Spring Break 2010!!!

After work today, I was chatting with Rose and Adrian, who were on their breaks, and when I mentioned that I was unofficially on spring break (it's next week, but I only have class on Mon & Tues, so I guess mine started yesterday), Rose laughed and said, "Spring Break 2010, yeahhhh!" And we laughed about the MTV Spring Break specials that we used to watch in high school.

I guess I've never had a typical college spring break, and I'm okay with that. I like having a good time with my friends, but trying to have a good time while a couple thousand coeds puke on the sandy beaches around me while I'm trying to have a nap? No thanks! I'd rather save my money for more trips to the Great White North of Canadian skating land.

I do have a fun week scheduled, though, including a bit of traveling. Tomorrow, Christina flies in from Toronto and Jules drives in after work from Michigan, and we embark on a fun-filled weekend in the city. Chicago on St. Patrick's weekend should be a good time! I hope that the rain holds off so we can see the Chicago River get dyed a bit greener than usual on Saturday morning. If it's a gross day, though, I'm not sure I'm going to get up and drag myself over to the bridge. I've lived here most of my life and have never seen it and I've survived so far. Another year won't kill me. The girls are scheduled to run a 5K on Sunday, so for their sake, I really hope that the rain is over before then! I already ran once this year, on the first day of Olympic ice dance practice to get inside the arena before CroPo got announced, so I don't think I need to do any more running for at least another month. However, I'll be on hand with my camera to capture the big race for future generations (and Facebook) to enjoy.

Besides the Greening and the Run, I'm not sure what else we'll do, but it's likely that we'll squeeze in trips to the Whole Foods Mothership, Molly's Cupcakes, one of Chicago's many Irish pubs, and the new(ish) Anthropologie on State Street. Oh, and Jules has requested The Gage. We had a fabulous night there about a year and a half ago when the bartender (Sterling!) designed a drink for us and then didn't charge us for it.

Jules has to skedaddle on Sunday and C's flight is on Monday night, but the fun keeps going because on Tuesday after work, I'm going to grab a ride with my mom towards Rockford. She's going there to meet friends at a conference, and on the way, she'll drop me off at the family's house for a visit. My aunt, uncle, and cousins are some of my favourite people in the world and it's been too long since our Christmas celebration. I can't wait to catch up with the kids and give them Olympic presents!

Mom and I will head back to Chicago Wednesday morning and then I'll need to get ready for another skating/photography trip. I'm still not caught up from the Olympics, but I have to keep moving forward. I'm headed to the Foxwoods resort in Connecticut (via Boston and Chele) for Thin Ice, a reality miniseries that will air March 19 & 21 on ABC. 5 pairs will compete for fan votes, which isn't that groundbreaking, except that the pairs are professional skaters who don't normally skate with each other.

The show is of particular interest to me for a few reasons. The most important one is that Stéphane Lambiel, one of the cast members, is one of my favourite skaters to watch and I've never seen him skate live before. I'm really looking forward to that opportunity. Another super dorky reason is that I've never been to Connecticut, and I'm a little obsessed with wanting to visit every U.S. state. CT will be my 38th state, so I'm well on my way. And of course I'm excited to see everyone else as well, both the skaters competing in the event as well as Chele and Jen, who I will be joining for the mini-road trip.

I get back from that trip on Monday the 22nd and that night, I have to pass out manuscripts for my second Fiction workshop. I guess that means that in between the fun, I have to work pretty hard over this break. Perhaps I shouldn't be blogging right now.