Monday, August 13, 2012

Chicago TDL

I LOVE LIVING IN CHICAGO! This city is one of the coolest places I've ever been. I'm still getting the hang of things, but I'm getting there. Once I've managed to find a place to live, I have a million and one things I want to do here:

  • A cubs game at Wrigley and a tour of Wrigley Field (despite the fact that the Cubs pretty much suck. Maybe wait until next season and get tickets to a game against the Red Sox)
  • The Blue Man Group show
  • Legoland Discovery Center
  • United Center for a Bulls Game
  • Lincoln Park Zoo
  • The Jane Addams Hull House Museum (RMP What What!)
  • Navy Pier (I want to ride the Ferris wheel! Also do the Chicago Sports Museum)
  • Art Institute of Chicago (I'm pretty sure it houses American Gothic and I know it houses A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. My reaction to A Sunday Afternoon can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNLJDR-XbVY)
  • Adler Planetarium
  • Skydeck Chicago
  • Chicago Children's Museum
  • Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows
  • Chicago Opera Theater (I would die to see The Magic Flute!)
  • Beat Kitchen
  • Joffrey Ballet of Chicago (Maybe the Nutcracker again? I'll never tire of it)
  • Willie Dixon's Blue's Heaven Foundation
  • The Balzekas Museum of Lithuanuan Culture (It's supposed to have a good exhibit on the Holocaust)
  • The Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Trump Towers (Maybe visit the Spa as a splurge?)
  • Winter Skating either at Bicentennial Park or  the McCormick Tribune Plaza
  • The National Veterans Art Museum
  • Loyola's Art Museum
  • Museum of Holography
  • Galos Caves (15 dollars for a 45 minute Zero Gravity Chair massage and sea salt smelling? Count me in!)
  • The International Museum of Surgical Science
  • The American Police Museum
  • The God Bless America Statue
  • The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (Apparently a really good way to learn about Commodities)
  • Museum of Broadcast Communications
  • National Hellenic Museum
  • The Picasso Statue
  • The All Saints Episcopal Church
  • A comedy show at The Apollo Theater
  • There's a piece of the Berlin Wall inside the Western Brown Line Station. I've already seen another piece but if I'm ever that way, I think it might be worth the stop.
  • Not sure what I want to see yet, but something on Broadway (Potted Potter, Peter Pan, The Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots, Les Mis, so many to choose from! Maybe I'll do all of them!)
  • Buddy Guy's Legends (Blues House restaurant)
  •  Busy Beaver Button Co. Museum
  • Cambodian American Heritage Museum
  • Chagall's Four Seasons
  • The start of Route 66
  • A Chicago Fire (Soccer) Game
  • Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
  • Chicago Hot Glass (Hand Blown Glass Studio that offers lessons)
  • Chicago Center for Green Technology
  • Chinatown and the Chinatown Gate
  • Crawford Steel Graffiti Wall
  • DANK HAUS German Cultural Center
  • Eli's Cheesecake World
 Here's what I've already accomplished:
  •  The Eternal Flame on Clark St
  • Chicago History Museum (It apparently has a great exhibit on the great fire)
  • Tribune Tower (the tower's signature is the exterior collection of stones from other famous edifices, like the Parthenon, St. Peter's Basilica, Notre Dame, the White House and most recently, the Berlin Wall)
  • Shedd Aquarium
  • Museum of Science and Industry
  • Millennium Park (Crown Fountain and The Bean!)
  • The Field Museum
  • Shop at H & M (Silly in some ways, but I've only ever been able to shop at one once and I love their clothes! It's also along the Magnificent Mile which is kind of a big deal)
And I'm open to any suggestions anyone else has. Who wants to start my list with me?

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Random Acts of Kindness

I'm thinking I would like (Once I'm earning money again) to do a spree of Random Acts of Kindness. November 13th is World Kindness Day. I could do it then, or I could do 26 RAOK on my 26th Birthday. Or one a week for an entire year. There are  a lot of really cool ideas out there right now on this subject.

Random Acts I would like to do:
  1. Leave something tasty for the mailman
  2. Leave quarters on a vending machine
  3. Take a few bouquets of flowers to the hospital for whomever the nurses think need some extra love
  4. Take some flowers to a nursing home for some people who need a little love
  5. Leave some coloring books and crayons in a waiting area for a hospital or doctor's office or something (preferably somewhere economically needy)
  6. Collect all the random carts in a parking lot and bring them back up to the store (And offer to take care of anyone's cart)
  7. Hide a few dollars at the dollar tree kid's section
  8. Pay for a few people behind me at a toll booth
  9. Secretly, pay for someone else's lunch
  10. Clean up trash at a local park
  11. Feed parking meters
  12. Drop off donuts and a thank you note at the police station (Thanks for serving our community)
  13. Leave a few gift cards hidden among the books at Half Price Books
  14. Hand out balloons to children shopping with their parents
  15. Take cupcakes and cookies to a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen
  16. Play with animals at a local animal shelter
  17. Buy a favorite children's book to leave in a waiting room (Maybe the Collin County Advocacy Center?)
  18. Deliver some nice bottle of hand lotion to the hospital for Doctors and Nurses
  19. Write a heartfelt note to manager telling about a friendly employee
  20. Leave a thank you note and small gift for recycle and trash collectors
  21. Something seasonal (Cold day- pass out coffee, fall- rake leaves for everyone in a neighborhood, Christmas time - angel tree, September- donate school supplies, etc)
  22. Donate new make up, perfume, and cosmetics to a center for abused women
  23. Free Hugs
  24. Register to donate bone marrow
  25. Stand and hold the door for people in a public place (maybe for an hour?)
  26. Pull every trash can in a neighborhood back up after trash has been picked up
  27. Donate hair!
  28. Send a care package through http://anymarine.com/
  29. Make a blanket to donate to http://www.projectlinus.org/
  30. Pay off library fees for a few people
  31. This one kind of scares me BUT I keep thinking about it so it might be worth it: Volunteer for a suicide/crisis hotline
  32. I can't give blood (too little, I end up fainting 3/4 of the time) but I could help out at a blood drive
  33. Babysit for free
  34. Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity
  35. Leave quarters around a laundromat
  36. Possibly take Ellie to play at a nursing home
  37. Buy hot chocolate for Salvation Army Bell ringers
  38. Ring the Salvation Army bell
  39. Eyebombing (Attaching googly eyes to inanimate objects- it makes people smile when they see them)
  40. Put paper hearts on random windshields with notes like "Have a happy day!"
  41. Leave a sidewalk chalk message: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
  42. Leave boxes of sidewalk chalk at a playground for kids to find
  43. Leave a few new baby toys on top of changing tables in public places
  44. Ding Dong Ditch (Leave a sign telling the person something like "You are awesome!")
  45. Stretchy Kindness: http://kindnessgirl.com/2011/03/20/guerrilla-goodness-rubber-kindness/
  46. Ice Cream coupons: http://kindnessgirl.com/2011/09/02/guerrilla-goodness-back-to-school-treasures/
  47. Leave ponchos and umbrellas (From the dollar store) around public places on rainy day
  48. For Bryan's birthday, I'm going to leave a soccer ball in a local park for some kids to find
  49. Valentines day cards: http://www.secretagentl.com/missions/mission-secret-agent-l-spreads-words-of-love/
  50. Leave pick me ups (notes and candy maybe?) around NIRSA
  51. Magnet Mission: http://www.secretagentl.com/missions/mission-the-power-of-one/
  52. Leave travel games at a rest stop

Not sure how long I'll be able to keep this up but I'm going to try starting in January. I'll also be looking for RAKs to present themselves to me. Unplanned. Let me know if you have any other great ideas to add to the list.

And just a little food for thought:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=304135336372992

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Due to money constraints, I entered high school without ever having flown anywhere. Then, right before my sophomore year, I finally took my first flight- to Philadelphia for my Great Grandmother's birthday.

Since I went to college and Grad School, I'm astounded at the number of cool places I've gotten to travel. In the meantime, I've been to a million and one airports so I've decided to start keeping track:

  • Kansas City International (I HATE KCI!)
  • Washington Dulles (in DC)
  • Atlanta and Savannah (One time, Gram and I met up in Atlanta during a layover... haha)
  • DFW and Dallas Love
  • Boston Logan (hard to get to, but one of my fave airports ever)
  • Chicago O'Hare and Midway
  • Detroit
  • Baltimore
  • LAX
  • Honolulu (Contrary to popular belief, they don't hand you leis when you step off the plane)
  • Houston Hobby and Bush International
  • New Orleans
  • Northern Arkansas in Fayetville
  • Phillidelphia
  • Atlantic City (New Jersey)
  • Las Vegas
  • Orlando
  • Indianapolis
  • Columbia, MO (It has one terminal only. Security doesn't open until about 10 minutes before boarding begins)
  • Denver
  • Syracuse (New York. I've never been to La Guardia though. Strange.)
  • Des Moines (Tiny)

Monday, May 14, 2012

Sitting in the Ashes

I recently read a story about an army chaplain serving in Afghanistan. People continually ask him how he deals with not being able to answer the tough life and death questions, as well as praying over so many soldiers as they die.

I found his answer quite perfect. He calls it "sitting in the ashes." In the Book of Job, Job loses absolutely everything- all his worldly possessions, his family, and even his health. His friends choose to sit with him in the ashes of his destroyed house because they know of nothing else they can do.

I think what people don't realize is that "sitting in the ashes" is one of the best things you can do for a person. It is truly an art to be able to sit with someone and know the depths of their despair without trying to fix them. Somethings just can't be fixed, despite the fact that it's human nature to want to make things better.

When my brother died, I so often craved people to sit in the ashes with me; to not tell me cliches like "things will get better" and quote Jeremiah 29:11 and tell me not to cry. Some situations in life call for tears and grieving. Those times are made easier when you have someone who is willing to sit in the ashes with you.

Before Bryan's death, I didn't understand this. I was the first one to quote Jeremiah 29:11 (I do truly love the verse, but think about the ending before you tell someone this. Bryan didn't have a future). Even now, I'm not perfect at it, but I'm learning. I find it comforting that there are other people out there who get this concept.

Challenge: The next time someone you know needs a good cry, don't stop them from crying. Sit in the ashes with them. It'll make you a better friend!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Laughter is Good for the Soul

This is an update of my earlier post.  More to laugh at because the most wasted of days is one without laughter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NbJQw9qmm0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcqOgnQyXp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeFI9aPZvKI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520 and in response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ezfk7s1NyY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOYMU15bjlA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuk-h2ZYNJU&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odhUPMYXpX4&feature=relmfu
OMG I LOVE them! More Sophia Grace and Rosie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJB-Wx7l8A0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skHsvM1NCyc&ob=av3e

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jw3T3Jy70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCF3ywukQYA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEqwKNNQBwc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysqh1uzqGrc


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y
and his friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngccj6Rt4tc

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/super-bowl-thank-you-notes-2312/1383299/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UakG94tANc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UakG94tANc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Z0uckoOR0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFQIciWsF4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI0AfYMkXcw&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTs5eKZ0i1E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg

Sunday, April 1, 2012

The Mega Millions

I read a news article this weekend that said you are "20,000 times more likely to die in a car crash than hit the lucky numbers." If those are the odds, i think my family probably has pretty decent odds due to the obvious lack of a brother in my life.

With the Mega Millions so high this past weekend, I thought about what i would do if I won. I Unfortunately didn't get the chance to stop and buy a ticket as I'm a slave to my job. But I thought about what I'd do with the money if I won it. Who knows? Maybe one day in the future I will win the mega millions.

First, I'd handle taxes and I'd tithe. My faith is important to me and I try to tithe but it's not something I've been good at. With that much money, there's no way I would be able to say I needed it for something else.

Next, I'd handle all of my family's loans; I myself have loans out on my teeth, on my car, and on my education. Not to mention the money I owe my parents for helping me survive college. I'd also make it a point to pay mom's way through her Master's degree. She's given everything to me so there's no way I would walk away from the one thing she wants! I'd pay for every "A" or "B" Teri got in her classes, too. She's been lacking motivation and therefore not every class has gotten the attention it deserves. I'd also buy a (used) car for her to drive. She is a better driver than anyone else I know (how on earth did we end up with both ends of the spectrum? Dad/Bry crash very 6 months or so, Teri is the world's safest driver.).

I'd help my uncle finish his house. He has put so much time and effort and trust into me. I wouldn't be where I am today without him! If I can repay the favor, I will. I intend to do this anyway, even if I don't ever win a huge sum of money.

I’d donate in $20,000 increments to: DZ Zeta Psi, SFA Campus Rec’s scholarship fund, UNH Campus Rec, Charity Water, Driving Jacks, Moka's Dog Rescue, the Make a Wish Foundation, the Allen Eagle Escadrille, and the NIRSA foundation. Each of these organizations has touched my heart in some way or another and I can't think of a better way to spend my money than helping others. I already give back as often as I can, but to be able to make a HUGE difference would be cool! (May I give graciously of what is mine! - DZ Creed)

I would participate in the Breast Cancer 3 day (and invite a few folks to do it with me). I's pay triple the amount expected of fundraisers for everyone on my team, simply because I could.

I would take my family on the vacation of a lifetime: All 7 continents! (My dream vacation would be to Antarctica, if I can't reach all 7 continents). But I wouldn't go crazy. We'd bargain shop for hotels/tickets/meals/etc.

I would attend the TED Conference (and take Mom with! She'd appreciate it every bit as much as I would).

I think it’s also important to be politically active. I would donate a couple million towards getting rid of the deficit. I know that’s nowhere near enough, but every step counts. And potentially I would donate money to a Super PAC if I believed strongly in a candidate.

I would purchase lifetime memberships with SFA Alumni Association, UNH Alumni Association, and NIRSA. 3 communities filled with wonderful people that I care about. What better way to spend some money than that?

And whatever is left from there would go into savings/investments. I would like to have a beautiful wedding one day, I would like to retire one day, I would like to send my children to school one day, I would like my parents to be able to retire comfortably.

And I would still work. Working with students brings happiness to my life!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Places I want to travel at some point in my life:

-Greece
-Germany (including some of the concentration camps)
-France (Eiffel Tower & the Louvre)
-London
-Antarctica
-Ireland
-Scotland
-Canada
-New Zealand
-Harry Potter World at Universal Studios Florida
-Australia (Opera House and Bondi Beach)
-Back to DC to do all the stuff I missed
-San Diego and LA and San Fransisco
-St. Louis
-Chicago
-Seattle

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St. Augustine