Chugging along
I always get a little sad after Labor Day; the "unofficial" end of summer means nothing really, but I still get a sense that "fun" time is over. Which is weird, because I actually like autumn more than summer.
Last week things were picking up at work (as if they weren't busy enough) and I foresee being a little slammed all the way into next year. While that's good, it's also a little depressing.
Racing for a beer.
Last week I participated in the legal 5K, Race Judicata. Ever since my skydiving accident three years ago, I can't run more than short distances (a few hundred meters) before my leg and foot basically tell me "stop this." So I walked it. Since I walked it, I was able to have three or four complimentary beers and a few glasses of complimentary wine. Legal 5ks are the best 5ks because the alcohol is free.
Old co-workers
For many years, I worked at a small start-up law firm. Unfortunately, things took a downturn there after the big recession in 2008-09, and eventually I moved on. I still keep in touch with the people there (both those that remain and those that left). It was a special time in my life, and I don't know if I'll ever work at a place where my professional/personal life intermingled so deeply. In January 2013, some tough choices were made and a lot of people were let go; after I went hourly I stayed on for a bit and eventually left that summer. Despite the difficult last six months, I remember how great things were the first eight years.
So, every now and then we have little reunions. Last week I met up with my old boss Ted, fellow attorney John, and our colleague Jean. We all brought our boyfriends/spouses to a little local bar with great food and a live New Orleans style jazz band. It was just a fun evening catching up.
Watching the Steelers/Pats game
For six or seven years, I have hosted my friend Gene (the exuberant guy with his tongue out) when he comes to Chicago. He lives in Michigan, but has a job with a downtown Chicago law firm. Anwhere from once or twice a week to once or twice a month he comes to Chicago for work, which is a 2.5 hour commute each way. So, when he has to overnight in Chicago, he's been staying with me. Gene finally accepted a job back in his home town so he won't be coming to Chicago on a regular basis. We went out for dinner with a large group last Thusrday. The ginger to his right is our mutual friend Gabe, who was randomly also in Chicago that night and also ended up crashing in our other guest room bed. Fun times.
Riot Fest.
Over the weekend was the music festival, Riot Fest. John and I went Friday after work and listened to a few good bands. Saturday morning we hosted a brunch for a group, and then the bunch in the photo above went to the festival grounds. Unfortunately, I got a tooth infection that actually ended up going all the way down to the bone. After being at the festival for about half an hour, the pain was so bad, I ended up not being able to speak for two 30-minute periods. I left, went to the ER across the street, decided as I walked in that I should instead go to urgent care, got an antibiotic and some pain meds. I got home and basically did nothing the rest of Saturday.
I got an appointment for an emergency dentist on Sunday morning, who grinded down the crown which had shifted; she wasn't sure if the crown needed to be replaced but suggested I see my regular dentist. I stayed home that day, which was a good idea, since I had several more waves of pretty bad pain that would have been really annoying if I had gone to the festival.
And here's just a photo of John at Riot Fest looking all hipster!
I did make it to my regular dentist on Monday. He agreed that we should wait; if the infection goes away now that my crown has been drummeled down a bit and "reset" there's no need to do anything. If the infection remains, its going to be either a new crown ($1000) or at this point possibly a tooth implant ($2500). I've had the crown for almost two decades so while the sticker shock is annoying, I'm glad it was relatively problem-free until recently.
Last week things were picking up at work (as if they weren't busy enough) and I foresee being a little slammed all the way into next year. While that's good, it's also a little depressing.
Racing for a beer.
Last week I participated in the legal 5K, Race Judicata. Ever since my skydiving accident three years ago, I can't run more than short distances (a few hundred meters) before my leg and foot basically tell me "stop this." So I walked it. Since I walked it, I was able to have three or four complimentary beers and a few glasses of complimentary wine. Legal 5ks are the best 5ks because the alcohol is free.
Old co-workers
For many years, I worked at a small start-up law firm. Unfortunately, things took a downturn there after the big recession in 2008-09, and eventually I moved on. I still keep in touch with the people there (both those that remain and those that left). It was a special time in my life, and I don't know if I'll ever work at a place where my professional/personal life intermingled so deeply. In January 2013, some tough choices were made and a lot of people were let go; after I went hourly I stayed on for a bit and eventually left that summer. Despite the difficult last six months, I remember how great things were the first eight years.
So, every now and then we have little reunions. Last week I met up with my old boss Ted, fellow attorney John, and our colleague Jean. We all brought our boyfriends/spouses to a little local bar with great food and a live New Orleans style jazz band. It was just a fun evening catching up.
Watching the Steelers/Pats game
For six or seven years, I have hosted my friend Gene (the exuberant guy with his tongue out) when he comes to Chicago. He lives in Michigan, but has a job with a downtown Chicago law firm. Anwhere from once or twice a week to once or twice a month he comes to Chicago for work, which is a 2.5 hour commute each way. So, when he has to overnight in Chicago, he's been staying with me. Gene finally accepted a job back in his home town so he won't be coming to Chicago on a regular basis. We went out for dinner with a large group last Thusrday. The ginger to his right is our mutual friend Gabe, who was randomly also in Chicago that night and also ended up crashing in our other guest room bed. Fun times.
Riot Fest.
Over the weekend was the music festival, Riot Fest. John and I went Friday after work and listened to a few good bands. Saturday morning we hosted a brunch for a group, and then the bunch in the photo above went to the festival grounds. Unfortunately, I got a tooth infection that actually ended up going all the way down to the bone. After being at the festival for about half an hour, the pain was so bad, I ended up not being able to speak for two 30-minute periods. I left, went to the ER across the street, decided as I walked in that I should instead go to urgent care, got an antibiotic and some pain meds. I got home and basically did nothing the rest of Saturday.
I got an appointment for an emergency dentist on Sunday morning, who grinded down the crown which had shifted; she wasn't sure if the crown needed to be replaced but suggested I see my regular dentist. I stayed home that day, which was a good idea, since I had several more waves of pretty bad pain that would have been really annoying if I had gone to the festival.
And here's just a photo of John at Riot Fest looking all hipster!
I did make it to my regular dentist on Monday. He agreed that we should wait; if the infection goes away now that my crown has been drummeled down a bit and "reset" there's no need to do anything. If the infection remains, its going to be either a new crown ($1000) or at this point possibly a tooth implant ($2500). I've had the crown for almost two decades so while the sticker shock is annoying, I'm glad it was relatively problem-free until recently.