The Pride Parade is one of my favorite days of the year, especially when I get to be in the parade, and especially especially when I get to be in the parade on a bus. The crowd is usually even more spectacular than the floats and marchers, and I waved at them all until I thought my arms would fall off.

There are certain buses in Chicago that my husband and I refer to as “theoretical buses”–sure, the CTA claims they exist; and sure, there may be signs for them along the streets; but your chances of actually catching one of those buses are slim to none. This summer, I’m taking an online course through a community college on one of those bus routes, and when I finished the on-campus midterm this morning, I decided that, rather than wait for a bus that might not exist, I would simply walk home. And I’m glad I did, because otherwise, I would have missed the Dalai Lama’s doppelganger waiting for a dentist appointment, the sad-faced woman dressed as a zombie Girl Scout, the busker playing earnest Zeppelin covers, and the open house at the Lillstreet Art Center, a place I’ve always wanted to visit and explore.

I spend my days making up stories about Batman’s birthday parties and nights trying not to study too much. I’m battling Fred Penner earworms with Sara Watkins and Jenny Lewis, rereading Kissing the Witch, and covering myself with sunblock at all times. It’s summer.

Summer’s been off to a rough start. It started with a cold/infection that lasted about two and a half weeks–specifically, a two-and-a-half-week period that also included my comprehensive exam for my Masters degree, my first full-time week in my new preschool classroom, and the first two weeks of the two online summer classes I wanted to take to complete the requirements for my teaching certificate. One course of Azithromycin and one dropped math class later, I am feeling better and the world is making sense again. So I’m finally able to show you the bits and pieces of the last few weeks that are actually worth sharing and remembering. Included: wanderings in Oak Park before a block party gig, Printers Row Lit Fest, and a Saturday full of amazing music.

The few scenes from the weekend that didn’t involve me sniffling and blowing my nose:

Visiting Novelty Golf & Games (warning: catchy 1980s commercial jingle will begin as soon as you click on that link) has been a summer weather (or summer-like weather) tradition for me and my husband since we first started dating; in fact, it was one of the first places I visited with him on my first visit to Chicago. So it was the perfect thing to do over Memorial Day weekend, me taking a break from studying, him taking a break from work. Technically, he won, but then, everyone’s a winner when the night is capped off with ice cream at the Bunny Hutch.

Next Saturday, I take my comprehensive exam–the last hurdle towards my masters degree. (There are still two hurdles standing between me and my teaching certification, but hopefully I will also clear those by the end of the summer.) In the meantime, I have started a brand-new job, with seventeen brand-new little ones to teach and learn from, and even though it’s chilly and cloudy today, I know that summer is on its way.

Some of you know that I have a street performer (busker) license, and that I occasionally pin it on and go play in the plaza or in front of the farmers market for change–or, occasionally, flower petals or smiley face pinwheels. So I have a special place in my heart for buskers in the first place. But this video–seriously. If somehow you haven’t seen it yet–even if you have seen it before–just watch and enjoy and remember how amazing it is that we can make music, and that we do so all over the globe.

Visit the Playing For Change website here.

First trip of the year to Millennium Park, first but not last study session in Welles Park. My iPod plays “Mr. Blue Sky” whenever I put it on shuffle these days, but I removed the earbuds long enough, at noon yesterday, to hear the church bells ring “Hail, Holy Queen” while the little girl below spun in the gazebo. This week I start a new music class, a new church class, and a new job. Oh, spring.

Earth Day: spontaneous trip to the zoo, spontaneous trip to the conservatory, spontaneous string jam.

Last day in the kindergarten: hugs and flowers and presents and cupcakes, a field trip to the symphony, riding on the school bus past sculptures and protests and the beach and the Ferris wheel and remembering how much I love this city.

Old things are wrapping up, new things are starting up. It’s finally spring.

Over spring break, when I wasn’t studying, I went to the zoo, learned to play cribbage, won a pub quiz, sang to a crowded sandwich shop and a nearly-empty tea shop and a completely empty restaurant, had fabulous tea and chocolate-ginger cupcakes and mocha muffins, and spent time with many lovely people. Let’s hope that I can keep this balance during the next two months as well.