We're Gonna Make It After All

Yes, the dogs and I finally made it to the land of Mary Tyler Moore! (Okay, technically she lived in Minneapolis, and we live in St. Paul.) We arrived on Sunday night, and WOW was it a relief to finally get here. The week before was insane, with packing at work and at home, training people to take over my job, and saying a lot of good-byes. Yesterday and today I've been in "vacation mode" with Tomkin, trying to enjoy a couple days off before my 6,000 [literally] pounds of stuff arrives. We've been taking the dogs for walks, going to the AMAZING dog park, taking naps, reading, and even watching a little TV. It's been heavenly. I apologize to anyone who's e-mailed or called or sent text messages in the recent past--I owe correspondence to a lot of you. (And even though I haven't gotten back to you, I've enjoyed hearing from you!) I hope to catch up with people soon (though, admittedly, once my stuff arrives I'll be busy unpacking, and then I'll be starting up work again--albeit freelance--next week). However, I really will try! I also hope to catch up on some postings here soon--my last lunch with the Game Day Girls, my last day at work and the celebration afterward at the Bringer Inn, my last night in Chicago (out to the Hopleaf with Lisa), and my first days in St. Paul. Right now I'm still in relaxation mode, but I'll get back to productive mode soon. You betcha!

A Grand Game Night Send-Off

Last night, for the first time in months, we had Game Night with all six gamers. Kerri, Kelly, Jill, Mary Beth, and I went to Joanna & Tom's house. And I finally got to meet Alejandro! He's even more adorable in person than he is in pictures, and he is quite a character! He loves to dance and is fascinated by cameras--a man after my own heart! Joanna served up quite a spread--we started with Chicago staples (pizza from Lou Malnati's and hot dogs), then had an amazing salad for dinner. We spent so much time talking that we only played one game all night (Ultimate Outburst), but that was okay. It was nice just to have all of us together again. The girls surprised me with another Chicago favorite--cheesecake--and gave me a bevy of fabulous gifts: two games (Bandu--a classic--and Tune Twister--a new one that looks awesome!), business cards, and an AirTran gift certificate to use for a trip back to Chicago. It's been 6-1/2 years now that we've all been gaming together, and I guess it was inevitable that eventually someone would move away. I just didn't expect it to be me! I'm so thankful to have this incredible group of friends--we've all been through a lot since those first days when we used to meet during lunch to play Facts in Five. And even though I'm screwing up Game Night by moving to St. Paul, I know we'll all stay friends for life. To not only have one of these women as friends but all five is truly a remarkable blessing.

Good Counsel (and Good Food and Good Conversation)

Tonight I had dinner at Penny's with Pastor Trey. And you'll be shocked to hear that I forgot to have our server get a picture of us! It was a crazy busy day today, and I was feeling pretty stressed and anxious. I felt much more calm and relaxed after talking with Trey. He asked me lots of questions about the move and Tomkin and how I'm doing, and he gave me some good counsel. Plus we just chatted and laughed. I will miss Holy Covenant as a whole--it's an incredibly special place. But I will also miss Trey personally. Not only is he an amazing pastor, who stirs our hearts and challenges us not only to think and to pray but also to take action, he's also a lot of fun to hang out with. He's been a wonderful spiritual advisor to me and also a good friend. Holy Covenant is a uniquely wonderful place for many reasons, and Pastor Trey is primary among them.

Tres Pistoles

Last night Lisa had me and Carrie over for dinner. It was such a fun evening! First we had appetizers and wine. (Lisa always serves VERY good wine.) Then we ate baked macaroni & cheese, roasted chicken, and salad. It was delicious! And perfect food for the cooler weather. Lisa showed us pictures from her recent trip to Hawaii, and Carrie showed us the Web site for the program in Spain that she'll be a part of for the next couple weeks. Carrie gave me a bunch of fun presents. I'm going to have the best home office ever--or at least the most fun! For dessert we had chocolate cake and two kinds of ice cream, plus more wine. We had a great time hanging out, but it was sad to think that we've come to the end of an era. Not that we won't still be friends, but things are changing and evolving. I drove Carrie home and had to say good-bye, which was hard. By the time she gets back from Spain, I will have moved to St. Paul. I've been really excited about the move; I haven't wanted to think about this aspect of it. But now I'm starting not to have much choice. I already had to start saying some good-byes at my party, although with the excitement of the night, I was kind of distracted and didn't get too emotional. Now that the move is getting closer, everything's starting to sink in and seem more real. Only 10 days from today, I'll be heading up to St. Paul!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Since I didn't go to bed until almost 4:00 last night, I didn't make it to church this morning. But I met up with Carrie and Lisa, who bought me a birthday lunch at Charlie's Ale House. We sat outside and enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather (temps in the 80s!). After lunch, we went to Sweet Occasions for some birthday ice cream. Delicious! It's been a very fun birthday weekend!

The Most Awesome Birthday Party Ever!

Last night I had an '80s-themed birthday/going-away party. It was awesome! I decorated with pictures from Teen Beat, Bop, and other magazines that I had saved from my teenage years (Matt Dillon was especially prevelant), and I served '80s-themed food and drinks (wine coolers, Reunite, vodka & Kool-Aid, Pizza Rolls, Doritos, mini-quiches, Pop Rocks, Gummy Bears, etc.). Carrie and Lisa arrived early, and Carrie brought a beautiful pink birthday cake. All the guests wore era-appropriate clothing, and they were very creative! Lots of leggings, side ponytails, make-up, big bangs, and jewelry. It was great! We listened (and danced to) '80s tunes and reminisced about the age of excess. I've been wanting to throw an '80s party for years, so I'm glad I finally got to do it. It was a blast!

Having Her Cupcake, But Not Eating It, Too

Thursday night, Kerri and Martin threw a birthday party for their daughter, Libby, who turned one that day. Among the guests were Kelly, Airan, Sophie, and Evie, Mary Beth, and Joanna. This was the first time I'd seen Jo since she got back from Guatemala. It was so great to see her again! Libby seemed to enjoy the festivities--she especially enjoyed crumbling up her birthday cupcake and throwing it on the floor.

Home, Sweet Home

I suspect Joanna and Tom were starting to wonder if this day would ever come: As of today, the entire Spagoetzes family (including Alejandro!) is back from Guatemala and resting at home. It's still hard to believe they're finally back! I am so, so happy for them, and I can't wait to see Joanna again and meet her beautiful son.

So Long, Sweet Sisu

Good news--I found a home for Sisu! One of my coworkers picked him up tonight. She doesn't have any other pets, so he'll get to be an "only" again, which I suspect he'll enjoy. (And she has a daughter, who will love having a cat.) It was sad to see Sisu go, but I'm thrilled to know that he's gone to a loving home, where he'll get plenty of attention and won't have to worry about being chased by lion-hunting dogs.

TB or Not TB

Last night, the Carries and I had a fun night out and got ourselves some culture. We met up for dinner and drinks at Rivers--pretty swanky, and the food was delicious. Then we made our way across the street to see "La Boheme" at the Lyric Opera. I'd never seen it before, and it was wonderful! Comedy, romance, tragedy, rousing arias--the perfect combination. Plus, it made me think of "Moonstruck," one of my all-time favorite movies.

Turning the Page

When I started at Publications International, Ltd., in March 1993, I was 23 years old, living with almost no furniture in a studio apartment in Lincoln Park (for which I paid $385/month + heat), and made $16,500 a year working in the Visual Resource Center. Over the last 14-1/2 years I worked my way up to Production Editor, Associate Editor, Editor, Publications Coordinator, and Senior Editor. One of my bosses got fired, and one has passed away. We went from using keyliners to computers, gained a strong online presence, and grew so much that some of us moved into a second building. For years, the Game Day Girls (me, Joanna, Mary Beth, Kelly, Kerri, and Jill) used to congregate once a week during lunch to play games (and at other times to play Boggle), but I'm the only one of the six left at PIL. And now I'm leaving, too. I officially turned in my letter of resignation yesterday, and my last day as a PIL employee will be Friday, October 19th. After I move to St. Paul, I'll be doing freelance editing full-time. Tomkin created a Web site for me (julielgreene.com) and has finished his basement so I can have my own office and library. I've really enjoyed my time at PIL and have made some of the greatest friends of my life there. But I'm excited about the next chapter (publishing pun intended!).

Last Visit to St. Paul!

I took my last trip to St. Paul this past weekend. The next time I go up there, it'll be in a car, I'll have the dogs, and I won't have to fly back on Sunday night! I got in on Friday, and Tomkin gave me my birthday gift--a digital camera! It's about a third the size of my old one--very sleek and cool. I love it! Saturday we went to a wedding that Tomkin officiated. His ex-wife, Claire, was in the wedding party, so I got to meet her, her fiance, and her mom. She could not have been more gracious. Tomkin and I skipped the reception and went out for a nice dinner instead, which was fun. On Sunday we went for a long walk around one of the nearby lakes, then just lounged around the house. My flight was delayed about three hours because of the weather (ugh!), so I didn't get home until almost midnight. The many weekend trips I've taken up there this summer have been wonderful, but I'll be really happy not to have to take them any more!

Aloha, Lisa!

Last Thursday night, Lisa, Carrie, and I met up at the Fat Cat. We hadn't seen each other in a while and had a lot to catch up on. A LOT! Just as we were settling in, before we even had drinks in our hands, Lisa told us that during her recent trip to Hawaii (a couple weeks ago), she met a guy, fell in love, and now she's going to move there to live with him!!! Sure, I know I haven't recently been crowned "she who moves slowly in relationships," but even my jaw dropped at the news! I'm very happy and excited for her, though. Love is in the air!