Merry Christmas!

May your days be merry and bright! And may all your days be bright!



PS 26 days to go. Does anyone have any suggestions where on the Mall we should stand to participate in the inauguration?

Let It Snow!

I really did try to make it early to work today. Honestly I did, but then I remembered what happened last time I did.

And then it started to snow.

And now it won't stop snowing.

And I'm certain it's going to keep on snowoing until Easter.

Also...28 days!

The Count-down Begins!

Yes, only three more days until Christmas! But that is not what I'm looking forward to this year.

Like 2008 year, my Big Event will be happening in January 2009! So today I've decided to officially start my Inauguration Day count-down at 29.

29 Days until I will be freezing my butt off on the Mall with 2 million other people to watch, listen, or breathe air molecules in the same vicinity in the 44th president. Maybe if the Secret Service and the Capitol police let us get that close.

Maybe.

Being Well Shod

I am a firm believer in shoes. Ask anyone who knows me. I love shoes. One of my greatest joys is to go shoe shopping. One of my second greatest joys is to look at my favorite shoes. (Hello! Christian Louboutins have red the color of Chanel nail polish on the bottom! How amazingly fabulously beautiful shoeiness can you get?)

Anyway, I really want to make sure every day when I leave the house that I am well shod.

Today though I had to leave way earlier for work than I normally do and of course I was running late and of course I was thinking about my busy day ahead (alright, I was really thinking about the pies). I was very proud that I had left close-ish to on time and I was really warm in my car for such a cool day. Then I realized why I was so warm and toasty. I had left with my slippers on. I really don't do mornings well.

Pie Night

The thing I like most about Thanksgiving doesn't actually happen on the fourth Thursday of November. It's the fourth Wednesday I look forward to making pies! I'm sitting in my mom's kitchen right now smelling the cherry and apple pies finishing their time in the oven. The peacan and pumkin have finished and are cooling on the counters.



Mom and I have really gone to town this year. We even made the cherry pie filling from scratch. That means that I get to eat all the left overs. This year I'm thankful for cherry pie filling from scratch. Bakers Square doesn't have anything on us. Marie Calander who? I still have two more to make tomorrow morning. Thank goodness for a large family who likes desserts and who is willing to try new pies.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Perfecto!

What makes the perfect book? Is it the story that's well told? What about the beautiful language the author uses to describe the events that unfold? What about unforgettable characters? Does it require all of these things and then more?

I've read many books in my life. Some of them I've glanced through (Twilight anyone?) and some I've had to savor and go back and re-read time and again just so I understand what it is the author is trying to tell me. Some I really do love. Some I consider brain candy. Each serves their own purpose, and yet I've never learned what the perfect book is. Does it only apply to fiction or can non-fiction works join the ranks of their novel brothers and sisters? How will I know when I come upon that one work that changes me forever?

This weekend I saw some of the earliest writings of civilizations at the Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago (I'll post more about that later in the week), and it really got me thinking about how important the written language is to the development of civilization. What will be the surviving written language of our generation? Our contribution? Texting?

Top 5 Book for Last 5(ish) Years:
Suite Francaise by Irene Nairovsky
Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Some Serious TV Time...

I have been watching some of my favorite shows as usual this fall and here are a few thoughts on what I've seen this far...

Pushing Dasies
Oh, if every show could just bundle all of the funny and procedural and snark and happiness into one 43 minute show, it would be this one narrorated by the supurb Jim Dale. I want to help Emerson and the gang each week solve the crime. I'm glad that they've moved off the story of Chuck and her aunts this season (altough I am missing seeing Swoozie Kurtz in her eye patch) to delve more into the relationships amoung the four main characters. The more I've gotten to know each of the characters this season and their zany problems, the more I want to know! This show might be on the chopping block though and everyone should watch it to keep it going.

30 Rock
I cannot say how much I love this show. It's only been back for one episode, but it hit out of the park. I just always love them all. Who doesn't want to watch a black man dress as a white woman with monster claws? Plus Oprah!

Heroes
I really love the concepts of this show and I always really love the commitment the actors bring to it. But it's all too...earnest. This season see all of the characters finding new ways of becoming villans and we've seen other characters we thought were villans turn to the light. I want to like it, but I find myself waiting longer and longer before I launch the DVR to play each episode.

The Office
Again this season this show has been a bit uneven. I was so excited to see Michael growing as a person in his relationship with Holly but as most shows do, their investment has to be protected so Michael is back to his sad self...but hopefully not back to Jan. On the Jim and Pam front, I'm glad to see that their relationship has now turned towards the engagement, but I'm not sure what's going on with her in New York. Will Jim be following her? Erm, I have a feeling that Jim might have bigger fish to fry in New York. I am kinda sad though that Andy has become Dwights foil. I liked Jim and Dwight together because Jim never actually means to harm Dwight. This one can only end in a bad place.

Life
I love this show for the character of Charlie Crews. If this show were just his character walking down the street, I would watch it all the time. (Besides Damien Lewis has been on my list as my favorite red head since watching Band of Brothers over and over again.) I wish that they would get back more to the arc story, less of the procedurals, and WAY less of that stupid stero-type of a boss that they're forcing upon Crews' partner, Dani Reese. Plus more Ted. I mean, who doesn't like Adam Arkin? And who doesn't like Adam Arkin with Christina Hendricks playing Crews' new stepmom Olivia?

Ugly Betty
Favorite part of this new season? THEY'RE FILMING IN NEW YORK! I always love to see people filming on location and loving the locations. Least favorite thing about this season? Pretty much everything else. I feel like Betty (the show and the character) have reached the point that she needs to figure out how to move up and on so we can too.

Dancing with the Stars
So this isn't a show you so much watch and let it go through you like a $1.50 burrito at Taco Bell on a Saturday night after you've been drinking too much. It's only tolerable if you fast forward past Samantha. No one has really grabed my attention this season. The new pros that have lasted are whiney (Lacey) and I think the game is now rigged that Brooke is a shoe-in (or foot-in) to win.

I know all of those are shows that have either been on for a while or returned from last season, but I did try a few new shows this fall too...no mixed results there.

Kath and Kim
Avoid this like the STD that these ladies are probably carring. Seriously not funny. Just sad.

Curose
I wanted another island adventure to hold me over until Lost comes back Januauary 21, but this was not to be even with all the manly beauty.

Fringe
Even the furrows of Joshua Jackson's eyebrows were not deep enought to suck me into this show. It just kindda sucked.

My Own Worst Enemy
I was hoping it'd be a fun spy show like Chuck. It is a spy show, just not fun.

To sum up...I will not be watching any new shows this fall. I cannot wait for the mid-season replacements! That's when Dollhouse comes out. Although from what I understand we won't be able to see it until February.

So what it comes down to is that I have to wait until January for the continuing saga that has become Lost. And of course I'm just waiting for January 16 so I can get some closure on Battlestar Galactica. I don't know how I'll get past March when it all ends.

But in the mean time, I have to content myself with rememberences of Mad Men. In honor of that I'm including the link to the Mad Men Live Revue.

Honorable Mention
House
Bones
Stargate: Atlantis
Graham Norton

Veterans' Day, Part Deux

I'm not sure how to approach this...but what I'm about to post is what happens when people's intentions to honor our soldiers meets Americana at its, erm best.



I salute you! But is this really how we see our military?

Veteran's Day

Love love living in this country of ours and I'm especially greatful for those who have fought to make it what it is. Especially you, Mike. I'm very proud of you. I feel a great deal of indebtedness to those who have done something that I know that I'll never do, but I can remember them.

So even though I'm not from our great 51 state...erm I mean Canada I really love the following poem and it means a lot to mean on today for the 11th hour of the 11th month.

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the the crosses, row on row,
That mark the place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up your quarrel with the foe:
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
-Lt. Col. John McCrae

The Monday Blahs

I've decided that I really should not do Mondays.

That goes double for Monday mornings.

I should just not do anything for them. Stay at home, in bed, preferably asleep.

I'll have to figure out how I feel about Tuesdays tomorrow, but I don't think that the future looks very bright for them.

Where Were You When...

That's the question we all asked our parents about certain big events in history that have shaped our lives.

Last night I was doing something about those events. I was voting for the 44th President of the United States of America.

I'm one of probably thousands of people across this country who can say that we've met Mr. Obama on a campain stop. I've voted for him in every primary and every general election I could because I not only agree with his politics, but I genuinely believe he represents what he said about America last night in his acceptance speech. We are the change that can be wrought in the world, not because we want to force our ideals on anyone else or because we have the greatest and the best. We are that hope of building on our past towards a better future. "Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow." That's what our President-Elect told us last night. That's what he's been telling us for the last 21 months. That's why voter turn out was the highest it's been in 40 years. That's why I fell in love with the political process again and contributed.

Thank you Mr. Obama for inspiring us to particiate these last two years. Thank you for letting us know that it was what we can do on an indiviual basis that swells our numbers to that large crowd we saw last night in Grant Park.

Now let's go be the change.

My Halloween Costume

I think that change for change's sake can be good. For example yesterday, I had hair that was longer...today, my hair is far shorter. Much shorter. People at work didn't recognize me. I'm in cognito. How should I top it tomorrow?

About Last Night...

Have you ever had one of those days that you wake up and immediately think, "Can't it be tomorrow?" That was my yesterday. It was crazy busy and I felt like I was going from one thing to another and I really needed to and wanted to do everything I had on my schedule, but I still didn't have enough hours in the day to complete all my tasks.


But then came the two hours that made my whole day worth it. My sister and I (along with 200 of our closest Nerdfighter frieds) got to spend two hours at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL with John Green in celebration of the release of his newest book PaperTowns. Like many people, I didn't start reading his books until after I was introduced (by my sister Kathryn who loves all great YA lit) to his and his brother Hank's vlog Brotherhood 2.0 early last year, but I really respect what he has to say. It was fun and relaxing and really a good time to be able to spend with someone who has something interesting to say. Although it did get a little dicey when John decided to stand on the swivel chair on wheels to speak to all of us. I've never been to a book signing/author talk where the author has been so aware of his audience and that he really does a responsibility towards them. Thanks John!

Congratulations to Kathryn for finishing her book!!! I'm so proud of you!

Getting Away While Not Away

Today I had a bad day and so it made me want to get away from it all. That made me think about getting away when I can't get away. As my mortgage company is one of the few left in the country that's still solvent, I can't just up and leave my job to crash-land on some crazy island or run away from my family and go back to my original identity. Never fear for my mental health! I have a happy place I go to when I'm feeling down...


Yes, nothing can take me away from all my worries like $2.19 worth of chocolate frozen custard. Eaten in the parking lot. Usually before I've pulled away from the drive-through window. That way I can dispose of the evidence before I get home. It's like the calories never really happened. Right?

Did I mention that I've recently had to start shopping for new pants? (They look better on her than they do on me.)

A Little While Longer...

The reason I haven't posted is because I've spent the last six weeks in Laos saving children from Malaria and because of my intese dedication to that cause...okay, so really I've just been too wrapped up in my own life to think about it.

I did spend one weekend in Louisville with William and Liahni to see thier nephew Nolan Chandler and the Cardinal Men play a great soccer game at University of Louisville. Go Cards! They are now ranked 11th in the nation and I'm sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that I attended one game this season. I'm always so impressed by the caliber and intensity that it takes to play at that level. All I can say is that I hope never to have run that much in my life. I understand why they get so sweaty.

We also learned about the Derby--Southern style. Thank goodenss I went to the museum so I know how to properly bet on the ponies next time I'm at the track. We spent most of our time coming up with names for our horses. I think mine would have to be something about shoes, maybe like Pair of Heels or Stilletos or something like that.

We did eat at this totally fun place called Lynn's Paradise Cafe where I ate part of two of the greatest blueberry pancakes ever put on plates before me. I think William enjoyed his meal too as he said he wanted to lick the sauce off his plate if he could have.

For me though the best part was when we went to 5th street. It really wasn't that much fun down there (it was late and I was tired and it was much cooler up on Bardstown Rd and more localish--as in fewer out of towners) and everyone was so drunk by the time we got there that no one was cool to talk to. But on the way in I got carded. It's been a while since that happened. In fact last time I went to a club about a year ago, I tried to show ID, but they just waved me through. Then, I was a bit put off. Now, I was happy to get carded. Let me just bask in that for a moment more...

The last two days I've spent on the couch trying to recover from being sick. I hate getting sick. But it does let me catch up on the television time; and with the new fall shows ahveing started, the DVR does get quite full. I was very happy to see one of my favorite actors back on Ugly Betty this week! Thank you Freddy Rodriguez for making me feel better on a Thrusday night when I was ready to die. If Gio and Betty aren't going to get together this season (what's going to happen with the neighbor across the hall?) I'll be more than happy to help out!

Olympic Wrap-up

Now that I've had a bit of time to reflect on the XXIX Olympiad from Beijing, I've come to a few conclusions:
1. Bob Costas is actually not aging. I think he's put into some sort of stasis pod in between broadcast events and he will never age. Either that or he's now been replaced by an android.
2. The Olympics are no longer about athletic achievements, it's about all the other stuff (read money) that happens around it.
3. I was genuinely happy for the American men's indoor volleyball team for winning the gold medal. That was probably my favorite story of the entire games. Although I was a big sucker for the off-key singing of the women's 8-man row team as they sang the National Anthem at the top of their lungs.
4. No athlete can sing the first couple of lines of their national anthem during the medal ceremony. For the Americans, they can normally come back in during the "rocket's red glare" and can finish from there. Except for the Spaniards, whose anthem does not have any words at all.
5. Did you know if Michael Phelps was at the games? I wasn't sure if he showed up or not as the media coverage on him was kinda spotty.

From China, With Love

Last night I stayed up too late to watch the opening ceremonies of the XXIX Olympics and I realized a few things:
1. I am a complete sucker for pageantry and lots of dancers in a stadium with lots of music.
2. Sarah Brightman is not Chinese.
3. I am so afraid of heights that when the dude running around the stadium's top had his wire drop, my first thought was that he was going to fall to his death. I then practically held my breath until the torch relay was all done. It was a tense few minutes for me. I really hope I don't fall to my death.
4. Yao Ming is either really tall, or that little boy from the earthquake is smaller than any 9 year old than I have ever met. I think the Chinese might be breeding a new race of giant basketball players.
5. I think the Chinese were telling me that American culture is no longer going to be the dominate force in the world. I might need to learn Mandarin.

2000 and counting

I went the the White Sox game on Sunday with my brother and his friend and got to see Jim Thome hit his 2,000th...erm hit of his career. I'm not sure why I thought I'd share that. All I got out of the game was a loss to the Royals and a sun-burn in some unusual spots. And my annual baseball game with my brother.

Seriously, have you ever gotten a sun-burn on just your earlobes? I had enough sunscreen on the rest of me, but somehow I missed my left earlobe? At least my right one is just fine and dandy!

Paris on the Side

After my jaunt down to Springfield, I was thinking about some of my other travels that I've taken over the last few years and reviewing some of my pictures and home movies. That lead me to the following video of the Eiffel Tower that I took on a trip to Paris a couple of years ago. Sadly, it hasn't been doctored at all. I'm really that stupid to make my videos look like they're falling down.

Geek-out in Land of Lincoln Day 2

Today was all Abe all the time! In case we got lost, we had these helpful signs to get us back on track to the sights. Of course we could only go to Lincoln sights and Springfield is only made of one-way streets, so we had to go in circles. I even began to wonder at some points if Springfield ever had any other politicians in it. Oh, yeah…it did, but many of them have ended up in prison.

I love the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. I was geek-tastic for the three and a half hours that we spent there. Of course the best part for me though was the gift shop. Forget the moving words of Lincoln and the totally awesome hologram presentations when I can buy a cheap Lincoln head! Presents for those who couldn’t come with me.

We also went to the Lincoln home. I have once piece of advice. Even if you tremble with excitement at the prospect of visiting historical sites or plan a three hour detour into Pennsylvania to visit Gettysburg for the fourth time, if you’re offered a special presentation at the National Park site at the Lincoln Home before going through the house…RUN. Seriously, I got out my cell phone I was so bored and sent text messages instead. Yawn!

But then we went to the cemetery. Of course it poured and it was under construction, so I don’t have any pictures, just lovely memories of the tomb. So I leave you with a song.

Geek-out in Land of Lincoln Day 1

I have taken a little trip this weekend to the state capital in the Land of Lincoln. Every once in a while I feel the urge to totally geek out over my love all things historical about Civil War history. So, I’m planning a totally Abe-gasmic visit to all the sites here in Springfield. I mean this is where his awesome career started, so everything should be all about Lincoln. My license plates have always told me that it is his land (on a side note, not I was shocked to find out that Illinois is the only state that seems to have dedicated the entire state to one person via car registration, not even England does that for the Queen). Only, when I got to the state capital, I was a little confused as to exactly who’s land I live in. Certainly it started out just fine. I mean we have the great young Abe to greet us as we come up step to the entrance:



And I even get the nice picture of the Little Giant, Stephen Douglas that Lincoln famously debated up and down the state in the 1858 senate race. Sorry, just a Geek-out moment.



Then I saw all the other statues around the building. How did Illinois do without a poor replica of the Liberty Bell?



Wait, I know! We should celebrate the white man’s dominance and superiority of the native peoples of the state by erecting a condescending and inaccurate portrayal of someone that is unidentified.



But then here’s a collection of random parts of statues that I like to think are well-intentioned, but poorly executed tributes to state heroes who just aren’t as cool as good old Honest Abe.

Shy John Palmer


Some Awesome Chair Griffens


Everett Dirksen got something on his pants!


I just hope that tomorrow I get to Geek-out a bit more about Abe and and a bit less about Everett Dirksen's pants.

Happy 9th of July!

Today I would like to mark the day that Argentina marks its independence from the tyrannical oppression it felt being a colony of Spain. Actually, I know nothing about the Argentine Independence Day, but I hope that it involves a lot of back yard picnics, crazy uncles making inappropriate comments while slightly (or more than slightly) inebriated, and pyrotechnic displays celebrating the technological superiority of the Chinese. Then I'd know that the American proliferation of "democracy" that President Bush has spoken about so much in the last few years might still have a chance.

Go! Go! Go! White Sox!

One of the many things I have grown up loving is the Chicago White Sox and this weekend is the first of two of cross town series against those bitter rivals the Cubs. I mean the bitter Cubs fans. I on the other hand have enjoyed the relative success of my team. I’ll admit that two visits to the World Series in the life time of most currently living fans isn’t much to brag about, but it’s much more than no visits to the World Series in…the last 100 years. And we blame our lack of success on piss-poor management, not some poor goat.
Oh, and there’s the glee that every Cubs fan seems to take in the fact that their team has the best record in baseball right now. To be honest, I’m really quite happy for them, but I’ll be happier for my White Sox at the end of the season when they have the better record as they normally do.
Sure last year the Sox lost the six game series 1-5 and were even swept at home, but last year in inter-league play the Sox were like 4-28. I mean come on, the Sox have won the last three and the Cubs got swept for the first time all season coming into today’s game. Past performance and statistics don’t mean a thing.
Enjoy this weekend’s games and…
Go! Go! Go! White Sox!

Prince of What?

I went and saw Prince Caspian and was overall pleased with the movie because I felt that it was a huge improvement over the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe with one glaring exception.
They turned the end of the Susan’s time into a tween movie!
After seeing Tilda Swinton rule the screen in her all too brief appearance as the White Witch. After the performance of the actor playing Edmund made me love and respect the character. After an inventive and cool battle scene. After even a bizarre explanation of Caspian’s heritage.
Then it turned into another Disney tween movie. I thought for a moment that Zack Effron and Vanessa Hudgens were going to come on the screen singing about the woes of high school. I really wanted to like the entire movie. I loved everything else about it.
Why couldn’t it just have everything?

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other...

I just heard a news story today that's made me feel great about myself. It made me realize that have something in common with Tiger Woods. You might ask yourself what could we two have in common?

Is it our athletic prowess?

Ummm…….not in this world.

How about our competitive natures?

I let little kids beat me at Go Fish when we play.

How about our lucrative endorsement deals that net us our millions?

Hah!

What about our knee injuries?

Yes! Both Tiger Woods and I have captured the world’s attention by tearing ligaments in our left knees and fracturing the bones as well. Although I must say – here’s where I can up the athlete – I’ve torn both ACLs! I don’t think that Tiger tore his in any unfortunate trampoline incidents or broke his leg in any crazy limbo accidents. I think those titles also belong to me as well.

Let Tiger keep his accolades and his money and his fame and his endorsement deals and his talent and his beautiful family and his…

Geeze! Now I feel like a total looser.

A Few of my Favorite Things

I recently had an epiphany. Yes, indeed, lightning struck me to my very soul when I realized that I had forgotten what my favorite things in life are. I have become so out of touch with the things that make me smile, laugh, or sigh with delight that here in no particular order are a few of my favorite things:

• Going out to dinner with friends and spending the entire night. You know the kind of night where your group gets the dirty looks from the other tables because you’re laughing too loudly and you end up as the last group in the restaurant. And then as you are all leaving you decide that the party needs to continue back at someone’s apartment/bar/hangout. So you go, and before you know it it’s 5:00 AM and you had one of the most memorable nights of your life.


• Discovering a new (to me) youtube video because someone else thought that I might like it. Check this out that someone at work recommended.
  


• Chocolate. The rich, dark kind that makes you want to eat it so slowly, but fast enough that it won’t melt in your hand.


• Pictures that children take that are amazing. Like this one here:


• French movies.


• Books that make me want to be more than what I am right now or what I will be 5 minutes from now. Or 5 minutes after that.


• The new Battlestar Galactica. Nothing else on television today makes me smile as consistently as does that one hour – well I guess its actually 43 minutes when you take out the commercials. I almost wish I was a Cylon.


• The White Sox. Even when those guys are breaking my heart, they are making me so happy. Nothing in this world is better than going to a game and seeing the win. I’m so happy I get to see them win consistently.

Ummm...

Lack of focus.
I need to focus at the task at hand.
My brain is a million miles away right now.
I really should get down to the business at hand.
Jump from one thing to another to another.
I have things that I need to accomplish.
I can’t remember why I was doing.

I think that’s why I have trouble reading only one book at a time. I don’t remember the last time that I’ve only been reading only one. It’s not because I don’t like the book that I’m reading now, it’s because I have so many other things that I want to do at the same time.

So much to do, so little time.

My Summer Movie Picks

The summer movie season has now started. I know it’s an odd thing to think about in the middle of May; but, despite what I pay at the theater, studios are having a harder time making ends meet today and so they think – like hockey – all they need to do expand their season to bring in more money. In all reality, I couldn’t care less about that. What I really care about is if there’s movies that I really want to see. And this year, like every other year, I’ve made my list.

My list is the list of movies that I think that I want to see based on the plot synopsis that I can find and the list of actor all from www.imdb.com. It doesn’t mean that I’ll actually see it in the theater. In fact I rarely make it a quarter of the movies on the list and not all of them even end up in my Netflix queue. Some of my picks are incredibly dorky, but aren’t we sometimes just in the mood for something different? I do like to be entertained and after the doldrums of the winter movies that are released and the last few really years of truly terrible movies, I think that there might be some hope this year. Maybe. Kindda.

May
Iron Man (5/2)
Speed Racer (5/9)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (5/16)
Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (5/22)
Sex and the City: the Movie (5/30)


June
You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (6/6)
The Happening (6/13)
Get Smart (6/20)
Wall•E (6/27)
Wanted (6/27)
Hancock (7/4)
The Dark Knight (7/18)
Mamma Mia! (7/18)
X-Files: I Want to Believe (7/25)

August
The Rocker (8/1)
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (8/8)
Tropic Thunder (8/15)
Hamlet 2 (8/22)

Rememberence of Things Lost

Sadly this is not about the television show.

I have started to play the piano again. It's been a long time. A VERY long time. To be honest, until two years ago, I never thought that one day I wouldn't be able to do something that I could do at one time. It would be easy to say that I'm just as good as I used to be and just muddle through on the songs that I've always known, but that would be a horrible lie. I'm really not that good anymore.

I'm also working on running again. Well not so much the running thing as the walking thing for right now. Doc said last week that I can't really do any running for a while yet. After the first knee surgery, I never really got back into the groove. Now all I want to do is to build back into that runners high again.

I wonder what it will take to become that person again?

I'm in love with a girl...

I am secretly in love with a girl. Her name is Kara Thrace and I’ll get to see her again on Friday night for the first time in more than a year. I first met her and immediately was drawn to her energy, just like all the other really hot men around her. Ours has been a rocky relationship, she even died at one point and I thought my heart was going to break.

She walks that line. You know which one I’m talking about that thin line between genius and disaster. She almost always wins; and when she doesn’t, I’m just as surprised as she is. She is the heart of those around her, but she refuses to acknowledge that she has one for fear that she might get hers broken.

I don’t want to be with Kara, I want to be Kara. That is the beauty of Battlestar Galactica, the greatest show on television right now. My love for Starbuck is not my only love. I’m just like she is; I’m a faithless whore. I love them all: the Chief, Adama, Laura, Baltar, Gaeta, Tigh, Helo, even whiney little Cally. And especially Head-case Six—some day I’ll be able to get inside a guy’s head just like her. And all the rest of them. Except for Apollo. I’m can’t stand his self-righteous assiness.

My love for Starbuck goes so far that I’ve been looking at my DVR all week just to build the anticipation. (I believe in some relationships it's called foreplay)

My love for Starbuck goes so far that I’ve stayed completely spoiler-free. (Relationship experts tell me that this is refered to as the "spice".)

I know it's old but...

I know it's been out on youtube for a long time, but I really love this video so as it's been a while since I've posted I thought I'd add one of my favorite things. Enjoy!

Who am I?

I think I'm addicted to those personality tests and so when a friend sent me one that combined two of my favorite things: personality tests and The Office, I of course had to jump at my chance to take it. My results are below and to the left. I'm Pam? Although I do have a streak in me that does play the pranks on people as well. I must say I was a but suprised as I never saw myself as the nice one. I guess that's what happens when you're away from work for several weeks at a time and have to watch puppies on TV.

BTW, my friend who sent it to me said she was a combination of Dwight and Jim. What an odd combination. All I could picture was one of those pics from Connan O'Brian of the love child of two famous people. I wonder if anyone has done of those. I looked for one online and didn't find any. Oh well.

Just so you know, I'm also Wonder Woman.

Super Bowl Play by Play

I heard that the game was today. I know two teams were playing, but I have no idea which two were actually facing each other. Although I understand that one of the QB's is supposed to be beyond hot and that he'd gotten some actress preggers and then dumpped her for a super model from Brazil. That's all I know about what happed during the Super Bowl today.

Thank goodness that as this is considered public domain I don't owe the NFL any money for using the phrase Super Bowl over and over again. Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl Super Bowl

I think I'll go watch the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet now.

Chicago 2016

For the last couple of years the Mayor (around these parts that title refers to Mayor Daly even if you don’t live in Chicago proper) has launched his campaign to bring the Summer Olympics to Chicago. I’ve followed some of the media coverage for it and have even popped over to the official website http://www.chicago2016.org/ to see what they have to present.

Now, I am probably one of the biggest proponents of telling people of how great a city Chicago is and why everyone should come for a visit, but I wouldn’t even drive the 42 miles from my house based on the information that is provided on the videos. Here’s the most recent one from YouTube:



Where’s the mention of the culture of the city? Why does it only mention the diversity in passing? What about the neighborhoods?

Some of the cities that Chicago is competing against (Madrid and Rio de Janeiro) both present themselves as fun cosmopolitan cities. Chicago branded itself as having huge parks?! I love the parks and I think the lakefront is a fantastic feature of the city, but why make that the way to brand ourselves? We are an international city and we want to host an international event so why don’t we recognize the fact that we have much more to offer than just the lakefront and its amenities. That was fine for the USOC, but we need to let the rest of the world know what Chicago is about: the diversity of its people, the neighborhoods, the culture of the museums, the theater, the festivals, and yes even the parks.

It's Been a While

So I have a really good excuse. I was resently cut open and then screwed back together. For the second time. Last time I didn't record any of the experience so this time I made sure to take a couple of pitures of my drug-induced haze. Although I must admit that I'm doing much better this go around than I did last time. I'm even posting a lovely picture for everyone to see the awsomeness of the bruising after two weeks. And I thought that the ACL was on the inside of my knee.

Right now all I have to concentrate on is the whole walking thing (really, who would have thought that bending and straightening your leg could lead to so much trouble) and of course the up coming special elections in my congressional district.

I've been under the excellent care of my parents since the surgery and they being the excellent members of their political party have been recieving phone calls from a canidate who is running to replace the former Speaker of the House of Represetatives. None of us like him as he is shall we say...a biggot. Unfortunately I'm afraid that he will win the nomination of his party and that means that he will most likely go on to win the special election to be held shortly thereafter.

I'll post some more pictures in the next couple of days of me at physical therapy. It should be interesting. Overall I'm healing really well.