I belong to a very nice gym. I feel very lucky that I am able to do so. What I feel unlucky about are the things that I have had the displeasure of witnessing in the women's locker room.
I don't consider myself a prude but I am very modest. I took ballet for 18 years and I think I changed in the bathroom stall instead of the dressing room with everyone else the majority of the time. I'll admit that I might be extra sensitive when it comes to parading around naked in front of strangers, or worse, someone I know, in a public area. Even if I agree to live with the unnecessary nakedness I cannot get behind (heh, get it?) the other activities going on in there.
I offer you a Public Service Announcement of sorts. If you or anyone you know are performing any of the following behaviors, please, stop. These are all things I have seen with my own eyes and god help me, some of them I cannot forget.
In the locker room, please do not...
1. cut your toenails
2. cut your fingernails
3. apply your foot fungus cream
4. blow your nose in the shower into nothing, I assume, but your hands
5. wash your feet in the sink
6. use the hair dryer to dry your hair, but, not the hair on your head
7. forget that you are naked when you bend and stretch in every which way
8. forget that you are naked when you throw your leg up on the counter and slap lotion all over it
9. address ANY sort of feminine hygiene needs whatsoever outside of a bathroom stall
10. walk over to the scale in only a towel and then drop that towel to weigh yourself. Honestly, how much could the towel possibly weigh?
11. wash your hair in the sink
12. have a conversation with me while you are topless
Please do not forget that you are not alone and in the privacy of your own home. We can see you and we can't look away.
***get down on your knees and thank your lucky stars that I have included no pictures with this post.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
searching for warmth
Dear God, is February over yet? How is it that the shortest month of the year seems to drag on for the longest amount of time? I think it has something to do with the record snowfall followed by below zero temperatures followed by gray, wet, cold, and who cares anymore? I don't have any big goals these days. My dream is to just not have to wear my boots for one whole week straight.
I have taken the girls in search of some warmth. One of our favorite spots is the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park. The museum has, among many other things, a Butterfly Haven. In the middle of February it is pure heaven. It smells divine, as it is a greenhouse fillled with pools of water, flowers, tropical trees, and 1,000 butterflies. Eloise has always loved going here and when I suggested it she hurried to put on a special outfit comprised of her most flowery and colorful dress and hat and asked if I would give her a spray of perfume so the butterflies would flock to her. I obliged but I'm not sure it worked.
Mike finally had some time off work so we took advantage over a weekend and headed to the Shedd Aquarium. I really like the Shedd. It makes me long for days on the beach or a snorkel trip sometime in my past. In the Great Reef you can smell the salty sea water and you can imagine, for just a few minutes, that you are nowhere near Chicago. It is a great size facility and you can do as much or as little as you want--spend 45 minutes or 3 hours. I seem to find something new every time and always learn something.
This time we took in the live aquatic show which was a little lame but the kids loved it. Harriet learned the sign for 'fish' and used it every time the dolphins jumped up and Eloise took lots of pictures. I actually had to leave at a certain point during the show because they announced they would be having a Red Tailed Hawk fly into the arena and over the audience. The MC of the show went on and on, before letting the beast of prey enter, about how we should make no sudden moves or noises.
Umm. No.
Sure, I left my children in there to possibly be carried off in its talons while I nervously waited just outside the curtain but I thought I was going to throw up from fear. Why wasn't there some sort of warning label on the tickets?
"Warning! Live bird of prey will be flying overhead. We do not mean in a cage or tethered to anything. You not only need to worry about yourself and your one year old making any sudden moves, but also all the other idiots that are in attendance."
In case you didn't know, I have kind of a bird thing.
Another favorite spot during these last few months of winter is the Chicago Botanic Garden. We go to the garden a ton in the summer but they have all kinds of great winter programs as well. My favorite is the greenhouses. They have 3 very large ones and you can walk though and shed your coats and hats and gloves and scarves and just take a deep breath. We like to play hide and seek and check out the giant animal topiaries.
I am never at a loss for words when it comes to complaining about the weather and this year I have been given plenty of material. We are going to get through it by being creative and cautiously optimistic that winter will be over by May. I better start working on my high humidity and heat index gripes.
I have taken the girls in search of some warmth. One of our favorite spots is the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park. The museum has, among many other things, a Butterfly Haven. In the middle of February it is pure heaven. It smells divine, as it is a greenhouse fillled with pools of water, flowers, tropical trees, and 1,000 butterflies. Eloise has always loved going here and when I suggested it she hurried to put on a special outfit comprised of her most flowery and colorful dress and hat and asked if I would give her a spray of perfume so the butterflies would flock to her. I obliged but I'm not sure it worked.
Mike finally had some time off work so we took advantage over a weekend and headed to the Shedd Aquarium. I really like the Shedd. It makes me long for days on the beach or a snorkel trip sometime in my past. In the Great Reef you can smell the salty sea water and you can imagine, for just a few minutes, that you are nowhere near Chicago. It is a great size facility and you can do as much or as little as you want--spend 45 minutes or 3 hours. I seem to find something new every time and always learn something.
This time we took in the live aquatic show which was a little lame but the kids loved it. Harriet learned the sign for 'fish' and used it every time the dolphins jumped up and Eloise took lots of pictures. I actually had to leave at a certain point during the show because they announced they would be having a Red Tailed Hawk fly into the arena and over the audience. The MC of the show went on and on, before letting the beast of prey enter, about how we should make no sudden moves or noises.
Umm. No.
Sure, I left my children in there to possibly be carried off in its talons while I nervously waited just outside the curtain but I thought I was going to throw up from fear. Why wasn't there some sort of warning label on the tickets?
"Warning! Live bird of prey will be flying overhead. We do not mean in a cage or tethered to anything. You not only need to worry about yourself and your one year old making any sudden moves, but also all the other idiots that are in attendance."
In case you didn't know, I have kind of a bird thing.
Another favorite spot during these last few months of winter is the Chicago Botanic Garden. We go to the garden a ton in the summer but they have all kinds of great winter programs as well. My favorite is the greenhouses. They have 3 very large ones and you can walk though and shed your coats and hats and gloves and scarves and just take a deep breath. We like to play hide and seek and check out the giant animal topiaries.
I am never at a loss for words when it comes to complaining about the weather and this year I have been given plenty of material. We are going to get through it by being creative and cautiously optimistic that winter will be over by May. I better start working on my high humidity and heat index gripes.
4 year old's idea of How to Attract a Butterfly
in the butterfly haven
identifying different species
at the Shedd with dad and apparently jazz hands
chilling out as penguins in the polar exhibit
picture of the aquatic show taken by Eloise.
I think I was crouched in fetal position in the back at this point.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
snow day
As you may have heard by now, we had ourselves a little blizzard here in the midwest.
Even with all the hype and the warnings and the discussions and the predictions and the even more hype I still found myself standing in my kitchen this morning, in my pajamas, with my mouth hanging open in disbelief at what I was seeing. It was amazing.
We are fortunate that there was really nowhere we needed to be and, of course, school was cancelled so we just settled in for a long winter's nap--that may last until Saturday. We are only midway through the day we have already played in the playhouse, done 3 crafts, made Valentines, put on 2 musicals, baked bread, ventured out into the yard, watched some T.V., read books, and attempted naps. We are going to have to pace ourselves.
Always on a snow day I feel compelled to make a special lunch. One that is all warm and comforting and one that reminds me of being a kid. For me, there is no other choice that even comes close.
Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Done and done.
Grilled cheeses come pretty regularly in our house for the kids but I don't eat them very often unless an occasion such as 22 inches of snow calls for it. I have been told that I make the best grilled cheeses in the world!!! (this just in..."except for Edzo's"). Mine are nothing fancy, wheat bread, lots and lots of butter and whatever cheese happens to be in the fridge without mold on it---or, sometimes you know you can just cut that off. Shhhh.
I do make my own tomato soup and, yes, I can feel your eye roll. Listen, it is simple simple simple. I have never liked soup from a can that much and I have a basement full of tomatoes so this is a no brainer. I used the tomatoes I canned with my dad this summer and, even though it took me 20 minutes to get the lid off of the jar because he had screwed it on so tight, it was totally worth it. The recipe I link to below calls for tomatoes from a can which would be delicious as well. Most of this stuff you should have in your pantry and if you don't, feel free to improvise. This recipe is very forgiving and not fussy at all.
Treat yourself to a comforting and warm meal and try to stay warm and stay safe. You know where to find us if you need anything, we're not going anywhere. God, help us.
Even with all the hype and the warnings and the discussions and the predictions and the even more hype I still found myself standing in my kitchen this morning, in my pajamas, with my mouth hanging open in disbelief at what I was seeing. It was amazing.
We are fortunate that there was really nowhere we needed to be and, of course, school was cancelled so we just settled in for a long winter's nap--that may last until Saturday. We are only midway through the day we have already played in the playhouse, done 3 crafts, made Valentines, put on 2 musicals, baked bread, ventured out into the yard, watched some T.V., read books, and attempted naps. We are going to have to pace ourselves.
Always on a snow day I feel compelled to make a special lunch. One that is all warm and comforting and one that reminds me of being a kid. For me, there is no other choice that even comes close.
Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Done and done.
Grilled cheeses come pretty regularly in our house for the kids but I don't eat them very often unless an occasion such as 22 inches of snow calls for it. I have been told that I make the best grilled cheeses in the world!!! (this just in..."except for Edzo's"). Mine are nothing fancy, wheat bread, lots and lots of butter and whatever cheese happens to be in the fridge without mold on it---or, sometimes you know you can just cut that off. Shhhh.
I do make my own tomato soup and, yes, I can feel your eye roll. Listen, it is simple simple simple. I have never liked soup from a can that much and I have a basement full of tomatoes so this is a no brainer. I used the tomatoes I canned with my dad this summer and, even though it took me 20 minutes to get the lid off of the jar because he had screwed it on so tight, it was totally worth it. The recipe I link to below calls for tomatoes from a can which would be delicious as well. Most of this stuff you should have in your pantry and if you don't, feel free to improvise. This recipe is very forgiving and not fussy at all.
Treat yourself to a comforting and warm meal and try to stay warm and stay safe. You know where to find us if you need anything, we're not going anywhere. God, help us.
so excited about a snow day
the very snowy view this morning
venturing out
taken from the comfort of my warm,
delicious smelling kitchen
yummy tomatoes
you cannot resist dunking
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