packing or the art of letting go...

So I started my packing this weekend. I feel like I've made a significant dent - mainly in the fact that I've either sold, donated, or thrown away several things that for some reason made the move from Lawrence to Evanston - but will not make the move from Evanston to Chicago. Why do I have flashback to Toy Story 2 and The Brave Little Toaster in my head now...

Anyhow...

Most of these possessions have been pretty easy to part with - the chairs that didn't fit in my car, so I just placed them by my trashcans and viola! they were gone in less than an hour. Then there was the computer desk that was sold to a NW student...which was little hard to get rid of, but I think that was because I thought that Robert had more of personal connection than I did. Then there were my old text books and notebooks from college - who knows why I still had them...most likely because the KU bookstores wouldn't give me any money back for them.

Then there was my Lance Armstrong magazines...now, let me tell you - most of these are at least 2 maybe 3 years old. One might have even been 4 years old. Again, why I still had these magazines. I don't know. Maybe it was proof that I am a truly Lance Armstrong and le Tour fan...but then it's not like I have 3 books, a poster, and a framed picture involving Lance. However, these magazines were the last items left on my bookshelf, I stood there looking at them - should I thrown them away? When was the last time I read them? Why do I have these? I still have these? Look at this one - it's falling a part...in fact wasn't it falling a part when I got from Liesel after a trip to see Eric at Philmont? Well, to make the story short - they made it to the trash...and maybe it was all for the best because after I threw them away I headed to downtown Evanston to find myself in the midst of a crowd observing a cycling race - incredible...and so much better than just a few old magazines.

~mitzi

P.S. My newest niece and nephew are now crawling!!! Go check out their sites!! :)

on location in...

It has now been a year (officially, a year and 2 days) since I moved into my apartment here in Evanston and in less than a month I will be moving to Chicago with the help of the Reddelman-Buschig Movers. It has been quite a year and now things are beginning to really set in that this is a new chapter in my life. Last year's chapter: "Mitzi Moves to Chicago and Works" is finished....and I have no clue what this year's chapter will be - but I'm staying optimistic for the most part. A good friend of mine was talking about those moments when you think "How the heck did I get here? What decisions did I make that led me to this particular moment?" and so it makes you think and your emotions could go either way across the spectrum, but then you call a family member or friend, eat some ice cream, blog a little - and soon the day is over and tomorrow comes to begin anew.

I think one of the things about moving from Kansas to Chicago is that I never really thought of Chicago as a "famous" place. Maybe it is my love of Kansas and it's history...but Chicago never really stood out to me besides the melodies of Frank Sinatra's "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)" or the Broadway's "Chicago". Perhaps, I just saw it as more of a set for these sort of things - or a fantasy...but the more I think about some of my favorite movies and shows - the more I realize how truly popular Chicago is as a real place. TV shows have been set in Chicago - ER, Chicago Hope, According to Jim...Films - While Your Were Sleeping, Return to Me, Stranger than Fiction...and well, I've already discussed the music...

Okay, now that I'm looking at my list it doesn't seem that large of chunk in America's popular culture, but I will say this: it is interesting to live in a city that is a "destination" ...because of the city itself and not because of a family member or friend. Not that this doesn't help when going to a place (by all means, you are all welcome!). It's just something that I've pondered in the past couple of days...and so I share this with you since you've wondered over to see what is "the" much ado about Mitzi.

In other news - yes, I've updated the template of my blog to a hue of blue. I like blue - it's my favorite color and always makes me happy...or maybe it is just because I was assigned that color by my parents to keep my pillow, cup, and plate separate from the green, red, and yellow items my siblings had. It could have been worse...

speaking of cycling...

I wouldn't say that I love my bike - but I have several memories with my 21 speed Schwinn. I delivered my paper route on that bike, I rode several miles on the Katy Trail with that bike, I fell off that bike and broke my leg, and I plan to ride that bike to work while weather is nice once I move into the city. Granted I haven't taken my bike out for a ride in a while, but that still doesn't mean I neglect it - it has been safely locked in the basement of my house.

However, when some new housemates moved in I noticed that my bike had been moved to the outdoors next to one of their bikes...so thinking that it was in the way as they were moving things into the basement, I moved it back to it's place in the basement. This was three days ago.

This morning, I was headed down to the basement to do some laundry and I see my bike is back outside. Confused again, I deal with my laundry and when I go to move it back to the basement...both bikes are gone.

Now, about 7 hours later - my bike is back...I don't where it went...but I have now locked the wheels to the frame with my U-lock and have locked it once again in my basement.

Sometimes I just don't understand people.

le tour...

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the start of the 94th Tour de France...and I won't be getting up at 4am to watch OLN - or "Versus" as it is now named to get a glimpse of the riders in their first ride of the most grueling cycling race in the world.

After last year's debacle with drugs and such - including two of my favorites - Floyd Landis and Ivan Basso...well, I guess I lost touch of the cycling world. But now after taking a peek at the website and seeing that Team Discovery is still in the game - my "Tour de France" excitement is back...and I might just get up early to see who claims the first yellow, green, and polka-dot jerseys of the Tour.

Just FYI: American, Levi Leipheimer is leading Team Discovery this year ... at least that's what their website says...however the Tour's site says another teammate is leading so I'm not quite sure what's going on there...but if it is Levi - he's got a good chance to place in Paris. If you all remember back in 2004 - the year of the crashes...it was Levi who went down in Day 2 in the massive pile-up at the finish. Those of you who saw it - you KNOW what I'm talking about. Hundreds of cyclists crashing over one another...anyhow, Levi was a favorite that year to give Lance a run - but he was out. The past two years, Levi has worked his way up in the rankings - placing in the top ten...which is good sign that he could make it to Paris and be on the podium. Maybe not first place, but why not? He's got Team Discovery working for him including the ever loyal George Hincapie, who pulled Lance to 7 victories.

So there you go.

~mitzi