Package #2... Softball time!

Below the video for my second package for my sports producing class. It is a feature on DePaul softball player Becca Heteniak who is one of 30 NCAA Division 1 senior softball players nominated for the national Lowe's Senior CLASS award.

Enjoy!

DePaul vs. Marquette Game Highlight

Below is the highlight I made for my sports producing class. I got a 47 out of 50, so not too shabby if I might say so myself! Enjoy (whether you care about a game that happened nearly a month ago or not)!

A Cupcake Crusade

If you know me well (or even at all really), you know how much I love dessert. Cupcakes in particular. Since moving to Chicago, I have learned of several different creative cupcake shops that turn the simple cupcake into a masterpiece. They all put Funfetti (my personal favorite) to shame.

I tried a new cupcake place this afternoon with my roommate. After indulging in the delicious dessert, I decided it was time to share my cupcake experiences and recommendations for my fellow cupcake lovers. Cupcake connoisseur, sounds like a great second career if this whole grad school thing doesn't pan out. Take a look at my investigative work:

More Cupcakes in the Gold Coast is known for its tasty creations and has even gotten the nod from the Queen of Chicago herself, Oprah, in one of her issues of O magazine. However, I just tried it today with my roommate, as it is in the Gold Coast and I got a blog post/ assignment out of it. I got their chocolate-iest cupcake they sold (that wasn't even a word, I had to invent one to describe its awesomeness) and my roommate got the s'mores one. We both enjoyed our purchases, but weren't left begging for more.

Phoebe's Cupcakes touts on their website that they are "Chicago's Finest Cupcake" and I think they might be on to something. This was the first cupcake joint I hit up when I first moved here, thanks to a friend's personal introduction. The mint chocolate Oreo cupcake I had was to die for and the breakfast cupcake my friend got (the bottom drenched in syrup complete with bacon on top) tasted just like a piece of French Toast. We've been back again. And I salivate just thinking about my next visit.

Starbucks cupcakes stare at me every time I'm ordering a coffee. When my friends were here in January, we split the red velvet cupcake. My conclusion: these cupcakes look better than they actually taste. Although the chocolate-chocolate frosted one still calls out my name once in a while.

Coldstone's ice cream cupcakes are amazing. They even have a solid chocolate cupcake wrapper. You just can't go wrong there. Ever. One of the best inventions since toilet paper and sliced bread, and any other cliche of the like.

Still on the list to try: Molly's Cupcakes on Clark and Swirlz Cupcakes on Belden, both within walking distance from my apartment (and you better believe I will be walking there, it will make me feel less guilty as I indulge in a delicious, calorie-packed piece of heaven).

Self- ImproveLent

Lent began on Wednesday, prompting the annual sacrifice of something we love. After a week-long back-and-forth process of thought as to what we should sacrifice, most people end up sacrificing sweets, chocolate, soda, and other edible novelties we have come to rely on for survival.

The thing we give up is supposed to be something we get pleasure from and the absence of it from our lives is supposed to help us understand the suffering Jesus went through and the sacrifice he made for us. According to Wikipedia, the 40 days of Lent "represent the time that, according to the Bible, Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan."

In recent years, I have come across many people--and am personally responsible for doing the same--who give up something that isn't really as much of a sacrifice as it is a self-improvement. For example, this year my roommate and I both gave up swearing (because we wanted to be better people) in addition to her sacrifice of sweets and mine of hard alcohol (mostly because it always leads to bad decisions and it will help me save money when I go out). My other roommate gave up going to certain parties.

While all these things the three of us gave up are indeed sacrifices, the reasons we chose them are more along the lines of resolutions to better ourselves and to purify our lives. Perhaps we decided to ditch them now because these Lenten promises seem more binding than a New Year's resolution. We always break a resolution after two months without consequence along with a shrug and an "oh well, at least I tried" attitude. However, if we break a Lenten offering, we fear the wrath of God and eternal banishment to Hell.

Photo: Me and Steph enjoying some delicious margaritas.

Putting it this way is being a little dramatic, but why is it that we engage in this type of behavior? For the sake of not sounding too preachy or religious, why do we use the 40 days of Lent as a period of self-improvement? What about the other 325 days in the year?

Am I completely missing the point of Lent by giving up alcohol and swearing? (wow, I sound like a real upstanding citizen...) Maybe I should start going to church out here and ask a priest that question. Perhaps Lent exists to remind us that we take certain indulgences for granted. Unless the overall idea of purifying one's life and ridding it of conveniences and novelties (even if it is just one) is indeed the lesson. Either way, I might come out a better person by Easter and that might be the whole point.

Philosophy aside, temptation stared me straight in the face last night, but I resisted the taste of vodka and censored myself while singing along to the rap songs playing in the bar (okay, so a few curse words slipped...but I was more aware of my actions). Do I feel like a better Christian? Not necessarily, but it's only Day 3.

It took God seven days to make the world. Rome wasn't built in a day. I have some time to figure it out.

The Best Winter Olympic Movies

Since the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, I have had several strong urges to watch some Olympic-based movies. I am almost inclined to actually watch the movies, but then I will be missing the Olympics and we can't have that.

Cool Runnings

I thought of this movie as the countries were being introduced during the opening ceremonies. I wondered how half of them were able to field winter sport contingents due to their warm climates. Sadly, Jamaica does not have a bobsled team this year.

The Cutting Edge

There were several times while watching pairs figure skating on Sunday and Monday that made me want to randomly shout "Toepick!" (And I don't count the other two ABC Family made-for-TV sequels).

Miracle

Hockey started on Tuesday. I was so excited to watch. But I have a feeling this movie is better than any of the games I will be seeing during the Olympics. Hands down, one of my favorite movies ever.

Blades of Glory

The only reason this movie even popped into my head was because some of the costumes the men had to wear in pairs figure skating reminded me of Will Ferrell and Jon Heder's wardrobes in the flick. Right up U.S. male figure skater Johnny Weir's fashion alley, or should I say, runway.

Did I miss any Winter Olympic movies? Which one is your favorite?

So Ice-ited About the Olympics

I can't believe how into curling I was this afternoon... I thought I was tuning into hockey at 11 a.m., but that's when USA (the network, how ironic) started their Olympic coverage. Hockey started at 2 p.m. (my time).

I figured I'd watch it as background noise while I did some work, as it peaked my interest in 2006 and I did an article about it for Pulse a few years back. I actually got pretty into it, despite not really knowing what was going on. By the end, I caught on to their strategies, cheered as the men furiously brushed the ice and cursed when the Germans knocked out a U.S. stone.

In all honesty, I still don't know what's going on. But I picked out a new boyfriend on the U.S. curling team. Jason Smith... he is cuuuute (he was cuter on TV than he is in this photo).

So much for getting any work done. I've just spent the last hour researching the sport and scouring the Olympic curling schedule. (I even got five out of seven questions right in the curling quiz). Apparently each team plays 12 round robin rounds before the semi-finals and medal games are set up. Although the U.S. lost today, maybe there is still hope! I haven't figured that part out yet...but I plan on tuning in to see my new favorite curler.

Now it's time for U.S. hockey versus Switzerland. Two fun facts about hockey I also learned from taking the online Olympic quiz: hockey is the only event actually being played in Vancouver; everything else is held in Whistler. And second, this is the first year the Olympic hockey rink will be NHL size rather than International size.

Go U-S-A! I'll have plenty of boyfriends to root for in this game :)

An Intimate Shopping Experience

UPDATE: My post was featured on today's Hot on ChicagoNow!

On Friday, I ventured to The 900 Shops on Michigan Ave where I found an interesting story for my class blog... by accident!

My friend is in a photography class and needed a portrait, so I volunteered--half jokingly--to stand in the lingerie store window between the thin models (turns out, there was one big model and one skinny model). When we went into the store, we told the manager that we were working on a body image piece and she let us take the photos.

They were so nice and started talking to us about how they view body image issues and their customers. Turns out, the store serves women of all sizes. I jotted down notes and ended up with a positive body image piece. Take a look, complete with my modeling debut.

Go Fish

‘Tis my least favorite time of year… the made-up “holiday” called Valentine’s Day. I’ve never liked this commercialized, merchandise-fueled day, and not just because I’ve been single for all but two of them in my life. It’s a day that usually makes the singles feel left out and the couples feel burdened to do something spectacular to celebrate their love.

Add this year to the list of February 14^ths I’d like to forget (well, technically it was the 13^th).

This year, I didn’t feel that left out at first. Perhaps it was less painful because I have two single roommates, but many of the bars in Chicago celebrated “all the single ladies” this V-day.

My roommates and I went to a bar where they color-coded your relationship status with leis (green= single, yellow=it’s complicated, red=taken). It made it very easy to mingle with the singles. Upon entry, we were also given a playing card. If we found our matches (a guy with the same card), we would get a free drink. I thought it would be a great night—even though we didn’t have “valentines,” we were guaranteed to at least have a match.

Or so I thought.

After scouring the bar, both my roommates found their matches and got their free drinks (one of my roommates even clicked with her match and they exchanged numbers). By the end of the night, I still hadn’t found my fellow “three of hearts.” And I never did.

Just my luck! In a room where there was an identical playing card to mine—a guaranteed match somewhere—and I still couldn’t find him. After a few drinks, this realization completely depressed me. Had I been dealt a card that had no match? It got me thinking that perhaps a more appropriate card would be the joker because that’s the way the chips always have fallen for me when it comes to dating.

While I knew the idea that not finding my card match in that bar was ridiculous and no indication of my future whatsoever, it brought back all the thoughts and insecurities of failed love in my life (read: I had one drink too many). The next morning, I laughed at myself for being so dramatic. And after looking through the photos on my camera of me and my roommates from the night before, I realized how lucky I already was.

I may not have had a Valentine (or a match) that night, but I had two great friends to share it with. Together, we WERE the three of hearts. And for me, that’s a perfect match.

DePaul vs. Marquette Game Report Package

Here is my first sports package (unless you count my WhirlyBall feature as one) from my Sports Producing class. It is a game report on the DePaul vs Marquette women's basketball game in Chicago.

It got me an 86 out of 100 for a grade. Here's to improvement (especially when it comes to my on-camera shots)!! Enjoy!

NOVelty Shopping

If you like vintage jewelry, check out my post on Gold Cost Now.

Enjoy!

I Am the Greatest

Sometimes when I am in certain moods, I turn to a customized iTunes playlist for comfort (for example: angry mix, nap songs, etc). Listening to music that matches a mood involves fewer calories than eating ice cream and usually works just as well (I said usually, not always).

I ended another week of class on a frustrated note. Last night I was lost in my obnoxious realm of perfection. I know it is completely unrealistic, but for some reason I think I need to get an A on every assignment I hand in. I know I don’t know everything, but for some reason I think I should. It’s unfortunate, seeing I am saddling myself with a lifetime of debt in order to get my Master’s because I wanted to... wait for it... learn.

So why can’t I just learn?

I managed to learn something this morning. Thanks in part to my iPod and its shuffled playlist, I realized it’s time to approach life in a different way.

And I have Kenny Rogers to thank for it.

Rogers, pre-facial reconstruction catastrophe, came out with “I Am the Greatest” in 1999, one of two hits from his comeback album. It is a very clever song penned by Rogers and Don Schlitz about a little boy, a bat and a ball. Although it’s about a child, there are adult lessons we can all take away. Myself included.

The best lines of the song include:

Now the little boy doesn't say a word, picks up his ball he is undeterred.
Says, "I am the greatest that there has ever been"
And he grits his teeth and he tries again.

and

He makes no excuses,
He shows no fears
He just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers.

Actually, the whole song is amazing. Read along for yourself…

Photo: In all my years playing softball, I was a better pitcher than hitter.

As I sat and listened to the words, I realized I just need to stop whining, pick the ball up and try again. The greatest athletes in the history of sport never gave up after striking out a few times, or after making an error in the field. We all go through mid-season slumps. And some of the greatest authors and scientists had rejections and failed experiments before they got it right.

Patience has never been my virtue. But like Rogers’s little ball player, I just have to keep trying. I have to stop focusing on my misses and strike outs and realize what I am doing right. Next time I strike out, I’ll just have to remember that I am the greatest at something. One day I’ll be amazed at how well I can pitch. And it will all be worth it.

Elementary Thoughts

On my El ride home from class tonight, I was thinking about how simple things used to be as a child. There were nap times, and play times and mandatory recesses.

We also had a simple way of communicating with each other in certain situations:

Amazingly, this tactic was very successful. No one's feelings got hurt if the other checked the 'no' box because one could immediately rip up the paper and discard of the rejection and all would be forgotten. You could go back to sharing blocks peacefully.

There was none of this business we often refer to as "shades of gray." The word "complicated" wasn't in our vocabulary (literally).

When, and at what age, did it get so messy and so hard? Sitting next to someone at lunch doesn't make them your automatic boyfriend anymore--heck, dating someone for three years doesn't make them your automatic boyfriend either! There's no telling when they'll leave you for the girl in the pigtails swinging on the monkey bars.

I guess the real question is not when and how, but why is dating as a grown up so difficult? I'd rather sit in a dentist's chair than try to figure out if a guy likes me back or not. It's no wonder books like He's Just Not That Into You land on the New York Times Best-Seller List for weeks at a time.

The difference between dating now and then is that the games we play as adults are far less amusing. The courting process is like a grown up game of Duck, Duck, Goose or Freeze Tag. Just as frustrating and someone rarely wins after hours of running around in confusing circles.

I resolved to my roommate that this weekend I am going to revert back to the childhood spirit of communication. I am going to slip my crush a note written on a bar napkin (hey, I need to keep it a little grown up):

If he checks no, then I'll know. Then I can rip it up and continue on with my life and pretend it didn't happen.

It will be like being picked last in kickball all over again. I'll just go play jump-rope instead.

Take a Historic Walk Around the Gold Coast

The result of my walking tour... I mapped a running route (a skill I learned in my tech-savvy class) and included a photo gallery of historic landmarks in the neighborhood, including the Archbishop's residence, which is located right down the street from the original Playboy Mansion!

Enjoy!

P hoto: Original Playboy Mansion on State Pkwy in Chicago... The first floor is for sale, it can be yours for just $3.3 million. There is another house in the gallery that I found going for a cool $4.7 million.

P.S... this neighborhood is pretty wealthy and architecturally beautiful, but also pretty boring. There are a lot of hot spot night clubs which people frequent after 2 a.m. on the weekends, but other than that, it's tough to find things to report on!

Web of Success

This blog post is about the class that is ruling my life (I said ruling, not ruining, although it is a debatable), but also a VERY valuable experience... the one in which we launched a neighborhood news blog. Well, this week we had to post three things, and after writing one post about celebrity in the Gold Coast neighborhood (a very wealthy neighborhood in Chicago), I decided to hit up a bar that offered speed dating parties every Friday night.

It turned into a pretty interesting feature article, which has been retweeted (on Twitter) 25 times, and got three comments, one from someone not in the class! Last week, my Polar Plunge article was also a hit. Me and another girl both covered it, and because the editor put a link to one of our articles on the front page of ChicagoNow.com, our Gold Coast blog hit #34 on the list of most popular blogs (there are about 180 of them)!

I'm interested to see what happens in class on Tuesday. In the meantime, I have one more post to complete, so I am off to take a walking tour of the Gold Coast neighborhood! (I am using Elli's Christmas gift before she can... thanks roommate!!).

PS.. to read the articles, click on the underlined text :) (cough Mom cough.. love you!)

My Saintly Super Bowl Pick

It's Sunday.. How can you not root for a team named the Saints?

Despite the religious connotation to their name, I was planning on rooting for the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl today anyway.

Back in 2001, I remember watching the Patriots upset the Rams for New England's first Super Bowl victory ever. Jumping up and down with my brother and his friends (I'm sure their downstairs neighbors loved us) celebrating the win, I knew I would remember that moment forever.

And I have. Now I want another nation of fans to enjoy that same feeling.

I'm not rooting against Peyton Manning and the Colts because I can't stand those Manning brother Oreo commercials with Donald Trump or because I prefer Kim Kardashian's man (Reggie Bush) over Kendra Wilkinson's man (Hank Baskett, does he even play?)...

The Colts have already won a Super Bowl title, and very recently... three years ago, also in Miami (thanks to 20 ESPN features we all understand the parallels). Besides, we can't have Indianapolis fans spoiled rotten like Patriot fans, can we? (come on, admit it, we ARE spoiled.. Boston teams won a handful of major sports championships for the better half of the 2000's).

Winning is so much sweeter when it doesn't come so often (alright, that sounds snobby and ungrateful... but it's true). When winning becomes a habit, you begin to expect it and it ruins your entire perspective of your team and sports. For example, even though what the Patriots pulled off last year after Brady went down was tremendous (a 12-5 record with a QB who hadn't started since high school), we were all still a little pissed we didn't win the Super Bowl. No wonder a lot of people hate New England fans.

Anyways, I believe it's time to share the love with New Orleans, whose Saints have not only ever been to the Super Bowl, but have been through plenty of hard times. I'm not saying they deserve to win because they had to deal with Hurricane Katrina, but a little love goes a long way when it comes to the banged-up confidence of an entire community.

Take this parallel for example: The Saints play in a newly repaired Super Dome. The Colts play in the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium. Everyone loves an underdog story. Here you go, served on a silver platter via CBS and the NFL.

The Patriots were the underdog nine years ago IN New Orleans. Let's hope there is a little more Mardi Gras magic left for the Saints. The fans deserve it.