Family Holiday

In the most recent years a lot of holidays were spent either in an airport or at a hotel in a different city. This year, family was my focus and it was the warmest, most cheerful holiday season that I've had in a while.

Thanksgiving:

Since it was just my Dad and I for the "stuff your face" holiday we voted against cooking a lavish meal and instead decided to give back to the community. Santa Barbara, California has a high population of homeless people. The town along with OrganicSoupKitchen.com open up a local VFW and turn it into a banquet hall for those less fortunate to come in an feast on traditional Thanksgiving food, while socializing and listening to live music. We were volunteers to help serve food, talk to guests and clean up. Firstly, I was amazed at how many people were taking time out of their Thanksgiving holiday to give back. I was especially impressed by those parents that brought their children with to help; what an important lesson to instill into your children at a young age. Secondly, I think I gained more from that experience than those receiving the free meal. I realized by actually sitting down and talking to them  that not all of them got to this life by drugs and alcohol, many of them actually have pretty impressive education and skill sets and hard times could happen to any of us. They appreciated conversing with someone that actually wanted to hear what they had to say, listen to their life story and talk about their future goals and dreams. I don't know where any of them are today or what they are doing, but I do know that I will always remember Thanksgiving of 2011 and always be grateful for what I have in life.

Christmas.

There is nothing better than aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, siblings and parents all being under the same roof. The familiar smells of staple holiday dishes (vegetable mornay). The traditions that are unique to your family (The shrine and birthday song) . The silly games and topics that always make themselves present at these sorts of gatherings (post it note and now Wii Dance). The after Christmas Thulis outing (Laser tag or Shedd Aquarium). At least for me, these things are what make it special and although my family is goofy, loud and full of characters, I love them dearly and am grateful for every single one of them being in my life.

Tone Deaf? No Problem!

When some people see "Karaoke Night" outside of an establishment they groan, I, on the other hand, get secretly excited. What is not to love about people having fun tearing apart classics while making fools of themselves? I thoroughly enjoy observing, cat calling and clapping along, and even more so, I am that girl that likes to get up on stage and belt out some off key version of some 90's hit.

I blame my new found love of this Asian social activity on my time in North Carolina. Honestly, there wasn't much to do there so we joined the crowd and dove head first right into the embarrassing but oh, so fun Karaoke scene. I've quickly learned that there are a few different types of people/songs that you will always see during your night... some good, some bad and some ugly...

70's/80's Rock: The cherished ones that people know. Jon Bon is always a hit and every wants some sugar poured on them!
Silly, Fun, Pop:  Stuff that people have forgotten about but still recognize. One Spice Girls pops up on the screen you can see people smile, Hanson on the other hand, makes everyone cringe. I love doing George Michael's "Faith".
Duets: Work it out together! "Love Shack", "Summer Nights"
Journey: You can bet money that you will hear "Don't Stop Believing" at one point in the night, but it never fails on getting crowd participation.
Crowd Pleasers: The right song will get even the anti-karaoke patrons tapping their foot and singing along (at least in their head). Even though they are usually overdone, they still work. "Sweet Caroline" "Margaritaville".
Oldies but Goodies: Elvis, Sinatra...
Country: Choose wisely because depending on where you are in the country you may get some dirty looks. Personally, I love it but still choose something that is more mainstream and known.  "I've got Friends in Low Places" is a safe choice.
Girl Power: The stuff made popular in the 80's always works. Pat Benetar, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett...
Gender Benders: When a man does a chick song and visa versa... but make it funny!!! "Like a Virgin" or " F--- Her Gently".
Left Field Wonders: "Devil Went Down To Georgia" gets people out of their seat and doing some sort of jig.
Rap: If you can't rap, don't try it! If you can, do something we will recognize. "Baby Got Back" and "Ice, Ice Baby" are the go tos.
The Really Good Singer: Great if you have a good voice, the rest of us probably don't so don't get all showoff-y on us. We are there to have fun and would love for you to do so too.
Depressing Songs: If you're drowning your sorrows at the bar, do us all a favor, don't pick up the microphone and tell us all how broken your heart is. We are here to have fun, not see you cry into your beer. Sorry.
The Never Ending Songs: There should definitely be a time limit. No more "Freebird" and "Hotel California" !!!
Overdone: Sometimes go hand in hand with songs that are crowd pleasers. Hey, people do them a lot because they work. So be the best at it, add some charisma and make your performance of the song the best we've seen!
Overly Sexual Songs: Just plain awkward. I listened to a woman timidly sing about her pussy cat. No thank you.
Songs with minimal (or repetitive) lyrics: What is the point? Yawn.

Now get out there and try it, have fun and make some new karaoke buds!

Play Like a Champion Today

The one thing that makes the weather bearable during this time of the year is knowing that it’s football season. Football is a lifestyle in the US, whether they are fantasy fanatics, college fans or professional die hards, this; time of year football is everything. Everyone has loyalties to “their” teams and then we have teams that we love to hate.

Every Saturday during my childhood I witnessed my family turn into crazed College football fans. Our team: Notre Dame. Sure, watching the instant replays in the comfort of your own home, in your fuzzy slippers is one thing; but actually making the journey to the University Campus and being in that indescribable atmosphere is another thing. And it’s something that should be done at least once a season.

Every school has it’s traditions that other non-fans don’t know about. Notre Dame is full of them. From the “Play like a Champion Today” sign to the leprechaun that leads the cheer squad, here are a few of the other things that bring ND and their fans great joy.

The Band of the Fighting Irish: From the time they play on the steps and march to the stadium pre- game until they play the alma mater “Notre Dame, Our Mother” the famous band keeps the fan’s spirits high throughout.

Touchdown Jesus, Golden Dome, Sacred Heart Basilica and The Grotto are all places on campus that are important to ND and it’s football team that are must see’s if you ever attend.

 “WE. ARE. N.D”, push ups after each ND touchdown, “Go Irish” kickoff cheer, linking arms and swaying at the end of the game as the band plays. These are just a few of the things that Notre Dame fans know and love when they come to root for the Gold and Blue!  

California Dreamin'

Sand between my toes, the warm sun shining on my bare shoulders, the sound of seagulls squawking around me and smell of salt water in the air. Without a doubt, these things will always put a smile on my face. There is something about being on the West Coast calms my inner self and I cant help but feel like I belong in that atmosphere. Give me a hippie bus, surfboard and a bottle of sunscreen, I'll be a happy camper! 

My favorite part about this region is the constant excitement, there is literally never a dull moment, no matter what time of year. During my short visit I was able to do so much. I was able to....drive along the coast to Santa Barbara, live it up in the Gaslamp Quarter, watch dolphins surf the waves, enjoy a German beer at Oktoberfest, watch the famous Blue Angels preform at an Air Show, horseback ride, attend worship service at my favorite church and walk the beach at night. What a life! Not to mention the types of food SD has to offer, fish tacos AND in-and-out burger. And for those of you that haven't experienced a double double from the famous burger joint: "Go West!"


Aside from the nearly perfect atmosphere, another wonderful part about the Western state is that my Dad resides there. As much as they embarrass us as teenagers or lecture us on how to live our life, we wouldn't be who we are without our parents. Unfortunately, I don't get that daily interaction with my Pops, so our time together is precious. We try to catch up on our lives during our short visits, giving each other unwanted advice or " I told you so's".  But it always ends the same way, with a big strong bear hug, kiss and an "I love you, hope to see you again soon!" 

Wherever the Wind Blows...

For those of you that know me, you know I love visiting new places. My own mother even has trouble keeping track of my whereabouts now a days :) I'll fill you in on my recent adventures...

North Carolina, outside of Asheville. Spent a week there in the mountains surrounded by nature. It sure was peaceful, but not so quiet. Have you ever listened to all of the critters in the woods? They're loud! Visiting Looking Glass Waterfall was definitely the best part of the trip though. Amazing. 

Pensacola, Florida. I visited my old school, University of West Florida. It was kind of a wake up call to realize it’s been seven years since I’ve been out of high school. Where does the time go? I guess it flies when you’re having fun! It warms my heart to reconnect with old friends who care genuinely about me and I’m so blessed to have so many in my life. My crew in FL definitely has a good time together, they almost make it tempting to pack my bags and go live in that beach town. During my stay here Tropical Storm Lee decided to come hang out also; raining on my beach and boat days. BUT that didn’t stop me from trying to catch a wave on a board. Even though most people would say I was crazy, I found it exhilarating to be out there with those crashing waves of fury.

Road trip to Lousiana and Texas. I’m a Northerner, so the south interests me. Their customs, food and the people are so different from the city/suburban life in Chicago. It’s a more laid back atmosphere. There is definitely something special about cruising down gravel roads listening to country music without a care in the world. And of course when in a new area I want to try the traditional food, the Cajun cuisine has some interesting, and mighty delicious things such as crawfish estufee, pistolettes, boudin, cracklins, gumbo with okra. And of course while in Texas I absolutely had to get sopailpillas. They are not even close to what they claim to have up here in the North, they best sopaipillas are at places with honey already on the table right next to the hot sauce. If you are ever in TX or NM, do yourself a favor and try them!

Wisconsin.  Lake Houses are probably the most tranquil relaxing place to be. There is something about the way the moon dances on that glassy water at night that is so calming. But man, did we have a blast! The weekend was short but full of activities such as boating, yard games, hiking, knee boarding, live music on the lake, bonfires, midnight swims and of course s’mores. Good company is the real key to having a good time and some pretty spectacular folks, whom I am lucky to have in my life, surrounded me. 

GOD BLESS AMERICA

ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM. 

9/11 ALWAYS REMEMBER. 

Chicago, Chicago...

Since moving back to Illinois, I had the pleasure of experiencing downtown Chicago a little bit more than I have in the past. I am amazed and impressed by the free events that the Windy City has to offer during the humid summer months. For those of you that have the opportunity to spend some time here these are suggestions of what to experience. 1. Chicago sporting event (clearly, I'm speaking of Bears or Cubs game) 2. Anything at Millennium Park- free concerts, "The Bean", fountains  3. Navy Pier. You must ride the Ferris wheel, if nothing else. 4. North Avenue Beach. It's a happening place with always a ton to do. 5. Walk the Magnificent Mile. At any time of the year it is magical.  6. Fit in a Museum or two. 7. Pizza and Hot Dogs. Need I say more?  On another note, a few things to remember.  -  The "El" will get you where you need to go, use it!  -  Ditka is God. We take our sports seriously and are the best fans in the world. -  Pick a side (North or South) -  No ketchup on hot dogs (although a lot of us secretly disobey this rule) There is always something exciting about coming home to your home city after traveling a lot. I actually get butterflies when my plane flies into O'Hare and I get to see the Second City from the sky. As a Chicagoan, I proudly wear my sports apparel in other parts of the country (no matter how many years since we've won a World Series) and I enjoy having to eat my over cheesy pizza with a fork and knife.  On State Street, that great street, I'd just want to say - They do things they don't do on Broadway. They have the time, the time of their life. I saw a man, he danced with his wife. In Chicago, Chicago, my home town.           - Frank Sinatra