Ok, so my suitcase is open and there are clothes all over the living room...that’s packing right?

I asked Trisha was she was carrying on the plane and she said...remember the dog we brought to BA? Sure I say. It’s about that size. Then we laughed and laughed. I had a duffle bag on wheels which I didn’t realize had a handle so we drug it around by the strap and called it Fido through our entire trip to Argentina. She’s a good sister. She bought me twizzlers for the plane, even if they do have red dye #5...you know she really loves you when she lets you have chemicals. And let’s not lose site of these sisterly bonding moments, because they could just as easily turn into the London lobby episode of a few years ago...yikes...that’s when we shocked everyone we had met on our trip cursing each other out...but at least we made it until it was time to go to the airport. But so far, so good. Good thing she’s far away and can’t see how unprepared I am.

We have talked about 20 times today. First call when I was at the mall buying all new shirts to wear...I’m not sure what I wear, but apparently it’s not comfy tshirts, so I had to stock up. I know I know I mocked her for going shopping for this trip, but apparently she was right. So everything is laying around drying, waiting to go into the suitcase. I had the best Guest...ok, can’t believe I just did that....little g....guest service experience at the Gap....Owen rocked and helped me save anyway he could. Recently I was at Sephora and the guy there that wears way more makeup than any girl I know also rocks. With a $100 purchase they were giving away travel size of my “silk dirt” hair stuff that would be perfect for my trip, they didn’t sell it, so he gave it to me anyway, even though I was making a return! These people are bright spots in the shopping hell that is the holidays.

This afternoon I went to yoga class to relax...and it was cancelled! Nothing stresses me out more than a cancelled yoga class...haha. Stupid Yoga Source, they never have their Saturday afternoon class when I want to go...literally have never been able to catch a class there. So I went to Borders to buy a new tape...my beginner one is a little too beginner now, which is nice. But now that I’m surveying the living room, not a lot of space for me to be doing much of anything in here right now.

Great news....ELF is on tonight! And right now there is a terrible movie with Steve Guttenburgh as santa’s son....this is the only time of the year when it is even remotely ok to watch Steve Guttenburgh. I’m a sucker for a Santa movie.

Last night Randy suggested I bring the Wise Guys to Israel with me and have them blessed and take their pictures throughout the country. I think it’s a great plan, but I’m afraid they may not want to come back. Their journey across my living room is nothing compared to their destiny in the desert. He just called again and the first thing he says is...Are the Wise Guys packed? If I could only fit one in my bag, we decided as an Obama tribute it could be the black wise guy. But then I remarked he had a very large staff (he does!) that would make him difficult to fit in the suitcase. Which made us laugh. It really would be freaking funny to see them tour Jerusalem. I’m sure I’d get some wacky looks from security when they check my bags or see me taking pictures...and I’m guessing what you want to avoid most with Israeli security is getting wacky looks.

Along those lines I look nothing like my passport photo which was taken when I was a blond, and in an effort to ‘take a little of the red” out of my hair this week, Sarah has turned it darker than I think it’s ever been before. I told Di – if there’s a hostage situation and you see a very dark haired version of me on TV, it really is me.

In all the planning for the trip it’s hard to comprehend that I’ll be seeing Noa for the first time in a year! She left right after my tree trimming last year. I brought up all my ornaments etc. from the parental storage unit...might try the real tree thing again this year. How bad can it be? Ok, bad, they fall over. Boo. Drats! I did have a tree stand, but I left that in Washington. I’m going to need some volunteers.

It has been refreshing talking to Noa on skype – she appears to be the same crazy Israeli but apparently she doesn’t watch TV. She said I would be jet lagged and then be “bushy eyed and bright tailed.”....uh Bright eyed and bushy tailed? We laughed. And then she asked if I wanted to see “a lot” while I was there, so I’m like, sure I want to see a lot....well that’s going to take a few extra days....Well I’m not coming all that way to see a little. Took us a while to realize her Elat (a city in the south) and my a lot were two very different things. And I thought Hebrew was going to be the biggest language barrier.

Last weekend I was supposed to be practice packing and preparing for my trip, but instead I went on a little mini-tour of St. Louis and had so much fun! I felt like there was so much to do to prepare for the trip, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was.

Instead I had a really great music week. Thursday night went to Lucas School House for the first time - really nice venue – small, cozy, good vibe. I went after tennis so showered in the tennis locker room...must say that was a first since um...I don’t know...ever. Wasn’t as traumatic as expected. Didn’t exactly know much about the artist, but it was a tour brought in by Paste Magazine, so knew it would be good. When the music started the main singer who we recognized from his website was randomly on stage...playing guitar, drums, staring at the other musicians, but not singing...totally different singer. The band said their name eventually and we didn’t quite catch it. We were confused as to who was what band. Ended up that it was William Fitzsimmons, headliner, just hanging with the opening act...which I wondered if they enjoyed or thought “get the hell off my stage you egotistical jerk!” It was the last night of the tour, so it really could have gone either way. Opening act was called Slow Runner – really good! Headliner was really good too – you could close your eyes and swear it was Joshua Radin – not really sure that’s good for him to sound so similar, but nice show. It was one of those small clubs that when we went downstairs on our way out the band was straggling around.

Friday went with Jen, Rachel and some of her friends to see Katie Herzig...LOVE HER! Bought all 3 of her albums for us to listen to and a t-shirt (just for me)...she was GREAT! Rachel’s friend Mindy was even literally working at the t-shirt table...she just answered and email and there she was working the table. Then the main act, Dar Williams came out and she had this really big following...beautiful voice...but a little on the preachy side. She did have good points about bottled water etc, but she was a little hippie for my flavor on this particular night.

And in random music news I finally got tickets to Chuck Berry! I'm actually not even sure I'm back in the country, but I have tickets! Seriously have been trying forever...he's on the list...he's going soon. Don't even know what possessed me to click through to buy tickets the last time I was on The Pageant website, but it worked...probably because I’ll be somewhere between here and Tel Aviv when he goes on stage....but maybe not : )

Gobble gobble

How many times do you wear a wrist band? You know like for a concert etc? Last week we wore one at the Lucas School House concert – which was great. We wore one at the City Museum (which you had to put on yourself which is harder than it looks) – which was a blast. And yesterday I got one at the St. Luke’s Urgi Care – not fun. They really put on an actual hospital wristband, that you have to cut off, like I’m going to make a break for it or something. Luckily I was only one of 2 people there on the holiday. My sinus cold was moving into my ear and needed to get some good drugs before heading into the friendly skies for 14 hours....yikes.

As I was sitting in the doctor’s office my phone rang....it’s always in quiet places...like an office or Left Bank Books...so I turned it off and he says...ah, I wanted to hear the whole thing. He got his chance a few minutes later when it rang again....I created another Elf fan, which made me smile. SANTA...I KNOW HIM. : ) Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corn and Syrup.

Shelly’s was a lot of fun – I know, I’m surprised too. Except Jerry kept calling everyone Tim...WTF...we have no Tim in our clan. So finally after about 5 times I say WHO is Tim? Looks right at me like I wasn’t even talking to him and just went on and on about something else Tim related. Outside of that it was really an enjoyable day...once we all went in the other room.

But this morning I had to have a talk with my mom....either dad does something about his hearing or my visits are going to get shorter and shorter. Maybe we could build a speaker into his chair or something else he could rig up. I seriously thought I was going to lose my mind with the flipping (Dish network really does have a TERRIBLE guide channel in their defense, you should be able to delete all the channels you don’t get and only see the ones you do) and the decibel destroying sound. Between the Dayquil, the ear ache, and my head pounding I almost just got in the car and headed home.

This morning....silence. Before I got out of my pajamas my dad had been to town twice to get christmas lights and my mom was getting some bargains – her first ever day after thanksgiving outing. Afterward she agreed, our time is worth way more than standing in line for 3 hours. Which is really funny because my mom spends her time “volunteering her way into heaven” someone called it today, and being a leisurely lady that lunches...a lot. It’s a great life. I know, some of you are in it for the sport of bargain shopping, but I will pay you twice what you’re asking if I don’t have to stand in line.

Spoke to a friend tonight about 9:30 p.m. who was just leaving his mall....he called last night on his way to work at about 10:30 p.m....mall opened at midnight! Crazy! Apparently there were some really big fights that ended up on the Chicago news...tis the season. A maniacal part of me sort of misses the mall business on days like these....and when you get their at 5 a.m. there is plenty of parking. The first year that I split my time and had to go to the Galleria at 1 p.m. the day after Thanksgiving I called security and said if someone doesn’t tell me how to get to the docks, I’m quitting. Haven’t really felt the need to go back to the mall as a crazy shopper. But it was fun using the closed circuit TV like a video game....cheering on people trying to find that one parking spot left next to Lord & Taylor.

Ok, I seriously have to start packing....

Creepy dumpster kid

At the end of the day, I had a text from di that said....are you busy? Which as all good friends know means I need to talk. So I dial and we talk while I shut my computer down, drive home and pull into my parking lot. I look over and say...there is a creepy kid at the dumpster. I think about staying on the line until he leaves...no one else is around. She says, maybe he’s just an evil little man. Nah – think it’s a kid. Well I’m going to go help creepy dumpster kid. So I walk over and he’s trying to throw open a giant dumpster lid and hurl his little plastic grocery bags overflowing with trash into it. So I get there just in time to help him hold up the lid while he makes one more big throw and the bag breaks and trash goes everywhere. There were pieces of loose leaf – ah loose leaf paper....good times...I could just picture him at his little desk just drawing away and solving his little math problems or sketching out comics. Plus there were random pudding cups, candy wrappers, fabric softener sheets...and a crow bar. Seriously, he picks up this giant crow bar and starts poking it at the dumpster, so I think maybe this is how he usually props the dumpster open to throw in his trash. What’s that? I ask. It’s a crow bar....my dad doesn’t want it any more. BAM! Down it goes into the dumpster....i could have lost an eye. Then I notice he’s only wearing socks....aren’t your feet cold? No. Well, I guess we should pick up the trash that fell out of the bag I say, which means I’m using my “tallness” to hold open the lid while he’s piece by piece throwing stuff in. He starts to walk away so I think he’s finished. He comes back with an ice tea bottle. I think – hmmm I could teach him to recycle, but the bottle was full...and it’s like 30 degrees. So I open the dumpster lid and the kid shoots and sort of fades back like he’s having a Michael Jordan moment in his imagination. Thanks he says, and walks into the apartment building next door. I half expected him to wander off into the parking lot. Nope. Not homeless, just stupid parents. WHO lets their kid go to the dumpster – giant industrial dumpster by themselves in 30 degrees with no shoes? So I come inside and call Di back to make sure she knows I was not killed by creepy dumpster kid, even though he was packing a crow bar.

If you could call me, I would love that. I just put my Elf ringtone back on my phone. It’s from the scene where the guy in the department stores says....Ok people tomorrow morning 10 a.m....santa’s coming to town. OMG SANTA....I know him!!! Makes me happy. And I have to do all my pre-Christmasing now because I miss out on the 2 weeks after Thanksgiving when I’m in Israel. And my phone doesn’t work in Israel, so you can see my dilemma.

Maybe I’ll make pumpkin bread tonight....the first of the season...woo hoo. I can narrow it down to having pumpkin in my cabinets, but not sure if I have any of the other ingredients. Was going to try out a new yoga studio, but had super uncalled for stressful day today.....Di and I discussed how it’s pretty bad when you don’t go to the things that could distress you because you’re stressed out. I’m going tomorrow to my usual place, I just wasn’t up for trying something new or falling over on a stranger.

Random

Today someone forwarded me a very poignant email from the CEO of Pottery Barn Kids. The subject: From me to you. Ahh, so sweet. It was a very well written letter about the economy,W their eco-friendly quality toys, making memories with your child. She touched on all the holiday hot spots in these sucky financial times. But my favorite line said...we can help you find something perfect for the children you love. Which made me think the children you have but don’t love are just screwed this holiday. She should have said...and for the ones you hate we have lovely pre-packaged coal for only $29.99...wait, it’s Pottery Barn...$59.99. Think it through people. That’s all I ask.

Earlier in the day I was behind a truck that had a sticker of a cartoon person - I believe Calvin - peeing on the words osama bin laden. And I though, yes, nothing says highly evolved world super power like a peeing cartoon, yes that will show them. Idiots.

This weekend I learned things will end badly when the night starts out with your waiter who looks like he’s 12 saying the Kettle One and soda you ordered was his drink of choice too, but he always starts with a double...won’t you? I learned leave your cellphone in the car away from annoying drunk text messaging fingers. Worst part is you can actually go back and see the entire history of the conversation. Good times. Damn technology.

But as much as I drank and as slow as I was moving on Sunday, I had sooooo much fun! We went out for Lori’s bday. Started at mosaic, with good friends, good food and...a couple of double kettle ones. Then we ended up down the street at another bar. I don’t know why I’m always surprised when I go out and have so much fun. I have a preconceived notion of the bar scene, but I should realize by now it’s really the people you are with who make it a good time.

By the time we went home we’d stopped for pizza at B&T Pizza I think it’s called where we all sobered up. It was really great pizza...or really great vodka, I can’t really discern the two right now. But it felt very city – reminded me of that weird burrito or pizza place...five faces...five phases or something we go to in Chicago. Now it’s scaring me that I can’t even narrow it down to if it’s pizza or burritos...I hope it’s both since I’ve eaten there numerous times, but it has been a while.

So I’ve been going to this restorative yoga class on Mondays nights. Near the end of class we lay on our backs with our legs straight up the wall. The teacher comes by and puts a lavender scented pillow over our eyes. She puts on this same haunting song every week. I don’t know what language it is, but I pretend it’s Hebrew and it reminds me of the song I used to make Noa sing to me. It’s weird, in those moments when I’m on the floor and this song is playing my mind always goes to the people who are far away, especially Noa – as if my mind is traveling to her some how – maybe because she is into yoga too. I know. Weird.

I’m all into the spirituality aspect of yoga – the Vishnu statue or whoever is hanging out in the room etc. But after the Hebrew song ended tonight another woman started singing in English about God! Yes, God. At this point I’m on the floor in what they call corpse pose and the teacher has come by and covered me up with a blanket. And I’m suddenly offended that here, in my spiritual place, where I meditate on a sense of peace, here is God coming through the speakers. And it’s an awkward conversation in my head...I mean it’s all God....all spirituality...all Jesus on a cross...all Buddha under a tree...all the same thing. Then I suddenly wondered if this lady was going to go all Jim Jones on us and start handing out some Kool Aid – I mean we’re all half asleep...yoga’s like a massage for your brain...can’t see a thing, the lights are off, we’re in corpse pose...she had already mentioned it was almost a full moon...it’s not too far of a leap....I’m just saying, next week I’m keeping an eye on her.

Tag, you’re...it?

Remember when tag was the game you would play running around in the yard trying not to be “it”? Or even better...freeze tag? That rocked. Why don’t we play tag anymore? You don’t need any equipment, just a yard or a park and some friends...we all have that. I’d probably actually be better at tag now that I’m not in that awkward stage waiting to shed my “baby fat” as I was most of my childhood years. What’s scary is kids have such an altered state of reality – well I guess adults too. I thought I was a really chunky kid, but in pictures I really wasn’t at all. And Trisha and I were the same size until we graduated from high school and then she somehow lost 3 sizes and never found them back. But all the time growing up I thought she was so much cuter with her dark long hair and pig tails.

A few weeks ago I was in Chicago and we passed this woman in pigtails. Trisha said this woman was too old for pony tails. True. Which launched this whole confusing discussion about how it’s one pony tail and 2 pig tails. I asked if Trisha never wore a pony tail because she thought she was too old and she said yes – and I was too old too. What? If have way through the day I couldn’t throw this hair up in a clip or use the ever present “long haired girl’s bracelet” which is the pony tail holder we all wear around our wrist (look for it...it’s true)...I’d just have to chop it all off. So hours later we’re at dinner with Randy and I say...Do you mean I’m too old for pig tails (2) or just a pony tail (1)...pig tails she says. Of course, I say and was completely relieved. You would have thought I was asking her for the combination to a safe in case something happened to her and I needed to retrieve a secret antidote. But it really matters to me what she thinks....Lord knows we don’t always agree...but I always want to know. Later on I did have to explain to Randy that she and I had full 2 days of discussing politics, world event, important things and honestly by the time he had gotten to dinner we were talked out.

Trisha and I usually get along really well, but last weekend when she was in town, we both were hungry and had an “episode” in the car because suddenly there was traffic and I had to quickly slow down. She yelled like I was supposed to know the stand still was coming, which then elicited such remarks from me like....how was I supposed to know? I’m not psychic! She who never drives shouldn’t criticize. Fine! You’re all time driver from now on! (this whole time she’s yelling back at me) until I finally say to my mother who is in the back seat...Mom, tell her to shut the F up. I did really say this to my mother....it was just the height of an irrational hungry sibling fight. I’m not sure who was more shocked. My mom responds...well I think you’ve both said everything you needed to. Three seconds later we had totally forgotten about it and were talking about something else and when we stopped for dinner my mom said she could hear us laughing across the room together. She told our father that the day was fine, but she witnessed a melt down...I don’t know if she was more stunned by the outburst or that 5 minutes later we were laughing as if it never happened.

So I was at the winery yesterday on this gorgeous weekend with some good friends that it had been too long since I’d seen and some new very interesting friends that I hopefully will be seeing more of. During a group photo someone said “everyone tag your pictures” that’s how this whole tag thing stuck in my head. Tag – meaning go to facebook, post and identify everyone. So easy. This facebook thing is bizarre. I’m now getting request from people who I have no idea who they are by name, but once I do some investigating I realize it’s some friend from high school who has gotten married...I’m not asking you to hyphenate with your maiden name, I’m just asking you not to assume I know your new one since we haven’t spoken in 15 years.