May 2, 2020

Things I miss, a list:

1. My yoga students
2. 360 Chicago’s view
3. Seeing my friends and family in person
4. First dates
5. Walking by restaurants, looking in the restaurants and see a lot of people (aka prosperity)
6. Lazy grocery store visits
7. Hugs
8. The el
9. Going into the office
10. A day with no tears
11. Sleeping through the night

Unforeseen benefits, a list:

1. More time with my parents
2. A cleaner home
3. More time to cook and bake
4. Virtual yoga classes with friends and family
5. Virtual yoga classes from my local studio
6. Virtual yoga classes from my favorite studio in New York
7. Teaching virtual yoga classes to Girl Scouts (can you tell that yoga has been a lifesaver for me?!)

Thursday, April 2, 2020

These, my friends, are trying times. Life is rough here in 2020. The Coronavirus is in full swing – taking people out left and right. We’re stuck at home in hopes of keeping the virus at bay. But healthcare workers are certain that nearly everyone will get it, no matter what precautions we take. We’re being told to stay at home and to only leave for essentials like dog walks and grocery runs. Toilet paper is sold out in nearly every store. Furlough days are being passed out like candy on Halloween.

We’ve got Netflix. We’ve got Zoom. We’ve got #wfh (future self, that means working from home).

Stores are closed. Restaurants are only open for takeout or delivery. Grocery stores – once a beloved place I could spend an hour traversing the aisles and reading labels – have become anxiety inducing experiences. What if the virus is on the carts? What if the cashier has it? What if the store doesn’t have any of the items I need or want? What if I don’t wipe down everything I bring home well enough and I get the virus?

And then if I get the virus, what happens to me? I live alone, besides my very adorable dog. Bruno can’t go to the grocery store. Bruno can’t walk himself. Bruno can’t take care of a sick person.

Continue reading What else can I do but write? →

For many years, I felt like the universe had made a mistake.

When making plans at age 18 to do an overnight visit at my now alma mater, I was adamant that I stay in a sorority and see what real life was like living in a sorority house. In fact, when looking at colleges, I refused to attend any schools that didn’t have sorority houses. I was enamored with the idea of living in a house full of sisters. So, when I set up my overnight visit to Illinois Wesleyan, I made sure to request that the overnight portion be at a Greek house. My request was granted and a girl from AGD showed me around, let me shadow her in classes, and stay in their dormer overnight.

I was smitten. After that visit, I knew that I was going to IWU and I knew that I was going to going to join AGD. But, when Bid Day came, AGD turned me down. I got my second choice. And that was the first time I felt like the universe had made a mistake. I cried and cried. But, I accepted the offer of my second choice. And I thrived for the first two years there. Until, I met a boy. That boy took me out of my fun-loving self and into his world. And, for some unknown reason, I left my own world willingly. I left the friends I’d made with no kicking or screaming – from either the friends or from me.

Continue reading Can the Universe Get it Wrong? →