Sunday, December 28, 2008


I have been part of various improv groups in Champaign and Chicago since 1998. It has been a major influence on my confidence, my personality, my interpersonal skills, and above all, I have befriended many amazing people I otherwise never would have known.

Last week I made the difficult decision to quit improvising. Something had to give, and this was it. I'm not sure if I'll ever set foot on stage at iO again, so thanks to deBono, Swiss Family Robots, Smarthorse, The Moustache, Solid State, Concept Album, Toast, and The Diplomat Motel, for all the hilarious callbacks, belabored sweep edits, awkward openings, weird initiations, and most of all, the laughs.
And...scene.

Saturday, December 27, 2008


For a small town, Arcola has a lot going. Arcola, the Broomcorn Capital of the World, is home to the Hippie Memorial, the Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum, and the World Famous Lawn Rangers, who were chosen to march in the Inauguration Parade in a few weeks.

Friday, December 26, 2008


Julie's family likes to wrap up household things and give them as gifts. I was the happy recipient of this Christmas decoration, which I promptly hung back on the wall from whence it came.

Thursday, December 25, 2008


Chicago is such a wonderful place in the summer, and an infinitely frustrating place to live during the winter. It would have taken multiple pickaxes and a jackhammer to free Julie's car for our trip to Arcola, so we had to leave it and pray for a thaw.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008


Christmas Eve at Aunt Darla's. Appetizers, poker, and a dog that could easily kill all of us if she wasn't such a sweetheart.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008


These back porch icicles are just waiting to murder me.

Monday, December 22, 2008

2 degrees, -13 windchill = coldest Bears home game ever.

Sunday, December 21, 2008


We went to the Anvil Club in Dundee to celebrate Coach's birthday and his recent Ph.D. For years I have been hearing how amazing the lobster bisque is. Indeed, delicious.

Saturday, December 20, 2008


Somehow today was the only day that both sides of the family could get together for the holidays. It was a good double Christmas, especially for my mother, who was fortunate enough to get the ShamWow during the white elephant.

Friday, December 19, 2008


Tonight me and the dudes went to DeLaCosta for our annual Holiday Meatscursion. We usually go to Fogo de Chao, but decided on a new location this year.

Trupe: I love Fogo, but after eating 90 lbs of beef I sort of hate looking at your stupid faces and want to sleep for 11 days.

Martin gave me 30 Rock Season 2 for our gift exchange. I drew Jeff, a difficult person for whom to buy a present. I got him a square foot of land in Lochaber, Scotland; now he can officially call himself a Lord.

Thursday, December 18, 2008


On really cold/rainy days, I cut through the Medical School to stay warm/dry on my way to the College of Nursing. I know they can't tell I'm not one of them, but sometimes I fear that a medical student is going to look at me and start screeching like a Bodysnatcher.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008


I've been sitting on a Pompei gift certificate for a while, so me and some of the other Graduate Assistants went out for lunch. I am really lucky to have gotten this job, as I work with wonderful people, it reduces the debt I am quickly incurring, and it allows me to feel like a productive human being a few days a week.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008


Bowling with OAP. It took 2 hours of snowy driving to get to Diversey River Bowl, something that should only take 30 minutes, but it was worth it.

Monday, December 15, 2008

A little Christmas shopping in Lincoln Square.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Sara threw a surprise party for Liz Friday night. We all did a really good job not talking about nursing.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

I stopped by the Northtown Holiday Party last night to see my teacher friends.

Julie: You're not a teacher anymore. When are they going to stop inviting you to their functions?
Me: Never. I'm awesome.

Friday, December 12, 2008


A couple groups of high school kids came in today to learn about careers in nursing. They worked on reading blood pressure, listening to heart and breath sounds, and even drew "blood" from the manikins. Not that I regret my career path, but I wish I would have recognized nursing as an option when I was in high school.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

The long-awaited date with my couch, The Shield: Season 6, Disc 1, Angel: Season 5, Disc 2, three weeks worth of The Office and 30 Rock, and the Chicago Bears v. the New Orleans Saints.

Oh couch, how I have missed you.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

After our last test Monday, a bunch of us went to Small Bar for food and drinks. I stuck around for a little while, but bolted before anybody could make me do a Carbomb, arguably the most delicious and dangerous shot there is.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Pub Quiz at O'Shaughnessy's with Julie and Walt. We finished in third place, and did surprisingly well in the movie lines category.

Monday, December 8, 2008


Goodbye Fall semester and your endless assignments. So long babies, mommies, and crazies. Hello month of doing whatever I want, whenever I want. In moderation, of course.

Sunday, December 7, 2008


This is the cafeteria at the hospital. The Chinese food is terrible, the salads are pretty good, and at 45 cents an ounce, the fried food bar is totally dangerous.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Poker night/Troy's birthday.

Friday, December 5, 2008


The last day of pediatric nursing. When people ask me which rotation I liked most, I truthfully tell them that I have liked them all equally. I guess this speaks to my adaptability and overall positive attitude, but makes the idea of choosing a practice setting difficult. Or really easy.

I am spending my last semester in the ER, which is going to be awesome, maybe.

Thursday, December 4, 2008


Laura used her artistic abilities to bring some holiday cheer to the unit.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008


I met Julie at the Christkindlmarket to kill time before having dinner with her family. I would have loved to buy cuckoo clocks and wooden dragons for all of my friends and family, but I have a pretty tight Christmas budget this year. I did, however, splurge on a cone of delicious cinnamon-sugar almonds and a weird pork sandwich.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008


Last minute cramming before the Mental Health final. Angie's magic notecards always give me a couple nuggets that I end up using on the test.

Monday, December 1, 2008


I spent the day in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology clinic. The 3 year old I took care of in my first week of the Peds rotation came in to get his blood drawn. I could tell he remembered me, but he was very shy. I'm sure a few more minutes and he would have been calling me Farty Matt and throwing pencils at me, just like old times.