Hello, everyone! I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas holiday and is prepared to ring in the New Year tonight. As I do with many of my posts, I am going to provide somewhat of a rant on a certain topic - a topic which you may or may not have guessed by this post's title, my opening statement, or today's date - but here it goes.
As we bring in the New Year I would like to attempt to bring in with it a new manner of speaking. It is not a dialect issue so much as it is a phonetic number reading. I would say American society is split almost down the middle with the way we have been saying the date, starting in the year 2000, and I'd like to bring that other group over to my side, now that we're approaching a year that no longer contains the double zero.
I think it would be silly to continue on this path of saying each number in the date's year by itself, as we did from 2001 through 2009 (read: two-thousand one through two-thousand nine). I let that go because as I mentioned we all changed once 2000 hit and it was okay for the past ten years - plus I was less crotchety in those days than I am today ;). What I would like everyone to go to is back to the way it was, where we said the first two numbers of the date's year as a whole, and the last two as a whole, starting in 2010 (read: twenty ten). i really don't want to hear any more "two-thousand ten".. So if everyone could just start saying this properly, that'd be great.
Here's the logic. Since there were four digits, man has always said it with this rhythm. Think back to your history classes when you were discussing Viking quests in the year 1015 (or whatever the hell happened that year, in my school we weren't required to remember dates). No one said "one-thousand fifteen." You said, "ten fifteen," which is the way it should be. So if history repeats itself, which it often does, we should just take it back to saying the date correctly.
My other point of logic is if we don't change it in 2010, where does it stop? How silly will we all sound (or our grandchildren) if they're saying, "Man I can't wait for two-thousand one hundred twenty-six (2126)", or even, "two-thousand eighty-five (2085)". just say "twenty-one twenty-six" as if you were saying "nineteen twenty-six" for 1926, or "twenty eighty-five" for 2085. I think crime rates will reduce if we all revert back.
If I haven't convinced you by now that you should be saying twenty ten (2010) properly, then consider this. Most of us speak lazily by nature - it is part of being American. So by saying "twenty" instead of "two-thousand and" or even "two-thousand", you are saving at least one syllable... imagine how much more productive (OR counter-productive, for you slackers) you could be by skipping that syllable or two every time!
Happy New Year, everyone! Have a wonderful and safe night and may your twenty-ten be filled with joy and success!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
In the Land of Make Believe
I know who my remaining two-person audience is (thank you for your patronage), and they both have 2 children, so I will cater to their reading needs here.
My only nephew and first godson lost a tooth this week... pretty exciting stuff. He is 6 years old and this is his first of many lost teeth. I can remember I was in 8th grade when I lost my last baby tooth, so that probably explains why I had such a jacked up grill, pre-braces. I hope that doesn't happen to my little buddies, but I suppose that Nathan is off to a good start.
It's an exciting time in a little fellas life and maybe a shot-in-the-arm to the parents who realize their spawn are growing up right before their very eyes... but, hey, that's what they do. As fun as it is to have a visit from the tooth fairy who for some ungodly reason leaves money under your pillow in exchange for your steadily-decaying tooth, I just hope it is not an equally traumatizing experience. Maybe a child's brain doesn't process all of the details when they're so excited for that payday, but my 28-year-old brain wonders, "hey, how did this thing get into my house? how did it get under my pillow without me noticing? why does it want my stinky old, bloody tooth?" Have you ever looked at a baby tooth that has fallen out? It's weird looking - no root system, a giant cavernous underside... kind of freaky, really. But let's not jump off topic here. I think I just have to shut down the logical half of my brain and let the kids enjoy the prize... I just hope I don't ruin the fun when I have kids of my own someday.
Speaking of ruining the fun... what is the appropriate age and time of year to break the news to junior that there is no Santa Claus. This time of year is so full of cheer and spirit and I honestly do love that. I love how kids get excited for the jolly old fat man to deliver each and every one of them presents on the same night. I'm not so fond of the tradition of putting kids on the laps of creepy old regular men who pose as Santa for photographs - we may have to eschew that pastime?? Anyway, the same thoughts run through my head that I think escape those of the little babes - "how did this guy get into my house when I don't have a chimney? how does he deliver all these toys in one night? how did his elves make and assemble an Xbox360 when they sell them right at Best Buy down the street?" Again, the excitement and the lack of formal education hinder this line of questioning from entering a child's mind. But you have to understand that they will figure it out one day and ask the questions. So... when do you tell them? When they're 8,9, 10 years old? Do you wait for them to ask? Do you let a classmate or (as was my case) an older sibling tell them and then when they come crying to you say, "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that."
I suppose the proper time to break the news is at the same time you tell them that the Easter Bunny and tooth fairy aren't real... might as well get all of the disappointment over at once. So here's my proposal: plan on telling them after that last baby tooth comes out. By then, they'll probably already have heard from someone else and save you the agony. If not, there you go. If this time falls right before Christmas, I pity you.
Luckily my little nephew lost his first, not his last, right before Christmas, so the little copper-topped guy is in for a very exciting (and profitable) week, I imagine.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
My only nephew and first godson lost a tooth this week... pretty exciting stuff. He is 6 years old and this is his first of many lost teeth. I can remember I was in 8th grade when I lost my last baby tooth, so that probably explains why I had such a jacked up grill, pre-braces. I hope that doesn't happen to my little buddies, but I suppose that Nathan is off to a good start.
It's an exciting time in a little fellas life and maybe a shot-in-the-arm to the parents who realize their spawn are growing up right before their very eyes... but, hey, that's what they do. As fun as it is to have a visit from the tooth fairy who for some ungodly reason leaves money under your pillow in exchange for your steadily-decaying tooth, I just hope it is not an equally traumatizing experience. Maybe a child's brain doesn't process all of the details when they're so excited for that payday, but my 28-year-old brain wonders, "hey, how did this thing get into my house? how did it get under my pillow without me noticing? why does it want my stinky old, bloody tooth?" Have you ever looked at a baby tooth that has fallen out? It's weird looking - no root system, a giant cavernous underside... kind of freaky, really. But let's not jump off topic here. I think I just have to shut down the logical half of my brain and let the kids enjoy the prize... I just hope I don't ruin the fun when I have kids of my own someday.
Speaking of ruining the fun... what is the appropriate age and time of year to break the news to junior that there is no Santa Claus. This time of year is so full of cheer and spirit and I honestly do love that. I love how kids get excited for the jolly old fat man to deliver each and every one of them presents on the same night. I'm not so fond of the tradition of putting kids on the laps of creepy old regular men who pose as Santa for photographs - we may have to eschew that pastime?? Anyway, the same thoughts run through my head that I think escape those of the little babes - "how did this guy get into my house when I don't have a chimney? how does he deliver all these toys in one night? how did his elves make and assemble an Xbox360 when they sell them right at Best Buy down the street?" Again, the excitement and the lack of formal education hinder this line of questioning from entering a child's mind. But you have to understand that they will figure it out one day and ask the questions. So... when do you tell them? When they're 8,9, 10 years old? Do you wait for them to ask? Do you let a classmate or (as was my case) an older sibling tell them and then when they come crying to you say, "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that."
I suppose the proper time to break the news is at the same time you tell them that the Easter Bunny and tooth fairy aren't real... might as well get all of the disappointment over at once. So here's my proposal: plan on telling them after that last baby tooth comes out. By then, they'll probably already have heard from someone else and save you the agony. If not, there you go. If this time falls right before Christmas, I pity you.
Luckily my little nephew lost his first, not his last, right before Christmas, so the little copper-topped guy is in for a very exciting (and profitable) week, I imagine.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Brrrr...
Hey, guys! Sorry it has been a while since my last update. Although it is getting pretty chilly outside, things have been heating up at CJ Architects (don't forget to check out that blog as well!). Although that is a really good thing, it has hindered my available time for blogging.
If you didn't already know, I moved the operation of my little company into my 2nd bedroom at home. Don't worry - there is still a couch and room for an inflatable mattress for whomever wants to come visit! I made this leap because at the time business was really slow and I was paying rent in an office that I was afraid I was going to be unable to afford if business didn't pick up. I bought a nice new printer and set up shop here at the homestead. I would say that the only problem is that we have radiator heat and its an old uninsulated building, so it gets mighty chilly during the weekdays. They runt he boilers more at night when everyone is at home - so they aren't accounting for the work-at-home crowd, the retired older ladies across the hall and downstairs, or the annoyingly noisy people upstairs who seem to rearrange their furniture on a daily basis. But with the freedom and flexibility I have afforded myself, I really have no complaints.
So in case you're wondering, I basically have 3 clients right now. Hmmm, "why are you so busy, Chris?" you may be asking... good question! One client is my old boss who throws me drafting work from time to time - bread and butter, baby. Another client is a contractor who is building an addition in Wilmette (an affluent North Suburb) and needed an architectural design. That has been going well, the homeowners are happy, and the finished product will most likely be a portfolio piece for me. My third client is my most lucrative. I responded to an online ad for a busy general contractor who needed an architect - not a staff position, but a go-to guy. Well, as it turns out, they are very busy and "go-to" me quite often. We currently have 6 projects together all at different stages - 3 additions and 3 renovations, all residential. it is really good work and I have been fun designing, managing, and drafting - you know, architecture! they pay well and fast and I can only hope that this one-month-plus relationship only continues for awhile to help me sustain financially while I attempt to grow my business.
That really is all that has been going on, to speak of. Anything else that is minor I update on my facebook status. I had a great Thanksgiving and was happy to see friends and family while I was in town. It was a good time with Kristen's family too. Now we're looking ahead to Christmas... we will be coming in on the 25th and leaving the 27th. It's a rather quick stop again, but we hope to see as many friends and family as we can in that short time.
Well I guess that's about it... I haven't forgotten about my blog community and I will try to be better with the updates. I'd say after the New Year I might get back on track.
If you didn't already know, I moved the operation of my little company into my 2nd bedroom at home. Don't worry - there is still a couch and room for an inflatable mattress for whomever wants to come visit! I made this leap because at the time business was really slow and I was paying rent in an office that I was afraid I was going to be unable to afford if business didn't pick up. I bought a nice new printer and set up shop here at the homestead. I would say that the only problem is that we have radiator heat and its an old uninsulated building, so it gets mighty chilly during the weekdays. They runt he boilers more at night when everyone is at home - so they aren't accounting for the work-at-home crowd, the retired older ladies across the hall and downstairs, or the annoyingly noisy people upstairs who seem to rearrange their furniture on a daily basis. But with the freedom and flexibility I have afforded myself, I really have no complaints.
So in case you're wondering, I basically have 3 clients right now. Hmmm, "why are you so busy, Chris?" you may be asking... good question! One client is my old boss who throws me drafting work from time to time - bread and butter, baby. Another client is a contractor who is building an addition in Wilmette (an affluent North Suburb) and needed an architectural design. That has been going well, the homeowners are happy, and the finished product will most likely be a portfolio piece for me. My third client is my most lucrative. I responded to an online ad for a busy general contractor who needed an architect - not a staff position, but a go-to guy. Well, as it turns out, they are very busy and "go-to" me quite often. We currently have 6 projects together all at different stages - 3 additions and 3 renovations, all residential. it is really good work and I have been fun designing, managing, and drafting - you know, architecture! they pay well and fast and I can only hope that this one-month-plus relationship only continues for awhile to help me sustain financially while I attempt to grow my business.
That really is all that has been going on, to speak of. Anything else that is minor I update on my facebook status. I had a great Thanksgiving and was happy to see friends and family while I was in town. It was a good time with Kristen's family too. Now we're looking ahead to Christmas... we will be coming in on the 25th and leaving the 27th. It's a rather quick stop again, but we hope to see as many friends and family as we can in that short time.
Well I guess that's about it... I haven't forgotten about my blog community and I will try to be better with the updates. I'd say after the New Year I might get back on track.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Surprise!
As many of you already know, I went into St. Louis this past weekend to celebrate my sister Jackie's 30th birthday with a party. Problem was - she didn't know about the party. Well, she did know there was a party, but she did not know it was a surprise party to celebrate her birthday and that her family and work friends would be there.... including me. The fact that she didn't know I would be there made things pretty interesting for my trip into town - and for planning my events.
I knew I wanted to come in early enough to beat the sun because I hate driving long distances at high speeds in the dark. My trip got me into town right about 4pm on Friday. I had been talking to Matt Stewart about hanging out, so we met at his house and had a few beers from his keg-o-rator... that thing is awesome! We were going to be meeting a few people up at Frankie G's to hang out that night, so I left to go to my mom's (where I was staying) to drop off my stuff and get ready to go out. The biggest hurdle here was that my niece and nephew were staying at my mom's because she was watching them while my sister and brother-in-law went to a wedding that night... Jeepers creepers! Since they were there and it was only about 7pm they were still awake, so they would have seen me had I walked into my mom's house conventionally - had they seen me, they certainly would have led on to my sister that I was there before she got to the party the next night. Instead I decided to sneak around the house and try to get someone's attention... luckily about that time my mom noticed my car in the driveway and slid away to call me on her cell. I told her I was right outside and needed to come in. She swept my little buddies away into her bedroom and I had free reign of the house for about 15 more minutes. That whole thing went off successfully and they did know I was there nor did they ruin the surprise. I made it up to Frankie's and met up with some old pals and shared some good times for the rest of the night.
The next day I didn't do much during the day. I watched HGTV all day and went all the way down to my old condo to pick up some stuff but didn't realize until I got there that I forgot the key... so I'll have to go down there next time, I guess - it doesn't seem like anyone else is ever going to live there, so I suppose I'm not in a rush. Anyway, I also ate a donut and some Jack-in-the-Box before getting ready for the party and heading out the door. On the way I stopped at O'Charley's to get my sister a gift card because I know she loves that place and we don't have them here for me to have gotten one before I left. Kristen laughed at me for getting her that because she thinks I should have gotten her something she can use for herself, but I knew this would make her happiest. We had the party and as I mentioned Jackie was pretty surprised. I need to toot my own horn and mention that she teared up a little when she saw I was there because she definitely wasn't expecting to see me and I am so awesome that she misses me so much! The crowd started disappearing at random times throughout the night, but the few of us party people left, including Jackie, closed the place down and then went home.
The next day (Sunday) I was on a mission to get out of town and back home, but had some things to tend to first. I had to go to my sister's house to help my brother-in-law look at some stuff for his house - so he needed my expertise. I also got to actually visit my niece and nephew since they were allowed to see me at this point - that was nice, they are so damn cute! I didn't get to see much of Jackie because she was "recovering"... haha! (By the way Jackie I left 2 Reese's Peanut Butter pumpkins in your freezer for the kids... whoops!) So...my uncle and cousins were at my grandma's, right down the street, so I stopped in there to make sure I said hey to them as well... My last stop was to have lunch with my buddy Todd who was a college classmate, softball buddy, and just all around good friend. We went to Hooters because that's where two guys go when they're trying not to look like they're on a date. We had HOT wings and they were delicious, so I got my fill of wings for a while (I had some the night before since the surprise party was at Show-Me's... I can explain why in more detail if you ask). Todd and I talked about all kinds of bullshit from softball to Chicago to work - he has taken a deep interest in my new business and I had a lot of particular information and experience to share with him. Nice time and looking forward to doing it again - including the same subject matter.
Then I drove home (half of the time in the dark, but it was fine, really). I watched a little football and fell asleep early because I was so damn tired from the weekend ('early' for me is before 11pm, btw). I think I am in town the weekend after Thanksgiving... FYI. Still trying to figure out how to squeeze in this 'Black Friday' football game around Kristen's work schedule...
I knew I wanted to come in early enough to beat the sun because I hate driving long distances at high speeds in the dark. My trip got me into town right about 4pm on Friday. I had been talking to Matt Stewart about hanging out, so we met at his house and had a few beers from his keg-o-rator... that thing is awesome! We were going to be meeting a few people up at Frankie G's to hang out that night, so I left to go to my mom's (where I was staying) to drop off my stuff and get ready to go out. The biggest hurdle here was that my niece and nephew were staying at my mom's because she was watching them while my sister and brother-in-law went to a wedding that night... Jeepers creepers! Since they were there and it was only about 7pm they were still awake, so they would have seen me had I walked into my mom's house conventionally - had they seen me, they certainly would have led on to my sister that I was there before she got to the party the next night. Instead I decided to sneak around the house and try to get someone's attention... luckily about that time my mom noticed my car in the driveway and slid away to call me on her cell. I told her I was right outside and needed to come in. She swept my little buddies away into her bedroom and I had free reign of the house for about 15 more minutes. That whole thing went off successfully and they did know I was there nor did they ruin the surprise. I made it up to Frankie's and met up with some old pals and shared some good times for the rest of the night.
The next day I didn't do much during the day. I watched HGTV all day and went all the way down to my old condo to pick up some stuff but didn't realize until I got there that I forgot the key... so I'll have to go down there next time, I guess - it doesn't seem like anyone else is ever going to live there, so I suppose I'm not in a rush. Anyway, I also ate a donut and some Jack-in-the-Box before getting ready for the party and heading out the door. On the way I stopped at O'Charley's to get my sister a gift card because I know she loves that place and we don't have them here for me to have gotten one before I left. Kristen laughed at me for getting her that because she thinks I should have gotten her something she can use for herself, but I knew this would make her happiest. We had the party and as I mentioned Jackie was pretty surprised. I need to toot my own horn and mention that she teared up a little when she saw I was there because she definitely wasn't expecting to see me and I am so awesome that she misses me so much! The crowd started disappearing at random times throughout the night, but the few of us party people left, including Jackie, closed the place down and then went home.
The next day (Sunday) I was on a mission to get out of town and back home, but had some things to tend to first. I had to go to my sister's house to help my brother-in-law look at some stuff for his house - so he needed my expertise. I also got to actually visit my niece and nephew since they were allowed to see me at this point - that was nice, they are so damn cute! I didn't get to see much of Jackie because she was "recovering"... haha! (By the way Jackie I left 2 Reese's Peanut Butter pumpkins in your freezer for the kids... whoops!) So...my uncle and cousins were at my grandma's, right down the street, so I stopped in there to make sure I said hey to them as well... My last stop was to have lunch with my buddy Todd who was a college classmate, softball buddy, and just all around good friend. We went to Hooters because that's where two guys go when they're trying not to look like they're on a date. We had HOT wings and they were delicious, so I got my fill of wings for a while (I had some the night before since the surprise party was at Show-Me's... I can explain why in more detail if you ask). Todd and I talked about all kinds of bullshit from softball to Chicago to work - he has taken a deep interest in my new business and I had a lot of particular information and experience to share with him. Nice time and looking forward to doing it again - including the same subject matter.
Then I drove home (half of the time in the dark, but it was fine, really). I watched a little football and fell asleep early because I was so damn tired from the weekend ('early' for me is before 11pm, btw). I think I am in town the weekend after Thanksgiving... FYI. Still trying to figure out how to squeeze in this 'Black Friday' football game around Kristen's work schedule...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
An Annual Event - One Day Only
This past weekend Kristen and I were in Ft. Myers Beach, Fl, soaking up the rays. It was a nice change of pace from the rain and clouds we had been growing accustomed to this autumn in Chicago. The reason we chose to go to Ft. Myers was because my sister-in-law, her sister Jaime, was getting married to her now-husband, Danny Parkin.
They got married on the beach and it was a lovely ceremony, save for the rose arbor trying to fall over a few times under the tug of those sharp afternoon breezes. The reception was fun too - we had a nice dinner across the street and afterward moved into the bar area to finish off the night with karaoke, where I sang 'Jack and Diane' to my in-laws, replacing 'Jack' with 'Jim' because that is Kristen's dad's name - her mom's name already is Diane. I think they appreciated the serenade. The night before was fun because even though there was no real rehearsal, we all got together with their friends and hung out, dancing around like crazy-asses to the soothing sounds of an 80s hair cover band. The night before that, Thursday, only a select few people were in Florida yet, so we had a more subdued evening at a semi-outdoor bar on the beach - watching people act the fool and having the band play our special requests. That was pretty much the shindig, as it relates to the nuptials.
The rest of the time was spent with Kristen doing wedding-type things and me either hanging out with some of the other non-wedding-party people or by myself. I got several hours under the warm SW Florida sun, including doing crossword puzzles, swimming at the pool, and having some peaceful alone time at the beach and atop the gulf sandbars to reflect, decompress, get inspired, and wash my cares away. It was very nice. When I wasn't doing that, I was hanging out with Kristen and Jaime's cousin, the illustrious Liz Bell, and our friends Darcie and John - who currently live in Tampa so were able to make the relatively short drive down to help celebrate. I was pleased that I also got to watch my fair share of college and pro football, including Sunday, even though it was my first anniversary.
Oh yeah! That's right! Sunday was Kristen's and my 1st anniversary. The morning was a little anticlimactic since we were still hanging out with most of the wedding crowd that were mostly leaving that day. But the afternoon and evening were quite nice. We spent some time together just hanging out at the pool and then went to a nice seafood dinner at Charlie's Boat House on the Beach. We were going to take a romantic stroll on the beach after dinner, but I think Kristen was a little apprehensive of the darkness, so we both used our full bellies as an excuse to veg out on the couch and watch the end of the MLB ALCS playoff game before both of us passed out. It was a really nice time with just the two of us and I'm glad we got to spend it somewhere tropical to remind us of our great honeymoon last year in Riviera Maya, Mexico - where Jaime and Dan consequently are right now on their honeymoon... Happy Anniversary, Kris - it has been a great ride so far!
Also, if it wasn't crazy enough that the newlyweds' subsequent anniversaries are going to be a day before ours; their parents' anniversary falls on the day after ours, so we all celebrate them on consecutive days! That is pretty cool, so were are seeing about planning a group outing for next year!
And I am looking forward to many many more years to come!
They got married on the beach and it was a lovely ceremony, save for the rose arbor trying to fall over a few times under the tug of those sharp afternoon breezes. The reception was fun too - we had a nice dinner across the street and afterward moved into the bar area to finish off the night with karaoke, where I sang 'Jack and Diane' to my in-laws, replacing 'Jack' with 'Jim' because that is Kristen's dad's name - her mom's name already is Diane. I think they appreciated the serenade. The night before was fun because even though there was no real rehearsal, we all got together with their friends and hung out, dancing around like crazy-asses to the soothing sounds of an 80s hair cover band. The night before that, Thursday, only a select few people were in Florida yet, so we had a more subdued evening at a semi-outdoor bar on the beach - watching people act the fool and having the band play our special requests. That was pretty much the shindig, as it relates to the nuptials.
The rest of the time was spent with Kristen doing wedding-type things and me either hanging out with some of the other non-wedding-party people or by myself. I got several hours under the warm SW Florida sun, including doing crossword puzzles, swimming at the pool, and having some peaceful alone time at the beach and atop the gulf sandbars to reflect, decompress, get inspired, and wash my cares away. It was very nice. When I wasn't doing that, I was hanging out with Kristen and Jaime's cousin, the illustrious Liz Bell, and our friends Darcie and John - who currently live in Tampa so were able to make the relatively short drive down to help celebrate. I was pleased that I also got to watch my fair share of college and pro football, including Sunday, even though it was my first anniversary.
Oh yeah! That's right! Sunday was Kristen's and my 1st anniversary. The morning was a little anticlimactic since we were still hanging out with most of the wedding crowd that were mostly leaving that day. But the afternoon and evening were quite nice. We spent some time together just hanging out at the pool and then went to a nice seafood dinner at Charlie's Boat House on the Beach. We were going to take a romantic stroll on the beach after dinner, but I think Kristen was a little apprehensive of the darkness, so we both used our full bellies as an excuse to veg out on the couch and watch the end of the MLB ALCS playoff game before both of us passed out. It was a really nice time with just the two of us and I'm glad we got to spend it somewhere tropical to remind us of our great honeymoon last year in Riviera Maya, Mexico - where Jaime and Dan consequently are right now on their honeymoon... Happy Anniversary, Kris - it has been a great ride so far!
Also, if it wasn't crazy enough that the newlyweds' subsequent anniversaries are going to be a day before ours; their parents' anniversary falls on the day after ours, so we all celebrate them on consecutive days! That is pretty cool, so were are seeing about planning a group outing for next year!
And I am looking forward to many many more years to come!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Friends abroad
This past weekend we had some visitors... kind of. The Weltigs (Chris and Chrissy) sans boys came up to Chi-town for the weekend with Chris' cousin Amy and her now fiance (he proposed at Navy Pier under the canopy of the fireworks - how romantic!)... They were trying to plan a trip to go somewhere with some of their friends and I like to think that they chose Chicago because we are here and it gave them an opportunity to get away but to also come visit us! They did get a smashing deal on a hotel downtown so they didn't actually stay with us.
They got in late afternoon on Friday and stayed until late morning on Sunday. They did the Navy Pier on Friday night and since I had just been there two weeks before, I opted out. Also, Kristen had to work the next morning so we were just chilling at home. When they left the pier they went to a little bar on the Riverwalk called Lizzy McNeill's. It was a quaint little unassuming Irish Pub. I met them down there after putting Kristen to bed for her pre-work slumber. The girls played the jukebox and we all chatted about a bunch of nonsense, frankly... what else do you talk about until 1:30am at an intimate little pub? So needless to say that was it for that night's festivities.
Saturday morning Kristen woke up and went off to work while I stayed home and cleaned up and ran some errands - I had to run to my office and to a few other places. The Weltigs and their compatriots ventured off into the city - downtown for the morning and up to the North Side for the afternoon. They did some shopping and less sight-seeing. They were very pleased that their trip was so much fun without having to do a lot of "touristy" things, which they vowed to do at a warmer part of next year when they have the boys in tow. Since they were in our neck of the woods, Kristen and I went just a few short blocks east to meet up with them after she had some time to decompress after work, a seemingly regular occurrence as of late... with her recently increased physical demand at work, that is. The crew was eating at Giordano's and had just finished their deep dish pizza when we arrived. We didn't want to eat all that food and feel as stuffed as they did, so we went for a lighter meal - Kristen a hearty chef salad and I a bowl of mostaccioli (by the way, it is pronounced, muss-tah-chee-OH-lee; there is no hard 'c' sound where the 't' is, which is how so many people mispronounce it - one of my biggest pet peeves).
Anyway, after we ate and left there we went over to Marshall's so Chris' cousin could find a bag and we could all walk off our dinners. Then we proceeded onto Clark St. in Wrigleyville to find a bar and watch the MU game (who ended up going on to lay an egg verse OK St.). We found a little bar called Redmond's and went in. When we walked in I didn't realize how loud the music was until we sat down and ordered beers in front of about 8 or 10 LCD TVs - I guess I was in sports hypnosis... It ended up being too loud and crazy for Chrissy and Amy (there was a post-college crowd nearby playing flip-cup...) so we ventured out to find another bar. We landed at the Chicago Blarney Stone which wasn't bad. There were actually some other MU fans from StL there so we were able to sulk in the loss with them. After another round of jukeboxing we decided it to be a bar-hopping night and we yet again set off to find another watering hole - actually, I think we left Blarney because of their cash-only transaction policy... bad move when there are no Cubs games...
Our last destination was Mullen's on Clark. This is one of my favorite post-Cub game spots that I've been to a few times and have eaten their Italian beef sandwich as well... delicious! We got a table near the dart boards and played a few games, figuring out that Amy was the lowest common denominator as whose ever team she was on consistently lost... haha! After watching the NY Yankees beat the Angels in about the 13th inning or so, we sent them off to their el train and we headed home ourselves (actually, there was a quick stint where everyone hit a pharmacy to try to find a restroom, but I don't think they were successful).
That was the end of our night and subsequently the end of their trip. I talked to Chris the next day on his way home and he mentioned how good of a time he had and couldn't wait to come back. I look forward to his next visit and anyone's else who wants to come up to see the City and maybe visit the Jacksons in the process!
They got in late afternoon on Friday and stayed until late morning on Sunday. They did the Navy Pier on Friday night and since I had just been there two weeks before, I opted out. Also, Kristen had to work the next morning so we were just chilling at home. When they left the pier they went to a little bar on the Riverwalk called Lizzy McNeill's. It was a quaint little unassuming Irish Pub. I met them down there after putting Kristen to bed for her pre-work slumber. The girls played the jukebox and we all chatted about a bunch of nonsense, frankly... what else do you talk about until 1:30am at an intimate little pub? So needless to say that was it for that night's festivities.
Saturday morning Kristen woke up and went off to work while I stayed home and cleaned up and ran some errands - I had to run to my office and to a few other places. The Weltigs and their compatriots ventured off into the city - downtown for the morning and up to the North Side for the afternoon. They did some shopping and less sight-seeing. They were very pleased that their trip was so much fun without having to do a lot of "touristy" things, which they vowed to do at a warmer part of next year when they have the boys in tow. Since they were in our neck of the woods, Kristen and I went just a few short blocks east to meet up with them after she had some time to decompress after work, a seemingly regular occurrence as of late... with her recently increased physical demand at work, that is. The crew was eating at Giordano's and had just finished their deep dish pizza when we arrived. We didn't want to eat all that food and feel as stuffed as they did, so we went for a lighter meal - Kristen a hearty chef salad and I a bowl of mostaccioli (by the way, it is pronounced, muss-tah-chee-OH-lee; there is no hard 'c' sound where the 't' is, which is how so many people mispronounce it - one of my biggest pet peeves).
Anyway, after we ate and left there we went over to Marshall's so Chris' cousin could find a bag and we could all walk off our dinners. Then we proceeded onto Clark St. in Wrigleyville to find a bar and watch the MU game (who ended up going on to lay an egg verse OK St.). We found a little bar called Redmond's and went in. When we walked in I didn't realize how loud the music was until we sat down and ordered beers in front of about 8 or 10 LCD TVs - I guess I was in sports hypnosis... It ended up being too loud and crazy for Chrissy and Amy (there was a post-college crowd nearby playing flip-cup...) so we ventured out to find another bar. We landed at the Chicago Blarney Stone which wasn't bad. There were actually some other MU fans from StL there so we were able to sulk in the loss with them. After another round of jukeboxing we decided it to be a bar-hopping night and we yet again set off to find another watering hole - actually, I think we left Blarney because of their cash-only transaction policy... bad move when there are no Cubs games...
Our last destination was Mullen's on Clark. This is one of my favorite post-Cub game spots that I've been to a few times and have eaten their Italian beef sandwich as well... delicious! We got a table near the dart boards and played a few games, figuring out that Amy was the lowest common denominator as whose ever team she was on consistently lost... haha! After watching the NY Yankees beat the Angels in about the 13th inning or so, we sent them off to their el train and we headed home ourselves (actually, there was a quick stint where everyone hit a pharmacy to try to find a restroom, but I don't think they were successful).
That was the end of our night and subsequently the end of their trip. I talked to Chris the next day on his way home and he mentioned how good of a time he had and couldn't wait to come back. I look forward to his next visit and anyone's else who wants to come up to see the City and maybe visit the Jacksons in the process!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Marathon
Yesterday Kristen and I attended the Chicago Marathon - not as runners of course, but as spectators. I say that in jest, but I should make it clear that a few years back Kristen actually did successfully run in and finish the marathon - and in a rather impressive time I might add!
Anyway, we knew 3 runners, so we wanted to see if we could see them and cheer them on. They were 1) our old neighbor from Maplewood, 2) Kristen's co-worker and 3) Kristen's cousin. We saw none of them. It actually is not as difficult as you would think. We picked a spot that was easy to get to, and encompassed the 14th, 15th, and 18th mile markers. The crowds in these spots were thin enough that we were right in front and could see all the runners pretty clearly. The issue is that we told none of them where we would be because we didn't figure it out until that morning - so needless to say they had no idea where to look for us, even if they wanted to. So we were able to spot a lot of the crowd, but when very dense groups ran by, it got a tad difficult to pick out familiar faces amongst all of the huffers and puffers. What compounded our frustration was that a lot of people around us were spotting their friends in the race and their runners were coming over to give a quick hug and to say hello, and a few stopped long enough to pose for a pic. I think that had we known where we were going to spectate and mentioned that to our friends, we would have better luck connecting with them during the race. Lesson learned for next year.
Even though we missed all three competitors, it was still very neat to see the turnout, to cheer people on, and to learn about all the different organizations and personal reasons why people were running - a lot of them had writings or logos on their shirts that described their motives. A bonus was that we got to explore an unfamiliar neighborhood that is new to us and I'm sure we will revisit in a less chaotic time when we can actually enjoy one of the many bars and/or restaurants. The area is called Little Italy/UIC. It is located amongst all of the University of Illinois - Chicago campus buildings and Rush Hospital. Also, there is a very deep Italian-American rooting - which explains all the eclecticism, great restaurants and the smells emanating as we walked down the streets.
I wish the weather would have been a little better for the runners, though. No precipitation, but damn it was cold! As we were leaving from watching the race Kristen and I saw the temperature on a sign at the United Center that read 43 degrees - mind you, this sign was sitting in constant sunlight and this was after noon. I could only imagine how cold it was for those runners at 7:30am under the shade of all those skyscrapers downtown... yikes! Kudos to all the participants and staff. Congrats to the winners and those who accomplished a personal goal yesterday!
Anyway, we knew 3 runners, so we wanted to see if we could see them and cheer them on. They were 1) our old neighbor from Maplewood, 2) Kristen's co-worker and 3) Kristen's cousin. We saw none of them. It actually is not as difficult as you would think. We picked a spot that was easy to get to, and encompassed the 14th, 15th, and 18th mile markers. The crowds in these spots were thin enough that we were right in front and could see all the runners pretty clearly. The issue is that we told none of them where we would be because we didn't figure it out until that morning - so needless to say they had no idea where to look for us, even if they wanted to. So we were able to spot a lot of the crowd, but when very dense groups ran by, it got a tad difficult to pick out familiar faces amongst all of the huffers and puffers. What compounded our frustration was that a lot of people around us were spotting their friends in the race and their runners were coming over to give a quick hug and to say hello, and a few stopped long enough to pose for a pic. I think that had we known where we were going to spectate and mentioned that to our friends, we would have better luck connecting with them during the race. Lesson learned for next year.
Even though we missed all three competitors, it was still very neat to see the turnout, to cheer people on, and to learn about all the different organizations and personal reasons why people were running - a lot of them had writings or logos on their shirts that described their motives. A bonus was that we got to explore an unfamiliar neighborhood that is new to us and I'm sure we will revisit in a less chaotic time when we can actually enjoy one of the many bars and/or restaurants. The area is called Little Italy/UIC. It is located amongst all of the University of Illinois - Chicago campus buildings and Rush Hospital. Also, there is a very deep Italian-American rooting - which explains all the eclecticism, great restaurants and the smells emanating as we walked down the streets.
I wish the weather would have been a little better for the runners, though. No precipitation, but damn it was cold! As we were leaving from watching the race Kristen and I saw the temperature on a sign at the United Center that read 43 degrees - mind you, this sign was sitting in constant sunlight and this was after noon. I could only imagine how cold it was for those runners at 7:30am under the shade of all those skyscrapers downtown... yikes! Kudos to all the participants and staff. Congrats to the winners and those who accomplished a personal goal yesterday!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Fall Ball
NLDS StL @ LA Gm.1:
I can't point to too many specific things that contributed to this loss except that Chris Carpenter through an absolute stinker. He was just not himself and did not give us that exceptional playoff performance we've become accustomed to as Cardinals fans. However, they win as a team and lose as a team so the lack of run support provided by the other 8 guys has become a real sticking point in this lineup. Leaving 9 stranded in the first 4 innings including the bases loaded in two of those innings is inexcusable. This really wasn't the difference though as LA left an equivalent number of runs on the field, contributing to a postseason record setting, combined 30 LOB for a game. Ouch. The one bright spot was Ludwick's RBI single with the bases loaded in the 1st, but it was quickly erased int he bottom of the frame with a 2-run dinger by Kemp. This game was over before the bullpen came in - but they didn't do Carp or the offense any favors. Hawksworth hits a batter with the bases loaded walking in a run to put the Birds that much further away from having a chance to be in this game.
Result: Cards lose 3-5
NLDS StL@LA Gm.2:
I watched this game closer and it is fresher in my memory, so I am going to hand out some grades here.
Adam Wainwright: A+. WOW! What a performance. He had a 1-hitter going (a homerun to Andre Ethier) going into the 8th. He got a little shaky there, loading the bases, but got out of the jam proving that he is a winner, a solid pitcher, and - I'll say it again - worthy of the Cy Young. I know awards don't get handed out for singular performances, but Waino has been doing this all year.
Troy Glaus: F. We haven't asked anything of you all year until the 9th inning of this game, and you still got paid. Don't fly out! Wainwright could have done that and stayed in the game. Thanks for nothing, you fail.
Trevor Miller: A. You came in and got your man, lefty Andre Ethier who up until this point accounted for the Dodgers lone run. Good job, now take a seat (wtf?)...
Colby Rasmus: C-. Yes, you got drove in the go ahead run with a double, but then you tried to reach third. Bad move. Never get your first or last out in an inning at third base. We already took the lead, don't push it - just stay in scoring position. The only reason you don't get an F is because of that aforementioned RBI.
Tony LaRussa: F. You didn't have to make too many decisions in this game, but the 4 that you did cost us a win on the road in a critical game 2 that we could have won. First, you pulled Wainwright in the top of the 9th to bat Glaus - this counts as 2 bad moves. Wainwright was fine, he got into a little jam against the Dodgers' murderer's row (including Manny) and got out of it with NO damage. That's not a guy you replace to bat with two outs in the 9th. You let that guy finish what he started. Waino also bats righty and could have done better than Glaus who has seen all of 10 pitches this season. Poor choice... I wish I could give you an F-. In the next half inning, you pull Trevor Miller and put in Franklin - also 2 bad moves. I'm not as upset at you pulling the lefty as I am you putting in Franklin. Everyone in the free speaking world (except you?) knew this guy was rocky down the stretch and to put him in such a tight situation is unforgivable. I know he was an All-Star, but the guy flat out didn't have it in the second half... enough said (until I grade Franklin).
Ryan Franklin: F-. You blew it man... you and you alone. After Miller got an out and an unfortunate error that put a runner in scoring position, you walked Casey Blake after having him right where you wanted him. The you allowed the runners to advance on a wild pitch (maybe a passed ball, but still, put the fucker in the strike zone), and then let up two hits up the middle to put the Dodgers on top and up 2-0 in the series. You failed miserably and reminded us all of your September... awful.
Matt Holiday: C+. Yes, he made a bad error and yes it was a catchable ball for a big league outfielder. Blame it on the lights, blame it on the towels, it hurt - and it would have ended the game. BUT with only one out to go, Franklin had every chance to redeem himself and pick up his player and he couldn't deliver. I know you can't give teams 4 outs, but this was only 2 (or 3 with the error) that Franklin had to get - as closer, that is his JOB... Holliday gets a C+ because although he looked like an asshole in the field, he did smack that homer in the 2nd inning that put the Cardinals ahead for so long. In my eyes, this evens him out and like I said, the error did not lose the game and the pitcher on the mound can overcome diversity and pitch out of it, regardless of first playoff appearance.
The resy of the team gets a C for average play. Ludwick and Lugo made great defensive plays, but did little at the plate. DeRosa scored a run but it wasn't enough. Pujols played okay, and got IBB twice again, so its hard to grade him individually.
Result: Cards lose 2-3
I just hope Piniero can right the ship at home tomorrow... he's gonna have to. I guess in theory these two away games are the ones you're supposed to lose, but I disregard that theory because you have two of the best pitchers in the NL going up there AND you always have an advantage coming home after taking on of 2 om the road. Get it together Cardinals, you're on the clock.
As if this series hasn't pissed me off enough, should we discuss the Mizzou v. Nebraska game? I'm sure my sister has heard a plethora of obscenities from her husband about this one. Keeping them shut out for 3 quarters and them blowing it in the 4th is as inexcusable as anything the Cardinals did - 27 points in one quarter??!! Where was that defense in the last quarter? We knew the offense was going to be sluggish due to the weather, but for god's sake take some snaps under center and run the goddamn football down their throats! MU snuck into the top 25 rankings by beating a bunch of no-name teams (Illinois included, with their 1-3 record, 0-2 conference). Now after losing to another weak top 25 team - that they should have BEATEN - they will surely slip out of the rankings and I don't see anywhere on their schedule where they can get back in... the Big 12 is tough this year, with the exceptions of Mizzou, Nebraska, and a perennially bad Colorado (who MU plays in Colorado).
Okay, I'm done. Share your thoughts. I'm not grammar checking this because I'm too pissed off!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Visitors
We had two visitors this weekend: my mom and Bob. It was a good time and I know they had fun. They came to see some sites, but also to just plain visit, so they stayed with us in our spare bedroom - hopefully, the stay was a comfortable one.
They arrived by Friday at about 10:30am on Friday morning. I picked them up from the airport and headed into the City. The ultimate destination was my house, but I wanted to show them a few things on the way, just so they could get a little taste. After taking Lake Shore Drive to the North Side, we took an in-car tour. I first showed them Wrigley Field and some places around there that are fun. We actually got out of the car so they could walk around the stadium - yes it was a Cubs day game and yes we found a parking space. The Cubs' season is effectively over by then, so we had no worries about the traffic. We were all getting hungry after seeing our first site, so I decided to take them to SuperDawg for lunch (www.superdawg.com). This place is delicious and famous, so I wanted to give them a taste of Chicago by introducing them to a true Chicago-style hot dog at one of the more popular, tourist-friendly places. They have carhops and they serve the fries and dog in the same enclosed box, so it is a place like no other.
After lunch we went to my house so they could drop off their bags and I could let Jake outside. Plus it was on the way to our next leg of the tour. I took them down to Lincoln Park, so they could see the neighborhood, the park, the zoo, and the ambiance. They really liked the housing stock, naturally. The hustle and bustle was kind of cool, especially for a chilly, drizzly Friday afternoon. After that we went down to the Near North side just out of Downtown's reach to see Rush St. and a couple other neighborhoods. It was now about 3:30pm so that equaled beer:30 on our "vacation". We went to a nice bar in Logan Square aptly named Logan (www.loganchicago.com). I've seen this place from the Blue line and wanted to go there, so we did. We waited for Kristen to get off work, then went back to the house to meet up with her so we could decide what to do for dinner. I wanted to go to this place I saw on the travel channel's show Man vs. Food, so since everyone was open and willing, that's where we went. It's in Wrigleyville right down from the stadium and it is called Lucky's (www.luckysandwich.com). The sandwiches were SO good, and I had a hard time finishing the whole thing, but I did! I could never finish 3 like the famous challenge requires, but I was proud to get one down. After a few beers we headed back to the house to relax and prepare for Day 2.
Saturday we woke up and got Dunkin Donuts coffee for everyone and donuts for my mom... she loves those things! We took the train into downtown and made our way to our first tourist destination: the Sears... um...er...Willis Tower (www.theskydeck.com). We went up to the 103rd floor to the Skydeck to capture some awesome views of the entire city... luckily it was a clear day! All of us even had the guts to walk out onto the new "ledge" and get our pictures taken with nothing but glass and views of the street below our feet. It was wild! I can't wait to do it again... not a bad rush for only 15$. We were all getting hungry again since it took a few hours from my house to the top of the Tower and then back down, so we took a water taxi (www.chicagowatertaxi.com) to one of its stops along the Chicago River and walked up to Portillo's for lunch (www.portillos.com). I wanted everyone to try Chicago's famous Italian beef sandwiches, so I had one of my own while my mom partook. After lunch we walked over to Michigan Avenue and down to Navy Pier - this is when the rain began. We had to wait under a giant covered building driveway until the downpour slowed down to a light enough drizzle to where we could get indoors at Navy Pier. We goofed around there for a few hours and my mom's leg started to hurt, so we headed back for home - via trolley to the blue line, to our car. Saturday night we decided to stay in since we were so wiped out from the day. We ordered in food from Leona's and all fell asleep easily.
Sunday morning we went to Dunkin again for more coffee. Since we didn't have much time, we decided to take another in-car tour that took us through the nicer parts of the South Side on our way toward the airport (Midway). We drove through Jackson Park and saw the Museum of Science and Industry from the 1893 World's Fair, then came back up north through the Midway Plaissance, past Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, and then up to Barack Obama's house where we got out to walk around. We couldn't actually get onto his street because of tight security, but we were able to see some of the front of his house through the trees - we may try to go back in the winter to see if we can see more. Got back in the car and drove up past US Cellular Field and then out west into Oak Park, which is just another cool neighborhood to see. Here we saw the outsides of some more of Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings including his old home and studio. Went down toward the airport and had Giordano's for lunch, for some of that famous Chicago-style deep dish pizza (www.giordanos.com)! Kristen's parents actually met us and it was a nice time. Dropped them off at the airport and they were off... we went home and hung out on the couch the rest of the day.
I'm sure I left out some mundane details, but that ought to give you some idea as to the business of our weekend! Good times! Can't wait for our next visitors...
They arrived by Friday at about 10:30am on Friday morning. I picked them up from the airport and headed into the City. The ultimate destination was my house, but I wanted to show them a few things on the way, just so they could get a little taste. After taking Lake Shore Drive to the North Side, we took an in-car tour. I first showed them Wrigley Field and some places around there that are fun. We actually got out of the car so they could walk around the stadium - yes it was a Cubs day game and yes we found a parking space. The Cubs' season is effectively over by then, so we had no worries about the traffic. We were all getting hungry after seeing our first site, so I decided to take them to SuperDawg for lunch (www.superdawg.com). This place is delicious and famous, so I wanted to give them a taste of Chicago by introducing them to a true Chicago-style hot dog at one of the more popular, tourist-friendly places. They have carhops and they serve the fries and dog in the same enclosed box, so it is a place like no other.
After lunch we went to my house so they could drop off their bags and I could let Jake outside. Plus it was on the way to our next leg of the tour. I took them down to Lincoln Park, so they could see the neighborhood, the park, the zoo, and the ambiance. They really liked the housing stock, naturally. The hustle and bustle was kind of cool, especially for a chilly, drizzly Friday afternoon. After that we went down to the Near North side just out of Downtown's reach to see Rush St. and a couple other neighborhoods. It was now about 3:30pm so that equaled beer:30 on our "vacation". We went to a nice bar in Logan Square aptly named Logan (www.loganchicago.com). I've seen this place from the Blue line and wanted to go there, so we did. We waited for Kristen to get off work, then went back to the house to meet up with her so we could decide what to do for dinner. I wanted to go to this place I saw on the travel channel's show Man vs. Food, so since everyone was open and willing, that's where we went. It's in Wrigleyville right down from the stadium and it is called Lucky's (www.luckysandwich.com). The sandwiches were SO good, and I had a hard time finishing the whole thing, but I did! I could never finish 3 like the famous challenge requires, but I was proud to get one down. After a few beers we headed back to the house to relax and prepare for Day 2.
Saturday we woke up and got Dunkin Donuts coffee for everyone and donuts for my mom... she loves those things! We took the train into downtown and made our way to our first tourist destination: the Sears... um...er...Willis Tower (www.theskydeck.com). We went up to the 103rd floor to the Skydeck to capture some awesome views of the entire city... luckily it was a clear day! All of us even had the guts to walk out onto the new "ledge" and get our pictures taken with nothing but glass and views of the street below our feet. It was wild! I can't wait to do it again... not a bad rush for only 15$. We were all getting hungry again since it took a few hours from my house to the top of the Tower and then back down, so we took a water taxi (www.chicagowatertaxi.com) to one of its stops along the Chicago River and walked up to Portillo's for lunch (www.portillos.com). I wanted everyone to try Chicago's famous Italian beef sandwiches, so I had one of my own while my mom partook. After lunch we walked over to Michigan Avenue and down to Navy Pier - this is when the rain began. We had to wait under a giant covered building driveway until the downpour slowed down to a light enough drizzle to where we could get indoors at Navy Pier. We goofed around there for a few hours and my mom's leg started to hurt, so we headed back for home - via trolley to the blue line, to our car. Saturday night we decided to stay in since we were so wiped out from the day. We ordered in food from Leona's and all fell asleep easily.
Sunday morning we went to Dunkin again for more coffee. Since we didn't have much time, we decided to take another in-car tour that took us through the nicer parts of the South Side on our way toward the airport (Midway). We drove through Jackson Park and saw the Museum of Science and Industry from the 1893 World's Fair, then came back up north through the Midway Plaissance, past Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, and then up to Barack Obama's house where we got out to walk around. We couldn't actually get onto his street because of tight security, but we were able to see some of the front of his house through the trees - we may try to go back in the winter to see if we can see more. Got back in the car and drove up past US Cellular Field and then out west into Oak Park, which is just another cool neighborhood to see. Here we saw the outsides of some more of Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings including his old home and studio. Went down toward the airport and had Giordano's for lunch, for some of that famous Chicago-style deep dish pizza (www.giordanos.com)! Kristen's parents actually met us and it was a nice time. Dropped them off at the airport and they were off... we went home and hung out on the couch the rest of the day.
I'm sure I left out some mundane details, but that ought to give you some idea as to the business of our weekend! Good times! Can't wait for our next visitors...
Monday, September 28, 2009
Summer activities
This weekend I went to Twin Lakes, WI for a bachelor party - Danny Parkin being the bachelor. We went to a lake because his buddy owns property there and its an inexpensive means to gather 17 dudes to be loud and party. Aside from an accidental 911 call (not made by me) and drinking too much with not enough food in the stomach (done by me), I had a blast. I didn't really anticipate getting into the water because Saturday was September 26 - and we were in Wisconsin, not Hawaii - so I thought this would pretty much be off the agenda. That was until one of the crazy bastards decided to water ski back to the house from breakfast. Breakfast was across the lake, so we took the boat, so that is how he was able to ski home. He nailed it and it looked fun - and he didn't die of hypothermia.
After we returned to the house from said breakfast, the owner, organizer, and best man wanted to go wakeboarding. I had been wakeboarding a few times in the past, but not for about 6 or 7 years or so. As it turns out, its like riding a bike. I was the first to go (out of 3) and after 2 or 3 failed attempts to get up, I finally did and I was cruising. The hardest part is starting off because you're just there buoying in the water waiting for the boat to go. Then when it starts you have to pull yourself up to plane and hold on, while moving forward and resisting the water. While up, I rode around for a while, not really doing anything fancy, just riding. I had three runs and each time I did try to get fancy I ate it and swallowed a few pints of water. Believe it or not, that was actually a lot of fun! I watched as the other 2 guys did their thing, and that was pretty much the end of the wakeboarding, but I talked about it the rest of the trip and would have gone again.
I really can't wait to do that again next summer (even though this time it technically was autumn and not summer). It is so similar to snowboarding that I can do it in the "off-season" and vice versa, so I get a similar exercise all year round. I don't really classify either of these two as "sports", so I won't use that term, but they are intense and I'm so glad I participated this weekend.
Also, this weekend, the Cardinals clinched the NL Central... woo hoo! The first team to clinch their division this season. It is exciting as a Cardinals living in Chicago to have the birds in the playoffs for a few reasons: 1) I get to make fun of Cubs fans more relentlessly than during the regular season, 2) It's still baseball season for me, and 3) I get to watch my team on TV (tbs and hopefully FOX) more often than the regular season since the playoff games are nationally televised. Wainwright is a stud and I hope he wins the Cy Young - he deserves it for clinching under his win, amongst other things. Carp is close behind and that makes that even more exciting. Albert Pujols is also the leading contender for NL MVP by a long stride. These factors make me very hopeful for a nice run through the playoffs, no matter how far they get. I am still a little wary about the whole Smoltz starting/Franklin closing situation.... Maybe LaRussa doesn't want to show all of his cards - I guess we'll see.
After we returned to the house from said breakfast, the owner, organizer, and best man wanted to go wakeboarding. I had been wakeboarding a few times in the past, but not for about 6 or 7 years or so. As it turns out, its like riding a bike. I was the first to go (out of 3) and after 2 or 3 failed attempts to get up, I finally did and I was cruising. The hardest part is starting off because you're just there buoying in the water waiting for the boat to go. Then when it starts you have to pull yourself up to plane and hold on, while moving forward and resisting the water. While up, I rode around for a while, not really doing anything fancy, just riding. I had three runs and each time I did try to get fancy I ate it and swallowed a few pints of water. Believe it or not, that was actually a lot of fun! I watched as the other 2 guys did their thing, and that was pretty much the end of the wakeboarding, but I talked about it the rest of the trip and would have gone again.
I really can't wait to do that again next summer (even though this time it technically was autumn and not summer). It is so similar to snowboarding that I can do it in the "off-season" and vice versa, so I get a similar exercise all year round. I don't really classify either of these two as "sports", so I won't use that term, but they are intense and I'm so glad I participated this weekend.
Also, this weekend, the Cardinals clinched the NL Central... woo hoo! The first team to clinch their division this season. It is exciting as a Cardinals living in Chicago to have the birds in the playoffs for a few reasons: 1) I get to make fun of Cubs fans more relentlessly than during the regular season, 2) It's still baseball season for me, and 3) I get to watch my team on TV (tbs and hopefully FOX) more often than the regular season since the playoff games are nationally televised. Wainwright is a stud and I hope he wins the Cy Young - he deserves it for clinching under his win, amongst other things. Carp is close behind and that makes that even more exciting. Albert Pujols is also the leading contender for NL MVP by a long stride. These factors make me very hopeful for a nice run through the playoffs, no matter how far they get. I am still a little wary about the whole Smoltz starting/Franklin closing situation.... Maybe LaRussa doesn't want to show all of his cards - I guess we'll see.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Birfday
Today is my birthday. I am sure I have written about this before, probably last year, or maybe the year before... who knows, who remembers, who cares? Anyway, it started out with a bang. Anyone that knows me knows that I like to celebrate my birthday for roughly a period encompassing 5 days to one week. This year it started last Friday night. Kristen and I flew into StL and met up with my aunt and uncle and my mom. We left their company not too long after and met up with the Stewarts and the Weltigs. Since I wasn't able to make it into town during August, which is when Chris Wetig's birthday is (8/14), we decided we'd all get together for a drink and enjoy a joint celebration. We met up with them at Hot Shots in SoCo - Matt's choice, of course... haha! It was great! We caught up on what's been going on, BS'ed about old times and funny stuff, and sipped on some delicious beer selections, including Guinness - a must whenever I go drinking with Stewart.
The next day, Saturday, we woke up and ran some errands - yes, when we come to StL on "vacation" we are constantly running errands... haha! We also went to watch my nephew's first soccer game - more on him in a moment. We had tickets to the Cards/Cubs game that afternoon with Ray and Ali, so we met up with them and headed down there. We were supposed to watch Bierman throw out the first pitch, so we were in a rush, but even though we got into the stadium a full 25 minutes before the game started, we apparently missed Brad's shining moment by about two or three minutes. I hope there's a video out there, Brad, because I was really bummed that we missed that. So we had a few beers, a few laughs, and watched the Cards beat the Cubs 2-1 with a walk-off single... it was fantastic! We went over to Shannon's following the victory and were planning on having a wild night downtown... until it started raining. The rain and our hunger pangs prompted us to go to the CWE and meet up with a friend of mine and Ray's for some relaxation, drinks, and sushi for me!!! (remember, I'm still celebrating my birthday, here!). After that, we were pretty tapped out and despite Brad and Jimi's best efforts to get me back downtown, I was not driving and was feeling increasingly inebriated, so I went with the flow and we ended up at Frankie G's for a nightcap - and for everyone else who didn't eat sushi (Kristen) to get their grub on! We laughed and joked there with Weltig and Blandford and that was pretty much our night.
Sunday I shared my joint family birthday party with my now 6-year-old nephew, Nathan. Okay, so it was his party, but he was gracious enough to pretend to share it with me. It was a huge success and we had a lot of fun (I, breaking open the SpongeBob pinata) until we had to leave to catch our plane back home. The rest of the week up until my actual birthday was pretty uneventful for me, despite making some headway on bringing in money with this architecture business. This morning Kristen and I got up to go play tennis. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she doesn't have to be at work until later, so we had some time to sneak off and knock the ball around - it was awesome! I actually got a really good workout and I could see some development in Kristen's game! We went home and I enjoyed a self-prepared biscuits 'n' gravy breakfast.... delicious! I am sitting at the office now getting ready to eat pot stickers for lunch and just plain trying to keep things going. I am not sad that I'm here, because I have already had a very eventful birthday thus far (and I'm eating a lunch that I really enjoy).
Tonight I may meet up with some friends I met while playing on Dan-o's 16inch softball team earlier in the summer, when we first moved here. They're pretty cool people and will help me round out my celebrating by cheering alongside me as the Cubs lose to the Giants and the Cardinals clinch the NL Central (which they should have done in grander fashion last night!)... okay, save for the one Cardinal fan in the group besides me, they probably won't be helping me celebrate that...
The next day, Saturday, we woke up and ran some errands - yes, when we come to StL on "vacation" we are constantly running errands... haha! We also went to watch my nephew's first soccer game - more on him in a moment. We had tickets to the Cards/Cubs game that afternoon with Ray and Ali, so we met up with them and headed down there. We were supposed to watch Bierman throw out the first pitch, so we were in a rush, but even though we got into the stadium a full 25 minutes before the game started, we apparently missed Brad's shining moment by about two or three minutes. I hope there's a video out there, Brad, because I was really bummed that we missed that. So we had a few beers, a few laughs, and watched the Cards beat the Cubs 2-1 with a walk-off single... it was fantastic! We went over to Shannon's following the victory and were planning on having a wild night downtown... until it started raining. The rain and our hunger pangs prompted us to go to the CWE and meet up with a friend of mine and Ray's for some relaxation, drinks, and sushi for me!!! (remember, I'm still celebrating my birthday, here!). After that, we were pretty tapped out and despite Brad and Jimi's best efforts to get me back downtown, I was not driving and was feeling increasingly inebriated, so I went with the flow and we ended up at Frankie G's for a nightcap - and for everyone else who didn't eat sushi (Kristen) to get their grub on! We laughed and joked there with Weltig and Blandford and that was pretty much our night.
Sunday I shared my joint family birthday party with my now 6-year-old nephew, Nathan. Okay, so it was his party, but he was gracious enough to pretend to share it with me. It was a huge success and we had a lot of fun (I, breaking open the SpongeBob pinata) until we had to leave to catch our plane back home. The rest of the week up until my actual birthday was pretty uneventful for me, despite making some headway on bringing in money with this architecture business. This morning Kristen and I got up to go play tennis. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she doesn't have to be at work until later, so we had some time to sneak off and knock the ball around - it was awesome! I actually got a really good workout and I could see some development in Kristen's game! We went home and I enjoyed a self-prepared biscuits 'n' gravy breakfast.... delicious! I am sitting at the office now getting ready to eat pot stickers for lunch and just plain trying to keep things going. I am not sad that I'm here, because I have already had a very eventful birthday thus far (and I'm eating a lunch that I really enjoy).
Tonight I may meet up with some friends I met while playing on Dan-o's 16inch softball team earlier in the summer, when we first moved here. They're pretty cool people and will help me round out my celebrating by cheering alongside me as the Cubs lose to the Giants and the Cardinals clinch the NL Central (which they should have done in grander fashion last night!)... okay, save for the one Cardinal fan in the group besides me, they probably won't be helping me celebrate that...
Friday, September 18, 2009
In the Cards
Cards/Cubs series kicks off tonight. Smoltz is going against Lilly - I don't like our chances in this one. Smoltz is 1-1 since coming here a month and a half ago. Lilly was the Cubs lone all-star at the break... regardless of the "every team gets one player represented" rule at the All-Star game, Lilly can pitch. Our hitting is a little better than theirs, as well is our bullpen, but that's just how I see this one going.
That's all the credit I'll give the Cubbie bears. I think the Redbirds will take the final two games of the season series quite handily. I am most excited about Saturday's game where Cy Young candidate Chris Carpenter takes the mound at 3pm CDT. I will be at this game with our friends Ray and Ali and several people I know will also be in attendance. In fact, Brad Bierman miraculously won a raffle to throw out the first pitch, so we will be seeing that as well. If we all meet up afterward and have our usual night of debauchery, good times are promised. Yes, I will be in town, but, no, I will not have time to do much of anything else. In fact, I am blowing off my 10-year high school reunion to go to this game. Sunday I am celebrating my birthday with my nephew, who graciously shares his birthday party with me every year for the past 6 and counting.
This Cards/Cubs series doesn't hold a lot of playoff implication, since the Cards are pretty heavily favored to win the NL Central by the landslide margin they currently maintain. Even if the Cubs were to sweep this weekend - which is highly unlikely, even though they play well at Busch - they would still be a full 3 games behind. I don't think they have enough left in the tank to catch up. And they are closest, so even if they did beat us down this weekend, no one else is even close enough to touch us either. The rivalry is still fun and these games are great to go to!
So even though there isn't a lot on the line for the birds, I am still excited to go to the game, see some friends and family, and cheer on my Cardinals from the hometown stands! Go Cards!
That's all the credit I'll give the Cubbie bears. I think the Redbirds will take the final two games of the season series quite handily. I am most excited about Saturday's game where Cy Young candidate Chris Carpenter takes the mound at 3pm CDT. I will be at this game with our friends Ray and Ali and several people I know will also be in attendance. In fact, Brad Bierman miraculously won a raffle to throw out the first pitch, so we will be seeing that as well. If we all meet up afterward and have our usual night of debauchery, good times are promised. Yes, I will be in town, but, no, I will not have time to do much of anything else. In fact, I am blowing off my 10-year high school reunion to go to this game. Sunday I am celebrating my birthday with my nephew, who graciously shares his birthday party with me every year for the past 6 and counting.
This Cards/Cubs series doesn't hold a lot of playoff implication, since the Cards are pretty heavily favored to win the NL Central by the landslide margin they currently maintain. Even if the Cubs were to sweep this weekend - which is highly unlikely, even though they play well at Busch - they would still be a full 3 games behind. I don't think they have enough left in the tank to catch up. And they are closest, so even if they did beat us down this weekend, no one else is even close enough to touch us either. The rivalry is still fun and these games are great to go to!
So even though there isn't a lot on the line for the birds, I am still excited to go to the game, see some friends and family, and cheer on my Cardinals from the hometown stands! Go Cards!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
This just in...
Okay, I have added a few new features to your favorite blog... no, I am still talking about this one.
First, I have added an option to allow you to subscribe. At the very bottom right of the blog page you can subscribe to either the posts themselves and/or to all comments left on posts. I encourage everyone to do this. For everyone that gets this blog sent to you automatically via email, you can opt to keep it the way it is or go ahead and subscribe to both. I think you'd be better off to subscribe that way you not only get alerted every time I post, but also any time someone leaves a comment (which isn't often). If you subscribe and want your email removed from the automatic list, just let me know. For the rest of you, subscribing keeps you from checking in from time to time only to see the same post over and over when I haven't posted in a while.
The other thing I did was added two more blogs to my "Other Good Reads" section on the right side. One is a random that I found through an email that was forwarded to me. The author is just like me. He is an architect and shares the same style of writing I have exhibited in my non-journal-type posts. He also adds photos, so it enhances the experience. Don't go falling in love with his blog though, because I will still be here to entertain you...
First, I have added an option to allow you to subscribe. At the very bottom right of the blog page you can subscribe to either the posts themselves and/or to all comments left on posts. I encourage everyone to do this. For everyone that gets this blog sent to you automatically via email, you can opt to keep it the way it is or go ahead and subscribe to both. I think you'd be better off to subscribe that way you not only get alerted every time I post, but also any time someone leaves a comment (which isn't often). If you subscribe and want your email removed from the automatic list, just let me know. For the rest of you, subscribing keeps you from checking in from time to time only to see the same post over and over when I haven't posted in a while.
The other thing I did was added two more blogs to my "Other Good Reads" section on the right side. One is a random that I found through an email that was forwarded to me. The author is just like me. He is an architect and shares the same style of writing I have exhibited in my non-journal-type posts. He also adds photos, so it enhances the experience. Don't go falling in love with his blog though, because I will still be here to entertain you...
Friday, September 11, 2009
REAL Real Stories of the Highway Patrol
All right, so I came back to Chicago from St. Louis early Thursday morning because I finished all my business there and I had to get down to business here. Anyway, since I decided to drive my car down there so I could get around during the week, I naturally had to drive it back. I take I-55 because it's the most direct way to go. I could take I-70 to I-57 through Champaign/Urbana and into the underbelly of the south side of Chicago, but I don't want to know how much longer that would take, so I've never attempted it. The trip is already 5 hours long. Come to think of it, if I did that, I could probably bypass alot of that downtown traffic at 90/94 and I-55.... hmmm.... we'll see about that one.
Moving on to my point. So when I drive that route, I usually see a plethora of law enforcement. Usually it's highway patrol in their white cars with the gold stripe, but I have seen SUVs, black cars, and even American muscle cars either unmarked or with insignia. Most of the time they are in the center grass or gravel turnarounds, but I have seen them on the shoulder, on overpasses, and even on on-ramps. Sometimes I will drive the whole time and not see one. Sometimes I will see a few, but only after they already have another driver pulled over. This last trip home, I saw about 9 on the way back. Here's the thing - given my experience in driving this route from visiting Kristen's family all those years, I knew I should probably invest in a radar detector... so I did (actually, I had my mom get it for me for Christmas because I never know what to request when prompted - usually around Thanksgiving). She got a really nice model - a Cobra. I guess it's nice... they have a reputation of being effective in preventing traffic violations and it looked expensive. I have been using it ever since and it has saved my ass a few times. So this last trip, you could imagine that after seeing 9 of these guys I would have been tired of the detector chirping... right? Wrong! It only went off three times... 3-out-of-9!! I had to roll up on the rest of them doing about 80, having an "oh shit" moment, and then lightly applying the brakes to make it appear that I wasn't speeding, only to pass them at about 70+ with no repercussions to serve.
It's actually almost frustrating. Don't get me wrong, I don't want a ticket, but if I'm going to use a radar detector (which I am not even sure is legal in IL), I want it to detect radar and justify its existence on my windshield. I'm not so sure, but I am not convinced that these guys are even shooting radar sometimes. In fact, I don't think they are, meaning that only 33% (by my data collection) of state troopers on I-55 shoot their radars (this isn't my first time noticing this trend either). Think about it, the detector works sometimes, and I'm sure with its sophisticated technology and Cobra's unblemished reputation that it's not a piece of crap that only works 33% of the time.
Here's my theory: I think the cops (67% of them, anyway) don't really want to write anyone a citation, they just want to slow them down for a few miles. I have also had this theory when I see one of them driving in the traffic lane. They will drive for miles and miles, seemingly without purpose (where do they have to go?). The cars around them will take a very long time to slowly attempt to pass them at about 1 to 5 miles per hour above the speed limit. Successful as these speeders may be, the cop has still disrupted the "flow" of a vast majority of lead footers on the road for several miles at a time - more efficient than pulling them over. I actually give them kudos if this is what they are really trying to do... I find it to be very effective.
Kind of sticking with the topic - do you guys remember that TV show, "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol"? basically it was a show about cop stories from the California Highway Patrol (or CHiPs... hehe, remember that show?). They would re-enact these outlandish incidents that happened to real troopers on the job. It was kinda cool - I watched it as a kid.
Moving on to my point. So when I drive that route, I usually see a plethora of law enforcement. Usually it's highway patrol in their white cars with the gold stripe, but I have seen SUVs, black cars, and even American muscle cars either unmarked or with insignia. Most of the time they are in the center grass or gravel turnarounds, but I have seen them on the shoulder, on overpasses, and even on on-ramps. Sometimes I will drive the whole time and not see one. Sometimes I will see a few, but only after they already have another driver pulled over. This last trip home, I saw about 9 on the way back. Here's the thing - given my experience in driving this route from visiting Kristen's family all those years, I knew I should probably invest in a radar detector... so I did (actually, I had my mom get it for me for Christmas because I never know what to request when prompted - usually around Thanksgiving). She got a really nice model - a Cobra. I guess it's nice... they have a reputation of being effective in preventing traffic violations and it looked expensive. I have been using it ever since and it has saved my ass a few times. So this last trip, you could imagine that after seeing 9 of these guys I would have been tired of the detector chirping... right? Wrong! It only went off three times... 3-out-of-9!! I had to roll up on the rest of them doing about 80, having an "oh shit" moment, and then lightly applying the brakes to make it appear that I wasn't speeding, only to pass them at about 70+ with no repercussions to serve.
It's actually almost frustrating. Don't get me wrong, I don't want a ticket, but if I'm going to use a radar detector (which I am not even sure is legal in IL), I want it to detect radar and justify its existence on my windshield. I'm not so sure, but I am not convinced that these guys are even shooting radar sometimes. In fact, I don't think they are, meaning that only 33% (by my data collection) of state troopers on I-55 shoot their radars (this isn't my first time noticing this trend either). Think about it, the detector works sometimes, and I'm sure with its sophisticated technology and Cobra's unblemished reputation that it's not a piece of crap that only works 33% of the time.
Here's my theory: I think the cops (67% of them, anyway) don't really want to write anyone a citation, they just want to slow them down for a few miles. I have also had this theory when I see one of them driving in the traffic lane. They will drive for miles and miles, seemingly without purpose (where do they have to go?). The cars around them will take a very long time to slowly attempt to pass them at about 1 to 5 miles per hour above the speed limit. Successful as these speeders may be, the cop has still disrupted the "flow" of a vast majority of lead footers on the road for several miles at a time - more efficient than pulling them over. I actually give them kudos if this is what they are really trying to do... I find it to be very effective.
Kind of sticking with the topic - do you guys remember that TV show, "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol"? basically it was a show about cop stories from the California Highway Patrol (or CHiPs... hehe, remember that show?). They would re-enact these outlandish incidents that happened to real troopers on the job. It was kinda cool - I watched it as a kid.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Skip to the Lou
Look out St. Louis, here I come! That's right, if you haven't heard the news, I will be going back to the hometown this Labor Day weekend. Good ol' St. Louie. I don't really miss it, but I am excited to see a lot of my family and friends. Oh yeah, Kristen is coming too... Jake will be staying with his permanent dog-sitter - his aunt Jaime.
In case you're curious or would like to run into me if you weren't planning already, here is my agenda.
Friday (today):
Come into town late in the evening and stay at my mom's.
Most likely go to sleep immediately following our arrival.
Saturday:
Get up early to go to the Mizzou/Illinois Braggin' Rights football game at the Dome with Steve (bro-in-law) and the brothers Tucci.... we're tailgating!
The game is at like 2 or 3 and takes a few hours, so not sure what we're doing in the evening. however, this day is pretty booked for me.
Kristen is getting her hair done in the afternoon and may have some other plans after that which I know nothing about, so you'd have to ask her.
I'd like to meet Justin and Lacey (collectively, the Hahns) at some bar on the Hill around 10pm to see a guy they know sing and play guitar - if I'm not too shit-faced (which isn't likely) I may do that.
Sunday:
Visit with the family in the morning and probably into the afternoon. I think my mom is having people over for BBQ and a swim, weather permitting.
try to catch up with some friends... Matt beck is in town from Rhode Island, so we talked a few weeks ago at meeting up at Frankie G's to reminisce about old times... and I'm sure we'll watch some game on the TV. I haven't confirmed this one yet, but I'm pretty sure that's the plan. It has to be later in the day because of the other stuff I said I was doing earlier.
Monday:
Kristen has to leave on a train, since she has to work on Tuesday... so I will take her to the train station at some point, but we may try to catch up with some people before then if we have time.
That night I am not doing much of anything - I'm sure something will be going on... if not, I will go to my condo.
Tuesday:
Go to my condo to check things out and clean the rest of the crap out of there. I also need to paint a few walls, etc. I will spend the majority of the day there, I imagine.
Wednesday:
I need to make a few rounds, networking-wise. I am seeing about a new project I might work on (remotely, of course) in StL. I also need to see about getting paid on some stuff I've already done... I hate hunting down money.
I am also going to be playing in the Divisional Playoff game with my old softball team. It kinda works out perfectly because they actually need a player and I will be in town. So, despite my absence the past 5 games, I will be playing the entire game.
Thursday:
Head back home to Chicago. Hey... I have work to do!!
Pretty action-packed weekend, as you can see. Hit me up if you want to.
In case you're curious or would like to run into me if you weren't planning already, here is my agenda.
Friday (today):
Come into town late in the evening and stay at my mom's.
Most likely go to sleep immediately following our arrival.
Saturday:
Get up early to go to the Mizzou/Illinois Braggin' Rights football game at the Dome with Steve (bro-in-law) and the brothers Tucci.... we're tailgating!
The game is at like 2 or 3 and takes a few hours, so not sure what we're doing in the evening. however, this day is pretty booked for me.
Kristen is getting her hair done in the afternoon and may have some other plans after that which I know nothing about, so you'd have to ask her.
I'd like to meet Justin and Lacey (collectively, the Hahns) at some bar on the Hill around 10pm to see a guy they know sing and play guitar - if I'm not too shit-faced (which isn't likely) I may do that.
Sunday:
Visit with the family in the morning and probably into the afternoon. I think my mom is having people over for BBQ and a swim, weather permitting.
try to catch up with some friends... Matt beck is in town from Rhode Island, so we talked a few weeks ago at meeting up at Frankie G's to reminisce about old times... and I'm sure we'll watch some game on the TV. I haven't confirmed this one yet, but I'm pretty sure that's the plan. It has to be later in the day because of the other stuff I said I was doing earlier.
Monday:
Kristen has to leave on a train, since she has to work on Tuesday... so I will take her to the train station at some point, but we may try to catch up with some people before then if we have time.
That night I am not doing much of anything - I'm sure something will be going on... if not, I will go to my condo.
Tuesday:
Go to my condo to check things out and clean the rest of the crap out of there. I also need to paint a few walls, etc. I will spend the majority of the day there, I imagine.
Wednesday:
I need to make a few rounds, networking-wise. I am seeing about a new project I might work on (remotely, of course) in StL. I also need to see about getting paid on some stuff I've already done... I hate hunting down money.
I am also going to be playing in the Divisional Playoff game with my old softball team. It kinda works out perfectly because they actually need a player and I will be in town. So, despite my absence the past 5 games, I will be playing the entire game.
Thursday:
Head back home to Chicago. Hey... I have work to do!!
Pretty action-packed weekend, as you can see. Hit me up if you want to.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Once in a Lifetime Dinners - past or present
I've given this about 12 hours of thought (including sleeping overnight), so don't criticize my decisions too harshly. This is a list of people I'd like to have dinner with and why:
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Highly-acclaimed, world famous architect whose crowning achievement (pun intended and IMO because of it's more personable scale as opposed to the IBM building) is buildings at the Illinois Institute of Technology... most notably Crown Hall - it's in Chicago so it is at my disposal to visit anytime I want (Farnsworth House in Plano would be fun to see too). He also expressed ultra-modern design using exoskeletal forms (exposing the structure). He was a master at creating exciting spaces using minimal materials - steel, glass, and stone. I would love to pick his brain and find out where he drew his inspiration. This would draw out as more of an interview for me than a social engagement. It would be cool to show him some of my own work and hear his critiques.
Meal: Sausages, kraut, and beer
Edgar Allan Poe
A very dark and influential writer... poet. King of the short story, which I'm sure is the only prose (besides this wonderful blog) that I, myself, would have the patience to write. Again, a brain-picking interview. I was always fond of his work, especially (ironically) as a child. I found it chilling, while at the same time... well... poetic. I'd want to learn more about his time in history and dig into his twisted life - but not as his therapist, just to kill the curiosity. It would be interesting to hear his reactions to the influences he has made on more contemporary artists because of his work - the Tim Burtons of the modern world. I would also have him read "The Raven" to me to hear it in his voice - a poem I used to listen to and read repeatedly in my youth (not many people know this, so you're welcome for the disclosure and sincerity).
Meal: Sushi and green tea
Tim Gunn
Now this guy is classy! He just emits a glow of exuberance and sophistication (and a little bit of flamboyancy). If you don't know who he is, he is a fashion design expert and the co-host of Bravo's hit reality competition, "Project Runway". I actually was inspired to write this post by watching the new season premiere of Project Runway with my wife and watching and listening to Tim Gunn's performance. He is a very eloquent human being and it would be cool to have a nice meal with him and just watch his etiquette and hear him speak. He is also a bit of a wordsmith, not unlike myself, so I would enjoy unleashing some of my longer-syllable, more provocative words on him. I'm sure I could pick up a thing or two from him as well...
Meal: Game bird and a nice Bordeaux
Larry David
I had to throw a comedian in here, and I think Larry is a good one. I have to confess that I have only seen one of his stand-up acts, but I have seen everything he's written up until Season 5 of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". I think this guy is a comedic genius. The way he tells a story and brings all the parts back together at the end in one big hoo-rah is absolutely dumbfounding... it gets me every time. I can watch old SNL skits, Seinfeld, or Curb episodes over and over again and to know that he wrote/co-wrote them is unfathomable when you look at him. He has a very unassuming look and I never knew what he looked like until Curb (as it turns out, he looks just like one of my friends from high school's dad, who coincidentally turned me onto Seinfeld in the first place). Having dinner with him would just be flat out fun and I could try out some of my material on him ;)...
Meal: Steak and Dark beer
So that's my very short list. I'd love to hear yours and see your comments about mine.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
It's a plane, it's a bird!
This past Sunday Kristen and I went to the lakefront to watch the annual air and water show. It was a good time - we saw a few jets and bi-planes do some tricks - that is, until the rains came. We had a blanket to sit on and we were watching from what I call the concrete beach... a section of tiered concrete ledges leading down into the lake. We had to use the blanket to cover up so we didn't get drenched. The rains broke a little bit, just in time for Jaime and Dan to come down to meet us. We couldn't quite get together since Belmont Harbor where we were supposed to meet has two ends that don't meet and you have to walk all the way around the harbor to get from one side to the other (roughly a mile walk).
Since the rain looked like it was looming back and the air show was going to be delayed, we all decided to leave our posts and high-tail it out of there and grab a bite to eat. We walked into Wrigleyville where the Cubs were in rain delay. Right as we got into the neighborhood it started raining really hard, so we took refuge under the el tracks, then proceeded to walk quickly to Yak-Zie's... a friendly Wrigleyville bar and grill that is cash-only. I had the Italian beef sandwich and it was delicious except the hot giardiniera bothered my stomach the rest of the evening.
We sat in there for a little while waiting for maybe the Cubs game to start - of course I didn't mind that it wasn't on because I was content watching the golf tournament (although Tiger would go on to blow his lead later that next day). Also, this postponement of the baseball game marked a 5 game lead in the NL Central for the Cardinals who won later that day. The subsequent late-inning implosion of the Cubs' bullpen (notably from closer Kevin Gregg) has, as of today, provided a 6-game lead for the Cardinals who appear to be cruising into the playoffs with a possible match against the NL West leading Dodgers who are 1-for-5 against our Birds this season.
Let the Hunt for a Red October begin!!!
Since the rain looked like it was looming back and the air show was going to be delayed, we all decided to leave our posts and high-tail it out of there and grab a bite to eat. We walked into Wrigleyville where the Cubs were in rain delay. Right as we got into the neighborhood it started raining really hard, so we took refuge under the el tracks, then proceeded to walk quickly to Yak-Zie's... a friendly Wrigleyville bar and grill that is cash-only. I had the Italian beef sandwich and it was delicious except the hot giardiniera bothered my stomach the rest of the evening.
We sat in there for a little while waiting for maybe the Cubs game to start - of course I didn't mind that it wasn't on because I was content watching the golf tournament (although Tiger would go on to blow his lead later that next day). Also, this postponement of the baseball game marked a 5 game lead in the NL Central for the Cardinals who won later that day. The subsequent late-inning implosion of the Cubs' bullpen (notably from closer Kevin Gregg) has, as of today, provided a 6-game lead for the Cardinals who appear to be cruising into the playoffs with a possible match against the NL West leading Dodgers who are 1-for-5 against our Birds this season.
Let the Hunt for a Red October begin!!!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Licensed to Drive
My Missouri driver's license expires next month. Since I was running errands today, I decided that I would put 'renewing my driver's license' on that list. I went to the DMV, which is traditionally a not-so-sought-after chore. My experience was actually pretty pleasant. I went to the nearest DMV and it was a HUGE facility and they were busy. They were actually very well-tuned and ran their operation seamlessly. Here's the process:
You walk in and immediately get into a line. This line leads you to a greeting desk where you tell the person what you are trying to achieve in your visit. I researched this trip before making it, so I absolutely knew the 4 pieces of documentation I needed, and I had them. He gave me a number and told me to wait til it was called. I started walking to a seat and looked up at the number board and mine was up and the little female computer-generated voice over the loudspeaker was calling it, directing me to the counter where I was supposed to go. Apparently in their system, they give you a number with a letter in front of it that identifies the purpose of your visit. Since my visit was pretty straightforward, they were able to immediately usher me to the proper personnel at the next station, which today happened to be counter #5. I walked up and handed off all my info. After a quick vision test I was directed to the cashier, so I could pay the 10$ for my license. Pretty seamless process, right? Oh yeah, I forgot to add one thing.
Remember, I live in a new state now, so since I am technically applying for a "new" license, I have to follow their state law requirements. One such requirement, besides the application fee and vision test, is a written exam!!!! AHHH, nowhere in my research did I see that I would have to take, let alone pass, a test today!! After I left the cashier counter, they sent me over to the examination area. This is all in one building mind you, and they run you through this place like a herd of well trained, well shepherded cattle. I go up to the exam guy and he wants to know if I am taking the test in English (gotta love that Chicago diversity!). I affirm and I am off to test-taking land. I did not cram for this test because I figured, "How hard could it be? I know how to drive, right?" As it turns out, I was correct in my assumption - the test was a breeze. It consisted of 20 multiple choice questions (mostly T/F and "all of the above" types) and 17 road signs that you had to identify. Going through the test, I was fairly confident in my answers. For the signs part, I felt great about that one too, because I am such a visual guy. I took my completed test up to the grader and she made a few marks and then told me, "Pass". I have to admit I was relieved - even through my confidence there is always that air of "what if?" But no problemo - got 2 wrong on the multiple choice and 2 wrong on the signs (not sure which ones). They shuffled me to another counter where a lady input my info into the computer that creates the physical license cards, all the while peppering me with questions about where I'm from and why I'm here. It was in a welcoming tone though, so I politely obliged.
I got my mugshot, picked up my new ID and headed home. The whole endeavor, including driving time, took me 75 minutes - not too shabby in this city. Granted, it was around noon on a Thursday, but that is no matter. Like I said, the place was crowded, they just had this system down pat. It wasn't bad, I didn't get irritated, and now I am legal to drive for the next 4 years.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
New GB and Rivalry
This past Saturday Kristen and I found ourselves scouring the city, looking for something to do. It was a gorgeous day outside, so we wanted to participate or at least stand on the sidelines of a local event. We searched some street festivals - a common activity in the city during the summer - and happened upon the Wrigleyville Summerfest. What caught our attention was the band that was the opening act for the evening. They are called 'Maggie Speaks' and Kristen had heard of them before - and heard positive reviews. We decided we'd check them out and this would provide us with our entertainment for the afternoon/evening.
We headed down to the fest - aptly named due to it being in the Wrigleyville neighborhood just a few short blocks south of that toilet bowl known as Wrigley Field. It was basically a small two-block party lined with tents selling such confections as authentic ethnic food, jewelry, photography, wrestling masks, and bowls made out of old records... quite an eclectic mixture. The festival also spilled into the adjacent schoolyard where they had some stuff for the kiddies - a petting zoo, pony rides, and games - and some stuff for the bigger kiddies too - a climbing wall and a "cornhole", or "bags", tournament. We didn't really engage in many of the activities, but it was fun to watch all of the people having a good time - Kristen and I people-watch like it's our damn job!
Around 5pm, the band came on and we watched their first set. There was beer at the festival, so we relaxed with a few Bud Light Limes and enjoyed the ear candy. 'Maggie Speaks' is a cover band and they play pretty much what is popular on the radio - which is why I make the correlation to Glorious Blue in the title of this post. It really actually felt like we were listening to GB when they played some of the more "alternative pop" (Maroon 5, et al). In fact, I even thought the lead singer resembled GB's lead guitarist, Andy Howard - Kristen did not concur. What set this new band apart was they had a female vocalist as well, that could help out with some of the higher pitched and female sung songs. All-in-all it was pretty cool and it took me back to the hard core GB days, with the exception being that we were outside on a street instead of inside a smoky bar and we left at 6pm as opposed to 1am...
I say we left at 6pm, but our fun didn't stop there. We only left because we wanted to explore Wrigleyville a little and have a few more beers that were a little more moderately priced. We stumbled across a bar called Red Ivy about 1/2 a block from the stadium. It enticed us in with its open-air seating and promises of cool breezes and imbibations. The beer was the only thing I enjoyed in this bar. Aside from the waitress sucking ass and being kind of a bitch, I was most turned off by the treatment I received for presumably being a Cardinals fan (I wasn't wearing a Pujols jersey or anything, just keep reading)... We were sitting in this sports bar and watching one of the one thousand TVs. They kept flipping to different games and I put up with it because I didn't really care what game I watched. Keep in mind that the Cubs were out of town and playing at this time, so a lot of the TVs were already set to the station airing that game - the one right in front of us was not. The Sox already played that day, but they wouldn't have been aired anyway, even if they were playing... stupid Cubs fans.
So we're sitting there and our TV turns to the Cardinals/Pirates game. I'm pretty ecstatic because I get to watch live video of my team, something I do not get to do very often in my new hometown. The game is on for about 5 minutes, then switches over to the Detroit/Minnesota game - an AL Central rivalry having nothing to do with the Cubs. I ask our bitchy waitress to have it changed back and she says she will see what she can do... nothing. I look at the guy who is in charge of all the TVs and motion him over - I've had a few beers at this point, so the liquid courage starts kicking in... he is a large African-American man. I tell him I want to watch the Cardinals game, he tells me he has another guy in the bar throwing a fit over the Tigers/Twins game, I tell him who cares about that game, he reminds me I'm in Wrigleyville and asks what I expect. That was the exchange - I had lost. We promptly finished our drinks, paid our check, and left with the waitress not so much as even thanking us on our way out the door. It was our intention to eat there since we asked for menus upon entering, so they could tell we were (I was) pissed when we left so abruptly. I think they take the NL Central rivalry just a little too seriously over at Red Ivy - fuck them!
We headed back toward home after passing through the street festival one more time en route to our car. We ate at a bar and grill near our house where we proceeded to chow down the best tater tots I've ever had! We told our new waitress the story of our encounter and she felt our pain... upon handing us our check, she wrote, "I hope your service didn't suck"... or something like that. I don't know, by this time I was drowning my sorrows in about my 7th 'Goose Island-312'.
All things considered... it was a pretty fun outing.
We headed down to the fest - aptly named due to it being in the Wrigleyville neighborhood just a few short blocks south of that toilet bowl known as Wrigley Field. It was basically a small two-block party lined with tents selling such confections as authentic ethnic food, jewelry, photography, wrestling masks, and bowls made out of old records... quite an eclectic mixture. The festival also spilled into the adjacent schoolyard where they had some stuff for the kiddies - a petting zoo, pony rides, and games - and some stuff for the bigger kiddies too - a climbing wall and a "cornhole", or "bags", tournament. We didn't really engage in many of the activities, but it was fun to watch all of the people having a good time - Kristen and I people-watch like it's our damn job!
Around 5pm, the band came on and we watched their first set. There was beer at the festival, so we relaxed with a few Bud Light Limes and enjoyed the ear candy. 'Maggie Speaks' is a cover band and they play pretty much what is popular on the radio - which is why I make the correlation to Glorious Blue in the title of this post. It really actually felt like we were listening to GB when they played some of the more "alternative pop" (Maroon 5, et al). In fact, I even thought the lead singer resembled GB's lead guitarist, Andy Howard - Kristen did not concur. What set this new band apart was they had a female vocalist as well, that could help out with some of the higher pitched and female sung songs. All-in-all it was pretty cool and it took me back to the hard core GB days, with the exception being that we were outside on a street instead of inside a smoky bar and we left at 6pm as opposed to 1am...
I say we left at 6pm, but our fun didn't stop there. We only left because we wanted to explore Wrigleyville a little and have a few more beers that were a little more moderately priced. We stumbled across a bar called Red Ivy about 1/2 a block from the stadium. It enticed us in with its open-air seating and promises of cool breezes and imbibations. The beer was the only thing I enjoyed in this bar. Aside from the waitress sucking ass and being kind of a bitch, I was most turned off by the treatment I received for presumably being a Cardinals fan (I wasn't wearing a Pujols jersey or anything, just keep reading)... We were sitting in this sports bar and watching one of the one thousand TVs. They kept flipping to different games and I put up with it because I didn't really care what game I watched. Keep in mind that the Cubs were out of town and playing at this time, so a lot of the TVs were already set to the station airing that game - the one right in front of us was not. The Sox already played that day, but they wouldn't have been aired anyway, even if they were playing... stupid Cubs fans.
So we're sitting there and our TV turns to the Cardinals/Pirates game. I'm pretty ecstatic because I get to watch live video of my team, something I do not get to do very often in my new hometown. The game is on for about 5 minutes, then switches over to the Detroit/Minnesota game - an AL Central rivalry having nothing to do with the Cubs. I ask our bitchy waitress to have it changed back and she says she will see what she can do... nothing. I look at the guy who is in charge of all the TVs and motion him over - I've had a few beers at this point, so the liquid courage starts kicking in... he is a large African-American man. I tell him I want to watch the Cardinals game, he tells me he has another guy in the bar throwing a fit over the Tigers/Twins game, I tell him who cares about that game, he reminds me I'm in Wrigleyville and asks what I expect. That was the exchange - I had lost. We promptly finished our drinks, paid our check, and left with the waitress not so much as even thanking us on our way out the door. It was our intention to eat there since we asked for menus upon entering, so they could tell we were (I was) pissed when we left so abruptly. I think they take the NL Central rivalry just a little too seriously over at Red Ivy - fuck them!
We headed back toward home after passing through the street festival one more time en route to our car. We ate at a bar and grill near our house where we proceeded to chow down the best tater tots I've ever had! We told our new waitress the story of our encounter and she felt our pain... upon handing us our check, she wrote, "I hope your service didn't suck"... or something like that. I don't know, by this time I was drowning my sorrows in about my 7th 'Goose Island-312'.
All things considered... it was a pretty fun outing.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Cereal
I had cereal this morning for breakfast - which I do about once per week. Nothing out of the ordinary there. I had honey-oat Oh's... delicious. I added strawberries.. magnificent. However, eating cereal for breakfast is not without it's tiny torture for me.
First of all, I am slightly lactose intolerant, so milk is a bit of an issue. Luckily, Kristen buys skim milk which is sort of watered down to start with, and I also take a dairy digestive supplement before inbibing large quantities of milk which provides me with the enzymes I otherwise lack to properly break down the lactose. It's a small little pill and I only really need it when I am drinking a glass of milk or eating cereal - not for cheesy dishes or ice cream - so it isn't too bad of an encumbrance. All of this allows me to enjoy the cereal the way it is meant to be enjoyed... wet. I don't mind dry cereal - I'm sure I had a lot of it as a baby - but for a "meal" I think the milk (and sometimes, fruit) is necessary to complete the course.
That kind of segues me into my second point. A bowl of cereal actually doesn't cut it for me as a meal for breakfast in the morning. I find myself (as I am right now) snacking earlier in the day (or later in the morning) when I have cereal for breakfast. I don't want to eat a bigger bowl because I am afraid of an unruly B.M. in the middle of the day should I take in too much lactose for the small digestive supplement to handle. Also, if I eat too much, I will get a stomach ache regardless, and that just isn't comfortable. Maybe the dairy pill is doing too good of a job at breaking down the lactose and once it is finished with the milk it starts to attack other foods through the enzymatic process, rendering it useless for properly nourishing me... I don't know. All I know is that anyway I slice it, I better make sure I have something to snack on at work if I am going to have cereal for breakfast.
These pretzels are making me thirsty...
First of all, I am slightly lactose intolerant, so milk is a bit of an issue. Luckily, Kristen buys skim milk which is sort of watered down to start with, and I also take a dairy digestive supplement before inbibing large quantities of milk which provides me with the enzymes I otherwise lack to properly break down the lactose. It's a small little pill and I only really need it when I am drinking a glass of milk or eating cereal - not for cheesy dishes or ice cream - so it isn't too bad of an encumbrance. All of this allows me to enjoy the cereal the way it is meant to be enjoyed... wet. I don't mind dry cereal - I'm sure I had a lot of it as a baby - but for a "meal" I think the milk (and sometimes, fruit) is necessary to complete the course.
That kind of segues me into my second point. A bowl of cereal actually doesn't cut it for me as a meal for breakfast in the morning. I find myself (as I am right now) snacking earlier in the day (or later in the morning) when I have cereal for breakfast. I don't want to eat a bigger bowl because I am afraid of an unruly B.M. in the middle of the day should I take in too much lactose for the small digestive supplement to handle. Also, if I eat too much, I will get a stomach ache regardless, and that just isn't comfortable. Maybe the dairy pill is doing too good of a job at breaking down the lactose and once it is finished with the milk it starts to attack other foods through the enzymatic process, rendering it useless for properly nourishing me... I don't know. All I know is that anyway I slice it, I better make sure I have something to snack on at work if I am going to have cereal for breakfast.
These pretzels are making me thirsty...
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Planet Sub
I just wanted to put this out there as kind of a public service announcement that everyone needs to try this relatively new sub shop - Planet Sub. It is delicious and you won't be disappointed.
I had my first Planet Sub experience just a few weeks ago in Kansas City. My buddy Justin had just picked me and Kristen up from the airport and after we got our tuxes from Men's Wearhouse, we were looking to grab a bite to eat. I suggested Buffalo Wild Wings (or B-Dubs, for short) because I know Justin absolutely loves this place and it would be too hard to resist. Well, I guess the pressure of the next two days' events was too much for him to overcome because he declined, siting that it would probably take too much time and he wasn't really that hungry anyway. Instead, he suggested Planet Sub, which just opened a new location not too far from his house and on our way to our destination.
We walked in and Kristen did as she always does when walking into any order-at-the-counter food joint - whether she has been there or not - and stared in vain at the menu for what seemed like 45 minutes, but was probably only about 3. This is not necessarily a fault of my wife, but rather a testament to the sheer scale of this menu - and I don't mean the physical size of the signage, but the amount of sandwiches and other concoctions represented on the board. We finally made a decision and awaited the service of our lunch. The staff does not call out orders by name, but rather by playing card - that which they distribute after your order is placed. I believe we were the Queen of Clubs... and I got immediately excited when I heard our card being called from the counter.
I raised my hand and the gentleman placed a foil-wrapped torpedo onto my table - no tray, no problem. I unraveled the foil to reveal a beautiful BBQ ham and turkey sandwich - the "Planet BBQ" as it was called. It was a scrumptious blend of deli meats infused with and smothered in KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce... all on a toasted bun. It may or may not have had some veggies on it - I don't really remember. I also have no idea what Justin or Kristen ate because I was too immersed in my own culinary wonderland to have any inclination of the goings on about my surroundings. I ordered the full, or large, which might have been about a foot long. As it turned out, that was too much sandwich for me (I also had chips and a drink), so I saved the rest for the next day... it heated up nicely in the oven, by the way.
I would say my overall first experience at Planet Sub was a good one. I implore anyone that reads this to eat there and to share the story with anyone who does not read this. I think you will find your experience to be comparable to mine. You might be thinking, "...but Chris, how can we enjoy these wonderful subs if we don't live in Kansas City??" Fear not! There is a downtown location in St. Louis. Even better - for those of you that don't want to bother with fighting downtown to have a sandwich - I have an inside tip on a new location that is opening in the Central West End on Euclid at Laclede. I realize that the bulk of my readers are from the more southern reaches of the metropolitan area, and as such prefer not to venture out just to eat a sandwich. However, this new location in the CWE is ideal for a light lunch or dinner after a day at the Zoo, Forest Park, Steinberg Skate Rink, or any of the other various adjacent local activities. I don't have a personal interest in this location, I just think it is that good.
Let me know of your planet Sub experience in the comments...
I had my first Planet Sub experience just a few weeks ago in Kansas City. My buddy Justin had just picked me and Kristen up from the airport and after we got our tuxes from Men's Wearhouse, we were looking to grab a bite to eat. I suggested Buffalo Wild Wings (or B-Dubs, for short) because I know Justin absolutely loves this place and it would be too hard to resist. Well, I guess the pressure of the next two days' events was too much for him to overcome because he declined, siting that it would probably take too much time and he wasn't really that hungry anyway. Instead, he suggested Planet Sub, which just opened a new location not too far from his house and on our way to our destination.
We walked in and Kristen did as she always does when walking into any order-at-the-counter food joint - whether she has been there or not - and stared in vain at the menu for what seemed like 45 minutes, but was probably only about 3. This is not necessarily a fault of my wife, but rather a testament to the sheer scale of this menu - and I don't mean the physical size of the signage, but the amount of sandwiches and other concoctions represented on the board. We finally made a decision and awaited the service of our lunch. The staff does not call out orders by name, but rather by playing card - that which they distribute after your order is placed. I believe we were the Queen of Clubs... and I got immediately excited when I heard our card being called from the counter.
I raised my hand and the gentleman placed a foil-wrapped torpedo onto my table - no tray, no problem. I unraveled the foil to reveal a beautiful BBQ ham and turkey sandwich - the "Planet BBQ" as it was called. It was a scrumptious blend of deli meats infused with and smothered in KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce... all on a toasted bun. It may or may not have had some veggies on it - I don't really remember. I also have no idea what Justin or Kristen ate because I was too immersed in my own culinary wonderland to have any inclination of the goings on about my surroundings. I ordered the full, or large, which might have been about a foot long. As it turned out, that was too much sandwich for me (I also had chips and a drink), so I saved the rest for the next day... it heated up nicely in the oven, by the way.
I would say my overall first experience at Planet Sub was a good one. I implore anyone that reads this to eat there and to share the story with anyone who does not read this. I think you will find your experience to be comparable to mine. You might be thinking, "...but Chris, how can we enjoy these wonderful subs if we don't live in Kansas City??" Fear not! There is a downtown location in St. Louis. Even better - for those of you that don't want to bother with fighting downtown to have a sandwich - I have an inside tip on a new location that is opening in the Central West End on Euclid at Laclede. I realize that the bulk of my readers are from the more southern reaches of the metropolitan area, and as such prefer not to venture out just to eat a sandwich. However, this new location in the CWE is ideal for a light lunch or dinner after a day at the Zoo, Forest Park, Steinberg Skate Rink, or any of the other various adjacent local activities. I don't have a personal interest in this location, I just think it is that good.
Let me know of your planet Sub experience in the comments...
Monday, July 27, 2009
Redbird Report
Last night I was really excited that I was able to watch the Cardinals game, live on ESPN. You see, since I moved my cable provider no longer airs the Cardinals games since I no longer have the local channels. As of late, I have been watching play-by-play of the games on mlb.com. It's not visual action, but at least I know what is going... and it is live. I have threatened with the idea of buying the mlb.tv package to see all the games on the Internet via the local provider, but I can't justify buying it now when the season is more than half over... maybe next year. So I watched the game last night and was impresses with the play and happy to see the production, both offensively and defensively, out of the "new guys". And that is the main subject of this post.
Unless you live under a large rock (or are not a Cardinals fan), you are aware that the Cardinals acquired Mark DeRosa (a former Cub) from the Indians about a month ago. He went almost immediately on the DL, but he is off now and playing seemingly every day at 3rd base. Last week, they traded the coaches' golden boy, Chris Duncan, to Boston for Julio Lugo - both players were headed to the minor league affiliates of their respective teams. Since then, Lugo has been a spot starter at 2nd base. Lastly, and probably the biggest splash of all, the Cardinals traded 3 minor league prospects (one an up-and-coming 3rd basemen) for starting left fielder Matt Holliday (not to be confused with the ace pitcher Roy Halladay, who is on the trading block with the Toronto Blue Jays). I will discuss each move individually, in an effort to generate some discussion on this little blog site.
Mark DeRosa - since coming off the DL he has been lights out at the plate. I'm not going to throw around numbers and statistics, because that's not what I do - I will just stick to the cold hard facts. He is on a tear with the homeruns and I am loving every minute of it. I initially liked this trade because we needed that infielder with some pop in our lineup, with the injuries to Khalil Greene and Troy Glaus, mental and physical respectively. I think he is a solid started at the hot corner and I look forward to seeing him there next year, should they opt to sign him. The only issue I have is that we are still carrying contracts for Glaus and K.Greene, so I have no idea what Mo and LaRussa's intentions are for those guys if and when they return. On a side note, DeRosa is also, as I mentioned, an ex-Cub - so it feels good to watch him tattoo the ball for us while Aaron Miles and Milton Bradley are embarrassing themselves int hose stupid Cubbie uniforms.
Julio Lugo - he isn't much to write home about at the plate except that he can run fast so it makes him a good sac bunt and leadoff guy. He doesn't have a lot of pop, but what he lacks there he makes up for in consistency, which is an area where Duncan was quite deficient - considering he was 1-for-33 at the dish before he got dealt. Plus we replaced the pop that Duncan sometimes provided with the guy I'm about to talk about and seemingly the guy I just got finished talking about, so we're good there. I don't think we need to even broach the subject of defense in this comparison. Duncan flat out sucked as an outfielder and is more suited for the American League where he can slip into ambiguity as a designated hitter somewhere. Lugo is a good middle infielder and I will take him on a double play turn any day. I'm not over ecstatic about this deal, but I like it.
Matt Holliday - When I heard about this deal I thought it was quite stupid. It's not because I think Holliday is a bad ball player and calling his 11 homeruns this season low production is the understatement of the century. It's not that. I thought that we had something going with our farm system - good young players being bred in this organization for future stardom. We gave up our 2008 and 2009 draft picks to Oakland to - one of which (Brett Wallace) is now their everyday 3rd basemen. Wallace is young and would have provided a much needed filler in that hole we had looming over there. I think DeRosa is a good enough stop-gap and this Cardinals team has a reputation of not holding on to younger players anyway (i.e. Dan Haren). I also think we could have saved some of that enthusiasm for trading for picking up Roy Halladay (the pitcher) or maybe even some bullpen help (or Mark Buerhle???)- although I'd rather have the big man. Lastly, I don't believe the Cardinals will pick up Holliday's huge contract next year, as he is a free agent after this year - and make no mistake, he will command a huge contract, especially if he keeps up this hot bat. In my opinion, it was just a lot to give up for a guy who probably will only be here less than half of a season. If they do make room for him, they're going to have to give up a lot around him and Pujols to keep salaries down - whereas they could have paid a few rookies less dollars and signed for longer contract. My opinion on this particular deal is almost strictly business. All that being said, I was happy to see Matt go 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs in his first game in a Cardinal uniform, and then have an RBI double in his first home game last night. What happens next remains to be seen.
That is my assessment - I look forward to some rebuttal and/or friendly discussion. Go Cards!!
Unless you live under a large rock (or are not a Cardinals fan), you are aware that the Cardinals acquired Mark DeRosa (a former Cub) from the Indians about a month ago. He went almost immediately on the DL, but he is off now and playing seemingly every day at 3rd base. Last week, they traded the coaches' golden boy, Chris Duncan, to Boston for Julio Lugo - both players were headed to the minor league affiliates of their respective teams. Since then, Lugo has been a spot starter at 2nd base. Lastly, and probably the biggest splash of all, the Cardinals traded 3 minor league prospects (one an up-and-coming 3rd basemen) for starting left fielder Matt Holliday (not to be confused with the ace pitcher Roy Halladay, who is on the trading block with the Toronto Blue Jays). I will discuss each move individually, in an effort to generate some discussion on this little blog site.
Mark DeRosa - since coming off the DL he has been lights out at the plate. I'm not going to throw around numbers and statistics, because that's not what I do - I will just stick to the cold hard facts. He is on a tear with the homeruns and I am loving every minute of it. I initially liked this trade because we needed that infielder with some pop in our lineup, with the injuries to Khalil Greene and Troy Glaus, mental and physical respectively. I think he is a solid started at the hot corner and I look forward to seeing him there next year, should they opt to sign him. The only issue I have is that we are still carrying contracts for Glaus and K.Greene, so I have no idea what Mo and LaRussa's intentions are for those guys if and when they return. On a side note, DeRosa is also, as I mentioned, an ex-Cub - so it feels good to watch him tattoo the ball for us while Aaron Miles and Milton Bradley are embarrassing themselves int hose stupid Cubbie uniforms.
Julio Lugo - he isn't much to write home about at the plate except that he can run fast so it makes him a good sac bunt and leadoff guy. He doesn't have a lot of pop, but what he lacks there he makes up for in consistency, which is an area where Duncan was quite deficient - considering he was 1-for-33 at the dish before he got dealt. Plus we replaced the pop that Duncan sometimes provided with the guy I'm about to talk about and seemingly the guy I just got finished talking about, so we're good there. I don't think we need to even broach the subject of defense in this comparison. Duncan flat out sucked as an outfielder and is more suited for the American League where he can slip into ambiguity as a designated hitter somewhere. Lugo is a good middle infielder and I will take him on a double play turn any day. I'm not over ecstatic about this deal, but I like it.
Matt Holliday - When I heard about this deal I thought it was quite stupid. It's not because I think Holliday is a bad ball player and calling his 11 homeruns this season low production is the understatement of the century. It's not that. I thought that we had something going with our farm system - good young players being bred in this organization for future stardom. We gave up our 2008 and 2009 draft picks to Oakland to - one of which (Brett Wallace) is now their everyday 3rd basemen. Wallace is young and would have provided a much needed filler in that hole we had looming over there. I think DeRosa is a good enough stop-gap and this Cardinals team has a reputation of not holding on to younger players anyway (i.e. Dan Haren). I also think we could have saved some of that enthusiasm for trading for picking up Roy Halladay (the pitcher) or maybe even some bullpen help (or Mark Buerhle???)- although I'd rather have the big man. Lastly, I don't believe the Cardinals will pick up Holliday's huge contract next year, as he is a free agent after this year - and make no mistake, he will command a huge contract, especially if he keeps up this hot bat. In my opinion, it was just a lot to give up for a guy who probably will only be here less than half of a season. If they do make room for him, they're going to have to give up a lot around him and Pujols to keep salaries down - whereas they could have paid a few rookies less dollars and signed for longer contract. My opinion on this particular deal is almost strictly business. All that being said, I was happy to see Matt go 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs in his first game in a Cardinal uniform, and then have an RBI double in his first home game last night. What happens next remains to be seen.
That is my assessment - I look forward to some rebuttal and/or friendly discussion. Go Cards!!
Firsts
This weekend was one of a few firsts for me... not lifetime firsts per se, but firsts since I've been here in Chi-town. One of the coolest ones for me was that I went for a bicycle ride on the lakefront. It was Sunday morning and it was my second bike ride overall as we had just gone on one Saturday morning as well (on a different trail). In fact, it was really my first time enjoying Lake Michigan in my life! I have been to the museum campus and Grant Park, but I have never actually been to the lakefront since I have been coming up here (my first time in 1999). It was actually a really good time. The trail was crowded, but that added to the ambiance - the lack of experience and etiquette by the other "cyclists" and runners was offset by the views.... oh the views!! First off, lake Michigan looks like the ocean since you can't see the other side, and people treat it that way with the sun bathing, scuba-diving, and beach volleyball. Then add the scenic skyline into the mix and you have a recipe for a really cool ride. In retrospect, the ride on Saturday (my first as a Chicagoan) was on a more intimate trail that traveled along one of the river branches going north. It started in a northern neighborhood in the city (near ours) and traveled north into Skokie/Evanston via a network of trails connecting parks and greenway along said creek. The southern part was all the parks and the trails connecting them went under each road you passed, so that riders can ride unobstructed without having to cross the dangerous streets. At about the city limit line, the scenery transitioned into a greenway that included a really cool sculpture park along one of the major north/south thoroughfares into the north suburbs. All-in-all I think I am going to enjoy my cycling in this city. It has some pretty big shoes to fill coming from St. Louis who has a great system of trails, but if this weekend was any indication, I should be fine.
Another first I had was grilling. We have a gangway on the side of our building between us and the neighboring property. I was thrilled to see this before we moved in because I knew I could bring my grill and cook out there. We had Jaime and Dan over for dinner and I made turkey burgers and brats... I love grilling so much and this was the first real opportunity to do it since we've been here. The experience was nice and it wasn't a pain even considering I couldn't just walk out my back door to my grill like I could in Maplewood. I enjoyed it so much, that I did it again last night, making chicken breasts that Kristen and I ate and some turkey sausages that we are going to eat tonight... delicious!
I also rode my first bus since living here. Public transportation is very popluar here since traffic is so bad and parking is a nightmare and usually expensive (I got my first parking ticket last week and it was 400% more expensive than the ones I used to get routinely in StL - expired meter). Anyway, Kristen and I went out for dinner on Saturday and decided to take the bus into a trendy part of town, assuming we would have our hands full with the traffic/parking situation. There is a west/east line that has stops right by our apartment (along Belmont), so we hopped on that. We headed into the Lakeview neighborhood and got off at a six-corners intersection where we saw hundreds of people walking around. We walked southeast on Clark St. about 1/4 block before we found a Mexican restaurant and decided to eat there - Cesar's Killer Maragritas. I had one of these margaritas and it was in fact a killer - the tequila used was serious business but I enjoyed it (it puts Cuervo to shame, Tony). We headed up to a Wrigleyville bar after dinner for one drink and decided we were so full (damn Mexican food) and just headed home - back on the bus. I should mention that the bus ride down there got interesting when this drunk, gay, hispanic guy got pissed at a black guy who was laughing at his antics, and proceeded to call the guy a fucking nigger. Needless to say he was immediately asked to exit the bus. Very interesting - I certainly was not expecting that.
So those have been my most recents firsts. Next post I may try to not have so much "Chicago" in it, but that is my life now so I have a lot to talk about. Plus, I am doing this in an effort to keep people abreast of what is going on with me, so there you have it.
Another first I had was grilling. We have a gangway on the side of our building between us and the neighboring property. I was thrilled to see this before we moved in because I knew I could bring my grill and cook out there. We had Jaime and Dan over for dinner and I made turkey burgers and brats... I love grilling so much and this was the first real opportunity to do it since we've been here. The experience was nice and it wasn't a pain even considering I couldn't just walk out my back door to my grill like I could in Maplewood. I enjoyed it so much, that I did it again last night, making chicken breasts that Kristen and I ate and some turkey sausages that we are going to eat tonight... delicious!
I also rode my first bus since living here. Public transportation is very popluar here since traffic is so bad and parking is a nightmare and usually expensive (I got my first parking ticket last week and it was 400% more expensive than the ones I used to get routinely in StL - expired meter). Anyway, Kristen and I went out for dinner on Saturday and decided to take the bus into a trendy part of town, assuming we would have our hands full with the traffic/parking situation. There is a west/east line that has stops right by our apartment (along Belmont), so we hopped on that. We headed into the Lakeview neighborhood and got off at a six-corners intersection where we saw hundreds of people walking around. We walked southeast on Clark St. about 1/4 block before we found a Mexican restaurant and decided to eat there - Cesar's Killer Maragritas. I had one of these margaritas and it was in fact a killer - the tequila used was serious business but I enjoyed it (it puts Cuervo to shame, Tony). We headed up to a Wrigleyville bar after dinner for one drink and decided we were so full (damn Mexican food) and just headed home - back on the bus. I should mention that the bus ride down there got interesting when this drunk, gay, hispanic guy got pissed at a black guy who was laughing at his antics, and proceeded to call the guy a fucking nigger. Needless to say he was immediately asked to exit the bus. Very interesting - I certainly was not expecting that.
So those have been my most recents firsts. Next post I may try to not have so much "Chicago" in it, but that is my life now so I have a lot to talk about. Plus, I am doing this in an effort to keep people abreast of what is going on with me, so there you have it.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Bid'ness
So as many of you may know, I opened my own architecture practice in Chicago. I can tell you that "opening" and starting a business is hard work... I have been busting my hump this week getting stuff together. I have hired an accountant, Incorporated as an S-Corp in the State of Illinois, I have elected as a corporation with the IRS and received a Federal Employer Identification Number, started working on QuickBooks, and now I am working on opening a bank account so I can spend money putting things in the company's name. I still need to obtain business licenses at the state and the City of Chicago. These are all steps in the process. To be honest it has been very educational and actually kind of fun. I guess I am already realizing the rewards that are had for working for yourself. My freedom and control have been unable to be surpassed over this past week. I know I can succeed and I know I will enjoy this.
I have already starting working, actually. I had a few carry-over jobs that I have been finishing from St. Louis. It has been pretty easy to communicate thanks to the technical age.. the best part is the cash flow, which I need now since, you know, I quit my "day job". I also did some drawings for one of the guys with whom I share office space, so that should pay something - not immediately though. This industry takes so long to pay - that is the hardest part in terms of getting things going, but I can manage. Next step is finishing up the business start-up and then getting out there and doing some marketing.
I want to thank everyone who has given me congratulations and support as I make my way into this journey. Without that encouragement I would be a lot less confident and a lot more scared. I especially thank Kristen for allowing me to do this and not asking a single question or harping on me at all. I will update on things as they happen. Take care...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Update: Short and Sweet
I am gonna keep this relatively short, as some of my more recent posts have been a bit long-winded and some might say "boring". Plus, I am kind of busy, so I want to concentrate on what is most important to me right now: work - although this blog is a close 2nd.
After the race two weekends ago I spent some time in STL. I watched the Homerun Derby and All-Star game with old buddies and played in three softball games. It wasn't all play though - I got A LOT of work done, tying up some very needed loose ends. I cleaned up the old condo in Maplewood, ran a TON of overdue errands, picked up my first commission check, and squeezed in time to build my buddy Justin a wedding-card receiving box. If you recall, I built myself a similar box for my own wedding which resembled the Sears (now Willis) Tower - in keeping with the "Tale of Two Cities" theme. He wanted a replica of his own house, with the thought process being that the money they receive as gifts will be an investment into his home, so why not have the people put the money "into his home". I thought this was a reasonable and somewhat clever idea, so I obliged... (you're welcome, J).
I left STL at around 5:30a last Thursday morning and arrived home at around 10:30a. Took out Jake, unloaded some stuff I had in the car, and headed to the office - I had some work to do. I worked about a half day then went home so I could prepare to leave for the weekend...again. We headed to KC on Friday morning and arrived at the very tiny Southwest terminal to have Justin pick us up. We went back to his house and just hung out until the rehearsal, welcoming everyone as they arrived. The rehearsal was short and sweet and we headed to a quaint little small-town eatery afterward for the dinner and some home cookin'... it was really nice. We headed across the street to Riley's Pub afterwards. They didn't want to let us in, but when they find out how many of us there were and that we were only there to drink, they changed their tune. That pretty much capped off our night. We headed back to J's and were gonna party all night, but we were out of booze and everyone was pretty tired, so we just let the night end in preparation for the big day.
The wedding was really nice and lovely, although the temperature inside the church was in the upper 90s (perceptively) and us guys in tuxes had a rough go (I almost passed out!). Afterwards we boarded a rented school bus and took some photos outside the famous courthouse in historic Lexington, MO. Off to the reception. We entered, we danced, we ate, we sang, we drank, I made a toast/speech, we made fools of ourselves in the photobooth (nice idea, ay?). It was a blast and it was good to have a last fling with a bunch of my friends and some people I haven't seen (and won't see) in a long time.
We flew back to Chicago on Sunday and went back to work on Monday - so here I type. All is well and I am working on getting this little business venture off the ground. More on that later...
After the race two weekends ago I spent some time in STL. I watched the Homerun Derby and All-Star game with old buddies and played in three softball games. It wasn't all play though - I got A LOT of work done, tying up some very needed loose ends. I cleaned up the old condo in Maplewood, ran a TON of overdue errands, picked up my first commission check, and squeezed in time to build my buddy Justin a wedding-card receiving box. If you recall, I built myself a similar box for my own wedding which resembled the Sears (now Willis) Tower - in keeping with the "Tale of Two Cities" theme. He wanted a replica of his own house, with the thought process being that the money they receive as gifts will be an investment into his home, so why not have the people put the money "into his home". I thought this was a reasonable and somewhat clever idea, so I obliged... (you're welcome, J).
I left STL at around 5:30a last Thursday morning and arrived home at around 10:30a. Took out Jake, unloaded some stuff I had in the car, and headed to the office - I had some work to do. I worked about a half day then went home so I could prepare to leave for the weekend...again. We headed to KC on Friday morning and arrived at the very tiny Southwest terminal to have Justin pick us up. We went back to his house and just hung out until the rehearsal, welcoming everyone as they arrived. The rehearsal was short and sweet and we headed to a quaint little small-town eatery afterward for the dinner and some home cookin'... it was really nice. We headed across the street to Riley's Pub afterwards. They didn't want to let us in, but when they find out how many of us there were and that we were only there to drink, they changed their tune. That pretty much capped off our night. We headed back to J's and were gonna party all night, but we were out of booze and everyone was pretty tired, so we just let the night end in preparation for the big day.
The wedding was really nice and lovely, although the temperature inside the church was in the upper 90s (perceptively) and us guys in tuxes had a rough go (I almost passed out!). Afterwards we boarded a rented school bus and took some photos outside the famous courthouse in historic Lexington, MO. Off to the reception. We entered, we danced, we ate, we sang, we drank, I made a toast/speech, we made fools of ourselves in the photobooth (nice idea, ay?). It was a blast and it was good to have a last fling with a bunch of my friends and some people I haven't seen (and won't see) in a long time.
We flew back to Chicago on Sunday and went back to work on Monday - so here I type. All is well and I am working on getting this little business venture off the ground. More on that later...
Monday, July 13, 2009
Tour de Donut
Being that I'm an official "Chicagoan", I came into town Friday afternoon so that I could participate in a bicycle race on Saturday morning. It's called the Tour de Donut and is held annually in Staunton, IL, about 45 minutes north of St. Louis on I-55. The premise of the race is just like it sounds from the title - you eat donuts (I realize this is the lazy spelling of 'doughnut', but that's how they roll in Staunton, so for the sake of efficiency and consistency, I will use it here, but just this once). It's not that simple though. It is a 32 mile race split into three legs. In between the legs there is a break stop where they have boxes upon boxes of donuts. You can opt to eat as many donuts as you can or you can simply pass up the break stop and continue on in the race. The catch; however, is that for each donut you eat you get 5 minutes taken off of your total race time. Prizes are given for actual and adjusted finish times, so there is actually an incentive to eat the donuts and it gives the race a little niche and a bit of "entertainment". Like any race, you wear a number so that your time can be collected. In this race, your number is marked with your amount of donuts eaten, so they can match your time with the proper amount of time deduction... its kind of a hoot.
The race started out very out of character. Although I have only done it once before - last year - I know that in the middle of July it is supposed to be a nice hot day. Well Saturday that was not the case. About half an hour before the race, it rained... hard! It was bittersweet because the clouds covered the sun and cooled off the air, but the rain actually made it kind of chilly. At one point I even had erect nipples! There were 1200 riders that showed up to race, so instead of sending them all home due to a little inclimate weather (there was no lightning), the organizers decided that the show must go on.
The race started at about 9:15am, and I was in the front quarter of the pack of 1200. Within the first few miles I felt like I was keeping a really good pace. I was passing as many people that were passing me, so I felt I was holding good position and could keep my stamina up all day, eat a shitload of donuts, and finish this thing with a pretty respectable time. That thought went completely by the wayside when at about the 4-mile mark my front tire sprung a leak and stopped me in my tracks. I had to pull over to change a flat - in the goddamn rain!! Unfortunately this wasn't where the drama ended. I ride this race with my friend Steve (Justin's dad) and his wife Nancy. Steve is a very good and experienced rider and in the first 4 miles probably had already built a comfortable lead on me - I knew what pace he was trying to keep before the race started. I knew I was kinda screwed with the flat because although I had a spare inner tube, I didn't have any method in which to inflate it... like a pump or a CO2 cartridge. Luckily, as I was removing the damaged tube and inserting the new one, Steve's wife Nancy approaches me asking if I need anything.... I scream out, "Pump!" She slows down to attempt to pull over to my aid and that is when some jackass totally rear-ends her. He clipped and bent the rear derailleur on her rear hub - which essentially is a part that makes gear shifting possible. Needless to say the bike was un-rideable after the collision. But the worst news was that the impact caused both riders to fall instantly onto their left sides, and Nancy to propel forward a little bit. She scraped her knee and elbow pretty bad and hit hit forehead (the portion covered by a helmet, of course) on the pavement. She had no visible head injury, but she did crack and ding her helmet, so the incident - the injury coupled with the crippled bike - was enough to keep Nancy from finishing the race. I must be a bad luck charm because I did a team race with Steve a few weeks ago where he rolled his ankle in the running portion and he could not finish... sorry Hahns!!!
Anyway, so she had a CO2 cartridge she let me use and I was able to inflate my tire (to about 60% of where it should be - losing that much more efficiency) and finish the race. I wanted to finish due to pride, but this setback of about 30 to 40 minutes total cost me any respectable finish time - and I knew that. I finished the first leg strong, all things considered, and stopped at the first donut stop. I grabbed 2 donuts and ate them both at once - they smash down pretty easily and this is a race so there is no time to dawdle... After I finished them I went back for more but they were gone - they had run out of donuts at the first stop. This really took the wind out of my sails because I was going to try to slam quite a few of these doughy little bastards to make up some of the time I lost with the tire and the wreck. No such luck, so I really, really had to push it in the second leg, and I would say in that 10-12 mile stretch I passed no fewer than 200 riders... no shit. I was kicking ass. It was still all for naught because I was so far behind. By the time I had gotten back on the road I was pretty much at the end of the line, so the people I was passing really were just doing the ride for fun anyway, but it still felt good to blow by so many of them at such an astonishing rate - I needed that kind of encouragement to keep up my momentum.
So I make it to the 2nd donut stop and order 2 donuts... then 2 more. By the time I finish all 4 I see that they are down to about 4 dozen left and I really won't get a chance to eat too many more, so I just said screw it and continued on. Plus my body was feeling the effects of the 20+ mph pace I was pushing in the 2nd leg, so I didn't want to lose any donuts in a pukey mess, as I saw that two or three other people were about to do - kinda gross... Skip, out! I got through the final leg taking a little bit off it as not to injure myself. I still finished and with plenty of people behind me, but I was probably right in the middle of the pack. Even worse, I'm sure I was pretty far down in my male age group. It's all good though because despite all the trials and tribulations, I had fun and got some damn good exercise. Can't wait to do it next year!
So I did the race in the morning, came to my mom's afterward to watch the Cubs/Cards game, took a nap, and hung out with my uncle and his daughters when they came over to swim. Last Saturday was a really good and fulfilling day for me.
If you want to look for my results, just Google search: "Tour de Donut 2009 results". It's not going to look pretty and you may have to scroll down a while to find me (under an assumed name: Christopher Jackson...haha), but it feels good to have finished and put my name on the list.
The race started out very out of character. Although I have only done it once before - last year - I know that in the middle of July it is supposed to be a nice hot day. Well Saturday that was not the case. About half an hour before the race, it rained... hard! It was bittersweet because the clouds covered the sun and cooled off the air, but the rain actually made it kind of chilly. At one point I even had erect nipples! There were 1200 riders that showed up to race, so instead of sending them all home due to a little inclimate weather (there was no lightning), the organizers decided that the show must go on.
The race started at about 9:15am, and I was in the front quarter of the pack of 1200. Within the first few miles I felt like I was keeping a really good pace. I was passing as many people that were passing me, so I felt I was holding good position and could keep my stamina up all day, eat a shitload of donuts, and finish this thing with a pretty respectable time. That thought went completely by the wayside when at about the 4-mile mark my front tire sprung a leak and stopped me in my tracks. I had to pull over to change a flat - in the goddamn rain!! Unfortunately this wasn't where the drama ended. I ride this race with my friend Steve (Justin's dad) and his wife Nancy. Steve is a very good and experienced rider and in the first 4 miles probably had already built a comfortable lead on me - I knew what pace he was trying to keep before the race started. I knew I was kinda screwed with the flat because although I had a spare inner tube, I didn't have any method in which to inflate it... like a pump or a CO2 cartridge. Luckily, as I was removing the damaged tube and inserting the new one, Steve's wife Nancy approaches me asking if I need anything.... I scream out, "Pump!" She slows down to attempt to pull over to my aid and that is when some jackass totally rear-ends her. He clipped and bent the rear derailleur on her rear hub - which essentially is a part that makes gear shifting possible. Needless to say the bike was un-rideable after the collision. But the worst news was that the impact caused both riders to fall instantly onto their left sides, and Nancy to propel forward a little bit. She scraped her knee and elbow pretty bad and hit hit forehead (the portion covered by a helmet, of course) on the pavement. She had no visible head injury, but she did crack and ding her helmet, so the incident - the injury coupled with the crippled bike - was enough to keep Nancy from finishing the race. I must be a bad luck charm because I did a team race with Steve a few weeks ago where he rolled his ankle in the running portion and he could not finish... sorry Hahns!!!
Anyway, so she had a CO2 cartridge she let me use and I was able to inflate my tire (to about 60% of where it should be - losing that much more efficiency) and finish the race. I wanted to finish due to pride, but this setback of about 30 to 40 minutes total cost me any respectable finish time - and I knew that. I finished the first leg strong, all things considered, and stopped at the first donut stop. I grabbed 2 donuts and ate them both at once - they smash down pretty easily and this is a race so there is no time to dawdle... After I finished them I went back for more but they were gone - they had run out of donuts at the first stop. This really took the wind out of my sails because I was going to try to slam quite a few of these doughy little bastards to make up some of the time I lost with the tire and the wreck. No such luck, so I really, really had to push it in the second leg, and I would say in that 10-12 mile stretch I passed no fewer than 200 riders... no shit. I was kicking ass. It was still all for naught because I was so far behind. By the time I had gotten back on the road I was pretty much at the end of the line, so the people I was passing really were just doing the ride for fun anyway, but it still felt good to blow by so many of them at such an astonishing rate - I needed that kind of encouragement to keep up my momentum.
So I make it to the 2nd donut stop and order 2 donuts... then 2 more. By the time I finish all 4 I see that they are down to about 4 dozen left and I really won't get a chance to eat too many more, so I just said screw it and continued on. Plus my body was feeling the effects of the 20+ mph pace I was pushing in the 2nd leg, so I didn't want to lose any donuts in a pukey mess, as I saw that two or three other people were about to do - kinda gross... Skip, out! I got through the final leg taking a little bit off it as not to injure myself. I still finished and with plenty of people behind me, but I was probably right in the middle of the pack. Even worse, I'm sure I was pretty far down in my male age group. It's all good though because despite all the trials and tribulations, I had fun and got some damn good exercise. Can't wait to do it next year!
So I did the race in the morning, came to my mom's afterward to watch the Cubs/Cards game, took a nap, and hung out with my uncle and his daughters when they came over to swim. Last Saturday was a really good and fulfilling day for me.
If you want to look for my results, just Google search: "Tour de Donut 2009 results". It's not going to look pretty and you may have to scroll down a while to find me (under an assumed name: Christopher Jackson...haha), but it feels good to have finished and put my name on the list.
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