take me back to the start.

i had my first "am i old?" moment earlier this week. i was walking by an open door at the city year office, and corps members were hard at work, but had music playing. as i pulled my lunch out of the fridge i heard a song that i couldn't name, being sung by a voice i didn't recognize. i could tell it was new, i could tell that every one of those 20 year olds had heard it before, and i poked my head into the room and asked "what song is this?" their look said, "are you kidding?" while in unison they blurted out the title; a title that my 26 year old brain has forgotten.

and then a funny thing happened...

i. didn't. care. 

i wasn't bothered, not in the slightest. i realized that they don't even remember what it's like to live in a world with britney spears in her prime. their high school soundtrack isn't filled with dave matthews; and they don't remember that overwhelming feeling of hearing what love must sound like, when they saw chris martin sing "the scientist" at the 2003 vma's. because they were 10 years old. and weren't allowed to watch mtv.

brace yourself

dear k&co,

i can't tell you this in the group email. so i will spill a secret i have been keeping from you. yes, all of you. i have not missed drinking diet coke this month. or diet pepsi. my loyalty and love is now with seltzer water, preferably lime flavored.

i hope you can all find it in your hearts to forgive me.

love,
loo bird/louis vuitton/loomoley

long time coming

i must apologize to my 3 regular readers, i have had quite the month and blogging has just not fit into my schedule. so much has happened that i don't quite know where to begin. so i will start with the biggest thing first:  

I GOT A NEW JOB!! 

i am back at city year, in an entirely new capacity (praise the lord) but am still working in fundraising. however a dream of dreams came true and i am now a "development manager" which loosely defined means managing corporate relationships here in chicago, and if i do say so myself, it is the bees knees. i can't wait to be knee deep in grants, and corporate sponsors, and special events, but for now i am taking lots of deep breaths and trying to be very sponge-like, absorbing as much as i can after my 8 (sometimes 9 and 10) hour day. plus i have a really cute coworker who likes to wink at me during staff meetings, and when he's not in the office, i get to come home and spill every detail of my day as he patiently listens, and silently supports me.

two friends were engaged within a week of each other. tickets were booked for two weddings. & i can say, without a single bit of doubt or fear or embarrassment, that i am perfectly happy and comfortable with still being a girlfriend.

i turned 26. i haven't had time to process it, or really even consider it being anything other than another year i proudly call my own.

and last, i am one month away from being DONE with my fourth chicago winter. over the last few years i have been asked "how do you do it?" and "does it really get that cold?" and the answer remains the same "i don't know" and "yes, it gets THAT cold." 10 degrees is as miserable as it sounds, i still don't know how to properly drive in the snow, and i remain firm that hell is not hot, it is a balmy 0 degrees, with a -20 windchill. but chicago, i'm here. and i promise, my love for you from may-october makes this all worthwhile. sort of.

happy birthday

to me!

delicious treats

fact: i can attend a birthday party or wedding and easily forget that cake will be served. i then pass on said cake

fact: i could devour 6 bags of trader joe's peppermint pretzel slims in an hour and still want more.

this delicious treat can be found in the middle of the photograph below:

courtesy of: Jane Maynard