where are the good jeans?

After Philip and I dropped off our Rabbit to get detailed this morning we headed to North Michigan Avenue to do a little shopping for ourselves. Sadly the only things we left with were a bagel, a panini, and two small coffees from Einstein Bagel. Nothing at Sonoma in our budget, Lulemon has cool things but c'mon Philip...downward dog knickerbockers?, J.Crew was way too overwhelming and while that vest looks REALLY hot, $98 was quite a stretch. We walked through Filene's basement and after 5 minutes I felt like Karen from "Will & Grace"... "Honey, what is this place, where am I, how did I get here?". I'd like to not spend too much money on Jeans, but even the CK ones looked disgust. Moving on to H&M, we were welcomed by black, black, black everything in the lobby... black must be back. Excitement over jeans lasted about 10 minutes, then when we came to our senses we threw them back on the shelf and made a dash for the exit. An obligatory stop at Pottery Barn royally annoyed Philip, but made me feel good about my store! Our last hope was Express, where we actually tried on several pairs and even admired how they fit, but let's be honest... if I'm spending that much on jeans, they better be freaking amazing. So to cheer us up we crossed the street to the Apple Store and pretended like we might actually buy something. All this and still at home by noon.

holiday's a coming

The holidays are coming so quickly that we may not even realize when they are actually here and when they are gone. Retail business over many brands that people are already having insane Holiday sales. Like Old Navy was having a 40% off Outerwear sale and it's not even cold yet. Yesterday while walking through J.Crew, I couldn't help but notice their massive piles of warm weather clothing on sale already. Holiday music traditionally starts playing the week of Thanksgiving, but some retailers who are desperate to get people in the mood have been blaring Holiday songs on busy days to push their merchandise out. There's so much Holiday product everywhere that I think some people have forgotten about Thanksgiving. Ode to the Turkey is out and Hurrah to the big green tree is in.

laundry, dishes, and petty fights with Bailey...

Today was very eventful. Having two days off in a row in the middle of the week means two things. 1. That I have to work all weekend and 2. This is my weekend all by myself. So in order to not feel like a total loser, I try to get as many errands done as possible and not sit on the sofa all day watching my dear Tivo. I started my morning by getting up with Philip, bright and early... well, after he left I went back to bed, but soon after I got ready and went to Jewel to sign up for "Pay By Touch", got quarters and went to the laundromat to do 3 loads of laundry. Why waste time sitting at the laundromat watching my clothing spin when I can get so much done at home in between those cycles? So I began doing the dishes and ran back to dry, then ran back to do more dishes, and so on. Leftover rice and beans for lunch...yum!

I decided to hop on the Halsted bus and take back a lamp to CB2 which was missing hardware! SHAME! No worries, we got a nicer one anyway. Bought tickets at Steppenwolf for a show that one of our friends is starring in, then foolishly took the North Avenue bus East and the Clark Bus north, to Best Buy on Clark. I bought myself a SD adapter, so now I can finally put music on my phone. Waited for the Broadway bus Northbound to drop me off right by my building. I do love the Broadway Bus...

More.... I got our rug back from the dry cleaners, and btw... It's not as clean as I had hoped, maybe there is no hope for my Shag. Remembered that I hadn't folded the laundry.. damn! Spent forever doing that, then decided it was the perfect time to try on all my pants and long sleeve shirts to sort through the big ones that i don't need. What fun that was!

So now, I'm sitting waiting for Philip to get home, smelling the deliciousness in the crock pot and watching the uneventful evening news. Oh, btw Bailey and I are happy right now. We only had 3 little fights today, but it's all cool.

ode to couscous

Have you ever been grocery shopping and running errands over the lunch hour when your stomach is grumbling and every fast food restaurant you pass looks amazingly delicious? As I was in that predicament today shooting past the door of Trader Joes after leaving CB2 and passing all the "good" fast food restaurants on Addison Driving home, the only thing that stopped me from giving in to the grease pits was the thought of making some good old 7 minute couscous at home. I love couscous because its easy to make and you can mix anything with it. Today I made it with sliced hot dogs, edamame, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Yum Yum!!

haircuts,bad service, and groceries

Philip and I woke up early this morning to get a head start on our Saturday activities. We went to Gabby's Barber shop to get our haircut. We walked in to a full waiting room and a long list of about 20 names before us. When you walk in, you have to write your name on the chalkboard and if you want write the name of the barber that you want to cut your hair. Philip always requests the same barber every time, while I just take whomever is first available. So, instead of waiting in the room the entire time we went for a walk down Clark. On our southbound journey as we came out of Hanig's shoe store a dog was running down the sidewalk and right into the street. Her owner was following behind with two other dogs on leashes. The running dog kept going in and out of the street in front and behind cars. After many failed attempts to get her dog back, a stranger volunteered to hold the two other dogs on leashes as the owner chased after the run-away. I was so nervous that something bad was going to happen that I had to walk away so as to not witness anything.

On our way back to the Barber Shop, we stopped at Baladoche to get some coffee. On our last visit to Baladoche we were overwhelmed by the happy manager and upbeat customer service. This time, the happy manager was not there and the two girls working in the place were AWFUL. We waited about 5 minutes while they slowly shook sugar on other people's waffles before one of them even acknowledged us. When she finally did, I ordered our two coffees and paid for them. Then we waited a few more minutes while she forgot to get our coffee and then she came back and asked if she could help us. I was like" I already paid for two coffees" and then she magically remembered and got us our drinks. I wasn't so much mad as I was sad thinking about these poor people who think that they are doing a good job.

Anyway, so we made it back to Gabby's, got our haircuts and then bought yummy groceries at Trader Joes.

sickly old me

I'm sick again, with some horrible throat infection, no doubt Strep Throat. Last night was the worst. I had so many different meds in my body, my poor stomach couldn't even handle it and sometime in the middle of the night.. up it came... mostly the awful tasting NyQuil. I woke up feeling depressed knowing I couldn't call in sick to work because I was the only key holder opening and there was no one to call sick in to. How awful:(. So I pulled myself out of bed, took an extra warm shower and took the bus to work. I made tea to take along and drank it all. Philip and i don't really buy coffee on a daily basis anymore like we used to, but I figured being sick was a great excuse to spend 2 dollars on an extra hot white tea. Oh how it felt so good. How joyful that it was "Re-forecasting Thursday", because I got to spend an hour in the office re forecasting payroll and sales and adjusting the week's schedules to it. It was nice to sit down for a break. Anyway, I think these antibiotics are finally kicking in... my uvula is shrinking back to normal size and I can actually swallow more that liquids now. Oh the joy of being sick!

CTA problems again

The CTA is facing more budget issues.... check out this website to read about it all.
http://www.savechicagolandtransit.com/

the holidays have begun

Yesterday at work, I was discussing the our Holiday 1 floor-set which goes up the last Sunday of October.  One of my co-workers said, "so you mean the 28th, like before Halloween?".  I, of course with a smart grin said, "yes... many boutique stores already have their trees and ornaments on display".  In all reality when I step back to think about it, it really is quite crazy!  As I looked through my department photo book, and excited myself with the new product, packaging, and "natural theme" I couldn't help but stop and think about why the holidays on the actual holiday have begun to mean less and less to me.  By the time Christmas is here, I'm so tired of seeing red and hearing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" that it's just a nice day off to rest.  In no way should you take this as a "David is turning on the holidays blog", but simply a blend of excitement and tiredness for the next two weeks of October which catapult in to 8 weeks of holiday shopping and then the meaningless cycle of work as January comes and the fiscal year ends.  So, watch out people... Rudolph will be here before you know it!  Are you ready?

Orchestral sing along

Yesterday, Philip and I attended the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's free day of music downtown, specifically attending the sing along.  Literally the entire concert hall was filled with people from all walks of Chicagoland including the surrounding suburbs.  The Civic Orchestra of Chicago played familiar tunes that we hear daily in TV advertisements and in movies while we happily sang along using the legally photocopied sheet music.  There were two choirs who either performed independently or sang along with us.  The sounds from the sing along were not as joyful as a hymn sing at GC, but it was good fun all around.

it's really hot in here

It's 86 degrees outside. It's Sunday October 7th. I removed our window air conditioner weeks ago when I thought the summer heat was gone. See where this is going? It's October and its still hot and my apartment is thus hot making me not so excited. Philip brought me breakfast in bed this morning, then we watched episodes of "Flipping Out" on his laptop, then we ran to the gym because we were late for Philip's class and when we arrived we realized the instructor didn't show, then we ran up inner lake shore home. Eventually, we finally washed the dishes and had a snack to eat. I'm sitting hot in the living room wishing for an autumnal breeze to sweep through the window, but nothing comes at all.

"sadurday"

left work sick today :(
sat and rested around home:(
watched grey's anatomy:)
had 3 swigs of tequila straight from the bottle:)

Check out this funny from the Colbert Report...

sourdough or bagels?

I was awaken this morning by my dad calling from China. He said he was using me as a guinea pig to see if his internet phone was working before he called actual business customers. Nonetheless, it was nice hearing from him and fun to chat. Thank goodness for this early wake up call as it allowed me to have a very productive morning. I made two dozen bagels with onions, sesame and flax seeds and may I say, they are quite delicious. There are only 22 left on the counter. I've come to realize that baking sourdough bread or any bread for that matter is very easy and so fulfilling. There's nothing more relaxing than kneeding dough and watching it rise and then tasting the your product with your very essence in it, made with your hands. Maybe this shall become a new hobby, hopefully without adding too many carb-enduced pounds.

kittens gone... bailey's back

Last night was our first without the adorably hyperactive kittens and as I tried to fall asleep I was astonished at how quiet it was. No bags being drug around the house or rocks being dug out of the plant pot and kicked around, no pitiful meow's begging for who knows what and no fights between Bailey and the kittens. Peace and quiet was so surreal. While I am happy that they are back with their original mother, I must say I will miss the adorable cock-eyed "fatty" and "blackies" puny meow begging for fun. On the other hand Bailey is back to normal! She is happy and smiling and sleeps on our bed again. She is also probably bored out of her mind which drives her to play with us more. This morning I woke up to her pushing her forehead into my nose in order to get it scratched and then later licking my forehead...weird! I think this is life number 3 for her!

living yeast

I've taken up baking bread... sourdough bread in fact, and with my very own natural sourdough starter. After a week long growth I made my first loaf and am committed to making bread over and over until I find the perfect sourdough for me. I got lazy last week and added a bit of yeast to one batch.. bad idea, the natural way is much better.

the beginning...

After what I would call a stressful flying experience, Philip and I made it into Belize, with all our luggage and no problems. The first two days have been quite relaxing as we really haven't done much. Yesterday after arriving, we hung out with my friend Kristen a bit and had dinner from Friendship Chinese Restaurant which is basically food dropped in oil that didn't taste as rewarding as I remember, then we swam a lot in the pool in the backyard. I think for Philip, the pool is more exciting... maybe it has something to do with growing up in the middle of Indiana farmlands! Today, after a slow start and a morning swim we ventured north to the
"Community Baboon Sanctuary" and "no" there are no baboons in Belize, but locals call Howler Monkeys Baboons. As we walked into the bush I was stung by a Doctor Fly, which I'm pretty sure is more painful that a bee or wasp and that was just the beginning of our bug horror. As it had just finished raining, mosquitoes were everywhere, but mainy on my skin. I'm sure our group of 8 people must have killed hundreds of them by the time we were done, but alas we got to see a family of Howler Monkeys so close that we could have touched them. As I was staring into the trees one dropped hanging upside down from his tail a mere foot from my face. Quite fun! After our bush tour, we headed to Altun Ha, a smaller excavation site of an ancient Mayan Ruin. The road that lead there was bumpy, broken and wide enough for one car. At one point I asked Phil in all seriousness if he thought it was a one way road, but as a truck came speeding towards me I figured otherwise. I guess veering both vehicles off the road partially into the grass is common in order to not crash. We returned home in search of dinner, just to realize that most places were closed and ended up eating at "Li Chee" another Chinese restaurant. Tomorrow we head to San Pedro, a well known town on the largest island near the reef for two days of beaches and snorkeling! later...

day off

Today was my first weekday off with Philip since his summer vacation began. Naturally, one would assume that a day like this would warrant a leisurely start followed by a lot of nothingness. Not so. The alarm went off at 5:15 am to get us out of bed so that Philip could attend one of his new favorite classes at the gym and I naturally decided to tag along to get my workout out of the way. After returning home we both agreed upon a 30 minute nap which turned out to be 3 hours long. Well rested! Afterward we lounged around with our laptops and then decided to "splurge" and eat lunch at our favorite neighborhood Thai restaurant. As we were walking home we stopped to get ice cream cones at a local candy store and then made our way home. We mentioned going to the beach or just going to the park and laying out.... but we ate still at home... waiting. Maybe next time we can go to the Lincoln Park zoo?

a whole new world

We've created a whole new world in our apartment. Philip and I went to get an air conditioner from the Lincoln Park Home Depot (sorry Ross), brought it home and installed the new one in our living room then we put the one we already owned in our bedroom. 4 handcrafted installation pieces, one beautiful black and white piece of fabric from Urban Outfitters, and 17,600 BTU later we have a whole new world in our apartment. Walk into any entrance and you will be immersed with humidity and heat fit for any tropical plant, then step through the fabric door and imagine yourself in the Arctic on a cool summer day. During the first day, the only image that I could compare it with was walking through the different rooms at the Garfield Park Conservatory as the temperature and humidity change for varying plant types. All I can say is that it is amazing!

iphone

Wow!, I'm famous!

Check it out...

$35 goes a long way...

$20 buys you waiting time in the general room, more waiting time in the tiny room, a short chat, some tools prodding your body, a cheap throw-away robe, "can you cough please?" and oh "looks like you have Strep". Luckily because it's at the same time it also included a cup to pee into, a tiny needle and 3 vials of my oh so pretty blood.

$15 buys you more waiting time in uncomfortable chairs, but also mental peace and ten days of giant pills to swallow!

Oh the joys of the medical industry and thank goodness for insurance!

is there a demon under my bed?

No, it's just our cat Bailey, who sometimes is like a spoiled brat child, without the talking and responsibility. So we are cat-sitting two sister-cats for our friend Allison as she frolics around Canada on a family vacation and Bailey is not one bit pleased. She has been residing in our bedroom since their arrival and we moved her water, food and litter box in there also, so that she doesn't growl and hiss constantly. She makes occasional visits from under the bed to sit in the window sill or curl up on our bed, but she is royally pissed off. The two cats we are watching have identical collars with bells, which I removed because every time Bailey hears one of those bells she lets out a hiss and a deep roar which can only be described as one you hear in a movie when someone's body has been taken over by a supposed demon. I had no idea, Bailey had that Base tone in her and I'm sure she wishes she didn't have to share it. The funny thing is that these two cats who are sisters have begun to hiss at each other in a somewhat, "back off crazy and let me discover this area first". Even more, the nice friendly skinny one was growling at me in a fake friendly way when she wanted to get away from me, but without any anger or hate. I think she simply heard it and is using it instead of meowing. Oh, and in order to give you a visual image, these cats have been shaved everywhere except the points of their tails and their feet, so they look somewhat royal... and I think it has gotten to their heads!

searching...

9:57 am, the phone rings...

Me: Hello
Stranger: Hi, uh um is David Taylor there?

Okay, so the person on the other line does not sound like a telemarketer, nor anyone that I could possibly know.

Me: This is David Taylor
Stranger: Um, I'm not sure if I have the right number.
Me: Okay
Stranger: I'm actually looking for my father... (with a voice full of hope)

All of a sudden I'm struck with a deep sadness for what seems to be an older teenage boy, randomly calling all the David Taylor's listed in the phone book searching for his father.

Me: Oh, that's not me, sorry.
Stranger: Sorry, he has the same name as you.

Rushing through my head are all these good, positive, encouraging things to say, but I can't or won't or just didn't do it in time.

Me: Sorry
Stranger: Sorry, bye
Me: Bye

ravinia

Philip and I took our very first Metra ride today to go to Ravinia Park for the Philip Glass and Leonard Cohen performance. We had lawn tickets which sounded great, until we learned that no one on the lawn can actually see the performance, but only hear it. Nevertheless it was a very fun experience and we were graced by our first view of this brood of cicadas that have not made their way into any area of the city that I've been in since their emergence. So, even though Ravinia is in the suburbs, we can pretend that it isn't because we took the train and basically had no knowledge of any area that we went through to get there. I'll pretend that it was a nice, clean, ritzy park in the city :)

no a.c.

Imagine this... standing at the North & Clybourn Red Line station at 5:20 pm waiting for the Howard Train. So, it's always packed at rush hour... that's a given... so when the train pulled up with people literally smashed to the windows, I felt nothing. I secretly pride myself in being urban by ALWAYS attempting to get on a full train unless, there's no way at all, while others who are afraid often dwindle and wait for another train. I waited for another train on two occasions that I can remember and will never do it again. The madness that runs through your blood while waiting and the explosion that occurs when the second train pulls up just as full as the first is not worth it.
So, a bunch of people exit the last car, the one I always get on, and I'm hopeful about not being squashed too tightly, then as I enter the car, I'm immersed into an entire new environment...about 15 degrees warmer, stale still air. My horror is topped when more people who I must not have seen on the platform get on my car and create a tight environment. As the car treks slowly through the tunnel trying to emerge into the outside world, I must have become panicked inside, because I felt as if I could not breathe. I take long slow breaths of hot humid air with no satisfaction for my lungs waiting hoping for Fullerton and open doors. At every stop as the doors open it feels like an air conditioner is turned on. The only greater feeling is the look of disgust on other peoples' faces as they enter the sweltering car and thoughts of how much worse they feel than I because I've finally acclimated. The first of many trains with faulty air conditioners to come, no doubt!

window unit, here we come

Summer is coming, which means it's about to get real hot and we all know that I do not enjoy anything about hot muggy weather, even less when I'm in an apartment with no air conditioning! Philip and I have a window unit from last summer that his parents kindly lent us. However, as we would both remember, it did not do justice in cooling our apartment on the worst summer days, so in order to be supportive to that unit, we are planning on purchasing another to help in cooling what at times seems like a mild oven of an apartment. Ross, kindly suggested going to ABT electronics superstore which requires us to make a trip to the suburbs. While you may know, we only visit the suburbs for special occasions such as IKEA, we felt that this would be a worthy experience since I hate the heat.
Today as I mentioned a trek to the suburbs to my GM, who lives in Wheaton, she was like, "is that near 294?" and another manager was like, "no, it's near 290" and I was like, "whatever.. it's all the same to me"

Be still my heart, Spring Awakening

I've just watched the performance medley by Spring Awakening at the Tony Awards and have fallen in love with it all over again! The medley consisted of "Mama who Bore Me", "The Bitch of Living", and Totally fu*&*%", silenced of course. Can they say bitch on tv?, asked Philip... as I ignored the comment glued to the screen. So Jonathan Groff did not win the tony for best actor, but he still rocks and I love his voice and the fact that he has menno connections. Anyway, Spring Awakening will always have a special place in my heart.. well, until I fall in love with something else!

speaking of regalia

So, as I mentioned below, I am finished with all my grad school work. My professor liked my paper.. well her exact words were, "I like your paper, even though it could be more solid..I posted your grade". Fine by me! It's done and an A- is not the worst grade ever for a sort of Thesis like culminating project. Anyway, I decided to change my RSVP for the Commencement Ceremony after the visual image of myself dressed in a hot gown stuck in the middle of 6000 students at All State Arena came to light. Screw that, I thought... I'll just use the day to celebrate privately with friends and wait for that degree to make its way to my mailbox via USPS.
Now that I'm done...

I'm Back

Ok.. so Philip has been teasing me that it's still "peeps season" on my blog because that was the last time I blogged anything... sadly :(. Well, I'm back, hopefully for good. Now that I AM FINISHED with graduate school!, I should have more time to post meaningless and odd blogs since there is nothing ruling my free time anymore, so watch out everyone... here I come!

Peeps

It's Peeps Season!

and so it is

I ride the CTA Red Line almost every day and while it is far from perfect, I am very gracious that our city has a somewhat well defined train system to get me to and from my daily destinations... in certain directions of course.

Last night my train ride was incredibly interesting and abnormal. It started as I entered the train station at North and Clybourn and a foul odor overcame me, one that immediately made me think of a dead "Charlie Price" (Huge rat the size of a cat) in an alley in Belize City, but much worse... more like hundred of dead rotting rats. The smell was so strong, I thought that I might not be able to hold my stomach down. I thought I heard a train so, I hurried down the stairs through the wretched odor and then it cleared towards the bottom as I arrived with no train in sight. I sat and waited and waited a little more then that familiar sound down the tunnel began, the one that gets me excited because I know that I will not be trapped underground for too much longer.

I got on the last car as I always do and scored a forward facing seat. As we emerged from the tunnel into the pelting sleet and snow the train began to jerk slowly as if ice was on the tracks, and the entire stretch to Fullerton was like a fireworks show as the 3rd rail sparked continuously. "This is Fullerton" screamed across the PA system, then in the loudest obnoxious screaming voice ever over the PA system the operator said, "Brown Line Train, there is a Brown Line Train on the second track" and repeat. Some people stood waiting at the doors to get out including the German tourists who were sitting behind me. "Doors Closing" came across the PA... WTF? The doors hadn't opened yet. I thought it was just another accidentally pressed button... Someone pulled on the red knob to open doors in an emergency, but it didn't work... and the train began to move. Sheer Panic came across the faces of many people. Were we trapped on a smelly train, were the doors frozen shut? someone suggested. The lights went out, then back on... and then from the very back of our car a woman screamed aloud as if demons were invading her body. EVERYONE from that side immediately went to the other side of the train.. waiting and wondering if the doors would open at Belmont. We arrived at Belmont... and they did after a second of fear.

Just another day on the CTA.

Snow...Ice :(

As we began closing things at work tonight, it started snowing outside. I'm talking about humongous 1.5 -2 inch clusters of big ass white snow. You can imagine how elated I was at the sight of this. I love snow... so very much. I went outside to help do the trash and just stood amongst the beauty falling everywhere around me. Such a great site! I took the red line home as I do everyday and was excited to walk home in the wondrous weather around me, until I stepped outside the station and began to be pelted by HUGE pebbles of ice. Not just your normal size tiny sleet bits, but Big Balls of ice about a 1/4 inch in some cases. My face was stinging and I had to walk all hunched over. It was at this moment that I realized my feelings toward winter weather may just be superficial and moments of temporary insanity. Walking amidst nature surrounded by a city of cement is never as glorious as one may imagine. No, I don't hate snow and ice... but I surely don't appreciate being abused by 'mother nature'.

French Bulldogs vs. Pugs

You decide...

Connections

My friend, Claire who lives in Bristol, UK notified me of a random long lost media connection. An old friend of ours who we knew as children in Belize was on the Ellen show and he happens to be her cousin. He probably doesn't remember us or atleast not very well because when we were younger his family moved back to Louisiana and we really hadn't been in contact since that day. Anyway, he has this awesome organization called "Defend New Orleans" where they design shirts and other pieces and the proceeds go towards Hurricane Katrina Aid in New Orleans. You can imagine, I was elated to see someone who I haven't in forever on my favorite daytime show on National Television. He is also the founder of "Kick It Fashions" where they have some fun clothing designs. Kudos to you Jac!
Below is a YouTube video of the documentary that he is in relating to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans.

The music has arrived

Back in the beginning of November, Philip and I made a necessary large purchase... a litte VW Rabbit, which has now become our new baby. I remember the first time the salesperson was going over the product knowledge, I randomly heard "and it comes with a guitar". What the heck? Why would anyone sell a car with a guitar, or give a guitar away with a car? Anyway, I just thought of it as an extra bonus and a great conversation piece. 111 days later our baby's baby arrived... well, more like I picked it up because FedEx Home Delivery attempted delivery thrice, and we all know getting a package in the city is near impossible for all those normal people who work during the day.
So, I made the trek to Northbrook, IL... in morning rush hour traffic (what was I thinking?) into an area that reminded me of US33 stretch in Dunlap, IN and arrived at the FedEx 'place' and got my beautiful package. Philip and I tuned the baby this afternoon and played around on it a bit. Right across from me on the chair that Bailey normally inhabits sits comfortably a beautiful Black and While new member of our family... thank god, we don't have to change this one's litter. Let's see how long the excitement lasts.

Airbus 380 coming to O'Hare

The Airbus 380 555 passenger jet (in 3 class configuration) will not be in full commission with commercial airlines till sometime in 2009, but the large technologically advance aircraft will make its first visit to the United States in March. It is scheduled to land in New York on March 19th and then make its way to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on March 20th and then a few other stops after. LAX officials had hoped that the A380 would make its first stop in the United States at their airport, but reportedly LAX will not receive its presence till sometime in June. I need to do research to see when the A380 will be landing at O'Hare and if there are any spots to view the landing from. It will be a sight to not be missed.

I just couldn't resist...

I assume the poster of this video will not mind that I embedded it into my blog, since it was on YouTube. Anyway, I randomly came across this on YouTube with a search for CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) in hopes of finding some fun CTA videos. I don't know these people personally, but just may have seen them before...not that I really remember anyone I see on the train and/or buses. Yes, the article is well fit for the RedEye, and not many more newspapers, but I thought the story was incredibly adorable and sweet and wanted to represent it here. Enjoy.

SNOW!!!

WINTER STORM.. YES!!!!

cute kitty

I found this photo somewhere on the internet and cannot get over how cute it is, so I had to use it as my desktop background photo and wanted to share it with all. What perfect timing the photographer had.

You Better Belize It White Chicken Chili

So, we went to a Super Bowl party tonight where everyone brings some form of Chili and then we all vote on the best. Mine did not win, but it certainly did not lose. The winning Chili was called "Sweaty Balls" and I'm sure won solely based on its name and the few hours on marketing at the party. Anyway, I loved the Chili Recipe I made up and suggest you try it at home, so here's the recipe:

2-3 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts (cooked)
2 Cans Pinto Beans
2 Cans Northern Beans
1 Can Red Beans
1 Can Coconut Milk
1 Can Chicken Stock
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Habanero Pepper (chopped tiny)
1 Jalepeno Pepper (sliced)
Corn starch for thickening.

Pan fry or boil whole chicken breasts and then dice before adding to crock pot. Throw all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Be careful with the peppers as they may burn your skin, and if you do not like super spicy recipes, then leave out the Habanero Pepper. One hour before the Chili is done, add corn starch to thicken liquid to your desire. Serve Hot and enjoy!

Tears Tears for the Bears

The Bears lost :( So sad for Chicago, but congrats to the Colts for such and awesome game in all that rain. And a big congrats to the Bears for such an awesome season. The lions at the Art Institute have never looked better!

Airbus 380 or Boeing 787?

Two of the newest models of airplanes, one by each competing company, both magnificent in their own ways, yet both so different. Which is better? Which do you prefer. I have always been obsessed with airline models since I can remember my first flight on Tan Sasha and/or TACA airlines. I do not remember which was first. Back then, the stewardess (as they were called) brought me real warm face towels after the somewhat tasty lunch entree. No, this was not a 6, 7,12 hour Transatlantic or Pacific flight, but solely a 2 hour flight from Belize City to Miami or Houston. Tan Sasha no longer serves passengers and hasn't for sometime. I think groupo TACA bought them out years ago. Anyway... since then airplanes have got bigger and better. I have never been on a 747-200 or 747-200. My largest flight has been the Boeing 777, which I love dearly, mainly because of the comfortability and two side seats that allow myself and travelling partner privacy from strangers.
The Airbus 380 which is currently in production is the largest passenger built to date... so large that airports are required to accomodate the length and width of their runways to land her. It has a wingspan of 261.8 feet (79.8 meters), a length of 239.5 feet (73 meters) and a maximum take-off weight of more than 1.2 million pounds (540,000 kg).


The A380's two passenger decks could be outfitted in a single-class configuration to take on up to 840 passengers. However, Airbus isn't focusing on that option, instead designing a three-class configuration for 555 passengers. That's still a marked increase over the 416 passengers that can fit into a Boeing 747-400, the current leader in passenger capacity.1





On the other side of the world, Boeing is focusing on the 787 Dreamliner, a super efficient airplane, which "will carry 210 - 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles (14,200 to 15,200 kilometers), while the 787-9 Dreamliner will carry 250 - 290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 km). A third 787 family member, the 787-3 Dreamliner, will accommodate 290 - 330 passengers and be optimized for routes of 2,500 to 3,050 nautical miles (4,600 to 5,650 km). In addition to bringing big-jet ranges to mid-size airplanes, the 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than today's similarly sized airplane. It will also travel at speeds similar to today's fastest wide bodies, Mach 0.85. Airlines will enjoy more cargo revenue capacity.
Passengers will also see improvements with the new airplane, from an interior environment with higher humidity to increased comfort and convenience.2






So, I think that both are amazing and I would love to fly on either however I do have a thing for big planes with lots of seats so I think the Airbus 380 would be my first choice if I had a choice between both of them. But one time on that plane may be enough, because I cannot imagine how long it would take to board and deplane at the airport. The Boeing 787 sounds like it would be amazing on any long flight because of the seat sizes and spaciousness. So, I guess I'm in love with both of them just a little.

Climate Change

This week, the IPCC report on climate change was released at a meeting in Paris, France where it "concluded that it is very likely (90% certain) that the build up of heat-trapping GHG emissions is responsible for irreversible global warming. Temperatures will continue to rise by 3.2 to 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century, which will cause sea level rises of 7 to 23 inches – or 21 feet, if Greenland’s ice sheets melt – and more intense tropical storms and hurricanes. Other predictions include hotter days, warmer nights and extended droughts. Climate change is expected to create hundreds of millions of permanently displaced refugees".
After the IPCC report’s release on Friday, French President Jacques Chirac called for a new world environmental body to co-ordinate efforts to mitigate climate change through binding agreements to reduce GHG emissions, among other methods. He also suggested that the agreements should be enforced and violators punished.
Although the US approved the document in the end, the Bush administration criticized the IPCC report on the grounds that it “tends to overstate or focus on the negative effects of climate change.” The US lobbied hard for the language of the report to be watered down to minimize the role of GHG emissions in climate change and the role of global warming in changes such as the intensification of hurricanes. The US also objects to the IPCC’s position that one of the fundamental weaknesses of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol has been its non-ratification by major GHG emitters such as the US. The Bush administration withdrew from Kyoto in 2001, citing the lack of limits for developing economies such as China and India, also major GHG polluters.
On Friday, the Bush administration played down the status of the US as the world’s No. 1 polluter, responsible for 25% of all GHG emissions. “We are a small contributor when you look at the rest of the world,” said US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. He confirmed that President Bush remains opposed to capping emissions in the US."1

"The European Union describes the report as the starkest warning yet, and Britain says climate change threatens world peace and prosperity.
The United States, which produces about a quarter of the world's greenhouse gases, has described the report as valuable. However, the White House has again expressed its opposition to compulsory caps on greenhouse gas emissions."2

Climate changes have already been linked to dying Polar Bear populations as Sea Ice is melting more rapidly, which they use for migratory hunting patterns. Polar Bears have been found dead from lack of food and some have even drown from having to swim too far where there is a lack of ice. Environmental change is so important right now, today. Hopefully in the future we will see more of this:

and less of this:


To learn more about Climate change go here or here.

back in the day

My first best friend Melissa from Belize who now resides in Miami sent me an old photo she found at her parents' house from when we were in grade school. I cannot firgure out exactly where this photo was taken or what was going on, but I imagine that it was some sort of party since there is a clown behind us. I'm the first boy in the circle with the red striped shirt, then there is Natalie, Melissa, Kristen, and two little British Girls who I don't know. The little boy standing outside of the circle is Shawn, my friend Claire's little brother. I wonder where Claire is?

What kind of Gay Man am I?

You scored as A MetroHomoSexual. Straight or really, really gay? Metro to the core, but it’s your outward appearance that’s most important. Narcissist? Hell no, you just want to look better and more expensive than everyone else. A MetroHomoSexual 55% Normal, Boring and Gay 50% A Jock 50% An AberHollisterAE Gay or Fratmo 35% A Closet Case 25% What Kind of Gay Man Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

Belizean Puppies

I just received an email from one of my best friends, Melissa, who is at home in Belize right now with the most adorable puppies born from one of their dogs, Gibnut who is a tiny little dog of some sort, possibly Chihuahua mix. Anyway, these puppies are the most adorable things I've seen in a while... ENJOY!

not so urban is it

After the new year, I made a trip to rural Ohio to visit my parents, before their departure back to Belize, and other family who live in the area. Joyous times spent with my siblings, cousin, parents and my favorite niece and nephew revolved around eating and sitting in the apartment living room. The two days were constantly filled with a journey somewhere like the Cleveland Clinic, the Mennonite resale shop, or driving around somewhere. On one trip out to lunch with my parents, younger brother, grandparents, and uncle I realized truly that I was in the country. We ate at the Golden Corral Buffet Restaurant... mmm healthy! Anyway, as I was sitting in my seat deciding on the millions of choices, I noticed a hair do that was oh so rural... check it out below.