boots were 50% off.

...and once again, the knitting needles are starting to fly... but for me only. I'll be damned if I'm making ONE Christmas gift this year!

The Parent Trap

2008-08-24T08:34:00.003-05:00

Well finally my parents made it to Chicago! After almost one year of not seeing them, here they are. We have had a really great time thus far. Not too much family dysfunction and we've seen a few great bits of the city. Friday we hit Millennium Park and the Art Institute. Saturday was Wicker Park, and I feel that today may be close to home, possibly with a quiet trip to Half Price Books.

I tend to forget sometimes that these two are pushing 70. They've never looked their age and they still don't now. They just move a little slower than I do and than I remember.

We're all here a very short time so enjoy who you have while you have them!

The never-ending socks

2008-08-15T22:22:00.004-05:00

After taking waaaaay waaaay too long to finish these socks, they are COMPLETE! I almost hit a record as I bought this yarn last September at the Renegade Craft Fair and it's coming up again in about 3 weeks.

I have to say, they were pretty enjoyable and mellow to work on. Totally in stockinette stitch on number 3 needles. The yarn is hand dyed by a girl who lives in the north east (Mass. I think?). For those of you who are knitters, check out the web site, Traveling Rhinos .

I am working on a super cute kitchy thing as we speak which shouldn't take too much longer. I'll keep that one under wraps until completion!

Okay, on the topic of yarn... I went to a yarn swap at my SNB group a few weeks ago & came home with much more yarn than I went with. Kind of defeats the purpose of going right? Now I have "3 bags full" of yarn"! Sigh... my fingers will only move so fast.

THEN, Loopy Yarns had a moving sale and I made myself go and ended up spending about 50 bones on guess what... more yarn!
My name is Kristen and I am a yarn addict... I guess it's better than blow right?

MIA

2008-08-15T20:02:00.004-05:00

FINALLY! So sorry I've been gone a few weeks from blogging. I've been busy and I was out of town for a week. On that note... check out the girl on the high seas... (Fabulous dress purchased from ModeMerr.com)

I'm back in full swing getting ready for my parents to come visit. They will be here for 4 days next weekend. Once again I say... FINALLY! This is their inaugural visit to Chicago, therefore I'm doing my best to plan out some fun and keep them away from the ghetto! Actually, the diversity of Chicago and my neighborhood is going to be quite the shock I think. Lets see, do I take them on the gangster tour? the murder tour? the prohibition and sex tour? (These are all real tours you know!)

Actually I think the biggest obstacle will be accommodating their luggage. They tend to travel like they are going on the Titanic... steamer trunks and all.

Retail Therapy

2008-07-26T16:14:00.003-05:00

Okay it's really been years since I have spent money on clothes the way I have the past 6 months. I am very much a sale, discount, thrift, and vintage shopper. Most everything I've purchased lately has fallen into one of the above mentioned categories.

But then there's those items that you see that you are completely sucked in by and nothing or no one will convince you that you shouldn't have this item, full price or not.

Today was that day.

The purse was just the salespersons convincing "add-on" sale that sucked me in...

It's all about the shoes baby!!!

Can't beat the meat

2008-07-19T17:10:00.002-05:00

I have this great little grocery store a few blocks from my house. With gas and groceries increasing in price by the minute, I find myself shopping there as much as I can for produce and meats. The produce is BEAUTIFUL and insanely cheap. Please tell me how I can pay such little money for the following at one store, when it would be at least triple at my big box store.

Head of Romaine lettuce .69
Pint of ORGANIC Driskell Strawberries .99 (and they are FRESH)
1/2 pint of Blackberries 2/1.00
1 Box of vanilla ice cream 2/3.00
Total w/tax $3.76

I went there on my way off of the train two days ago and spent .59 lb. on tomatoes on the vine, and $1.86 on a butterflied pork chop. Mind you the chop isn't 4 inches thick like a hungry man portion, it's about 1/2 inch thick like a portion size should be. I'm just amazed at the difference. Next thing you know I'll be carrying canvas grocery bags... oh wait, it's already started.

New Digs

2008-07-12T13:25:00.005-05:00

I've been shopping for clothes quite a bit lately. Vintage clothes that is. I've become one with the dress as well. I haven't worn dresses in years but recently I've taken a new love to them. There is a sneaking suspicion that I might start blogging about vintage clothes so be on the lookout for new content and sites to check out. But keep in mind I won't give out all of my secret shopping hideouts! Here are a few I picked up last night at a shop that was having an artists closing reception. All clothes were 50% off!!!

"Alice" (or Flo but please...not Vera)

"Would you like fries to go with that shake?". I tried it on & got a few opinions from my friends & staff. My favorite comment was from my friend Mary, "wow, that looks strangely flattering on you!". SOLD!

"The Drape Dress"

The fabric on this dress is AMAZING! Hence the close up pic. I'm super jazzed about this dress because I'm anticipating it being able to be used all year long... I've got visions of tall boots in my head!!!

"Land Ho"... hey, who you callin' ho?

Okay this is a dosey.... I am going to a beach/boat event at the end of July and wow... I couldn't have found a more perfect, tackier , vintage garment that I know will get a reaction. If only the Professor and Mary Ann could see me now, they might recruit me to make a cocktail out of bamboo and coconut shells!

They still creep me out...

2008-07-12T08:07:00.002-05:00

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Larry Harmon, who turned the character Bozo the Clown into a show business staple that delighted children for more than a half-century, died Thursday of congestive heart failure. He was 83.

You can read the rest of the story about Bozo, the worlds creepiest clown here.

RIP... may all children no longer wake up screaming in fear of the big, scary clowns.

Day at the beach!

2008-07-07T10:06:00.003-05:00

I went to the beach yesterday....

Some people make sand castles, but others....

I have to brag!

2008-07-01T22:18:00.003-05:00

Okay I MUST brag about this site and customer service...
I purchased a dress from www.modemerr.com.
They sell all kinds of groovy rockabilly, good girl, and bad girl wear. Everything is handmade in the good ol' USA.
I ordered my dress and swapped a few emails with Angela (brains behind the whole operations) in regards to sizing and timing. Once I ordered the dress, she CALLED me because she had been out with the flu and wanted to check on the date of my event in case she needed to express ship my item!!!
Today I received my dress and it was in the cutest, simplest packaging but wrapped in tissue and a bow, all with a hand written thank you card!
... I'm all warm & fuzzy and I haven't even tried the dress on yet!
Just when you thought customer service was dead in this world.... Check them out!

Hot time, summer in the city

2008-06-28T00:13:00.002-05:00

Summer seems to be cruising by pretty quickly. Not that I'm complaining, but I have a strange suspicion that it's going to be over in the blink of an eye. Just a matter of days & our 9 months of winter will return. I hate to say it but I actually was thinking I should think about snow boots earlier so I don't end up with nothing when it's really time to need them.
On the plus side, I've still got all kinds of visitors & travel coming up. A 4th of July visitor is heading into town this week, then I go to Cali at the end of July for a much needed beach week (woo hoo!), THEN the parents are FINALLY coming to IL in Mid-August. Should make for a nice remainder of the summer.
...and the body is bikini ready... thank you yoga!

New Tunes

2008-06-25T21:10:00.004-05:00

I downloaded the new CD from "The Ting Tings" 2 days ago. They are a British indie duo that have a remeniscent sound of 80's punk w/a bit of pop thrown in. I've probably listened to it 10 times in the last 48 hours. Check it out here.

They be beige...

2008-06-24T22:13:00.003-05:00

So today as I rode the train to work I noticed something.... everyone is very beige. Not in terms of skin, but in terms of clothes. I was wearing an orange shirt w/a pink tank underneath it that stuck out of the bottom, a pink & orange big-ass plastic bracelet, khaki cargo pants, and pink converse. I must have looked like a freak to everyone because EVERYONE ON THE TRAIN WAS BEIGE!!!!
Let me explain.... not one person appeared to be wearing any color outside of the business rainbow. This means, black, white, brown, khaki, powder blue, grey, green (forest) navy blue, plaids (subdued of course), tan, ecru, vanilla, YUK!!! Not that I judge people by their clothes, (well, maybe a little) but wow!!! Everyone looked the same. I don't think one person was memorable enough for me to actually know if I saw them on the street. Well, one exception is the bozo haired man who is there every morning and stands too close to the stairs and gets irritated because everyone excuses themselves past him. He frowns and shakes his head a lot... he's memorable.
Anyway, I was quite proud of my individual style just like I'm proud to drive an orange car. I guess you could say I stand out in a crowd and I like it.
Kind of like what you see when you click here....

Nudity rocks

2008-06-22T21:48:00.005-05:00

I just found this on another artists blog... Click here for pure genius.

Booze, Art & Hoagies

2008-06-22T21:20:00.006-05:00

Last night I went to the DVA Gallery for their 4th anniversary party. It was a Tiki Art Show and last night was the opening reception.

I didn't have anyone to go with but decided to go it alone. When I arrived the Cocktail Preachers were already playing in full swing (well, in full surf I should say) and the Voodoo Rum was flowing!

I took a look around at the fabulous art and enjoyed my first beverage. After two I got the courage to walk up to a couple who had commented on my vintage eye wear & said, "Hi, don't know anyone & you spoke to me first, so I'm coming to interrupt your conversation!". I'm becoming quite the ballsy girl. I ended up talking to a few very tiki couples for quite a while and then shifted to the girl with the pink hair (her name is Melly by the way). Pink haired Melly had the coolest cuffs on and it turns out she too is from Texas... San Antonio to be exact.

Okay so rums 3,4, & 5 went down nicely. Nice enough that it was obvious to the gallery owner and his staff that I kept eyeballing a specific piece of art.
There was one key element in the painting that kept catching my eye... and it doesn't included tiki's. He approached me & said, "I hear you keep looking this piece?". I said, "yup, I really like it". He says, "I can give you a deal if you're really interested", I said, "How much of a deal?".... enough that I now own art. I wasn't dumb enough to drag it out last night after booze, but I did walk a few doors down to the Hoagie Hut where I got a super kick-ass chicken hoagie which I ate after my cab ride home...

Thank the man above for the stimulus check....

See more of Mark "Atomos" Pilon's work here.

Anti-aging at its finest

2008-06-18T17:21:00.004-05:00

I just spent one week in the hot, sunny south.

A few things hit home with me while I was there.

1) I do miss the summer, even when it's hot & humid. You can always take off your clothes and go swimming

2) A small southern country town is a beautiful thing

3) There is no better campaign for moisturizer than the above photo. Thanks to mom for making me cleanse, tone, & moisturize from 6th grade on...

4) Even missing 2 teeth, I have more teeth than many folks I saw in above-mentioned small towns

5) You just can't beat a biker bar that looks, smells, and feels like it never left 1983... and I mean hair, band, and clothes baby.

SOUTHERN ROCK RULES!!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!

2008-06-01T19:45:00.003-05:00

Happy anniversary to me, happy anniversary to me, happy anniversary for this crazy ass year of miiiiinnnnneeeee....happy anniversary to me!!!!

WOW! Well it's been one year since I moved here. Yesterday was my official one year anniversary.

Once again I say... wow... I can't believe it. So much has happened over the course of the year and at the same time, it feels like it's gone by so quickly.

I think this will be the last time that I thank everyone that had anything to do with the events of the year. You know who you are, and you know what you did to help. From the bottom of my heart, thanks one last time.

I do miss much of my life from Dallas, but there is honestly a huge part of me that likes myself much better now. Not that I didn't like myself then, but I've gone through many transformations that have made me realize exactly who I am and who I want to be.

I'm not one to conform, yet I feel as though I did that quite a bit in the distant, and near past. Now that I'm allowing myself to be me, it's much more freeing and liberating.

The girl who loves bubblegum and sunshine is a happy girl again and is beaming from ear to ear :)

Just in time for summer!!

2008-05-17T09:37:00.005-05:00

...I finished knitting my leg warmers :) Typical isn't it? That's okay, I made my first two sweaters in the dead of a Texas summer. At least they were ready when I needed them!

This project was actually really fun. It was the first real cable project I did and enjoyed. Now I'm working on a pair of lightweight knee-hi socks that are in a hand-dyed froot loop colored yarn. Perfectly portable for the daily train ride!

Happy Saturday!!!

You are my "Density"....

2008-05-12T21:22:00.002-05:00

...any normal person raised in the 80's knows that movie quote... if you don't then you were dead.

I have decided after being depressed that I finally realize that I am in charge of my own happiness & destiny. Not like I didn't realize that before, but I think I banked on how others made me feel a little too much.

I've recently had some epiphany's about my life...

I am a far better person than I used to think I was.

I am much more intelligent than I tend to give myself credit for.

I'm pretty fucking funny.

I'm kinda hot.

I have nice boobs.

I'm not going to let anyone else make me feel shitty. I can do that all on my own.

If I want to be happy, then "Poof!" I'll be happy...

I like to laugh out loud even if it makes other people look at me.

I am perpetually 12 years old and have no problem with it whatsoever... it's truly who I am.

I'm not going to hide behind something I am not.

I like tattoos and want more of them.

I must have a more creative job within the next 12-15 months.

I am talented and creative.

I am pretty cool to be around.

Okay not to sound to much like a pompous ass.... oh, too late maybe???

Sorry, I just call it like I see it...

You're kidding right?

2008-05-08T07:15:00.002-05:00

Cold front blowing through. Highs in the 50's & 60's, lows in the 40's.
What I have found out about this place is that winter never ends. What I've also found out is that everyone, including the locals, are all pissed about it and talk about it like someone is deliberately altering the weather, or that someone can fix it.
"Enough already, this has got to stop"
"Come on, this has been going on long enough"
I wonder if anyone is listening???

Oh my...

2008-05-03T20:59:00.005-05:00

You have GOT to check out this site... I love the new craft movement. (note: the attached photo is familiar to all of women kind so if any men have questions, ask the school nurse).

I must... I must....

2008-04-29T21:05:00.003-05:00

...no I must not increase my bust... (you children o' the 70's must remember that one!)...
Anyway, I must complain... it's April 29th and it's 36 fucking degrees outside! What the hell????? This is crazy. I was all for winter and the snow but enough already! Good lord up above...
I should not be walking around in gloves, complaining that my ears are burning from the cold. Did I mention that it was windy too? I think the wind chill is about 30. This sucks hard, big ones.
Okay enough already. My cousin KJ (Kurt... fine, I'll throw in his preferred name!) got accepted for a teaching position in France. He'll be teaching English as a second language. He's totally stoked about it and I'm totally stoked for him. He's ready to go across the pond with a duffle bag & a backpack and move his life for the sake of experience. Good for him! I commend it no matter how crazy others might think it is. I've said it before, "if you don't jump, you can't land". It's taking risks in life just like that that make us stronger and more intelligent.
I may not have a college degree, but I'll take my street smarts and life experiences over any diploma any day of the week.

Rapidly approaching

2008-04-26T18:35:00.002-05:00

I am approx. one month away from living here one year. I can't even begin to believe what has occurred over the course of the last 11 months. What boggles my mind even more is how quickly time goes by. It seems like a blink of an eye. Here is the short list of things that have occurred in the past 11 months...

1) I took my life on a 180 degree turn(duh)

2) Brian's father passed away (RIP Jerry)

3) I've changed jobs twice

4) Radar discovers he prefers warm over cold

5) Robin has changed jobs and homes as well and now has kids!

6) My mom started working out and getting healthier

7) My mom can send an email!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8) I've discovered who is a true friend and who is an asshole

9) I know what winter really feels like

10) Kyle proposed to Kelly

11) Sarah was proposed to

12) I've been depressed

13) I've gotten over being depressed

14) I wrote a book

15) Stephanie went back to school

16) KJ finished his novel and is trying to get a teaching job in France

17) I have hosted 3 parties with one in the wings

18) Cami & Camille started college

19) I started going to church

20) I met a super duper amazing person who shall remain nameless but knows who they are and how important they have become to me! (shhhh it's a secret!)

I shall now go cook myself a steak, some corn on the cob, a salad, and crack open a local summer wheat beer... life in the eyes of Kristen Paige Neill is pretty damn good...

Woo Hoo! Warmth!!!

2008-04-23T18:29:00.001-05:00

I can walk in short sleeves, the sun is shining, no clouds in the sky, there are BIRDS singing, squirrels running, my dog has added about 5 years to his life and all seems to be good in this wonderful city. The highs have been around 70 or so... that's SUMMER time weather to us Chicagoans!!!!
My window is open!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2008-04-19T08:43:00.002-05:00

Okay, after not blogging for about 2 weeks, I've decided it was time for a face lift...for the blog. I'm no HTML guru so I'm subjected to picking someone elses template. Maybe if I get bored I'll learn computer babble so I can make this much more fancy-pants and customized.
The title remains the same but the description has changed. It is no longer about following me on my journey from point A to point B, but following my shenanigans while now comfortably living in point B... Chicago.
I've enjoyed babbling about the move, the arrival, and learning about the city. But as my one year anniversary rapidly approaches, I've realized that I am now a resident of Chicago and would like to get off of the roller coaster ride that was "The Move Across The Country". I've ridden it long enough.
Thanks again for all of your support during the year.... it was a ton of laughs and tears, but now it's time to move on.
Welcome to the new and improved "Adventures Of Suelo".
....content changes to continue over the new couple of days....stay tuned...

I'm Baaaaack!

2008-04-19T07:44:00.003-05:00

So sorry web fans, I apparently took a small hiatus from blogging in my overly busy life. Ha ha.
I have been insanely busy at work and by the time I get home I'm ready to crash. This has been going on for about 3 weeks now. My old bones can only take so much so I've finally made myself start hitting the gym again. I'm also going to get back into the volunteering mode starting today. I'm heading off to Lydia Home to do the News Crew this morning & then moving on to the gym. I need desperately to get back on track!
Speaking of, thanks again to everyone who has been so supportive over the last few months. As the "honeymoon" phase faded and some unpleasant people events took place, obviously my mental state was a bit affected. Thanks to a few specific people and a few specific pills (hee hee), I'm back in full force to being more than myself.
Spring has finally sprung (almost) and just getting outside combined with feeling like a million damn dollars has made Kristen a reallly happy girl.
Now if I could just win the lottery & started travelling the world....

Back to work

2008-04-03T20:31:00.002-06:00

So were back in full force at the studio. We have 2 catalogs going on at once as well as some other graphics projects. It is a freaking MAD HOUSE every day. I have physically worked my ass off like I haven't worked since I was a designer. My old bones are seriously tired today & there's still one day left! Did I mention that I'm an extremely high paid stock girl???
I'm starting to get my cogs turning towards my creative side. I've got to figure out how to have a day to day life that revolves around some kind of art. Where I am is the right atmosphere but unfortunately my job is totally operational...its sucking the life right out of me. Lucky for me all I have to do is go to work, do my job, go home. I don't take work with me at all...other than my sore feet.
God I sound like an old lady.

Summer Pretty Pleeeeeeease!

2008-03-30T08:01:00.003-06:00

Okay, I know I know... I moved to Chicago. Yes, winter is pretty intense. I survived it without dying. I actually enjoyed it.... BUT now is the time for it to be OVER! It's March 30th and it's a nice, warm 38 outside. The 10 day forecast shows the highest temp coming to be around 48.

I think I'm going to go listen to the Blue Hawaiians & dream of a sunny beach in Maui....

Bloody Hell....

2008-03-22T08:09:00.003-06:00

Okay so it's March 22nd and we are covered in snow yet AGAIN!!! We had about 5 inches of snow (I'm guessing) yesterday and a bit more last night. It's supposed to be spring break in my mind!!! Oh well, I wanted to move somewhere that had seasons & I got it! I just wish winter wasn't lasting QUITE so long. I was about to throw my snow boots away because I think the left one has a leak in it! Guess it's a good thing I didn't.... now to trudged downtown on the El with my cold, wet foot... bummer.

Spa Day!

2008-03-15T17:32:00.002-06:00

Today was awesome. I received a big, fat gift certificate to a spa for my birthday back in October. Given that I went through my shitty time, then spent the better part of Jan & Feb sick, I never used it.
Today I spent 3 hours at spa space. I got a papaya pineapple body scrub (30 minutes) which was AWESOME, followed by a kukui nut oil massage (1 hour), THEN I had a peppermint pedicure.
Sigh.... I'm in heaven.

Wow, what a wreck

2008-03-13T18:40:00.002-06:00

Well my typical Wedneday night Stitch N' Bitch took an ugly turn last night. Went to knit, have a drink and see my friends.
Sarah got engaged... CONGRATULATIONS!!!! We had about 9 people there last night & the drinks started flowing. Then the bartender bought us all a round of shots. Then Sarah & I started talking and talking and talking and then the whole, "sure, let's have one more" happened, oh, about 4 times I'm guessing? Who the hell knows... here's where it ended up....
-We danced to the band playing cuban music
-One of the other SNB girls bought us another round of shots
-I dropped about $60 on the evening

Fast forward to this morning
-Woke up at 6:11
-Went into the bathroom to see the following.... a sock on the floor, the water dripping into the sink where my toothbrush was lying, my clothes all stuffed in between the towel bar and the wall, the rug askew.
-Then as I came out into the living room, I found my coat, bag & purse all as they should have been but where were my keys? I looked in the one place they should have never been and low & behold, they were there.... hanging out of the front door... on the outside.

Dear lord, thank you for watching over me and my safety even though I'm a dumb ass.

Things that recently suck

2008-03-10T19:26:00.002-06:00

1) Ipod broke but fixed itself. Was without for about 24 hours and expected total death. Caused a minor meltdown for me as I use this every day
2) Got 2 parking tickets within 4 weeks time ($150)
3) Got car towed couple of weeks ago ($220 car from pound and ticket)
4) Home computer got virus ($130 to Dell support)
5) Left purse on train. Conductor found & called quickly but caused me more headache than anything & an extra drive downtown
6) Painting project that should have taken 3 hours took about 10

Good thing I have this sticky sweet, happy girl attitude isn't it?

Good morning!

2008-03-09T07:03:00.007-06:00

Well good morning all. It's a dreary Sunday morning here is cold-ass Chicago. I am officially ready for winter to be gone! I enjoyed it from November through February, but now enough is enough. Radar agrees w/me wholeheartedly.
I'm pretty sure my Ipod is dead. You have NO idea how bad that sucks for me. I use it every single day. So NOW on top of getting a few parking tickets, having my car towed, and needing to get Radar's shots this week, it looks as though I might be purchasing a new Ipod in my future. Sigh. As Glenn put it, "usually bad things come in 3's....you seem to be working on a baker's dozen!".
Oh well, it's still not as bad as the homeless pile of people I saw under Lower Wacker Drive when I had to walk to the pound to get my car out. I rounded a corner and there was about 20 yards of blankets and trash bags full of life. Until I actually stepped around 2 blanket lumps, I didn't realize that the blankets were full of people trying to keep warm.
Not only was it a shocking sight, but a more shocking sight being on foot. It was quite humbling as I realized how lucky I am to have the things that I do in my life. Yes, getting my car towed sucked. Yes, having my Ipod break sucks. Yes, having to pay Dell to remove a virus from my computer sucks (forgot to mention that one earlier). But in the grand scheme of life, I have a family, friends, job, home, clothes, car, and food. Whining about paying for a luxury like a computer, car, and Ipod seems insignificant when you consider these people trying to literally SURVIVE living on concrete under a bridge. Here is an article I found that's a little old but quite interesting.
So you get the point. Be thankful for what you have.
Have a wonderful Sunday! xo

Out of touch

2008-03-07T18:48:00.003-06:00

So I'm starting to think about changing this blog around a bit. I've based this decision on the fact that the blog was intended to be about my move to Chicago. So, hear I am & I don't really know if my life has been all that interesting lately...or at least the bits I can report and stay PG rated!
Let's see, Radar is getting old... or at least that's what I think the problem is. Let's just say his bladder isn't as bulletproof as it used to be. He's had 2 accidents in the last month & he's never done that before. It makes me sad.
Work is work... mundane. I love my company but the actual position I'm in is sucking the life out of me. I'm not using any creative bones in my body and I'm really not used to that.
Mentally I'm about 100% better than I was. I've grown to love living alone & I've moved past some crappy situations I was in. Nothing like having a few life lessons make you wake up. Nevertheless, I am a better person for it and now know exactly what I do and DON'T want in life, relationships, work, etc.. and what I do want and will tolerate. 'Nuff said without saying too much.
Hope everyone is doing well. I haven't talked to too many peeps in quite some time but it's okay for now. I'm just kind of finding myself all over again & it's good to have me back.

Retail Therapy

2008-03-01T20:46:00.002-06:00

I went to therapy today. It sucked the life out of me as we dug deep into my past....
What I found out is that while I'm really glad I go, I enjoyed this afternoons retail therapy better. Spending money you don't really have to spend combines a feeling of euphoria and guilt all rolled up in the same pile of dough (so to speak).
Nevertheless, I went to buy a few new white t-shirts & ended up with those, a kick-ass dress (yes I threw it back to 1983 there with kick-ass) and a few products from Aveda. Sigh...I don't think the concept of "getting out of debt" will ever see the light of day.
Maybe I should play the lotto....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RADAR!!!

2008-02-21T22:10:00.002-06:00

Today is Radar's birthday. He is 11 in Kristen years. I adopted him 11 years ago today and he was the ugliest thing ever. His back feet were taped because his dewclaws had grown back into the pads, he was undernourished, and his hair was to the floor like Fu Manchu.
All it took was for me to pick him up and we had love at first sight for the both of us.
I've never felt luckier than to have this little companion by my side the past 11 years. He doesn't judge me, loves me unconditionally, is patient with me, and gives me lots of hugs and kisses no matter what.
Please be sure and raise a glass to the coolest animal I know.

Things I desire

2008-02-20T20:44:00.003-06:00

Here is a top 10 list of things I want to do... just in case anyone really cares...

10.Try snow sports
9. Have a mid-century modern house with a tiki bar/room
8. Live near a beach (...no, a real beach)
7. Have a job that I would continue to do if I won the lottery
6. Drive a Z
5. Go to Los Olas all women's surf camp
4. Be able to get a massage once a week
3. Have Radar live forever
2. Be able to cure all things medically wrong with my family & friends
1. Find a miracle that allows me to be with my soul mate

Ahhh love....

2008-02-14T18:13:00.002-06:00

Roses...I actually don't care that much for roses. So I guess in the big scheme of things, its a good thing that all of my men didn't get me any today because I didn't want them anyway. Hibiscus...now that's a real flower.
As I was walking to the train this afternoon, I saw tons of people walking with roses, cards, stuffed animals, etc.. Even in the train station they were totally capitalizing on the madness with bins and bins of flowers.
I sit here tonight with my one true love. Radar. He will not bring me flowers, but his breath is fragrant enough that I don't need them. We will cozy up soon with tomato soup and grilled cheese, finish a beer and a frosty paws and watch LOST.
The perfect date in my opinion.

Here we go again

2008-02-10T09:17:00.000-06:00

So here I sit this morning with yet another slight hangover. Maybe after last Sat. night I would have learned my lesson...maybe not.

I had a Valentines day party last night at my pad. Had about 10/11 people show & as usual, the booze was flowing quite freely.

I took the opportunity to make fun of the overpriced, Hallmark holiday and bought some tacky decorations & crepe paper. My house looks like an elementary school classroom. Love it.

The wall for photo ops was a big hit. It was like prom all over again....sans the bad date.

Radar was my date and he's always the perfect gentleman.

Post nasal drip

2008-02-07T21:27:00.001-06:00

So here it is, two days before my Valentine's day party and I'm getting sick again...lovely.
I went to the dr. today to get a jump start on this thing. Antibiotics are in hand (and in stomach) so hopefully, they'll kick in ASAP.
What could have caused it? Hmmmm.....a zillion alcoholic drinks combined with staying out until 6am combined with riding public transporation in a city of 5 million people???? Could that have anything to do with it? Maybe a smart girl would take better care of herself.....
Then again, I never claimed to be a smart girl :)

Oh My...

2008-02-03T23:36:00.001-06:00

I went out with Christine last night.
I partied like a rock star.
We left here at 9:20 pm, took the El downtown, and had an amazing Thai dinner.
We then proceeded to the following...
1) a gay bar (by accident but who cares, we had fun & got a free shot from the bartender)
2) a bad bar with wierd Chicago guys. the manager was trying to make friends with us, was kind of gross, but bought our drinks and a yet, another shot
3) a piano bar with a $10 cover...which Christine charmed her way out of and we proceeded to chat with some out-of-towners here for a boat show
4) a final, late night bar which we closed down at 5:00 am... after many, many, more drinks were purchased for us...
5) my house, 6:00 am via taxi

Fast forward to today...hangover city.
I am far too old to be partying like the rock star that I am not.

Wow, it's freaking winter!!!

2008-02-01T17:08:00.000-06:00

So I had to dig my car out of about a foot of snow this morning...I'm sorry I didn't get a pic of that. Sad thing is, last night when I parked, I WEDGED myself in between two cars & it was the closest I've ever parallel parked. I literally had like an inch between cars. So digging and brushing the snow was a bit difficult this morning. Then, as I tried to get out of my spot, I was pretty much doing bumper cars back & forth around 100 times to get out.

I drove about 4 blocks & then went nowhere. Smart girl that I am, I turned around & went back home. First conclusion...the bug is not made for this weather.

I went inside & added another sock layer before heading to the train. Much quicker & less stress. Then when I got downtown I literally TRUDGED through the snow a mile to get to work...what a great thigh & butt workout! Second conclusion, I need taller snow boots...ankle boots don't quite cut it.

All in all it wasn't that bad...I only wish that instead of going to work, I was sitting in front of a fireplace, drinking an irish coffee, hugging a hot guy.

FINALLY!!!!

2008-01-30T21:03:00.000-06:00

I feel like I have been working on these damn socks forever! They are finally finished. I feel a great sense of accomplishment with these. They were my first "real" pair, and they were somewhat difficult as they have a lace pattern in them.

On another note, gotta mention the weather. -24 wind chill this morning....awesome. I think I felt my eyeballs freeze this morning. ...and I actually walked to Stitch N' Bitch tonight. It was worth the suffering to not lose my parking space...of course by the time I walked there & back it was nice and warmed up to 12 with a wind chill of 2....I love it.

What a GREAT day!

2008-01-27T22:30:00.000-06:00

Wow, I was thinking my Sunday would be okay with a few things thrown in the middle of it...but instead I had a really great day all the way around!

Started off, slept in, had coffee, went to church. Then Sarah & I went ice skating at a park near her house. What an awesome workout! We had so much fun!

Then we went back to her pad, knit for a little while, then headed out to a knitting store where I purchased yet MORE yarn for another project. Stephanie met us there & we proceeded to JoAnn's for a bit more shopping. We wrapped it up at Starbucks, then headed back to the car. While we were walking, Steph got really dizzy & dropped to the sidewalk... a typical adventure for us. She's fine...she had a massage this morning & hadn't drank any water, her first beverage after the fact was coffee so she got too dehydrated.

Then I headed home, made a wonderful dinner, watched a movie, ALMOST finished the pair of socks I've been knitting for months, and wrapped up the night with a little Ben & Jerry's.

Sigh, my thighs & butt muscles are telling me that a good nights sleep is in order...night everyone!

This week in the news

2008-01-19T08:36:00.000-06:00

Well let's start out with SUCK. What SUCKS is I have received 2 parking tickets in the last 2 weeks. This SUCKS. The first one was bad enough. I didn't realize that I didn't have enough quarters to fill my meter downtown while I was parked for an appt. I thought I might run out but get lucky. I did not. $50 for a meter ticket. SUCK. What really makes me mad about that is that you see people all the time running into Starbucks for coffee, pulling up to a meter & putting on their flashers. I always put the quarter in the meter because I thought it was bad Karma. Go figure.

Then the other morning, I walked out to my car to the tune of yet another parking ticket because I was about 2 inches over the yellow line of the fire hydrant lane. $100. Even bigger SUCK! $150 for absolutely nothing. SUCK!
Okay, anyway moving on...

Today is supposed to be real, live, cold. Right now it's 0 degrees out and the current wind chill is -19. Woo Hoo! What SUCKS with that is that I can't stay home all day. I actually have to go downtown for an appt. this morning. It's given me a chance to test out the fabulous new Elmer Fudd hat that my parents gave me for Christmas. I am so freaking hot in this hat! I'm sure to have guys flocking to me with this baby on....

If you think it's Texas but it's not...

2008-01-09T20:53:00.000-06:00

Okay so anyone local will know that we had unseasonably warm weather the past 2 days. It was between 55-62 two days in a row.

What the locals don't know is that that is typical Texas winter weather....and by that I mean, 30-40 one day or two then 60-70 the next...after the front leaves. This is the weather that I am SO used to! A few days of cold, a few days of warm... The saying in TX is "if you don't like the weather just wait a day....it'll change".

But now it's back in the good old 30's w/snow on the way....sigh....a girl can only dream...
...(dream sequence sets in... sights of a tropical beach are in view...oh yeah, and a Mai Tai in hand)

Hi!

2008-01-08T22:04:00.000-06:00

Hello there folks...
Nothing too new here on the home front. Feeling much better but still not 100%...I can't seem to shake this thing...even a week 1/2 later.
Let's see...what's up here....I accidentally cut Radar's ear with the clippers..even with a guard. I feel like the worst parent ever! I wans't even clipping his ear, it just simply got in the way...he's healing nicely and I gave him a pity Frosty Paws tonight.....all is well with the pooch.
I've got a CRAZY full social calendar this week which is just what I need. I actually think I have stuff to do the next 5 or so days....Suelo is a busy girl....look out Chicago!
I went to church in my neighborhood this past Sunday. It's the first local church I've attended since moving. It's a United Methodist church and while I hadn't been to that denomination before, I really enjoyed it. In this neighborhood, it's kind of the Church of the Misfit Toys so I think I might fit in nicely. I'm going to give it some time before I make any major decisions.
Okay, nothing terribly witty or exciting....just life happening around me day by day...I guess that's all I can ask for for now. Happy New Year to all!

The big bang theory....

2008-01-04T22:36:00.000-06:00

...sometimes in life we coast through things blindly day by day, minute by minute, hour by hour...life happens around us.

I found out some things today about a past friend of mine from my Austin days...he was a huge drinker, big partier, etc... but he settled down got married & had a good life....but as he reached his 40's, he found that those things like marriage & kids weren't making him as happy as he was in the 80's & 90's partying w/his buds...so now he's drinking like a fish, going to court mandated AA and has had 3 DUI's & has contemplated suicide...all because he hasn't found "true happiness"...

This makes me sad because as we travel on our quest for "true happiness", life happens around us and passes us by. It doesn't stop for us and our quest. It continues on and we only get older.

The bottom line is we have to find our own happiness. We have to create our own happiness. I feel for those who believe that this world is our end all be all of happiness because personally I feel the "life is a journey, not a destination" theory. The afterlife for me is where it's at and I look forward to being there...I'm not afraid of it.

It's like this really cheesy thing I've always had hanging by my desk about "dance like no one's watching"....I've had it for years but it's so true. We think that life will get better if we MOVE, get married, have kids, graduate, get older, stay younger, find a better job, etc... when truthfully, life is happening to us each and every day and these events we seek out are only milestones in our lives...not the end all be all.

This all coincides with feelings I've had in the last 48 hours. A handful of events have occurred that have made me wake up from my recent fog and realize what I have to do for myself. I need to embrace my life as I've chosen to make it, choose wisely what I'm willing to accept and not accept, not allow anyone to treat me any less than I deserve to be treated, learn from my past mistakes, and remember that I've ALWAYS been a ballsy, strong girl who doesn't take too much shit.... and while I've felt the weakest I've ever felt in my life the past 8 weeks, I've had some serious moments of clarity in the last few days that have pushed me out of the fog. The fog is lifting and I feel as though it might lift quickly...

Let me throw out a quote I've just aquired but really like, "Love has nothing to do with another person, but is the condition of my own heart".

I don't want to speak prematurely but I feel as though the "low" I spoke of earlier this week is about to start getting the hell out of here...

So with all of those deep thoughts being said....I'll end this with a quote from an old China man....Confusious say... "when four-eyed one is on mission, get fuck out of way"

Happy New Year...complete with funk

2008-01-01T14:33:00.001-06:00

Toot! Happy New Year!!! Woo Hoo!!! Here I sit with no voice, congestion, cough, and grossness...woo hoo!!! Yipee!!!
I went to the dr. today & I have a sinus infection and bronchitis...yahoo! Drugs for me for the new year...Yipeeeeeeeeee!
Anyway, on my way out today I took some pics of the snow from last night...it's absolutely gorgeous outside despite my crapiness.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suelolabamba/ Click on the New Years Snow button once you get there.
I had a party to go to last night & a house brunch to go to today....what a complete bummer to have to miss all of that. I was so looking forward to it too.
Oh well, Radar & I are about to cozy up on the couch with a movie & a snack...Yipeee!!! 2008 is here...wahoooo!!!!!

After that downer...

2007-12-31T09:19:00.000-06:00

Okay, here's something a little more upbeat... check out my holiday photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/suelolabamba/
I'm feeling rather crappy today as I have had the same sore throat for 5 days. I had no voice yesterday so I'm not sure if it's laryngitis or something more. Who knows. I guess it's time to find a doctor in this city. Some things I've been putting off...
a) finding doctors
b) registering to vote (I'll do that quickly!)
c) switching over all auto tags & licenses
I guess you can't do it all at once now can you? Most importantly I found a vet that I like which was most important...and somewhere to clip Radar's nails. We take a monthly trip to the Bark Bark Club to get his "nails did".

A Jolly Old Elf... yeah right

2007-12-29T19:43:00.000-06:00

I have to say that the holiday made me the jolly old elf... at least for a few days.
I had a wonderful time with my sister and her family. It was a nice getaway from my crazy life in Chi-town.
What crazy life you might say??? Well, as the months are rolling around I'm finding that I'm trying to settle into this move and what it's meant to me. I think the "new" has worn off and now trying to find myself has been a little harder than I thought....I guess you could say I'm still lost.
As I'm going through this process one thing I'm realizing is who my tried and true friends are and I thank you again for being there.
Life is funny...you think you have all the answers to make things good & happy, then you move on them and BAM! Slap in da face. Fast forward to present times, not quite as happy as I'd planned to be. Quite low I might add... but then sometimes being really low is quite an eye-opening experience.
Low has lots of misery, low has lots of tears, low has no appetite, low doesn't want to cook, low has the shakes, low has little energy and low actually gets lots of sleep.
You come across people in life that are/have experienced "low" but you don't really understand it unless you're there... Just a news bulletin, low exists and low is real and I didn't understand it until I was there... I now get it & I don't wish it upon anyone I know.... low sucks....
Okay enough about low & his friends, I'm beginning to finally start on the uphill swing from low...it's just taken many weeks to get here.
I have good feelings about the new year coming upon us. I have great plans for both New Year's Eve AND New Year's Day and I'm psyched about both... and speaking of psyched, Cassidy & I went downtown today & stumbled upon a psychic... I got my palm read... Oh baby, 2008 is going to be a rockin' year!!!!!!

You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer....

2007-12-24T21:51:00.000-06:00

Here it is Christmas Eve. I'm in Michigan with my sister and her family which is a far cry from how I spent Thanksgiving!
The drive was 5 hours of no weather which was perfect. I arrived on Friday & leave on Wednesday morning. 5 days away from normalcy has been a nice break.
Tonight we went to Renee's sisters house for Christmas Eve dinner. I can't remember the last time I saw a bunch of little kids (if ever) opening gifts. There were 4 boys ages (I'm guessing) 4-6 with serious short attention span!
As one gift was opened, someone would yell, "oh cool, look mom what I got!". It would take about 3.5 seconds before the next gift was noticed and ripped into, leaving mom holding PILES of unwrapped gifts. The entire process was sweet, sweet chaos & made me realize that as commercialized as this holiday is, the gift giving part of it really is about the kids... and I loved watching every second of it.
Gotta run now...Santa will be arriving soon.....nighty night.

Moisturizer anyone??

2007-12-19T21:34:00.000-06:00

I can name at least a dozen girlfriends who thought that Eddie Van Halen was hot back in the 80's....far more than David Lee Roth.

So weren't we all sad when Eddie married Valerie Bertenelli? ...and did we wonder why they eventually got divorced some double-digit years later?

This obsession of mine sparked from a Yahoo story last week about Eddie's house getting flooded. The article wasn't so interesting but wow.... the photographic evidence was. This isn't the pic that was posted but one that's even better....dearest Lord I hope and pray my rum & cokes never make me end up looking like either one of these fine men...or women...or skeletons...or skeletons knocking on deaths door....jeez.

I hate to say it but it's making me want to go to the reunion tour...before rigamortis sets in..

Can't keep 'em down

2007-12-16T11:52:00.000-06:00

So we had about 3-6 inches of snow last night but that didn't keep anyone away from the party!
Only 2 people who RSVP'd didn't come...one I have no clue about and the other is without car & didn't want to walk in the downfall.
At my last party everyone kind of hit all at once. Last night the earlier part of the evening held about 6 people, but by midnight there were 12! Nice!
Lots of good food & booze to be had....and to be had leftover. Wow, I have TONS of beer & liquor leftover again...so if anyone is interested in stopping by for a cocktail...
As usual, Radar was the hit of the party...those who've met him before still love him and those who met him for the first time fell in love with him....he is by far, the perfect party accessory :)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXXOOXO!

Rock the house

2007-12-14T20:43:00.000-06:00

So my big Christmas party is tomorrow night. I should be cleaning my ass off tonight but my nose is plugged again & I've decided to sit here and surf and blog instead.
I did hit the booze store on the way home so that's off of my list for tomorrow.
My parents sent a box o' gifts for myself and Radar and we can't wait to dig in. They also sent us each our stockings....that made me quite sad as I enjoy getting the stockings at their house. Christmas is going to be very weird this year.
I think all of my "firsts" are weird this year. Thanksgiving was a travelling bust so I spent it alone, and Christmas is not as jolly as I was hoping it would be. I'm trying to adapt to everything as best I can but I guess since the "new" is wearing off and my honeymoon is ending, reality is setting in and kicking my ass a bit.
It's funny, right now everyone I speak to asks me, "how much snow do you have now??". It's only snowed once and a lot of it has melted. It's supposed to snow again this weekend so we'll get prepared. At least we're not on the east coast where they're buried alive....yet that is....
As the holiday is closing in fast I want to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of my friends and family. I know a few of you are celebrating this weekend and over the next week so enjoy the season, remember what it's really about (you know, the commercialism!), and cherish those who are closest to you.
Happy Holidays from Suelo & Radar :) xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Can it get any better than this?

2007-12-09T15:05:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I finally decided to trek to the basement & get the Christmas stuff out. I have found that while decorating your Christmas tree alone is pretty depressing, but there's nothing that tops it off like listening to the random holiday playlist on your Ipod and hearing Robert Goulet singing Christmas carols. Now you may wonder, "why the hell do you have that on your Ipod?". Well it was purchased some years ago for the kitch factor & it's always one that has made me laugh & gag at the same time... Today I realized how damn depressing his voice really is. Here is some holiday cheer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66R0uy7grY0
Wow, the holiday season is hitting an all time low...I think I'll go cheer myself up with a Cape Cod....it's red and holiday festive right????

I can tell the difference

2007-12-08T22:20:00.000-06:00

When you live in Texas, you get used to the heat. You can tell a distinct difference between 105 and 95. 95 feels cool after it's been 105 for a while.

I used to think that the 40's was fairly cold. Now I think differently...

Today I went to Christkindlmarket...a German holiday festival in Daley Plaza. Giant tree, manger (which desperately needed to get the snow off of baby Jesus), lots of German crafts & wares, and tons of German food...

Now this whole scene was outdoors. The high today was 24. Not that that was so cold, but I now know for sure, I've GOT to get heavier gloves and thicker socks. My hands and feet were freezing. I'm usually not a weather puss but after a few hours I was DONE....Christine looked at her twin 8 yr. olds & said, "Kristen is from a much warmer state, lets wrap it up so we can find somewhere to go sit inside"...two 8 years olds put me to shame...they only had a leg up on me because they were wearing snow pants....

I got my boots, now Radar on the other paw...

2007-12-05T22:23:00.000-06:00

...holy moley...
Okay so we got about 6" of snow last night. Awesome. I took the train to work because my car was in the shop & bundled up enough for the walk in...coming home was a bit colder. To say the least...
I've been surfing the web for dog boots. I guess I didn't realize how fast I'd need them. Poor little dog....when I took him for his walk tonight, I didn't realize how quickly his little paws would get cold. It took all of about 5 minutes for him to start limping...I feel like the most horrible mom. Plus, everywhere he would do "number 2" is covered with 2 feet of snow! There's no bare grass anywhere! So as it stands now, he's not interested so he's inside again for the night...I guess we'll try again in the morning. Right now we have to have a damp washcloth ready when we come in to wipe the salt off of his paws...if you didn't know, Radar H-A-T-E-S having his paws touched. I'm hoping to leave work early enough tomorrow so I can go to the pet store around the corner with him so he can try on some Muttluks boots....he'll be more stylin' than me...but then again what's new?
...it's going to be a low temp of 9 degrees tonight....now THAT would be new to me.

Sass, snow boots & falling ice

2007-12-02T16:28:00.000-06:00

Well I finally bought a cheap pair of boots...just in time to use them!

We had a small "storm" if you will...which was worse in the burbs than in the city.

I went to the Crate party last night and in order to do the whole, driving, parking hustle, Christine & I decided to take public transport. So we had to walk in our sassy skirts to the El, then walk a country mile when we got off of the El.

First of all, my thigh high socks saved me. That layered with hose made an amazingly warm, yet sexy combination. Lucky no one was to see....

My cheap little boots worked nicely, and looked great as we entered and exited the party. Funny how we definitely weren't the only one's to check shoes along with our coats at the coat check.

Party was okay...ran into a lot of people I hadn't seen in a while. The band was B-A-D. Quite the huge production but very party predictable.... It ain't a party unless someone plays "Shout". Of course a little Morris Day and The Time didn't' hurt either.

The food was everywhere. Didn't eat much but then I wasn't too interested in the tator tot bar. Christine on the other hand....

Afterwards a few of us went to a bar around the corner until the wee hours. The drinking laws here are quite different. The time you can serve until depends on what liquor license you have. Some bars serve until 2, some until 3, etc...

All I know is that I went to bed at 3:40 this morning & woke up stupid early this morning with a headache that 2 cups of coffee cured.

Good times, good times.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!...and other crap

2007-11-30T19:13:00.000-06:00

ahhh life....let's start this post same as the last one ended...
I've been in this city 6 months today. Toot toot...that's a celebratory horn in case you're not on board with my over-the-top humor.
This has been the craziest experience of my life hands down. Packing up all of my shit, leaving everything and everyone I know, and moving across the country.
Some call it crazy, some call it liberating...it simply depends on how many cocktails you're inhaling when you call it.... Plus it's easier for people to tell you how proud they are of you and how amazing it must be and how they wish they had the balls to do it...when it's NOT THEM.
I have no regrets about moving cities. I love this city. Even as I sit here and brace for the bad weather which will start tomorrow. I will get up early and go buy boots just like I got up early and went to Auto Zone today to get scrapers, de-icer, windshield fluid, and a snow brush.
All just in time for the Crate & Barrel holiday party which my horoscope insists I attend.
This city is amazing. There is so much to do and so much to see. There is a bigger sense of community than I ever could have imagined. Every where I go I meet more and more amazingly creative people. Everyone here has been extremely friendly and inviting (except when behind the wheel).
Yet here at this 6 month milestone I realize that this is a huge, stressful adjustment. Days go by when I miss my friends & my family. I think a lot about my past yet realize that I've already started my future, and I think I'm looking for some fast answers to some really slow-long winded questions.
I've come to a screeching halt in the last 48 hours.
One of my favorite $10 words is "epiphany"...and I think I've just had a few big ones with a little help from some friends....
I moved here and I'm here to stay. Unless of course dream job with dream pay comes my way in Hawaii or the Caribbean :)
I have no intentions of looking back, only forward. I can't change what I've done and how I did it, but I can learn from it and grab the handles tight and hold on for the continued bumpy ride. Good things will come my way as they already have. I simply have to take things as they come and realize that nothing amazing is going to happen overnight...it already has. I live here and despite my current screwy frame of mind, I live a pretty amazing life for a girl who picked up alone and is trying to start life over.
Thanks to those of you who have helped me through to this anniversary. It's been a really rough ride with some smooth patches along the way....I only pray that the potholes get patched up soon.
Even though I'm spending this anniversary alone, Radar will help me lap up a rum & coke and raise it to those who helped us get where we are today.
Have a great weekend :)