Carving a few Jacks!

So a while back, it was established that I love holidays and seasonal festivities. One of my favorite is apple picking and going to a pumpkin patch. Well living in this city it isn't as easy to run up to Iron's Fruit Farm (which if you live in Cincinnati, this is place to get your fall fruits) so we picked up a few at the local grocery store. I'm giving Evan a crash course in seasonal fun-- Given that he grew up in Vegas where his seasons were warm, hot, hotter, and unbearable.

Evan getting my jack-o-latern started

I am always stumped as to what design to make, so I do a little prep before making the first incision

And an essential part of carving the jack o lanterns? Roasting the pumpkin seeds!

The finish products in the dark!

Evan and I with the finished jack-o-lanterns!

Afterward we headed out to see "Where the Wild Things Are" which I HIGHLY recommend. (So much for being a hip young couple in the city. oh well. all we're missing is a couple of kids and maybe a golden retriever.) Go see it and bring a box of tissues with you. Not only is it a great story from a childhood classic, it is beautifully filmed and the music is spectacular. Kids will enjoy it but adults with adore it.

xo
Amber

Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change

It's BAD today! It's an annual event to unite bloggers of the world and spread the word and information on important issues. This year it is Climate Change. My knowledge is limited on this but I do know GREEN IS GOOD! One of the things I loved about Half Price Books is their B(eco)me campaign to encourage recycling, reducing, but most importantly REUSING! It sounds cheap, but buying second hand whatever it might be clothes, books, cars, home ware, etc. is good for the environment! (click on the image to go to the BAD web page for more knowledgeable information)

So here are the few things I try to do to help the Earth and Climate Change
-I have a plethora of reusable water bottles, so I don't have to buy plastic ones unless I'm in a pinch.
-I'm a vegetarian! Good for me and good for the environment because we aren't wasting all that grain and energy to feed animals that end up on your plate.
-Take Public Transportation or walk
-Turn off the lights when I'm not in a room (Granted this is pretty easy in such a small apartment)
-Unplug electronics (I'm trying to get better at this by turning off my computer but it's hard)
-I use my own grocery bags and if I do get plastic or paper bags from stores I reuse them for Cat's poop.
-I try to buy second hand when I can and I have to stop buying so many unnecessary clothes because they are going to end up in the landfill same day.
-Grad school requires a lot of reading and printing off of articles so I try to print only what I need and always using both sides of the paper to print.

What I wish I could do
-Recycle in my apartment but the cute little corrupt political machine makes that hard in the Windy City
-Compost
-Have a garden, I would love to have a window garden but I get no sunlight in my apartment.
-Be a vegan but no I can't part with my cheese (which is pretty selfish.)

I am sure that I missing a ton but what do you do?

xo
Amber

What I Did On My (summer) Vacation from this Blog

I went home to Cincy for May Fete...

I went to Michigan with the lovely Ms. Belew to see my little heart, Kristina, and her awesome boyfriend Dr. Luke
And yes, we were on a boat with our flippy floppies!

I went to the Pride Parade with a few girlfriends, Jen and Sarah. And we had a blast...
Blast off? Only in Boystown, USA...

I also did a fun girls night out. Since I moved here Jen has been talking about the World's Largest Block party at St. Pat's in Greek Town near the Sears Tower. So this year we got a group of our girlfriends together to go!
Drinking, eating, dancing, music! It was great and probably the best night of the summer.

I then made another trip back to Ohio for a Pants Party reunion...what's Pants Party? The house I lived in during college!

And it wouldn't be a real reunion without the Brute...

Finally after a long month and a half, I made the trip to Vegas to meet my newest niece, Mikayla!
And B was there too, the greatest new mommy ever!
The great thing about Chicago, is that there is always a Miami Alum, AOII, or both right around the corner. The RumRunners, a MU cover band, played a night at a bar here in the Windy City! I met up with AOIIs and fellow Cincinnatians, Sarah and Amber.

Summer is never complete without at least 1 wedding! My big, Allison, got married in Naperville in August.


And I think that about wraps it up...

Oh no wait, I almost forgot...I met a boy!
He doesn't blog, so I can say anything about him I want. But I'll just give a quick rundown. His name is Evan. I met him in April through friends on a random pub crawl through Wrigley. We hit it off right away, but I was very reluctant about dating him. Lucky for me he was patient and persistent. So after an awkward Cubs game and a few street festivals later, we were a match made in the Windy City! This is us at the Harry Potter exhibit with the flying car from the movie in the background.
Things I should have done more of this summer...
Blog
Run
Read
Go to the beach

So that about wraps it up. I realize each of these events could have been their own post...if only my blogging skills were as efficient as my Facebook stalking skills...maybe someday. So see you in another 5 months.

xo
Amber

Soap Box--Go literacy

For those who don't know, I started my MLIS last month which means I'm going to be a librarian. Although my focus is in archives or museum registrars (old stuff or papers belonging to old/dead people)--I have been thrown into the world of libraries and library advocacy which includes literacy advocacy. Which thanks to Mama Max and Don who encouraged me to read read read when I was growing up (although I wasn't always allowed to read what I wanted--shame on you), I've always been a huge proponent of books and readings. Which leads to my foray back into the blog-o-sphere for this soapbox...when a young person or adult says "I don't read" or "I don't like to read" I stare blank faced and want to say "that is the stupidest. thing. I. have. ever. heard." (But I'm too polite so I usually just say "that's too bad.") Because who doesn't read or why would anyone not want to read?!? I wrote this essay on the idea of getting children to read...

"I thought the juxtaposition of these two articles is very interesting. In one you have a study completed to demonstrate the necessities of reading and how introducing children to reading at an early age can benefit their general smartness in years to come, and in the other article, is how libraries are becoming more like a community centers incorporating gaming into their services to “camouflage[d] learning.” I also found it interesting in the study how it points out that people do learn from different media such as TV, or gaming in this case, but then continues to emphasize the importance of reading because through print one is exposed to more vocabulary then spoken word.

The study completed by Anne Cunningham was very thorough and gives evidence to the importance of reading which is abundantly clear. The studies emphasizes two important things: “the importance of getting children off to an early successful start in reading” and “provide children, regardless of their achievement levels, with as many reading experiences possible”. This is all well and good, but the question she doesn’t address is “how?” You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. Or in more stark terms, you can tell someone that smoking is bad for their health, but they may not quit; the same can go for children not interested in reading.

The Oak Park Public Library is taking actions to address these problems. Unfortunately, there will always be children, teens, and adults who are not interested in reading regardless of what they can learn from it, but the library is looking at ways to engage kids in different ways to encourage reading through casual competition of games, problem solving, and linking these games to their summer reading. Integrating different media into the services encourages reading."

So go Oak Park! Learning through gaming, such a good idea. I don't game but I do love board games and that counts. To quote one of my favorite movies...
Mae: Sound it out...
Shirley: Kimm...
Mae: Kimono.
Shirley: Kimono, kimono. Off. And. Gr - Gra - Grabb"d.
Mae: Grabbed.
Shirley: Her. M - mi - mil - mil - milky, milky. White, white. Milky white.
Evelyn: Mae. What are you giving her to read?
Mae: Oh, what the difference does it make? She's reading, okay? That's the important thing. Now go away, go, shoo, shoo. Go ahead, Shirley, you're doing good.
Shirley: Thanks, Mae. Milky white bre - breasts.
Mae: It gets really good after that. Look. The delivery boy walks in...
from A League of Their Own

So I hope you are all reading more than just blogs, and I hope you are all reading to your children!

And PS sorry my long long long absence from the blog. I've been busy.

5k!

Last November in a moment of weakness when I was missing my family like crazy, I signed on to run the 2009 Thanksgiving Day 10k in Cincinnati with the Lucas family and it's various contingents. So in January I bought a gym membership and started on a 5k "get in shape" plan courtesy of B and her hubby.

So months (and not as many works outs)later, I ran my first 5k! Well technically it's not my first, because Momma Max made me do Cross Country in junior high (which I hated almost as much as B and Clint hated the piano--oh the things parents make their off spring do). I registered back in March envisioning a beautiful spring morning (which it was, go figure) and a breathless finish. Well 1 out of 2 isn't bad. I did finish. (not first but not last either.)

I'm more proud that I started it and finished it. I was tempted to skip it but then my poor grad student self took hold. (I couldn't knowingly throw away $33). So I'm going to sign up for another one. (I liked it that much, aside from all the other runners). And hopefully come November, the 10k won't seem so daunting. (And thanks to everyone who unknowingly were my inspiration!)

xo

Four

To break my blogging silence I thought I would post "My Four".

Four names that people call me:
Amber

Am

Boo

Aunt “fill in the blank”

Four jobs I have had:
Lifeguard (best summer job ever)

Hostess at the 1809 Room (best college job, EVER)
Bookseller (I had high hopes for that one.)

Babysitter (a job I just can’t get away from.)

Four movies I would watch more than once:
When Harry Met Sally

Love Actually

Definitely, Maybe

Sleepless In Seattle

Four places I have lived:
Norman, OK

Wyoming, OH

Oxford, OH

Chicago, IL

4 Places I have Been
Honduras

Quebec

Spain

Andorra

Four People who e-mail me (regularly):
Jen

Lillian (History dept. secretary)

Don (paper revisions and NYT articles)

Netflix

Four of my favorite foods:
Mac and Cheese

Pizza

Brinner (breakfast for dinner)
BBQ salad

Four places I'd rather be right now:
120 Wentworth

Oxford, OH (circa 2006)

With Mom and B in Vegas

Where I am now

Four friends I think will respond:
Mom

Don

B

Lucas

Four things I am looking forward to this year:
summer

CHM internship

Library school

Michaela B. (let’s hope I learn to spell her name before she arrives)

Four TV shows that I watch: (still on the air)
LOST

The Office

Grey’s Anatomy

Scrubs

Four favorite musicians and/or bands
The Weepies

Joshua Radin

Beatles

Norah Jones

Four things you miss:
College

Friends from college

Spain

Friends from Spain

Four Fears:
Snakes

Raccoons

Heights/falling from heights

Water (even though I’m a strong swimmer)/falling into dark water

Four biggest joys of life
Family (don’t I have to say that?)

Friends

Reading

Holidays

Until next time when I plan to summarize my semester maybe even share a few things I worked on and tell you about my exciting possible "career" change (hint: I mentioned it above).

xoxo
Amber, Am, Boo, Aunt "Fill in the Blank"

An Abridgement

I finally made it out of NYC after a crazy night...
And flew to Cincinnati for B's baby shower which was great and the start to a week of much belly touching (sorry B!)

(And that cake, just so good. And if you don't believe me, just ask Max.)

Anthony thought "too many ladies, not enough cake..."

And finally, after Brandy is exhausted from her trip to Boston and then to Cincy we finally make it to Chicago-the original destination with Mom in tow.
We went all over, the lake front, Loyola, hippy restaurants, the Adler, Field...
Then the Art Institute and to the Lincoln Park Conservatory which is my new favorite place in Chicago. I had no idea it was even there. Maybe it was because it was cold and rainy outside or it's been winter since November here, but making this brief stop has put a spring in my step. (Haha get it? SPRING...) And now to bore you with a few "artsy" pics, but I can't help myself.

I caught the Paparazzo flower on camera...
Apparently I didn't get enough of a family fix over Spring Break, so fast forward a very hectic week to a weekend visit from Clint! His official business in the Windy city was a bachelor party for St. Patty's day but we got to see the sights and meet up for a sibs picture.
Unfortunately, I was a a little slow from Sudafed and beer (I was a total trooper though) with only a dead camera battery so I didn't get pictures from St. Patty's. There is always next year.

Until next time, it's been great. I'm off to work on a project I have been putting off since, oh January, and I have some impressing to do tomorrow in class, so wish me luck! xo

I (heart) NYC.

But I LOVE Chicago. I spent the first part of my spring break in NYC visiting Sharon and Matthew. Matthew who was sick and tired and Sharon who was soon going to be sick and tired.
My original flight was delayed until the next morning (theme of this trip) but I arrived early Friday morning and was greeted at LGA by Matthew and Gigi. After freshening up a bit and downing the first of many espressos of the weekend, Nurse Horrible and I headed to the Natural History Museum. Shhh...don't tell anyone I took this picture:

Once inside we wander around and saw just about ever room, rarely ever pausing long enough to read the labels. (For someone who plans on going into some sort of history-museum-education, this is not a good practice.) The thing I liked the best were the dinos, and the art like displays of the fossils with metal outline structure and not with fake bones.

And a few more old things...
And then there is me and "DumDum" (Easter Island Head) from "Night at the Museum"
Later, after more walking and coffee, we met up with Sharon for a trip to Strand book store and dinner at a Korean restaurant.
Day number 2 in NYC was spent with my lovely and amazing corazon, esposa, novia, Nathalie. A great friend I met my semester abroad and who I did the most traveling with. She lives in NYC now and we spent the afternoon doing what we do best, sight seeing..."Nathamber" reunited.

We took the ferry and saw...
And made like the true tourists we are and did the audio guided tour of Ellis Island. (Which by the way, is very tastefully done and worth a repeat trip).
And took lots of pictures of the historical landmark...

(The Great Room where immigrants waited to be called for the exam.)

That evening we did dinner and cupcakes (so yummy) in the East Village and spent the night catching up and chatting about the "good ole Spain days".

Sunday was spent relaxing. Unfortunately after 2 days of photo ops I failed to take many pictures of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and the many hours of Wii we played. Although I did get to enjoy one of Matthew and Sharon's favorite Brooklyn eateries but I think Matthew might have enjoyed it more...
It was a good thing we had beer and Wii and mac and cheese because the snow and cold came in (it was like I never left Chicago). And I was stuck in NYC until Tuesday morning in a very foul mood. But after a great weekend family and friend, I was back in Cincinnati for B's baby shower and the rest of the Tour de Famille.

And more Tour de Famille photos soon to come, but I have a question. As you might know, I took in a stray cat. Who is doing great and the best companion, but she has a little hair ball situation. She doesn't cough (throw) them up but she is hacking all the time (Mama Max thinks it's a Kitty cold but I'm not sold on that idea unless she caught it from NYC folks.) So my question is does anyone have advice or home remedy? I read that butter sometimes works to lubricate her insides, and she eats dry food for hairball control. It is the most wretching sound to hear. xo