pretend like i never left

BAD BLOGGER! I know, I'm a bad, bad blogger!! Well, apologies cast aside, :) let's just dive back into the swing of things. Are you still with me? Perfect, let's continue.

So, last month and few days of my life.

Had a good ole trip down to Jackson, MS for my family reunion and some visitin'. Walked away from my first graduate semester with a 3.85, whoop! Saw Lupe Fiasco in concert. Started class again after a brief summer of one week. In all fairness, this whole time has basically been summer vacation because I'm still out of work, I'm only taking one class this (short) quarter, and it's really enjoyable rather than difficult. Interviewed for an internship with Young Chicago Authors, will know by the end of the week if I got it. Felt homesick, less so. Got asked on a date by a guy I wasn't attracted to, flipped out that someone asked me out on a date at all. Called the police on a flasher. Spent a lot of cherished time on Skype and phones with dear, dear friends. Got drunk with a bunch of awesome, new-friend Aggies under the Bean on a Thursday night like we were back in College Station. Wrote a lot. Read a lot. Started running again, in the middle of "hot" 75 degree days while thinking of all my friends down in triple digit Texas. Spent a lot of time at the beach under the backdrop of the city skyline, realized I could never get tired or unimpressed by physical Chicago. Plunged myself again and again into the freezing coldness and glory of Lake Michigan .Slept with the window open most nights. Sometimes woke up at 5AM from birds and garbage trucks. Walked a lot. Rode a lot of different trains. Went to Chicago's Pride Parade with the noble intention of supporting the LGBT community,  ended up with a weird sunburn, lots of kisses on my cheeks from gay boys, stains on my neck from too many bead necklaces, and a large Slushie cup emptied of its contents--half vodka, half cherry icee by 11 AM. Basically, I've had a blast.

Next posts: family reunion recap, a tour of my room, first essays in the series which I previously introduced, etc.

Summery things to look forward to: one of my best friends, Emily, is coming to visit for a few days starting on July 4th. I CAN'T WAIT. My roomie is going halfsies on a Lollapalooza ticket for our birthdays at the start of August. And, of course, there are many festivals/street fairs/merriment to partake in. This really feels like a completely different city in the summer, and I just hope the beautiful warm weather lasts as long as it can.

Other recently-come-into-existence things to look forward to, perhaps not so soon: I get to be in two dear friends' weddings!! All 27 Dresses jokes aside, I am truly excited and happy for my sweet friends. Ahh, love :). I'm planning/constructing a trip to Europe, this time next year. I plan on racing in a half marathon, thanks to my newly-formed friendship with the awesome Lake Front Trail (18 mile run/bike path splitting the city and Lake Michigan, through nature, safe, with some of the best views of the skyline). 

Okay. I promise it won't be a month before my next post/update!