Live.

Apparently this went around the interwebs awhile back, but it's new to me.

Chicago in Instagrams - Days 4 and 5

Day 4 
We got off to a late start, which allowed me to sleep in and catch up on True Blood... it's my vacation and I can do what I want! But after lunch, I finally got my wish granted and was allowed to take off on my own.

The family made their way to the planetarium (I still took a pic), and I split off and got on my very first city bus ride. First item on my list? Find authentic Chicago-style pizza! From my research and recommendation, I made my way to Geno's East, which was featured on "Man vs. Food", and ordered a few Jamison and Coke's to go with my Chicago-style pepperoni...

And I've decided: I'm not a Chicago-style / deep-dish pizza fan. It was good (thick and buttery), but I miss the thin NY / crispy crusts.

With that decided, I just took my time walking around downtown. I checked out the Chicago Water Tower, that survived the great Chicago fire...

I came across the Chicago Tribune building with it's statue of Nathan Hale...

On my wanderings, I came across my family again at the Marilyn Monroe statue. Apparently between days 4 and 5, this statue got vandalized... a tattoo on one of her legs. I wasn't able to go back to get an "after" shot though.

Did some more walking inside the shops of the Magnificent Mile, ate dinner, and then went up to the Hancock Observatory. This is the building that is similar to the Sears/Willis Tower (tall, two antennas, has a sky deck). Their "museum"/deck isn't as cool as the Sears Tower's, but we got to take in the Chicago skyline at night this time. Here it is from the 94th floor...

Day 5
Today I got up to an early start, got dropped off at the subway station by my cousin's house, and made my way back downtown.

Since it was still early, I found myself in the Theatre District - which was beautiful! Here's a shot of the Chicago Theatre.

Makes me so excited to get to Broadway!

I spent a few hours walking inside the Art Institute of Chicago, with all it's paintings, sculptures and miscellaneous pieces that tend to go right over my head. There were beautiful paintings by the likes of Van Gogh, and then you had this:

A pile of candy where they tell you to take a piece and enjoy.

I was skittish at first, but then the audio tour guide explained it all quite well. The artist is depicting his partner by using 175 lbs of candy (his body weight). And the partner has AIDS. Just as the pile slowly gets smaller, so too does the partner's body weight decreases as the disease progresses. (The story is a lot more eloquent via the audiotape. Not so much coming from me, and at midnight.)

Anyways, here's a piece that's a mirror with the figure of an art student, so that the viewer can become part of the piece... as so...

Afterwards I made my way to the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls. I've never been a huge basketball fan, but I was watching back in the days of Michael Jordan, especially in the team's second three-peat. So getting a shot of his statue was high on my Chicago list.

Then I raced over to see the Blue Man Group, which was a really cool production in the vein of Stomp, but had more audience participation and was pretty funny. I had no pictures though, as I turned my phone off during this part of the day to save battery life. Though while walking around afterwards, I did walk by a pub that had this sign outside.

And to that, I say "CHEERS!"

Chicago in Instagrams - Day 3

The historic Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs! I'm not a Cubs fan (nor am I a hater), but it was cool to check out a game in an old school ballpark. Such a different feel than the modern era Petco Park.

Even the scoreboard is still old-school with people inside changing the tiles.

Then we went to the Sears Tower finally! We traveled up to the Skydeck on the 103rd floor in an elevator that shoots us up in about one minute. Now if only the Tower of Terror dropped us from such heights... anyway, here's a view of the skyline from way up, with Lake Michigan in the background. Such a HUGE lake it doesn't seem like a lake at all.

The Skydeck recently installed these glass decks that jut out four feet from the side of the building, so if you look down, you see 1000+ feet to the street below you. When I first approached the box, let's just say some... things jumped back inside of my body, as tends to happen when I even look down from a bridge because I hate heights! And then I manned up and stepped onto the glass... then sat down and smiled nervously for the picture to be taken.

Then we saw there was another deck (there were 4) where they took the picture for you, and I did what other families were doing... I jumped up! Though I jumped probably a tad too early, my feet definitely did leave the ground; I was probably just landing when this shot was taken. I tried to get my little 9 year old cousin (well, great-cousin?) to join me, but he was too scared to step on the deck, haha. 

We set out walking a bit and we came across the Art Institute of Chicago. Seriously, the museums here look AMAZING. Like what you imagine a museum should look like from the outside, complete with lions adorning both sides of the entrance. We didn't go inside, but I hope to before the trip is over. 

The famous Cloud Gate, aka "The Bean", in Millennium Park with reflections of the people and the buildings showing quite nicely.

Me and the parentals

The whole group's reflection as seen on the side of The Bean

And Buckingham Fountain at dusk... reminds me of the fountain from the Friends opening credits, but much larger and nicer. 

Chicago in Instagrams - Days 1 and 2

"She's a brick... HOUSE." First observation in Chicago? Lots of brick houses... maybe there was an angry wolf who went around huffing and puffing.

The Sears Tower... now called Willis Tower. But that's like how SD's Qualcomm Stadium is still Jack Murphy to a great deal of us locals. (Of course, there's no comparison to that dilapidated stadium to this wondrous architecture that we'll be going up on Day 3...

The Field Museum... right across from Soldier Field (football stadium)... looks so incredible from the outside and I could've spent more than an entire day inside... it is home to...

SUE! This is Sue. The most complete T-Rex anywhere in exhibit. My first time seeing a dinosaur fossil, I expected her to be bigger actually, but still amazing nonetheless.

This is one of the side entrances to the Shedd Aquarium... which blows SD's Birch Aquarium out of the water. It even has an indoor dolphin show, so it has shades of Sea World (though Sea World is better). Still a great place to check out. 

Outside of the Shedd Aquarium, we took pics with the Chicago Skyline... I needed to grab one with myself using the Instragam, but my cousin's husband with his nice Canon and accessories took a lot more. I'll post those somewhere if he can get those to us.

Love the Chicago skyline! SD's does not compare. That's the Sears Tower on the left. Seeing such a grand skyline has me excited for New York in two months! 

In the evening, we walked down Navy Pier, which was kinda Belmont Park-ish, but much nicer and with more to do. And we booked an architecture boat cruise, which took us down the Chicago River. The river goes through the city and the tour guide gave us all this cool info on the history of the city and the different buildings. 

Cool buildings!

Another cool building! Props to Chris for telling me this was a Trump creation... and MUCH better than that uninspired gold building in Vegas. 

Updates Written from 10,000 Feet

Triple Crown

I did it! I, along with my cousin Mendy and my friend Pete all completed the Triple Crown series of half marathons this year and got this cool little piece of neckwear, in addition to the individual medals for having completed each of the three races: Carlsbad (in January), La Jolla (in April), and America's Finest City (last Sunday). 

It was my worst run of the three, by far, and I ran it last year and did much better. But I also haven't run outside or done any distance greater than say 3 miles since I ran the La Jolla Half... so considering that, I'm glad I got it done. Favorite sign on the course was this little 5 year old kid with his "WORST PARADE EVER" sign. Cracked me up around mile 11. 

I'm on a Plane!

Currently we are two hours into the flight... I have no idea where we are. I haven't been on a plane since I was about 13, but the flight is going well. Sitting by the window, watching as we soar over the clouds... Can't wait to land in the Windy City and begin some adventuring! Which hopefully I can do. I've got Yelp, I've got recommendations from Ashley (the Music Soulmate - check it!), I have a few things in my mind already... at any rate, being out of town will be a nice escape. 

Really wishing I could catch up on my episodes of True Blood right now... I'm 8 episodes behind, and thought I could watch at least three during the flight... but of course, mom had to sit next to me. I started to watch a bit of episode 2, and then........ boobs. A girl transformed into a deer or something... shape shifters, that's what they're called! Anyways, HBO shows are not Ryan's-mom-friendly. Quickly closed *that* out and switched it to the comedy Happy Endings, even though I've seen them all.

Earnestly

It's 8:30 PM on a Saturday night, and I need to be up around 4:30 AM tomorrow so that I can get dressed, eat some peanut butter sandwiches and drive to Balboa Park so that I can be shuttled over to the AFC Half Marathon start line over at the Cabrillo Monument, where the gun will go off at 7 AM. For completing the 2011 Triple Crown Series of three half marathons, I'm excited... nervous, but a thirteen mile run is "old" news, and since I'm not an elite runner trying to win or set a personal record, I'm all good as long as I finish. 

But I'm looking forward to tomorrow's run just to run... in the sense of fleeing, I guess. I feel like I have this sense of restlessness growing within, that's just getting stronger, and all I want is to escape, and I think right now going on a nice long run will give me that rush. Better that than smoking again (like the one month stint I had two years ago).

The biggest part of this stems from the fact that I can't stand living at home, with my life in boxes and feeling like everything is on hold... and while thankful that I am able to live here rent-free, I desperately want/need my space (so at this point, I'm actively looking again at either buying as soon as possible or just finding a roommate situation, but either way - I need the heck outta dodge)... maybe because I'm trying to figure out the next steps regarding school and am uncertain what the right path for me is, both educationally and career-wise... and maybe because people around me are getting married and having kids, and while that may be great for them, please stop pushing me (subtly or otherwise) to be in that same place you are, or telling me to "get out there" or calling to offer me your advice when I didn't ask for it. Isn't everyone's timing different? The only one whose plan I should be seeking for my life is God's, right? 

[breathe]

Maybe that's why I've been gravitating to this song so much. I know that for me it's not like an on/off switch when it comes to just turning it all over to Him and finding contentment... that's always been a struggle. But in my current restlessness and dissatisfaction, the song reminds me again that those negative feelings won't just disappear because I get a new apartment/condo/whatever, or because I manage to keep myself busy with school, or by finding myself in a relationship. The only real thing that can fill me up is Him... I've just gotta keep myself reminded of that and roll with the bumps and inconveniences along the way.

Earnestly I seek You, my soul thirsts for You
In a dry and weary land, I long for You
'Cause Your love is better than life
You are the only One who can satisfy me, this longing heart

My thirst is met by streams of love that run deep into my soul

I'm a well

Come fill me up
Patiently I wait, oh my soul waits for You
Like a lover looking at her door, I long for You
'Cause Your love is better than life


ETA - Yep, Blog #9... an emo-y blog was bound to show up sooner or later, haha...

Mazel Tov

So I just came across some of the professional shots taken at my cousin Johnny's wedding from last month, and they came out really well! Not that I had anything to do with or that it was my day obviously, but... I like the whole "dressing up for special events" thing* and having nice pictures to reflect fondly upon later, so I'm anxiously awaiting for the whole set of pics to be released for family and the wedding party to save. 

* - Yes, I like being part of weddings (and can't wait to be in Brit and Trent's in October) and I also like graduations. Call me crazy.

Anyways - I won't post the shots here, rather if you're curious, you can check out Acres of Hope Photography's blog about the event where a whole grip of pictures are located, and you can see how beautiful the wedding was. And how hot the wedding party is. :P But the photographers (who apparently all graduated from my high school and know some of my close friends too) did a great job, and I was really surprised with how nice the shots are since I thought the lighting at the time was looking bad. Of course, I'm no photographer, so what do I know...

http://www.acresofhopephotography.com/blog/katrine-johnny-wedding-pala-mesa-resort-fallbrook-ca/

Well... I'll include the money shot of the first kiss, which includes me ending the ceremony by saying "mazel tov!"(Katrine is Ukrainian and Jewish, so this was a special request, and not part of my repertoire as a wedding officiant, haha.)   

P.S. - As you can see, I'm wearing the fedora style of hat that seems to be a "thing" among hipster-ish twenty-something males at the moment. I would never have bought that kind of hat before... but per the couple's request, I had to wear one for the wedding, as a way to make me "stand-out" from the rest of the groomsmen (since I technically still was one, and that what I was first asked to do)... anyways, now I kinda like that style of hat. And I own two. Dangit, cuz!

P.P.S. - You see all those flowers in the aisle? Well, it's not on grass, they were on rocks... and I totally almost ate it walking down the aisle at the very top of the ceremony. Luckily I got myself, but some of my cousins on the side got a chuckle from it... phew!