No. 14

1. "I'm supposed to tell you that I'll call you in a few days to let you know my decision, but I'll just tell you now: it was a pleasure meeting you. You can start Monday."

2. I walked from Evanston to Lincoln Square today. It took 4 hours. Go ahead and laugh. I'll be laughing my way all the way to a CTA card machine to see that I have $2.25 more on my card than I would have had if I'd been lazy and taken three trains to get home.

Anyway, the point is, I walked along the Rogers Park beach. This is my favorite part of Chicago. I wouldn't really fancy myself much of a Beach Girl, but there is something in the air on that part of the lake. The sky is always some crazy color and something wonderful is always happening. I've only been a few times, but I am convinced, and will convince you, that it is magical. I am very serious about this.

Today the sky at the Rogers Park beach was periwinkle (in the middle of the day!), AND the lifeguards were having a FOOD FIGHT on the sand! See? Magic.

3. I noticed the most gentle little puppy in the window of a pet shop (with a sign that assured me he was not from a puppy mill). I realized in a quick moment that he was a King Charles Spaniel, favored breed of my beautiful mother. I felt so thankful for her that I had to text her. Which is how I show my love I think.

4. I walked around Evanston this shiny grey morning because I arrived an hour early (of course) for my job interview. I pretended to be an important Northwestern student as I walked the halls of a science building, and I visited Seabury Episcopal Seminary which has a small, elegant campus with chandeliers in its academic building, and a resident Golden Retriever. The mansions in Evanston are so large and old that I just have to use the word "antediluvian" to describe them, and my walk inspired all sorts of joyful wondering. There was one street with so many plants and trees it looked like Jumanji, and another that reminded me of Charleston. Well, reminded me of my idea of Charleston.

5. I tried repeating the Jesus Prayer as I took my giant walk, preparing for my spiritual pilgrimage across Russia of course. Then I decided it would be a lot more fun to listen to my iPod. Ergo, I was grateful (to myself I guess) for a fully-charged iPod loaded with songs that perfectly matched a warm drizzly walk by the water. Lots of banjo. Lots of happy.

6. On the final block of my journey, I watched a group of young people doing the Cha Cha Slide in the middle of a park. Not only is the Cha Cha Slide maybe my favorite song of all time (besides Rhapsody in Blue and I Want You Back of course), but I was way inspired by these kids dancing their brains out in public, under a surprise downpour no less. Even though my pseudo-designer shirt from Target was getting wet, I just had to watch them do the entire dance. Also my feet were tired, and it was a grand excuse to lean on a fence.