The world has lost a musical visionary. A rare, exotic talent of song and entertainment. I like to think that Michael Jackson was a genius of performance art, yet one cannot deny that he was a tragic human being…
Love and prayers go out to the Jackson family and to the many fans who felt the MAGIC in the music of Michael Jackson. I moonwalked around my house for years as a child, throwing hats, and practicing my robotically hip grooves to Smooth Criminal and Billie Jean. Michael intrigued me with his never-ending quest to push the limits of musical performance to the very brink of fantasy. Although gone, he has left us so much. And now I leave you with one of my favorites: You Rock My World.
Okay, it’s about time for me to recap my dental appointment, and the joyous future appointments that await.
First off, you should know that I’ve been through the dental ringer- I’ve had teeth pulled, Novocaine shots, braces, retainers, wisdom teeth extraction, head gear, mouth guards, etc. That being said, I have no excuse for what I’m about to disclose- it’s been a LONG time since I’ve been to the dentist. Brace yourselves.
When I graduated college and moved to Chicago, I thought to myself, “I need to lock down a dentist in Chicago.”
Well, I kept putting it off because all of a sudden I wasn’t getting forced into the dentist chair via my mother. And I kept putting it off. And I kept putting it off. And I kept putting it off. And I kept putting it off. And I kept putting it off. And I kept putting it off. And I kept putting it off (are you getting the picture?!).
So it’s been…seven years. Seriously, stop screaming and sit DOWN, I KNOW how absolutely god-awful horrid that is and I’m now taking the right steps to correct my dental commitment issues. So two weeks ago I went for a consultation and got about 36,000 x-rays taken. I received the very frank news that after seven years of grinding the shizz out of my teeth on a nightly basis, I have made my teeth very susceptible to cavities. FOUR cavities to be exact- and just to clarify, I’ve never had a cavity in my life. So this is something new and different but not in a good way (like say, seeing live jazz or checking out the Modern Wing of the Art Institute).
But let’s face the facts- I don’t want dentures at age 28. I also really love chips and guac and one can’t really chew crunchy food with just gums. So I’ve officially implemented Kelly’s Dental Plan for Wedding & for Life.
Step 1: Get intense cleaning. And I did…this past Tuesday. My gums are still a little tender but my smile feels like a million bucks. Feel as though my mouth has been power-washed with a fire hose.
Step 2: Go for follow up cleaning in two weeks (upcoming in early July)
Step 3: Get two cavities filled; bring i-Pod as to not hear the drill blasting a shrill noise into my ears as if I were at the Home Depot.
Step 4: Get other two cavities filled; bring i-Pod yet again, and possibly update playlist with some ‘easy listening’ (a.k.a. the old person’s radio station songs Fitz and I discovered while in Florida)
Step 5: Get fitted for mouth guard to be worn at night to prevent grindage. This will enable Fitz to sleep well for the first time in nearly four years.
Step 6: Dance in the streets, high five my dentist, and keep up with subsequent dental cleanings.
Fitz saw this mug at a plant/home/garden store and when he showed it to me, I pretty much lost it and became wrought with glee. This little Boston Terrier is totally Theo (a.k.a. the name of the dog that I do not have…yet). Another great reason to marry Fitz- he knows me well enough to give me kitschy presents that I love and adore. He also may be employing some kind of weird, strategic replacement tactic, possibly hoping that I will be content with this mug rather than possession of the actual dog. Or maybe I am just watching too many psychology-themed CSI episodes. Hmmmmm…..
Disclaimer: I do not own the above image. Found via Creative Imports.
This week has completely kicked my a$$. On top of juggling a very substantial amount of work at my job, my social calendar, family obligations, and wedding plans have me running around like crazy. I don’t want to sounds like I am complaining- so many of these moments are extraordinarily precious to me. I want to cherish them and store them away in my memories, recalling the happiness and warmth they brought me. But I soooo badly wish I could sleep and relax for just a day.
That won’t exactly happen. I’m attending a top secret event tonight, and first thing tomorrow morning I catch a flight to Florida for something I never imagined would happen in my life- my mom is getting remarried. It is with a heavy heart that I write (type?) these words. I have always strived to be honest in writing this blog so I will honestly say that I have struggled immensely in coming to grips with this news, and I consider that normal for any child that has watched the marriage of his/her parents dissolve. I promised myself I wouldn’t write about it until I truly found the right words to share. But the truth is that over the past six months I have lost sleep, cried, and at times, wondered if I needed to go back to seeing a therapist, as I did over the years when my parents separated and subsequently divorced (I don’t regret it and highly recommend therapy to anyone struggling with something they don’t know how to process). My parents’ divorce brought me to the darkest moments of my life. Fortunately, those dark times are gone. And today, there is a lot of happiness to recognize. I am surrounded by good people and there are so many beautiful moments taking place…I don’t want to focus on negative thoughts when there is positivity in the world to celebrate.
I choose to accept my mom’s decision and wish her happiness on this new journey. I choose to look forward rather then wallow in the past. But there is a tiny part of me that is emotional right now. My mom’s new marriage reinforces that yet another part of my life is fragmented. Between my fiancee and I, we will now have approximately 7 parents total. There are different names, different houses, and they all play by different rules. But I remember that around Christmas six months ago, a co-worker of mine exclaimed what a drag it was to have to ‘house hop’ all over around the holidays to visit each family. I had thought about it and while I admit that sometimes I do feel that way, I also choose to recognize that having all of these parents means that there is more love in my life, and more people to share my life with. And that’s a pretty special thing.
I just needed some time to process it all…but I’m okay now.
This weekend I am celebrating the occasion and take a step forward, wishing my mom and her new husband a fruitful and fulfilling life together. If you focus too much on the rain, you forget about the rainbow that comes afterwards. And the rainbow is a reminder of new, beautiful beginnings. So to the new beginning that awaits…I say CONGRATULATIONS.
This is summer, correct? We are in the 6th month of the year??? What happened to the warm, blissful Chicago summer sunshine? I miss it.
Why is it consistently raining cats and dogs?! Perhaps God is just telling me that I need some more days of pensive thought and concentration, as only this weather can bring. But let’s face the facts: my umbrella is getting far more use that I would care to admit. I was shrieking like a wild beast this morning as I puddle-hopped to the train station, and cold water splashed up on my legs.
To keep our spirits up and our smiles broad, here are some interesting quotes to get us through this weathered season:
“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain” (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
“Walking through puddles is my favorite metaphor for life” (Jessi Lane Adams)
“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby” (Langston Hughes)
“The trouble with weather forecasting is that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and it’s wrong too often for us to rely on it” (Patrick Young)
“Weather forecast for tonight: dark” (George Carlin)
***Disclaimer: Quotes courtesy of the Quote Garden
For some reason, I receive a lot of wrong number calls from my cell phone. This is forgivable as we have all misdialed a phone on occasion and I can accept that 100%. I’ll give you a cheerful ‘good luck to you’ salute and hang up the phone, no harm done.
But what I cannot comprehend, is how someone could dial my number, listen to my entire greeting with my full name and everything, and yet LEAVE A MESSAGE asking for TYRONE to call him/her back. Clearly, Tyrone does not have a woman’s voice. Clearly, when I say my name is Kelly, I’m not insinuating that Tyrone is a nickname that I go by occasionally.
This is baffling to me. And what is even MORE ridiculous…is that this is not the first time this has happened! I haven’t received multiple requests for Tyrone, but I have gotten voicemails from people who are most certainly looking to speak with someone else. Have we reached new lows in human stupidity that I was previously unaware of? Or do some people just need to get some quality q-tips on their hands and clean out their ears? OR have attention spans shrunk to nothing and society no longer deems the concept of ‘listening’ to be relevant to basic human communication?
Sheesh.
P.S. Tyrone, if you’re reading this, call Janae back. She needs the reports and wants to get them before taking her lunch break.
Fitz has been telling me for awhile that Bucktown would be a great neighborhood to live in. I had been to Bucktown before and can admit that they have good restaurants, shops, boutiques, etc. But I had never really imagined that I would live there. It’s artsy, kitschy, and completely unexpected. This is totally up my alley so why I wouldn’t have considered this before IS kinda bizarre.
I digress.
So yesterday Fitz decides he wants to take me out ‘for a whole meal of food’ (name the movie), and he goes off a friend’s suggestion to check out Duchamp on Damen (heart of Bucktown). We were early for our reservation so we walked down the street and into Bristol, a sweet little mixology bar. I had a glass of wine and Fitz had an amazing concoction of vermouth, bitters, absinthe, and….other stuff I can’t remember. The vibe was pretty cool, the service was great, and I dug the chalkboard walls. On to the main course!
I highly recommend Duchamp. I had a duck appetizer on crispy chips with cauliflower puree (why I have trouble eating so many other foods yet I devour duck is beyond me), and Fitz enjoyed a hearty serving of lump crab gazpacho. I had a refreshing mixology drink called The Spa Cooler (acai berry, vodka, simple syrup, cucumber, and fresh mint) and Fitz had s0mething called The Knight (peach vodka, ginger, and other stuff). Oh, and he actually asked to be knighted when his drink was served. Our waiter laughed, the got uncomfortable, and said no pretty firmly.
For entrees I ordered the lobster white pizza with balsamic and Fitz had the very well-reviewed burger with Havarti cheese and garlic aioli fries. We were stuffed and the meal was a resounding success.
What better way to finish off the night then by downing a Bud Light at Lottie’s? It’s an old speak easy with Christmas lights lining the ceiling- low key, under the radar, and just how we like it.
A fun Friday to kick off a fun weekend! But for now, I need to go for a run to burn off all the calories I ingested last night!
And yes, I would be totally up for migrating to Bucktown when the time is right.
What a journey this blog has been since it began in March 2008. I’m amazed at how much fun I have had, how others have enjoyed my posts, and how I have challenged myself as a writer but putting this information out there in the universe. This is a thrilling ride that only grows more exciting at the possibilities that lay ahead.
Did you like how I used roman numerals to identify the III Part Series? I wanted to make sure you knew that I meant business! With a total of three consecutive bridal showers in three weekends, I have to be on top of my game!
Seriously, how lucky am I to have such amazing friends and family?!! It was a day of laughter, sharing memories, and basking in the lovely summer weather. This beautiful bridal shower was a fabulous extravaganza thrown by four of my girlfriends: Leslie, Jenna, Krista, and Jen. Thank you girls for making this day remarkable- I will remember it for the rest of my life.
Posted by kellyq 
Posted by kellyq 
Posted by kellyq 
