LOVE NOTE #162: FedEx Office Saves the Day!

Hey Friends!

Running around like a lunatic in efforts to over prepare for a presentation at the last minute, was sure taxing today. I didn't know what to expect, so you can imagine I was a bit nervous. It ended up being laid back with my audience at the nursing home just appreciating the information provided regarding breast cancer. I decided to provide handouts as was suggested by my coordinator, and without a printer at home, I was under pressure to find an FedEx Office or Staples. When I first Googled the directions, it read 25 minutes walking time. I panicked. Never have I been so relieved that I inputted the wrong information! I re-typed the corrected addy and voila! 8 minutes by foot! Let's just say from the time I left my apartment to the time I came back with my copies, it took 20 minutes tops! Again, can I tell you that my experience thus far in Lakeview East has been awesome?!?! This part of Chicago is so lovely!

Well, what is the take-home message? To not put off preparation until the morning of said presentation. No need to catastrophize either. Even though my preparation was at the last minute, I still managed to arrive 20 minutes early.

After the presentation I had to run to the clinic for my FM rotation. After that, I went home and crashed on the couch. Potato and I find ourselves sleeping on the couch more than my actual bed as of late (he sleeps wherever I sleep!) Either I'm too tired to make it over to the bed or just lazy. My second-hand green couch is pretty darn comfy:) Added to which my apartment is teeny-tiny but cozy and perfect for me and Potato. Maybe we just prefer the couch because it's right in front of the TV;)

Everyone I've met in the building has been really nice too. A super dog-friendly area. Except for one little 13 pounder...Potato hasn't been very nice to anyone. He loves to bark! He has a pretty loud bark for a little tyke, so when people turn around and look, they laugh! My little tough guy who is afraid of puddles and the service elevator .

Anyways, can't wait for the play-offs this Sunday. I'm really nervous that the Pats are playing against the Ravens! They have a ridiculous defense! At least two of them are shoe-ins for the Hall of Fame, if not three! This will be the classic game of brawn versus brain. Will muscle prevail over skill? I have faith in New England! Let's do this boys... my emotions are counting on you!

Anyways, it was a rough start to the day, but ended up worth it when I came home and saw Potato's little face. He's always so happy to see me... and in turn, makes me so happy too:) I love my dog!


XoX,

Marikym

LOVE NOTE #161: Patriots Keep Pushing!

Hey Friends,

Still spinning from the New England victory last night. Although it was a pretty much an open-and-closed book by the end of the second quarter with a 35-7 lead over the Broncos. It was a huge night for Gronkowski. Now that kid's a beast if I ever saw one. He's big, fast, and just an all-around adorable "Meathead" who knows how to catch TD passes and has set just all sorts of crazy records all season (minus the fact that he likes to pose with pornstars... but heck, another story another time!) Then of course there was the Brady 61-yard pass to wide receiver Branch within the last two minutes of the 2nd quarter, bringing that to TD #4 for the PATS. As if that wasn't solid enough, TD #5 was a pass to Gronkowski made within seconds of halftime. Sure, there was a minor foible committed by Brady in the 1st quarter with an interception picked off by Carter. Obviously the superstar QB recovered quickly leading the Pats to a 45-10 victory.

As for Tebow and the Broncos... they seemed to have lost momentum quickly and maybe that started out with a sack on Tebow by Nincovich early in the 1st quarter. A huge issue with the Broncos is their offense needs a lot of work. They need to learn to get numbers on the board. They just cannot seem to score. However, I'm excited to follow Tebow's career as he continues to keep reaching and growing. The kid has heart both on and off the field.

Tebow has always sponsored a very sick child and his/her family to come out and watch the game, whether home or away. He then spends time with them right before the game and an hour after the game, win or lose. And you know what he says? That these children inspire him! I always cry when I watch these clips. Like full out balling please hand me the box of tissue. Potato usually just watches me with his big brown eyes... almost saying "My mommy is a bit weird..." It's really tears of joy! My heart is just filled with so much happiness... sounds a bit cheesy, but it's the truth. I guess that's a bigger story to me than whether Tebow wins or loses on the field. You just see the faces of these children, and how they look at him with such awe. And he seems so gentle with them. It blows my mind how some people are just so giving. Yes, I remember watching him win the Heismann in 2007 his sophomore year when he was a Gator. I was with my boyfriend at the time (he's the one who turned me into a crazy football fan!) I asked, "Who is this one (pointing to Tebow)? He has a nice face. He looks very kind." Then the boyfriend rolled his eyes, "Yeah, he's really good, but he loves God a lot!" And I said, "Oh! That's wondeful! I'm going to like him just for that!" And then I was on the Tebow Train since!

Anyways, I have some disappointing news to share regarding a pizza I tried from Trader Joe's. I know, wah. I don't like to write the negative, but it's just my opinion and you may feel differently. I still encourage you to try it out. I should have known anything that says reduced guilt and on a pizza carton is a no go! I don't mind frozen, in fact, I love to have frozen handy because sometimes you just don't want to headout to get a slice of pizza. The Trader Joe's Pizza Primavera is vegetarian. But combine that with low fat (READ: Where is the cheese on this thing?!), a crust that was too crispy, it didn't suit my taste buds. I know, you go from Chicago pepperoni deep-dish pizza to this... it is quite an adjustment! I was just trying to be good to offset all the Doritos I was eating all day.

Happy Sunday Everyone!

XoX,

Marikym

LOVE NOTE #160: Tebow vs. Brady Tonight!

Hey Friends!

I've been waiting all week for today! Denver will be in New England for the 2nd match-up this year, and the playoffs nonetheless, how exciting! I am nervous about the Pats defense - even though they are the healthiest they have been all season. With Brady's smarts, hopefully my fears will be unfounded. Broncos covered Welker and Gronk the last time, with Hernandez being able to demonstrate his underrated athleticism. Unsure of what tonight will bring. Tebow is such an unorthodox QB, making him become unstoppable thus far. However, Belichick is genius and Brady is too precise, so we will see if my call that the PATS will have another win at home will happen (or not!) Let's see if the Broncos learned from their mistakes and how far the power of positive thinking will take them. Whatever the outcome, this is going to be one heck of a game tonight!

I will be sad if the Pats lose tonight, but in a way I'll be happy it is a loss to the Broncos. I must agree with Terry Bradshaw when he said today that the young folks of our nation need a hero like Tim Tebow to win tonight. Our country has been so influenced with media and shows with characters who have succeeded based on their greed, deception, and selfishness. I see a lot of the people who I have crossed paths with in my life who are driven by these values in hopes this will lead to their own successes. I just feel it's a bit shady, okay super shady. Anyways, I just hope that Tebow influences a new generation to work hard, believe in teamwork, being positive, and striving every day to just be an all-around good person. Too much is placed on having the biggest house, the biggest car, the biggest bank accounts - it's such a confusing message. Yes, of course it's nice to have those things, but I don't think these things should be the main focus in life. Am I being too naive?

Anyways, I started OBGYN rotations this week, but they switched me out to Family Medicine for the next 6 weeks instead. I am wondering if I had stayed in OBGYN whether or not I would have ended up being on-call this weekend should a baby decide it wanted to be delivered during the PATS game. It just depends on your luck and who you end up with as an attending that determines how wacky your schedule will be. Afterall, babies (should but) don't really care about the NFL Playoffs! My friend worked some crazy hours when she did her OBGYN rotation (8 days/7nights on!) I'm so happy my new schedule doesn't require any weekends. Woot-woot!

I was able to get some errands done this morning. I walked to Wigglyville (get it?!?! Too cute!) to get Potato some snow boots. Let me tell you for 11 a.m., it was packed! I should have thought about being a vet and opening up a pet store on the side. Well, a bit too late now. After that, I walked to Trader Joe's to stock up on some provisions for the week. That's the awesome part of living right in the middle of the city; everything is in walking distance! My latest obsession? Trader Joe's Spicy Chai Latte. You can experience this treat hot or cold, but I've only tried it hot. And it's fabolicious:) Might I add it's only $2.99 for a 10 oz. canister. A bargain your taste buds will delight in for sure...Yum!

Okay, gotta get back to the NFL Playoff Pregame Show... bye!

XoX,

Marikym

P.S. Wishing my boyfriend (fiance really, but I still like to call him my boyfriend because even after 10 years... it still feels fresh and fun like we are still dating!) a safe and wonderful business trip to Dublin (yes, as in the real Ireland!)

LOVE NOTE #159: The North Face Amore - LOVE!

Hey Friends!

Today was the first day in Chicago that was hit with a snowstorm... and it's already near the middle of January! Needless to say, this has been one of the mildest winters in Chicago in decades. Pretty amazing since this is my first winter in the Midwest. In fact, yesterday was 50 degrees, and just warm and lovely. What a difference a day makes!

Chicago touts one of the best public transportation systems in the country. I must say so far, it doesn't seem to disappoint. And with Google Maps on my Android, I can see if I should take the train or bus, the appropriate transfers and the ETA as well. Technology really blows my mind. My fiance always tells me that a smartphone is not a necessity, only a luxury. I agreed with him up until I moved to this city. Google Maps has been a life saver in terms of navigating this new city, and fortunately such a beautiful one:)

Speaking of lifesavers, having the right kicks to navigate these city streets is critical as well. Heels and flip-flops are out during this time of year. Although I lived in Boston, I had a car there so my commute by foot was more limited. I left my Jeep back home and now having to rely on some non-skid, water-resistant, and warm boots for this winter. I was a bit overwhelmed as to the choices to make in terms of winter boots, but decided to rely on a brand that has never disappointed. After reading the reviews on Zappos, I picked The North Face Amore. I was anxiously waiting to test out these shoes in some serious winter weather. The verdict? Excellent! I trampled through some wet and sloppy conditions - snow, slush, and mud. My toes stayed dry and warm. Did I mention it feels like you're wearing slippers or walking on what I imagine a cloud would feel like walking on ... outstanding! They are so lightweight too! So about an hour commute via public transportation, and my feet never would have known the weather wasn't quite ideal outside thanks to The North Face Amore!

So glad I relied on a brand I was familiar with as well... although to see me you might find me annoying as I probably look like a walking advertisement for The North Face. What can I say? They make products that perform, and perform they did for this one urban athlete;) Whether it is trekking through snow for your morning and evening commute, or just needing a pair of shoes (I really want to call them slippers as that's what they feel like!) to slip on and walk the dog, these are fabulous! I'll call these my Little Love (Snow) Boots! The North Face appropriately called these Amore for a reason... and if you try them on, you'll be saying love in Italian too!

XoX,

Marikym

LOVE NOTE #158: Gaga over Tebow?!

Hey Friends!

I never thought that Lady Gaga would get crazy over Tebow, but guess she was Twitter-ing him up... as is the whole country once again! The Steelers are a tough crew, and well the Broncos proved that they were the better team, albeit it was finally proven in OT. Yet again...the Broncos sure know how to build the suspense! Now this is reality TV at its finest. You just really never know what will happen in sports. Being both a Lady Gaga and Tebow fan, it's nice to see that one superstar speaks so highly of another. The praise comes from someone so unlikely too. As we all know, Tebow's faith runs very deep. As you can well imagine, it has been quite polarizing. And to see Lady Gaga, who's persona seems to be on the other end of the continuum when it comes to religion, give accolades to Tebow is so refreshing! I told my fiance wouldn't that be so cool if Lady Gaga and Tebow started dating?!?! Maybe she could sing in the church choir too. What? Realistically speaking I would have to agree with him when he said it would never happen. Still, the unlikeliness of this notion makes it all the more romantic... I live for romance! Besides, reality is often times way overrated.

Anyways, Potato and I are adjusting well in our new neighborhood. It was a toss-up between an apartment in Lincoln Park or Lakeview East, but settled on the latter as a bestie has an apartment here as well. Minus the fact that some crazy man sitting behind me on the "El" threatened "I'm going to stick this F#*$-ing thing in you!" when I was riding the train from the Southside back home around 10:30 p.m. last Thursday. I should have just cabbed it, but I was trying to familiarize myself with the train and bus system... guess it wasn't the ideal time or place to do so... Oooops. Oh! And a fire in a high-rise down my street resulted in a fatality. Other than that, it's been a nice welcome! Seriously, Chicago is quite lovely. I never thought I would ever end up in the Midwest. As the cliche goes - never say never. I really like my street too. My place is between Broadway and North Lakeshore Drive. A quiet side street with tons of dogs... LOVE! I have Argo Tea literally down my street (like barely a minute walk!) The other end is Lake Michigan where the Lincoln Park trail begins. Walgreens and CVS are like a 2 or 3 minute walk in either direction. The best part? Trader Joe's is in walking distance! My favorite market on earth! It's the newest one that opened up in Lincoln Park. I've been so busy with rotations, cooking will be a tough feat. But with all the goodies I have picked up from TJ's, I'm one happy girl:) What I highly recommend are these delicious almonds covered in dark chocolate. A 24 oz. container for $6.99... talk about a bargain! Now this after a long day combined with some Two-Buck-Chuck? A combo that certainly rights all the wrongs that have accumulated during a hard day. After all, the studies (I want to believe) say dark chocolate and a glass of wine have some very positive health benefits... whether it's mentally or physically, well...all I care about is that it puts a smile back on my face:)

Until next time...

XoX,

Marikym