Things that make me go :D

So I picked my tote bag up to put my books back into it as my meeting with my Independent Study professor was coming to a close, and she interrupted me to ask, "What does that bag say? 'I'm not stuck up...'" "Oh," I said, lifting the bag up somewhat hesitantly. This 30-something black female scholar was either going to give me a rant about how stuff like this divides the community, or she was going to love it. And...she got about halfway through before she started to CRACK THE FUCK UP. Like she had to calm herself down so that she could continue reading and then she got to the end and was in hysterics all over again. And then she noticed that it has, in very small font, blacksnob.com, so she starts typing. And she instantly goes to the store and sees they have LOTS of bags and starts reading some of the other ones and laughing and laughing. So I tell her she should check out the blog too, and then I mention that I read almost 140 blogs and if she likes this she might like BougieLand, and when she checked that out she said "Girl, where do you find this stuff?! You're gonna get me addicted." We were just laughing and laughing and I told her I was glad I could provide entertainment and that I would see her next week. 


It makes me feel REALLY GOOD to be entertained by the same things that entertain her. I feel all sophisticated and like my tastes are mature and shit. [Oh, she also is evidently comfortable enough with me that she said she'd write my Mellon Mays dean a letter confirming that I'd read "a shit-ton of books". :D] This little moment we had, it provided a little bit of validation that the career track I'm planning on is for me, like I know I'll fit in. Because in that moment we felt like peers, rather than professor and student; almost like under different circumstances we could be friends. In that moment I imagined her on the trip she'd just taken to Florida with her girlfriends from college who are also academics, and I just craved that lifestyle. It also sort of reminded me of being in Chicago, where my closest friends were all real adults with real jobs and real lives. Also, I think she likes me, and that means I'm going to make sure I keep in touch even after we aren't working together anymore, because it's always good to have established members of the academic community in your court.  

Chicago Bucket List

So I'd been here two weeks and I hadn't gone out to explore the city since my second day when I went with my roommate and her boyfriend to Navy Pier. Unbeknownst to me at the time, my roommate had gone home for the weekend and I had the apartment all to myself on Saturday...which translated into I didn't see another human being for over 24 hours. 

I got to feeling pretty lonely--go figure--and after a great but unexpected pep talk from a friend who's probably going to become a lot closer, I decided to make a Chicago Bucket List: a great big list of awesome shit I want to do while I'm here. I'm determined to do all of it. And I've already basically wasted 20% of my time here, so it's time to kick it into high-gear.

I need to stop being a little bitch about doing things by myself; I'm not going to have much fun if I sit around waiting for someone else to want to have fun with me. New motto: make every day an adventure! 

Here's my list. I'll probably add to it from time to time, and I'll be sure to come back and cross things off as they get accomplished. Feel free to comment and suggest other awesome Chicago things to do!

Chicago Bucket List

1.        Write a poem in the Lincoln Park Conservatory

2.      Go to the Lincoln Park Zoo

3.      Go to the DuSable Museum (free July 3)

4.      Visit the Art Institute (free Thurs. 5-8pm)

5.      Eat deep dish pizza

6.      Sears Tower

7.       Take pictures in the Hot Air Balloon at Navy Peir

8.      “Beach”

9.      Record the Buckingham Fountain Show

10.    Swimming at a pool

11.      Water playground

12.    Attend BGLH meetup June 26

13.    Go to a natural hair salon

14.     Adler planetarium

15.    Shedd Aquarium

16.     Field Museum

17.     Museum of Contemporary Art (Free Tuesdays til 8pm)

18.    Museum of Contemporary Photography (free daily, Thurs til 8pm)

19.    Picnic in Millennium Park

20.  Take cool reflection pictures at the Bean

21.    Eat dinner at at least one soul food restaurant

22.  Take a free dance class

23.  Take a free yoga class

24.  Make a midnight donut run

25.  See at least one concert