The Perfect Day of Summer

This is my perfect day of summer. It is simple, but perfect.

I would wake up at 8:30-ish. It would be perfect weather for a run. I would go out for 30 minutes, do abs and core, and then shower.

I would put on a little bit of makeup. Not too much, but just enough to make me look summery and natural. I would put on the slightest hint of eyeliner, clear mascara, and blush. My hair would be long and wavy and would look like I'd just come back from the beach. I would wear a French Blue sundress.

Then I would go out to Breakfast with a friend, at a place that looks like Fresh Express, but has food like at Blueberry Hill. We would sit outside and enjoy the rising sun and clear blue sky. I would get French Toast with strawberries and a glass of 2% Milk. Yummm.

Then we'd head over to the pool, but the pool would be refinished. We would have a slide! And we wouldn't get burnt, just the perfect tan. The boy would be lifeguarding, and we'd flirt for a little while and then my friend and I would leave, but not before the boy asked me out on a date.

Then my friend and I would go out to lunch. Wow, a day full of food. I wouldn't gain an ounce from any of it by the way. Hmm... where would we go? We would go to Demitasse! Of course we'd have the Mozzarella sandwich with the homemade chips!

We'd sing on the way home. Every song I've ever loved. And it would be wonderful. I would wear my sunglasses and Sox cap, and I'd be driving my dad's car, not the van. We would laugh so hard at our own stupid jokes, and it wouldn't matter what anyone in the cars next to us thought.

My friend would come over. She'd lay on my bed and go through the stuff in my drawers while I searched for something to wear that night. She'd spray my spray all over the room for no reason. Quincy would come upstairs and lay on my bed. He wouldn't bark at all.

I'd finally find something to wear. It would be a kneelength peasant skirt and a matching shirt. It wouldn't be dressy, because that is what I normally wear anyway.

My friend would walk home because she lives that close, and she'd just call up another one of our crew and they'd go out and find something to do.

The boy would pick me up. He'd tell me I look pretty. I wouldn't believe him but I'd say thank you just the same. We'd get into his old car with screeching breaks and broken air conditioning. He'd be playing my favorite song on his iPod.

He wouldn't tell me where we were going. Finally we'd end up in the perfect place. We'd go through tall grass to the area that had been mowed. The grass would smell freshly cut. There'd be a footbridge over a gurgling brook, and the sun would just be beginning to set.

We'd talk and laugh. He would have made a picnic for us, but he would have forgotten the sandwiches at home, so we'd just eat strawberries and watermelon! The perfect dinner!

The sun would set and we'd lie down to look at the stars because out here in the country we can see the stars clearly. We'd lie right next to each other and our calves would be touching, but nothing else. We'd have that nervous feeling in our stomachs, but he'd be a perfect gentleman all night.

He'd drive me home. We'd laugh the whole way. The porch light would be on and he would walk me to the door. We'd awkwardly say goodnight, and I'd turn to go inside but he'd grab my hand before it touched the handle. I'd turn around and look up at his face which would be glowing because of the porch light shining behind him. He'd lean down slowly, and I'd stand up on my toes, displaying my cross country calf muscles for the vines on our house. We'd kiss for but a second and I'd say, "Goodnight, boy" And it would be perfect.

I'd go inside and I wouldn't call anyone. I would go upstairs, put on pajamas and pray. I'd keep this to myself for tonight. Because right now, this was all mine, and I didn't want to share it with anyone. This was my perfect summer's day.



xoxoGrace

Oh What a Night!

A few weeks ago, I went to see Jersey Boys. I wasn't expecting much, despite the rave reviews I'd heard over and over. The performance was spectacular. The cast does a tremendous job portraying the story of The Four Seasons and performing their well known songs.

I kind of fell in love with Drew Gehling who plays Bob Gaudio. He was so fun to watch, and his naive character was quite lovable. Last night I was at the Taste of Chicago, and he was there, performing for Broadway in Chicago at the Taste! The event started at six, and Grant Park was filled with adults, teenagers, and children who were all ready to hear (and if lucky, actually see) performances by the actual actors and actresses from productions that are currently downtown, and that are coming within the next year. The cast of Jersey Boys were the last performers at the showcase, so my friends and I went up as close as we could when Drew walked on from stage right it was a sight to see.





xoxoGrace

Music + Dialogue

I love when a song has dialogue at the beginning or at the end of it, especially when the dialogue doesn't seem to have anything to do with the song. I just think it is so fun to listen to the tidbits of conversation. Some of my favorite artists that have included dialogue in their songs are MIKA and Regina Spektor, but my favorite would have to be in Cobra Starship's "Send My Love to the Dance Floor."

This is the video, but I couldn't find the part with the dialogue on YouTube.




What did you say this boy's name was again?
I don't know dear
It sounds to me like he's experimenting with you

xoxoGrace

Tea at Two

In my neverending quest to discover new activities to try, I decided to have a tea party. It was three of my friends and I, homemade goodies (cucumber sandwiches, eggsalad sandwiches, and chocolate covered strawberries among other things!) and a cup of tea per capita. The whole affair was delightful. We all dressed up in fancy clothes and had a grand time. We finished off the afternoon with a modern twist by playing Guitar Hero. I know for sure that I will definitely have to have friends over again for another tea party before the summer is over.










Here are some good websites with recipes and tips for hosting a tea party:
http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/teaideas.html
http://www.joyofbaking.com/EnglishTeaParty.html
http://whatscookingamerica.net/HighTeaRecipes.htm

xoxoGrace

Are You Up There?

God was walking towards me. Calmly, slowly. He only wanted to talk. And I started running immediately in the other direction. Among my own footsteps, my heavy breathing, and the noise of the other runners and bikers around me, I could not hear Him calling after me. I was running away from home. Atheism was looking like a good idea. Anything, really, but what I had. But then I realized that it didn't matter if I knew what I was doing now. That's why He is there to begin with. He is supposed to guide us to who we are meant to become. If we already knew what direction to go, He wouldn't have to be around to help us. But if we knew what direction to go, we wouldn't learn much along the journey. I had to accept it. I had to accept that I have absolutely no idea what to do with my life. And my 5 minute mile pace slowed to a 7:20 pace. And then 9:45. Eventually I stopped running. I was running out of places to hide, running out of energy for escape. I stopped. He was there. He reached his hand out and I took it. And we slowly began our walk back to the fork in the road where I'd gone the wrong path. And He helped me fix what I'd done wrong. Now I'll never have to ask, "Are you up there?" Because I already know the answer. He's right here.

All You Need Is Love

As the Beatles said, "All You Need is Love," but that phrase makes it sound much too simple. That phrase makes love seem so accessible, as if all you need to do is go to the store and pick some up on your way from yoga class to voice lessons. The Beatles definitely weren't mistaken when they said "All You Need is Love," but they failed to be specific in what kind of love one actually needs.

Ancient Greek had three words for love: ἔρως(eros), φιλία(philia), and ἀγάπη(agape). ἔρως is the sexual and passionate love. It is the first type of love because it is based solely on sexual attraction. φιλία is the love between friends, family members, and lovers. It is not sexual or passionate love, but it is a feeling kinsmenship and the duty to one's neighbor. ἀγάπη is affection for one's children or spouse. It is the highest form of love. It is the acceptance of loved ones despite their flaws and weaknesses.

Is it necessary to have all three types of love? Or does having only one or two fulfill the human need? Can we be whole people if we have acceptance of others and passionate love for one person, but we do not have a feeling of obligation to our neighbors? Can we have a sexual love and a feeling of kinsmenship without accepting our loved ones for who they are? And can we be complete if we have filial love and acceptance without a passionate love for someone? No.

All THREE of the the different words for love are important. All aspects of love are necessary for us to be truly rounded and happy people. Can we be content with only two of the categories of love? Yes. But we cannot be happy until we have acquired all three. The Beatles hit the nail right on the head when they declared "All You Need is Love," but obtaining love is much more complicated than a walk to the store.

Absence DOES Make the Heart Grow Fonder

Have you ever experienced an apocalypse when suddenly you realize how profoundly you love someone? Someone that you see all the time, weekly if not daily, and you always knew you loved them but you never until that moment knew exactly how much you love them? I'm not talking about a romantic love, but the love you have for a family member or friend. In Hello, Dolly!, Cornelius begins singing about how "It only takes a moment to be loved your whole life long." It's as if you've had an Epiphany and although this person has been taking care of you all your life, it is only now that you can realize how much they do for you, how much they love you, and how much you love them in return. It's kind of sad to think that there are people in our lives who would give anything to help us, and we cannot fully appreciate all their hard work. It's moments like these, small revelations of our love for others, that we must be thankful for. We must always be thankful for these moments, because it brings us one step closer to God. There are so many things in life that go unsaid, so many things that go undone, and so many people who are never told how much they are loved. These apocalypses are given to us as a gift from God. They are a reminder to tell our loved ones how much we actually do love them and appreciate them for who they are and everything they do. We need to take these messages from God and tell our loved ones what they mean to us. We will all feel better knowing that our friends and family KNOW that we love them.