Important moments in history

Whenever we face a pivotal moment in history everyone asks the same question:

Where were you when it happened?

I'm not old, so I haven't met too many world changing events, but we all experienced one yesterday that I hope none of us are soon to forget: The rapture.

I think we are more than likely to be talking about that life changing, soul shaking event for years to come, and I will never forget exactly what I was doing when we were all raptured. I was running. I wasn't just running though! It was one of the most eventful runs of my life.

I've just begun running again, so I'm only going about 2 miles a day, which means to humble park and back. If you don't know the Chicago area very well I'll tell you about my neighborhood. I love where I live...but its not...the ritziest of neighborhoods. Most of it is old Ukranian people, and some hipsters here and there. However, as you move towards Humble park there is kind of a tougher crowed. A few blocks west of my house there may be a gang or two...nothing too serious...just a few little rascals scattered about....you know...anyway.

I really love running in humble park, so I'm not going to let their silly drug dealing stop me! (I realize now I'm setting this up to be way more exciting than it actually was...get unexcited).

So event 1: I always run past my bestie's coffee shop on my way to the park. This time she was working, but I was in the zone, so I didn't notice. She ran out of her shop and screamed after me. Rocking out to the fleet foxes can be pretty distracting, though so I didn't hear hear her yell my name at an ear splitting level.

However...the rest of the street did. Once she realized I wasn't going to turn around, but that the rest of the block had she very sheepishly apologized and walked, head down back into her shop.

baaaa

 After her embarrassing moment my run continued and I did my little stint around humble park, being heckled and hit on by homeless men, and raging with jealousy a few times while running past adorable little families. I also passed a Puerto Rican pow wow that I think I'm gonna ask to join next satutrday. I'd love to show off my new cajon skillz! (a cajon is a kick ass drum that you sit on and slap around)

whenever I play it i actually grow that awesome mustache!

When I left Humble park (a little sweatier, angrier and happier at the same time) I experienced a very exciting hit and run. Instantly my super hero skills kicked in and I memorized the plates make and model of the car...like a champ. From watching the whole "hit" part it kind of looked like the offending van was going to get away by driving THROUGH the poor little sedan it demolished. When that seemed like it wasn't going to work out the way he planned he drove diagonally through 4 lanes of traffic and then turned left through a red light....kind of looking like this:

Rather than carrying on the obnoxious business of remembering that license plate number I asked someone for their phone to call 911. After the call was made the very distraught sedan owners came out of the store, and my first adrenaline driven response was "DON'T WORRY I GOT THEIR LICENSE AND I'VE CALLED THE COPS!"

While this response would have been comforting and reassuring in my suburban safe haven of Wheaton, they don't so much like the coppers in the hood...so, instantly the atmosphere changed...I passed the phone back to its owner and decided my best bet was to just keep running...which I did. I also don't think I'll be running near humble park for a while now!

After this we get to a more serious part...sorry i'm gonna get all real on you.

For the past 2 weeks or so I decided enough was enough. I've spent a long time not giving myself enough.  not enough credit, not enough trust, not enough care, not enough love. 2 weeks ago I decided it was time to stop that. It was time to care about myself because I can't keep depending on others to do that. I drink and eat really gross healthy food (i miss the amount of chocolate I used to eat...but lets be real I couldn't give it up all together). This is kind of a big step because I'm starting to realize that I'm pretty freaking awesome, and I have never allowed myself to understand that.

So at the end of this run, the longest and fastest run I have had so far I was pretty exhausted, and incredibly gross looking (and smelling!). I was passed by an older black gentleman with more teeth missing that in place. He turned around on his bike to come talk to me. I didn't hear most of what he said (I was rockin to hard to Karmin...look em up...they be the shiznit) but I heard the last part...and it went something like this: "GUUUURL, I can tell you love yo self!"

I'm not sure if he meant this as a pick up, or just a little compliment, but he will never know how that changed my day...and this whole process I'm going through. "You know what," i thought to myself  "I do love myself!" I don't know if I've ever really been able to say that before. I'm learning more and more what this means, and how that has the ability to change the way I am in relationship with everyone around me, but I was really blessed by old toothless man, and I am so grateful for him. For the rest of my run I had chants of how awesome I am running through my head :).

So thats the story of how I wasn't apocasized on May 21. 6pm came and went and nothing really exciting happened, except that I got ready for a kick ass Ben Sollee concert that totally blew my mind. You should also look him up...hes kind of the bomb. So tell me, where were you during the may 21, 2011 apocalypse?