for your consideration.

when I was 13 I stayed with my sister in chicago for an entire summer. she had no idea what to do with me, so she just brought me to work every day at children’s memorial hospital. she worked with kids who needed a respirator to help them breathe, in most cases permanently. these kids, from tiny babies on up, were hooked up to all sorts of tubes and wires, but i didn’t think twice about holding them and playing with them. (which would have been against all sorts of regulations today but back in the day it was ok.) i remember every child who was under her care that summer – joey, scottie and theresa were adorable, cuddly little toddlers. jennifer was a 7-year-old with severe cerebral palsy whose smile lit up the room. ben and doris were my age. doris and i would sneak into the nurses’ station, make microwave popcorn, and sit on her bed and watch the twilight zone every night. looking back on it, after having kids of my own, i honestly don’t know how their parents did it. not only having the courage to visit their children every day – and having to leave them there every night – but also having to face the financial responsibility of caring for a chronically ill child. i know that i am so very, very blessed to have happy, healthy children. and i know that i should never take anything for granted. on october 10, i will run 26.2 miles for the ronald mcdonald house, which helps parents of children like joey, scottie, ben, theresa, jennifer and doris get the emotional and financial support they need and deserve.

please watch this (not the slickest video, ad people, but it makes the point):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdkhOelLd48&feature=player_embedded

and donate here:

http://www.active.com/donate/RMHC2010/lisaleone

thank you so much!

smitten

ode to rootstock’s “pork belly on grilled tuscan bread w/ pickled radish, cilantro, calabrian pepper & balsamic soy caramel ~ 10″

it was late. really late. 11:30 pm. but hell, somewhere it was 5 pm.

my feet hurt. i was tipsy. i wasn’t expecting much…didn’t even want you, really. but two other people already ordered the burger. i really wanted the burger.

i thought, “fuck i guess i’ll have the porkbelly sandwich. i’m so fucking sick of porkbelly. i wish chicago chefs would move the fuck on from porkbelly.”

i said “i’ll have the porkbelly.”

then you arrived. under a little nest of frisee. over a slice of schmancy toast. i took a bite. and oh. mah. gah. you were fucking incredible.

so, you know, thanks. don’t get me wrong. i am still so, so sick. of. porkbelly. but for you i’ll make an exception. always.

love,

lisa

change.

“it’s past ten o’clock,” she said.

“so?” he asked.

“so.” she replied.

“oh.” he remembered.

“oh.” she confirmed.

“is it done?” he asked.

“i suppose so,” she guessed.

“do you feel different?” he wondered.

“i can’t say that i know. i don’t think so.”

“will. will everything be the same?” he continued to wonder.

“nothing is ever the same, really.”

“really.” he agreed.

“ok then. i’m going to bed.” she left.

he unpaused his game.

“goodnight,” he called. but she was already gone.

“i guess blondes don’t have more fun,” she concluded, and fell asleep unusually early that night.