January 2004 Archives

I woke up this morning with a hangover. Truth be told I only had 4 vodka tonics last night, but when you're a lightweight like me and you're drinking on an empty stomach, that's enough to send me over the edge. In addition to the hangover, also felt sore. Why? Well I also danced for quite some time while hanging out with fellow coworkers at Dunphy’s Bar & Grill. We were actually there for yet another sendoff. Actually, things haven't been so bad lately. The mass exodus has stopped and more importantly, I now get to work from home which is a huge perk. This week I actually only worked three days from home. I know, poor me! Things went well for the most part. But I can already see that I'm going to have to force myself away from computer to take a break in the middle of the day. After coming home on Tuesday night, I didn't leave my house until Thursday night when I went to dinner at Feast with a friend. That's a little too much alone time. I am on the phone all day long so I have interaction with the outside world, but I really need to make a commitment to myself to brave the elements and go outside for at least an hour during the day. If I don’t, there is a possibility that I'll become paranoid or worse yet, become afraid of the outside world, and that’s the last thing I need right now.

I'm drawn to the computer, yet I'm too tipsy to blog. So going to bed. Perhaps tomorrow I'll share how things went with my first week of working from home.

I know I said I was sick of Oprah a few weeks ago, but I can't stop watching her show. I'm a creature of the night, and she keeps me entertained most nights while I wait for Jimmy Kimmel Live. Tonight, John Travolta and her best friend Gale are hosting Oprah’s 50th birthday bash! Among the celebrities performing was Tina Turner. Let me say she is hot. So whatever her age (and I know it's more than 50), hoping I look half as good when I get there. She was my mom's favorite rock star and with that amazing voice and super body, she's someone to be admired.

I went to dinner last night with fellow bloggers, Ellen, Mike, Ms. Shasta as well as a few other non bloggers. We dined at Rinconcito Sudamericano which is a Peruvian restaurant. The service was a little slow, but the food was just fabulous so I'd totally go back there again. Beyond the great food, it was good to be out with people who could potentially become friends. I say potentially, because it's one thing to admire someone from afar by reading their blog, it's a whole other ball game in person. So far, so good. Everyone got along fabulously, so I'm sure I'll go out with them again. In fact, these dinner excursions are to take place once a month. So perhaps sometime in the near future, my bloggers friends can meet my real world friends. Hmmm! Now wouldn't that be interesting? Thank goodness I don't use real names here (except my own of course!); or more importantly, speak ill of anyone.

In December 2002, I purchased a All-Clad LTD 10-piece cookware set. I have since returned them for the All-Clad stainless set, but that's not really the reason for this post. You see, at the time the company was offering a $50 rebate which eased the pain somewhat since the set was quite pricey. However, after numerous calls to the rebate company, I'd only been able to collect about $20 of the rebate money. Then this past Saturday, I received three rebate checks totaling several hundred dollars. Now trying to decide what to do with the checks. Part of me wants to call up the rebate company and alert them to their mistake. The other part of me is so ticked off from the aggregation of dealing with them for over a year that I feel like just cashing the checks. However, not sure I’m comfortable doing that. So wondering what others would do in a similar situation.

Anyone else out there have a weakness for cashew nuts? I buy the 10z can and its gone in like two days. Also, can anyone tell me why they are more expensive than most other nuts. Just wondering!

P.S. Can you tell that I'm reaching for things to talk about? In my defense, it was a boring day at work and I spend most of tonight scrapbooking at a friend's house.

I've visited 30 states in the Union. These are highlighted below in red. Thinking I'll set a personal goal to try and visit the other 20 before I'm 45. That gives me almost 12 years.

create your own visited states map or write about it on the open travel guide

Travel Map found over at Red Ted Keeps a Diary.

I am loosing my mind. Last night I got Ms. Shasta to go to this blogger reading event, only it wasn't last night. It's a month away in February. Oops! The event sponsored by The Self-Publishers Event Council of Chicago and Gapers Block offers bloggers the opportunity to read 4 to 8 minutes worth of writing from their weblog. As payback for my screw up, Ms. Shasta has suggested that I should sign up to be a participant. It's actually not a bad idea, but the thought of speaking about self for even 8 minutes has the potential to be a bit overwhelming. So thinking I'll sit this one out. She on the other hand should totally go for it! And if she does, I'll be there on Saturday, February 21st offering my support.

Since we were already out, we decided to have dinner at Schubas which was a few steps away from Uncle Fun where the event was to be held. I'd been to Schubas I number of times for drinks or to listen to live music, but never for dinner. So was pleasantly surprised with the meal. Not bad for bar food. After dinner, since it was a bit early to call it a night, we decided to check out some of the bars on Clark Street; but not before swinging back to my neck of the woods so I could pick up my drivers license. Totally forgot to put that in my party bag. In any event, after spending $15 on parking (total rip off!), we headed up Clark Street first stopping at The Wild Hare who was charging a $12 cover to get in. In at we both thought that was a little steep, we ended up at Exedus II and paid the early bird rate ($5) which was more to our liking. This provided an opportunity to grab one of the few bar stools and get a lay of the land. Wasn't really impressed and in fact it's the sort of divy bar that I tend to run from. But, I wasn't really there for the decor. Came to listen to live reggae music and I wasn't to be disappointed. The band played two sets performing many reggae/calypso classics including my favorite: Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! I should say that during the break, we actually left for a bit, and stopped in at Moxie but didn't stay since no one was dancing. Then went across the street to John Barleycorn which had a line. In that they had a dance floor upstairs, we decided to get in line and didn't have to wait too long to get in the bar. But once inside, found that we had to wait in another line with a 30-minute wait to get to the dance floor, so we turned back around and out we went back to Exedus II which I must say is a really fun place. So while it was my first time there, it surely won’t be my last.

NOTE: THIS IS A PERSONAL BLOG AND IS IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH RUSSELL SIMONS. AS SUCH, IF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH HIM, PLEASE VISIT HIS COMPANY INTERNET SITE AT: http://www.defjam.com/index.las.

"Sista to Sista", "Nig-gods," The Asians Are Coming," and "Totally XXXtreme" are titles to some of my favorite poems from last night's performance of hit Broadway show Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam, winner of the 2003 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event. The first two poems were written and performed by Georgia Me. The latter were written and performed by Beau Sia. As I sat listening to these two poets as well as the others (Black Ice, Mayda Del Valle, Suheir Hammad, Bassey Ikpi, Lemo, and Poetri), I couldn't help but reflect on my own love and hate relationship with poetry. After spending countless hours in school (both high school and college), I came to appreciate poems by such masters such as: Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, etc. In fact, one of my favorite poems is "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. But it took me a while to figure out what the hell he was talking about. Perhaps that?s why I enjoy these modern poets. It?s not about rhyme and meter. Granted some of the rules are still in play, but it?s so refreshing to hear poems in plain English about things I can relate to; all filled and spoken with so much passion. So check out the show when it comes to your town. I'm so glad that Ms. Shasta and friends joined me last night for this amazing performance. And oh yeah, not to sound like a theatre snob or anything, but please remember theatre etiquette. Specially, turn off your cell phones, sit in your assigned seat and oh yeah, and show up on time. I couldn?t believe how many people showed up late last night and were still ushered in to the theatre. Even though it wasn?t right in front of me, I still found it distracting, particularly when you?re trying not to miss any of the spoken words.

NOTE: THIS IS A PERSONAL BLOG AND IS IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH RUSSELL SIMONS. AS SUCH, IF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH HIM, PLEASE VISIT HIS COMPANY INTERNET SITE AT: http://www.defjam.com/index.las.

I was introduced to Eva Cassidy via a Nightline episode several years ago. That episode was repeated this past new year's eve. This is turn prompted me to finally order one of her cds: Songbird. Such a shame that it was in death that she became a star. She has such a strong powerful voice; simply breathtaking. In addition, she has great range -- singing not just blues but also gospel, country, etc. Her rendition of all the songs on the Songbird album is great, but I particularly like Over the Rainbow. The first time I heard it, it brought tears to my eyes.

I'm feeling better about things today. My younger sister has a new set of drama that I'd rather not talk about but things at work at looking up. I moved out of my current cube to another that provides a view of the Chicago River. More importantly, I got my new company issued laptop today. As such, effective next week, I'll be working from home about 4 days a week. This is the second time in my work career that I've been able to do this. So quite prepared for all the highs and lows. I know I’ll feel isolated at times, but in that much of what I do requires me to be on the phone constantly, I really won't be lonely. In addition, on days like today when it's wicked cold outside, I'm really going to love the less than a minute commute from my bedroom to my home office. Speaking of home office, I've been working frantically to get it set up. Over the last couple months, my office had become my junk room. Now trying to sort through things as I also need to make space for the dining set I purchased via Ebay. I know it's sort of crazy to buy furniture sight unseen, but I got a really good deal. So can't wait for it to arrive in a few weeks. I'm already thinking about my first dinner party. Ok, trying not to get ahead of myself; back to organizing I go.

Work was difficult today. Unlike most days, when I tend to stay until around 6/6:30pm, I ran out of there at 5pm feeling like crap. Then my younger sister called me with new drama. I just wanted to crawl under a rock. As I cradled the cell phone on the train trying not to be one of those obnoxious people I hate, I couldn't help think about how nice it would be to have someone at home to listen to me and tell me that everything would be better. Unfortunately, that is not to be. I did have dinner with friends tonight which made me feel better. We laughed about all sorts of things which was good. Too bad the feeling I felt while there doesn't last forever. I know I'm not alone in the world, I have a really strong support system, but I just can't help but feel alone right now. I just want this feeling to end. Dear God, please let this day be over.

I am finally able to watch President Bush on television for an extended period of time. For the longest, I just couldn't listen or even look at him speak. After the situation in Florida, he lacked creditability in my eyes. Slowly but surely, I've come around. I don't agree with most of his policies, but I can at least now listen to him speak. With that in mind, still thinking about one section from his State of the Union speech given earlier tonight:

"We are seeking all the facts — already the Kay report identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations. Had we failed to act, the dictator's weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day. Had we failed to act, Security Council resolutions on Iraq would have been revealed as empty threats, weakening the United Nations and encouraging defiance by dictators around the world. "

So I'm wondering, did we, or did we not find weapons of mass destruction? Inquiry minds want to know.

Let the record reflect that at 4pm central time, I posted my prediction for the Iowa Caucus at OliverWillis.com. I predicted that the order for the top four candidates would be: Kerry, Dean, Edwards and then Gephardt. With 75% of the precincts reporting, looks like Kerry will walk away with a win. Yeah! Hoping this will provide some much needed energy and momentum to the Senator's campaign. Governor Dean has a lot of good qualities, but he's too much of a loose canon for me. He’s like a bad boy that’s good to date for a short term, but not someone you want to take home to meet your parents. Kerry is that guy. As former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen said last fall:

“John Kerry is the only Democratic candidate with the combination of experience and leadership on national security and a lifetime of fighting for the issues critical to Democrats we need to beat George Bush and take this country in a new direction.”

So congrats Senator Kerry! Now let’s see what you can do in New Hampshire.

Thanks to my job (more on that later), I now have high speed internet access at home. However, there is something to be set for dial-up. In appears that it kept the worm virus at bay for months. I say this because about 15 minutes after cable modem was installed, my system kept shutting down. Upon consultation, was told that my computer was infected with the worm virus; it lay dormant for months. Luckily I was able to still connect via dial-up and download the Microsoft patch which took care of the problem. Now need to order the latest antivirus and firewall software. Considering how devastated I would be to loose any data from my pc, I'm starting to realize that it was cheap of me to let my anitvirus software become outdated. Now for all you fuckers out there writing this shit, knock it off!

Has anyone out there had the lasik eye surgery? After a vision emergency on Friday, I'm considering getting it done next year. My eyes got so irritated from two different sets of contacts, that I had no choice but to go see an optometrist. I ended up getting a new pair of glasses that cost me a small fortune. Granted I could have gotten cheaper frames, but if it's going to wear them everyday, I wanted them to be somewhat fashionable. Considering the cost to maintain both up to date contacts and glasses (even with insurance), thinking it would be in my best interest to explore lasik eye surgery. But in that I'm somewhat nervous about the procedure, also thought it might be good to get feedback from others out there who have already had the surgery, or even those who explored but decided not to move forward. Oh how I long for those pre-college years when I didn’t have to wear contacts or even glasses for that matter.

With the success of American Idol, a number of clones have cropped up. Animal Planet has their version: Pet Search. With take home prize of $2,500 for 15 weekly winners and grand prize of $25,000 in cash, I'm trying to see if I could teach Choo-Choo a few new tricks. He's such a cutie that I'd like to see him get a shot at 15minutes of fame; and oh yeah, the cash would be nice too.

I spent the evening with friends at the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre. We were there to see Hairspray production which is based on John Waters' 1988 cult classic film. Story revolves about a chubby white girl who against the odds, gets a shot at dancing on the most popular TV show in Baltimore during the 1960s. Also, not only does she manage to win the heart of the cutest boy but she also manages to help integrate the show. Hey, a girl can dream right? In any event, the show was just fabulous! The set design and performances from the cast was totally first rate. Broadway has definitely come to Chicago. So if you're here in Chicago, go check it out. If you're not in Chicago, check the official website to see when national tour company will be in a city near you. Bruce Vilanch (who portrays Edna Turnbald) and rest of the cast did an amazing job. Now I can’t stop singing in my head: Good Morning Baltimore.

Former Senator Carol Moseley Braun has come to the realization that America is simply not yet ready for a black President. Well maybe they are, but Senator Braun was not the best candidate. Al Sharpton isn't either. Hopefully, in my lifetime the dream will be realized.

Braun to Drop Presidential Bid, Back Dean 2 minutes ago

DES MOINES, Iowa - Former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (news - web sites), whose presidential campaign never got off the ground, will drop out of the race and endorse front-runner Howard Dean (news - web sites), campaign officials said Wednesday.

It's been a while since I've shared a new picture of myself. Well maybe not so long. The one to right was taken at a friend's 2003 Christmas Party. In any event, I thought I'd share a picture of me wearing my new favorite t-shirt. It was taken early January at my younger sister's apartment. I just love what's written on the front.

Danger!

Metrosexuals are out of control. Not only are they obsessing about their weight, clothing and various hair/body products, they are now waxing their balls. I kid you not people. Read Newsweek article below. These boys are out of control. Thinking that have gone over the edge and need to be reeled back in.

Brazilians for the Boys. No Seriously. Newsweek: Jan. 19 issue - As three Wall Street types left an Upper East Side salon in Manhattan last week, a beautician told a NEWSWEEK reporter: "It's not their backs I'm waxing. It's their b-lls." There is such a thing as being too well groomed, but apparently not for some upwardly mobile heterosexual men. In several major metro areas - New York, L.A., Atlanta, Washington, D.C. - men are paying up to $100 for bikini waxes that take it all off. Ken Knox, associate editor at Adult Video News, says, "For years, gay men have been shaving and using the Nair hair-removal cream. But it's the straight guys who seem to be doing the more extreme waxing."

There are powerful motives at play. Men claim it makes oral sex more sensual, says Lidia Tivichi of New York's Kimara Ahnert salon. "Without the hair, everything down there looks bigger," she says. "I know they like that, too." When the pain is unbearable, men use anesthetic cream before appointments. Still, Cynthia Esser-Thorin, who owns Pink Cheeks in Sherman Oaks, Calif., says that at times "we have to pull a man off the ceiling." (She uses her feet to steady the hairiest guys.) Not Ron, a divorced 39-year-old banker from L.A.: "Conversation helps. If [a waxer] talks to me midtear, I can keep my mind off it."

Holly Peterson and Jenny Hontz

It's been a fun but exhausting weekend. I hosted a friend whose condo floors were being refinished so we hung out together for the last two days. Last night we had dinner at El Mariachi and then headed over to Schubas to see performance by Anne Harris. While we were not familiar with her work prior to last night, she gave such a great performance that we're both hoping to see her again. Based on the people there, looks like she has quite a following. Interestingly enough, many of them are lesbians. I sort of assumed as much based on the numerous scenes of girl on girl action. Somewhat surprised as Anne indicated she was married. So I guess there is more history there than I know. Either way, it doesn't really matter. She has a great voice and is an awesome fiddler. After Anne’s performance we had planned to stay at Schubas to see Stolie perform, but since we didn't want to pay for another show, we just moved on. We headed over to Justin’s for a night cap. Then after brunch this morning at Ann Sathers, we spent five hours at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. There we saw Rose Rage, a Henry VI adaptation. Performance got off to a slow start but it was well worth it in the end. Now I’m just trying to relax. The weekend went by way too quickly.

I spent the early part of last evening gazing out of a friend’s new condo. She has a spectacular view of the city so we hung around chatting it up and getting tipsy on vodka tonics. Then we headed off to dinner at Blue Fin. If you're ever in Bucktown, check them out. Great atmosphere and more importantly, great sushi. After dinner, we had a night cap at Border Line Tap one of the most unpretentious bars I've visited in the neighborhood. It's good to see that despite the massive gentrification of the neighborhood, some of the establishments are maintaining their old charm.

My best guy friend sent me link to this interesting article re sex in the city of the Chicago. It's sort of depressing but I have to admit, it does make me feel less disheartened about my dating life.

I have yet to finish or even start reading a book this year. Feeling antsy as I'd like to get off to a good start. Last year I read 24 books which was pretty good, but in that there are so many good books out there, I'd really like to try and increase my yearly average. However, I not feeling inspired. I look at the books on my nightstand and nothing moves me. In that the first book is so important for setting the pace for the rest of the year, I thought I'd ask for recommendations. Curious to find out what are people's favorite books or authors. Hoping that one of you out there will lead me towards a book that’s going to make me want to stay up all night long and read.

I'd like to think that I'm an early adopter when it comes to technological gadgets and services, but I'm really not. I've never downloaded music from the Internet. MP3 what? I resisted on getting a cell phone. Now I have one but I hardly use it yet I feel compelled to keep it. You already know that I have 2 VCRs that I hardly use, so I'm resisting the urge to get a DVD player. Oh and let's not talk about TIVO. My best guy friend was an early adopter and raved about the service but I just couldn't bring myself to sign up. I did get a Palm Pilot about 15 months ago, but that's only because it was a gift from my job. Now thinking about going back to go back to using a paper calendar; at least temporarily. For whatever reason, I've been loosing appointments that I've loaded into my PDA. It's probably time to upgrade since I only have the M125 model, but I'm being totally cheap about it. Plus I miss being able to look back through a paper calendar for possible reflection on what I've done over a year. Heck, I still have my day planners from college. Every now and then I drag them out to remember the good old days. I know over time these things will lead to clutter, but they help me remember my personal history. Plus they might be archeological treasures for my children and grandchildren. Well, that's what I like to think. More importantly, while technology may be great, there is something to be said for doing things the old fashioned way. Anyone out there still writing letters beyond holidays cards and sending via snail mail? Probably not!

People are renting Gigli. This I learnt while at the video store earlier today. Considering that not one critic had anything nice to say about the film, was surprised to see that all 6 copies were checked out. One I could understand, but all six. Perhaps whoever rented the movie just wanted to have a good laugh. Whatever their reason, tonight was definitely the night to rent. My local rental video store offers 99cents rentals on Tuesdays. I walked away with a copy of Finding Nemo which I can't wait to watch.

Shading or trading the true facts of your life in exchange for power and influence is a recurring leitmotif in the relentless self invention of America. It even has its own literacy adjective: Gatsbyesque. The result is a peculiar sort of lie, the square peg of human behavior forced into the round hole of public persona.

Massaging the facts of your life to fit your public positions, rather than the other way around, is a bad, sad deal.

Quotes above are from recent Anna Quindlen column for Newsweek titled: Do as I Say, Not as I Do. Column deals with public officials who say one thing but do another. For example, she talks about Strom Thurmond, zealous segregationist who fathered a black child that he never publicly acknowledged -even after claiming to be a changed person. Rush Limbaugh, who gives everyone (mostly Democrats) a hard time for any wrong doing, yet wants a free pass when it's found out that he was addicted to pain killers. William Bennett who lectures on the virtues of morality yet is out gambling away millions of dollars. Granted gambling isn't immoral but we all know that it can be quite addictive which can lead some to immoral behavior. There are other public figures we could throw into the mix. Jesse Jackson for fathering a child outside of marriage. Bill Clinton for bringing disgrace on himself and family --- I did not have sex with that woman.

As I reflected on the article, I couldn't help but think about my own life, my own secrets and those of my family. Secrets that while not on the level as those above, have been such a burden. It's one of the reasons, why I've tried to be more open about my life; more willing to share my personal history; more willing to let people in. It?s one of the main reasons why I started to blog. Sharing my experiences and family history to explain why I am the way that I am, hasn?t always been easy. Even though I?m not a public figure, I obsess about how the secrets if revealed would impact my life. As I often think the worst; this can sometimes be paralyzing. But having revealed a few secrets over the years, I?ve come to realize that in the end, the burden of keeping the secret is often greater than the weight of the secret itself. In addition, in the long run, after the initial embarrassment, it can be quite freeing to have the secret out there. It's made me more genuine; more human. While I don't think it's absolutely necessary for everyone to reveal all their secrets, it is my hope to one day reveal all secrets within me. Maybe even on this very website. At the end of my life, whenever that comes, I do not want to go to my grave only to have others later learn that I was a hypocrite.

If you had any doubt that I'm a movie buff, you'll probably change your mind after I tell you that I saw 45 movies at the theatre last year. Knew the count was high, but didn't realize it was that high. Heck, I only read 24 books and that is my favorite pastime. Guess I really like sitting in dark theatres. Most of the movies I saw were really enjoyable and as I stroll through the list below, there are only four I would not recommend watching on video. These include: Two Weeks Notice, The Core, Head of State & O Fantasma. Surprising, most of the others were fairly decent. Of the remaining 41, my top five include: American Splendor, City of God, Dirty Pretty Things, Master and Commander, and Whale Rider. So highly recommend checking them out on video.

I'm currently watching C-SPAN which is showing a rebroadcast of Senator Edward Kennedy's 11/7/03 acceptance speech for the George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service. Not surprised that he would receive an award for public service, just surprised that it would come from the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation. In any event, such a shame the Senator never became President. I know many perceive him as an East Coast Liberal Democrat who is deeply flawed, but as someone who has met him and worked for his organization, let me say that I consider him to be a great man. Say what you want about his indiscretions, but for 41+ years he has done great things for the citizens of Massachusetts and the rest of the nation. Here's hoping he will continue to serve for many more years to come.

I want to organize a petition. Goal is to get the local ABC station here in Chicago to change programming schedule at night. After the nightly news, they broadcast Nightline, then they rebroadcast Oprah Show from earlier in the day. After that they show Jimmy Kimmel Live. I'd like for them to nix the rebroadcast of the Oprah Show. I like the woman, but after 18 years, I've had enough. I don't want to watch her damn show anymore. And lately, it's annoyed me to no end that I have to wait that extra hour to watch Jimmy Kimmel Live. Oprah is so yesterday.

The fat lady has sung for Michigan's football team. Things did not go as planned. They lost the 2004 Rose Bowl Championship to USC. Final score 28 to 14. Damn! Maybe I should have gone out to California with my friend. Maybe I should have gotten out of bed today and gone to watch the game at my best guy friend's house. Damn! Maybe I should at least have walked over to CRUSH. Maybe things would have been different. Then again, maybe not! As difficult as it is for me to admit, Michigan was outmatched and outplayed today. So Congrats to USC. But just wait til next year -- Michigan I know will come roaring back!

HGTV is giving away this fabulous dream house. I've entered the sweepstake and thinking you should too. Heck, if I don't win, I want one of you out there to win so I can visit several times throughout the year. It's a really stunning Victorian inspired 3000sq foot home on the Georgia coast.