This is how we are.

It's been a crazy last few days. Made it to Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me! down at the Chase Auditorium and got to hear Larry King's live phone-in with the panelists. I also got my program signed by Peter Sagal, who wished me well in New York, and by Tom Bodett (he has a mustache!), the fabulously dressed and typically seductive Roxanne Roberts (per usual, she tricked the caller with her Bluff the Listener story, and her pink Satin dress was so 1962, in a good way), and Brian Babylon of Bronzeville Chicago.

Being in that hood, followed the taping with a little trek over to the Butterfly Social Club for organic specialty cocktails, including my new favorite, the Bloody Maria (a tangy tomato and citrus martini). The pomegranate margarita was delicious, too, and the beer list was pretty impressive and inexpensive. But the vibe in there is really what you're paying for anyway. That was one of the coolest, nicest, chillest bars I have seen anywhere. Great music from a live DJ; low, glowing light; beautiful, interesting art; and the sweetest DJ who got the second round on the house. There were only a few other people in there, so it wasn't exactly the dance party I thought it might be, but then again, it was 9:30 p.m. on a Thursday, and it was nice to have a little calm and relief.

Friday was full, but the heat finally broke. Went to the dentist (no cavities!), which feels productive on its own since that's one of those things everyone hates doing but really should do. Also took advantage of my last few days with really good health insurance to go look for new glasses. (Not ordered until Saturday, from a really nice store in Evanston, but they should be here today or tomorrow.) While checking out the selection down at the random, retro Sears store on Lawrence, ran into another old co-op friend on the street. It was nice especially to feel like this really is my city, my hood, where I get around enough and have enough friends to just run into one in the middle of Friday afternoon on a busy Ravenswood street.

After a bumpin' lunch at Alexander's cafe (the one literally around the corner from my apartment, so cute, and great, enormous veggie omelets -- the best I've had yet actually was on Friday: spinach, feta, onion, and broccoli with Greek toast and jam and hash browns), I was feeling a little down. But I forced myself out for a quick run before my friend E. came down just to hang in my apartment and talk. After she left, I had just enough time to get ready and run, run, run myself to the (luckily 84-minute late) Metra and head down to the Hideout. JT & the Clouds played a great set, and I got to just chill and talk with another good co-op friend who I don't imagine I'll see for a while. We left in the middle of the crazy downpour (she sent me this Trib article about the flooding -- we had to turn around at North and Clybourn: www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-after-the-rain-getting-around-chicago-area-no-easy-task-20110723,0,4993279.story)

By the time I got off the train at Granville, I was so soaked that I just strolled all the way home in the middle of it. It was kind of exciting. I haven't laughed so hard in so long. I really can't remember. After just the block and a half to get to her car we looked like we just went swimming.

Saturday morning, I managed to wrangle myself out of bed just in time to bake brownies and bring them to my last kickboxing class. It was a good one. My buddies were there, and we were all pretty pumped for 9:45 a.m. and rockin' along with the music. After that, as mentioned, found not one but two beautiful new pairs of glasses. I got talked into getting the second pair, but they are discontinued, designer from Paris, with rhinestones, and she gave me an incredible deal. I can't wait to wear them to my first Broadway show.

After a quick shopping spree at Crossroads, hopped back on the train home. Shopping success items include a new, nice steely gray, flowy cardigan (perfect for school); nice gray jeans (ditto); black-and-white checkered, short-sleeved flannel button-up; and an awesome, totally non-functional but fabulous short-sleeved, cream-colored, hooded rain jacket. It was the perfect purchase pre-Wicker Park Fest, where it was about a million degrees in the middle of the crowd. MiMosa was just okay, but it was fun to be there. And amazing sets by Lynx (www.myspace.com/lynxlive) and the Polish Ambassador (www.myspace.com/polishambassador) at the perfectly packed but pleasant after-party at the Double Door made the whole evening, the whole week, the whole "end" of this crazy life in Chicago really. I couldn't have asked for a better dance party and live DJ set to end the weekend.

Sunday was slow to start, but I did some work, took care of a few things at the apartment, went for a nice, slow run around the usual spot, and made lemon squares post-grilling with friends. To be honest, those lemon squares are probably the best thing I've ever baked. Ever. Not only were they delicious, but they came out in perfect sweet little squares. I brag because I made the recipe up myself after messing up the one I found online. Mine turned out better I think than they would have. They cut right down the middle and all the way out to the edge, large pieces or small, with the powdered sugar sprinkled prettily on top, just like it should be.

So if nothing else the rest of this week turns out "just like it should be," I'm going to keep remembering those lemon squares. I'm not going to try too hard any more. I will of course, try too hard, and forget lemon squares, and get very upset from time to time. But as my dear friend E. says, "This is how we are."

Morning soundtrack: Blind Boys of Alabama, "Way Down in the Hole," and Treme Season 1 Soundtrack.

Morning agenda: Stella Espresso and blogging, work and plan for packing, pack, walk, pack, quick run and yoga, calm and try to forget that this is really, really it. New York, I can almost see you.