Catch up

Just a week ago Mercedes and I did our performance for the ribbon cutting party for the new hotel opening on State St. We got to say hello to Mayor Daley, and we heard Governor Quinn may have been there as well but I didn't catch him. While quite possibly being one of the most nerve wracking experiences this year, I had so much fun! Drinking grapefruit champagne and sweet treats afterward may have been my favorite part. Hehe. Really, if anything, the rehearsals were the most enjoyable. We got to play around in a couple awesome yoga studios (which Mercedes teaches at), and just had a blast choreographing. The costuming situation was a bit of chaos at times, but we came to a good compromise with the executives after all. What a unique experience! Here are some pics from the event. The most video I saw was just a few second clip on that nights news, which I caught coincidentally on one of the tvs at my schools gym. I thought it was kinda funny. :)

Its nice to have done a paying gig this April because this month has been an expensive one!

A few Saturdays ago, I had a girls night for the Pendulum show at the Bottom Lounge.

This was the first (believe it or not) time I had seen their dj set in Chicago.



I can't even count how many times I have planned on going to see them and had to miss it last minute. But I'm SOOOOO glad I made it to this one! Don't think I've danced that long or been so excited at a show in a long time. My good friend Colleen was insistent that I meet their MC and wouldn't take my, "No that's OK" for an answer. So we made it clear that I was Pendulums number one fan, of course, and he dedicated a track to me. Awwww how sweet :)

Afterward we chatted it up with the guys, who we invited to David Guetta at the Congress, but they were insistent on experiencing Chicago House while they were in from Australia, so they invited us out to Mark Farina at Ohm, or Red Dog, or whatever that club is called in Wicker Park. So we scratch David Guetta (maybe next time? haha) and make our way over to Ohm, taking a million years to find the back entrance, but the weather is amazing and people are crowding the streets, it's 2am, so the vibe was ever pleasant, and we eventually find our way up. And BTW this club is awesome! Seems to be that the more venues I visit for the first time this year, the more I realize how much I've been missing out on these places!
So we meet up with the Pendulum boys, I have a beer with Paul, one of the djs and we chit chat about life and birthdays and find out that we are both Virgos and that our significant others share the exact same birthday as well! Funny stuff! I love astrology talk.

After a bit Colleen and I run upstairs to explore the different levels and upon getting to the top room realize that it would be an amazing spot to LED hoop!



I run out to my car, grab my glowing circles and make my way back upstairs where we put on a little show for 15 minutes or so. Once 3 rolled around we figured it was time to head home. About the time we got back to Colleens place is when I realized I had lost my phone. Figures! I think it may have been while I was hooping that it was snatched. And that is the ever detailed story of how I had to spend $200 the next day to get my new phone... which I love btw. It was about time I moved up in the world of technology. Still getting used to the whole touch screen business though!

The next weekend was DJ Monk at the Congress (another first time),
which was also loads of fun.


Morning after I went out to the south suburbs in Glen Ellyn for a hoop jam at this awesome forest preserve, I think it was called Churchill Woods. It was a great spot to listen to some tunes, practice our routine, chit chat, and make a few hoops. I'm thinking of organizing another hoop jam at the gigantic forest preserve down the street from my house, once the weather starts acting nice again, of course. Everyone was pretty spoiled with the heat around here for a while!

So the weekend after our performance (and thankfully afterward), I got sick and missed a ton of fun stuff going on. BBQ's, Bdays, Lazersword at Kinetic, everything. I think it had to do with my personal training instructor coming to class on Thursday, so sick that her voice wasn't even recognizable, mixed with the fact that I had missed 3 days of supplements which have kept my immune system in tip top shape all winter long. So, even though this past weekend was spent at home, at least the house is clean!

I wish I could say that the rest of this week is going to only be about reading my strength, conditioning & nutrition books, and practicing for my fitness assessment quiz, which, well, I'm sure I'll do a bit of tonight. But once Friday comes around, it's all about Basement Jaxx and Green Velvet at Sound Bar (ANOTHER first time! The venue... that is). This will be the second time in 6 months I'll be seeing Basement Jaxx! And then the next day ... energy willing... I will get up at 8 am to come back to the gym to make up some school hours. After that I can imagine I will taking a LONG nap before getting ready for my favorite event of the Spring, Resonate, which ironically, just so happens to be at the Congress this year for the first time in 5 years. I have to say I'm a bit concerned, but we'll see how things get pulled off. Either way I'm ready to have some fun. Wouldn't it be nice to have a camera in time for Saturday...





Well, if it doesn't happen by Saturday, "Camera time" will for SURE be happening next month. Thank You Baby Jesus Tax Return! My retirement account, school bills, and savings accounts are looking forward to your arrival!

OOOH one more thing! Speaking of monies again. This week I got to participate in another focus group survey. Yay! And the best part about this one was that I could do it from home. It consisted of 2 hour-long assignments, where we were emailed with questions about ourselves and different products, this specific one being beauty products, and writing back with detailed written answers for $200. There were about 25 participants, and the top 3 that we best written got an extra $50 bucks. Did I get it?
Umm
Duh.
:)
No really though, I won.

Life. is. good.