October 11, 2008

amishback mountain

one.
I saw this the other day and it made me laugh way more than it should have:
If you see the glass as half full you're an optimist. If you see the glass through lenses you prescribed for yourself you're an optometrist.


two.
$4,500 down and I'm REALLY starting to understand this mentality.


three.
It's become a tradition to go out to eat with Josh the night before the marathon to load him up on carbs. This year he couldn't do it the night before so we went out on Friday instead. We ate the most gigantic mussels ever
mussels.jpg

We also expressed our shock and awe at Josh's announcement that he was moving his wedding from next June to the Monday before this Christmas. Although Nad and I did not make it better by telling him that we'd do anything to help because then we kept listing questions (like, are you going to have flowers?) and all he could say was "I don't know." I think we made things worse.

We also demanded to be invited to the bachelor party. We also offered to plan it but alas the best man apparently wants to do that.

After dinner we headed to a wine bar. I didn't get wine though I got coffee with chocolate and Godiva chocolate liqueur. I think that's going to be how I take my coffee every morning from now on. Nadia remarked that her Irish coffee just tasted like coffee, and alas the waiter came by a few minutes later with a shot of whiskey he forgot to put in oops.

Here are a few memorable quotes:

"Have you ordered the wedding clown yet? All weddings have a clown."


"It's holy olive oil."
"Oh! I'm a minister! I can bless it!"


"This is a family show, Valerie."


"They painted the cow. At first I thought it was a different cow because it looked fatter, but I think that's just because wearing white makes you look fatter."


"How about a sex tape of Bob Barker?"
"Would he end it with 'have your pets spayed and neutered?'"


"Would you sleep with Sarah Palin for a cheeseburger?
"No."
"Bacon?"
"No."
"A bacon cheeseburger?"

four.
There's a restaurant in Brookfield that has a cow on its roof. This cow has been there since as far back as I can remember. A few months ago the restaurant changed owners or something and changed names. The other day I drove by and they PAINTED THE DAMN COW! It is now no longer brown (as it had been my whole life). Now it is white with black spots. First they tear down the spindle and then they paint the cow? What's wrong with this world!


five.
I took an "understanding your DSLR" class this morning but it was three hours of mostly stuff I already knew. I got a few new pointers though. In a couple of weeks I am taking a wedding photography class there :-)

six.
The first Fatburger just opened in Chicagoland! So I drove over today to go get a burger. And by get a burger I mean waited 50 minutes for a burger. I waited in the line that wrapped around the entire place for half an hour, placed my order, then waited 20 minutes for my food. But it was damn good.


seven.
I finished watching 24 season 5 today. So I have officially seen every episode of 24, although I am now still going to watch season 6 again so I've seen them all in order. I hate that show because you think "ah, it's going to wrap up nice and tidy now," but you know it's not because it's only hour 20. I also hate when all of a sudden it switches to Spanish. I also hate that it makes me cry an awful lot :'(


eight.
I wish I had someone to drive around with the windows open and drink hot chocolate with.


nine.
I bought a dress to wear to Josh's wedding. Well...I really liked it but I put off buying it and they didn't have any left. Then I noticed they had petite sizes so I ordered it in my size but petite. Then the next day I happened to check and they had it in one size smaller in regular so I ordered that too. The petite one (as I knew it would be) was way too short. Luckily the small one isn't incredibly small and I don't need to lose too much weight for it to zip up. I way have to lose a little more for me not to look pregnant. And if I am the photographer I might have to be a little careful to not show my ass to the church when I crouch down...

October 9, 2008

if i ever hear superior sagittal sinus thrombosis again...

OK...time to recap this thing...


So I was called into jury duty on Tuesday, September 16. The last time I was called in I sat there for a few hours and read, wasn't called at all, and was let go a few hours early because they didn't have enough trials left...So this would be a piece of cake, right? RIGHT? (and seriously, how have I been called in TWICE and so many people I know have NEVER been called? This system is screwy!)

After checking in and watching the how to be a juror video I sat back with my book. A few minutes later they called a group. A few minutes later they called another group. A few minutes later they called my group. Damnit. Well, at least I'd get this over with, maybe be sent home after an hour or so...

We were ushered into an elevator. A judge was in there and when the deputy sheriff pressed floor 26 the judge said "Uhoh, you know the higher the floor the longer the trial." We were told he was kidding. I don't think he was.

We were brought into a courtroom and seated amongst the first 2 groups. There were maybe 50 or so of us in there. I started counting my chances. They only needed 12. That meant 38 of us wouldn't be picked. Those are decent chances. The presiding judge asked a bunch of questions to the whole group. This took a couple of hours. They were questions about going to the ER and if we had relatives who were doctors or lawyers and if we knew anyone involved in the case.

After that was all done (and it took half a day!) they started calling us in groups to ask us individually some questions. These questions included do you watch movies? (yes) and "What are your favorite TV shows. I decided that it was not lying under oath by omitting that all I watch is 90210, Top Model, and American Idol and instead said "I watch a lot of Food Network." Seriously, everyone said Food Network. Craziness.

There were a few people who you could totally tell were just trying to get out of it. Like the woman who desperately said at the last minute "I think I would be upset if the defendant didn't show up to court one day. If I have to be here he should too." And the guy who nearly started crying because he "couldn't look at the family and be fair." The was also a poor woman with a horrible case of turrets and every time she tried to answer a question the judge made her say her name and it took at least a minute.

By the time the judge and lawyers went back to discuss I pretty much figured out that I was going to get picked. I'm too neutral. I could have lied or made up stories or whatnot. But whatever.

So, yeah. They called my name and I was sentenced to appear in court every weekday for the next 2.5 to 3 weeks. And thus the trial begins...

The case was medical malpractice. Here's the story:

A pregnant 26-year-old woman walked into the UIC hospital ER in January 2000 with a migraine headache and two days later she died of bacterial meningitis.

Basically SIX doctors with FOUR lawyers (TWO sets) were being sued for negligence. As the story unfolded over the next two and a half weeks we found out through the examinations that she had none of the other symptoms of bacterial meningitis. Want to know those symptoms? I'm pretty much an expert now.

The typical signs of b/m are headache, fever, altered mental state, and nuchal rigidity (neck stiffness, which is tested by touching your chin to your chest, which every lawyer and ever witness and every doctor did at some point during the trial. I also found myself doing it every time they brought it up. If it were a drinking game I would have been gone.). Of those she had a headache.

The woman suffered from migraines so that was nothing new for her. She came into the ER and was checked by a resident. Then an ER doctor. Then the ER doctor left and a new ER doctor took over but didn't examine her. A CT scan had been ordered and they thought she might have had a Superior Sagittal Sinus Thrombosis (blood clot in the brain) (she had previously had a stroke) and sent her for an MRI/MRV. Before that she was looked over by a radiology resident. When she got back from the MRI and started having status epilepticus (prolonged seizures) and after that she went into a coma and died.

So. None of that has anything to do with bacterial meningitis. But that is what she died from. And based on all of her symptoms no one had any reason to believe that she had meningitis.

But, as the plaintiffs pointed out, if they had done a blood test (CBC) earlier in the day it might have shown a high white blood count. They did one after she started seizing and her white blood count was really high, which many of the experts (on the plaintiff's side at least) said would mean it was also higher earlier (although seizures and pregnancy can both cause high white blood cell counts). They also said they should have done a lumbar puncture and that would have shown an infection (BUT she previously had had a stroke after getting a lumbar puncture, who hear honestly thinks they ever would have given her one again?)

The plaintiff's were the mother and father of the woman who died, who were now taking care of the two children she'd left behind. There were two sets of defendants: 3 ER doctors (whose lawyers I swear looked just like a character from the Family Guy that I can't figure out and John C. Reilly), and 3 neurologist/radiologists (represented by another 2 lawyers). You know what that meant? Every single person called to the witness stand was examined by three different people for the possibility of being examined SEVEN times. Wonder why the trial took so long? Luckily the judge and lawyers were nice enough to agree to combine the defendants' side when it came time for them to call up witnesses. Or else we'd have to sit through many of the testimonies three times instead of two. Jeez.

Looking at the lawyers it kind of looked like a used car dealer vs. Ferrari dealers or something. The guy on the plaintiff side looked like a total shyster and talked with his hands and yelled a lot. And the defendant lawyers were all very clean looking and asked the judge for permission every time they approached the witness. Plaintiff lawyer would often ignore the judge's "sustained" and just kept saying "Well, didn't you?" He also was almost held in contempt of court at one point for making too many side marks like "I bet you did" and "Exactly". You apparently aren't allowed to have your own opinions as a lawyer.

One of my favorite moments in the trial was when there was a guy who was said to be a resident was up on the stands and the plaintiff lawyer handed him a schedule. Witness showed us that it was a schedule from 2000 and no, he was not on the schedule for that day. Defendant lawyer came up and asked him if that schedule started in June. Yes. So the January on that schedule shows January 2001? Yes. So that shows nothing about whether or not you were on the schedule on this day on January 2000? I guess not.

What else made it take so long? SIDEBARS. A sidebar is when the judges and lawyer disappear and the jurors are left to stare and not talk and twiddle their thumbs for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. One day this happened eight times. Yes, yes I kept count.

One of the games you can play while being a juror is to rank the lawyers in order of who you'd sleep with. Throughout the trial the order stayed the same except my first two switched after the really hot one started opening his mouth and had kind of a weak lispy voice. He soon enough switched with number two who was the one with the best sense of humor. Don't you just love these glimpses into the mind of Val?

Anyways.

There were lots of expert witnesses. And of course the plaintiff's side totally saw the need for this CBC test to always be done and the defendants' side said there was no need. My favorite questions of the trials were when they asked these dudes how much they charge to be there and they answer with $6,000 a day or $750 an hour. Jeez. How do I sign up for that?

I was also surprised at just how much laughter there was. I mean it was a pretty serious case. Someone died. Two girls were left without a mother. Six doctors could owe a lot of money and get their records tarnished. And yet just about everyone made you laugh. Especially some of these experts who when asked who they teach they say "anyone who will listen" or when asked how many trials they've testified at say "and this may be my last" (hey, give me a break. it was funny at the time when you're stuck in a room all day!)

I also was fascinated by the court reporter's machine. I can't even type on a regular computer. And that every time we came into the room the court reporter was different.

One day one of the jurors was an hour and a half late. She got yelled at by the judge and was almost sent to jail. They take this mighty seriously.

The trial wound down after we learned way more about bacterial meningitis and Superior Sagittal Sinus Thrombosis than we ever thought we'd know. The plaintiffs were asking for about $12million. And we had to take into account each doctor on their roles and come to a verdict for each of them.

All in all I think I make a very excellent juror as I am very good at keeping an open mind and seeing both sides of the story. Until, that is, it's time to deliberate. Then I am just stuck without an opinion and am not very good at expressing my opinion anyways. We took an initial poll on how we all felt and we all felt exactly the same. Until three people changed their minds and decided they wanted to change their vote. Damnit. So we deliberated for hours and at one point it felt like we'd never agree and be there forever. It was 10 against 2 for a while. Then we got it to 11 against 1 for a couple of hours and finally managed to get everyone on the same thought process.

In the end we found for the defendants. All of them. We found that while it would have been reasonable for them to give her the CBC test it wasn't unreasonable for them not to have given it to her. And there was no way that we could have known what her white blood cell count would have been earlier. Or if there was anything that could have been done to treat the bacterial meningitis if they had been able to diagnose it.

When we went out to give the verdict I was a little upset that the used car dealer lawyer wasn't there (only his colawyer). I was kind of expecting to see him pounding fists and pouting :-(

Afterwards we asked the judge a few questions that kind of made me feel guilty and kind of made me really glad we didn't know before deciding on the verdict. Like the fact that the reason this 2000 case took so long to reach trial was because UIC was apparently very stubborn and didn't want to give them any information. And that not only did we deny this family $12million, they also now have to pay all their court costs and lawyers and all those expensive expert witnesses.

But two and a half weeks after I started, I was finally free!

Despite all my complaining I actually enjoyed being a juror. It felt like I was doing something important and it got me out of staring at a computer screen all day and I learned way more medical terminology than I ever need to know. It was a really interesting experience (well, for most of the time at least).

And now I know that for the rest of my life every time I enter a hospital I am demanding they do a blood test.

October 7, 2008

i miss my money

one.
My financial panther finally agreed to an appointment with me on Sunday after asking him for over a month. Does it mean you have a bad financial planner when he tells you you should get the more expensive (by $1,000 more) camera between the two you are thinking about? He also told me I had very republican thinking for which I almost decked him. He also told me not to worry about my money. Did I mention that I'm now down almost $4,000? He still owes me ice cream. I think one of these might help.


two.
You know what's weird? A zombie movie that is apparently based on the Grapes of Wrath. And when are women going to learn that just because someone's your daughter doesn't mean you should untie them if they are a zombie.


three.
What is better than pumpkin spice lattes? Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate.


four.
Remember how I complained that local coffee places give you hole stickers but the big guys don't? I was mistaken. Not sure if this is new or if it's always been there and I just didn't know about it, but apparently starbucks has these mini sword sticks that plug into the hole.
bucksplug.jpg
bucksplug2.jpg
Brilliant. Especially since the local place now hands out stickers with Jesus sayings on them.


five.
Edgar died on 24. I've known that was coming for 5.5 seasons. Doesn't mean I didn't cry :'(


six.
Since my first day back to work was Friday, that felt like a Monday kind of and now my schedule is all off. On Saturday morning I woke up around 6:40 expecting my alarm to go off in a few minutes but it didn't. That confused me until I realized it was a weekend. I went back to sleep. Then Monday I put on the TV expecting 90210 to be on, again thinking it was Tuesday. Today is Tuesday.


seven.
Dear restauranteurs of Chicago, please someone open an Indonesian restaurant with rijsttafel. Please make sure it includes vegetables in peanut sauce. Thank you.


eight.
i think my inability to play guitar hero on medium corresponds with my inability to type


nine.
So Saturday night we just decided to head to Chilis for dinner before the concert. I can Chilis and ask if they take reservations. They say "No, but we can put your name on a call-ahead list, what time will you be getting here?" So I leave my name. When I get there I tell the hostess that we called ahead. She checks with someone else and says "OK, we'll put your name on the list, but it won't go before nayone else's name or anything." So, tell me, what exactly is the purpose of this call ahead list?


ten.
So Saturday after the concert we went back to our car, which was parked in some crazy alley space and, of course, all the cars are basically gone EXCEPT the one double parked behind me, the one to my right and the one two spaces to my left. Luckily Chelsa and Ron were able to help me navigate out of that.

October 5, 2008

i'll be loving you forever

My horoscope for Saturday, October 4:
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Remembering is sweet. Checking in with the past makes you feel secure in a strange way. And while you're bringing up old memories, you may bring back some small part of who you used to be.

***

Last night may very well have been the most important and amazing night of my life thus far. You see, a long time ago I fell in love for the first time. He was my first crush, my first love, and a boy I was certain would ask me to marry him some day. He was the blue-eyed, curly-haired boy who jump-started my fixation with choosing the cute, funny boys over the "hot one" or the "bad boy." For the last fifteen or so years he has been out of my life almost entirely, but last night he came back and I saw him in person for the first time ever...

His name was Joey McIntyre.

When I was maybe eight or nine, The New Kids on The Block came into my life with a vengeance. They were one of those groups that you either loved or hated and back then we picked out the New Kid to crush on like we now do with a Sex and The City character to relate to. While you liked them all as a group, there had to be that one that you dreamed of and bought t-shirts or and giant buttons of that you could pin to your backpack or put up on your dresser like a frame.

I was a Joey girl. He was the youngest member of the band, the cutest (in my opinion), the fun one. He's wear a hat with the top cut out of it, a leather jacket with a smiley face on the back of it and the band itself was my first rebellion against the rest of my family's preference towards what I can only describe as elevator music.

Of course, like many girls I went through the stages. At age nine I was in love but by age eleven I was done with them. Love turned to hate and denial and love shifted from Joey McIntyre to Zack Morris (NOT Mark Paul Gosselaar mind, Zack Morris). In grade school as part of a play about heroes "Hangin Tough" was part of the score and we all reluctantly sang it and refused to dance. Later though the hate turned back into love and nostalgia as we anxiously awaited their solo efforts and were crushed when VH1's Bands Reunited failed to reunite them. We waited, hoping upon hope that someday they would put everything aside and come back together and bubblegum rock once again.

And tonight, tonight was the night.

Chelsa, Ron, Nadia, and I packed ourselves into the Allstate Arena for the reunion Tour of New Kids on the Block AKA New Kids AKA NKOTB AKA The Block. I haven't seen that kind of woman to man ratio at a concert since Lilith Fair (Ron said he'd go to the bathroom 20 times just because he could) and the level of seriousness of some of the fans was astonishing. I'd say about a fourth of the crowd was fully decked in old school t-shirts and buttons and fanny packs, all their grade school paraphernalia that's probably been sitting in a box all these years waiting to see light again.

We made it to our seats just as some kid who was opening band one was finishing his set. Then Natasha Bedingfield took the stage and did a few songs, but really everyone only cheered when they said "Are you excited the New Kids are back?"

Finally the opening acts were over and the main attraction redied to come onstage. I was a little worried though that the concert wouldn't live up to my years of expectations. Listening to their CDs over the last few weeks I'd forgotten just how riddled their songs were with pre-pubescent falsetto. Could five grown men even sing these songs? And would they be one of those bands that tried to ignore their roots? Would they say forget it to singing their classic songs? Would they only sing from their new album? I mean, let's face it, not a single person in that arena was there because they'd heard Summertime on the radio and thought "I've just got to see this great new band." No. We were all there to relive our childhood, see the band we never got to see in third grade. Hear the songs that defined our third grade selves. Would they deny us of that for their own arrogant satisfaction?

Luckily all doubt was wiped away as soon as they took the stage. Sure the concert was sprinkled with songs from their new album (which isn't all that bad) and songs from Jordan and Joey's solo efforts. But at its heart it was straight old school New Kids on the Block.

We heard the Right Stuff. We heard Cover Girl. We heard I'll be Loving You (Forever). We heard Tonight. And when Joey sand Please Don't Go Girl I knew he was singing it for me.

They did the old dance moves. They rightfully told us that Chicago was the best city ever and that we were, in fact, the sixth member of New Kids.

They were simply amazing.

For encores we got Step by Step. And everyone in the audience knew that step one was that we can have lots of fun and step four was that time has arrived, and everything in between. And we ended the night on Hangin Tough, with the whole crowd dancing as if they were nine years old in front of their bedroom mirrors once again.

Honestly, it was the most amazingly fun night ever. And it was the best concert I have ever been to in my life. I finally got to see my first favorite band and my first love. And I'll always be loving them (forever).


More Photos Here!!!

October 4, 2008

happy birthday chelsa!

one.
Happy Birthday Chelsa!

After work Friday I headed over to Chelsa's desk and we took off for Fado Irish Pub to celebrate her birthday which was last weekend. I ate something called a Boxty which was steak and onions and mushrooms with whiskey sauce stuffed inside of a potato pancake. Phenomenal.
boxty.jpg
chelsaeats.jpg
blackandtanbrownie.jpg

two.
this is a video of the VP debate done by someone Chelsa went to school with.


three.
Did you notice I said "after work" earlier? Yeah, jury duty is officially DONE. I went to the bank this morning and said "I'm really sorry" before handing 12 checks for $17.20 over the the teller to deposit. TWELVE DAYS! Some time next week when I feel more up to it I'll post a recap of the trial!


four.
I totally need to stay at this motel someday. Pink and fairies! It's my dream residence!


five.
Josh announced to me yesterday that he is no longer getting married next June. He is now getting married THIS DECEMBER! 2.5 months! Craziness. This puts my dress-buying schedule way off track. And there is a possibility I'll be shooting it...which means I have to get on getting a new camera. 50d or 5d mark II, that is the question...

September 30, 2008

...to krystal ball

My horoscope from Sunday:
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You're the kind of adventurer who is willing to sometimes go against the grain in order to experience what only a few people ever do. You're due for another one of your brave escapades.


(This is probably one of my favorite photos that I have ever taken)

***

Luckily insanity runs in my family.

On Saturday I had to work the Opening Night Gala and Opera Ball in Chicago from about 4pm to midnight. But the Krystal Square Off was on Sunday...in Chattanooga...and a 9.5 hour drive away...and Kobayashi would be eating this year...and it would only be televised on FSN South which no one I know gets... So what's a girl to do? Why, enlist her dad to pick her up from work and drive through the night of course! (In fairness to me I would never have asked him to do it, he offered!) Yes, my whole family is insane.

So my dad picked me up outside of the Hilton at midnight and drove 600 miles in the dark and fog while I slept in the back seat.

We arrived in Chattanooga around 11am (Eastern), just in time for me to grab a prime front row, center spot. Way better vantage point than for Nathan's! No Thunder Sticks in the way of my pics this time! (just photographers and videographers and judges...but that's to be expected.)

The Marshall Tucker Band kept the crowd entertained (in fact, I think there were a few people who came just to see them and left afterwards) and free Krystals were given out to curb my hunger. I got to meet Jamie and Sadie (The HungrySisters) who coincidentally sat right behind me. Actually probably not too coincidentally as they also surely wanted to be as far front and center as possible! But after reading each others' blogs, we finally got to meet! Sadie was even there to be a Bunnette for the day and got to hold up the counter card for Kobayashi!

Soon enough the contestants arrived to Ross's Landing on their boat and one by one were introduced to the cheering crowd. After they signed a few autographs they were whisked away and the show was about to begin!

First up was the amateur contest: teams of two took the stage to try to eat 12 Krystal burgers in the shortest amount of time. Ben and Brittany Griffith won the contest by eating 12 burgers the fastest...actually I think HE alone ate about 11 and a half or so of them in 12 minutes...

Badlands came out and performed a few of his awesome songs and then, again, the contestants were all introduced, this time taking the stage for the broadcast.


Cups were set up, filled with water or Kool-Aid or whatever liquid an eater decided they wanted to work with and to dunk their buns in. Pat Bertoletti, my favorite eater (he's a Chicagoan, I'm biased), always uses red juice of some sort that dyes his hands blood red as he eats.

Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut took center spots. Chestnut won last year, breaking the 100 barrier by eating 103. Kobayashi was the previous champion but a jaw injury that year had kept him away. The same jaw injury was blamed for his loss earlier in the year to Chestnut in hot dogs when Chestnut beat him for the first time. Since then he has lost to both Pat and Joey in chicken wings and to six others when he cut out of a turkey-eating contest mid bite due to the recurring injury. From that first time Chestnut did the unthinkable by taking Kobayashi down it seems like every contest is marked by the question, will this be Kobayashi's comeback? Just a week earlier he ate 89 Krystals, a record number amongst qualifiers.

To top that off, last year, Humble Bob Shoudt edged out Pat securing a second-place victory. This year, it could be anybody's game.

The countdown counted down and the clock started and mushed meat and bread made its way from box to mouth to stomach. It was hard to keep track of who was winning. Pat and Joey and Koby and Tim and Bob were all eating strong. Each one seeming to edge out or be close to edging out the competition. Slowly but surely Joey's rate increased and he took a lead, Pat and Kobayashi were close behind though and while it was clear who won when the clock went from one second to zero, second place wasn't so clear.

Behind Kobayashi the counter board displayed 86. Behind Joey 94. And behind Pat 86. Judges conferred, debris was examined, deductions were applied and everyone waited patiently for the results to be announced. And George Shea took the stage to announce the results.

In third place: Takeru Kobayashi with 84 Krystals.

In second place: Patrick Bertoletti with 85 Krystals.

And in first place: Joey Chestnut with 93 Krystals.

***

After the competition I hung around a bit. I FINALLY met Humble Bob, who last year after Krystals posted some of my pics to his website along with a request to meet me some day. I said hi to Pat, and while I was leaving he stopped me and gave me his Krystal counter board! And I finally got to meet Kobayashi!



And then my dad and I headed back to the car for another 9.5 hour drive. In all we ended up driving about 20 hours in 26 hours. Some people may call this stupidity. I choose to call it dedication.


Lots and lots of Krystal Square Off pictures here!

September 29, 2008

from opera ball...

Recently I've been qualifying many of my adventures with the phrase "this may be the stupidest idea I've ever had." Well, let me tell you, this weekend I indeed had the stupidest plan yet and it's going to be very very hard to top...

****

Once upon a time in the far off land of Chicago there lived a princess. It was the night of the ball, which she could not miss. Unfortunately, her princes were not at the ball but 600 miles away preparing for battle the very next day. The princess was determined to fulfill her royal obligations to attend the ball but also desired to see her heroes perform. Could she dash away by midnight before her coach turned into a pumpkin...errr...in order to see a hamburger eating contest in Chattanooga?

So Saturday night was the Opening Night Gala and Opera Ball at Lyric. I, of course, had to work, but really I love it because it gives me a chance to get dressed up and when else in my life am I ever going to go to a ball?

My job throughout the night was to do videography, capture interviews, get some footage of people in ball gowns walking the red carpet and getting out of their limos, people dancing, and the Grand March when all the stars arrive to the ball.

After the gala we headed over to the Hilton for Opera Ball.

After a bit of filming we were free to enjoy the party! We had our first course of Smoked Duck Breast, Triangle of Clafoutis, and Petite Mache Salad and main course of Mustard Herbed Filet Mignon with Truffle Sauce, Potatoes Daphinois, Carrot Mousse, and Haricots Verts.

Unfortunately, midnight approached quickly so I had to dash out before the crème brulee was served, but I had a nine and a half hour drive ahead and a hamburger eating championship to get to...


Gala and Ball photos here!!!

September 27, 2008

power rangers: jungle fever

Happy Birthday Nadia!

Nadia's Birthday celebration in 10 items or less...

1.Dinner at Macaroni Grill. I made my own pasta dish of penne with garlic cream sauce, parmesan crusted chicken, mushrooms, spinach, and caramelized onions. YUM. I'm glad I didn't go with the garlic cloves as the sauce was mighty garlicky already (although you can never have too much garlic).

2. Singing happy birthday in Italian :) And free cake :)

3. Bowling cosmic style. Cosmic style apparently synonymous with 80s hair metal.

4. Jen gave nad the cutest owl shaped oven mitt ever. EVER.

5. I lost the card I was going to give Nadia (and the New Kids ticket I bought her). Luckily I found it later, but I wasn't able to give it to her.

6. NKOTB playing on the cosmic bowl screen made me so psyched for next weekend!

7. Nadia does well at bowling on her birthday.

8. We tried to get Jen to stick with the score of 69 but she hit more pins and got 72.
Me: I don't think Adam can bend that way.
Jen: You'd be surprised.

9. Nine is for my nine pound ball that kept getting stuck in the ball machine thingy.

10.Power Rangers: Jungle Fever

Pictures here!!!

September 25, 2008

pretty always equals best

one.
Josh and I met up for dinner on Tuesday for dinner at Irish Times. I like that place because they play real Irish music and the people who work there are actually Irish. I ate Irish stew and bitched about my life. It's good when friends actually are there to listen when you need them.

We decided on a few things:
1. We're both getting Vespas and are scootering across the country. Mine is going to be pink.

2. We both had thought about buying the Cock Robin. I suggested we also buy the empty place next door and open Cock Robin After Dark (90210 anyone?). Although...that may sound a tad too much like a gay nightclub.

3. I agreed to hustle up the Hancock with him if he polar plunges with me.


two.
Speaking of 90210...Does it mean that I'm old that I relate more to the teachers relationships on 90210 than the students?


three.
In an example of just how fast technology changes...I'm reading a book on photography published in 2008. A line in it says "Because of the ways DSLRs operate, movies are beyond their capabilities." Both Nikon and Canon have just introduced DSLRs that are able to capture movies.


four.
I feel guilty when I get in an elevator and press a button for a floor lower than a person who got on before me.


five.
Jury duty has forced my rate of text messaging to go way up because I am desperate for outside human bonding throughout the day.


six.
I like foreign films because since I can't understand the dialogue anyways I don't have to turn the volume up to deafening levels just to hear it.


seven.
jeff: did you see Diving Bell?
me: no
jeff: you should add that to your netflix queue and put it at #1 it's beautiful and sad and amazing and unlike anything you have seen
me: it is on my netflix queue
jeff: make it #1 get it soon
me: i added it as #8
jeff: #1
me: #8!
jeff: 1,1,1,11,1,1
me: EIGHT!
jeff: lame
me: you should be happy I added it at all. I move movies up for no man.
jeff: cept me #1
me: i a couple of weeks it will be #1 :)
jeff: today
me: and hasn't anyone ever told you not to pressure girls once they say no :)
jeff: nope i always heard no means yes

That was well over a month ago and it finally made its way to number one and I finally watched it. I agree that it was an excellent film.


eight:
A guy stands outside of the Daley Center every day with this sign:
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"Senator Obama Spare My One and Only Child For Me Please"
Honestly I have no idea what this sign means and whether it is pro- or anti-Obama.


nine:
I bought some expired film online. What came was film that doesn't expire until December. I emailed the company and they said "Yeah, the film you ordered is out of stock, so we just sent you that. The film you ordered was more expensive so we'll give you some credits for it." WTF?!?!?!

September 23, 2008

on bathing

The concept of a bath is lost on me.

Yesterday, on lunch break from jury duty, after a stressful night, after a stressful morning, I decided to ditch out on going to work and go to Macys to stuff myself with Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes. The last time I was in that particular Macys was during Lollapalooza when Lindsay dragged us along so she could stock up on her favorite Lush bath products. While eating my lunch I got the idea in my head that I should buy a bath bomb and that I should take a bath. Baths are supposed to be relaxing and I needed to relax. So I went to lush and bought myself one, it was powder green with flecks of purple flowers and smelled like a garden.

After jury duty, after ditching out on going to work, after dinner, I filled up a tub with warm water. When aptly full I dropped the bomb in and watched it fizzle like an Alka-Seltzer, dissolving, depositing a trail f flower petals and confetti and mesh objects and turning the water the color of Ecto-Cooler.

I stepped in, one foot at a time, into the too-hot water, watching my skin instantly go red. I immediately felt like a human tea bag. I contemplated what exactly you're supposed to do while "bathing" and just how long I had to sit submerged in water until I could justify that the $6 bath bomb had been appropriately cost-effective.

I thought maybe I could read, but in order to peruse my Martha Stewart Living without completely soaking it I had to hang out over the side and be almost completely out of the bathtub or hold the magazine so far above my head that my arms ached and my neck creaked and my eyes strained to read it. I gave up on that idea.

I thought maybe I'd just lay back and close my eyes which may have been a good idea if the bathtub was padded and my head wasn't resting in a soap dish with no where to look but down at my naked body and contemplate how much weight I've gained in the past four years.

I think I spent about ten minutes in the bath after ten minutes of filling it and before the ten minutes I spent wiping the tub of flower petals and tin confetti and cleaning the drain of flower petals and tin confetti. I figure that ten minutes is at least longer than it takes me to suck down a $5 pumpkin spice latte, so I guess the price point is about right.

I'll give Lindsay credit that watching the bomb dissolve was probably the most exciting moment of my day and it smelled and looked mighty pretty. But I don't know if I'm a bath girl. Or maybe I was just doing it wrong.

September 22, 2008

no ice cream

So, I'd been asking MK for the last two weeks if we could get ice cream together and talk. First, I needed a financial meeting because I was really upset when my funds dipped over $1,100. Second, I justified that this meeting should include him buying me a sundae to make up for him losing my money. And third, I've just been feeling generally shitty about a lot of things lately and just really wanted someone to talk to and a shoulder to cry on. So for two weeks I've been asking for ice cream and he always said he was busy. Last night he finally sent me a text saying I could come by if I wanted to go get some.


So I drove to his place and was greeted at the door by his friend Scott. And then Ken gave me a hug because he said I looked as if I needed one. Matt left to the other room to go play the piano and when I said "let's go get ice cream" he said "We have to wait for Ken to be ready." So I went in the other room and sat around and finally Scott came by and said "We're ready to go get ice cream, come on."


So I get up and go to my car and drive away. I was just fucking pissed. I'd been miserable lately and had been trying for two weeks to talk to a friend and then when I finally get him to make time for me he invites others along and basically ignores me. I had tried to make plans with him because I needed someone to talk to and because I needed a financial meeting. Adding others to the mix was not what I needed.


So I got in my car and drove away and ended up in a parking lot a few blocks away sitting and crying for half an hour because I couldn't drive home like that and because I was kind of hoping MK would call me back to talk after his initial "So...you don't want ice cream?" text when he realized I was gone. I didn't hear back from him though (despite texting him back and trying to call him twice).


So I know I shouldn't run away every time I get upset but sometimes I know that it will just make me feel worse to stay. I called Jeff from the parking lot because I needed someone to talk to and he at least assured me that it's better than being somewhere you don't want to be.


And yeah, I know I'm emotional and a bitch and completely overreact to things. But I don't think it's too much to ask to have a friend who actually wants to hang out without always inviting others or is actually willing to listen to you or help you when you're feeling depressed.


I still want ice cream.

September 21, 2008

i don't want your sausages creepy train dude

15 minutes into Season 5 of 24 and already way too many of the good characters are dead. :-( And I'm already crying over one of the characters who I know is going to die later in the season :'(


When I run out of clothes to wear I should stop buying new ones and just do laundry instead.


I wonder how many nose studs are lodged in my brain.


Plan for next weekend: Go to Opening Night Gala and Opera Ball in Chicago on Saturday. My dad is going to pick me up at midnight downtown. Then we're driving to Chattanooga (9.5 hour drive) to go see Kobayashi eat a bunch of hamburgers Sunday afternoon. Then we turn right around and drive back (9.5 hour drive). Then I go to court Monday morning.


You know a camera is good quality when the instructions include "use electrical tape to hold the batteries in place"


Friday I got back to work around 5:30. Luckily my coworkers were still there drinking. My boss kept filling my glass with whiskey. I felt pretty drunk by 7:30 when I left and went home and fell asleep at 9:30.


Saturday I met up with Alina and Joe and Heather and Kelly to grab some Gino's East. Note to self: the slab sausage pizza is way too much sausage. The spinach pizza was tasty though. So were the spinach sticks which were kind of like cheese sticks but with spinach instead of cheese. Then we went to Martini Park to see Daily Special perform. JoeJoe knows some of them from college. They were pretty awesome because they play a lot of 80s covers. Despite looking classy the bar was pretty skeezy because there were old men grinding up on young women. My peach bellini was tasty though.
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September 18, 2008

i need ice cream

'cause we all have wings. But some of us don't know why


I liked the Rules of Attraction the first time I saw it. But after reading the book the movie was horrid.


Haagen-Dazs strawberry ice cream doesn't make everything feel better. But it helps. It would help more if the person who promised me ice cream to actually follow through. It sucks to feel like not only a second-rate client to someone but also a second-rate friend.


My photos were not in the magazine they could have been in.


Last night my financial panther (happy Ron?) threw a wine tasting. I needed wine. Then I kind of got to see his new place but I really only saw two rooms.


Ummm, that was really the last thing i expected...I don't know if I can listen to it.

September 16, 2008

bitter

1. Sometimes life goes from bad to worse. I had jury duty today and was selected to serve on a jury that is set to last about THREE WEEKS. And it's right in the middle of opening night at work. My boss is going to be pissed. And in light of some of the problems I've bitched to some of you about you can see that this is one of the worst things that could happen at this point.


2. Despite the fact that I'm pissy about jury duty I also have a major problem in life with people who think they are better than everyone else and that their time is more important than anyone else's. Like when I am driving I hate the people who speed and cut you off and don't care if you have to stop as long as they don't have to. I kind of felt the same way in the jury room. I could have lied or said the right things to get out of it, but everyone in this country does have the right to a fair trial. And if they think I am the best person to help decide on someone's fate, so be it.


3. I guess that is all I can say for now. I'll report back in three weeks...


4. I saw this ad on the el. It's scary:
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5. Why I am voting for Obama. It's even more pertinent of an issue than Hillary's stand on American Idol.


6. Sunday night I met up with Joelina for dinner. Got me some yummy crab cake sliders at Fox and Hound and we all shared a cookie. JoeJoe sat by me because he likes me more than he likes Alina. OK, so maybe it was because he likes the White Sox more than he likes Alina. Details. After dinner Alina and I played guitar hero. I don't think I will ever be able to play it on medium. Damn blue key. Joe interrupted us by putting on the end of the Cubs game. Apparently a no hitter is a big deal?


7. Scotty was in town so Monday was Froggy night. Alina ordered drinks for herself. There was a really sloppy football game on TV. Every time I looked up someone was dropping the ball. I beat up MK because he was losing all my money. Scott was tall.
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September 14, 2008

get the mace!

Weekend in Champaign in 10 items or less


1. Alkaline Trio makes me happy.

2. Blind Pig totally had a mace attached to the wall just with little nail. Seriously good to know if there is ever a bar fight. And no, not the kind that sprays ;-)

3. Put a jigsaw puzzle in front of my and I will make some major progress.

4. If I see something on food network I will inevitably crave it.

5. Pushing Daisies is apparently an awesome show. Made of Honor was not an awesome movie.

6. Rock Band is awesome. Until Lindsay breaks the foot peddle in half. I like singing. I think that is the only game I have ever played on "medium" skill level. I also noticed I sang about four times as loud as everyone else did. It's called projection people.

7. Whiskey Sours are my tranny juice (or tranberry cocktail) because Whiskey is a little bit manly and sour is a little bit girly

8. I forgot how delicious pokey sticks are at 3am

9. Lindsay's always promising me drunken debauchery and wild nights...then we're always too tired to follow through.

10. Hurricanes=record rains=flooding=horrible drive home=missing the jalapeno-eating contest :(