Monday 5 List #32-College Recipes

My son is traveling to his college orientation tomorrow at a college about 8 hours from Chicago. He will register for classes, tour the campus and check out his dorm. Since he returned from the Navy last fall and decided to forgo any further military career for college, I've been showing him some basic recipes for life in the dorm/fraternity/apartment. So today's Monday 5 list are recipes my son can use as a base when he leaves the nest.

1. BBQ. In the last year my son has taken an active interest in learning how to BBQ. I've taught him the basics of how to prep meat, chicken and fish and how to use a thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. He's become quite the BBQ connoisseur and regularly mixes up his own rubs and sauces. BBQ Master will serve him well in life.
2. Homemade sauce. Not from the jar. One of the first recipes I taught him when I started growing tomatoes, onions and basil. Once you know how to make a basic pasta sauce, the sky's the limit. He prefers to spice up homemade tomato sauce with red pepper flakes but I've also demonstrated how to add cream or cheese for a great alternative to red sauce. So basic sauce with a few twists and you've got multiple recipes. 
3. Cream of Mushroom Soup. Easiest recipes ever. I told him "No matter how broke you are, always have a can of cream of mushroom soup in the pantry." On any budget, a can of this soup can make a delicious meal with a chicken breast or some cooked rice.  
4. Salmon. Good grilled salmon as a main dish, made into salmon cakes or tossed on a salad, you can't go wrong. Maybe the easiest fish to cook and always a favorite. 
5. Fried Rice. Rice dishes have always been easy but especially after my brother-in-law showed my son how to make fried rice. Over the years we've experimented with it and my son makes large portions for his friends, usually in the middle of the night. The best thing about fried rice is the "garbage pail" method, toss in any veggies with chicken, bacon, shrimp or scallops and you've got a delicious meal.

Are there any recipes you remember learning from your parents? 

Monday 5 List #31-Staying Cool In Chicago

It's finally HOT here in Chicago. Well in-between storms it is. So far we haven't had the legendary muggy Chicago summer weather but it's hot enough that kids are in sprinklers, jumping in park pools and visiting the ice cream trucks as they sing through neighborhoods.

Today's Monday 5 List includes my tips for staying cool in Chicago.

1. Cool house. I'm lucky enough to live in a small all brick bungalow built in the mid 1950's. Unless the humidity is unbearable I rarely turn the air conditioning on and usually only will if I have guests who aren't familiar with Chicago heat. My basement is an ice box and I don't use the oven unless necessary. I keep window fans and ceiling fans running at low speed to circulate the air and I have plantation style blinds on all my windows which are great for filtering the hot sunlight and my curtains do the rest. 
2. The Lake. Chicagoans will tell you "It's cooler by the Lake" and that is usually accurate. Sometimes the 5-10 degree difference is all you need and it's nice to put your toes in the cold waters of Lake Michigan. I haven't swam in the Lake in a few years but when you have access to a boat it's wonderful to be about 2 miles off the Chicago lakefront where the water is deep and ice cold and you can cannonball off the deck.
3. Street Festivals. Chicago is THE City of street fests. On any given weekend you can find a fest in neighborhoods all over the City. The better ones have plenty of shade, cold beer and fans misting water. For a list of Chicago's Street Festivals, check out this guide from Metromix. 
4. Water. Public parks have a variety of water features. Some are splash pools, other spouting fountains. Probably the most famous one in Chicago is the Crown Fountain, known to Chicagoans as the "Water Wall" in Millennium Park. These huge glass towers feature faces of Chicago residents seen through water that rains down and if you wait long enough, spits out the mouth of an image. It's totally cool and very popular with residents and tourists. Here is a link to a YouTube video of the "spitting" wall. Great place to cool off.
5. Fans. During the weeks I spent in Spain in 2011 I began using small pocket fans. Women all over Spain keep these small fans in their bags and you see them being used everywhere from buses to restaurants. Once it's warm in Chicago, I have at least one of my Spanish fans with me. Pic of my pocket fans below. 
   

Stay cool readers and enjoy the summer!

Monday 5 List #30-Social Media Sites

As a business librarian I frequently instruct small business owners, their staff, job seekers and adults in career transition on how to utilize social media in their professional lives. My job is fascinating, humbling and never boring. I often combine instruction on how to utilize the library's resources such as databases and new technology with social media and in order to instruct these tools I need to use them.
So for today's Monday 5 list, here are the social media sites that I get asked about, use and instruct most frequently:

• Facebook. There are not many people or businesses that I interact with these days who are not on Facebook (personally I have a Facebook profile and 3 Facebook pages). But recently I've noticed a decline in people using Facebook in favor of other sites including...
• Twitter. Probably the social media site that I instruct the most, especially to job seekers. Twitter is a never ending source of news, networking and ideas. Twitter is the first site I check on my phone in the morning and the last one I check at night. It's also my go to source if I want to share a complaint or compliment for business and news. 
• Pinterest. The photo sharing website organized like a virtual pinboard is addicting. I use it as a way to source everything from recipes to inspiration. Small business owners are discovering how combining Pinterest boards with ecommerce can be very beneficial.
• YouTube and Vine. Demo videos, tutorials, laughs, you name it you'll find it on YouTube. I've instructed small business owners on YouTube from real estate agents highlighting houses to travel agents highlighting destinations. Haven't heard of Vine? You will soon. Users create 7 second videos with this mobile app and businesses are getting creative. 
• Foursquare. Location based social media through your phone, businesses often offer incentives to "check in" at their locations and users utilize Foursquare to find their friends and tips on places and businesses. Plus Foursquare is just plain fun.

Looking for more social media connections, find me on all of the above sites as Lively Librarian and or Shannon Distel Scanlan. 

Monday 5 List #29-Recent Films I Enjoyed

I've watched some terrific movies lately, two are book-to-film adaptions and while the critics have hated on them, I loved them. So for today's Monday 5 list, here are my recent favorite films.

1. The Great Gatsby. Directed by Baz Lurhmann this film version is lush and fantastic and mainly stays true to the book (with the exception of a completely un-necessary story for narrator Nick). Paul and I saw this in 3-D and loved it, even though the critics hated it. Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby is perfect and while Carey Mulligan doesn't have a lot of screen time, she is great as Daisy. The Great Gatsby is one of favorite books, so much so that last year Paul and I hosted a Great Gatsby Party. My wonderful son bought me a 1953 edition of the book this year for Mother's Day, he knows me so well. 
2. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer. Produced by Tim Burton and adapted from the popular novel, this movie was surprisingly great. An action/horror movie about Abraham Lincoln's secret life of hunting vampires it's a wild ride mixing history with fantasy. The special effects are stunning, especially a chase scene atop horses and a fight scene on a runaway train. Lincoln fights with an ax and surprisingly this film is not as gory as it is humorously dark. 
3. The Five-Year Engagement. Starring Emily Blunt and Jason Segal, this rom-com was sweet and happy. After getting engaged the couple relocates to Michigan from San Francisco and that is where the fun starts. Two great wedding scenes in parks I just visited in San Francisco made this movie even better for me. 
4. W.E. Directed by Madonna, W.E. is the story of King Edward VIII who gave up the throne of England to marry the twice divorced Wallis Simpson. The story jumps back and forth between a modern day love story and the story of Edward and Wallis. The locations are beautiful and the legendary fashion and jewelry of Wallis are recreated for the film. Overall I though Madonna did a terrific job of showing that not every great love story has a perfect happy ending. 
5. Tangled. Disney's version of Rapunzel is charming. A happier retelling of the dark fairy tale, a very spunky princess leaves her tower and has the adventure of a lifetime. While Disney still can't create a Prince worthy of a Princess who can take care of herself (with 1 exception, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast) this is still a fun film. 

April Showers Bring...

It's raining in Chicago. How fitting for April. I'm guessing we will have many May flowers this year. After experiencing ideal weather during our trip to California, Paul and I returned to a gloomy, drenched City. I'm taking it in stride...so far no water in my basement. After the infamous Chicago area flood of July 2011 that flooded my basement and thousands of others I've struggled emotionally with every rain storm but after having my gutters cleared and the rain guards removed, my basement has been bone dry. Here's hoping it remains that way.

So what to do when it rains day and night. Well I was going to go to a Cubs night game this week but the thought of fighting traffic in Chicago after days of horrendous traffic in Los Angeles didn't appeal to me. Nor did a night in a wet ball field even for the Cubs. So instead I am warm and dry at home with my favorite things.

Since I missed this week's Monday 5 list. Here are the things I can't do without in Chicago's rainy season.

1. Rain Coat. I found mine at a thrift store for $5. It's bright blue with toggle closures down the front and a giant hood. It covers my butt and keeps me warm and dry. Sure I look like a 5 year old kid dressed up like a sailor but I wear my coat to walk my dog and save my Burberry rain coat for light rain.
2. Wellies. I bought my Hunter wellies years ago in the UK before you could buy them in American stores. Best boots ever made for rain and mud. Plus they are fun to splash through puddles in as they cover all the way to my knees. Worth every penny. 
3. Martinis. I love a vodka martini with a splash of vermouth and 3 olives. The olives serve as dinner many nights when its been a long day and a meal is a martini. Paul makes the best martinis and we often hand stuff our own olives with blue cheese.
4. A sense of humor. Seriously you really have to have a sense of humor to live in Chicago, definitely a passion for the greatest City in the USA but also a sense of humor for the weather, our politics and our sports teams. But it's worth it, even in the rain. 
5. The Classics. Maybe because these are the last days for months that I will be inside due to terrible weather but as it pours outside I retreat to watching my favorite Jane Austen stories on film (Pride and Prejudice 1995 TV and 2005 film versions and Sense and Sensibility 1995 film version). Plus I am loving a record that we found in an amazing record store in San Francisco's Little Italy, Pachelbel Kanon and Music of Handel, Vivaldi and Gluck. This beautiful album conducted by Christopher Hogwood features musicians on original instruments. 

Where ever you are, stay dry during Spring rains!

Monday 5 List #27-Time

I've heard it said that time moves faster as you get older. I agree. At this stage in my life I'm the busiest I've ever been. Between work, professional commitments, my personal life, my Etsy business, and things I enjoy such as travel, reading, movies and gardening I feel like I have little time to catch my breath. In fact as I write this post I am simultaneously listening to a YouTube video, checking online auctions and cooking risotto. So for today's Monday post, here are the 5 things I try and catch up on when I have time.

1. YouTube. I am a YouTube junkie. I subscribe to 6 channels, mainly on fashion or travel and I try to stay current with the channel uploads. See video below. 
2. Travel Planning. Paul and I are leaving in a few weeks for an extended trip to California. We will be flying into San Francisco and then spending a few days exploring Napa and Sonoma before driving down the coast and spending a few days in LA. I've been to California many times but this will be my first trip to wine country and I am so excited. When I have a few moments I am trying to research vineyards and places to stop along the coast such as Hearst Castle. I really want to see the Library there. 
3. Once Upon a Time. Now that Downton Abbey is over for another season (can you BELIEVE the ending, poor Matthew!) I watch the ABC program Once Upon a Time. The series is in it's 2nd season and I love the way they mix up classic fairy tales with a modern and rather twisted spin. Thank goodness for my DVR, being able to record TV allows me to skip all the commercials. 
4. Sleep. Seriously I can sleep. I have new room darkening heavy drapes in my French style bedroom and if I have a morning off I can easily sleep 12 hours.
5. Google Reader. I, like millions of other people was caught off guard when Google announced last week that they are closing down Google Reader. I've been using Google Reader for years to organize the dozens of RSS feeds I subscribe to from my favorite websites and blogs. I have no idea what platform I am going to move to when it shuts down on July 1 but I'm trying to keep up with my feeds until then.

So whatever you do when you have free time. I hope you spend it doing something that makes you happy. If you have 10 minutes of time, here is a must see video, it will make you smile and maybe cry too.

Monday List #25-For Voyeurs

On the web? Of course you are. Phone, tablet, whatever, you're out there.

Today's Monday 5 List is for the readers who are voyeurs like myself. You like to look.

So the next time you're sick on the couch with your iPad or taking a break from answering email at work, here are 5 websites I recommend for visual goodies and inspiration.

1. Pinterest. I've been browsing this website for awhile but only started "pinning" a few months ago. Not familiar with pinterest, it's a virtual pin board, you see an image you like on the web, you pin it to your collection of boards, clicking on the image once pinned takes you to the source of the image (blogs, websites, flickr accounts etc). Others can re-pin your pin, you can re-pin other's pins and on and on and on. I use it for recipes, style and great vintage sources. You can find me on pinterest here.
2. StyleLikeU. A great site for browsing people's closets. Yup, photos and interviews with everyone from celebrities to designers, shop owners, musicians, writers etc..I love the images of messy closets, cluttered bedrooms, cherished mementos and the stories behind the clothes they wear and the trinkets they have in their homes.
3. Flickr's What's In Your Bag Group. Completely. Addictive. Thousands of images from people all around the world of the items they carry in their purse, tote, backpack, carryon etc... Hover over an image and see little popups about the items. Fun, cool and sometimes shocking what people carry in their bags.
4. Apartment Therapy. You can dig and dig in this website and always find something inspiring. Want to see the inside of tiny apartments in New York City. They're in here. How about clever ways to decorate on a budget? Its in here too. It's a time suck, beware.
5. Hooked on Houses. Have a favorite movie or television series house? Good chance it's on this fun website. Some of my favorites are on here including the house in Something's Got to Give, Practical Magic, Under the Tuscan Sun and Kate Winslet's house in The Holiday. Celebrity homes and featured homes about the world are here too. The movie homes I am waiting to see on this website are Harry and Sally's apartments from When Harry Met Sally.

Monday List #24-Watcha' Watching?

In the 80's and 90's I was a regular watcher of Aaron Spelling created TV shows, TJ Hooker, Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, Love Boat, Dynasty, and Fantasy Island. In the decades since and with more and more crap on cable I've watched less and less TV, especially with the horror of reality TV and trash like the Kardashians and housewives from American cities. Shudder.

 

Once the Olympics is over this summer I am planning on cancelling my cable subscription and instead use Hulu Plus, Netflix and Red Box for any entertainment I want to watch. So before I say goodbye to cable, here are the only shows that I still watch and enjoy. Most of these show will be available on Hulu and Netflix, those that aren't are usually in season box sets at the library. 

1. House Hunters & House Hunters International. I've been watching this show for years and try and catch only new episodes. Now that we know it's all staged it's a little stranger to watch but I love to see the locations where they film. 
2. Giada at Home. I love this cooking show with Giada De Laurentiis. The home where she films is serene with the California surf through the kitchen windows, her light and easy meals and her fun guests including her hysterical Aunt Raffy. I experiment with her recipes regularly. 
3. Barefoot Contessa. Her beautiful home and gardens, her eccentric friends and her beloved husband. I rarely make her recipes but I like to watch her cook, especially when she visits Paris or New York. 
4. Downtown Abbey. Completely. Obsessed. This show has created an entire culture of people who love it. I haven't been as obsessed with a show since General Hospital in the 1980's. Fantastic characters, beautiful locations, history, tragedy, vintage clothing, love, this show has it all. I can't wait until the 3rd season begins. 
5. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and The Layover. He tells it like it is when he travels and eats. My son and I watch his shows together whenever we can. Anthony was in Chicago filming last week and rumor has it he went to the locally loved former speakeasy Simon's. Paul and I stop by there for a beer or glogg when we are in Andersonville, great place when it's cold outside. 
6. Glee. A show my son and I don't miss, and not because one of the producers based it on the high school my son and I both graduated from. Regular watchers suffered through the horrible 2nd season and we're hoping the show ends as well as it started. 

What are you watching and have you or are you ready to get rid of cable?

Monday 5 List #23-My Kinda Town

Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the World and for the next 4 months or so, it's also one of the most beautiful, busy and HOT places in the USA.

So for today's Monday List here are a few things you'll need for a summer in Chicago.

1. Sunscreen. Chicago has 26 miles of beaches. Theater on the Lake, beach volleyball, numerous sailing and yacht clubs, Chicago Air and Water Show, music, festivals, markets and more. You'll need lots of sunscreen.
2. Cash for cabs. Chicago is a City of neighborhoods and on a typical summer day you might go to a Cubs game in Wrigleyville, a street festival in Lincoln Park, dinner in Old Town and drinks in River North. Yes Chicago has an excellent transit system that combines the Metra trains, the L subway and buses, but transfers and delays make cabs the way to go in the summer. Don't even think of trying to park on the north side of the city, the parking meter rates and time limits are ridiculous. Although you might catch a break on major streets like Ashland Avenue for Cubs games and festivals. 
3. Festival calendars. There is a wide variety of festivals throughout Chicago including Blues, Jazz, Taste of Chicago, Garden Walks and Art Fests. For calendars and locations click here and here. 
4. A Hangout. Whether you are a Chicagoan or just playing one for the summer, you need a hangout. Over the years I've been a regular at many bars and clubs, a few of the great ones are now long gone and I still miss the familiarity of them. However the great thing about a city the size of Chicago is that you can always discover a new hangout. Here are a few of my favorites, you will likely see me perched on a bar stool or playing pool.
1. Millie's. Small, old school street corner tavern with a pool table and darts and the nicest bartenders around. This is a beer bar, don't be an idiot and order a martini. If you see Toni behind the bar, tell her I said hello.
2. Map Room. Its gone hipster which can be annoying on a weekend but Map Room still has an unparalleled beer selection and stacks of old National Geographic magazines. 
3. Fernando's. Good Mexican food, great bar. My friend Michael knows everyone in this family owned establishment and it's a great place to watch a game. 
4. O'Donnell's. We wandered into this bar on St. Patrick's Day and will definitely be back. The true definition of a Chicago neighborhood bar. Pool table, bar games, staff who have been there forever and locals. 
5. The Museum Cafe and McKinlock Court patio at the Art Institute. As a member I am at AI as often as I can and in the summer, the interior courtyard is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the City. Delicious food and cocktails. Best enjoyed during the day as it closes before 8 pm.
5. Your I've-Got-Your-Back Person. You know who it is. The person who will do something crazy with you, try experimental food, curl up on a beach blanket and nap after a festival, stop the world from spinning after drinking in the sun, toss you in a cab and take you to listen to great music. I'm lucky to have 2, Diana, my soul sister, world traveling companion, adventure seeker and Paul, my life partner, musician, fellow foodie, pool player, and Chicago lover. Chicago is better with them. If you are looking for your "person(s)"...the City is also an amazing place to find someone. 

Whatever you do in Chicago this summer, just enjoy it and if you are not here already come and visit. 

Monday List #22

It's been a while since I've posted a Monday List. With Chicago in the full bloom of Spring I thought I would share some events and projects I am enjoying before summer.

1. The Antiques and Garden Fair will be held April 20-22 at Chicago's Botanic Garden. I am looking forward to attending on Friday April 20. I am unable to attend the lecture by David Howard, "My Gardening Life" on Saturday but imagine it will be a fascinating program. Mr. Howard is the former head gardener of H.R.H Prince Charles' estate Highgrove House and will discuss his 40 year gardening career in the UK.

2. Bookcases. I purchased 3 of the Ikea Hemnes bookcases over the weekend, once in place they will line an entire wall of my living room. I considered purchasing 1 of the glass door bookcases for my rare book collection but found the doors to be rather unstable. I instead went with 3 of the open bookcases which will allow me to rearrange the shelves and add photos, plants etc... Once the room is painted this month the bookcases can be installed and after 2 years of having my collection in storage I will finally have a home library again.

3. Travel. Did you think I was on a traveling hiatus? Never. I will be enjoying my first trip to Baltimore this weekend. For our 48 hour trip I have 3 things on my to do list:

• Enjoy seeing this historic city with Paul and our hosts
• Eating crabcakes and lobster rolls
• Visiting the grave of Edgar Allan Poe. I am re-reading some of my favorite works of this macabre writer, especially his poetry. Haunting.

In May, Paul and I will be returning to New Orleans for 4 days and then directly to Los Angeles for another 4 days. On the agenda, listening to jazz at Fritzel's, learning to cook NOLA specialties in a cooking class, spending time with friends in Santa Monica and enjoying the trip with great people.

4. Time. With my boy. There just aren't enough hours in the remaining weeks until May 31 when he leaves for NAVY training. I'm spending every minute I can with him at home cooking, watching movies, talking. He is a typical busy teenager who is right now planning his much anticipated upcoming trip to Indiana University for the Little 500.

5. Gardening and Vintage Shopping. Between getting my vegetable beds ready with seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and buying and listing vintage pieces for my new store, I'm busy. And happy.

Monday List #14

Regular readers of my blog know that I am a serious Anglophile, the UK is my favorite travel destination. During my most recent trip in 2009 I spent weeks at the University of Oxford and also a couple of weekends in London and Windsor. I'm thinking of spending a quick weekend in London this fall either before or after I spend 2 weeks volunteering in Spain and in planning my trip, here is my list of 5 of my favorite things to do in London.

1. St. Martin in the Fields. This iconic church across from Trafalgar Square is one of my favorite places in London. While my Mom and I were in London during my time at Oxford we often found our way to St. Martin in the Fields for a meal and concert. The Cafe in the Crypt serves delicious food at excellent prices, the perfect place to linger before or after a concert or a service.
2. Walking. I've had some of my favorite afternoons in London by just walking, wonderful restaurants, coffee shops, cemeteries, parks, people...
3. Eat. Remember years ago when England had a bad rap for food. Ya right, it's not just fish and chips or an English breakfast anymore. The island that has produced some of the biggest chefs in the world (Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver) has produced even better local chefs with family run restaurants and food stands. Oh and don't get me talking about Indian food in London, my mouth is watering. One of my favorite dining experiences, I wandered into a "restaurant" in a tiny room above a shop off Portobello Road about 10 years ago and had the best grilled cheese sandwich of my life. Lots of farm fresh English cheese, crusty bread and fresh herbs...simply fantastic, I've never forgotten it.
4. Visit the dead. They are everywhere. Monuments at the parks, overgrown spooky cemeteries, plaques on the walls where the famous lived and died, portraits hanging in the museums and galleries. With the exception of New Orleans, I have yet to visit a City that has more relationships with their dead than London (Paris is close).
5. Drink. Tea or beer. Both are practically an art form. I've spent many a day wandering from hotel to restaurant to shops...drinking tea along the way. Oh and don't pass up the scones with clotted cream and jam. I still think about the scones my Mom and I had at a riverfront cafe in Windsor. Join the English tradition, you can't avoid it and you won't get a better "cuppa" anywhere.
   

Monday List #11

I am enjoying a quiet if productive Monday, I have the day off after working the weekend and am spending the day house hunting. When I purchase my next nest it will be the 4th home I've purchased in the last decade and the 2nd home I've purchased as a single woman. When I bought my first home a buyers options were regulated to running down a list of properties selected by your Realtor or browsing the newspapers for a list of open houses and popping in for a look. Oh how things have changed. The market peaked and crashed and Illinois had the 9th highest rate of foreclosures in 2010. Not good for sellers but a good time to buy.
Here is my list of the tips and tricks I rely on when house hunting.

1. This one is a no brainer....have a good Realtor you trust. For 2 of my home purchases and 2 of my sales I used a realtor who had bought and sold my families homes for years. In fact it was through her that I met my 2nd husband, she was selling my home, she knew him from a past real estate deal, she put 1 and 1 together, he bought my home and we eventually married (and divorced). However due to this rather incestuous realty relationship I am currently using a new realtor, I trust her, she knows what I am looking for and she doesn't get crazy with my "if it's meant to be it will be" attitude towards homes. How do you find a good realtor? Ask your friends and colleagues, DON'T pick a realtor just because they are listing a home you are interested in. Get referrals!
2. The Internet is your friend. I am addicted to real estate sites. My favorite is http://www.realtor.com/ however I have learned the hard way that the listings are not updated as often as they should be. There are homes currently listed on realtor.com that are under contract and have been for some time. This leads to tip #3...
3. Have your realtor call or email the listing agent BEFORE you go for a viewing to make sure the home is not under contract. Why? In this day of frequent foreclosures, the bank may have accepted an offer on a home but the listing is still active. They just can't keep up with the sheer volume of foreclosed properties and you don't want to visit a home, fall in love, write up an offer and find out from the bank the home is under contract.
4. Use phone apps to pin point homes for sale in your target neighborhood. The realtor.com app on the iPhone is amazing. It uses my GPS location so I drive to a target neighborhood and search by price, features etc. You can also search by mapping features, by open house and even by rental. Searches and home listings can be saved and shared via email. I am addicted to this app and use it every day to search for new listings in my target area or to virtually search locations I may not have considered.
5. Get your financial ducks in a row. I have letters from my lender ready to go when I decide to make an initial offer. This saves valuable time and could get you the home you want over another bidder/buyer who doesn't have their lending in place.

I will update the blog when I do finally buy my next nest. Wish me luck!

Monday 5 List #10

So this is my final Monday 5 list of 2010. Thought it would be appropriate to list my favorites of the year. Enjoy and Happy New Year readers!

1.The "Bed Intruder Song". Funniest thing I watched all year. Every time I hear it I can't get, "Hide your kids, hide your wife" outta my head.


2. Travel. Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Florida, South Carolina, Colorado, France, Virgin Islands. Whether it was a weekend getaway or weeks of travel, wandering new and old but beloved locals were some of my favorite moments of the year.

3. The kindness of others. This was a difficult year for me personally. As my marriage was ending I turned to family and friends. Whether it was a neighbor who held my hand as I was preparing to move out of my marital home, a friend who made me dinner when I was too upset to eat or my Mom who flew in to Chicago to offer me moral support, I simply don't know how I would have coped without them. It's true you find out who your friends are in a time of crisis. Not only did my friends and family support me, they demonstrated classy and commendable compassion and support to my ex. There is a lesson there for certain family members of my ex.

4. Library patrons. I work in a small public library where I interact with patrons on a daily basis. I've witnessed compassion, laughter, love and sacrifice again and again within the library. One day it was the elderly couple who walked to the reference desk hand in hand, asked questions for the other and turned around and walked out of the library hand in hand. They never stopped touching each other. It brought tears to my eyes. Or the couple who brought their father to the library and asked for help with getting him on a plane or train to visit family for the holidays, no matter what the cost. And always my computer class patrons, the ones who attend each class every month and always remember to ask me about my son, my travels and my life. Sometimes they bring chocolate, oranges, little gifts of thanks. Touching and special each and every one of them.

5. Internet. The Internet allowed me to Skype with my darling niece 2000 miles away, call my son from Paris to say goodnight and reconnect with long lost friends. The "Internet connection" allows for connections that are truly a blessing.

Monday 5 List #7

I am home from my Caribbean adventure. Due to a terrible day of travel on Saturday I thought today's Monday 5 List should be travel tip related. FYI, American Eagle/American Airlines service was terrible in St. Croix USVI, the worst I've ever encountered in my years of travel. If you are visiting a remote location or an island with a small airport or limited flights I suggest using a different airline or at least know what other airlines or ferry services are available in case flights are cancelled, overbooked or delayed.

1. Pack your phone, computer and any other small electronic chargers in your carry on luggage. I was stranded at the airport for 12 hours on Saturday and had a 22 hour travel day, thank goodness I had packed my Blackberry and iTouch chargers in my purse. 
2. Pack snacks in your carry on bag. Airline food is notoriously terrible and extremely unhealthy. Pack a few granola bars, bags of nuts etc for those unexpected delays while traveling. Also, don't contribute to the water bottle epidemic. Pack a reusable water bottle and fill it from a water fountain in the terminal once you pass through security.
3. Explore options to resort food. I stayed at a beautiful resort where the only options for dining was the resort restaurant or bar. Expensive option for 3 meals a day for 7 days. The nearest town was a cab ride away which also wasn't economical. Solution: we visited the local small grocery store and stocked up on essentials to keep in our room which came with a mini fridge. Soda, pretzels, bread, peanut butter and jelly, tuna, yogurt, Twizzlers, beer and fruit. Saved us the cost of lunch every day and some breakfasts and was convenient for late night munchies.
4. If you are checking a bag, save yourself the inflated cost of purchasing items such as bugspray and suntan lotion at your destination, pack small containers of each.
5. Toss a few ziploc bags and even a garbage bag into your suitcase. If you have wet or dirty items or are taking back fragile gifts the bags can be used for separating them or protecting them

Happy traveling!

Monday List-#5

I work the reference desk at a public library for a few hours each week and 1 weekend a month.
Over the years I've gotten some very interesting questions and requests but at such a small library, most of the reference questions are routine. So for this week's Monday List, here are the top 5 most asked questions when I'm at the reference desk.

1. Can you help me make a copy?
2. Where are the restrooms and/or Where is the program?
3. I'd like to sign up for a program.
4. I'd like to put a book on hold.
5. Do you have the movie ______?

In the days of Wikipedia, Google, online databases and hot picks (readily available popular books and movies) how much reference is actually done in your library? Do librarians find themselves troubleshooting technology and answering directional questions more than anything else?

Monday 5-List #4

Here are the 5 most beloved books from my childhood.
I read these books over and over and still have my original copies.

1. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  The book that taught me how to create your own dreams.

2. Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry. Yes I still like to look for the Goldbug.

3.  Eloise at the Plaza by Kay Thompson. The beginning of my obsession with hotel lobbys and pets with strange names. Yup, this book is why my beagle is named Eloise.

4.  Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. "I cannot go to school today" said little Peggy Ann McKay. I still find inspiration from these whimsical poems.

5. Dear Dead Days by Charles Addams. WARNING:Not a book for little kids.  This book features odd Victorian era advertisements, strange pictures of children with dead things, scary animals and even some of his Addams Family cartoons. Each image was selected by Addams, the book was an inspirational scrapbook for the gothic cartoon genius. I enjoyed the macabre as a teen and this book is seriously dark humor.

Monday 5 List #2

What amazes me this week:

1. That inside my 6'5, 17 year old son I can still see glimpses of the boy who liked pirates and swords and playing with bugs. He likes pretty girls, fast cars and playing lacrosse now but sometimes he's just a little boy who needs his mom.
2. That once in a while you run into someone from your past and the minute you see them, the time machine lands at your feet and you step inside. (I'm imagining the Tardis and the delicious new Dr. Who). It's usually a sentimental trip and one I'm happy to take but usually not one I'm interested in reliving.
3. That macaroni and cheese is still the best comfort food, even if it is fancy mac and cheese from a Chicago restaurant.
4. That leaving my window open just a crack at night will help me fall asleep just like it did when I was 10 years old. 
5. That Diane Keaton's character had it exactly right in "Something's Gotta Give"

Jack Nicholson as Harry:
               "Will you tell me first why you only miss be married at night?"
Diane Keaton as Erica:
               "The phone doesn't ring that much at night. And the whole alone thing happens   at night. Sleeping by myself took some getting used to but I got the hang of it. You gotta sleep in the middle. It's not healthy to have a side when no one else has the other side."

Monday 5 List #1

I saw this fun idea on a blog I read regularly. Said blogger occasionally posts a list of rather random items, ideas, names, places...whatever. I thought I would tweak this idea and start a Monday 5 post.

So for my 1st Monday 5, here are the 5 people that I want to have over for dinner. (I've got food on my brain since I am having folks over for dinner tonight).

5 for Dinner:

1. Bill Murray
2. Eminem
3. Bette Davis
4. Abraham Lincoln
5. Dita Von Teese

So, yes 2 of the people on my list are dead. It's my list, my way. Now to figure out what to cook...maybe potluck is best. But I'm thinking beer and pizza with Abraham Lincoln would be an experience. Especially if Dita Von Teese was performing in her giant martini glass. Can you imagine Bill Murray's reaction. Priceless! Oh and Bette Davis wouldn't know what to make of Eminem. Awesome dinner party indeed.