The sunny side of law

Wow. Just wow. I saw this design plan for a DLA Piper office in the Netherlands and immediately thought, no, no way, this can't be the same law firm that I know. After some research it is confirmed- the coolest law firm ever exists in the Netherlands. The DLA office in Chicago is impressive, have no doubt, but impressive in that it has an endless supply of mahogany, law books with green and gold spines, and file cabinets. How wonderful would it be to be a lawyer where beauty is appreciated.

"The DLA Piper office is a rainbow-colored space designed to play off the changes in the sunlight throughout a typical day of work. The side of the building that gets the most sunlight is balanced with cooler tones, while the side that receives the least is compensated with warm tones." {Design Crush}

Happy birthday to me

Birthdays are for...

Reminding you that you're so loved

Reminding you how much you love your parents and family

Reconnecting with old friends

Feeling okay about eating as much cake as you want. And french fries and chip dip

Reflecting on the accomplishments of the past year

Realizing how incredibly different life was one year ago and being excited to see what the future holds for the next year

Starting to consider not ignoring ads and coupons for anti-aging products

Feeling so lucky...

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"We are always the same age inside."

-Gertrude Stein

Sweet home

I canNOT believe that today is August 27! Where did summer go? That's right, my summer didn't begin until July 28, so of course today feels like a lazy day in June. And, no back to school for me, so lazy days stretch a little longer than usual. I'm loving it though, and loving my déjà vu days spent on a blanket in the sun from my favorite new spot in the city, finished off with a trip to the new self-serve fro-yo place (that has red velvet fro-yo!). After spending the past few days here, I decided that if I could build a house anywhere in the world (Italy aside) I would build it right here on these rocks.

Did not have my camera with me, so photo courtesy of this great photographer

Maybe, you're gonna come back

Sometimes things just get so far out of hand that you can't bring yourself to address them. Read: my blog.

My absence is inexcusable. Or, perhaps, entirely excusable, considering I have: travelled to New York City...missed my flight back to Chicago by an entire day...on purpose...traversed back and forth from Chicago to my parents house to kitty-sit on several occasions...for three very needy cats...been a bridesmaid in a good friend's gorgeous wedding...spent hours upon hours studying and taking a tiny little test called the Illinois Bar Exam...vacationed in Napa Valley...fallen in love all over again with wine...endured the fog in San Francisco...relaxed on the coast of Carmel...driven all the way south on the winding Pacific Coast Highway...eaten tacos and hung out with pandas and koalas and seals in San Diego...lost the love my life in animal form...spent all my other free time enjoying my still-favorite city ever, Chicago...all while ignoring the blog world.

But I'm back, ready to begin a new chapter with a new home and new job, and it took a night with this fabulous blog to realize that little by little I can come back.

Though I still wish I was here.

Plug me in

Do you ever have days when our world's connectivity just amazes you? I've had two moments today where I had to pause and say, wow, it is amazing that I can do this. This morning I was reading a New York Times article on my iPhone ("Our Epic Foolishness") and I loved it so much that I just had to share it with someone. So I pressed the little arrow thingy on my phone and a screen's worth of options popped up. Would I like to email it? Put the article on Facebook? Tweet it? A few touches later and I had recommended the article to my entire Twitter world (all like 10 real people that follow me) . It sort of amazed me that within a few seconds and a couple touches, I had read this article, decided I liked it, and could potentially let everyone I possibly know about it. I had the same feeling this afternoon while planning my trip to New York City this weekend. I have always wanted to visit The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, so since I know it's constantly mobile, I got on Twitter, became a follower, and with a couple touches on my phone, will now know exactly where to find my deliciousness in a couple days.

There's something very comforting in being able to essentially connect with anyone and anything from anywhere. The feeling is one of self-sufficiency, which is ironic because in actuality, we are completely reliant on technology to be like this.

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Esquire

Have you ever purchased something for $100,000? That's sort of how I felt on Saturday at my law school graduation while holding my fake diploma. It's strange how you go through school and while you're living it it is just a process, but once it is over, on graduation day, suddenly you feel like you have this thing, this law degree, and it is almost tangible. I don't remember feeling like that when I graduated from college; it is a much more momentous feeling now, that I have this degree.

The day was perfect- my new floral, sweetheart neckline dress that wouldn't stay up, my mom telling me to stop being so nervous aka stop snapping at her, the morning mass, having family and friends take time to come celebrate, the ceremony, the champagne toast after, taking pictures, the small celebration and second champagne toast at my apartment after, dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant, going out to celebrate three years of hard work, realizing we were tired from three years of hard work and a long day and going home far earlier than we should have, sleeping in and spending the next day at the beach...

One of my favorite parts of the day was the part that is usually just a formality and quickly forgotten- the ceremony and speaker. I remember telling myself right before the ceremony began, "This is your law school graduation. Most people don't get this and you won't get this again. Enjoy it." And I did. Our speaker was Michelle Obama's Chief of Staff so I had a slight bias when she began, but my connection to her only grew when she began speaking. She had never wanted to be a lawyer (check), focused on art history in college (check), worked for the City of Chicago (check, albeit she was Corporation Counsel, the head lawyer), and strongly believed in mistakes and fate (check, check). The gist of her message was that this is just the beginning and we likely won't see all the puzzle pieces of life fit together for a while, but they will, and a mixture of mistake, hard work, luck, and fate will form something fabulous.

And so the next chapter begins...

Made me think

"There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound."

-Diana Cortes

We took this picture seven years ago (seven?!) the night before we all left for college. We have never been closer than we are right this second.

Fun fun fun

Sooo much has happened in the past week and all of it wonderful!

I finished law school (whoaaa)...

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Rocked out at a good friend's bachelorette party...

Hosted her bridal shower (50's "perfect" housewife themed)...

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Took a deep breath.

Lazy night

After working on a complicated estate plan for about 18 hours straight, I rewarded myself with a super lazy movie night last night. Those kind of nights feel so good when I really deserve them. I finally got around to watching Sunshine Cleaning, with the always cute Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, and I would definitely recommend it. Now that I have discovered Netflix instant watch, what should be next...

Love.

I'm currently sitting outside at my tiny bistro patio table, which is struggling to hold my MacBook and a giant pot of flowers, but it is GORGEOUS in the city today! It's one of those days where my entire self is just so content to be outside. While southerners are lucky to have weather like this all the time, I think we are even luckier to really appreciate its gloriousness during limited months. And as if it couldn't get any better, it's supposed to storm tonight.

Last night was spent with my boyfriend having a yummy dinner outside at a cozy local restaurant/bar and then sipping $2 sangria. Tomorrow will be spent with my parents (Cubs game? Zoo? Picnic?) and helping my best friend move (or helping her drink wine at her new apartment). But today is all about soaking up this gorgeousness (and all the pollen I just realized is covering me) and working on finishing up with law school!

Swoon.

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