Da Bears....

Everyone's gone Bears wild!

Even me, who doesn't know a first down from a hoe down..... But what the hell, our city deserves to have some fun... My personal favorite, aside from the lighted buildings above (thanks, Chicago Tribune!) are the themed drinks the Four Seasons are offering.... such as.... "Rex on the Beach"

Hahahahaha.

Do Not Mock The Reiki Master

I have my first reiki massage this evening. I didn't do it on purpose. Well, okay, I did - I signed up for massage therapy at the venerable Skokie Park District (I pass their hypnotic orange neon sign every day on my way to and from work) with a guy named Phillip (reminding me of the great exchange on Will and Grace: Guy: "My name is Filip." Grace: "Hello, Phillip." Guy: "No, Filip, with an F." Grace: "I'm sorry, what did I say?" Guy: "Phillip. With a PH." Makes me laugh every time.). I just really want someone to loosen up the massive knots in my shoulders, with more pressure than I have to do it myself (and more time to devote to my muscular tension than just a few minutes). But I got a call from old Phil yesterday asking if we could make the appointment about 15 minutes later. He described it as "reiki-ssage" for he is a Reiki Master. I googled reiki, and it sounds very mystical. The Reiki Master channels the reiki energy into your pain and does some kind of healing of the chi. Riiiiight. Still I am keeping an open mind. I don't have to do all of my therapy sessions with the Reiki Master. And I will have to try hard not to giggle like I do during yoga, sitting there and chanting "om" - if you mess with the Reiki Master, he can like, put a hex on my chi, or something. don't want that.

still sick...

i'm still sick. i HATE being sick. i am a complete hypochondriac, and if things don't get better with the use of over the counter medications or weird symptoms present themselves, naturally, i hit WebMD with a vengeance and freak myself out with all the things that could possibly be wrong with me.

what i think is wrong this time is my tmj. stress (now i wonder why i'd be stressed? oh, right. "leadership transitions," doing the work of 5 people, etc etc) makes me clench my jaw in my sleep. i also tend to carry stress in my neck and shoulders and as a result, i have a knot in my right shoulder muscle the size of cleveland. the most irritating symptom i've encountered through this is dizziness/vertigo, whatever you want to call it. oye, what a pain. it's the weirdest thing and nothing seems to help it, which kicks my hypochondriac tendencies into overdrive.

went to the dentist yesterday and i've never been so happy to see that man in my life. usually i hate going to the dentist. i always wonder why people decide to become dentists. you're looking in people's mouths all day, smelling their stink breath, making them bleed and cry, lecture them about flossing etc. no one is happy to see you, ever. it's a tough job. i am glad my dentists (a family business - father and sons) are willing to do it.

anywho. got the splint fixed and the jaw pain is better. yesterday, i had a flash of brilliance - a massage to ease my sore and painful muscles.

well, helloooooo. i don't know why i hadn't thought of that sooner. i tried to be all medical about it, contacting my health club to see if their massage therapist is still on staff (nope). i went to the skokie park district and signed myself up for 5 sessions with a guy called phillip (with a ph). but they don't start until later in the week, and i was desperate for some kind of comfort. so i booked myself for a massage today at a place called "heavenly massage."

yes, i had my doubts on going to a place that sounded like a porno parlor, but it really is a very nice little spa right in my neighborhood. my deep tissue massage lasted an hour and is, i think, the nicest thing i've ever done for myself in my life so far. i highly recommend it to anyone.

stay tuned to the health report for further developments in my life....

hopefully, this week will be better than last week - it will start off on a bright note - we are seeing Turandot at Lyric tomorrow night!

california dreamin'

I saw Mahagonny many many years ago at Lyric Opera of Chicago. I didn't like it, I didn't understand it. I remember only two things about it:

1. Catherine Malfitano was in it (which I am sure contributed to my dislike of it. I'm just not a fan of hers...)

2. Every so often, a polar bear wandered around the stage. Not a real one, of course, a guy in a polar bear costume. He would come in for a few scenes and leave. For no apparent reason. My friend and opera buddy cara tried to tell me that it was a reference to a 'bear' economy, but i feel that is a bit of a stretch. I also want to say at one point he was on skis.... but I could just be making that up. It was a while ago...

All that being said, I would happily, happily go to Los Angeles if I had the money and the days off to see these two in a john doyle production of this opera.

In Latte, Veritas

starbucks has, for a while (i guess) been putting pithy words of wisdom on their cups so that the average coffee drinker can be enlightened when they are enjoying their caffeinated beverages. and so, this morning, as i am enjoying my cinnamon dolce latte(to which i am seriously addicted), i can also ponder this thought, brought to me by Dr. Laura:

"Many people search blindly for the 'meaning of life.' What they don't understand is that life does not have meaning through mere existence or acquisition or fun. The meaning of life is inherent in the connections we make to others through honor and obligation."

Is it February yet??

24 more days until I get to have a vacation!! Thinking about seeing the DIVINE RENEE FLEMING and having some adventures with friends puts me in a real New York State of Mind....

talk amongst yourselves

Too busy wallowing in illness to say anything interesting. So in the meantime, enjoy this blast from the past... and celebrate the fact that i was able to insert it!

awwwww, yeahhhhh!!

Da Bears 39
Da Saints 14

Superbowl 41, Baby!!!!!

one to go....

GO

BEARS

!!!!!

the sunday horoscope...

Sagittarius:
Today is a 7. Recent developments cause you to reconsider. This is a good thing. The decision you reach next is better than the one you made before.

the hypochondriac drama queen

I have not fallen into a blogging black hole, I am here. I've just been swamped with the usual - work, thesis, work, bears vs. seahawks.... all the usual stuff.

Then last Sunday, enter my new superhero alter ego, Dizzy Grrl. One minute I'd be fine, the next, overcome by vertigo (and NOT the chirpy U2 ditty that currently serves as my ring tone). This went on a few days. I got a massive headache on Monday (but really, I was planning our retreat this week,writing an unprecedented half dozen proposals, doing client work, etc etc etc.) but chalked it up to stress. When the headaches kept getting worse and the dizziness intensified (to the point where everything was an adventure! work! retreat! and especially... driving!) I decided to....

TAKE A SICK DAY ON FRIDAY.

this should tell you how badly i was feeling. usually, i haul my sorry self into the office come rain or shine, in sickness and health etc. But i decided to go to the doctor instead.

i remember now, taking sick days off from school was actually kind of fun. you didn't have to worry about anything that day, you could just lay around in bed, watch oprah, get taken to the doctor, eat soup, whatever. it sucks now. i had to take my own dizzy self to the doctor, get my own medicine, etc. and there was none of that, don't worry about work, you're sick, just relax. i was checking my work email to see what i was missing. i stopped because my kitty jumped on my chair and made it impossible for me to sit and type.

oh- so anyway - i don't have a brain tumor or anything, just a sinus infection. i got many lovely drugs that will hopefully start working any second now.

now, if you will excuse me, i have some work to do....

my heart's a flutter....

BRILLIANT NEWS from Playbill.com. Must see if I can get to this when I am in NYC this month. If not, will just have to drag myself back there again. It's tough, but you gotta do what you gotta do.... but Michael, what's with the porn star moustache?