Time for a quick recap of the weekend.
Friday after work I stopped at McDonald's to stuff my face because I didn't think I could even make it home. My Ramadan-Lent is a constant challenge.. sometimes it's success brings failure elsewhere. Then I biked up to St. Josaphat for their monthly Taize service, which is a very peaceful use of a Friday evening. I thought about how much I would miss it if/when I leave. Then I biked home, stopping briefly for some groceries. I was able to get to bed at a decent time after forcing myself up at a decent time that morning. Sleep patterns make or break my whole lifestyle.
Saturday morning I drove down to Hyde Park to help Rachel & Joanne move, including spending an hour trying to obtain the rental truck. Made it back up to the loop in time to find street parking and bike to where the St. Patty's Day (not yet) Parade, Northside, was getting ready to start. The SJC marching band wasn't present due to their very necessary presence at some basketball games later that day. Met up with JoeJohn and then Kelli, Tina, and Luz, along with various other alumnus who we didn't really know, plus Ligda and Colleen. We marched the short parade, shouted our lungs out (yeah Jillian saw us and screamed back!), enjoyed the beautiful weather, and then the 3 girls and JJ & I walked over to the river to check out the greenness and then to Giordano's where SJC had the party room with all complimentary pizza and salad. mmmm... I took home 4 slices of their huge stuffed deep dish spinach pizza. I walked back to my truck, drove to where I'd locked up my bike, and headed back to my apt. Finally got to enjoy the pizza, and just relaxed, reading a little about Focolare, watched Neverland, and then headed out into the torrential downpour around 9:30 to meet Logan at a sushi bar on Michigan & Balbo. His cousin Julie works there and he wanted me to meet her. Good good sushi like usual, had a couple of drinks, and then the three of us went to a local bar in Pilsen called Skylark's for a couple more drinks. An OK evening, glad I went, and stepped outside my normal boundaries. This was actually kinda the theme of this weekend. Got home around 1.
Sunday was able to get up at a decent time again, and went over to Leigh's apartment to meet a few people for a surprise party for Rachel's birthday. Had a great brunch and birthday cake (she disregards all conventional methods of slicing cake..) and continued the conversation for a couple more hours, heading over to Holy Name around mid-afternoon to meet people walking over to Quigley for a Teaching Mass. Met a bunch of cool people and also got to see Marlon for the first time in a long time. But I couldn't stay for the dinner at a nearby restaurant afterwards, because Luz's parents had bought a ticket for me so I could go to the regionals game that evening down in Rensselaer, so I hit the road. Traffic wasn't too bad, got there and stopped over at Kelli's house and then we all went to the game, catching yet some more heavy heavy rain on the way. Apparently there was a tornado-watch in effect. Enjoyed the game, slowly getting into it and especially towards the end as we briefly snagged the lead, only to barely miss a 3-pointer that would have tied it at the buzzer. Kelli, Luz, and myself went to Rico's Bar & Grill afterwards for a bite to eat before hitting the road around 11:00 and fighting drooping eyelids all the way to Chicago. Discovered at Rico's that yes indeed, frog legs do taste like chicken.
Friday after work I stopped at McDonald's to stuff my face because I didn't think I could even make it home. My Ramadan-Lent is a constant challenge.. sometimes it's success brings failure elsewhere. Then I biked up to St. Josaphat for their monthly Taize service, which is a very peaceful use of a Friday evening. I thought about how much I would miss it if/when I leave. Then I biked home, stopping briefly for some groceries. I was able to get to bed at a decent time after forcing myself up at a decent time that morning. Sleep patterns make or break my whole lifestyle.
Sunday was able to get up at a decent time again, and went over to Leigh's apartment to meet a few people for a surprise party for Rachel's birthday. Had a great brunch and birthday cake (she disregards all conventional methods of slicing cake..) and continued the conversation for a couple more hours, heading over to Holy Name around mid-afternoon to meet people walking over to Quigley for a Teaching Mass. Met a bunch of cool people and also got to see Marlon for the first time in a long time. But I couldn't stay for the dinner at a nearby restaurant afterwards, because Luz's parents had bought a ticket for me so I could go to the regionals game that evening down in Rensselaer, so I hit the road. Traffic wasn't too bad, got there and stopped over at Kelli's house and then we all went to the game, catching yet some more heavy heavy rain on the way. Apparently there was a tornado-watch in effect. Enjoyed the game, slowly getting into it and especially towards the end as we briefly snagged the lead, only to barely miss a 3-pointer that would have tied it at the buzzer. Kelli, Luz, and myself went to Rico's Bar & Grill afterwards for a bite to eat before hitting the road around 11:00 and fighting drooping eyelids all the way to Chicago. Discovered at Rico's that yes indeed, frog legs do taste like chicken.