Author: Lara

It’s November.

I’ll give you a second to wrap your brain around that.

….

Insane, right?

In celebration of the what is possibly my second most favorite month of the year, because you simply cannot deny the fabulosity that is the blustery cold autumn-to-winter transition air, pie, flannel or Thanksgiving, I present you with a true November treat:

I’m always up for trying new things. This, surprisingly, wasn’t too bad! I was a little uncertain upon first whiff, but it tastes just like root beer with a smidge of pumpkin pie spice added. Nice for a fall evening at home, curled up under a blanket with a candle burning and a good book close by. Mellow and subtle. Give it a try if you’re feeling festive.

In other November news, I think it might officially be time to break out the gloves, coat and other winter gear. I wore an adorable brown cable-knit sweater skirt with bright red tights and brown boots to work today…and it just didn’t cut it. I was cold walking across that bridge in the wind, gloom, and bone-chilling mist. Adorable but impractical. Looks like I’m in for a long winter of fleece-lined tights, hats, mittens and pea coats. I’ll get used to it….eventually. But, in the meanwhile, I repeat my plea: SEND ME WARM CLOTHES.

Also, I think my wisdom teeth are going to find themselves homeless soon. I’m super bummed about this. I honestly thought I was going to skate through life, right around the braces and root canals and cavities and tonsils and appendix and wisdom teeth….somehow managing to avoid it all, as I have so far. I think my luck is running out. Two nights ago, just before heading onstage for a post-show talkback I suddenly noticed, “Huh, my jaw feels funny. And what’s with this headache?” Woke up the next morning with the same annoying and bothersome, yet not necessarily painful, symptoms. One quick glance on the WWW was all I needed to confirm Ted’s suspicion that a stiff jaw, headaches, a funkily angled back tooth can only mean one thing. I’m praying the pain holds off for the next busy week-and-a-half full of workshops and talkbacks and matinees and Texas vacays (OH, YES…It’s happening!) before I have to get serious about this. Think good thoughts!

And finally, at the beginning of each November, come the first of the month, everybody starts in on “30 days of thankful.” You know, the “Today I am thankful for turkeys” shindig. At the beginning of last year, as a New Years resolution in fact, I made a commitment to write down five things I was thankful for that day, in a journal, every single night before I went to bed. It’s a simple thing. Takes hardly any time at all. But in ten short months, you’d be amazed by the difference it makes. I take far fewer things for granted. Not a day goes by where I don’t recognize the food on my table, the roof over my head, the job I have, or the people I love as tremendous blessings. And somehow, with just that simple daily act of acknowledgement for the things I do have – my good health, a hug from a friend, a funny conversation, a productive day, a tasty dinner – the things that I would have normally caught myself complaining about a year ago, don’t even enter my radar. I have happier days more consistently. My priorities are clearer. I focus less on myself and more on others. I like to think that the act of recognizing the good things in our life and the things that we appreciate doesn’t need to be limited annually, to 30 days in November. If you feel so inclined, I’d like to encourage you all to start something similar. Five things that day that you are thankful for – that’s all. It takes a pen, a notepad, and two minutes. It can be as small and detailed as “the construction workers didn’t wake me up at 6:15 a.m…..they waited until 7 a.m.” or “my new yellow sweater is cozy and makes me smile” or as large and general as “a happy marriage to a loving, supportive spouse” or “a job that I enjoy going to every morning that provides for me and my family.” There’s always something to be thankful for, no matter how hopeless or impossible your situation seems, and while November is a great time to think about that, carrying the tradition through the year is even sweeter.

Happy November, friends!

So, squirrels are pretty much my favorite non-domestic creature ever.

It should come as no surprise then that I spent a good 10 minutes in the park yesterday afternoon during lunch watching an adorable, bushy-tailed little guy fish a brown paper bag of half-eaten lunch out of the park’s wooden trash bin, carry it over the safety of a large nearby tree surrounded by a fresh pile of autumn leaves, slither his squirmy little self into the bag, re-emerge with a chunk of cheeseburger, and have himself a noontime feast.

It was love at first sight.

At moments like these all I can think is, “Ted is so lucky I cannot catch a squirrel.”

In honor of the little dude who totally brightened my day, I bring you my favorite squirrel accessory necessity:

{via}

I just publicly admitted to wanting a squirrel mug. I have become that person. It’s only a matter of time until I graduate to the recesses of wearing “holiday sweaters.”

At least it’s a rockin’ squirrel mug.

I’m not ninety quite yet.

I gave blood for the first time yesterday.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. And it was uncomfortable. And it did hurt, though I had an excellent phlebotomist who was funny, calming, and took great care of me when, as soon as the needle was removed, I developed a tingling/burning sensation all over my body, and instantly got really overheated and nauseous. He was also dressed as the grim reaper.

No, really.

Last year the theatre was doing Dracula during the annual blood drive (which also happens to be within a week of Halloween and takes place at a theatre, of all perfect places), so the Red Cross folks dressed up as vampires to collect blood. This year in anticipation of Halloween and – it’s a stretch but it kind of works – with our current production of Freud’s Last Session, they came dressed up as grim reapers and the like. I bet they look forward to the blood drive at the theatre every year. I love people with a sense of humor. Nothing cuts the tension or nerves quite like a grim reaper asking you personal health questions.

I told them next year they should dress as mosquitoes.

But 45 minutes of rest, a few cold compresses, and about 8 cookies later, I survived and feel great knowing my blood will hopefully be a lifesaver to somebody in need.

Donate blood. Do it.

PSA complete.

And last night Sandy made landfall. 24 years living in Texas, mere hours from the Gulf….and nothing. Less than 2 months living mere hours from the east coast…and bam! Hurricane.

Alas, Sandy is nothing if not punctual. Just as forecast, the wind and rain started in at promptly 5 p.m on Monday. But between some hot Vietnamese pho for dinner with a friend, apple cider and rum, some sea salt dark chocolate, autumn scented candles, relaxing music, a cozy blanket, and a great book…I was all set for a night in while the storms raged outside.

It could always be worse. You just gotta be thankful it’s not.

:)

1. – 6. These are a few of my favorite eats! YES. It happened. All of it. The gyro and tzatziki pizza from Mac’s, the red dragon roll and veggie fried rice from Hibachi Master, the sweetest, densest and most epic Belgium waffles in existence from Taste of Belgium (courtesy of best friend Allyson who, literally, smothered me in hugs and kisses when I walked in…it was the best thing ever!), unfiltered pomegranate hibiscus ginger ale from the new Jungle Jim’s at Eastgate (a total foodie’s paradise! I could live in their olive bar), garlic rosemary fries from Smashburger, and a fresh pizza and out-of-this-world harvest salad from Dewey’s. It was, indeed, a weekend of magnificent food. Every. Last. Morsel. I’m drooling just thinking about it.

7. & 8. I would like to point out that gas in Cincinnati is $2.99….that would be $1.04 per gallon cheaper than what I’ve been paying. I die. Really. I’m half flabbergasted and half bitter. I can’t even think straight. That’s $14.56 cheaper per tank. I’ll let that soak in while my heart shrinks two sizes – a la Grinch. Also, the Buick hit 160,000 miles somewhere along the 20 hours and 1,200 miles I drove this weekend. In the rain. Thanks, Mother Nature.

9. & 10. Can you even believe that these two pork chops are Gigi and Ace!? They’re enormous! And loveable and hungry and snippy and skeptical and everything crays are supposed to be. I love them.

Weekend = excellent. But then again, any time spent with the one you love, no matter how much or how little, always is. No mugs of us this time around, sorry folks. :/ Apparently it’s obvious where my priorities lie…

I’m counting down the days until this (uh, less the horrific quantity of utterly unhealthy food) is our daily norm again.

Soon.

And until then, there’s always hope.

Taste of Belgium waffles, Smashburger rosemary garlic fries, Dewey’s harvest salad, Mac’s gyro pizza, Pho Lang Thang’s Banh Mi Thit Nuong, and Hibachi Master sushi, fried rice, and ginger seaweed salad….

Happening. Soon.

JOY.

Bring on the thunder thighs!!

1. & 2. – Unwinding beach-side on a chilly Friday afternoon.

3. & 4. – Public market goods; fresh healthy apples and an epic chocolate doughnut…an ideal combination.

5. & 6. – Pumpkin carving party goodness. Love those guts! Have you ever seen such dedication? Stencils, X-Acto knives, measuring implements…

7. & 8. – What’s a pumpkin carving party without a menu full of autumn treats? Pumpkin mac n’ cheese, apples with homemade caramel dip, chicken and beet salad, pumpkin cheesecake brownies, sparkling apple cider pound cake, pumpkin chocolate chip bread, spiced hummus….

9. & 10. – Crockpot apple cider with cinnamon sticks, cloves and oranges (and maybe a shot of spiced rum – if you insist) and the new best way to carve a pumpkin…cookie cutters!

11. & 12. – Jack-o-lantern success! Someone’s front porch is gonna look mighty fine this Halloween! Would you believe that Emelyn and Raymond are first-time-ever pumpkin carvers!? Not too bad for a first try. Every stairwell should be so lucky!

13. & 14. – A little bit of fall; A little bit of winter.

15. & 16. – The fire tree!

17. & 18. – My roomie and I – our after-work run through the park turned into a bit of a fall love-fest. Needless to say, it wasn’t quite as run-centric as we’d planned when we set out.

19. & 20. – Also, we may or may not have borrowed a few branches of leaves from the fire tree to turn into a fall centerpiece for the kitchen table. Do they look out of place in the elevator? No? We didn’t think so either.

21. & 22. – Monday night sushi date with my friend Kristen – seaweed salad, volcano roll, jasmine tea, and great company…perfection!

Over the past seven weeks I have been privy to an outpouring of kindness I can only describe as welcoming, humbling, and heartwarming. Being new to a place is never easy. Being new to many new things and many big changes all at once is never easy. But I think I’ve been very fortunate to have met so many kind people in such a short amount of time, and especially at a time when a little bit of friendliness can really go a long way.

The people I work with have just been, hands down, exceptionally fantastic. A few will, and already have, become good friends. On Saturday morning two sweet friends from work selflessly volunteered to give up their Saturday morning to help me with the notoriously un-fun task of moving…and we knocked the whole shebang out in an hour and fifteen minutes then went for brunch at a local diner to celebrate. I went to a new church Sunday morning, was instantly recognized as someone new by the young adults coordinator and she made a point to find me right away, welcome me warmly, and sit and chat with me for a few minutes. A guy on an elevator in my new skyrise apartment saw me struggling with a heavy basket full of stuff and he asked if he could carry it to my apartment for me. Another woman at a different church downtown has emailed me several times a week just to check in on me, invite me to things, and see if I need anything. Strangers on the street make eye contact and actually say hello. One of my new friends started as a work contact who emailed me one day and invited me to dinner because she knew how hard it must be to be new. Since then she’s been my date to opening night this weekend, we email a few time a week, and have more dinner and theatre date plans for next week. I also have fun plans with two more awesome girls I happened to meet who were kind enough to strike up a conversation with me. My new roommate has totally gone out of her way to make things comfortable and welcoming! And these are only a few examples. Grateful doesn’t even begin to describe it!

In other news, while Saturday was all about the moving (and the autumn baking!), Sunday was all about sleeping in, trying out another new church, soft pretzels and warm beer cheese while watching the Packer game at my favorite bar (love Sunday football!!!), gorgeous sunny windy fall weather that blows and swirls colored leaves all over the roads (beautiful driving weather!), and a pumpkin carving party and fall potluck with some new friends.

What have you been thankful for lately?

Yesterday I was smacked with an anxiety I haven’t felt in a few weeks – an overwhelming desire for something comfortable and familiar.

I suddenly craved an evening with Ted at The Outpost in Lansing, MI – the log cabin bar we used to frequent alone or with cast and our coworkers over three years ago, after working a long day of shows at the theatre. It had cold beer, fantastic pizza that I still get a hankering for, and a rustic casual atmosphere that we loved. It was also our first date. I would have given anything to be there again with Ted last night. Comfortable, relaxed, at home.

I also craved the one thing in this wild world full of changes that seemed the most familiar to me over the past four months – a beach. All summer while teaching at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp I was just a 15-minute drive from the beach. Whenever I wanted, I’d finish my last choreography session or rehearsal of the day, grab a good book, throw on my suit and some sunglasses, hop in the car, roll down the windows, and just GO. I liked the sound of the water lapping, the sun and the sand and the seagulls. I liked the peace and the feeling of being so small. Isn’t it crazy how everything has changed so much in the past four months that the most comforting and familiar place I can think of is a beach I called home for only 6 short weeks? So after work I got in the car and just drove until I was at a beach. As soon as I stepped out of the car there was an instant feeling of relief – I could breathe again. And all I wanted was to be sitting on a blanket on this beach, wrapped in a cozy sweatshirt, beside a hand-built bonfire in the sand, roasting s’mores with my friends.

It’s not that I don’t love it here…because I do. Sometimes, like we all do from time to time, I just miss the things that helped make me who I am. The things that are familiar and make me feel comfortable and content.