Time to get busy

Hello Friends! It has been months since I have written, and I have gotten some requests to get back online and talk about the things I don’t do in moderation.

I should start by saying that most things have not changed – I still do not drink in moderation, shop in moderation, or eat salty snacks in moderation. In fact, the reason I am even writing now is to stop me from eating the entire bag of Chex Mix I just bought at the airport (not nearly as good as P-Mix, obvi).

But one thing is new…the days of working in moderation for Carrie are now over.



I did not handle my 29th birthday with any moderation

As you may recall, NAM and I broke up about 5 months ago. And let me just say that starting a new job is HARD. You have a new set of programs to learn, new people to work with, and a new company to get accustomed to – is it sad that I don’t even know the name of the president of my company? I’ll answer for you…yes, that’s sad. And as I mentioned before, I am working A LOT.

I am not going to go into all the things that learning a new job has taught me about myself, because frankly I’m not really in the mood to write about that…but I am going to use that as an excuse for why I have not been blogging. And you know what – those days are done! NotInMod is back, and it is going to be better than ever (especially since the benchmark wasn’t set that high – let’s be honest).

Ok so – what is my return going to be about? Well, me, of course!

Since I have last written I have celebrated a birthday. I am now seeing the world through a 29-year-old lens, and let me tell ya, it’s glorious. And just like any real millennial, I am already thinking about what’s next…and the answer is that 30 is right around the corner - sort of. Now, turning 30 doesn’t scare me. I love where I am in life, I am proud of the things I have accomplished, I surround myself with wonderful friends and family, and I have at least one person who reads my blog (that’s Chad – because I make him).

But when the idea of a “30 before 30” list came up at our last IPPL reunion (which you can read about here) I decided to create a list – plus, I LOVE lists. Why you ask? Because 1) They keep you organized, 2) It’s fun to cross things off and 3) Because I grew up watching the David Letterman show with my sister Kim, and I think Top 10 lists are in my blood.



There are 2 different ways to look at this list – 1) Things you would like to do in your life before you turn 30 or 2) Things you would like to do in the next YEAR before you turn 30. Mine is the latter – let’s go.

1.       Run a 5K

2.       Go to the top of the Sears Tower

3.       Help my Mom move to Chicago

4.       Take a comedy class

5.       Increase my savings account by 30%

6.       Go to a Cubs rooftop

7.       Visit a winery – ideally an overnight trip

8.       Wake up and watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan

9.       Take a class about Whiskey/Booze (and not taste test in moderation)

10.   Volunteer on a Saturday

11.   Read at least 4 books – maybe one will be a “smart” book (that’s a relative term, but for example: I am reading a book called “I Totally Meant to Do That” and shockingly, I would not classify that as a “smart” book)

12.   Lose 5 pounds

13.   Pay off my Student Loans

14.   Paddleboard down the river, or at Montrose Beach, or really anywhere.

15.   Take dance lessons

16.   See at least 5 movies I have never seen that everyone else has (for example: Pulp Fiction, Coming to America, Goonies, Back to the Future, Animal House, Caddyshack - I know, "Carrie! How have you never seen ____?!")

17.   Go to Chinatown and eat Dim Sum

18.   Go on vacation somewhere new

19.   Eat at Girl and the Goat, the Publican and GT Oyster (any others Chicagoans?) 

20.   Celebrate my 1 year anniversary with Chad (laaaaaaaaame, but true)

21.   Donate money towards a good cause

22.   Visit at least 1 Chicago museum

23.   Host a downtown Sister’s Weekend….with my sisters.

24.   Pay off my Car Loans

25.   Convince at least one of my friends named Melissa to move to Chicago (come on, girls – pack it up already!)

26.   Play hooky from work and go to the beach

27.   Take Chad to a Gator Game and introduce him to Pita Pit

28.   Earn the respect of my new client and prove myself in my new job

29.   Do 30 random acts of kindness

30.   Stop writing my blog only in moderation

Can’t wait to see what this year has in store for me! It’s good to be back.

Junior High - Yikes.

Aww..He once looked up to me

After my “baby Love” post, NotInMod readers (ok, reader…singular) pointed out that my nephew, Cameron, was not getting adequate press time. Unrelated sidenote: Rachel, thank you for reading. 

Cameron is my 12-year-old nephew who I love very much. I am convinced he loves me too, although his actions make that debatable. Maybe he senses that I know nothing about 12-year-old boys, and if so, he is very right. I didn’t even know about 12-year-old boys when I was a 12-year-old. #singlepreteen



I think this shirt is really funny. Look at him - he's a heartbreaker!

Here are a few things I know about my nephew:

• His birthday is May 30, 2000 and he will be 13 next month.
• He used to play the clarinet, but he recently traded that in for a miniature tuba. BTW – a miniature tuba is not called a tuba. I don’t remember what it’s called, but I do know that it’s heavy.
• He is in wrestling and he is REALLY good. Do not let his size fool you – that kid is a fighter. He obviously takes after his mothers and aunts, who used to practice women’s wrestling on our parents’ king size bed growing up. It wasn’t as weird as it sounds, I swear…
• He is hilarious - also takes after his aunts (sorry, Kim)
• He is very into Black Opps and gaming, two things I know close to nothing about. 
• He is one of those super smart kids that gets bored really easily because they are usually a step ahead of everyone. Especially ahead of his family after we've had a few cocktails.
• He tries to hide it, but that kid is FULL of love. I have a feeling he is secretly a hugger like me.
• He thinks I am incredibly lame.

In an effort to try to be a better aunt to Cameron, I wanted to tap into what it was like when I was his age. My life at Plum Grove Junior High (we called it SCUM Grove – great pun) was really quite pathetic. I was obsessed with Titanic, the Spice Girls and ‘NSync. My weekends consisted of following my sisters around, drinking too much Mountain Dew and making up dances with Carreen. I lived in fear of getting my period at school and often had a sweatshirt tied around my waist. I was caught cheating on the pig dissection exam in 7^th grade, and cried more than most people cry in a lifetime.  



Carrie Keller - age 12
Yikes.



And like all girls in junior high, I wanted SO desperately to be cool. I remember letting a popular girl see my science project, and when she cheated off of me, I took the blame. I got in trouble for hitting kids with seatbelts on bus because that’s what the cool kids in the back of the bus were doing. And worst of all, I remember making fun of a kid for not having any friends, when I actually sort of wanted to be his friend.

I don’t remember if I was nasty to my parents when I was in junior high, but I suspect that I was. I am sure that I being friends with my aunts and uncles sounded like a lame thing to do when I would rather spend time with the few friends I had. So in retrospect, I don’t think I can blame Cameron for not wanting to open up to me. If I thought I had it hard, kids these days have way more to deal with. I read something the other day that said 6 out of 10 girls stop doing what they love because they are too self-conscious. And when I watch the news and hear the horror stories about bullying, I can understand why. It is a tough world out there, and I am sure that most 12-year-old boys don’t want to turn to their aunt (no matter how insightful she may think she is) and open up.  

So I can’t take it too personally when he tells me I am boring. I just need to remember what a great kid he is, and have hope that one day he will turn around and think I am great too.



My Baby Love

Can't wait to meet Baby Lachlan!

I am sitting at the airport on my way to go meet one of my best friends’ newest family addition. That’s right, another one of my friends has a baby. You know how there are certain times in your life when your FB feed blows up with people all doing the same thing? Decorating pumpkins…taking the bar exam…spring break….wedding season…well, one thing throughout the year is constant. Everyone is having babies.

NOTE: When I say “friends” in this post, that includes my sister, Kim.

I have to admit that I am a little terrified of babies. They are extremely fragile, usually a little clammy from the swaddling, and at any point they can explode from either end. They are almost as unpredictable as birds…almost.  

#shehastwo #imokjustbeinganaunt

But low and behold my friends are moms (and dads – but let’s just focus on the moms, shall we?) and they have little babies that are their whole world. Now, I like visiting with other peoples’ babies. They are really cute from a distance, and it brings me a lot of joy to see my friends so in love with this extension of themselves. It really does break your heart just a little. Not to mention that babies LOVE me. I was once told that I was like a laxative for babies (is that a complement?) and they are one of the only audiences that think I’m hysterical. Ok, I think that someday having a baby will seem like something I would like to try. Well, I guess you don’t “try” to be a mom…I am pretty sure you can’t return a baby online if it doesn’t work out, but don’t quote me on that….

The whole Gildea Gang!!
Beautiful even after childbirth - jeal.

I was driving the other day through rush-hour traffic in Chicago after work. I was cutting some people off, dancing to country music, and deep in thought over which drink I should have when I get home – Beer? Wine? Cocktail? So many choices!! But mid-alcoholic debate, I had a weird thought enter my head – what if there was a BABY in the car with me right now? And even more crazy – what if that BABY was MINE?? Then that was too much pressure and suddenly deciding on my beverage for the night didn’t seem so hard. I just wanted them all.

I mean, look at these nuggets!!
She looks like a pro!

Now, the reason I freaked out is because being a mom sounds hard. I think of all of the selfless things my mom did for me and my sisters growing up, how she struggled to pay the bills, but could always pull it together for a spring break vacation or an activity that we wanted to. She ran around to get 3 kids where they needed to be, and rarely let us see how worn down she really was. She tells us every chance she can that she is proud of us, even when I know we weren’t always the best daughters. She made friends with our friends and balanced taking an interest in our lives while letting us be as independent as possible. She was Superwoman in every sense of the word (actually – not as a Halloween costume, she was usually a Witch or one a Toy for Tots Center – don’t ask). My mom is amazing, and I definitely don’t tell her that enough.

But see, that is why I can’t believe I have friends that are MOMS. They do that every day! God Bless the Mom’s out there….and God Bless the USA.



Love you girls - but you have tough competition with the best Mom in the world :)

One more note: If you are a mom friend of mine and were not included in this post, please do not be mad. I just didn't realize anyone except my 5 friends actually read this thing. You, too, are amazing :)

Kiss me, I'm Irish (and German and Portuguese)

St. Patrick’s Day makes me think of Lucky Charms cereal, Dropkick Murphy’s, Irish Car Bombs, Green Beer, Shamrock Shakes and light-up flair. All my faves.

It also makes me think of luck, and right now, I feel pretty lucky in life. Cue braggy blog post…



I am an aunt to two very smart kids.
Well - they would be smarter if they liked me back. 



I met this guy, and he is pretty great.



I have a very brave and nimble turtle.



I have had a very successful career...thus far.
I have only been in my new gig for a month.
There is still plenty of time for me to screw it up. 



I have an amazing family that all live within a 5hr drive.



I have been on some people's dream vacations.



I LOVE my friends. Period.


Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Happily Ever After

February. 

Every year you wonder “Will the Groundhog see its shadow?” “Will I have a Valentine?” “Will I have to work on President’s Day?” But in Chicago, one thing is for certain. You will be going stir crazy in February.

Chicagoans spend months wrapped up in scarves and pretty much avoid going outside at all costs. The one plus - with the cold weather comes nights of curling up by the fire (if you’re lucky enough to have one), having a glass of wine or Hot Tottie, and watching a good movie. And by “good movie,” I am clearly referring to Rom Coms.

Now, who doesn’t love a good romantic comedy? You know, the movies where two people are brought together by a unique situation (usually involving a secret). They have a long courting session of extremely romantic dates, and as soon as they have sex for the first time, the secret comes out. Next comes heartbreak, crying on the shoulder of the token sarcastic best friend. Both parties try and move on, but let’s face it….they are MFEO. Soon enough they realize that love conquers all, they end up happily ever after, with a jazzy tune playing in the credits.

Recipe for an AH-maze movie. Seriously, how are these never part of the Oscars? I just don’t get it.

So I have compiled a list of some of my favorite Romantic Comedies to get you through the Winter. What are yours? Which have I missed?

Sleepless in Seattle

Love Actually

Jerry Maguire

The Holiday

When Harry Met Sally

Pretty Woman

Serendipity

The Wedding Singer

Dirty Dancing

Titanic

My Best Friend's Wedding

And Chad's fave....

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