Saturday, December 31, 2005

A Card On Your Birthday (Scroll Down for the latest Post)

I've decided that 2006 is going to be a creative year!

Would you like a birthday card on your special day? I mean who wouldn't!

Send me your birthdate (year optional I know how some of you girlz can be) and mailing address and you will get a card on your birthday from me!

Just drop an email to:
bdaycardfrommichael-blog@yahoo.com

***NOTE*** Please feel free to share this link on your blog, I'll take it anyway I can!

***Further Note*** I'm serious about this. I'd like to thank Rob for sending some traffic this way, go check him out! And if you came by way of Rob.....send me your address and birthdate, I promise you'll get a card!

Im so gay

I went to Costco with my friend Travis today….can I say what a madhouse.  People were running around like there was a blizzard coming into town and they had to stock up provisions for the next six months!  UGH!

Well I broke down and bought a few movies, one of my New Years Resolutions is to cut down on the number of movies I buy.  I’m not a renter, I prefer to own so I can watch when I want.  I have 375 DVD’s and about 175 VHS, I’ve been collecting movies for ages.

Today I bought three movies but two were strictly because I was gay:

Once Upon A Mattress – When I was in High School we did this musical and I was the lead……the MALE lead in case you were wondering.  So I have always enjoyed this show.  Plus it’s Carol Burnett and Tracey Ullman, OUAM was Carol Burnett’s Broadway Debut and now she’s playing the queen…ah how it must be to get old.

The other movie I got was Sky High strictly because Lynda Carter is in it and she was Wonder Woman – that’s more than enough reason isn’t it?  Wonder Woman!

I’ll try to be less gay in 20-06, I promise.

Friday, December 30, 2005

That Boyfriend is gonna be the end of me


New Years Eve Costume
Originally uploaded by mlehet.
The other day The Boyfriend came over and he was carrying this big "suit" bag from Neiman Marcus or something like that....he proceeds to pull out a beautiful velvet jacket - an amazing dark red/burgundy.

Bastard, now I've got nothing to wear!

We had a girls day out today to find an outfit for me for New Year's Eve.

I told The Boyfriend, find me something and I'll buy it.....so after a pizza buffet lunch (which was quite yummy) we tackled Marshall Field's on State Street with all of the suburbanites who were in "to get the sale." Lots of things on sale, but not great sales if you know what I mean.

The Boyfriend found this great velvet pinstriped jacket and got mad at me when I told him I didn't want to wear a plain "color" shirt, I've gotta have some jazz if you know what I mean. So we found this ensemble (minus the pants and shoes) and it only cost me $160, not bad for a frock eh?

I hope that you have a wonderful and exciting New Year's Eve and that you get to spend it with people you want to. If you're spending it with people you don't like, then it's your big excuse to get drunk!

Whatever you do, be safe, be sane and don't drink and drive, we need you around for 20-06!

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Why Charity Sucks, Part Tres

Ok, this isn't Charity per se, but it's still money that should have gone to those that needed it.

Link

Apparently the Small Business Administration (SBA) did an audit on Government Backed Loans that were to go to those business affected by the 9/11 tragedy. Of the 59 cases they sampled, they found that only 9, or 15%, appeared to be qualified for the disaster loans. That' means 85% of the money that was set aside as loans for those affected by the disaster never made it there.

Is it just me, or do we seem to be in a world where everyone is just in it for themselves and it doesn't matter how dishonest, wrong or disrespectful you are, just get it.

I'm gonna stop surfing the internet today because I'm tired of looking at all of this.

Life Imitates Art

Did you see Fargo?

If you didn't then stop reading this.

Remember how they got rid of the body in the end?

Apparently some guy in Colorado met the same fate recently LINK

Poor guy, that has got to be the worst way to exit this world.

On another note, here's my 12 minutes of fame, Frances McDormand's parents live in the same little town where I grew up. Her father is now a retired Pastor but was active when I was living there, if I had only known then what I know now! My Mom met Frances one evening when they were out to dinner at the only "fancy" restaurant in town. (When I say Fancy it's because all the Silverware Matches and they have those nice heavy 'clothlike' napkins there, not Fancy like Four Seasons fancy.)

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Why Now?


achildrensign
Originally uploaded by Jeanne8.
They never had this kind of stuff when I was a kid....I feel so gyped!

Complications

Complications

Thank goodness last week I was able to fly downtown and have a nice quiet lunch with The Boyfriend at Corner Bakery, because that’s not gonna happen this week.

The way the Holidays are falling this year, we’re having two 4-day weekends, I had last Friday off and The Boyfriend had to work so I went downtown to meet him for lunch. It’s a treat I always enjoy because I get to do something special with him (I hope he feels the same way). So this week we were going to go shopping for a New Year’s Eve frock for me and it’s turned into this huge hullabaloo that’s gonna stress me out all day.

A very good friend of mine wanted to get together for lunch because he has the day off as well, so I said sure, we can both meet The Boyfriend for lunch and do some shopping, have a girls+plus afternoon. A friend of mine invited me to do something on Friday and I said, “I’m sorry, but I’ve got this other commitment…blah…blah…blah…and he says, “Oh that would be great, I’d love to do that with you.”

I think I need to set up a schedule and a list of talking points for the afternoon, I’m gonna have my handsful!

Why Charity Sucks, Part Deux

If you may recall, I posted this article about how crappy people can be with money that was given to them so they could provide charity to someone in need.

Check out this latest nugget of information about Call Center employees who helped their friends and family submit false claims against money that was donated for Hurricance Katrina.

How low can people get?

Monday, December 26, 2005

Public Service Announcement


sober 4
Originally uploaded by sneakerman.
We have these little PSA posters at work, the one this month says "Don't let alcohol ruin your holidays."

A Holiday Wish

My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me "forwards" over the past 12 months.

Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy.

Extra thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat crap in the glue on envelopes, because I now have to go get a wet towel every time I need to seal an envelope.

Also, I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with HIV.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants, even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone might drug me with a cologne sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from, nor send packages by, UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer answer the phone, because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore and Uzbekistan.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive my free replacement pair from Nike.

I no longer have to buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe.

I no longer worry about my soul because at last count I have 363,214 angels looking out for me.

Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

I no longer have any money because I gave it to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital (for the 258th time) but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special email program.

Yes, I want to thank you so much for looking out for me that I will now return the favor!

E-MAILS ARE WONDERFUL AND HAVE IMPROVED MY LIFE STYLE!!!!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 7 minutes, a large pigeon with a wicked case of diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 p.m. (EST) this afternoon. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.

Thank all ya'll!

Sunday, December 25, 2005

I'm Addicted to Sudoku


Addiction
Originally uploaded by mlehet.
Have you played Sudoku? I'm always on the tail end of these fads, but I'm hooked.

I was at my local Walgreens on Wednesday night and saw this little electronic contraption for $14.95, I knew I had 5 days of vacation ahead, so I'm now officially addicted to Sodoku.

I was a little reluctant to start in on this apparent fad game because I didn't want to appear stupid or dim witted if it took me 45 minutes to complete a 5 minute puzzle.

But the "game" is very easy to understand and easy to pick up. I'm still learning the strategy but I'm getting better.

It's a fun game.

Merry Christmas

I hope that everyone had a pleasant Christmas Holiday and you got everything you wished for.

We had a very lazy Christmas Day, sleeping in and going to The Boyfriends Mom's for Christmas.

It was very exciting to watch his 6 year old son (who still believes in Santa) open presents that Santa had dropped off at 4 different locations! Can you believe that, he was having a ball.

We had a wonderful dinner (although I am have totally eaten my Ham quotient this year).

I'm not a ham fan at all, I usually only eat it at Easter which was the only time my Mom really made it. Well we had it last night for Christmas Eve Dinner and for Christmas Dinner, no more ham for Mikey.

Christmas Eve was a blast, I have a very good friend who got a job of a lifetime, but it means that he and his partner have to move to Rhode Island, they leave next week. So they hosted a dinner party at their home thta was spectacular! There were 10 of us there, 2 of which were parents to a guest. We enjoyed copious amounts of wine and told many many jokes over dinner. We had smart, witty dinner conversation, like I imagine adults would do on a regular basis if we weren't always driving through Wendy's for dinner.

The Parents were quite fun and very open to all of the gayity around them, Mom in fact got many many zingers out during dinner, we loved her!

As we were leaving and I was giving my hosts a hug goodbye (because I know it will be a long time before I see them again) I whispered in his ear "I'm so lucky, I get to say 'I knew him when,' I've never been able to do that before."

I had so much fun I had to stop and get my car this morning becuase I couldn't drive it home last night.

The Boyfriend got me some amazing stationery (which he said he got by reading here, So Shout Out's to him). He also got me the gift that keeps on giving........season tickets to the Broadway In Chicago theater series, check out the things we're going to see this year. I got some other wonderful presents as well.

I hope you got everything you wished for and more than you could ever need!

Here's a funny parody video of the Madonna's - Hung Up, check it out, it'll make you giggle.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Relations

Bubba and Homer were sitting in back of their trailers, shooting the breeze.

Bubba asked Homer, "If I snuck ovah to yore house while you wuz out fishin' an' I made love to yore wife, an' she got pregnant, would that make us kin?"

Homer scratched his head for a bit then said,"I don't think so, but it shore would make us even!"

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

One of these things is not like the other - Diesel Ad

Funny thing, I'm flipping through this big glossy fashion magazine at The Boyfriend's house the other night and I show him the advertisment on the right.

I flash it at him and then ask him what was for sale. Boots he said.

Then I asked, what colors, well he got one color right the red ones!

Later he was looking at the New York Times Style section and what was on the back page but THE SAME AD but something's a little different about it.

What a hot ad!

New Hat


New Hat
Originally uploaded by mlehet.
I bought a hat while we were in Columbus.

I'm not a hat person, but I guess that can change (or maybe not).

I'll let you know after I wear it out for the first time!

Check out this cool game

Guess The Google

Just go do it.

Why Charity Sucks (or why you should be cautious when donating money)

Check out this article

When you donate money to a charity, do you know how much of it actually makes it to the people that really need it?

Basically, this guy is the President of the Goodwill in Portland (you know the non-profit org) and his salary last year was $830,000. Yes you read that right, $830K for running a non-profit organization.

I agree that just because he is working for a non-profit organization that is supposed to help people he shouldn't be allowed to make money, but he is the president of the Portland Goodwill, not President of the entire Goodwill Organization, just one little tiny part of it all. In fact they said that he made the most out of all the other executives at the other 172 Goodwill locations in North America.

Is it just me or is this wrong?

I guess I'm a bit biased because my sister runs her own non-profit organization where she helps people get housing and I see how little she "gets" out of it, she does well enough to have a house/food/etc, but she's not going galavanting around the country spending other people's money.

If he took a 50% cut in salary, imagine how many more people could be helped by his organization.

Ok, I'm done Ranting!

Happy Winter Solstice


The winter solstice is one of the two times each year that the Sun is at its farthest point from the equator and appears to stand still. It occurs today at 1:35 P.M. EST.

The word solstice is derived from the Latin sol, or "Sun," and stitium, or "stoppage."

The Halcyon Days also occur around this time - According to ancient legend, a grieving wife named Alcyone, or Halcyon, threw herself into the sea upon discovering the drowned body of her beloved husband, Ceyx. The gods took pity on the pair, transforming them into kingfishers with the power to still the stormy seas for 14 days around the time of the winter solstice while they built their nest and hatched their young.

Today marks the shortest day of the year and the longest night of the year, it's all downhill from here as the days will progressively get longer and longer.

The sun appears at it's lowest point on the horizon today and if you look at it around noon over the next several days it will appear to be in the same point in the sky.

Don't you just love astronomy? It truly is one thing that remains constant throughout time.

Monday, December 19, 2005

Billy & Carlos


The FIRST
Originally uploaded by mlehet.

Billy and Carlos were so excited the other day, we got a card from the amazing Captain Howdy Girl herself!

To show their excitement they wanted to have their picture taken with the card. It started putting some thoughts in their heads.

They figure they're a couple of good looking guys, they should be able to use this Internet Thing to their advantage and have a little fun at the same time.

So if you'd like to have your postcard featured with Billy and/or Carlos just let me know I'll send you the address.

Who knows Flo may even show up now and again!

Thank you CHG for the lovely card!

**Click on the picture to see all of the Carlos & Billy Pictures

Friday, December 16, 2005

Farting

Ok someone is going to have to step through the Internet and slap me for the statement I’m about to make.

Remember 30 years ago when we were kids and how we thought our parents were such dorks and had no idea what was going on in “our” world?

I used to have bad thoughts about my parents, I mean hell I may have been growing up in the middle of nowhere without any natural “peers” but I guess some things just come naturally.  Looking back, I know that all of those bad thoughts were wasted energy (If I only knew then what I know now [slap me again]), and that eventually we’ll realize that.  But it got me to thinking, do you think the reason we distrust people is because our parents are the first to betray us, the first to lie to us?

Think about it, our parents lied to us about Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny all of these little white lies.  If our parents are going to lie to us then who can we ever really trust?  Instead, we perpetuate the situation, we continue (even though we know it’s wrong) the little white lies….why?  Why is it that we know it’s wrong, we were pissed off when we found out about it….but we continue to do it.  Is it some sort of cosmic first practical joke that adults get to play?

It went on for years didn’t it, at least 10 years at my house (my sister is 4 years older and I believed in Santa until I was 6 or so).  Parents making up these little white lies, to a point where they almost become legends and then myths.  My mother has this recording of me on Christmas morning, I must have been 4 or 5 and was really really tongue tied.  My Mother asked me if I heard Santa and I reply (in this most horrible voice):  “I hearded footsteps last night, I hearded them”  Oh my god what a Dork!  So obviously I thought he was real because I could have sworn I heard that fucker on the roof!

But once the first myth began to fade the rest were easy to get rid of.  I think the most difficult one to let go of is Santa Claus because he seems like a real person.  Others were easy to let go of and pretend “Oh I knew all the time” like Easter….The Easter Bunny …hello he’s a rabbit and he delivers fucking eggs, where in the hell did he get those god damned eggs, that’s what I want to know.

One thing I remember about my dad was he was ability to pass wind on command, not just spontaneously but literally on command.  At the most inopportune time you’d be sitting there and all of a sudden things just turned rotten.  Once the first one was out my Dad was like “Well what the hell, it’s gonna happen so lets have fun with it.”  We would scream and yell and make all sorts of obscene gestures to display how terrible it was to be affected by these gaseous odors.  We would make a nasty little game about it, that’s sorta sick.

Once Dad figured out that we were grossed out about it, it suddenly became a torture device.  He would always use the lame excuse, “Oh I can’t help it.”  

This is also the man who loves to put mayonnaise on his mashed potatoes, I swear once he figures out that it freaks you out, he gets some little freaky pleasure from it (Oh my god, That’s where my sister gets it from).  

As I was thinking about this I realized that I am now around the age my Dad was when we were going through all this, and I realized:  I can pass wind on command now too, I guess it’s inherited.

***NOTE*** If you are reading this note, then good for you!  I apologize this post was starting out as one thing and ended up in a totally different way.  I was going to edit it down, but then I figured what the hell it’s Christmas!

The Boyfriend and I are going out of town this weekend, Flo is going (She is so excited) I’ll take lots of pictures.  Have a great weekend.

March of the Penguins

Have you seen March of the Penguins?

If you haven't seen it yet, I suggest you add it to your NetFlix queue or run down to Target and buy a copy for Christmas.

I seem to enjoy documentaries more so lately, I guess because I want to get something out of a movie other than 2 hours of wasted time.

March is an amazing tale and when you finish you'll just shake your head and want to hit the play button again. The things that these penguins go through to survive is totally amazing.

I saw this article today and right away based on my new found knowledge, I was able to answer why those penguins were getting fat....you'll be able to figure it out after you've seen the movie too and you won't need to be a zoologist either.

Check out the movie, if your animal lover you'll truly enjoy it (except for the sad parts). But keep this in the back of your mind while you're watching it.....someone (a human) was there to film this - that's an amazing feat unto itself!

Dreams

I have been having the most bizarre dreams as of late (due to the medication I'm taking - in fact my Doctor told me that the only reason he has taken anyone off of this drug is becuase some people just can't handle the dreams).

Now I dream all the time, or at least I think I do, but typcially I don't remember them. Or I remember them when I first wake up but shortly after if I don't try to 'recall' the dream I'll quickly forget about it. But lately I have been dreaming up a storm, like all night long.

It really is bizarre and I can understand why some people would be freaked out by this but it's sort of interesting. In fact the other morning I had a dream in those 9 minutes of the snooze on the alarm clock, typically I'm half awake during that time period anyway and don't dream but recently I have been - freaky!

Have you ever had recurring dreams? I have had those for quite some time, I wouldn't say so much recurring as a continuation of the last dream, not like I had the same dream over and over again (falling off a cliff) but perhaps I'll be in the same building or same car as I've been before and it seems to pick up where I left off before.

I seem to have two recurring "theme" dreams - one is about a house/apartment buildings and the other is about vehicles, specifically school busses.

Now I've not had the School Bus dream in a few years, but lately I've been having a lot of apartment/house dreams...

I think I should start recording my thoughts first thing when I wake up, perhaps there might be a movie in there.

In fact last night I remember part of my dream I was with two people I didn't know - or don't know yet - and I told them I had a movie idea but I was going to share it with them later.....damn why would I do that?

I hope I can finish that dream later!

Overheard in The Office

It took me a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but then I realized that someone was showing off some vacation photos, here are a few descriptions that were given:

- This is something
- We were coming or going
- I’m right here but I’m not in the picture
- I don’t know what that is
- What in the hell is that?

Looking for a Date

Hey, all of you single women out there, a friend of mine (well he's really not a friend of mine per se) is looking for a date.

Check him out

Thursday, December 15, 2005

What a Stinker


PC150013
Originally uploaded by mlehet.
The Boyfriend is such a stinker, look what he surprised me with today.

He is so cheeky!

And He's mine.

Be Careful What You Wish For

How many times a day do you say: "Oh I wish.....?"

Be careful what you wish for, those dreams may just come true, but not the way you want them to.

You know what I'm talking about "Oh I wish I were famous" and then boom your struck by a bus right outside the TV station and they happen to catch it on film, well you are famous then aren't you?

Or how about "Oh I wish I could meet so-and-so (insert famous person name here)?" Well you do and then guess what you end up doing this:


Who wants to bet that this brunette grew up "wanting to be famous" well she's famous now...she's Mariah Carey's Straw Holder. In my eyes you can't get much more famous than that can you? You're around Mariah all day (can you just imagine) and your only job is to constantly put that straw right in Mariah's mouth. Look how she's holding that straw, it's obvious she's a professional. I wonder if when she gets totally fed up with this job if she'll purposely shove that straw straight up Mariah's nose, now wouldn't that be funny?

**NOTE - This is not going to become a celebrity blog, but I just find it so funny the "people" that we consider celebrities nowadays. Just because they have music/fashion/photos someone can be a celebrity. Do you think Mariah would have been a celebrity 100 years ago like the legendary Fanny Brice or Sarah Vaughn? I don't think so. It's the media's fault too you know.

Could you just imagine?


This was on msnbc.com:

Donatella Versace says that Elton John helped her kick a cocaine habit and go to the same Arizona rehab clinic that Kate Moss recently checked herself into, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. “On June 30 [2004] he was in my house in Milan, along with a few friends,” she said. “I went to the bathroom to powder my nose and they blocked me. They told me there was a plane about to depart for Arizona. I was shocked but I understood the time had come. I slipped into a tracksuit and ... alone and with no make up, caught the plane.”

Poor Donatella, can you just imagine her with no make up! S-C-A-R-Y

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Christmas Parties

Tis the season for Christmas Parties isn't it? Everybody's got to have one, but then who can blame them, all we're doing is setting ourselves up for a long long winter.

I on the other hand like to have a party in February when all the crap is over and done with and we are all realizing that it's gonna be another 5 months until it gets warm again!

Have you used EVite? It's a clever tool, I'll never hand out invitations again for a big party. The one thing I like is that you can leave comments on whether you're coming, or not coming or just don't want to be bothered. I was looking through a few of the party invites I've gotten this year and reading the responses, this was the best decline I've seen in quite a while:

Thanks for the invite, but as this time of year always offers more parties than a human can get to! I am attending a friend's gathering. Enjoy!

Oops, don't you hate it when you miss a word? Really what he's saying is, your party isn't good enough I'm going to a real friend's party.....hmmm remind me not to send him an eVite in the February.

Video Google

Have you seen the new Video Google site?

I posted a few of my movies there and I have been getting a ton of traffic from there, you should go check it out.

Today I saw this video Oh my god this is honestly the funniest thing I have seen in years.

You know we always get those little funny videos and animations and emails, but this really made me laugh out loud.

I guess it's from a VH-1 program called Scare Tactics (I don't have cable so I've never seen it) but this short video (about 2 minutes) is the funniest thing I have seen in ages....go check it out.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

What's in your drawers


My messy drawer
Originally uploaded by mlehet.

Do you have a digital camera? Do you have a Flickr account? Do you have messy kitchen drawers?

I bet the answer to all of those questions is a resounding

YES

I created a Flickr Group called Kitchen Drawer where we can all showcase our amazingly organized (or dis-organized) kitchen drawers.

If you'd like to join the group, you can do that on the Flickr page, if you don't want to join perhaps you could just post on your own blog and share a link back here?

We've all got our dirty little secrets, just like those "Desperate Housewives" show us your messy drawers, come on, I dare you!

Cops! Bad Boy Bad Boy What You Gonna Do

Why I love the program “Cops” on Fox TV

  • Lady calls 911 because a “snake” got in her house

  • Officer comes and proceeds to rip up baseboard in closet where the snake is supposedly hiding.

  • Woman says (while on the phone with her mama) “Do you think it could have come in through that door?  Oh god, I’ve got to get some snake away or something”

  • Officer continues to rip out about 12 inches of drywall looking for said snake.

  • Officer checks basement for said snake finds nothing.

  • Office leaves, woman finds snake while officer still in drive.

  • Officer returns to pull out 12” garter snake with a nice pattern on him.

  • Woman says (off the phone now) “Oh he’s black and white, I got 2 out of three colors wrong.”

  • Officer takes said snake to yard and drops him in the bushes.
How much you want to bet that fucking snake got back in her house?

Friday, December 09, 2005

Naked Skydiving

I was inspired by this photo from Andi

I've had this video for years, I just came across it and I wanted to share it with you.

I have no idea what the guy is saying (but as you'll see it really doesn't matter).

Next time you think about skydiving naked, watch this.

If you'd like to share this video with your friends via email or on your blog here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/?v=mJ8DdtL6yzw

But here's the video:

What can six inches hurt?

I know we've all asked ourselves that question before....it's only six inches, how much can that hurt?

Well we got six inches of snow last night therefore I took the train/bus to work today. I knew that I was not going to be in the mood to dig out my car at 6:45 am, no sirre bob.

But I did make a movie about my commute.

Lifesaver


Lifesaver
Originally uploaded by mlehet.
Everythings a life saver.

Birds of a Feather


Birds of a Feather
Originally uploaded by mlehet.
Must stick together.

Flo was very sad to see this posting on MSNBC.

LINK

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Chicago Video Tour

This was one of my first movies.

I grabbed the camera one afternoon and walked from Millennium Park in Downtown Chicago to Water Tower Place Mall.

My favorite part is all the way at the end (I'm sorry) but watch it through I think you'll be happy with it as well.

2004 Chicago Marathon

Last year I decided to chase the Chicago Marathon through the city using the CTA.

I began my morning on the El platform leading to the marathon and followed it through 4 different stops within the city. Including: Downtown, Gold Coast, China Town and Grant Park.

The first snow


I love the first snow, you know the one I’m talking about the first REAL snow of the year the one that’s really gonna leave it’s mark.

Not that piddly little quarter of an inch that was melted 20 minutes after it landed, the first big snow that’s dropping several inches of the white stuff.

Well we’re having our “first snow” of the year right now. It’s been snowing since about 2:30 PM CST and now 3 hours later we have about 3.5 inches of it. The roads are totally covered, the snow plows haven’t been out yet, people are trying to shovel the walkways but it is just snowing.

I always like the first snow, I don’t know what it is….I think it’s the calming of it.

Walk outside after the first snow or while it’s snowing and it’s just quiet. The snow is muffling everything, the car horns, the stereos, the kids walking down the street, everything is just quiet, well to a point.

I remember growing up in rural PA and when it snowed it was so quiet you could hear the snow landing. Have you ever heard that?

It’s the most amazing thing, here you are in a vast open space, snow is falling everywhere and it’s loud! You can almost hear each snowflake land on the one before it and start to build that big layer that you’re going to end up shoveling in a few hours. At first you don’t realize it, you try and figure out what it is, you’re taking in the beauty that is just the snow and then it hits you it’s the snow. It’s the snow that is making all of that noise.

Something light and fluffy and appears to be so delicate and fragile is loud. So loud that it makes you wonder what quiet really is? Like after you’ve been to a concert and you are lying in bed that evening and your ears are ringing, it’s that quiet but with snow!

I love the city when it snows. Well when you get that first snow, because as soon as the snow plows and salt trucks are out and the snow is black, it sort of ruins it. But when it’s just starting, like it is now, that’s when I like it the best. The only people out are the ones that REALLY need to be out, that’s my favorite time to go walking, because it’s just you and the snow, and you’d better wear boots that’s for sure.

I hope that we have a gentle winter as I don’t think I’m up for a lot since I lost my parking space last month! Now I’ve got to worry about winter in Chicago and I’m sure you’ve heard how crazy it gets here with parking spots. Oh don’t worry, I’ll post all about them this winter, I promise.

I hope you get your first snow of the year soon (If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere and above the Equator).

Getting Ready for the Holidays

Here's a little funny for you, I think you'll enjoy (especially Ms. Mac since she loves The BK)

Link

What makes you gay

Yesterday we had another off-site party at the bowling alley.

We play three games, two regular and one "crazy bowl"

Crazy Bowl is where you hop on one foot, bowl with your opposite hand, etc. One of the frames is you hold the hand of the person that bowled before you.

Following is a conversation I was involved in:

Team Member: (to coordinator) I am informing you that I will not be holding hands with another guy. That's what makes you gay.
Me: Uhm, that's not what makes you gay.

I thought this was quite funny as did one of my team-mates who is "in on" my secret!

***NOTE to further expound:
- this is a grown man
- this is a grown man that stops by my desk every day to read my joke of the day calendar
- this is a grown man who is a computer geek
- this is a grown man who has no idea I am gay (he MUST be headless is all I can say)

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

What's Flo been up to?


Reddi to go
Originally uploaded by mlehet.
You should check out Flo and see what she's been up to.

All I can say is that she called me and told me to pick up a few more cans of Reddi Wip if I wanted any with my pie!

She is such a ho!

Monday, December 05, 2005

Another Video

Here's a video I made for work. We had a Team Building - Bowling outing a few weeks ago. I took my video camera with us and put this together. It was shown today at our "End of the Yeare Kick-off Meeting" Everyone enjoyed it.

It's work stuff, but still thought I'd share:

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Thank You

I just wanted to say Thank You to everyone that has left me a comment or has sent me an email, I am truly grateful.

Things are going well, in fact I think that I may post about it later this week, I'm still trying to put all the words together in my mind.

Please know that I am doing well and I hope that you are doing well too!

Flo and the Sushi Man


Flo had a great evening last night having Sushi for the first time.

She confided in me that she's had tons of raw fish in her day but never something like this.

She felt all refined and stuff eating with those prongs they gave her.

If you haven't checked on Flo in a while click on her picture to see what she's been up to!

Sushi Sushi Sushi

Let's just say I'm not a big fan of sushi, well that's not a fair statement. I like sushi, but I don't seek it out would be a better statement.

Last evening a friend of mine called and asked what I was doing for dinner. The Boyfriend (he told me I should refer to him by name but I figure that's more confusing for you) had his son so I was on my own. My friend wanted to go for sushi, so I said 'moshi moshi let's go for sushi' (I'm sure that's offensive to someone, sorry.

The place was a BYOB so we stopped at the store and got a couple cans of Sapporo beer and headed for the best seats at the Sushi Bar.

They gave me a menu but it was all greek to me because I had no idea what to order so I told my friend you order and I'll eat what I eat, I'm open to new things.

Mike - The Sushi Chef was celebrating his one year anniversary of working there so the place had a festive mood about it. Sake was pouring down the aisles....warm sake at that....I think that since the place is a BYOB they can't "sell" alcohol but they can give it away (gotta love that).


Chef Mike celebrating 1 year

My friend ordered several things, I tried all of them except the Maki Tuna and the Sushi Scallop, I'm not a big raw fish fan, he said they were delicious.

I did eat some Rainbown Roll and a roll that had tempura shrimp that was yummy. Then Chef Mike asked if we wanted something special, we said sure.

Well it took about 30 minutes but this is what came out:

How can I describe this? The rolls on bottom had been deep fried so they were crispy, they had vegetables and other things in it, on top was a spicy soft shell crab mixture. To call it a mixture is probably the worst word to describe it, but I really can't describe what it tasted like. When you first started eating it, it was crispy and solid in your mouth but then you could taste the soft shell crab in this delectable creamy dressing after you swallowed you could feel this very warm sensation creep over your tongue from the peppers. That then took over your mouth as you realize what you've just eaten. The only thing that would quench that burn was a cup of warm sake!

I think it was a good evening, the Sushi was cold and the beer and sake were warm!

Saturday, December 03, 2005

A New Chapter

We all have chapters in our lives, some are short some are long. Some are well defined and you know when they're over and some just sort of fade from one to the next.

Last night was the definitive end of a chapter, my Doctor has put me on a medication regimen that's gonna last a lifetime, and last night was the first night I took it......

I sort of had to psych myself up for it (I don't know why, it's good for me) but I was sort of sad that I was alone. The Boyfriend had his son and I had to start treatment to stay on schedule.

One Chapter ends and a whole new Chapter begins, I hope this one is a bit more exciting.

Friday, December 02, 2005