{26}

I don’t know if you notice but I always like to go last. Mostly for reasons like this. Waiting pays off.

Illinois

Transparency

{25}

What’s wrong with the recyclery?

Chicago, IL

Andrea’s hands.

{24}

Yesterday didn’t start off so well. Normally, the beginning of my days nor the end of my days bother me. Things begin to bug me throughout the day. Yesterday was a bit different.

After work, after everything that I had been worrying about and upset with, after those things and the things that I knew I had to deal with eventually, I left work only to find that my friend had a flat tire on her bike. No stress. We were right near a bike shop and I assured her that we would make it to our destination in no time. Sure enough, we got up and running and off we went. Soon I would meet Sara.

This is Sara. When I first peeked in and said hello she hurriedly ran back up the stairs. Slowly she came back down and took a peek at my bike. She LOVES the color blue. I rode my blue bike yesterday.

After we got upstairs, she quickly warmed up to me and said she had to go outside and play hide & go seek. This went on for an hour. But towards the end, she said it was okay for me to pick her up and RUN across the yard so we could keep moving hiding places. We basically won.

We went in and my was she hungry. Here’s what she ate:
Apple sauce
Nutella
Tortilla chips
Pretzel sticks
Apple yogurt
Goldfish

…it was quite a spread.

And right after that, we danced for an hour. Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Lady Gaga 3 more times and then some indoor tag. She bumped her lip shortly after that while she was trying to catch me.

I love this girl.

Bed time came and she said she had to read us a story. I don’t know if she was reading off of the book or by memory but she was amazing. She laughed after each sentence. Oh! And I forgot to mention that the funny word of the day was “feet”. Anytime someone said that word, we had to stop and laugh our pants off. It was great.

She headed to bed and before she hopped under her covers she paused and looked over at Maggie to see if it was okay if she kissed me goodnight. I leaned over and said, “I would love a kiss from you”.

I rode home holding my cheek all the way from UIC to Andersonville.

Thank you, Sara. I will never wash my cheek again.

Chicago, IL

Hangin’ w/ Sara.

{23}

“You think Erik will give me lessons?”
“Uhm, sure he will but I know he’s busy.”
“I’ll make him give me lessons”

This weekend has been the weekend of lovely visitors, musical events and exhausted bodies. But every minute has been great.

Chicago, IL

Lisa demanding lessons.

{22}

East coasters coming to Chicago, especially when they play beautiful music, is always a good thing.

He did this thing where his friend was recording the sound and he kept looping his clarinet. I have heard this with guitar, violin, bass and a few other instruments but never like this. It was flawless and it was like a pretty musical building. It kept taking me higher and making me taller and stronger and then somewhere further away, he’d release the listeners in mid-air and drop you allllllllllll they way down with different woodwind twirls, shrieks and vocal tricks and suddenly and softly catch you and cradle you.

Chicago, IL

Alejandro Acierto

{21}

Pressure on the heel and a stretched foot?

Chicago, IL

Steamy romance novella.

{20}

Love will keep us together.

Chicago, IL

Giving Yoma goodnight kisses and hugs.

{19}

My relationship with the Recyclery has been changing. I think that’s why I’ve been trying to stay away from there: I was just beginning to get used to and comfortable with the space and the people and the ideas and everything…then we moved. We have moved to a big neighborhood, with huge social responsibilities, and a bigger space, with huge programmatic changes. I haven’t helped with the move as much as my heart has wanted to be there, I can’t seem to “be available”. I haven’t done much. And it has been a long time since I have helped out with a bike sale. There’s always something that seems to pull me back just in time…

There were so many people of all kinds and almost everyone was grateful to have something to ride off on.

Can I come back soon? Do you still need me? I will always need you.

Evanston, IL

Selling bikes and making bank.

{18}

This one strays a little more.

Always and forever ago, my sister has been willing to hear me out about all things “teenager”. I’d go from one end of the experience spectrum to the other with phrases of, “Do this, not that”, “I’ve been there”, “Don’t” and “Wake up”. She probably doesn’t know this but I’ve learned so much from her…probably more than anyone else in this world.

So please, do, do, do and do.

Aurora, IL

Getting ready for a graduation.

{17}

I won’t mind if you take me home.

It was probably the best thing you could have done: visited the people most important to me and then to have taken the train 2 hours to get home and knock out.

Chicago, IL

CTA Qunicy Brown Line