Il Dolce Far Niente http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com the sweetness of doing nothing posterous.com Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:00:00 -0700 Tolerating the "Big City" http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/tolerating-the-big-city http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/tolerating-the-big-city

Chicago

I know I have written about this before, but I just want to say why I definitely am a city girl at heart… When I moved to Chicago four years ago for college, in many ways I felt at home for the first time in my life.  My love for Chicago – and for cities in general – is sometimes really hard to explain to other people who do not share this passion.  The main complaints I hear about the city is that it’s disorienting, noisy, crowded, stressful, and confusing.  I could see how this could be true for someone who wasn’t used to the environment, but at the same time I would have to respectfully disagree!

Since moving to Chicago I have had three different apartments.  The first was a tiny one bedroom in Lincoln Park, the second was an even tinier apartment in the Gold Coast, and the third (which I moved into after I returned from Rome) is a pretty decently sized single family home in Lincoln Park.  Despite my long list of complaints about my current residence – too far from public transit, my tiny bedroom (it literally is a bed-room… no other furniture fits in it!), finicky plumbing, ancient appliances, and I am pretty sure the place isn’t actually insulated – I have very fond feelings towards the house itself.  Which leads me to my next point: living in the city requires tolerance.

If you are going to live in close confines with other people it requires a lot of tolerance and compromise.  I think about this a lot, especially on public transportation.  Since I have not had a car while in college, I have spent quite a bit of time in close proximity with individuals that I sometimes have difficulties believing that they grew up on the same planet as me.  Although I am less easily shocked than my 18-year-old self, I still am sometimes surprised at the length people go to be rude.

·         While most people you encounter on public transportation are normal, polite citizens just trying to get along with their lives, once in a while (once a week) you encounter a terrible bus driver, who by slamming on the brakes constantly is probably giving everyone whip lash.  Or the individuals who play music on their cell phones, except instead of using headphones like everyone else, they play their music out loud for everyone else to “enjoy.”  There is also always someone who is screaming about their personal business into their cell phones; or a neglectful mother who is making everyone else nearby nervous about a child’s safety; people who unashamedly throw  trash on the ground or  cut in line.  There are also those male individuals who terrify women by aggressively yelling, getting too close, or asking inappropriate questions.  And I will never be able to understand the young couples (usually under the age of 18) who insist on embarrassing displays of public displays of affection.  Yes, you are in love, we get it.  Can you please take your hand out of her shirt now?

·         99% of employees at major grocery stores and convenience stores (especially CVS and Walgreens) are at best, completely indifferent and at worst, incompetent, passive aggressive and rude!  This is just not the case out in the country or the suburbs.  Customer service at these places is pretty much non-existent because they know you have pretty much no other option but to shop there.  I have received such bad service in both CVS and Walgreens that on several occasions I have just put down my items and walked right out of the store.  And do you think anyone cares? NO.  The self-checkout lanes are by far the most popular, because even though it means more work for the customer, at least they don’t have to have an unpleasant encounter with an employee.

·         This happens almost everywhere, but it’s much less likely to happen in places that are independently owned and can’t afford to lose customers.    One of the things I love about the city is that there are other options (although they are probably further away and more expensive).  But most of the time, it’s worth the money to support small local businesses.

·         There are also A LOT of bad drivers.  People who are either oblivious to their surroundings or too aggressive. I usually try to give them the evil eye, and then hurry up so they don’t purposefully hit me with their car. Despite all of this, I still love the city!  Some days are better than others, but I know that there is no other place that I feel more at home.  Having lot of people around also allows for the possibility of meeting wonderful new people and makes me feel like I am part of something bigger than my own life.  My only wish is that people would try to hold themselves to a higher standard.  The world would be so much nicer if people were a little less indifferent and a little more tolerant and pleasant towards each other.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane
Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:37:00 -0700 City vs. Country http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/city-vs-country http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/city-vs-country

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Before heading to Iowa last weekend, the only thing I could remember about that particular state was the boredom of driving through it as a child on the way to Colorado.  In fact, up until last weekend, every time I thought of "Iowa," the only thing that came to mind was a golden brown rectangle somewhere west of the Mississippi and cornfields as far as the eye could see. I take my identity as a city girl pretty seriously.  While some people might find the so-called concrete jungle nerve-racking -  with all of the strange characters, honking of horns, screaming of sirens, and strange smells - I could not be any more at home.  So when I venture out of the Chicago, I sometimes feel the same anxiety many people feel when they venture in, but opposite.  All of the trees, and open empty spaces, forlorn gas stations and enormous grocery stores, and the silence...!

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My trip to Iowa was different.  First of all I was amazed about how beautiful north-western Illinois is.  It was my first time ever driving through Galena, a quaint little town  with beautiful old houses built up in the hills that reminded me of Europe.  In that area, just as we were crossing the border into Iowa is hilly with valleys of trees that were just beginning to lose their leaves for winter.  We stayed with my roommate's grandparents in a very rural area of northeastern Iowa, very near Amish country, and very far from any city.

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I must have asked 100 questions over the course of the weekend, about the crops and the livestock, about the Amish and the economy.  It truly is a different world out there.  My roommate's grandparents drove us around and showed us all of the family land, which to me looked like an inconceivable amount of work.  I could imagine his grandparents getting a good laugh after we left: us kids, constantly pulling out our phones to take pictures of things that are quite ordinary in Iowa.

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Soon it was time to head home.  On the way back we had time to stop and spend a few hours in Galena.  I was in love within minutes of stepping out of the car.  Galena was a mix of everything I appreciate in America with the atmosphere of a little European town.  We were able to visit the local brewery and even had time to take a short tour.  My favorite part of the day, however, was driving up in to the hills and checking out some of the old houses.  I know now, that I would consider leaving the city -- but only if it meant moving to Galena!

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Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4: Jacob Huston; 5 & 6: Maryjane Schiltz

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane
Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:45:00 -0700 My Dream Job http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/my-dream-job http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/my-dream-job

A few weeks a go, actually I know the specific date --it was September 4th--  I had a profound realization. On that morning I emailed my friend: "I don't want to grow up anymore. I know that may sound immature, but I feel like I have been trying to grow up my whole life, and I have just now reached the perfect point."

That "perfect point," was almost immediately followed by the anxiety of the reality that this year is my last year in college.  Sometimes I feel like I spend every other second of my day either trying to prepare for my imminent role as Adult, Full-Member of Society or trying to hold on to my current role as College Girl - Still trying to discover what she wants.  In the past month I have found myself staying home a lot more, only leaving for class, work, meetings, and of course when my friends occasionally convince me to go out and do that thing called "having fun."  And when I do go out, whether it is to work, or to some kind of networking event, or even just out for drinks with friends I always do feel better, knowing that I have taken a tiny step towards (maybe) preparing for the great unknown that will be my life.

I usually love to talk about my ideas and plans for the future, but recently I have found myself dreading conversations where the question "What are you going to DO after college?" may come up.  I wouldn't say that this question stresses me out as much as it just annoys me (sorry relatives who have asked me this!)  I have no clue what I am going to do and the ideas I do have seem to change based on the day.  My mind is constantly revising what the grand plan is and so far it seems the only things I know for certain are what I don't want to do.

Criteria for my perfect job:

1.  I don't want to be a teacher, or a job where I have to work with children in any capacity. I am, however, open to the idea of teaching and sharing information with my colleagues.

2. I don't want to have the kind of 9-5 job where you drag out 3.5 hours of work over the course of the whole day.  I want a job where I have so much work to do, preferably something that I am passionate about, as opposed to tedious meaningless tasks, that at the end of the day I feel invigorated and excited to come back and tackle it the next day.

3.  I don't want to work in a sterile, boring environment; I do want to work in a place that is full of all different kinds of creativity and exchange of ideas is encouraged all day long (both through the atmosphere and the physical arrangement of the space).

4.  I don't want to work at a job where you eat lunch alone at your desk everyday.  I know that I need to get outside once in a while and take a break ("hit the reset button," as my friend would say) so that when I return, I can look at projects with a fresh perspective.

5.  I want to do work that is meaningful and important to me.  I have always wanted to change the world (for the better) and I don't want to have to waste too much time working on things that are not productive.

6.  I want a job where I can write (in various forms) and learn how to express my ideas and other people's ideas in the best possible way.

7.  I would love to be paid to travel.

8.  Oddly, I am also interested in doing a very mechanical type job where I would be able to build things (like furniture) or fix up old houses. (This may be more of a hobby than a career interest).

9.  I am most interested in working the Public Relations (PR) industry because I have found that kind of work (thus far) to be the most exciting and fulfilling.

In this economy, I know that my list is a lot to ask, and as my grandpa pointed out, I should be thankful to have a job at all.  I certainly am thankful and I definitely know that before anyone gets their dream job, they have to pay their dues.  I am not hoping for some kind of fairy tale life -- at least not right away :) -- but I hope that when it is time for me to enter the job market I will be able to find an employer that will help me channel all of my passion.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane
Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:26:00 -0700 American Girl In Italy http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/american-girl-in-italy http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/american-girl-in-italy

American

In honor of my post from last year "One Month From Today," that shared the iconic Ruth orkin photo, I would like to share this article about the female subject of the photo, Ninalee Craig, 60 years later. "American girl in Italy: 60 years later" Enjoy!

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Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:56:00 -0700 Fiesta del Sol 2011 http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/fiesta-del-sol-2011 http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/fiesta-del-sol-2011

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 For the past two months I have been working on a little side project, interning on the Public Relations committee for the Fiesta del Sol.

What on earth is "Fiesta del Sol?" you may ask.  Well it is the largest Latino festival in the midwest, celebrating its 39th anniversary this year.  The festival is held in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago on Cermak road between Morgan and Ashland (9 whole blocks).  Fiesta del Sol is a celebration of hispanic culture, its family friendly (no tobacco or alcohol) and is free of admission.

By the way... Its this weekend!!  I would certainly recommend that you come by and check it out for yourself.  Here is some of what the festival has to offer this year (in order of what is most of interest to me!)

***The PR Booth (my booth!) has a lot of exciting things going on that you should, above all, definitely check out!  Get a raffle ticket for the chance to win an iPod Touch; Get your photo taken with friends in front of the Fiesta Del Sol backdrop; Write on our memory wall; get maps and information; participate in a tee-shirt contest (judged on Sunday) and most importantly: Get your Fiesta del Sol 2011 wristband for $2... only sold here!  (All proceeds go back into the operating budget for next year)

1. The best Mexican food that you can find in the city.  Pilsen is a Latino neighborhood, so the food is authentic and 100% delicious.

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2.  House of Sol - Love house music?  House of Sol is completely free and features some of the best artists and djs representing Chicago house music.  Check out the lineup HERE.

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3.  Art Pavillion - Featuring the work of local artists and today (Thursday July 28) and Saturday will also include workshops led by the artists featured in the pavillion. • Alebrijes workshop (brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures) • Migajon making  (a traditional craft using bread paste dough molded into useful and decorative objects such as flowers.  (Friday, July 29th at 4-5pm, Saturday, July 30th at 12-1pm and 4pm-5pm, Sunday, July 31st at 2pm-3pm and 5pm-6pm). • Native story telling from Mexico • Reading of Birth Symbols (all four days)

4. Children's Area - Fiesta del Sol is family friendly.  The children's area allows for children to experience the festival by participating in arts & crafts, playing games, and best of all receiving free children's books!

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5.  College Fair - Representatives from Northern Illinois University, Devry University, East West University, National Louis University, and North Eastern Illinois University will be there to speak to students.  There will be information about financial aid as well as information for undocumented students.  Don't miss the opportunity to win gift cards, a bookbag with school supplies, and other prizes! Check them out on YouTube.

6.  Soccer Tournaments - Will be held at ChiTown Futbol for kids of all ages. Thurs. July 28 4:30pm-7pm; Fri. July 29 4:30pm-10pm; Sat. July 30 10am-7pm; Sun. July 31 10am-4pm --FINALS.

7.  Carnival Rides - Mega Passes are available for $45.00. Your mega pass will include UNLIMITED rides for the entire FOUR days! Call: 312-666-2663 ext 224 to secure one.

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8.  Civil Rights for Immigrants booth (located next to the PR booth) - On Saturday, July 30 at Fiesta del Sol, CRI Comm. (PNCC) will be hosting a series of "Immigration Is My Fight" workshops, which will focus on immigrant rights for the following topics: Education, Workers, Law Enforcement, and Health.  From 11-2 p.m. there will be a Citizenship Workshop where guests can receive help completing applications, and a lawyer will also be there to help answer any questions. At 7 p.m. on the Main Stage, guest speaker Luis Gutierrez will be addressing the topic of Immigration Reform. There will also be Dream Act pamphlets for students.

9.  The Festival also has two other stages that have local and traditional artists and bands that preform.  Line up for the MAIN STAGE and for the 2nd STAGE. When:

Thurs: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

Cost of Admission: $0 Parking: $5 parking will be available at parking lots on 21st and Morgan, Cermak and Canalport, and Cermak and Loomis. Public Transportation: Take the CTA Pink Line to 18th Street.  You can also take CTA busses #8 Halsted (North-South), #9 Ashland (North-South), #21 Cermak (East-West) and #60 Blue Island. More information: Fiesta del Sol:   Website.   Facebook.   Twitter.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane
Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:43:00 -0700 Birthday Astrology http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/birthday-astrology http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/birthday-astrology

Bday

A photo of my Birthday celebration this past April!

Birthday astrology is very interesting to me, although I remain somewhat skeptical of it.  The idea that personalities and character traits have already been determined (by the stars), could be easily disproved by citing one example of a person who just does not fit the profile, however, I find astrology to be a good tool for self reflection.

Astrology is all over the place: in magazines, newspapers, on the internet, in books; and since it was not consistently written by one source, the "predictions" can sometimes be conflicting.  I read my horoscope (almost) every day, but rather than thinking of it as a prediction or warning, I think of it as a way to reflect on my relationships and the decisions that I will make that day.  For consistency, I stick to reading my horoscope on Yahoo.

A friend of mine shares my curiosity for astrology and shared this article with me today: Careers by the Numbers: Using Numerology to Find a Job.  I was shocked to see that my number was 4, which said I should consider a job in the Building Trades or as Mechanic, Accountant, Software Designer, Banker, or Executive.  I would not have expected this at all, but the explanation for why made perfect sense: people who are number 4's love structure and order and crave this kind of environment for their work.  Definitely true of my work preferences.

Another great source for learning about your specific birthday or learning more about your astrological sign is How Stuff Works: Birthday Astrology page.  Yes, I was skeptical too until I spent (far too much) time reading the birthday descriptions for myself of all of my close friends and family members, which were eerily accurate.   To learn more about your birthday, see the Birthday Astrology article, click the link for your astrological sign, and then click on to your birthday.  You may be surprised!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane
Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:05:00 -0700 What Employers Want http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/what-employers-want http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/what-employers-want

New_york
Just published on my work blog, Inspired Ideations "What Employers Want." Check it out to learn some of the inside secrets (as told to me by  professional career coach/inspirational speaker, Rob Sullivan) of writing a good cover letter, answering tricky interview questions, and landing your dream job!

What Employers Want

These are the three qualities that are on the top of every employers list (even though they may not know it):

  • Initiative
  • Resourcefulness
  • Passion

This semester I took ART 383 – a service learning internship class that was recently visited by Rob Sullivan, (Author, Career Coach, Inspirational Speaker).  Before he started talking, I didn’t know what to expect, except that it was a Wednesday night and I probably would have preferred to be home having dinner.  Within minutes of beginning speaking, Rob had captured the interest of the entire group; everyone was hanging on to his every word and some were even taking notes!

Anyone who is in transition, college students and career changers alike, knows that navigating the job market is a daunting task.  Rob had good tips about how to make the best impression possible just by answering questions differently and changing the content of your cover letter.  He told us that employers are looking for “initiative, resourcefulness and passion” because these are things that cannot be taught to someone.  You either have it or you don’t and many people who do, are unable to express these qualities to their prospective employers.

It is difficult to summarize all of the points that Rob made, I would suggest hearing him speak in person for the full effect, but these were the points that resonated with me:

1.  The “Tell me about yourself…” Question: You need to tell a good (true) story that immediately demonstrates how you have the characteristics of taking initiative, being resourceful, and having passion.  Ask yourself these questions:

- What have you done on your own to prepare for the university you want to attend or the career you want to start?

-How have you shown resourcefulness?  It is important to quantify you accomplishments, to show how you might have saved a company time, money, etc.

-What are you passionate about?  Why have you chosen this path in life over thousands of others?

While keeping those questions in mind, its good to formulate a short story that sets you apart from everyone else who says ‘I grew up in this town, went to this college, majored in this subject, and here I am applying for this job.”

2.  The “What is your greatest weakness?” Question:

I blushed when Rob immediately said to avoid saying “I’m a perfectionist,” or “I work too much,” which might have been my go-to answers for this uncomfortable question. When employers ask this question, it’s probably because they don’t know how to properly interview someone.  This was his suggestion for how to answer it:  Think about the impression you give off to people you don’t know very well, that might not have the best impression of you, what might they identify as a flaw or weakness?

I personally have been told a few times that I can come off as cold or unfriendly to people, when that was not my intention.  If I was answering this question I would say, “Sometimes I have been told that I come off as a little cold when I first meet people.  However, now that I am aware of this, I try harder to smile more when I first meet someone and look for ways that we can connect and engage each other.”  Always end with what you are doing to fix this “problem,” so your  answer ends on a positive note.

3.  The “Do you have any questions for us?” Question:

Do not ask factual questions.  Do your homework before, and know something about the company.  Instead ask opinion questions that are relevant to that company or field.  Rob also suggested asking ‘What is one thing you would want everyone to know about this company that few people know?”

4.  N-E-O-N, use these four elements when writing a cover letter or interviewing:

N-  Where are you now?

E- Why are you excited or energized and what about? (Passion)

O- What is your objective/why do you want the job?

N- Why is this the next logical step?

Navigating the job market is a difficult endeavor.  Best of luck!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane
Mon, 30 May 2011 00:14:00 -0700 My little wall of inspiration... http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/my-little-wall-of-inspiration http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/my-little-wall-of-inspiration

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I wish I could have gone to Europe and bought art, antiques and other wonderful beautiful things.  My baggage and budget situation limited my ability to do that, so I got creative and took pictures and bought post cards from museums.  When we moved into our new house in January, I agreed to take the smaller bedroom (to which the door doesn't completely open because my bed will not allow it) in exchange for the "Dressing Room" also known as the  pantry off the kitchen which the previous residents had been using as a painting studio.  Despite the fact that all of our toilet paper, tools, towels, and everything else that would prefer to remain hidden shares my sacred space, I have found a way to make it beautiful.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane
Thu, 19 May 2011 16:05:00 -0700 May Morning http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/may-morning http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/may-morning

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I used to be a "night owl."  Since starting college(/getting old...) I have no problem going to bed at 10:30 on weeknights, and depending on what mood I wake up in, I don't mind the mornings.  The house has a calmness about it in the morning... only disrupted by the incessant chirping of the birds.  The kitty takes up post by the window so she can listen and use her special bird meow to try to lure them into the house.... so far, little success.

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Despite the fact we never ate breakfast in my house growing up... except on special occasions or when we went to grandma's, I have been trying to change my ways and have a bite to eat every morning.  Thanks to countless testimonies that its "good for you!" I am now 75% sure it is... so I tempt my appetite with fresh fruit and Nutella.

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So that was my little love song to mornings, Buon giorno!

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Thu, 12 May 2011 18:25:00 -0700 Sometimes I can't believe whats coming out of my mouth http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/sometimes-i-cant-believe-whats-coming-out-of http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/sometimes-i-cant-believe-whats-coming-out-of

Recently all I have been thinking and dreaming about are effective websites, clickthrough rates and impressions (which I still don't completely understand), and how to effectively communicate with the technologies that are available to "Generation Y," (apparently I fall under that category).  The conversations I have been a part of at work, my internship, and in class have got me really excited about (my) life and about reaching out to people to make meaningful collections, and ultimately raise awareness.

Since I have never been "Miss School Spirit," it feels a little strange to be involved in spending time thinking of ways to coerce other people to join the organizations that i am involved in, but it is actually suits me well. Despite all of this, I still have a bad attitude 50% of the day, especially during rush hour when I am packed on to a bus/train/sidewalk with hundreds of other people all rushing as fast as possible in the same direction, oblivious to their surroundings because they are on their damn phones using the social networking sites I have spent all night/day thinking about.  Its a tangeled web we weave...  and by the way, I'm ususally on my phone doing the exact same thing.

In other news: Yesterday I got caught in the thunderstorm, which ended with me looking like I jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed and on Tuesday I went with friends to a really great Peruvian restaurant: Machu Picchu, which I would definitely recommend.  We ordered several dishes and shared, but I maintain that my favorite peruvian dish is Papa Rellena, which is deep friend mashed potates with beef and olives inside.  The fried Yuca was also really good.  Last year we went to Ay Ay Picante, which I would give a slightly higher rating because they made pitchers of Pisco Sours for free (BYOB at both places, but at Machu Pichu we were charged $10 per picther).

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A Pisco Sour is a Peruvian cocktail that uses Pisco (a Peruvian grape brandy), sugar, lime juice, egg whites, and cinnamon.  Best when served slightly frozen!

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Fri, 06 May 2011 17:02:14 -0700 Twitter, LavAzza & "The Wedding" http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/twitter-lavazza-the-wedding http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/twitter-lavazza-the-wedding I need to stop using the words "I will NEVER..." because it seems I always end up jinxing myself into doing that exact thing within a matter of days.  So....  I joined Twitter.  The official reason is that I "want to learn how to use it better for the purpose of using it at work," and the unofficial reason is that I just got really curious about this world of chatter that everyone is always wrapped up in. So now I have another application on my phone to consume a little more of the precious waking hours of my days, but in all honesty, I really am still confused how to use it.  There is a specific kind of language used on twitter, and signs and symbols that make decoding what is actually being said a little like translating something from another language.  but if you would like to "follow me" I'm @MJElizabeth Yesterday I met up with my friend Kelli (who I went to Rome with), for coffee.  She introduced me to a wonderful cafe that is only a couple blocks from where I work called LavAzza.  It was like being transported back to Roma!  The display case was filled with paninis, quiches, and other delicious foods that strangely made me miss the days that I complained about them.  I ordered a spinach quiche and a grande iced chai (while laughing at the option of being able to chose the size "grandisimo!") Kelli and I sat and chatted about school, jobs, interviewing, and reminisced about Italy but the experience was over far too soon.  If you are in the Chicago Loop area and craving an authentic (relatively) Italian experience, I would highly recommend LavAzza (111 W Jackson Blvd.), after all it is "Italy's Favorite Coffee." As everyone who has any kind of phone, internet, radio, or television knows,  William and Kate got married last week.  I seriously must have something emotionally wrong with me for how much crying I did when I watched the Lifetime movie, saw the pictures, read the stories and watched the wedding footage.  It is a beautiful story, and although I usually do not get wrapped up in celebrity affairs, I hope the best for them!
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Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:08:09 -0700 Clarke House Museum http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/clarke-house-museum http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/clarke-house-museum Last Wednesday I started my new internship at the Clarke House Museum (located at Indiana and 18th Street).  The Clarke House is the oldest house in Chicago, built in 1836 for Henry Clarke and his family, it was one of the few structures to survive the Chicago Fire (1871) because it was outside of the fire zone.
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I learned on my first day that the Clarke house has remained in such excellent condition because it only had three owners prior to becoming a house museum: the Clarke Family (for 36 years), the Crimes Family (69 years) and the St. Paul Church of God in Christ (36 years).  The house was purchased by the city in 1977 and has been a museum since. Before my first day at the Clarke House, I had little to no knowledge of the inner workings of a museum.  Coincidentally, I am also taking a Museum Studies class right now where we have been discussing the purpose of museums.  The definition of a museum is an organization that collects and preserves objects in perpetuity (which essentially means their job is to preserve the objects until the end of time.)  The main project that I am working on with the assistant curator is going through the objects in storage, identifying them, and putting the known information into a database. Becky and I began working with a tea set the other day.  When touching the pieces in any way, we use gloves and the typical rule of handling objects is to be overly extremely careful and cautious at all times.  We spent most of the day photographing the pieces, looking for damage and other imperfections, and searching online and in books for information about the maker. After collecting all the information, Becky wants me to write a blog article to be posted to the Clarke House Museum blog page. (I will announce this exciting work of literature when it is published!) I never thought of myself as a "blogger," in fact I still think that a blog is somewhat of a strange concept, but I also write for Inspired Ideations, the blog at my work, which has recently become very successful (in blogging terms of views, clicks, comments, etc.)  

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Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:47:00 -0800 In Memory of Joseph Vantreese http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/in-memory-of-joseph-vantreese http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/in-memory-of-joseph-vantreese

The world lost an incredible man to cancer this Monday morning.  My uncle Joe was one of the most interesting people that I have ever met, and not only was he a great uncle, but also a person that I truly admired.  Sometimes I dream about using my major (History of Art and Architecture) to follow in his footsteps as a real-estate developer.  It was my hope that someday he would teach me everything he knew about business so that I might carry on with his vision. We found out that Joe had Leukemia the day that we buried my little sister, Marina, a coincidence that was both tragic and heartbreaking.  Marina was taken from the world suddenly in a car accident, but Joe battled for 14 agonizing months.  Although cancer took much from him, what he did not and never will lose is the love and respect of his family and friends, and specifically, that of his only niece (me).

"A photo taken on Joe's birthday of him holding me and my sister Marina, with my brother Harry"

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In the past few weeks, the family realized that the end was near for Joe.  He was in the period of recovery after a stem-cell transplant from my mom when he found out that the cancer was back and there was not much the doctors could do anymore.  During this time, I spoke on the phone with my mom who told me that Joe was the first person to the hospital after I was born and he had loved me as his own daughter since.  I was happy to have the chance to spend a night in the hospital with him this past weekend, a chance to show him how much I loved him and wanted to be there for him, as he had been for me my entire life.

The past few weeks I have thought about memories of my uncle quite often.  Joe came in to my (& my brother's) class when I was in first grade to talk to the class about his profession as an Indie race car driver.  Even after he retired from racing, Joe always made us proud of him - whether it was driving us around in his cool new car, or letting us talk on the phone to his friends, or slipping us a 20$ bill so we could take our grandmother to lunch.  He sometimes invited me over to spend weekends at his house to watch movies and eat ice cream.  One Thanksgiving he gave me a hundred dollar bill for hand washing all of the dishes after dinner.

"Joe talking to my first grade class about being a race car driver"

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As I grew older, Joe became a greater part of my life.  He called to tell me to be strong after my parents had just been divorced, for my 15th birthday hired a limo for me and five of my friends to go to dinner with him, after I graduated he gave me my first job at his office, and when I was going to college, he helped me looked for my first place and gave me a "scholarship" to pay for my first apartment.  He and my aunt Deborah frequently took me to lunch or dinner at nice places in the city - places I never could have afforded on a college student budget.  When I got my grades after every semester, I was most excited to send them to my uncle Joe.

Joe had a very unique personality.  He was confident, funny, and often demanding and impatient.  He was the most generous person that I have ever met, and sometimes, perhaps too much so.  He loved to make jokes (even though they were sometimes a little inappropraite), to argue his beliefs and never be proved wrong, to have good food, and to drive faster than everyone else. He frequently told me to "get on the winning team," (his) when I disagreed with him, but told me that I reminded him of himself.   He was said to have the IQ of a genius and was successful in business, although he admitted to me once that failure in past businesses had taught him this success.  He was the type of person who never made excuses or gave up and fought his cancer all the way until the end.

Losing Joe has been beyond devastating for me.  I feel lost and confused about how I will proceed without his advice and example.  It is a loss that will not be overcome easily, however I know it is not a loss that I will experience alone.  Joe influenced the lives of many people, and as the leader of our family, it will be difficult to move on without him.  I know, however,  that his life will be celebrated and remembered for a very long time.

Fox Valley Developer Vantreese 'lived a full life'

Beacon News: Developer Joe Vantreese Dies

Visitation will be held 3:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Moss Family Funeral Home 209 South Batavia Ave. Batavia, IL. Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Friday, March 11, 2011 at Moss Family Funeral Home. Interment will be in Glen Oak Cemetery in West Chicago, IL.

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Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:25:12 -0800 Facebook Addiction http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/facebook-addiction http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/facebook-addiction I am taking a class right now called "Critical Thinking" and one of the main topics we have been discussing in the past several classes is technology and the effects it has on our lives.  Although I feel that my professor is a little over the top sometimes and most of the readings we are given are completely one sided (against technology), she does make some really good points. Facebook is a technology that I have somehow become addicted to.  its on my phone so I can look at it whenever I want, and sometimes I find myself typing www.face... without even thinking!  So enough is enough!  I am taking a break for one month as of about 7PM last night.  So far, I don't miss it.  I had my roommate change my password so I wouldn't be tempted to try to look.  Although now that I think of it, its scary that the only person who has the password to so much person information that I have collected over the past 6 years is the person who occasionally has screaming matches with me about the proper storage of food (I have no problem putting lids on pots and pans and putting them right into the fridge, Jacob on the other hand, LOVES Tupperware, and feels it should be used whenever possible. ) I dont consider myself to have an addictive personality, but I have become addicted to technology, especially my phone and Facebook.  I wish I could turn off my phone for a month, but at this point, it seems a little unlikely - although I have had it on silent for the past 5 days, but that really doesn't count since I look at it every 15 minutes. They say it takes 21 days to break a habit, and I'm giving it an extra week, so we will see how it goes!

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Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:54:51 -0800 5 Places I love in the Windy City http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/5-places-i-love-in-the-windy-city http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/5-places-i-love-in-the-windy-city 1.  My favorite sandwich shop in Chicago is Cafecito (at Congress Pkwy and Wabash).  I have been frequenting this sandwich shop since last January and I would (&do) personally recommend it to everyone I know.  The owner, Philip and I have been close since the first time I went in there and he introduced himself to me and the friend who brought me there.  When I went back, alone a week later I was shocked and impressed that not only did he recognize me but remembered my name.  We have been friends ever since. The atmosphere of Cafecito is as sexy as a sandwich shop could be, with couches and small tables that create an intimate setting for conversation, or if you go alone, to read a book and enjoy the delicious food. When I go, I always order the same thing: an iced Chai tea latte (which has a much more distinct flavor than Starbucks) and the Pavo sandwich - which is turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado-mayo.  Despite this being my personal preference, I hear the "Cubano" is excellent, after all it is rated the #1 Cuban sandwich in Chicago.  Just in case you don't want to take my word for it, stop my Cafecit around 1PM on the weekdays and check out the line that is out the door! 2. My favorite Italian place in Chicago is definitely Sopranos, located at 2901 North Sheffield (Sheffield and George).  Sopranos has a very relaxing environment and a good selection of food and wine.  The bread that is brought to your table as soon as you sit down is the first sign that dinner is going to be delicious (the bread has tomato sauce rubbed on top and is served with garlic butter). My favorite thing to order is the Cavatelli al Forno.  I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys to eat. 3.  The Thorne Miniature Rooms on the lowest level of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of my favorite sections of the Art Institute.  The miniature are decorated in a historically accurate style for the settings that they are depicting and are constructed in a scale of 1 inch in the miniature room = 1 foot in reality.  The rooms are fascinating to look at, especially knowing that they were created all by hand with period accurate materials.  i have included some borrowed photos from Google, to convince you to go have a look for yourself: [caption id="attachment_260" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="1770 English Dining room"]
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[/caption] [caption id="attachment_261" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="1800 Shaker Living room"]
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[/caption] The Art Institute is filled with wonderful collections, i also enjoy the furniture they have on display.  I would suggest a cup of coffee or two before if you intend to see it ALL in one day, because the museum is enormous, especially since the Modern Wing was added on.  The museum is free on Thursdays after 5PM (open until 8PM) as of now, but its best to check their website before making a trip because regular admission is $18. 4.  Another museum that I enjoy to visit (occasionally) in Chicago is the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), although I usually leave in a very disagreeable mood because I can't figure out why some of the things hanging on the walls in there ever made their way into a museum.  However, the MCA is worth visiting, just for the view of the lake visible from the top floor.  I would suggest visiting on a Tuesday, since admission is free all year round on Tuesdays.
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5. The Field Museum is one of the most interesting museums to visit in Chicago because there is something for everyone.  Named after one of its first major benefactors, Marshall Field, the field museums is primarily designated for the study of natural sciences.  My favorite exhibitions are "The Evolving Planet," (Dinosaurs!) and "Inside Ancient Egypt" (Mummies). And on the topic of mummies, I recently watched a show on Planet Green about the discovery of the mummy of Queen Hatshepsut, the female pharaoh who was not only one of Egypt's greatest builders, but also responsible for establishing the precedent of burial chambers being dug into the Valley of Kings.  Here is a short clip about the discovery. The Field Museum is free on the following dates for 2011: March: 14th; April: 11th; May: 9th; June: 7th, 13th; July: 11th; August: 8th, 29th, 31st; September: 1st, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 20th, 21st, 27th, 29th; October: 3rd, 5th, 6th, 10th, 24th, 25th ; November: 2nd, 7th, 14th, 21st; December: 1st, 5th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 13th, 20th, 22nd.

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Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:28:27 -0800 February 14th http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/february-14th http://sweetlydoingnothing.posterous.com/february-14th Anyone who knows me well is aware of my disdain for Valentines Day.  In the weeks before I find myself crying over touching Hallmark commercials, and wondering if someone is going to send flowers (preferably tulips) to my office this year.  But then I remember my Valentines past and the disappointment and humiliation that I have always felt.  Last year I spent as much of the day in bed as possible with my phone turned off, waiting for the 15th when all the madness would be over so we could all forget about love and sweethearts and flowers until next year.
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Today I was surprised to read this article about alternate ways to celebrate Valentines day, and no you don't have to be a pessimist like me or even single to participate: 16 Charitable Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day. The world is filled with sad people who feel forgotten and unloved on every day of the year, not just February 14th.  This Valentines day, feel free to be nice to someone who isn't your love interest.  I personally am going to spend less time focusing on who loves me enough to send flowers, chocolates, or cards and more what I can do to show love not just to family & friends but also to the strangers I come in contact with.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1635961/me21.jpg http://posterous.com/users/cQczTF0uxH1vc Maryjane sweetlydoingnothing Maryjane