Their sunny 60s optimism tends to cancel out my bitter 90s cynicism.

1. I’m leaving for NYC tomorrow! I’ll be at Coney Island for the third year in a row for the July 4th Hot dog eating contest! You should watch it on Sunday at noonEST on ESPN! Here’s my guide to everything you need to know about the July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest!

2. These nachos were horrible and not spicy enough. Which is saying a lot from a girl who hates spicy food.

3. I wish “bring me a pizza” would work on more people. New life plan: date a pizza delivery guy.

4. It’s been storming a lot and the other day there were even tornado sirens going off…and that happens practically never in Chicago. After the tornado warning ended the sky glowed bright green.

5. A few Sundays ago I went to see David Sedaris speak. Afterwards I ended up telling his the story of how I spent a whole weekend cleaning then came home to find the cat rubbing poop everywhere.

6. I went to the Taste of Chicago a couple more times.

7. Why on every wedding TV show do they makeup over the brides tattoos???

8. I realized my crushes growing up included Derek (Barbie & the Rockers), Jordan Catalano (My So Called Life), & Trent (Daria) – how am I NOT a band groupie?

9. Daria with the wrong music is better than no Daria at all.

10. Val: I’m a bad sleeper if someone else is in bed
Scott: even if its something like a king?
Val: yeah, even if he was a king I’d still have trouble

11. I’ve never seen a Toy Story movie.

12. The guy who lived across the street from me was arrested for murder.