Category: everyday life

Too Many Things :)

Just a couple of paragraphs about the craziness of my life in the past several days.
I was hoping to pack all the international parcels and write all the international cards by the end of Sunday. And I was not ready. I had all the cookie boxes packed, but I didn’t write all the cards to go along with the boxes, and I was not done with other international cards.
Monday was my first real working day in EDB, and also Boris was coming in the evening, and I had to finish all the parcel packing and custom forms creating. There was no way it could fit!
The thing that made me really nervous was that I could not print the labels for the parcels that went to Russia. I have no idea what’s the problem, but the USPS site allowed me to print all labels except for the Russian ones.

After some digging, I realized that I could print the customs forms, and the only thing I could not do was pay for the shipment. The slight problem was that I had exactly zero extra time and that the Rogers Park post office is about 2 miles away from my home with no direct public transportation. The trip would take about a half-hour one way regardless of whether you walk or take CTA. Biking would be the fastest, but the weather turned sharply cold overnight. Besides, being on the bike with three boxes is very challenging.

So I had to excuse myself from work in the middle of the day and do CTA +walking. There was no line in the post office, which was quite unexpected :), and I had all my boxes shipped. Still no idea why I was not allowed to leave them with the rest of the pickup.

At the same time, I had to do work meetings, install some software, participate in discussions, and talk to Boris and finish the remaining international cards. And then mom called and said that after her WIndows upgrade, she can’t do anything on her computer because everything “looks different.”

It looks like I am done with all crises, but… oh, well.

:)

Two reasons Boris could not come here for Thanksgiving were two Ph.D. defenses. One was in Saint Petersburg, and it’s already done, and the other one will be in Finland (not in Helsinki, but I forgot what’s the name of the city close by).

Today, he called me at 5 AM my time to show off in a tuxedo which they lent to him for the event. I do not think he ever wore a tuxedo in his life :).

Looked nice 🙂

Family Thanksgiving

I can’t finish this post for five days:), so it might give an impression that our Thanksgiving was canceled this year one more time. But we had a Thanksgiving after all, and it was a beautiful one! Until almost the very last moment, we were not sure whether we would get together because Kira didn’t feel well. Fortunately, she felt better Thursday morning, and the COVID test was negative so that the whole family could come.

Boris could not make it this year because several work things piled up, and Vlad almost never can make it. We ended up having a family zoom, but a big part of the family was at one place, unlike last year. It was also an opportunity to test the setup with my large movable screen – we moved it to the dining room for “giving thanks.”

Nadia had a great time playing with my friend’s 7-year-old daughter. They barricaded themselves in the sunroom and didn’t let adults in :). The adults enjoyed the conversation, and I was so glad that we had this gathering!

This giant Watermelon radish came in one of the CSA deliveries
And it is pink inside!
Continue reading “Family Thanksgiving” →

Christmas Is Back: Caroling At The Cloud Gate

This particular concert yesterday was not very interesting, but I am happy that the tradition returned, and I hope to come to one more concert!

The reflection of the city lights in the Bean is one of the most captivating pictures you can imagine!
Continue reading “Christmas Is Back: Caroling At The Cloud Gate” →

Christmas Is Back: Christkindle Market

That’s how many other people and I feel. Christmas is back. Almost all of the Chicago Christmas activities and attractions returned this season, and people are eager to participate.

One of my most favorite things is the Christkindle Market on Maley Plaza. It was online last year, and I am so happy that it is back this year, even though the prices are even higher!
I already went there three times: by myself, with the youth from ODS on Monday, and with mom and Igor today.

I bought a star for the shelter (because nobody can remember where are the stars I bought two years ago, and in any case, the residents are all new).


On another visit, I bought the roasted nuts – a large bag of three different kinds. I need to buy one more so that I could also send some to my friends who love them:).

And today, we all got the anniversary Christkringle mugs:

Yesterday, it ended up being too crowded, and it was hard to see things, so I need to make sure to take mom there one more time.

Fall/Winter CSA

I really liked it when on Sunday I managed to make breakfast with all ingredients coming from my local CSA deliveries. That’s because Urban Canopy cooperates with other local vendors to deliver the boxes which include eggs, mushrooms, and bread in addition to their vegetables. I could also use their chai instead of coffee, and then it will be everything… OK, next time 🙂

That’s hoe the box came – I ordered a chicken well!
And that’s a box from my other CSA – Nichols Farms

Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting

I forgot to write about the actual start of the holiday season: the Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. For many years, I attended it regardless of the weather, first with the kids, then on my own. I stopped attending it after the tree was moved away from the Daley Plaza to Millennium Park. The first reason was that the tree should be close to the Christkindle Market; they belong together. Second, the new location is less convenient. You have to be in a specific place to see what’s going on by the tree, and the first year I observed that most people who gathered to see the tree were able to see nothing.

Then, it was the Laquan McDonald unrest. It was quite horrible when people were already marching towards the Loop, and Mayor Emmanuel was lighting the Christmas tree. It is no wonder that people started pulling the lights off the tree and doing other damage to it.

Because of all that, I stopped coming to the ceremony, but this year, everything was different!
After not having a ceremony last year, we had it live! Also, this time around, there was more space to watch, and also, several large screens were projecting what was going on on stage.
Igor took my mom to the event, and one of my friends joined us. As usual, mom was first complaining that it takes too long to get there, and she did not want to inconvenience anybody. Then, she complained that she could not see anything, and then she said that the show with Ded Morozes on the boats in Saint Petersburg was better. Nevertheless, she asked both Igor and me to send her the pictures, and she asked several times how the show was called and for how many years it was on, and then sent the pictures to all her friends.

Fireworks after the tree lighting

The Start Of The Season

I never started Christmas preparations that early. I hate doing Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving. However, this year, with the global crisis of everything, I had no choice but to start early.

I’ve already bought all the baking supplies and ordered all packaging materials. Christmas cards, holiday stamps, and holiday address labels arrived, and all charitable gifts are purchased and either already arrived or will arrive in the next couple of days.

Today, I packed two charitable gifts, baked the first 133 cookies, and wrote and prepared for mailing the first five international Christmas cards.

Now, I am officially in season!

Books

I finally finished Bedrock faith, which I read as a part of One book – One Chicago.

I am still thinking about this book. I rated it 4-star, but I would give it two separate grades if I could. One for the quality of writing, and another for the book’s main idea.

The book is very well written. You do not want to rush through; you are not trying to turn the pages before you finish reading and pick at the end. I read it slowly, enjoying the language, savoring each detail, and each of the characters appeared so real!

As for the book’s main idea, I am still hesitant about my feelings. I think that the book manifests it loud and clear that “once a bad apple always a bad apple.” It feels like Stew Pot “was born bad” and acted violently throughout his life because he could not act differently. And I have a problem with that statement. I believe that under life circumstances, a person can become very negative and that their mind might take such a turn that they would constantly think of harming somebody. But it will always be impossible for me to accept that people might be “born that way,” and there is no way to change it. I would love to discuss it with somebody who read it.

Another book I recently finished listening to is Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. My impressions are similar to what I felt after finishing “Color of Law”: I can’t believe it’s happening here and now. Wilkerson suggests that race is social rather than a biological characteristic and compares the position in the society of Blacks with this of untouchables in the Indian society. The similarities are shocking. Also, she describes many real-life situations that are too real, so well-recognizable, and once again, it feels unreal that things like this happen nowadays. 

***

Rittenhouse. Disappointed and sad. And there is no energy in masses to raise the voices strong enough to be heard…

I am thinking and thinking this one thought: if he were Black, would such a verdict be possible?!