I have a lot to say and you're going to read it.

So it’s been a while. You COULD blame me but then I’d punch you in the gut. P.S. this is a long one.

So much has happened like the following: traveling across the world and realizing that I HATE flying I hate being in an airplane for more than 4 hours. If I am in a plane for over 4 hours my body starts to attack itself and my innards begin to implode. It’s like this weird gassy, bloating feeling where you don’t want to do anything except lay down horizontally but you can’t because you’re in fucking coach. Needless to say I have only ever flown better than coach once in my life. Business class convinced me that I should make money so I can always be in business class. Oh well.

But yes okay we went to Italy. And by we I mean me, matt, my brother, my mom and dad. So a family vacation, even though we are all over the age of 23. First we were in Rome, which was a delight. That city has way too many things to see so we had this tour by Eden Walks, I highly recommend it. All their guides are native speakers of English, which was greatly appreciated. After Rome and it’s many, many marvelous things. We went to stay in Tuscany in this freezing but absolutely adorable farmhouse that was apart of a greater hotel/resort sort of complex. From the farmhouse we were able to bus it to Florence, which as always just like POW, BAM! It’s a Batman fight sequence, only you are the bad guy and art is the caped crusader. Matt, my mom and I even climbed the Duomo, to the top, which I think matt best described at the “worst thing I have ever done in my life, but pretty awesome.” Then the next day we went to Pisa, to that outrageous leaning tower. And we got to climb up that too. It was very odd though…. climbing stairs in a building that is leaning. There are some parts of the stairs that were really easy to climb and then it get really, really hard. But the whole family made it to the top for some great views and good pictures. Then after all that we went back to Rome to catch a plane all together back to NYC to then connect to flights to our homes. But sometime between paying for water bottles and these things called pocket coffees, I managed to lose my wallet. Or someone stole it. But they didn’t know that all I had in there was 5 USD and 2 euros, two bank cards that they couldn’t possibly use, and a drivers license that would means nothing to them. Fucking idiots. More probable is that I left it on the counter or it dropped out of my pocket. But besides the wallet thing on the VERY last day, it was a great trip. Traveling with my family is rough at times but when everybody is in awe of a Michelangelo or watching fire we started in the kitchen the rough parts aren’t that important. We were there for a week and like I said it was great. But you know what the best part of vacation? Getting home. Being able to hear, read and understand English (and it’s everywhere!). Buy a hot dog. Cover food with cheese. Take public transportation and knowing what the fuck you’re doing. These are the things that life is worth living for.

We flew back on Thanksgiving. One of the best made up American holidays. It doesn’t take too much to celebrate it and I feel like other countries really should pick this one up if they haven’t already. Here are the steps: 1) eat food, a lot of it. Mostly just comfort foods, things with a lot of starch and fat, and that magical chemical that makes you sleepy. 2) Be around people that you love and hate. 3) have a professional sporting event on. 4) make way too much of step 1.

Even though I missed thanksgiving this year I still had a miniature one with Matt and Jami and Sarah. It was really cute and I really enjoyed it.

Then it was my birthday on December 2nd. It really wasn’t a big deal, which was nice. I mean I didn’t really have any plans to do anything. Emily came into town and we perused the downtown Christmas decorations. It was cold but not too bad and just darling. There was one tree in front of the Hancock building that I wanted to steal because it was so beautiful, it was how every Christmas tree should be, so saturated with lights that you forget it once was a living thing. Then later for dinner, we all went to Kuma’s Corner. It was a pretty alright night. Matt got me the box set of “home movies” which I love. My parents got me 3 things. My mom got me this cute trench coat that is from Michael Kors, tre chic. She also got me a child’s video game called “Little Pet Shop,” which she got for me because when I was younger I was an avid fan of the toy line. Recently they revamped it and it’s pretty different now, all the eyes are big and doe-y, all their heads are grossly out of proportion. You know the style was “girl” toys have taken these days (which really makes no sense to me, I mean I know Barbie is classically very out of proportion but this is getting ridiculous). And my dad got me a monopod. “a monopod?” you ask. Yes a monopod. Not quite a tripod and not quite a cane but you put your camera on it for some stabilization though not quite enough to completely remove some amount of movement. If I can’t use it for it’s real purpose I can still really beat down someone with it, so that’s comforting.

Other comforting thoughts, I already got my new debit cards and my new drivers license and I ordered my new speedy cta Chicago card. All I really have to replace now is my library card, which is going to cost ONE dollar. I guess I can live with that. Also I ordered winter boots from some brand up in Canada. One of the huge selling points is that the boots were “salt and calcium resilient” and they have a zipper up the side. It snowed here in Chicago. Just like 2 inches but it was lovely and not too evil. Matt and I bought our first Christmas tree together. And I decorated it the best I could and I think it’s the cutest thing to ever be put on our living room floor (in your face, duck rug). My engagement ring is done and I can go pick it up from the post office today. I’m very excited to have it on my finger. And it’s going to be all shiny and beautiful. Pictures of course will be on Facebook.

Oh! Last Friday I got to see Stella live at the Vic Theater. They were so good and it made me so happy to see them. My favorite part is when they crack up over each other’s goofs. Oh Michael, Michael and David! Least favorite part of that night, record breaking lows, like 8 degrees Fahrenheit- are you kidding? And I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse.