Grimace

Definition of Grimace:

1.) a facial expression usually of disgust, disapproval, or pain

2.) A large purple character that hangs out with Ronald McDonald


I thought of this word today because that’s how my face has been contorted all day. My back is freaking out in pain. Normally this would not be blog worthy- except that I just went to the chiropractor for the first time and let me tell you, THAT…. is the very definition of blog-worthy my friends.

The chiropractor is bizarre. After checking my range of motion and taking a couple X-rays he took me into this other room. He body slams my hip a few times and everything cracks. For a little guy he is quite powerful- WWF could be his calling. He tells me to roll over to the other side- can I just say that there is nothing more embarrassing in the world than trying to roll over on a doctor's table with excruciating hip pain while the doctor is watching? Nothing. While I am lying face down on the table, he begins putting 6 of these electrode things on my back. "Hey" he says, "Do you like the Detroit Red Wings?" I pull my head up from the table slightly dazed and say something about how it was cool when they won the championship. hahahhahaha. The championship- you know.... that one they won back when I was in HIGH SCHOOL! Maybe they won since then, but really... I have no idea. A whirring starts and then the electrodes on my back start twitching muscles. He leaves it on for about 5-10 minutes and then comes back in to remove the electrodes.

He says I have a birth defect - that my tailbone goes a different way than most people's. Of course it does! This slight defect leaves me prone to such kind of inflammation and injury. Inflammation caused by activities like bhangra dancing. :)

So my back is a bit relieved now- not totally better, but at least manageable. Guess I gotta turn in my dancing shoes for awhile...and I should probably brush up on my Red Wings trivia before the next visit!

1590

What is this number you might ask...

The number of times you said Pazcki today?
The number of times Tom Fisch almost hit a pedestrian on the way to the bakery?
The number of Paczkis consumed in IL today?
The number of times your shoulders went up/down in Bhangra?
The number of laps you did in the pool?
The number of pages in your new journal?
If you thought any of these were right.... you are WRONG! (especially if you thought the pool one!)

Despite waking up at the horrid time of 5:30am, Paczki day was pretty great. My roommate was graciously quiet this morning- she has the patience of a saint with me. Tom Fisch drove a group of us to a Polish bakery at Milwaukee and Lawndale. We waited in line behind all the sweet Polish grandmas to get our assortment of custard, raspberry, rose, blueberry, and even PRUNE paczkis. I took 2 dozen to the office. That was pretty great... I know it seems silly, but little things like that are milestones that I pause to celebrate. Today I am an adult- who brought ethnically educating snacks for her co-workers to enjoy. Pretty cool when I put it like that right? hahahahaha. I got rid of all 2 dozen 700 calorie treats... and probably could have passed out more, but you gotta start small. Maybe next year we could have an institute wide holiday so everyone can go celebrate this sugar feast...I'm just saying...maybe.

In the way of other milestones- I graduated from Bhangra 1 tonight. It has been such a fun class to take - sometimes scary and other times hysterical. The choices for continuing on with bhangra are: 1. retake bhangra 1 OR 2. take bhangra 1 rep
What to do, what to do? I could "spice it up" and switch dance genres all together and take tap but I don't know if I am ready for that yet. soon though.... soon!

1590 is actually the number of emails I sent out today............ BLANK EMAILS!
I was trying to do a mail merge and hit a wrong button and before you could say "fish oil" my sent messages went from 3 to 1593. There was nothing I could do to stop it either- just watched them scrolling across my screen- I tried clicking every "x" there was... nothing could stop it. Fortunately, I have a very kind boss who could find humor in the situation. And I could not stop laughing at the hundred or so responses from students I have received to date. Mostly they said things like: "what?" "who are you?" "hahahahaha" "???????" but then there were the serious ones... (it's ok if you are one!) "What is the significance of this email?" "Is there a message that I need to be aware of?" "I'm sorry to bother you, but could you explain the message you sent?" Every time my inbox filled up with inquisitive student emails I was burst out laughing. So forget all that stuff about adulthood milestones... and please disregard any blank emails from me in the future- there is no hidden meaning in them! REALLY!

Other things to note:
* I burned myself in the eye with a curling iron yesterday and have a scar like a hickey in my eyebrow to show for it. lame!
* I had my final frozen coke...... for awhile at least. I am giving the frozen deliciousness up for lent. The slurpee straw is taking a break. Hopefully 7-11 will stay afloat without my business.
* Last night I said genuinely for the first time in my life, "I broke a nail!" It was such a sad moment.

Eve of something GREAT

Today I think I almost got arrested.... well, I made up in my head that I almost got arrested anyway. I was at Barnes & Noble picking out a new journal- this was my third trip to a journal selling store, but I had not seen anything that I liked enough to buy. People underestimate what a big undertaking it is to choose a new journal. You have to choose a journal that will see you through whatever uncertain joys or pains lie ahead the next few months. A journal that you will not grow tired of pulling out of your bag at a moments notice. A journal that looks enough like you to be familiar. A journal that looks enough unlike you to leave room for growth. That may seem like a whole lot of over thought about a bunch of pieces of paper bound together but I hope that you are at least picking up on the immensity of this decision now. The store clerks kept walking past me and saying things I couldn't quite understand- like code and stuff. I was sure that they were observing my behavior in the journal aisle and putting the word out to keep an eye on me. See I have this method of picking out a journal- you put all the ones you like on a shelf and then start evaluating them: lines vs. no lines, hardcover vs. softcover, pretty design vs. funny design, leather vs. material, etc. It's kind of like a journal beauty pageant... you keep eliminating ones until you are left with THE "Miss America" journal. Well, I was stuck on the last two- red softcover or multi-color hard cover..... both had lines.... both were in the same price range... both would be able to endure the next few month of abuse in my purse... but I could only choose one! Grrrrrr. I chose the multi-color one and then breezed around the store a few more times- wouldn't want to pay for the journal only to change my mind. Admitedly, the whole time I was thinking in my head how that made me look even more suspicious and delighting in what a dangerous life I was living. hahahaha. I KNOW! hahahahhaa. Well, I bought the journal and as I walked out heard one clerk tell the other how they had discovered the missing bathroom key.... so maybe they didn't have the police on speed dial for me after all.
From Barnes & Noble I headed to Jewel to pick up a few choice items.... score! BOGO Bacon- "Can life get better? I submit that it cannot!" OK...so there were a few impulse buys- what can I say? :) When I checked out I had a twenty, a one and a little bit of change left over from the journal purchase. I was watching the total add up and was thinking that I wasn't gonna have enough cash... but the bacon....! The total came to $21.52. I was incredulous... I was going to have to charge 52 cents- really?! I reached into my pocket to count the change I had- would you believe I had EXACTLY 52 cents!!!?!!! I have never been more satisfied with a purchse in my life. unexpected exact change. This further convinced me that I had made the right choice in regards to the journal.... a couple pennies difference and the story would not be nearly as epic. (As epic as a story about journals and BOGO bacon can be I guess) A couple pennies difference and I would not have this crazy sense of excitement for all the stuff that will fill this cheery little journal.

Also, the title has nothing to do with the fact that it is in fact the eve of paczki day... ;) I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!! (even though I have to leave here at 6am. boo!)

Wordles Matter

Confession: I found this while surfing through strangers blogs. Well, it paid off at least. :)

Visit http://www.wordle.net/
You can type your own text or use a web address- Wordle will filter and scramble the text into a collage. Example: Wordle of my blog

You can change the formats and colors of them too.
Try it! You'll love it.

Shamila! Shamila!

Last night was Bhangra!!!!!!! The last couple of weeks I have been hesitant to go. It is so fun, but I seem to get a burst of laziness every Tuesday night. :) It is increasingly hard work.
Here's a video of my teacher, Shamila (center in blue) and a couple choice students. She makes it looks so easy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8q0u0anqIs

Alli and I were having a giggle attack after class last night (ok, so maybe we were laughing in class too) about the whole thing. You're on beat the whole time and then you make one wrong move right as the teacher looks over at you... then your the idiot with smelly feet who can't keep up. AWESOME! It's really great too when you are watching the instructor so closely and you feel like you are doing what she is doing but then you look at that giant mirrior in front of you and discover----- O no, you're not even close!

By the end of the class we were so exhausted and Shamila says- anyone wanna do drops? (Drops are these really cool looking moves where you DROP from a standing position to a squatting position and bounce there in time with the music before you push yourself up to a standing position in time with the music.) Ummmmmmmm. Yeah - see here's the thing though Shamila- we would love to do some drops - it's just that we're about to drop dead! Anyway, for whatever reason I said "OK" to doing them- still working on that mouth filter- it's always saying things it shouldn't! hahaha.

Even though I was really tired and drank the largest bottle of water 7-11 could sell me and it took me a little longer than usual to get up the stairs to my apartment and I laid on the floor for an hour unable to move----- I loved it and had that great totally spent feeling. I thoguht to myself- "Why don't I always do this?" My body, in a very twisted way, really DOES like exercise!

Next week is my last class and I am undecided as to whether I want to take the next level or try a different one. I have always wanted to learn to tap dance so I was thinking about trying that instead, but last night was so fun! If you have any input I'd love to hear it.

PS- I'm hoping someone is catching the Corrina! Corrina! reference from the title.

Shazaam!

Things to say when someone gives you amazing news:
Wow! (Variations include Wowie, Wowzers, etc)
That's great!
Awesome!
Wahoooo!
That's so exciting!
Hooray!
Hurrah!
Holy Guacamole!
Golly Wolly!
Shazaam! (Credit to the Boss for this one!)

I wish I could have recalled ANY of these on Wednesday when I talked to my Mom....
It had been a few days since I talked to the old gal, so I called her on my lunch break. I started in with my usual regalia of stories..... "so then I talked about pot pie" and "then I was dancing left and everyone else was dancing right".... She waited till I finished to drop this candied bomb.
My Mom is by no means a downer, but these are not typical words out of her mouth nonetheless. So when she said, "Rachel, We have good news for you." I was imagining that they found another Barry Manilow record for me at a resale shop or they just bought a frozen coke machine for our basement or they were given a fountain for our pond or the hairiest young-ish single man EVER just started attending their church.... you know, something like that. :)
I was not prepared for her next sentence to be, "Our house is completely paid off."
Because I was unprepared, my response to this amazing news was only "WHAT?!"

It has always been a big deal to my Grandpa that our house be paid off. So with the insurance money my Grandma got back after his death she chose to use a portion of it to pay off our mortgage. 10 years left to pay....... gone, free and clear! Just like that. So an enormous thank you to Gramps many long hours at the Stroh's brewery and to Gran for her incredible generosity.
Even moreso though a monstrous thank you to the Lord for His provision- it is so wonderfully bizarre.

Especially at this time with such a broken economy, it would seem reasonable to pray that you could pay your bills- keep your head above water- stay afloat. It would really seem utterly ridiculous to even ask for a chunk of money huge enough to pay off your house. It speaks volumes to me that God chose this time and not a moment earlier to give this gift to my family. No wisdom of mans(not even if Larry Burkett was the man), no careful scrimping on my parents part could have paid this debt -- truly this is something only God could do. And just in case He hasn't given us reason enough to trust Him.... He has proven Himself once again to be more than enough. You think it can't be done? Watch this! :)

A couple weeks ago I wrote a post listing all the things that sucked about life right now and how hard it sometimes is. This money doesn't change the fact that life is hard and sometimes sucks. I don't think God does great things expecting that we will be put in our place, feeling sorry that we ever experienced the weight of sadness or weariness. Instead I think He does great things expecting that in the midst of crap, we will stand with arms raised to the sky blessing His name for being there LORD over it all, for being with us and for giving us hope to carry on. I said at the end of that same blog that I was trusting that my God was big enough to hear and handle all these pains and doubts. And this just proves it to me once again.... He's got me.

One thing I forgot to include in that "theme song blog" was how I had been walking all over that night looking for chocolate chips to make cookies- seriously I went to 3 stores before I finally found some. It was like a holy craving keeping me outside though until it was dark and the moon was just starting to rise. It was full and bright and hovering just next to the steeple of Holy Name Cathedral. The Lord and I have had a thing about the moon since Kenya- it has become the Lord's way of reminding me of my smallness and His awesomeness; of my need to trust Him and His ability to show off His beauty with even the darkest backdrop. That night, in those moments as I stood staring at the presence of the moon the Lord was assuring me that He had me "in the hollow of His hand." Do you know this song?
Safe am I, safe am I in the hollow of His hand
Sheltered O'er, Sheltered O'er with His love forevermore
No ill can harm me; no foe alarm me
For He keeps both day and night
Safe am I, safe am I in the hollow of His hollow of His hand.

It makes my soul well up with praise at the incomparable wisdom and kindness of our God- His timing is truly PERFECT. I can't even imagine what a feeling of relief my parents are experiencing right now with the weight of that payment lifted. No theme song played, but I have been reminded once again that there is no hero but the Lord and on Him alone I wait. What a blessing to have one more standing stone to point to and remember how God really can do anything!

So add WHAT?! to the list- it's totally legit....
even though it's definitely not as cool sounding as
SHAZAAM! :)

Stupid Cupid

The title of this blog probably gives off the feel that I am jaded and angry about my singleness.... that I am desperate and pathetic... that I hate valentine day and think it was created to make my life miserable. In fact though, I don't feel that way at all! I just think it sounds funny and remember a song about it from somewhere (I think Mandy Moore sings it).
Actually this Valentine Day was a best.

In the morning Kaitlyn and I had a breakfast of my grandma's "Rigotta." (It's a mixture of ricotta cheese and egg, fried) I am sure that it didn't do grandma justice, but it was good. It gave us the energy we needed to keep up with the 8 little girls that came over a little later that morning. We laughed alot and they screamed alot. :) The activities consisted of games, making cards, decorating cookies, a hilarious skit put on by the girls (WE'RE GOING TO HOLLYWOOD!), storytime and painting nails/doing hair of course. The amount of sprinkles left on our carpet was incredible... So thankful for a roommate who is cool with these kind of endeavors! Also, I had no idea how many chicken nuggets a child can consume. It's pretty incredible. The girls had alot of fun though and so did I. It's pretty great that you can do something as simple as paint a girls nails and you are their heroine you know? I'm really thankful that I get to see these girls at church and hopefully be a big sis in their life. They are all so creative and kind and funny and incredibly stylish for little girls!

That night I took the Metra out to Wheaton or somewhere near there. I decided that it was warm enough for flip-flops.... I not exactly sure what I was thinking. Maybe I had temporary brain damage from the screaming. :) I just made the train which is a helpful little talent that is rubbing off on me from my roommate. Confession: There was a professor and 2 of his students who were having the most interesting conversation about art and poetry and I eavesdropped the entire train ride... not very covertly either I might add. Rayanna, Stindall and Liz picked me up and we headed to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner. That place is delicious.... so delicious. We sat there for about 4 hours and talked, ate food, played the question game, ate more food, played I have never, ate more food. Mostly veggies though- so we felt pretty good about that.

We went back to Rayanna's house and played Heart Throb. She had found it at a Salvation Army for $1. The front of the box read: For all girls who like boys. I love that kind of criteria. You had to choose out of 3 "heart throbs" from the 80's who you would marry or date or go to prom with or something like that and then guess who your friends would choose. And we very maturely chose fake names for ourselves like "Late for Dinner"and "Helga."

You would not believe how addictive this game is.........

I loved it when we would all collectively shout "Really? What?!" at someone's choice. At the end of the game we chose our best and worst from the stack of hunks. Here's my best- I think his name is Joey... I would love the total goofball! It was priceless though- one of the most hysterical nights with those girls. And on the way home we heard a new favorite All American Rejects song. Good times.