That's just the way the cookie crumbles.

In almost any situation, planning early and devising a plan is the way to properly execute something, however, this morning it wasn't.  In this case, I am working on a photo project for my Color Photo class where I need to shoot pictures at a specific time due to various reasons. So this morning, on my day off, I woke up at 6:30 AM to take said photos.  Unfortunately for me nothing went right.  It was unusually dark and thus rainy, plus none of my subjects were out and about.  And the icing on the cake is that I think I creeped out my downstairs downstairs neighbor because I kept running into him while trying to do this project. 

Besides photo chaos I am finally not sick.  I've spent the last four weeks with the sniffles, coughing like crazy, and some tough breathing but with a little codeine cough syrup and some antibiotics I am ship shape again.  Like my mother, I love modern medicine.  Anyhoo, school is busy per usual, Chicago is getting colder and wetter, and Halloween is next weekend. I am still not sure what I am dressing up as but I am thinking Rizzo from Grease. She's way more fun than Sandy plus the outfit is easy (insert joke here).  

The last time I blogged was a while ago and I am not obviously known for blogging a lot. Its just not my outlet I guess.  However, my friend Eric told me I need to blog harder.  So here's to me trying to blog more, take more photos, and maybe be more specific about things I am doing. But for now, here's my lame photo update.  Haven't shot digital stuff for a bit plus the scanner is hating life and won't work so expect more next time.  I actually have a blog idea for the near future but the scanner needs to stop acting up.  

Casey visited so Lina put on her sailor outfit.

Bradley right after he puked.

Camouflage dogs.

I voted early.  My first time voting in the Presidential election. Last time I missed it by a month. I am still registered to vote in Kansas City, which in this election is good.  Maybe, just maybe, with my little vote Missouri will be a blue state this year. Knock on wood.

Lina pre-haircut. Look how fat she looks.

Post haircut. I think she looks like Babe Ruth or a panda bear.

My nose is a runnin'

Long time no blog.  Lots of things have been going on and are in the works for the near future.  I had my last day at Feast on Monday.  It was oddly sad when people came up and gave me hugs and said how great it was to work with me.  Who knew the end of my hostessing career would be something that would make people say they'd miss me.  Anyhoo, in place of a job I am now volunteering at Inspiration Corporation in Uptown.  I am helping cook food and do other odd jobs.  Hopefully though I'll get more involved soon with their newsletter or some such thing.  Also this week I've been blessed with a lovely head cold.  Blowing my nose all through Rhetorical Criticism today wasn't embarrassing at all.  

In exciting and relieving news I've turned in my graduation application AND I finally got around to declaring my photography minor.  Long story short, I was cutting it so close that I didn't think they would let me do it but a'las that Communications major has paid off and I talked (tricked) them into letting me turn in my minor.  So now a big weight is off my shoulders and now I can take care of business.  

This next week thought is exciting.  I am going to KC tomorrow for Fall break. I've got some doctors appointments to take care of and some major lounging with Murphy to do.  After some hopefully relaxing days in KC another Casey with be in my life.  The lovely Casey Cusick is returning to the Windy City and I expect nothing less than a top notch visit from her.  But enough of this writing.  Here is a large photo update on things dating back to the summer.  

Once upon a time it was summer and Kelly and I hung out at Pontiac.  Its been getting down to the 40's and 50's lately and it definitely feels like summer is gone.  Bring on fall layers.

Look closely at this picture.

I'll help you out a little.  This gem of a human being was walking down Damen.  Imagine trying to enjoy a meal after seeing that much skin.

The Bowman family does the bean.  It was bound to happen.

Redbull Fluvog. The most boring thing I've ever been to. I should have booed. 

Photo shoot set up. The pictures ended up sucking a lot. Go figure. 

Lina helped.  Actually she was probably busy pooping underneath my bed.  

Lina and her baby sleeping while she's wearing her sailor outfit. 

Dan and I went to the Hideout Blockparty.  We went late but made it to see Ratatat which was pretty good.  Although I would have liked it better if they had played in an inclosed space.  The sound just escaped and took away from the atmosphere.  

Dan.  He took me to see the Chicago Fire play the LA Galaxy.  The Chicago Fire won and beat Beckham. 

This was the best I could do with Beckham shots.  He was amazing looking per usual.

DJ Dan playing nothing but the finest. Including 50 cent. Just kidding, he's better than that. He played that as a joke yet I am still concerned that he owns in on vinyl. 

In need of a break

This is my fourth week of school? I am thinking it is, but however many days and minutes and seconds I've been back in school, it feels like a lifetime.  They've got me running around and reading and getting up earlier than I feel comfortable doing.  Man, who do they think they are? Just kidding, but really, I am tired.  

The video business is done and over, or at least my part.  My part involved lots of running around and doing silly things like picking up alligator heads and food and models and whatever else we needed.  It was hot the first day, then cold the next, and then the generator broke.  We had to add an extra day, which was probably for the best in the long run.  So now that the video is done, and I've quite my job (two more weeks!) I know I am still going to be busy.  Did summer or the last eight months of my life even happen? It feels like a dream.

Lina is getting bigger yet peeing on carpets and what not as if we just picked her up.  She has however stopped screaming/crying as much which is a major advancement.  Bradley pays attention to her more but still chooses his long dog naps during the day as opposed to letting Lina bite his ears with her puppy teeth.  

As the days wear on, Chicago is starting to feel like Chicago again.  The winds have shifted and layers are being added to my daily wardrobe.  Soon enough I am going to have to riffle through my storage room and find all my winter clothes.  I suppose everything else in my life is coming up roses. If only I could figure out how to add more hours into a day.

Puppy Land: Land o' Pee Puddles

The new puppy has arrived.  Lina is a little fluff ball who has many talents such as screaming, peeing from excitement, eating Bradley's toys, and a never ending supply of energy.  Aside from the screaming (which I didn't know dogs could do) and the pee, she's an adorably amazing little pooch.  I should note that Lina is named after Angelina and thus we have Brangelina. Bradley is so enthused, ha.

Besides puppy time, school has started again. I am just finishing my first week and I've already had a quiz, a paper due next wednesday, and two project drafts due next week. For those of you who think college is easy, then maybe you want to take my place. In addition to the whole school business, the video shoot is coming along slowly but surely.  Lack of sleep, school, new puppy problems, and the million things that need to get done for the shoot make for zombie Sarah. Luckily though, I haven't gotten back into drinking too much coffee or red bull, so far I am good on my black tea and fruit. We'll see how long that lasts.

Mom and Dad came into town last weekend.  We went to the Chicago History Museum, which was something I had wanted to do all summer.  They have a life sized Chicago dog and lots of other neat treasures.  

Moms.

Bikes!

Siblings.  Where's the finger Reas?

He's going to kill me later.

Bradleys!

Lina!

6 AM, getting ready for school.

time lapse

So, its not like my life has been terribly busy but its either been really exciting and fun or I've been really tired and napping, so that's basically why I haven't updated this business. My friends are fun, Bradley is still cute, summer is awesome, and the bike is treating me well.  Last week was Lollapalooza which I like to pretend doesn't happen (sorry to those who like it). Anyhoo, as my friends and I were avoiding the downtown frenzy we went to Rainbo.  Its a bit of a hipster haven so I guess we shouldn't have been surprised to run into Jack White there, but as an added bonus Ed Westwick from Gossip Girl was there (he's also in a band).  Basically Jack White pretends like he knows my friends and I and then bought us drinks and hung out.  It was pretty exciting if you ask me. 

In other interesting news I am working on Evan and Antoine's new music video with Joe and Shayssa and a bunch of other kids.  Not that I know a thing about music videos but I am responsible (more so than a lot of kids my age) so I am production manager and my job is to make sure we're on schedule and yell at people and stuff.  The job is perfect if you ask me.  I am Ari Gold, ha.  We shoot the video the last weekend of August and it should be pretty crazy/interesting/fun.  I'll be sure to take pictures of the shoot and post them. But anyhoo, here are a few pictures of pretty much nothing. Just some things I've shot that I like. 

Chicago looking over the highway. Favorite bike ride. 

Chicago had a hurricane the other day, it was either that or a sign of the Apocalypse.  Diana, Bradley and I hung out in the stairwell after the tornado sirens went off and then went back inside when we heard that the roof door was open and people yelling.

Work, I've seen some interesting things from this window.

Das...

Its been quite a few days since I've updated which is quite all right with me. A lot has happened in that amount of time but the best has been my vacation to Grand Lake, CO. Upon thinking of all the time I've spent there, I've deduced that its almost like a second home considering I've spent most of the summers of my young life there.  Its been about four years since I've been there so this visit was much needed.  Most of my family (all 9 or so of us) met in G.L. for perfect weather. The high points were: relaxing, catching a day of M sailboat races, watching the adults act like 20 year olds (now I know where I get my party/fun gene from), rock candy, walking to town, my new boots, and consistent cocktail cruises around the lake every evening. For better or for worse, there really is no place like G.L. 

Other than my little getaway I've been taking advantage of these few summer months that I have left.  Working at Feast isn't the most rewarding place to work but I've come to enjoy it.  Hopefully this time next year I will have connected at least a few dots in my head about what I want to do, and maybe be in a different city? Who knows. I am about to go see the new Batman which I can't wait for and I saw Mamma Mia! the other night in Denver.  Let's just say I have ABBA stuck in my head to the point that I've downloaded their greatest hits. I think I spent too long in europe.  So since I can't remember all that's happened in the last two weeks, here's a photo recap.  

Reas and I gave Bradley a bath.  He looks like a drowned rat but we love him anyway.

I like this dog more than I do most people.  He's a jerk but look how cute he is. 

Kenton and I enjoyed the holiday that is 7-11.  Free slurpies at most 7-11's is a glorious thing.  

Laura and Susie and Sparks. This is a pretty normal situation. 

So I went to this moped rally party, which was aptly called the "bro-b-q". While the joke was that they were making fun of bro's, the real joke was that they are real bro's.  This picture sums up that night.  I think I was pouring beer on them from the roof, but after them yelling "bro's first!" and preventing us from getting a beer I think they deserved it.  

Reas and Diana drove me from Denver to G.L. in this convertable. I liked the drive through the mountains but it got a little shakey when we were driving up and up with no guard rail and a foot between us and the edge of the cliff.

Mom likes kayaking.

Reas, Diana, and I stayed in the boat house.  It was perfect and this is the living room set up. Check out that leopard print foot rest. 

The old house.  

The yacht club. Its like 100+ years old. 

Guys picture. 

There was a full moon while we were there.  I wish this picture was better but it was too dark to do much.  G.L. is at an elevation of about 8,000 feet so the sky is impecably clear. 

This is Reas' signature pose.  I think you could look at any family picture from when he was 10 or 12 and he'd be pulling the same move.