Flashmob alert!! That’s right, it’s time for anotha one! It’s your chance to cross “star in a flashmob” off your bucket list. This time it’s going down on Saturday June 30, 2pm at the Bean in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Check out the moves in the video below (easiest choreo yet, to enable maximum participation!) and get your butt over there. You’ll be glad you came (; *brought to you by lululemon 900 N. Michigan Ave and their incredible dance ambassador Karim Tonsy*
This is what a super badass skyline looks like from inside a helicopter.
I don’t think there is anything better in life than scratching something off your Bucket List, #amiright? The anticipation, the excitement, the out of the ordinary to-do on your daily list…I wish I could scratch adventure list items off everyday. (maybe I should look into that.)
Chicago has about a bazillion tours you can take in order to check out the city, but the helicopter tour by far takes the cake. Here is a sampling of my photos from a birds eye view of the city. Shout out to T-Dub for co-piloting this adventure, Rotorzen Helicoptors for legitimately piloting the operation, and Living Social for making it affordable.
Go Sox Go!
Bear down Chicago Bears!
Chicago River gettin' rowdy
Coming atcha from the Eastside
A new take on my favorite pier
Wouldn't be a complete tour without a little LSD.
Gold Coast's finest
The Hancock up close and personal
Do you see the blue water tower in the center of the pic? That's my crib!
2 birds with one stone: Bulls & Blackhawks looking good this year!
It will always be the Sears.
Everyone looks great in super awkward head gear.
T-Dub wears it much better.
T-Dub, SJ and the Brown Bullet
Greetings from Shenna Jean!! It never fails to shock and amaze me how quickly a year flies by, yet here we are again. 2011, you were quite good to me….but 2012 is lookin’ even betta!! I got after it in 2011, in fact my theme of the year was “Make It Happen” and that’s exactly what I did. So without further ado, here is my 2011 Recap!
Highlights
In a nutshell, I had some big things happen with Lifebook at the beginning of the year as we released an online version of the program, took some trips that allowed me to meet some great contacts, I was fortunate to grow my knowledge in the world of online marketing and learned one of my best lessons of the year: never have your head so far up someone else’s dream that you forget your own!
Walking away was by far one of the scariest things I’ve done all year, but lead to one of the best events of 2011: The Summer of Shennaigans. Oh yes, we’re talking a summer break in the Chi folks, and it was super badass. A few weddings of the season, yoga (almost) everyday, my first flashmob, Trapeze lessons!, lots of beach days, stand up paddle boarding, baseball games, a new bike, pool time, parks and ambitions of frisbees, patio drinking, planking galore, porch club, co-ed softball, Cali, Maui, Michigan and La Porte!! This girl was truly blessed. Word from the wise: when life hands you a summer break, TAKE IT.
Swinging for the fences with the Big Hurt during The Summer of Shennanigans
Throughout the entire summer I had one main objective however: get in with lululemon athletica. I was focused, I meditated on it every day, I had my eye on the prize and after 3 months and 7 interviews later, I began my dream job 😀 A place where I can wear yoga clothes and my nike high tops all day and dance around the store to sweet jams? Talk to complete strangers, brighten their day and turn them into repeat guests? Lead an amazing team of like minded people to kicking ass and taking names at one of the coolest stores in the infamous Gold Coast of Chicago? Work for a company who promotes personal development and goal setting, provides opportunities for it at every bend and wants to see you be a better person above all else? Um, yes please!!!
The past few months have been a whirlwind, gettin’ in where I fit in and lovin’ it. And I can’t begin to tell you what this job has done for my “Get it Right, Get it Tight” goals!! Hellllllllllo Crossfit!! If you haven’t heard about it, read up here and find your closest box. It will transform your body in less than 2 months, no joke. (You must obvi go, all the time for at least 2 months, don’t half ass it.) Not to mention all the fun new types of yoga I get to try, although my heart is and always will be at The Lab.
So the last half of my year has been focused on sweating a lot, working at the wal-mart (when retail is your family business, that’s the kind of inside jokes you get) and doing me. Little love update for ya: We’ve got Single Shenna in the house and we all know how much fun she is! After 10 months of dating a great guy, I gained some valuable insights about the person I still need to become in order to be in my ideal relationship. Puttin’ in the work now, so when he shows up on his horse I’ll be ready (;
Goals
Get it Right, Get it Tight
Overall idea here was to get into a solid sweat routine; check. My health and fitness vision is to be a healthy, athletic size 4 that has more energy than she knows what to do with. I haven’t tried non-strechy clothes on for a while I can’t verify the size 4 yet, but the main objective is to feel comfortable and confident in my own skin, which I very much do.
-Run a 5k each quarter (Done, thank goodness for 15k catch ups!!)
-Practice yoga at least twice a week (Next time you see me ask to see my forearm balance and my handstand)
-Clean up my eating habits, as they are often likened to that of a 6 year old. Made some progress, but not nearly as much as I’d like, but that’s what 2012 is for.
Hot Chocolate 15K in November
My Personal Brand
Whether you realize it or not, you (yes you!) are your own personal brand; what you put out into the world, how the world perceives you, is essentially who you are. And, you own 100% of the shares in your company, so do what you must to get the results you’re looking for! This past year I had a few things I set out to do in this bucket:
-Update my wardrobe with quality pieces that reflect who I am and are functional for my lifestyle. (Thanks to lulu, I’m very much overachieving in this department, so much so that I might need a new goal in 2012 to not “update” as often.)
-Design and update my studio apartment at Loft 5H. (New bedding and throw pillows make a world of difference peeps, I suggest switchin’ it up soon if you haven’t already! A memory foam mattress is a great addition too. I did not however complete my frame gallery project which is disappointing and will be in 2012 Q1 goals.)
-Create my Lifebook V2.0 and complete an update in each category. (Started off SOO strong and made it all the way through My Personal Life, I will soon post the PDF’s once I figure out how to do that. 2012 I will be tackling the last 6 chapters!)
-Update my online brand and get to postin’ regularly on my blog. (A big round of applause, as I’ve blogged more in 2011 than any other year of my life. However I’m not completely satisfied with the results and will be posting weekly in 2012, hold me to it!!)
Glimpse of the Studio @ Loft 5H
Debt Free is the Way to Beee!
This one is pretty explanatory, who wants to spend their life owing peeps money when you could be doing way cooler shit with it? Not me, so this was the year to eliminate all the debt that my 20’s blessed me with. With the exception of my student loans, I am happy to report that this goal has been knocked out of the park. **Special thanks goes out to my nerdy accountability partner, this free spirit would not be nearly as successful without you xx**
Feed Me! Says the Brain
Plain and simple, I like to learn. I like new concepts, music, places, ideas and the intellectual side of me has to stay busy for me to be the best version of myself possible. 2011 brought some amazing new things into my life!
-Take at least 5 trips a year, 1 international, 4 domestic, at least 2 must be strictly pleasure. (Maui is overseas at least?? Colorado, Cali (x2), Vegas, DC, Grand Canyon, Michigan, and La Porte. I got around in 2011.)
-Minimum of 2 books a month. (Read some great ones this year: entire Hunger Game series, The Help, Like Water For Chocolate, Tales from a Yoga Studio ((I was on the beach for that one)) Tribes, Good to Great, Leadership Pipeline, Body Confidence, The Witch of Portobello, and currently nearing the end of Atlas Shrugged ((FINALLY!!)) to name a few.)
-Must digest at least 5 new albums a year and attend one concert per quarter. (SO MUCH GOOD NEW MUSIC RIGHT NOW!! However, the defining albums for me this year were: Adele “21” Foster The People “Torches” Gramatik “Streetbangerz Vol. 1 & 2” Jay-Z & Kanye’s “Watch The Throne” Common “The Dreamer, The Believer”. Dropped the ball on shows this year, but did see Watch the Throne at United Center and that shit cray, obvi.)
Black sand beaches in Maui
My Fairytale Relationships
Knowing that I’ve got people all over the world and knowing that I’m not the best at keeping up with my phone book and knowing that we’re all growing up, going separate ways and making it even harder to keep up, means that I have to put in a little extra work with the relationships that I want to maintain.
-KIT Project: Reach out to one long distance friend each week and one family member each week via phone/Facetime/Skype to catch up. (Dani, Madison and I smash this goal…have grown so much closer to her since that little squirt came along and Tangpuz I’m not sure where I would be without our skype sesh’s. Tiff, you’re on the list to conquer on the reg this year and so is my pops.)
-Create a viable love strategy, regular date night routine and needs list for my man. (Well, I don’t currently have a man, so the love strategy is a little tough, but it’s not something that my last partner and I were good about so maybe there is a clue. I am going on dates, which keeps my options open and I did create my list of needs in a relationship so that the expectations are clear with the next lucky fellow.)
-Be the best “Pseudo Maid of Honor” a girl could hope for in her wedding. (Awesome concert themed shower for your closest friends, check! Super baller Vegas bachelorette party, check! Surprise flashmob to a song you would have never expected at the reception, check!)
Me, Madi & Dani
So there you have it folks! 2011 was filled with growth, experience, awesomeness, learnings and fun…and more to come in 2012! Look for my official 2012 goals to be posted by next week (:
Here’s to you and yours having the best holiday season and a very happy New Year xx
Flashmob’s are hot right now. So hot that I decided to put together some flashmob action as a surprise for one of my best friend’s and her new husband at their wedding reception.
I can’t say that it was easy. Quality choreography that appeals to everyone, makes sense with the song, and is quick to learn doesn’t just materialize out of thin air. And then comes motivating the masses to spend their hard earned leisure time learning a dance. Believe me, that is no small chore either. Thank god for my drill team roots is all I can say.
However, with the help of fabulous friend, a few bottles of wine, iMovie and the use of YouTube, it can be done. From soup to nuts, we provided a music video, instructional video, as well as the song lyrics with moves like trucker pump, blind man, and hula girl written out, so about 30 of our friends could provide the memory of a lifetime for one of our all time favorite couples.
Many many thanks goes out to Hans Gehrke for without the blind man move the dance just wouldn’t have been the same, Joan of Five Grain Events who weaved this secret endeavor into the evening’s schedule seamlessly, Stitely Entertainment (special shout out to Dallas Wright!) who was the only one I’m aware that captured the brilliance on film. And last but not least, to all the friends who made it possible!!! Not going to lie, you guys had me sweating the day before, but made me so proud that night!
Without further ado, I give you the Jordan Wedding Flashmob Part 1. And please do call if you’d like a flashmob (:
No, not that kind. The kind where you randomly break out in choreographed dance! One of my besties got married this past weekend and what an epic wedding weekend it was. To top it off, I’ve got some amazing friends who went along with the idea to put together a flashmob for the occasion to the tune of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”
The the original wedding performance is still in production and will be available in the next week or so. In the meantime, please enjoy this encore performance on the rooftop of Reggie’s as the wedding festivities continued on. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Jordan!
Drumroll please? That’s right folks, my new title officially is: Lady of Leisure. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? And let’s be honest, I know some of you are even a little jealous.
I figure there are a few ways I can play this, and the best one is realizing that life has just handed me a **FREE SUMMER BREAK** Do you have any idea what that means living in Chicago?? I’d be a fool to not immediately dive right into my things I want to do list.
For starters, we can kick it off with beaches, friends, summer reading lists!!! :D, yoga, Sox games, photos, traveling, festivals, vacations, family, softball, white wine,…growing, learning, loving, and playing. How often is life really so generous??
I urban dictanary-ed “Lady of Leisure” just to be sure I wouldn’t be getting myself in trouble here:
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A polite term for an unemployed woman.
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Um, perf.
I also looked up the term “leisure” in case their were any doubts, and if you weren’t jealous before, just read this:
: freedom provided by the cessation of activities; especially: time free from work or duties
Lastly, I did a quick Google Image search and was able to come up with a figurine that I think sums up the phrase quite appropriately. I still need to find myself a nice hat.
Overall, I’m extremely pleased with my new title. This job is not an easy one, and I’ve got quite a list to knock out before I quit my leisure lifestyle and get a real “job.” I might even start a club of leisurites, as I know a few of you who would already be interested…
Look for my updated bucket list to be posted soon, as well as some updated projects I’m working on to Make it Happen in 2011.
**Please note to any family members, unemployment officers and potential employers that may be reading this, don’t worry…I’m still also very much gainfully seeking employment. I’m just having fun while doing it.**
I’ve always had a thing for mustaches, how can you not they are AWESOME. I’m down to rock a fake mustache to any type of event (Bears game most recently, may have even seen me in the club sportin’ one) and I love commenting on a sweet stache if it’s meant to be a sweet stache. There are some legit creepy staches out there which you truly want to avoid.
Last November I had the distinct pleasure of spending my time traveling and working all over England and it was there I uncovered an amazing movement called Movember. It wasn’t until about the second week of November that I started noticing sweet staches everywhere I turned. On the tube, in the streets, on campus, at the pubs, you name it. Only difference was that they call them “Mo’s” and that they were doing it to raise money for cancer. I was floored and immediately backed it.
It was started by a few mates in 2004 down in Australia, more for the excuse just to rock a wild mo. After the first year, they realized it’s immense potential and decided to create the male’s version of Breast Cancer Awareness month and Movember was born. Here in the states, all proceeds raised by Movember benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LiveSTRONG.
Over the past year I’ve asked guys who have sweet Mo’s if they have ever participated in Movember and to my surprise, hardly anyone over here has even heard of it. Most every guy I’ve explained the story to is down and loves the concept, so here we are today.
No, I haven’t had a family member affected by prostate or testicular cancer. Especially given the scary stats, I’ve been extremely blessed to not have had a male in my life diagnosed. I hope and pray that it stays that way. In 2010, more than 32,000 men will die from prostate cancer alone which is a very sobering thought.
My contribution to the world thus far hasn’t been anything magnificent but slow and steady and I’d like to continue down that path. The awareness around the issue is LAME and deserves much more credit that it’s currently given. If I can throw up a Facebook event, write a blog and generate a slight buzz around it, I am happy to do so for a great cause and a sweet Mo.
Here’s how it works: Donate or grow a mo. That simple.
Doesn’t matter where you live, go to my MoSpace page (haha get it) to make a donation or join my crew and start rockin’ your Mo.
Team Name: Ready Set MO!
http://us.movember.com/mospace/907772/
Don’t be LAME, help spread the word.
I’m a fan of any sort of wearable conversation pieces, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into with these puppies. A fun pair of flats are an essential to any fabulous woman’s wardrobe and this pair clearly steals center stage. A day-glo denim coral masterpiece; I love em. Apparently, so do the men.
While out at a Chicago Fire game this past weekend I received multiple compliments from a wide range of polite males. Standing in line at half time a college aged kid came up behind us and said, “Whoa! I definitely won’t be loosing you with those shoes! I’m from New York, this is my first game and you should be excited for me.” He quickly realized he was in between a rock and hard place in trying to decide between hitting on my 15 year old step sister or the 27 year old who clearly had no interest in him.
Walking out of the stadium a man old enough to be my father walked by and hollered “Cute shoes!” to which I replied, “Hey thanks!” Impressed by the gentleman’s keen sense of fashion I continued my trek across the parking lot and not even 5 minutes later a car pulled up and yelled “Hey look! It’s the girl with the cute shoes!” and started cheering. I waved to my adoring fans and continued my journey back to the city.
Compliments on the shuttle, as well as an awkward run in with the college kid (“Hey! There you are! Guess I was wrong! You didn’t even say good bye and I couldn’t find your shoes anywhere!”) led to pleasantries on the El. A man whom we’ll call “Crazy” pulled up a seat next to me with a “WOW! Day glo orange?!” I looked at him and said “Yes, that’s right.” He began telling me about a “place” that he had seen with lights that color coming through the windows but he didn’t trust what was going on inside.
At that point he began pulling items out of the bags he had with him. The first was a used ball cap from Marseilles, IL reminding the wearer to Support Our Troops. He was proud, as it “looks brand new doesn’t it?!” Next out of the bag was a cassette tape of CATS! the musical. He was delighted with his purchase until he realized that it was Tape 2 of 2 and he was missing the mate. “Oh well. It only cost 35 cents. I’m going to give it to my friend anyway. She used to live in this real small apartment and she loved cats. She had 30 of them but then she went to a mental health facility. Do you know anyone in a mental health facility?”
I thought for a second, running through the people I know that should probably be in a nuthouse, but admitted that no, I did not. “That’s ok. You’re better off that way. They run around dropping the N-word and that’s not ok cuz I live by a bunch of gang bangers that would shoot you for saying for something like that.” I stared at him, not quite understanding what was happening and said “I’d imagine they would.”
Next he pulled out a single gold hoop earring, that clearly had been found on the ground and looked as if a truck had backed over it a few times. “No, but thank you.” I politely declined. “No, no! It’s not for you! I was wondering if you think my lady friend would like it. You know, the one in the health facility?” Hmmmm. “Yes, I’m sure she’d think it’s quite nice.” He then proceeded to pull out 8 nose rings from his wallet he’d been saving for her, a rusted, foggy, stretchy tennis bracelet and another equally ridiculous single earring.
“Well. That’s quite a collection you’ve got. You’re friend is very lucky to have a friend like you.”
“Thanks. I think so too. Welp. Roosevelt. This is me. Nice talking to ya!”
I look over to my mother and her husband who have been doubled over in laughter the entire time, offering no words of rescue. They did however manage to capture a classic photo of me and my new Crazy friend that sums up our time together quite well.
I LOVE pizza. I typically eat it in some form at least 3 times a week. And last night I may have found the love of my life. I’m typically a thin crust girl, as the last 10 years of my life I’ve lived no where near decent deep dish. However, now that I’m back home my world of food has been flipped upside down.
Last night I went to Pequod’s Pizza in Lincoln Park and had my world rocked. The line was absurd but we waited regardless. Conversation quickly turned to the origin of the name, which happens to be the ship that went after the great Moby Dick. Wait, it gets better. Please note the hot pink thong around the whales head. Yes, that’s a thong. Apparently according to our waitress (who stalled 3 times before finally telling us the significance) “Moby Dick went down for a slice of pizza pie and came up with those on his head.” Yes, this is a family establishment. The owner was actually there, running around like he usually does on crazy weekend nights with his long, grey, braided pony tail. He looked like a guy I’d sit and have a beer with and I’m pretty sure he’s had his fair share of pie in his day.
The pizza was INSANE. A caramelized crust?? You’ve got to be kidding me. Here’s a quote from the menu: “Our deep dish is baked in cast iron pans blackened by decades of seasoning. The overflowing cheese emerges from the oven as a halo of caramelized crust.” I nearly j’d my p’s. I know, I have a problem when it comes to bread and cheese.
To top it all off, Rum & Cokes were $5 for what seemed like a triple and it’s a pretty legit sports bar with tv’s all around to watch the first Blackhawks win of the season and the usual Bulls overtime loss. Come for a visit and I’ll take you for a slice of the best pie you’ve ever tasted (;
PS I’m eating my leftovers right now, which if baked at 350 for approx 15 mins will blow your mind just as well.
I decided to let a little bit of my crazy out on camera with some friends a while back and now it’s available for your viewing pleasure! Don’t get excited, all clothes stay on as this is a viral promo video for the Epic Pass (get one and see you on the mou) and just launched via Freeskier Magazine and Vail Ski Resort. Marty Lempkin is a special fellow, as my character Gretchen McIlroy goes to great lengths to explain. He’s played by pro skier Colby West, who has no shortage of crazy either, be it on the slopes or on the screen. Check out my boy’s company Stimulus Media to see last years videos which will help explain what the f*@k is going on.
Shenna Jean Was Here 