Key Learnings, mini drunk blog and Chicago holiday traditions

I cannot believe it's the middle of December. Wha? Where are the weeks going? This week I head home and I've already started overpacking. Is that even possible?

Let's get into the key learnings to spare me from finding another sweater to pack.

Key Learnings:

• When you say, "I'm ready to make out," make sure it's by people you want to make out with (unless you don't really care who it is)

• Just because it's "open bar for two hours," doesn't mean you need to drink a full night's worth of wine within two hours

• Men who deliver food on bikes in the rain should be paid double

• Gluhwein is awesome, but drink it as fast as you can to avoid the odd taste

• When your doctor says (with a tone) that you've put on five pounds, do not say, "yeah? you have too," especially when she is pregnant. Oops!

• People are meaner the closer it gets to Christmas

• Baby strollers in crowded, public places are a menace

• When having a celeb sighting at the gym, make sure your CWI's aren't at full alert

• The first taste of caffeine soda after a long day tastes like sweet heaven running through your veins

• When 40 mph wind gusts are blowing at you, tear your hat off and do a Charlie's Angels hair flip. At that point, just own it

Chicago Christmas

Along with the Michigan Avenue lighting, I love going to visit the Christmas Market at Daley Plaza and the Macy's windows. For some reason, I was possessed to visit both of them this weekend, along with just about every tourist in a 20 mile radius...and in the rain. That did not help my cold. 

View of the Market

But I got some sweet pictures and good food, including German Gluhwein, which is spiced red wine. I'm not a red wine fan and the spice tasted a little like lighter fluid, but it did clear some of my sinuses for a few minutes. Score. I also got some cinnamon-toasted almonds (gebrannte Mandeln in German), which bring back a lot of memories from my time overseas. The crowds were awful, but it was worth it.

Gebrannte Mandeln (nom nom nom)

Gluhwein

Also, here is a picture of my name on Santa's list in the Macy's window. Fingers crossed I'm on the "nice kid" list.

Mini drunk blog

Here's a shock, I was "overserved" at my holiday party this week (two of the above key learnings happened there) and I came home, downed a container of cold pasta like an animal and decided to drunk blog. Below is the text from my drunk blog attempt. Imagine me laughing in the background too and spitting pasta. It's sad.

"So right now, I am totally hammered and eating cold pasta to sober up before I go to bed and I'm watching the Office. But it's really not htat funny and I want to see more Jim/Pam before it goes o nhiatisus for a month. I mean what's up with that? I even SMS texted Jenn but she's not answering nad someone got my Xmas card today and it made them happy. That's not normal. Th room is spinning. Cold pasta, I want it to be awarm but it's not. But that's okay.  I love the office, dwight is fuuny. bedt ie."

How was everyone else's weekend? I get to wear jeans to work this week, which I am super excited about, but it is causing me to rethink my casual wardrobe.