Ode to the Little Things.

So daylight savings kicked in this morning, and it's as if the weather gods in Chicago decided to grace us with some beautiful temperatures to go along with the extra daylight. I don't know if it's just a midwest thing, seeing as our days of sunny skies are limited, but there's something about a gorgeous day that makes me want to fire up the grill, crack open a beer, and well, frankly just waste the day away (As Lennon once mentioned, "The time you enjoyed wasting was not wasted"). Especially in those first few days of Spring where we've finally gotten past the month of February; which I recently heard referred to as, "the worst month ever invented," and I find it hard to argue against this.

As anyone who knows me knows, I am notorious for threatening spur of the moment moves to warmer more enjoyable areas of the world, which usually have no substance or backing behind them; but simply arise because I am bored with my current position in life - or more accurately, I am just so over scraping my windshield and negative wind chills blowing up my jacket.

However with that said, as any Chicago native will tell you, there's nothin' like Summer in the city.

And so Summer is upon the midwest again, and accompanied by the rise in temperatures and extended period of daylight, is a heightened sense of happiness. For the next three months, my threats of running away will cease to exist as I carpe diem and drink the summer away. Iced coffees and flip flops will return to occupy my hands and feet as I lay in the grass pretending that my freckled complexion will actually tan. Afternoon trips to Oak Street Beach and Burnham Harbor will once again refresh why I love having a job that occupies my nights instead of days, and races through the city streets that lead me to athletic drinking fest's will remind me how sinful it is to run on a treadmill. And what girl could say no to a calming stroll down Michigan Avenue, sun shining down, wind in your hair, Nordstrom bags on your arm?

Yes, there's nothing like 9 months of Winter to make you appreciate 3 months of Summer. Hey, it's circumstances such as this that make us enjoy the little things in life - and if you can't appreciate the little things, can you really appreciate anything?