saying goodbye to cubicle MA58: week 10

Goodbye sad, undecorated cubicle!

My final week of my internship felt surreal and also went by so quickly! I had quite a few projects to finish up so I was frantically finishing them, while trying to enjoy the last few days with my Chicago peeps. I worked on a background project about backpack programs for kids, finished up more with the social media audit, wrote a lesson in the gender and hunger toolkit and put some finishing touches on a few other projects I was working on. The interns also were able to have a conversation with Heidi Neumark, the author of the book we all read this summer. It was such an honor to be talking with her and to hear how her ministry has progressed since the writing of Breathing Space. (Quick plug: she has another book coming out this fall...everyone should read it!) Previously I mentioned that I was guest blogging and the first guest blog post came out this week! Read it here. It's about my experience with food and communion as someone with Crohn's disease. What an excellent, full summer! I just wish it would have slowed down a little bit. 

This week was also the ELCA's webcast of Confronting Racism, which was, I think, a good place for the greater Church to start the conversation about racism in our congregations and in the world. It's unfortunate that more of us haven't been talking about it in the past, but I suppose we need to start somewhere. I know that many people tuned in, but I wonder how many people from my congregation, or from Nebraska did.  

Robin brought Dunkin Donuts...
my first ever and now I'm hooked!

look at how huge this pieces of BBQ seitan pizza is!

I got a few dance classes in before my time in Chicago ended. And also did plenty more reading on my commute: Dad is Fat (Jim Gaffigan), Son--Giver Quartet, Book 4 (Lois Lowry) and Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of Its Own (Doreen Orion). I finished up West Wing (yes, I know both impressive and pathetic) and successfully procrastinated packing up my stuff until the very last second. 

I have much left to say and probably more to learn about my summer in Chicago. This week was one full of reflection (and resume updating!), but suffice it to say that my summer away was exactly what I needed. I'm quite sure I'll be back at some point...ELCA World Hunger can't get rid of me that easily! :) 

Elly's Pancake House: black cherry blintzes

Probably not all that unsurprising, but we celebrated the end of our (the interns) summer by going out to brunch with the whole team! I was gifted with wonderful sparkly things (one thing now decorating my new cubicle!) and a journal that says "Be Awesome" on the front. I will write more about my plans for that journal at another time--the plans are oh-so-grand! 

Furious Spoon: vegetable ramen

Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream: milkiest chocolate
and salted caramel sundae

Amtrak thinks it's so fancy with it's freezer dessert
and plastic monogrammed plates. 

The Amtrak ride home itself was pretty uneventful, but I did get to see all of the little towns along the route speed past, which really got me excited to be going home. Getting to my destination was a bit of a predicament because apparently they stopped checking baggage to my destination and I had no idea what to do with my 5 huge bags. (PS a VERY special thank you to Sharon who took me to the Amtrak station! And a bigger thank you to my Mom who drove several hours to come pick me up at a station that does check bags!) I sat next to a girl who thought everyone in Omaha rode horses and it was in the middle of the country. And I stood in line with a boy who thought Nebraskans spoke some sort of Germanic language (I suppose historically he's not all wrong on this one), so I was an impromptu ambassador for the state touting all of it's wonderful qualities!

When I got home I drove all around the state for doctor's appointments and finally to Omaha to move in to my new apartment. The open skies, uninhabited roads, fields upon fields of corn, and small town Nebraska were just what I was hoping for as a "welcome back" from the big city. It's good to be home now and back to school, but I'm so thankful for my summer away.

Highway 30.
Look at how perfect those clouds are!

my how time flies: week 9

Oh, you know, tree stump art

Poop. This summer flew by. I don't know why, but I really wasn't expecting it to go this quickly. I have only one week left of the internship! Work consisted of plenty of meetings, updating information in databases, and doing a social media audit of our social media presence compared to many other organizations. I did an embarrassing amount of Facebook and Twitter stalking of non-profits and other ELCA ministries.

Stan's Donuts: cherry cheese danish donut

ELCA World Hunger gives grants to domestic programs doing anti-hunger work in areas of relief, education, community development, education, and advocacy. One site that was given a hunger grant is actually in Chicago, so the other hunger interns, myself, and two new hunger staff headed there to see what it was all about. The Friendship Center is a food pantry serving 5 large neighborhoods in Chicago. They also have connections to social services and a clothing pantry between their two locations. Our first stop was to unload the truck delivering food from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Once unloaded, we organized the food (my dream job!) onto shelves for easier access later that day when the pantry would be open.

Yeah, go ELCA World Hunger Staff!
The Friendship Center

Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club: bread pudding french toast

After that, we headed to brunch (you know I loved that) at a local restaurant. And then we headed to the other location to learn more about the history of the program, their partners, their services, and to get a tour. One of my colleagues actually worked there as an intern last semester, so we got to see the fruits of his grant-writing labor as well.

Outside of work, I attended some musical theater dance classes, took naps, AND went to see the live-taping of Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me... at Millennium Park! Turns out we had a record breaking crowd that night. It was a lovely night of colleague bonding, weather enjoyment, and nerding out about news and NPR. We were sure to get refreshments beforehand including a Starfruit smoothie (made with frozen Keifur) and Chicago's own gourmet popcorn from Garrett's. Such a great night!

Garrett's popcorn

Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me...!

look at all those people (**nerds**)!

MP is beautiful at night!

The 606. 

 I also had the chance to walk the 606 this weekend. It's an old train line turned into green space. It's 2.7 miles in all and has walking/biking paths and parks and other green spaces. It surprise started raining as soon as I started walking (clearly I need a better weather app on my phone), but I quickly found a poncho and praised Jesus it wasn't hailing/tornado-ing like it apparently was in other parts of Chicago. I needed some sustenance in the middle of my walk, so clearly a stop at an ice cream shop was the answer. Thank you Margie's for helping me get all the way through that long journey...

Books this week were: The New Normal (Ashley Little); If You Have to Cry, Go Outside (Kelly Cutrone); and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling). Of course I continued on with my West Wing watching as well. Just can't get enough of the humor in that show!

Oh hey, surprise rainstorm.
I foiled you, I got a parka and I'm back on my way exploring the 606!

I should probably start figuring out how I'm going to get all of my belongings back to Nebraska next weekend, but that really sounds like a problem for Friday night (I leave Saturday afternoon!).

there are awesome apartments along the way

remnants from the train line

beautiful greenery

Margie's Candies: hot fudge and raspberry sundae with chocolate chip ice cream

I require sleep (post ELCA Youth Gathering hangover): week 8

Bakin' and Eggs brunch

Once I allowed myself to realize I was tired, boy did I really live-into that tiredness! Much of this week consisted of sleep and watching The West Wing. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. I made an embarassing amount of progress on The West Wing this week, mostly because I couldn't pull myself from the supine position to do much of anything else.

We started the week off right with some brunch on Monday morning whilst playing hooky from work (okay...we actually had lots of over-time, but I'd rather think of it as playing hooky...makes me sound cooler). I'm so happy to have had the chance for brunch with Mikka and Gina before Gina left and before I leave in two weeks! Quality time with friends + food? Yeah, I'm down.

Bakin' and Eggs: asparagus frittata, cheesy grits & toast with jam

Bakin' and Eggs: Banana Pecan Bread French Toast

the garden out front is beautiful!

purty 'hood

Other quick highlights include lunch outside at the park on an especially nice day, delivery Thai food (cooking is hard when you're so sleepy!), a trip back the the Mexican bakery, and ice cream at a Chicago classic with a long-time friend, James. This week I read: Sh*t My Kids Ruined: An A-Z Celebration of Kid-Destruction (Julie Brophy), The Encyclopedia of an Extraordinary Life (Amy Krouse Rosenthal), Here if You Need Me (Kate Braestrup), and Everything is Perfect When You're a Liar (Kelly Oxford)--admittedly I gave up on this one and didn't like it much. I also found out this week that I got a cool scholarship for next year, but unfortunately I can't take it because I already have an equally (if not more) awesome grad assistantship. But I still feel pretty honored and excited about the scholarship nonetheless!

Margie's Candies: turtle sundaes with James!

On a sad note, this week we said goodbye to a member of our team (and also to my friend!) Gina. She finished her Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC) year and is off to new adventures at her alma mater. I'm so very excited for her, but sad to not see her in the office anymore. The only appropriate sending off clearly had to include ice cream, so I ordered some from eCreamery in Omaha. This was the menu:

• Campfire Companion: S'mores ice cream
• Summer a la Mode: Berry cobbler ice cream (**this was far and away the favorite!)
• Served Best with Sunshine: Strawberry lemonade sorbet
• Summertime + Ice Cream = Love:  Chocolate malt ice cream with chocolate covered malt ball pieces
• Scoops of Thanks: Chocolate cake ice cream with fudge swirls & brownie bits (my favorite!)
• Indulge! You Deserve It!: Sea salt caramel ice cream
• Sweet Appreciation: Peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter cups & fudge swirls
• Delicious Gratitude: Vanilla ice cream with toffee crunch

Needless to say, I've converted some of the World Hunger staff to Nebraska ice cream lovers. Can't wait for everyone to come visit me in Omaha and I'll take them to the real deal! :) 

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!