various and sundry

Here we are on a rainy Monday. It's hard to get too distressed when we're finally getting to experience fall weather. I'm glad I finally got some real shoes, since I think the days of sandals are fading fast. Today, I'm wearing my Earth Shoes (a rec from Roly), and I'm pretty darn pleased with them. Cute and comfortable. What's not to like? (I had to steal socks from Anne. Don't tell.)

Saturday was very eventful. I started off with the normal volunteer gig at Planned Parenthood. I left around 9 to head down to the Hyde Park neighborhood (where Obama lives--there, now I've made it a meaningful reference), where the University of Chicago campus is located, complete with hospitals, including one for kids. As such, there's a Ronald McDonald House right near by. (If you aren't familiar with the work they do, go check them out.) This was to be my service site for the College's Annual Day of Service. The service day events got off to a rocky start for me and my gang of students.

After waiting for awhile for a Red Line train, I finally made it to the Garfield stop, where I didn't have to wait too long for the #55/Garfield bus. We headed through Washington Park, and I exited at Cottage Grove as my directions had indicated. I walked on down to 57th street, obviously in the medical district. I arrived at what should have been the RMH to find a construction site. Luckily, there was a cop nearby, and for the first time ever, I asked a cop for directions. As it turns out the house, which moved a year ago to its new location, was only 1 block from where I exited the bus. By the time I got back up there and figured out where I needed to go to get in the house, I was half an hour late.

My kids turned up a half hour after me--at 11am. We were supposed to be cooking lunch, which was to be served at noon. Yikes, kids, not a lot of time there. We hurriedly got our food supplies unpacked to find the College had provided us with lunchmeat, bags of chips, and cookies. Super lame lunch. And, who only sends one kind of lunchmeat? Hello, people. The families who stay at the RMH come from all over the world, and I would imagine that some of them, for religious or cultural reasons, don't eat ham. Hell, I don't eat ham.

The lunch took virtually no time to prepare, so we ended up doing other odd jobs around the house. Sandy, the weekend house manager, gave us a tour of the place and told us about what they do and how families get connected with them. Pretty cool, kids. And, the house they have now was brand new a year ago--and it's fabulous! I was all-around impressed with the service site. With our service day organizers? Not so much.

So, upon departure, I took myself to the Apple Store and bought an iPhone. And, I love it. LOVE. I need to remember to charge it every night; I'm running low on battery already today. I can't even think of where to start with my gushing because this phone is just made of so much awesome.

Laying in bed last night, I talked myself into getting up at 5 today and catching an earlier train than I normally need to take to go swimming on campus. The campus sports facilities are an untapped resource for me, and I'd heard there was open swim from 7:30 to 8:30 MWF mornings. I was the only one lap swimming, but I didn't care. It felt go to be there doing it. I only did six laps, which is fine. I'm out of shape and didn't have the entire hour to spend there, anyway. I was able to shower and everything and still be in my office by 9, which is what time I normally get in when I take my regular train. Not a bad morning over all, thought I think I may need to bring a hair dryer. Did I mention we can use the sports facilities for FREE? Why should I pay for a gym membership?

So, that's what's been happening around these parts.

PS The Cubs are in the playoffs!