Did you know that there are still places in America where smoking is allowed indoors??  It’s like taking a step back into 1962.  And you feel like a criminal being surrounded by so much brazen smoking.

My mom and I went antiquing in Indiana on Sunday and stopped at a small (albeit awesome) diner for lunch.  And there was a smoking section.  Right next to the non-smoking section.  We were amazed, as if we were aliens dropped on this planet for a moment in time.  Is this really what flew in restaurants just a few years ago?  Because cigarettes are dis-gust-ing!

The entire place was thick with smoke.  People were taking bites of food between drags.  Babies sat at tables where all the adults smoked.  It was insanity.  It seems like all of this legal smoking inside business was in another lifetime. 

And, as an ex-smoker, I have always been very accommodating to smoker’s rights.  Until this diner experience, I was all about letting people smoke in places that were just bars (i.e. they don’t sell food just sweet sweet alcohol).  But holy shit, not anymore!  I want to live.  I want to smell my laundry detergent.  I want to smell my shampoo and hairspray.  I want to get my money’s worth out of my perfume.  I do not want to smell like a walking ashtray upon leaving any establishment. 

In Europe I don’t mind this because A) I’m in Europe, what is there really to complain about B) it feels authentic.  When smoking was banned in Paris my Parisian compatriots went crazy because to them, it was impeding a lifestyle, not just a habit.  And I wholeheartedly agree on that!

It wasn’t too long ago when it was thought okay to smoke while pregnant.  And we certainly were okay with smoking inside until quite recently.  I wonder what will be banned in 30 years that we’re doing now.  Hopefully it won’t be being awesome. 

Pet Peeve of the Day: St. Patty’s Day aka amateur hour

Quote of the Day: “Son, when you participate in sporting events– it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how drunk you get.” –Homer Simpson

Milton Bradley, you are so god-damned dumb.  Shut your mouth already.  If you don’t, I fear parts of the Pacific Northwest will fall into the ocean quicker because of you bringing that giant chip on your shoulder to Seattle. 

Batting .257 with 12 homers and 40 RBI’s for the Cubs certainly had nothing to do with the hard times you endured in Chicago right?  It’s just because we’re all a bunch of racists.  AND, it’s the first time you’ve ever come up against such controversy.  Well Milton, I’m calling your bluff for the millionth, AND LAST time (the rest is up to you Seattle, bless your hearts):

Skip to 2:50 for some more “I’m a fucking victim” statements.  (Hmmmm… I think I know someone he actually would get along with): 

Wow, EVERYONE lies EXCEPT Milton Bradley.  Madness!

Pet Peeve of the Day: People who don’t take responsibility for themselves

Quote of the Day: “Any idiot can face a crisis.  It’s day-to-day living that wears you out.” –Anton Chekov

The constant question of  “can people change” has been predominately taking over my life lately.  I believe that people can, but only if they want to.  Or, if there is a reason they want to change their life, their situation, or whatever.  How can you resist a valid, powerful reason for change that would positively effect your life?

For example, I have surprised myself by changing in these ways:

Last summer I went to U.S. Cellular Field for a White Sox game.  I swore I would never go to that hell hole.  But they were playing the Cubs, the tickets were free, and the company was fun.  Thus, I had a reason to enact that change.

Further, I used to abhor cream cheese.  But as someone who doesn’t eat eggs, I am left with very few breakfast options.  A bagel and cream cheese would seem to be the most ideal on-the-go choice.  And yet, I insisted on butter with my bagel, fearing the consistency and weirdness of cream cheese.  But when I discovered that places such as Dunkin Donuts thought that 2 packets of butter could cover an entire bagel, it was time to reevaluate.  I found out there was something known as garlic-herb cream cheese.  I could eat garlic in an acceptable way in the morning!  What better reason for change?  And so, I now love cream cheese.

I love winter, but have never been a fan of spring.  Well, Chicago springs, which are weird and pretty much non-existent.  So I have always opted for snow throughtout the month of March, and then April to come with lots of sunnieness.  I have no problem with snow through April as well.  May is when it all happens as far as I’m concerned.  So you will not find me cursing the weather gods if white flakes should fall for weeks to come.  Except, this is the first year in my life that I can recall desperately waiting for spring.  I cannot wait for baseball, for drinking outside, for drinking 40’s on porches, for wearing flippies.  I have never been so excited for spring in my life and I didn’t really know why.  But I think it is the sense of possibilities, the sense that spring brings in new things, new loves, new friends, new anything.  And so, since 2010 has been shitty thus far, I eagerly await spring!

The examples could go on, but I think I have scientifically proved that yes, people can change.  It’s just a matter of if they want to or not.  And it’s the saddest, most heartbreaking thing in the world to see someone resist necessary change, especially with regards to relationships.  And especially when you’ve done everything you can yet you’re not getting anything back or even being close to being met halfway.  Not that I’m talking about something personal or anything… 

But perhaps I just need to remind myself of the definition of insanity– “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  And remind myself of these words from Dave Matthews– “some people change, and some people won’t.”  I’d like to think there is still hope because I mean really, if I can like cream cheese… But insanity cannot prevail.  It will not. 

Things I Live For: Foggy days; dependability

Quote of the Day: “No rest without love– No sleep without dreams of love– Be mad or chill, obsessed with angels or machines– the final wish is love.” –Allen Ginsburg

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“I don’t expect to be treated like a fool no more.”

 ”And in remembering a road sign
I am remembering a girl when I was young
And we said
These songs are true
These days are ours
These tears are free
And hey
The cross is in the ballpark”

–Paul Simon

I have spotted this awesome Book Wreath all over blog land and decided that I wanted to make one.  But then I was experimenting with these acordian-like flowers and decided to make a book wreath my way, using them.  Here is the step-by-step (and I am not a good photographer so my apologies):

First I started with pages from a book from Goodwill.  I got a tour book of Chicago to make it more personal and this actually worked out well because there were little maps inside that helped to mix up the patterns.  The size of the flower will depend on the size you cut your paper (book pages).  Then, do something you haven’t done since grade school when you used to make paper fans:

 Basically you fold the paper back and forth until you make as many as you need.  (You will need three acordians for each flower).  This is the most time consuming part of the project.

Next, fire up your glue gun.  Each acordian piece must be folded and where you fold it, you glue the insides to one another:

That part is kind of hard to explain but hopefully you get the idea.

Now you see how you have three pieces that should fit together.  You glue the sides of one to another and so forth until you have glued it together (3 spots).

So that’s how you make the basic flower.  Repeat as necessary.

I cut out a crude wreath form from some old cardboard to glue my flowers onto.

I glued buttons of various colors into the center of each of my flowers.

Then, you arrange your flowers onto the form as you want them, and hot glue them on.  This is a bit tricky because the flowers don’t lay flat.  I used a lot of hot glue!

And here is the finished product!  I added ribbon to hang it with and a bow (a good bow tie-er I am not)

And here it is bringing a little springtime to my dark door!

Quote of the Day: “Stay with me till time turns over – I want to feel my feet leave the ground.  Take me where the whispering breezes can lift me up and spin me around.  If I could I would… Hear you laughing as we go – Flipping backward through the doors and through the windows… I’m melting into nothing.” –Phish