And It's Not Even Officially Winter Yet

Usually I can be home from work in twenty minutes with no traffic, but today the trip took almost 2 1/2 hours. Hello winter! Don't you wish you could have snow days with work? You would turn on your TV while you get ready for the day and lo and behold your company's name is scrolling at the top of the screen along with a message saying they're closed for the day. Then you would spend the day playing in the clean snow or putzing around the house in your pj's with some hot chocolate in hand...

Back to reality: here's a quick snap of the outside world (with some Christmas tree lights twinkling back) as viewed from my front door. Stay warm!

Minimiam

Whoever said "Don't play with your food" obviously has not seen the photos of Pierre Javelle & Akiko Ida. Minimiam combines tiny plastic figures and food to make some delicious photos. By manipulating scale and composition, whipped cream becomes an immaculate snowcovered field for sledding and tart pans become ice rinks where miniature skaters effortlessly glide. Who knew cauliflower would look so good?

Ouch

Oh man...I am so glad that "interview" is over...

The interview was slated to start at 9am.
I didn't come back 'til 3:45.
That's how long it took.

I took three tests. 1st test: basic math, no calculators. Not too bad but when was the last time you had to long division by hand with long ass numbers? Second test: 2 pages of columns and columns of numbers in teeny tiny print and I had to mark which columns had the same numbers. Weird. Third test, logic and word questions. At this point I'm thinking "Wtf?".

Afterwards I was grilled twice by a panel of three employees who were all managers and directors of research and development of various products. Horror of horrors! It's like this: I easily get all jittery if I'm on the spot and at that point, word vomit just spews itself from my mouth. I cease making sense and I mumble and it's just awful. Well at least they took me out to lunch. Butternut squash ravioli at Feast was good but really I was in no mood to enjoy it. I thought this was over, but I have to go back again for ANOTHER damn test. A personality one this time. Don't know how I'm gonna sneak out of work this time. I'm totally out of vacation time. Looks like it's time to be *cough, cough* sick...

You know what made me feel better though? M sent along this mp3 of a prank call from Roy Wood Jr. Freakin' HILARIOUS! Please play it! Find it here and click on any of the Barbara's Checks links under prank calls and enjoy!

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful

Stupid Blogger has been having hiccups as of late...

So how was your weekend?

Mine can be summed up with
1. Kids at the hospital sharing how their sisters passed gas.
2. Empanadas, lomitos, and mangotinis...oh my! ATC was right. Argentinian food rocks! Thanks for the suggestion - my stomach was very happy. :)
3. Driving through the winter wonderland that is Wisconsin on Sunday. Again. Hopefully this is close to the last time. Made for some pretty scenery though.

So what will this week bring? The Christmas spirit is getting infectious and I'm running on happy juice. As I write this, the tree is getting assembled downstairs while an old Christmas record (yes, record - old school baby!) we've had since I was a kid is playing. Somehow it isn't Christmas without hearing Johnny Cash singing Little Drummer Boy at least once during the season, haha. Being the procrasinator that I am, I haven't started shopping of course and I don't even know where to start this year. Twenty more days to go...plenty of time! I really need to go on a (picture) shooting spree. Haven't felt right being postless on flickr. That will come soon, I just have to take care of some important stuff for the time being. Speaking of...my break is over...back to work I go...

Because You Don't Hear It Often Enough

Beauty can be found in the most unexpected places...

Sometimes you need a little (or BIG) reminder that "You Are Beautiful" too.

Check out the The 2005 Year in Review and the Installations links in the YAB site to see what I mean. Better yet, get yourself the stickers and a camera and participate in the project too.

Meet Big Daddy

My new co-worker rocks! For more than a year my group at work was short staffed and we've finally gotten someone who is a perfect fit. He's got tons of experience, is totally competent, funny as heck and as the ultimate sign of approval, even got anointed with one of Ms. Patricia's nicknames. Henceforth, Rick is... Big Daddy! (In case you're wondering, my nickname is Little Momma.) To top it off, BD has a larger Tagalog vocabulary than I do - and he's Mexican! Him and Mildred are having so much fun conversing in Tagalog and taunting me with my inability to join in.

Things are going alright at work for now, but hopefully it will get even better next week. The first real attempt at leaving helljob starts next Tuesday with an interview I managed to score. I hate interviews. Never felt comfortable being in the hot seat. I'm trying to be optimistic but they're looking for someone with ~10 years experience! I'm thinking "Did they not look at the year I graduated college?". But the HR rep said they liked my resume despite the lack of experience. I guess that's a good thing but still I'm worried about what their expectations are... At the very least this will be good interview practice for when something more appropriate comes up. Weird side note: I have to take three written tests before I do my interview rounds. Not sure how I feel about that.

Ok, enough overthinking. Just had to get all the anxiety out of my system.

This Can't Be Good

Espresso Fettuccine. Found at good 'ole Unimart.
I almost wanted to buy it just to see what it would taste like.
Almost.
But I did find that my Tom Yum noodles now come in an oh so convenient microwavable bowl. And tikoy balls look awfully similar to fish balls for pancit. The dad was fooled and unknowingly bought the tikoy balls. I didn't want them to go to waste so I tried to eat them. Ugh - I couldn't make it through one. I might as well have eaten moth balls.

Bewitched, Body and Soul

After doing some after-Thanksgiving shopping, my family decided to make it a girls movie day and we headed out to watch Pride and Prejudice . Well, not exactly. We really intended to see either Rent or Walk the Line, but when we arrived we found that we had just missed both movies by ten minutes and one was full anyways. By default P and P won out but I’m glad we saw it. Chick flick indeed! Ah, the British. Those accents, the buttoned up propriety. Conversation becomes an art form because one’s real intentions lie in what is not said rather than what is plainly stated and that makes for some clever mind games. I’m more of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez follower rather than a Jane Austen fan, but the traditional romantic in me *swooned* and I felt all warm and fuzzy once the movie was done. Afterwards snowcovered sidewalks and light flakes met us as we exited the theater. I pulled my coat closer around me, looked up at the flakes falling from the sky and I couldn’t help but smile.

Tomorrow...fun’s over. Hittin’ the road to Oshkosh and Greencastle.
Everyone’s going back. :(

My Contribution For Thanksgiving

Hopefully it will look something like the above. With Martha Stewart's guidance, I am confident the baking magic will come back to me.
Recipe here.

In other Thanksgiving related matters, I'm most likely going to pass on the Black Friday specials but checking out http://www.bfads.net may not be a bad idea if you are willing to brave the crowds.

I Was Always a Quirky One

I used to love doing that on our chairs in the living room. Even back then I had a thing for the color red and I always felt extra sassy with my red tights on. Hehe, yeah had too much fun going through old family pics today...I'm determined to dig up some more of my favorites from the oldies vault soon. However the pics from ages 10-15 will be mercifully absent in an attempt to forget the "awkward" years. I can't believe my mother let me out of the house looking the way I did. Thank God I grew into my teeth. :)

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In years past, Thanksgiving didn't rank too high on my list of favorite holidays. Turkey, the usual family parties, all of it seemed so routine and un-special. But this year I've changed my ways. With my family now all over the place, it's become such a rare thing to have us all together, much less for four straight days. So this weekend is gonna be extra nice for me with everyone coming back into Chicago. I spent a long while looking at old pictures in the family album tonite and I have to say, I miss my crazy mixed up family.

Three Things

3 Things That Made Me Happy This Weekend
-Harry Potter. It was that good.
-Hacker Pschorr Beer and Papa John's Jalapeno and Sausage pizza for 3 meals. Sounds kinda gross but I had a mad craving for it.
-Staying in Sunday afternoon and relaxing with a cup of cinnamon coffee
I brewed while watching food and travel shows.

3 Things That Irked Me
-93.9 playing Christmas music nonstop when it's not even Thanksgiving yet.
-Yahoo Music and Shop Etc. who keep sending me invoices for things I NEVER RECEIVED. Best quote from Shop Etc. "Please send payment immediately to ensure no interruption in magazine delivery" Well, there's nothing to interrupt because I haven't received a damn issue and I don't want to either.
-Flickr pervs who add every girl possible to their contact list so that when these unsuspecting girls check out the perv's page it's him fuggin'
nekkid. Yuck.

3 Things I Have Procrastinated On For Too Long that I Finally Did
-Summing up the yearlong tab M and I have been racking up.
-Tackling the 4 inch thick pile of reports I had to finish for work.
-Doing research on Chicago area grad schools.

3 Additions to the Bookshelf
-PostSecret : Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives by Frank Warren.
-Found: The Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from Around the World by Davy Rothbart.
-Photobooth by Babbette Hines.

And Finally 3 Things I'm Looking Forward To
-The sis coming home.
-A three day work week.
-This year finally having Thanksgiving with just the family at home.

Feelin cozy...

National Geographic...of course!

Last weekend I picked up National Geographic's 100 Best Pictures: Collector's Edition Volume 1. On the cover is that well recognized picture of the young Afghan girl with the piercing green eyes. To this day that image still compels me in a way that leaves me feeling slightly...uncomfortable... Hard to describe but it's all in the eyes, that vulnerable defiance.

As a kid, I would spend a large portion of my library time in grade school going through old issues of National Geographic. Page after delicious page was a story played out in lush imagery. In one issue I could travel the globe from my desk and I promised myself that when I grew up I was going to see these things with my own eyes. NG played a huge part in giving me the travel and photography bug and now that I am older I've started my own globetrekking. If I could have one ounce of the creativity their staff writers and photogs possess... Being one of those lucky individuals is still my dream job. :)

See what I'm talking about and pick up the issue and also check out NG's Photography page. Photo news, galleries, wallpapers, gear help and of course images you won't soon forget.

Cross Your Fingers

I was in line at Popeyes today to pick up chicken for my dad when the guy after me in line says "I'll take the Managers Special but can you cook it twice for me?"
The heck? Never heard of that one. Perhaps it's not oily enough fried only one time. :/
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Time to make some changes. Well, it's been time for a while now as everyone and their momma knows. Mich and Kev will be happy to hear that the job search has earnestly begun. Finally hit the wall this week. It's going to take a long while to land another job but at least it's a start. Like I told her, jobhunting sucks but working at S*** L** sucks even more. I will gladly give up my 40% discount on Coach handbags if I could have a happy workplace. Also on the to-do list: checking out schools. Another degree? That option doesn't sound so out of reach anymore. Hehe wish me luck - maybe one of these days I'll figure out what to do with my life...
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Countdown to Pepito's return: 7 LONG days. :(

A Few of My Favorite Things...

-Faced with a munchie dilemma at work, I made my way to the cafeteria vending machine. Cheetos or chips, hmmmm. Then I spot this:


Blair's Death Rain XXX Hot Habanero Kettle Cooked Potato Chips.
MY GOD THESE CHIPS ARE HOT. I love hot foods but from the first chip my upper lip in was a sweat. Definitely beats Kruncher's Jalapeno Chips in the heat race.

-Hersch, author of one of my fave blogs, All Things Chill gives the heads up on the $10 Holiday Sale going on at Threadless. Yay cool (and CHEAP)
t-shirts! Make your picks soon before they sell out. Me likes this design, Release by Dan Gilbert:



- And I picked this up over the weekend:


Bobbi Brown's limited edition Tube Tints. Makes a sweet little Christmas present for any girlie in your life. These shades work on anyone and don't worry guys, you can just pick them up and check out, no confrontations with make-up ladies at the cosmetics counter. :)

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(Not-so) hellish work update. Sooo if I talked you over the weekend, you'll remember how I shot up out of my sleep Saturday after remembering that I totally forgot to send a mucho importante package for work. Almost ruined the weekend because I was so damn worried about what the boss would say. Even the soju enhanced karaoke fest for The Wongers and Kaizen's birthday couldn't make me forget I dropped the ball on this one. I was bracing myself for verbal ass kicking today but...she actually took it quite well. *Phew.* Crisis averted...for now at least.

I Don't Want To Go To Work Tomorrow

I'm baaaaack! Woot-woot!

And...I'm pretty wiped out right now so this will be a quick one. Dang that two hour time difference - I got used to going to bed at 5am and waking up at noon Chicago time. California was AWESOME. Just had to say all of you going soon will have great weather and I'm sure great times. :)
More "stuff" to follow.

Away Message

Off to San Francisco for a few days. It'll be nice to get a way for a while and catch up with an old friend. Probably will not have much computer time soooo things will be even quieter around here and flickrland for a bit. The pic below was taken with my first ever digi-cam when I visited San Fran a few years back, a 1.x mp Cybershot. Hehe now-a-days you can get cell phones with better photo resolution.

See ya laters! I'm out.

"keeping up the fight"

And that's what online magazine Revol does so well. My choice for this week's photo/imagery pit-stop is chock full of all sorts of creative eye candy guaranteed to keep you waiting anxiously for the next issue. This joint venture by brother-sister team Dante and Debbie Carlos (Debbie resides in Chicago) currently has six issues up for your perusal in which you'll find amazing illustrations, graphics, photos and other visual goodies. You gotta check it out - VERY good stuff in there.

Boo!

Too many caramel apples consumed today...

and 100 Grands...

and Snickers...

and Peanut M&M's...

"Fun Size" my ass...I can hardly type this 'cause my hands are shaking so hard. Parents are in for a surprise when their children really do transform into demons with all the sugar that's going to be consumed.

Favorite new candy: Mint Kit-Kats.
Why did you have to bring this into my life, M?!!
Hmmmm...I could really go for one of those right now...

Ah, Weddings...

Weddings. In some strange way I still can't believe we're old enough to get married. It's probably because the groupies have all known each other since high school so that's how we see each other - the same old kids we were back then. Some peeps we don't see too much of anymore so weddings have become the place to catch up on everything. Time really does fly by so fast. The now Mrs. Bahk was gorgeous in her dress and the now Mrs. Mathew is 7 months along. Crazy! One surprising thing...the music was actually really good. Turns out the dj spins downtown in clubs. I knew once he broke out The Percolator it was over for me. He went all the way back to school dances in the gym with that one. All that was missing was that nifty Tetris mix and I would have been complete. Me and my weakness for 90's music...It was a very good night...

Another Day, Another Concert

This time it was the Black Eyed Peas and Gwen Stefani at the Allstate Arena. Since this week pretty much sucked ass I wasn't as up for this as much as I usually am for concerts. But once I heard the music I got totally pumped! Turned out to be the best way to put an end to the week. The BEP set was too short though - 45 mins! Last time I heard them at HOB they played a nice long set and I was at the front of the stage highfive-ing them all during the concert. It was nice :) Pics, of course, are up at flickr.

Conversation With a Southsider

Me: Hey Iz, what's going on?
Iz (with big cheesy Izzy smile): Sox won you know.

Me: Yes I know.
Iz: The best part is we got it first before those sorry ass cubs.

Me: Yeah I bet they feel salty. But whatever...tomorrow's Friday. I've had a crappy week.
Iz: You know what? It's ok because the Sox won. Don't worry about it - EVERYTHING will be great because the Sox won. It's gonna be good for a whole year because the Sox won. We're the fucking world champions!

Me: Oh yeah? That good huh?
Iz: OH yeah...

Me: I knew this would make you happy.

Venting

Mother-f! So ANGRY today!
Mad, mad, MAD!!!
It's the effing end of the day and I'm still super pissed.

I work insane hours at work...I get yelled at.
I've been doing the work of 2-3 people for the past year...I get yelled at.
Some other department fucks up...I get yelled at.
I bother to think for myself...I get yelled at.

Wtf? So SICK of this.

Mmm, Mmm, Mmm

Pictured here is the Black Bean and Rice Burrito entree along with what might be either Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables, Ham & Shrimp Jumbalaya, Pork Chow Mein or Chicken Tettrazini.

Never seen them before? It's because it's for the military. From the website:"All are fresh and will store a minumum of 5-7 years. No cooking is required and no water needs to be added. These are fresh meals direct from the factory".

Good grief can you imagine what this tastes like? We talked about these meals briefly today at a seminar I had to go to for work. Apparently the Holy Grail of military food developers is making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that will be good for THREE years. Hmmm... :/

Think About It

Photography followers may already be familiar with The Thought Project but if you haven't heard of this site, it's well worth a visit, especially if you like portraiture. Simon Hoegsberg randomly stopped people on the street, asked them to share their thoughts, then snapped their picture.

Interesting concept. Candid insight. And of course, great pics.

Another Weekend Bites the Dust

Busy busy - I can't believe it's almost November! Didn't summer end a second ago? Autumn is firmly in place now and this weekend, me and the groupies took advantage of it.

Friday: Robie House Secrets and Shadows tour. The Robie House is a great example of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and with Halloween coming up they're giving tours at night. Kinda gives the house a spookier feel and you get the usual stories about previous residents. You also get to see the servant's quarters which usually isn't included in the daytime tours and some snacks at the end but the $16 price tag is a little steep in my opinion. After, dinner at Medici's and watching bootleg 40 Year Old Virgin at Rocky's (btw, what was up with the neighbor?). Frickin' hilarious movie made even funnier with the occasional random head bobbing up.

Saturday: Back to the alma mater for some Homecoming fun. U of I vs. Penn State. Dude we got CREAMED. It was god-awful to watch. Not kidding. We left after halftime when the score was 56-3!!! No joke. The final score was a pitiful 6063-10 and I think that last touchdown was a mercy touchdown. Mich and Xin can attest to the radio announcer saying "Even the victors want to finish up and go home already". Ouch.

U of I's so different! So much has changed in 4 years...Digital schedules on the bus stops. Timers at street intersections. Potbelly's, Starbucks, and more chains on Green Street. No Asiana! Revamped bowling area at the Union which now includes a lounge with friggin' DDR. Pool Hall is now a Relaxation Room where students can stop in for massages. What the? And all these new buildings...the list goes on and on...I'm all for progress but I miss Record Town, that poster store on Green St and some of my other old hangouts. Good trip overall though, and I had the much craved for dumpling soup waiting for me at Seven Treasures when we got back.

Sunday: Daylong roadtrip to Greencastle to bring the sister back to school. Blah. So yes, I'm pooped out right now - I think it's time to turn in. Hope y'all had a good weekend!

My Lucky Fortune Today

This is what I got in my Panda Express fortune cookie at lunch:

"The loyal patriot is the fellow who receives a parking ticket then says that is the system at work."

Bizarro. Whatever happened to "You like Chinese food."?

From the Bottom of My Pure Beef Heart

Remember...no ketchup!

Found Photos

One of my favorite flickr pitstops used to be Snapatorium's page. Her vintage photos and collages reflected her quirky view of the world and sparked my interest in found photography. Since then she's deactivated her flickr account but you can still find her photoblog here and her photo store here. Good stuff in there. After you're done looking at her photos take a look at Big Happy Fun House and Look At Me for more found photo goodness.

Scribble

And Monday is officially....OVER.

Thank God. Today was one of those I-want-to-quit-my-job-why-can't-I-find-a-rich-man-to-marry-days. My dream is to tell a certain employer at work to EFF OFF and just walk out that door without so much as a glance back. One of these days I tell ya'...one of these days...

Weekend highlights: Having the sis home for the week, cheap eats (Seven Treasures dumpling soup, Superdawg @ 1am, Potbelly's, Balingit's hopia), Pilobolus with M, and hanging w/ The Doctor at the Vic.

Strangest experience: Aforementioned Vic experience. The concert was for Son Volt, who together with Wilco previously formed Uncle Tupelo. Not quite my music taste but I was willing to give it a try for a friend. First of all the concert was sponsored by WXRT which automatically made us the youngest ones there. Second of all, this was by far the most un-crazy concert I have ever been too. Even on the main floor everyone gave their neighbors space and no one stood up in the seating area. I came lightly dressed 'cause I was expecting it to be super hot like at the Weez/Foo concert but I was freezing since no one was moving around. Another weird thing, a long line for the men's restroom and no line for the women's. What the? That never ever happens. All in all, not a bad show - I love live music in any form. Doesn't matter if it's a mad techno dj spinning crazy beats, a bluesy guitarist or a pop star.

Mantra to help me get through the week: One day closer to the weekend, one day closer to the weekend...

I'll Take a Jefferson Park Please

Neighborhoodies is FINALLY coming to Chicago. Wicker Park. Nov. 1.

This Pose Is Insane

The Pilobolus Dance Theater can be described as modern and unconventional but if nothing else it is a testament to the strength of the human body. The way these guys move reminded me of hot melted glass - deceptively fluid and soft but in actuality every movement was controlled and deliberate. They are in amazing shape to make these twisted maneuvers look effortless. At one point the dancers were pretty scantily clad (think thongs for the guys and butt baring leotards for the girls) but not one of them showed any signs of jiggle. I think I have more fat in my elbow than they have in their entire bodies! Good news - you still have a chance to check 'em out. Bad news - they're only in town for 1 more night. So if you're looking for some dance fun, head on over to the Chicago Theater Saturday night and take a closer look at this innovative dance company. (Edit: Thanks for the b-day gift M!)

Do You Want To Rasterbate?

Do you have an all time favorite image that would look soooooo cool blown up into a poster? Try the The Rasterbator! The Rasterbator will take that image, "rasterize" it (in a nutshell, convert it to the larger desired size up to 20 meters), and then send it back to you in a handy dandy pdf file which you can then print out and assemble. Pretty cool toy to cover your naked walls. More examples of rasterized images can be found in The Rasterbator's Gallery.

Excuse Me While I Daydream

Flickr is still the main place where I post photos, but from time to time, I'm going to post pics here first. The chilly weather is making me revisit Mexico through photos and I keep finding pics I meant to upload earlier. Gonna try to get to that this week if you'd like to take a peek. :)

Yeah and All That Good Stuff Too

Brrrr! It's getting too cold for my liking. Doesn't help that the heat at my place is not working. It was a toasty 64 degrees on Saturday in the house but we had the doors open to let heat in since it was warmer outside. Thank God for space heaters.

To make ourselves feel better, my dad made...guinataan. Guina-ta-what you ask? It's this Filipino dessert that is definitely not for the carb conscious. It's got sweet potatoes, taro, plantains, and jackfruit all cooked in coconut milk. Everyone's got their own variation on the recipe and it can include sticky rice balls or tapioca balls among other things. My dad added anise seeds to the batch he made for a fragrant touch. It may not look too good in the pic, but it's worth a try. More info here.

Other weekend highlights: trying out Rioja in Andersonville with the girls (I found it to be pretty good despite the reviews) and playing with my new buddy J, at the hospital. J was too cute for words! He was a tubby little 4 year old with wide saucer eyes, plump cheeks and pigtail braids. Best thing was, he wore a t-shirt that fit snugly over his big ole belly that read "Property of Hershey Pennsylvania" with a smiley faced Hershey's Kiss on it. He was pretty good playing with the X-Box too - I was so surprised! I mean he can't even read but here he is, putting me to shame because my video game skills pretty much ended with Nintendo waaaay back in the day. Those kids are always surprising me.

I Don't Think My Grandma Would Like Them Either

Look at this snazzy, jazzy shoe!


Yes, that is SARCASM. My coworker and myself were told yesterday that people in the plant have a problem with us not wearing steel toed shoes while on the production floor. No problem, I said. I'll wear them - the company covers most of the cost anyways so I'm not going to fuss. Only thing is...do they they have to look like my grandma's orthepedic shoes? I'm on the smaller side, so these guys swallow up my feet and look like big 'ole clown kicks. Oh lovely fugliness...

Sweet Smelling Sweater Salad

This is my boy Xin's dream girl.



I just couldn't resist... please don't kill me. :)

Out of Five

Saw this on GB yesterday. Some staffers have come up with yet another site I'm going to visit frequently. Every week 10 people choose songs that fit a particular theme. Cool idea, clean design and straight up music?
I'm there.
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Btw, does anyone know where I can d/l Mi Camisa Negra by Juanes (with no strings attached)?

Breathe Out So I Can Breathe You In

In my next life I want to be....A ROCK STAR.

Can I be a cool drummer too like Travis Barker from Blink 182 or Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters? The show was frickin' AWESOME!!! I was pushed, shoved, sweat on by fifteen skanky people, and got a few hours of sleep but it was oh so worth it. I mostly came to see the Weez but holy shiet, the Foo Fighters are great live! Dave Grohl came into the audience and Scott Shriner rocked the bass so hard the cartilage in my nose rumbled. Fo' REAL. Shots are up at my flickr page. Crazy energy...nothing like live music!

Shameless Self Promotion

Yes that is my pic on Gapers Block. :)
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Today at work they told us that starting January 1 we are going to get paid once a month! What the?! Not liking that at all! But we do get summer hours and half of our gym expenses paid for...not like I go to a gym anyways but it's a nice touch.

And I'm off to see the Foo Fighters and Weezer tonite. Got a meeting at 6 in the morning too so yes, I am screwed manana. Oh well. 'Tis the price one has to pay for some fun. Hopefully will have some pics tomorrow!

It's All In the Finish

Saturday was a no good rotten day.
Everything went wrong. EVERYTHANG. Add to that caffeine
withdrawal snarkiness and you have one very irritable girl. The one good thing: seeing another performance from Hubbard Street's fall engagement. I love this dance troupe (which I've blogged about before) and have seen them perform every season for the past few years. They didn't disappoint this time around with Kiss and Gnawa as standouts. Cheryl Mann and Tobin Del Cuore were perfectly paired again in Kiss which will leave you feeling as swept up in emotion as the dancers literally are in this aerial dance. The definition of sensual. Gnawa was the perfect finish. I've become a big fan of Nacho Duato's work through HSDC. Duato has perfected the art of combining organic beats with lush fluid movements that always yields beautiful results. Soooo check out some clips of these performances along with some others and make sure you see them in the spring, 'k?

Woot-woot!

Today has been one of the strangest days ever.

But also one of the best in a long, long time.

More deets to follow… J

How Do You Like Dem Apples?

I want apple pie. A country style freshly baked one with just the right amount of cinnamon and lots of butter in the crust. Mmmmm...That's what autumn does to me. Had an awesome piece o' pie last weekend at Almost Home in Greencastle. The crust practically melted in your mouth. I think the clouds parted and the sun shone straight on me the moment I put that first bite in my mouth.

Then this morning the Wayne's Weekend segment on NBC5 was all apple: apple cider, apple cider pound cake and of course caramel apples. Oh my goo-ness. The craving starts again. Had the apple waffles from Autumn House this morning in a feeble attempt to substitute for pie. Close but no cigar. Hehe good thing I'm going to the Long Grove Apple Fest this weekend. I'm gonna stuff myself with all things apple, especially the apple donuts. Soooo good....

But in the meantime...
Yaaaawn...soooo sleepy...

Musicology

Finally opened me up a last.fm account. Don't know why it took me so dang long. I listen to all sorts of stuff so it'll be neat to see how it all plays out in numbers. So yes, another place where you can see what makes this girl tick. Lately I've been feeling the fall groove and have been listening to
oooold songs. Tonite, some campy music is on the playlist (yay Chihuahua!) but Miles and his Kind of Blue album are gonna finish off the nite. That is, if I ever get to bed. Been having problems sleeping lately...but that's another story ;P.

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Hmmmm...been hearing a lot about this. Looks like I'm gonna postpone the iPod nano purchase.

If You (Heart) Flickr and Sudoku

Then Hamster Sudoku is for you.
(Tried to upload a screenshot but it ain't workin'.)

PS. Watch Crash. Very very good.

PPS. New Fugees album coming out soon. Yup yup.

It Was That Type of Day

After a long day Saturday spent driving in Indiana to visit the sis, I was looking forward to being lazy today. Stayed in - too gloomy to do anything outside anyways, and spent the day in pjs watching the tube. I like my downtime but with the grey weather, changing seasons and inactivity, my mind wanders. Thinking too much again. Hard to let go of mistakes - days like this make me ruminate over each and every one of them. But whatevs, it's ok. Change doesn't come w/o acknowledgement and every day can't be sunshine and rainbows. It's what makes you, you and that's not a bad thing.

The Unphotographable Photograph

I always have a camera on me. Always.

It’s just that I’m a big believer in capturing moments that you most likely will not experience in that same way ever again. Now I’m not talking about significant life events like weddings, births, etc. I’m talking about the extraordinary everyday moments that often get lost in the daily shuffle. Those moments that make you see the world differently even if just for a second. And although I always have my camera on me, the best images are often the ones I miss. This is what the site, Unphotographable is all about.

Here’s my Unphotographable account from the rainsoaked morning:

-A lonely old man, sitting on a crate, barely seen because of the fog, who everyday hangs his head low and never looks up to sell his pile of newspapers.

-A cemetery in the neighborhood looking eerily still in the morning haze.

-A little girl in bright pink raincoat and matching boots exasperating her mother by jumping in every puddle she saw.

-An older Eastern European woman waiting for the bus with a telling look in her eye and deep lines on her face that make me think she’s had a hard life.

-The car that spun out after a bad crash from the street and into my frontyard, narrowly missing my house.

Through the Looking Glass

@ Chicago Place this weekend.
Far from perfect but I liked the view anyways :)

"You Just Don't Fit In"

Martha, Martha, Martha. Is that the best you could think of? And then you write them a letter? Send them packing with ATTITUDE. We know you have it in you. That’s what the people want to see. Trumpski says “You’re Fired!” then f--- it, he’s done and on to the next victim. So come on, say something insidious and make ‘em cry or better yet, you can say “F--- it. You just don’t fit in”. How’s that for a compromise?

Move To This

Boing Boing points to Naijajams.com, a great blog on Nigerian music including reggae, hip hop, r&b, and afropop. Covering old and new, Naijajams offers up interesting history, wallpapers and of course mp3s that will make you move with a pep in your step. Listen to All For You from E.T. Mensah and the Tempos and your day is better already.

Green With Envy

Listening To:
Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds, Vol. 2
By: Jill Scott


Ms. Scott is ALL woman.
---
Work is quite discouraging lately. Friday can't come fast enough. Although today, I was easily bribed by one of the chefs with a phenomenal dessert in return for a favor. Picture this: a rich fudgy brownie topped with chocolate cake pieces and all this covered in buttery caramel and chocolate sauce. Sooooo good but sooooo bad for you. Isn't that always the case? If you're interested, it's currently testing in restaurants around Chicago.

While my job is less than stellar, my sis has snagged yet another cool job. She previously worked at a TV station producing shows, but soon she will be interning as....a wedding planner! How cool is that? (Sigh) I think I'm doing something wrong.

Perfection

Watched LOTR: The Two Towers again on the WB tonight. God, I love that whole series. Always loved the whole good-versus-evil-with-special-powers-thrown-in story line.
The countdown now begins for The Chronicles of Narnia and HP: The Goblet of Fire. Yes!

---

Another beautiful weekend out. Could it have been any more perfect? Gotta enjoy these days before the cold weather creeps up again.

Saturday, per M’s request: POWERSHOPPING. We hit Michigan Ave, Halsted & Armitage, and Old Orchard in the span of 7-8 hours. The Doctor just could not understand how girls can shop for that long. Fellas, let me tell ya, girls can shop for much longer if need be. Also tried Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge. Total girly interior - pink EVERYWHERE. Topped off the night with a bowl of Josh’s famous chili and later revisited the Hopleaf.

Sunday: neighborhood strolls. First stopped off at Lincoln Square. The sun was shining and the air smelled delicious… With so many restaurants in the area, the perfect steak was getting grilled somewhere. I picked up an iced latte at The Daily Grind and made my way through the tiny shops, walking to the beat of the music pouring put of the Old Town School of Folk Music. Spotted a “Polka Party!” album in the window of a music shop. People were just lazing about, leisurely eating their meals or reading books in cafes and outdoor patios.

Next stop: Andersonville. A bit busier but the same vibe as Lincoln Square. Was a total klutz at the ATM kiosk. Don’t ask. Did the whole shop-walk / people watch thing again.

And lastly: Argyle. Had to pick up a roast duck from Sun Wah for my dad. It’s his absolute favorite. It’s good but too fatty to have on any regular basis. This time, drumbeats and cymbal clashes filled the air as a Chinese dragon formation took to the sidewalks. I wonder if this had anything to do with the Autumn Moon Festival this weekend…

But anyhoo, that’s it in a looong nutshell.
Back to reality tomorrow… (sigh)…:/

Good Night

Apologies to the flickreenies who have seen these pics before. Been flickr delinquent lately but I'm feelin' this photo right now. If you're not familiar with my pics, click on the "My Photos" link to the right or click here. Posting new stuff later.

That Was Quick

Renee and Kenny are over too?

-----

My stomach is all in knots right now. I've got this anxious feeling like something is going to happen. For no reason either - I hate that. I used to get this feeling a lot back when I was in school.

Two things that provoked the stomach turning:

-My ChE mass transfer exams - so frustrating because it seemed so easy for everyone else but my mind failed to absorb a thing. All the discussion sections competed against each other for the highest average and despite my section having the all star students, I had this sneaking suspicion I was dragging down the average. I could swear my TA shot me these "You are pitfully stupid" looks whenever he passed back the exams.

-Lab classes freshman year - there was a scary ass man that worked in the lab who handed out supplies at the beginning of every class. He had long, greasy hair, thick glasses, and wore a pendant that reminded me of satanic worship. Grumpy as heck too. One day a student stored this one piece of glassware wrong and this guy storms into the lab and screams "WHO PUT THIS COLUMN DOWN!! WHEN I FIND OUT WHO DID THIS...!!!" His screaming lasted a good five minutes and of course no one came forward. The room was completely silent. The guy across from me mouthed "Holy Shit" and the TA's didn't move either. Us poor freshman we so friggin' scared...who in their right mind would come forward after that? Pissed him off even more.

I wonder what's causing the dread tonite?

"Say It Ain't So"

Is Weezer over?

---

New City has a listing of Chicago area boutiques they think you should visit. Lots of potential for credit card damage. Also, new from Daily Candy, Daily Candy Deals where you can snag pretty nice discounts on sweeeet shopping sites. This week includes 30% off everything at Girlshop.com.
What girl wouldn't like that?

Chicago In Lomo

Taken with the Supersampler.

For the Chicago photophile in you:
The Last Great Maxwell Street Picture Show
Stephen Daiter Gallery
311 W. Superior
(312) 787-3350
Open til Oct. 29
No admission

Via the Suntimes:
"The photographs, which date from the early 1930s through the '80s, document Maxwell Street's colorful history, in which successive generations of immigrants -- first Germans and Irish, then Russian Jews, Eastern Europeans, Southern blacks, Hispanics, Koreans and Gypsies -- established footholds and, in the process, introduced themselves to the rest of Chicago and vice versa."

Ramblin'

Saturday. Indian Garden – thumbs up.
Lamb vindaloo = hot!
Mango Lassi = yum!
Sunday. Furama. Dim Sum.
Mmmm...Dim Sum...ALWAYS bring a chinese person with you.
Trust me. It is much easier this way.
Laughs ALL weekend.

-According to the US Census Bureau, 78% of women will get married at least once in their life. Is it me or does this number seem kinda low? Not sure if I find this statistic to be encouraging or not.

-Ahhh...the perpetual “I like you as a friend”. That is quite the dagger through the heart isn’t it? Poor thing has heard this line too many times. My advice was, don’t even thing about listening to the My Best Friends Wedding soundtrack and eat lots of ice cream with your girls.

Betta Splendens

A week ago the sis bought a betta fish. At first Joli (French for “pretty”) unassumingly swam around his little fish bowl delighting us with how pretty his turquoise fins looked moving through the water.

However, in the week since Joli and the sis packed up for Greencastle, Joli has turned into a crazy lil fugger.

A couple facts: bettas are colorful fish and male bettas don’t like other male bettas. So whenever the sis wears a bright shirt, Joli thinks bright shirt=male betta and becomes extremely irritable. He then proceeds to puff out his gills to show his dislike of the sis’s wardrobe choice and acts moody. This in turn gets the sister mad because she does not tolerate his disobedience. She then provokes him by flashing colorful rings in his sight. Thus begins the psychological games between the sis and little Joli.

Also last week, Joli started blowing bubbles. Not just one here, another there, but A LOT. Enough that they started accumulating at the top of the bowl. She comes to find out that Joli is ready to “spawn”. Yuck. Something about the word spawn makes me think Joli is ready to expel little demon fishies from his own belly. At the rate Joli is going, that may be a possibility.

4 Years Ago

Mich, NW and myself were on the road, making the trek back to Champaign-Urbana. We had just graduated from U of I that May, but being without a job we decided to go back to school to check out the job expos that were taking place that week and to visit friends that still remained. The day started out leisurely enough. We were in no particular rush. We just hit the road with a stack of cds and I watched the familiar scenery pass by as Michelle drove.

Then Michelle got a call. From her tone I could tell something was very wrong. Once she got off the phone she says “These planes just crashed into the World Trade Center! They say it’s terrorists! It’s all over the news!” Since we were listening to cds during the whole ride, we were so completely unaware of what was going on in the world. We then turned on Newsradio 78 and listened in shocked silence to the live news reports. Absolute craziness. Back in Chicago, the downtown highrises were evacuated, the express lanes in the highway changed direction midday and my parents were frantic.

We continued on to Urbana anyways and the tone on campus was quite somber as well. Since all flights were grounded, a good chunk of the companies coming in for the job fairs cancelled, leaving the Union ballrooms looking empty. CNN was on in the Courtyard Café nonstop and the DI later had notices from the Emergency Dean regarding students from the military. When I wasn’t glued to the tv at Byron and Gen’s place, I sat in a pew at St. John’s and said a little prayer for all those people in the WTC and for the world.

A picture paints a thousand words. Check out this photoessay from Time and also Shattered. Still quite moving 4 years later.

Pandas and Pie

When you work for a large food company like I do, you tend hear random facts about what's going on in the food world. Did you know that Orange Chicken accounts for 40% of Panda Express's sales? Someone told me this at work today and I totally believe it. I mean, I ALWAYS get the orange chicken. Sometimes I have to wait a long time for it too since everyone else in line is looking for their own orange chicken fix.

But anyways, work and food. So why do I work as a food scientist when I studied long and hard to be a handy dandy chemical engineer? People always ask "What does chemistry have to do with food?" or "Why the heck are you in the food industry?" To me working as a food scientist made perfect sense. My options after graduation were working with petroleum, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc. All things completely dry and boring to me. But the one constant in my life is my love of good food. I love to cook, try all different things, even shop for it. Coupled with my nerdy instinct to break things down to how and why things work together and voila! A pretty nifty job!

Every day is different when you work with food formulation and it's the best feeling when you see something you worked with on the grocery store shelves for all the world to buy. Don't get me wrong, it's not all playing in a kitchen. It's a very serious thing too...a lot is on the line when a new product is launched. And along with all the good food you sample, you also eat a fair share of AWFUL food. I will NEVER forget the taste of rancid mayonnaise. Ugh. But yes, when you go grocery shopping, just remember there was a ton of work that went behind that box of cereal, pizza, or can of soup you just threw into your cart. :P

It's an Extravaganza

It's a Blockbuster Weekend at Millenium Park this week. Three days of Park goodness with the Lyric Opera on Saturday, the CSO on Sunday, and Steppenwolf on Monday. All for free! Opera's not exactly my thing but when are you ever going to see something from the Lyric Opera House for free? Check it out - should be a beautiful night.

Hello Wednesday

1. Why is it that on a day when I had more sleep than usual and took the time to eat a well balanced breakfast, people asked me “Are you sick?” or “What’s wrong? You look terrible!” I must have looked like ass today. Maybe I should have gone the usual sleep deprived, fueled by black coffee route. Perhaps then I would have been a bit more cheery.

2. Switching gears...I’m a big fan of the Chicago dance scene. If you are too, check out seechicagodance.com – it’s a great resource to start seeing all the dance companies Chicago has to offer. My favorite? Hubbard Street Dance Co. Beauty in motion… If you're interested, have a look at the current repertoire. Some of my faves: Tabula Rasa, Cor Perdut, Kiss, and No More Play.

3. Wedding in a month – I need a dress!!! Almost as nerve-wracking as swimsuit shopping. It is so hard to find something decent for a small curvy thing like me. How about these? Too boring, too dark?















Eh, I'm not feelin' these either...Oh well the quest continues...

My Lazy Day

So how was your Labor Day? I must say, three day weekends should be mandatory. And what did I do today? Abso-friggin’-lutely NOTHING. And it felt greeeaaat!

The past couple weeks have been so hectic, I took an involuntary hiatus from all extracurriculars - not one picture snapped! I think I’m going through withdrawal…Had a bit of the blues last week too but all it takes is a visit from the sister and one great night out with the crew to put a cheesy smile back on my face. So great reconnecting with old faces Friday at Bandera and the birthday bash on Saturday for my two girlies Samantha, Michelle and myself was one of the best ever. Bistro Margot gets a thumbs up from me and hearing Poison from Bell, Biv, DeVoe at the Hange Uppe put the icing on the cake. I do love my 90’s R &B! Yeah! Although…that last jager bomb was the beginning of the end… 

Today was quiet in comparison. Woke up, had a run, ate, watched tv. Went grocery shopping (this is actually a source of excitement for me since I love mulling over ingredients) and fixed dinner. Sounds pretty boring but having the time to do the above is a real rarity with my dumb work schedule. Finished off the night with a stack of magazines, a drumstick ice-cream cone and more tv. Soon I will fall asleep to the sounds of the occasional car passing by and the neighbor’s wind chimes coming through my window.

I love quiet summer nights.

Hope you had a good one.

Of No Significance

Long day. Work, work, work. One of those mundane days.
Oh well, I think I'm gonna have a seat and relax now.

Gastronomical Journey

This weekend: FOOD!
A very hectic few days (more to follow later). But I am so very full that this is all I can think about right now. Very grateful for all the birthday spoils. It’s good to live in Chicago. :)

Thursday:
Lunch: Los Arcos - Pork and Tongue Tacos
Afternoon: DQ Ice Cream Cake
Dinner: Lula’s Café - Artisanal Pasta and Zucchini Cake w/ Honey Ice Cream

Friday:
Lunch: Bittersweet - Gazpacho and a Grilled Turkey Sandwich with Havarti. Sampled some of Felice’s Potato Watercress Soup and Egg Salad Sandwich. Walked away from the bakery section with hazelnut ball cookies, cute iced sugar cookies and some cinnamon cookies with a fancy schmancy name.
Dinner: La Bocca Della Verita - Calamari followed by Spinach Ravioli. Drinks at the Hopleaf after.

Saturday:
Lunch: Golden River – Lo Mein and Crab Rangoon
Dinner: Café Laguardia – Marinated Steak between Two Pieces of Fried Plantains

Sunday:
Lunch – Long John Silvers – Chicken Planks with Hush Puppies
Dinner – Wendy’s – Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Good God, I gotta hit the treadmill harder this week.

Birthdays Are Nice :)

Taken a bit after my dad helped himself to a birthday surprise my sis prepared for me. Aside from going to work at an ungodly hour, I must say it was a pretty nifty day! Today I was reminded of all the people that care about me. And that's the best gift you could ever get.

Good Grief...

Damnit.
I have to be at work tomorrow at friggin' FOUR in the MORNING!!! We're running another test in the plant for a new product and OF COURSE they would do it before the rest of the world is awake. Argh...well actually they said they would be ready to mix at four which means I have to be there 3:30 which means I have to wake up 2:30 which means I should really be sleeping now. Who sleeps at 7:30 at night? This job is sucking the life out of me...

Anyways...I was going to write a post on whatever happened to Bran Van 3000? I love Glee, it still sounds so completely original and different from all the stuff that's out there now even though the album was released in '98. Definitely worth checking out. But upon checking their website I find that they are soon releasing their THIRD album. Third? When did the second come out and where can I find it??? I've been waiting for something, anything new from them and to find out that I have 2 albums to hunt for! That's cool beans, yo... If anyone has heard Discosis let me know how it is!

Hmmm...

Someone at work told me earlier this week that they had a dream with me in it. Fine and dandy but the thing is, we were apparently doing intimate things. I don't know why the hell he mentioned it to me and he had no details (to be honest I didn't really want to know) but he did say that it was a really, really good dream as he was smiling to himself. I don't know whether to be creeped out or flattered. :/

Good Morning

Today is gonna be a good day. I'm going to make it one.

The Recap

The weekend is over already? It's never long enough in my humble opinion.

With work crazy busy last week, it was great to see everyones faces at the mini LT reunion Friday @ Sushi Luxe. To think, we've all known each other since high school and have gone through college, first jobs, weddings and now kids together. ::Sniff, sniff:: Awww, we're growing up guys. But hehe we may not be there yet. If I hear one more thing about WoW...WoW has taken a hold over many of the groupies. I'm trying to resist going to the darkside...but I can't help but want to try it once.
Check out my flaming plate of sushi:



Behold, the red scorpion roll: soft shell crab with spicy mayo topped with tuna. Very good! It's a little difficult to see the flames in the pic but believe me, my plate turned heads when they brought it to me.

And guess who I saw at Children's Memorial on Saturday? Yup, Eric and Kathy from 101.9 The Mix:



They were holding the annual radio-a-thon to raise money for the hospital. $2 million+ to be (sorta) exact. Go Eric and Kathy! I was too tired to stay 'til the end however. A tiny 4 year old with the attention span of a gnat wore me out! Me and the rest of the volunteers always look so tired after 2 hours of playing with kids a third of our size. What gives?

Sunday was the usual 8 hour trip to Wisconsin. Random pic, but on the way there we always pass the Osh Kosh Correctional Facility:



I think it's funny that when you pass places like that, there tends to be signs all around the perimeter warning drivers to not pick up hitchhikers. Hmmm, wonder why?

Here's to another great week. (Sigh) summer is winding down...
Last but not least, a special hello to Spec from All Things Chill and Princess P. Thanks for the links guys - you rock! It made my day. :)

Daily Clicks

It's Monday.

Many of you probably have this on your daily click list but in case you've never visited these sites...

Have you checked this week's PostSecret?
New secrets posted yesterday. I love this site! Raw and humorous.

And on the not so serious side, check out:
Pink is the New Blog
Friggin' hilarious star news from Trent's pov.

Color!

I do love color! Nice and vibrant and lively. My senses go nuts when I see rows and rows of crayons, markers, oil pastels and paints in art stores. My coveted possession in grade school? My 128 box of crayola crayons. People ask why I don't take too many black and white or sepia photos and that's pretty much why.


Check out what Crayola's got now. Felice damn near stopped in her tracks when she saw this. She's almost 20 years old and she was so excited it took all of her energy to refrain from buying this. Pretty neat but I always thought the mistakes and coloring outside the lines are what made crayons and markers fun. What will they come up with next?

My Name Is George

I've come to find out that this guy at work who I have been calling Robert, is not really a Robert.

His name is George.

I have been calling him Robert for three years! But that's what everyone told me his name was! Almost everyday I would say "Good morning Robert" or "See you tomorrow Robert" and he never corrected me. The funny thing is, everyone called him Robert and we all came to find out last week that we were all wrong. Funniest quote from Patricia: "Little momma, I've been calling him Robert for 13 YEARS! Why didn't that man ever tell me his real name?"

I guess you have to understand Robert, er...George. He is a man of very few words. I haven't ever really heard him speak more than five words at a time and when he actually said hi back to me one day, I was thinking "Omg! He actually spoke to me! So that's what his voice sounds like..." He always plays it cool so I guess a little thing like being called by the wrong name for years doesn't bother him. Still I can't help but feel like a dang fool...

Toot's + Mario's = Chicago Summer

Summer traditions continued with the first (gasp!) visit to Mario's Italian Ice today. Long lines as expected but also happy faces. Mich got blue raspberry and I got the cherry. Yum...

Yesterday was the first visit to Toot's for the season as well. I got the usual vanilla twinkle coat (what are those things anyways?) while Felice got the flamingo cone with the twinkle. Dang the girl loves pink.