A Christmas Story

Happy Monday. Here is the story that Tante Reni sent to VonMom via email. We figure the year she's referring to was about 1948. Please keep in mind that English is her second language, so forgive any spelling or grammar errors, as I chose to not edit the story, but just to paste it here as written. Enjoy. "Had a memory flash of a christmas when i was 17, This christmas was something that seems to come back over again and gives me a warm feeling. This christmas was one completely unplanned and a spur of the moment thing.The best christmas ever. it was late november or early December during the Blokade in Berlin.Since we only had gas and electricity for 2 hours during the day and 2 hours during the night , we could not cook dinner and had to go to a soup kitchen set up in a church hall not far from our house. Anita , my bosom buddy and I both went to get some soup for our families.Standing in line on this cold, grey noon , we saw a very elderly lady approaching the line and let her ahead of us in line.She wore no gloves and had her feet wrapped in rags, she wore no shoes.her hands were turning blue.Both Anita and I were whispering how sorry we felt for her predicament .Then an idea hit me, why not help her and make a christmas for her.We followed her at a distance to detect where she lived, knowing that we very likely otherwise would never find her again.Then both of us returned to my home and made concrete plans what in reality we could possibly do for her to lighten her burden.She looked so frail and alone.She needed shoes, gloves and possibly some food that could not be obtained with food stamps.A big order understanding that during that period of time there were no manufacturers in production of anything.This ment we had to find any kind of material we needed, by other means.I found an old sweater that we unraveled and stretched over a cardboard to straighten the wool out for knitting.i started on gloves right away.Anita could not knit.We searched for something solid to create soles for shoes , and came up with old bicycle tires.An old blanket from somewhere became the top, on of my childhood muffs of rabbit fur became the liner.I had an idea of patterns , learned from making dolls clothes.Both Anita and I stitched and sewed with an upholstery needle to get the shoes done.It turned out warm soft and with the bicycle tires as soles, quite sturdy.Then we both used our own allowance to start bartering on the black-market for sugar , coffee and butter.A pound of each.We then had to get her also a christmas tree, which we purchased from a florist. A tiny tree in a pot. On the 24th in the afternoon we set out with all of our goodies completed to her home hoping she would be at the place we thought she lived.We had the little tree decorated with some tinsel a few tiny candles and few mini balls. Both of us very excited marched to her house , rang the bell and when she opened the door we also were speachless. We gave her all of our goodies her eyes were wide in surprise, we just could say :Merry christmas turned around and left running.Never knew her name and that was not important anyway, but the feeling that surged through both of us was overwhelming joy.We had done it ! To this day i still see this little old lady against the dark hall. By now it was pitch dark, but for us we where in the glow of giving from the heart.My best ever christmas.And the best part is it returns to me every year and gives me again a warm surge of satisfaction and joy.It was such a dark time in history and yet we glowed. " True or enhanced, I hope this story gives you the same warm fuzzies it gave me. Happy Holidays to you, and yours, and theirs, and those other peoples. Ho, Ho, and Ho.

A gift given, to be passed on

Yesterday, VonMom forwarded an email to my sister and I that she received from her sister, Renata. Renata is nearly 80, and she's in the process of writing her life story. She's got a very interesting tale to tell, as she grew up in Berlin during WWII. In the email that VonMom forwarded was one of Reni's memories, which she titled her favorite Christmas ever. I asked VonMom if I could repost the story to my blog. She said that I could, and I intend to do that tomorrow. After reading and re-reading the story, I asked my mother if she felt all of it was true. She sighed, and chuckled, then said "Well, Von, it's how she remembers it. So most of it is probably true." Let's keep that in mind tomorrow when you read it. The main point of the story is about giving. And not gifts to loved ones, but a gift to a complete stranger. It got me to thinking. My parents are and always have been quiet givers. Watching them do good things for others while not making a big show of it might have inspired me. I'm not going to go into specifics, because in this I will not look for pats on the back, or atta-girls, but for the past 10 or so years I've been quietly giving myself. Much like Tante Reni, who I rarely see and seldom talk to, I look for a need and I do what I can to fill it. Her story made me feel that even though she's quite a bit older than my mom, and thousands of miles away, and from a truly different time and place, that she's my family. We're very much alike in some understated, blink-and-you'll-miss-them ways. Her story makes me finally feel in the spirit this season. I hope in some way that you either have or will give this season, to someone in need, or a group of people you admire. All I ask is you do it quietly. And then be proud of yourself.

This could get interesting.

Things could get interesting over at the old facebook. One of my very most super duper pet peeves is when people are repeatedly, unending vague and/or cryptic in their status posts (AG - I AM, in part, talking about you). I hate it. Either say what you have to say or don't. Don't make me ask - Gee, what's going on? or Gee, what's wrong? or Oh my! What's up with that? I don't care. Or I did care, but your cancer of cryptic turned me off. SO Instead of going to each and every offenders' pages and virtually punching them in the face, I'm doing something else. I'm being blazingly transparent with my status updates. I'm making a point. They may suck. They may be boring. But they will be point blank exactly what I'm doing, or feeling or whatever in that moment. I hope some of the people take the hint.

Uh buh bye

I would like to request the banishment of the phrase "It is what it is". I think as of 12/31/2009 11:59:59 we should all stop using that phrase. I've heard it used by each of my friends who lost their jobs this year, also in regards to deaths in families that I care about. When my car breaks down, when your car breaks down, when it rains/snows/is hot/cold/tepid/chilly. ENOUGH. What a defeatist horrible statement. It should always be accompanied by a dramatic sigh and the swiping of one's brow with the back of one's hand. Please. Please help me in my campaign to abolish this phrase from our daily vernacular. And if it does get carried into 2010? Well, it is what it is. Sigh.

I smell like potato pancakes

But the warm fuzzy in my belly from eating said pancakes, and bratwurst and some cocoa make it all ok. God bless the ChristKindle Markt in Daley Plaza. And woo-hoo for my parents and sibling coming downtown to have lunch with me there. And cha-ching to the candy shoppe who has my $$$, and I have their cola gummies, and cherry gummies, and chocolate santas, and wafer kuchens, and kinder eggs...... Man, I love german stuff.

Reason # 467

Why do I love SIL1X so much? Let me count the ways...... but here's reason # 467: Got a text message from her on Friday: 'can you stop by on your way home from work? I have something for you.' my response: 'sorry, I'm already at Old Town. ooooh what have you got for me?' her response: 'Fun Dip' See, not only does she read my blog, she gets me candy just because I said I want candy in my blog.

Awww, kids

Had the iPod on shuffle today while doing some chores, and suddenly a Fall Out Boy song came on. I don't remember which song it was, but it reminded me of a story. It's Chicago. Pretty much everyone between the ages of 25 and 35 has a Fall Out Boy story. Don't worry. I'm not going to the the I know them thing. I don't know them, nor do I care. But. I do have a story about me and them. Many many years ago I was at a show for my friends' band. It was at this place where it was a mexican taco counter in the front, and a bar in the back that let bands play. It was called Big Horse Lounge. AWESOME. Anyway. It was winter. Bitter-ass cold. It hadn't been snowing when I got there, but as my friends' were packing up their gear, it was really coming down. One of those horrible storms that pretty much had the city all tied up. Big Horse is somewhere more in the city. I don't remember what neighborhood, but it was a pretty busy area. I was standing outside the bar having a cigarette waiting for my friends. A car pulled up and this dude jumped out and walked right up to me. "Hi!" "Hiiiii" (that's me, being uncertain and trying to be standoffish) This dude had to be a teenager, and I pegged him for being suburban right out of the gate. "Hey, so my band has gotten a show at -------- Bar, and we need a bunch of people there. If we get a lot of people there, then maybe we'll get another show there..." He kinda went on and on and on. He was preaching to the choir. I know of which bar he spoke, I'd been there many times. I even knew how they operated. I knew that it's a big(ish) deal to play there, and all of the rest....... ".....so I'm going to hang some flyers in there and here's a flyer you can have." "? Oh, yeah. Sure. Ok." But something about the kid struck me. He was so excited and eager and into it. In that moment that was the most important thing in his life. He had driven in from somewhere (again, suburbia) in a big storm to get these flyers out and talk to some music fans. He was freezing (too cool to button his coat, hat more stylish than warm, you know, teendress) but was approaching anyone he could and grinning while asking if he could hang some flyers. He went right up to some scary looking people and started chatting them up. He had it. IT. On his way back to his car, he stopped by me again. "So you should come. We're pretty good. Well, we don't suck. It's something new. You'll like it. You should come to the show." "Um, yeah, ok maybe." I really didn't know how to read this kid, so I wasn't my usual warm sunshiny self. After he hopped back in his car and drove off down the street to the next "live music here" dive bar, I watched him go. I admit, I forgot all about the show, and didn't go. I've thought about him over the years, whenever I go see friends' bands in the winters. Flash forward a bunch of years...... I'm working at the Teen Center. My kids like to bring me new music all the time. They give me this new CD "From Under the Cork Tree". At first, I was meh. Then I gave it another listen. Witty. Lyrics and song titles? Witty. Songs. Ok, not half bad - and I would clean my house to it. I keep it in rotation (this is before iPods, people) Slowly we as a people started hearing more about this it band, Fall Out Boy. Hm, ok, I have their CD not bad. Local boys make good? Ok. I didn't see them or pay any attention as I was not 15, nor a cougar, so I didn't care much what they looked like. Then they blew the hell up. You couldn't turn around without seeing that Pete Wentz turd everywhere. Finally there was some thing somewhere that showed the whole band. I did a double/triple/quadruple take. Patrick Stump. The kid, outside Big Horse. Holy Shit. He still had it. Quite a bit of IT. But the glimmer of glee seemed to be replaced by the you think you know, but you really don't have a clue half-smirk, which was a little sad.

I had to

I just had to.

I want it! (times 2)

Seen on CTA bus last night on my way home: Guy wearing a button that says "It's OK to say Merry Christmas to me!" Yep, I want it. Seen in Ogilivie train station last night on my way home: Old-boys-club type 60+ dude with very expensive suit and coat eating a Fun Dip, grinning like a school boy and I even heard a little "yummmm". Yep, I want Fun Dip. AND I wanted to give old dude a big hug. My commute? Not so boring when I'm paying attention to those around me.

I am.....

You're Ulysses! by James Joyce Most people are convinced that you don't make any sense, but compared to what else you could say, what you're saying now makes tons of sense. What people do understand about you is your vulgarity, which has convinced people that you are at once brilliant and repugnant. Meanwhile you are content to wander around aimlessly, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. What you see is vast, almost limitless, and brings you additional fame. When no one is looking, you dream of being a Greek folk hero **There you have it - I am brilliant and repugnant. *** And thanks, everyone, for the fun little quiz!!

Me thinks I'm being referred to

"When I prayed that day, and what I have continued to meditate on since, is the hope that we don't lose the ability to make contact, to ask for love, to ask for healing, to ask for someone to be with us lest we grow so comfortable with alone we forget what together feels like and how powerful touch can be." I stole (borrowed, I prefer borrowed) the above quote from my eldest step-sister's blog. I keep an eye on her blog, though I don't think she knows it. Also, the J5 do NOT read my blog. As far as I know. I don't talk about it, I've never mentioned it. How can I write about them if they know about it? So I pilfered the above from her blog to share here with you all. I feel that she is talking about me. I may have mentioned (in error, I should have never mentioned it!) that I had teared up a little while watching the Macy's parade. C'mon people! Who doesn't?! and not to mention the fact that I had pms and was kinda emotional that day anyway?? I think that too many people in my family and even some of my close friends feel that something is going on with me. IT ISN'T. Nothing, as in No Thing. By my own design, I am busy really freakin' busy. Intentional or not, it's a fact. Therefore I don't have time to decorate. I do have time to send out cards (which I did), wash my holiday sheets and comforter and throw those on the bed (which I did, and yes, I'm sleeping with Santa bitches), I will make time to shop. What is not happening is me sitting around wallowing and keening and curling up like that Cymbalta commercial. Trust me, I know how powerful touch can be, but the kind I'm looking for is NOT the kind that can be supplied by family, ya know what I mean?! And What is wrong with growing comfortable with what alone feels like? I am fine with alone. I like alone. Being the youngest twice over (youngest between VonSis and I, and also youngest between the J5 and VonSis and I) I had a LOT of not alone time the first 25 years of my life. For the past number of years I've been down-right gleeful to have my little apartment to come home to A L O N E. I like to eat cereal for dinner, ice cream before bed. I like to blast my stereo - one day ManOWar, the next Yanni, and not have to answer to anyone. I LIKE ALONE. Ultimately, yes, I see myself married and hence Not Alone, but looking at the now and at the near future, I don't have a problem with the comfort of alone. And it really bothers me that someone else does, on my behalf.

And not....

You know what I am not thankful for? Waking up at 3:30 am to drive VonSis to train station then going home thinking 'Oh no problem I will fall right back to sleep' only to not fall back asleep until 5:30 then having to get up at 6:15 to go to work. Not thankful for that, not at all. Yes, I know above is run-on sentence but oh did I mention I don't do caffeine, so I'll just have to suck up the tired and write run on sentences?!?!?

Giving Thanks (again)

Pretty much the easiest blog post to write. It's almost like cat vacuuming. What I'm thankful for this year:

• I got some good news from the doctor today. I had been worried for a few months about some test results. Turns out that a resident had given me some incorrect information and that I'm actually doing ok. I'm thankful for my relative health and well being. And there's nothing wrong with the healthier habits I've begun, so I'm not too mad at that resident.
• I'm thankful for my jobs. Every day I still feel like the luckiest person in the world with my full time job. I'm beyond thrilled that Old Town has given me a part time job that I can't wait to really get cracking at, even if it is only once a month. I do still love my job at DANK, even though I'll be losing the paid part of it in January when my term with the board begins.
• I'm thankful for my quirky, weird, lovely family. I love that we are unique and awesome and at the very least understanding of each other.
• I'm perpetually and eternally thankful for my friends. One of them has asked me to write a post for her, and I will, probably in December. I'm thankful for her, and every other one of my very best friends. My friends are my best assets, and my best qualities. They make me a better person, each and every day. I'm so grateful to have so many wicked awesome people in my life.
• I'm still thankful to the Michigan Ave Apple store - I swear, I'm going to take you all behind the bleachers and make out with you. Love the mad customer service skills you threw my way.
• I'm thankful to have not one but two warm loving places to go on Thanksgiving - see above friends and family mentions
• Also thankful for my sweet little apartment.
• And can't forget music, forever time!, always forever thankful for music (and certain bloggers who send me new and wonderful tunes to check out!)

Ok. That's enough schmoop for now.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and theirs and those other peoples.

Two things

1. I strongly dislike it when people wear their scarf on the outside of their coat. Half assedly tied about the neck area. What does this do for you? Why are you showing off your ugly scarf? Scarves are for warmth - so they should be inside the coat, keeping your precious neck/chest/front parts warm. 2. If I changed my blog name to AA Von for Now, would I then be more at the top of others' blog rolls than at the bottom? I'm getting a complex. Just became aware I'm using italics oddly today. It's like a bad Grover skit from Sesame Muppet Street Show - like the one where he runs up to the camera and yells "Near!" then runs back away and yells "Far!". Do that in your mind when you read the above italicized words: "Outside!" runrunrunrun "Inside!" runrunrun "Top!" runrunrun "Bottom!" runrunrun

Because I'm a saint

I'll be missing "Sons of Anarchy" tonight. Even though it's going to be awesome. Really awesome. Jax is all back in the club and stuff, and now they know about Gemma, and what are they going to do about it? and oh my goodness is the cop going to get it from Clay because he kept it a secret? and Jax may or may not get naked again..... but I digress Because I'm a freakin' saint - I'll be volunteering at Soldier Field at a fundraiser for the Muscular Distrophy Association. Immediately after work until pretty darn late for a school night. Volunteering, it's how I roll. That, and someone super awesome works there, and asked for my help, so of course I said yes, because did I mention she's super awesome?

Oh Crap

I sat down last night, just me, my iPod and my computer and drafted not one, not two, but three blog posts. I deleted them all, because, well, they all sucked the big one. Really really sucked. I wouldn't bother reading them, and it's my blog! Oh crap. Apparently I have bloggersblock. Please advise how I can shake the disease.

A little busy

So, yeah, I'm a little busy these days. Tonight, I'm volunteering at Old Town from 5:30 until 8:00ish. At 9:00 ZOMG - 90 minute "Sons of Anarchy" 90 minutes!!! I'm off work tomorrow, but I've got to go to teh gym (yes, again, shut up) and I have a thing at Old Town for my new very very very part time job that I got there, followed by german school. Thursday work/VonMom's/Deb's Friday work/Old Town Saturday OMG - LaurenfromBoston Ijustloveher! is in town. Will be spending some quality time with her, TheMarty and ChokingDan. I just might be choking Dan, but he could choke on his own, so he's ChokingDan. After that quality time I have my first night of training for the new job at Old Town. Excited! Sunday Not Your Momma's Book Club final meeting for the year. There will be wine. Lots and lots and lots of wine. And maybe some carbs. Sooooo Maybe I'll post next week. Yesterday I mentioned I'm taking an internetz dating break for the week. It's actually going to be a home computer break for the week. Try not to miss me. I will mail you a post card if you end up missing me too much.

I know

I've been remiss. Damn stooopid internet dating stuff takes up all of my good quality internetz time in the evenings. Embargo on the dating website this week. Hoping to write a blog post tonight. Hoping, because I've got nothing in the hopper. Well, one thing, but it was so much better/funnier/better/in-depth over a week ago when it started bouncing around in my brain. I'll try. Oh, and I'm going to the gym tonight. Yep, pick yourselves back up off the floor. That's my plan.

Dear Zombie

Dear Zombie, I have sent you an email to your real email address. Though unimportant in the grand scheme of things, I would like a reply. Preferrably with the information I am seeking. Please let me know if you have not received said email. Sincerely, V

So, I owed you some pictures.....

Picture #1: Yep - I know, I promised you this photo in May. This is my latest tattoo. It's the scorpio symbol, and the scorpio constellation. I love it, most people hate it. What can you. And no, it didn't hurt.

Picture #2: This is my cubey cube at work today. I put up the lights, LB "fixed" them, and then mailroom guy went bat-shit (pun intended) crazy with the fake spider web stuff. I LOVE it. I never want to take it down. I have to do a little limbo to get in and out of my cube, but it's awesome!!

Picture #3: This is a picture of my two zombies, made for me by my friend Krista. On the left, in blue is Zoe, she's been around for a while. On the right is Zeb, just got her last weekend. They live on my desk full time forever. I haven't yet learned how to make them, so for now I just throw money at Krista, and beg her to make me zombies.

Have a great fantastic wonderful weekend. I want to hear all about your shenanigans.

Again.

I just want to state AGAIN one of my main pet peeves. IF you are a doormat in real life, you do NOT get to pretend to be a bad ass in fake life. Define fake life? Well, thanks for asking!! Fake life = Blogs/tweets/facebook/etc. If you're mad about something and at someone in particular - Call them on the phone, or go visit them - tell them VIA SPOKEN WORD what they have done to piss you off, so it can be remedied like adults. Don't go all passive/aggressive and pretend to be a bad ass. Reminder, all you are doing is typing. In the relative safety of your home. In your jammies. Why is this a pet peeve of mine? Well, thanks for asking!! BECAUSE: What you see with me is what you get. I would never, WILL never write here or on facebook or anywhere else anything that I would not say aloud to the person who has offended me. I'm actually more likely to tell someone off and/or fix things than I am to post it here. I usually only post it here if I think it would amuse you all, my dearest readers. That being said - I expect the same from other people. I know, I expect a lot. But without lofty expectations, there would be no pet peeves, would there?

I adore them!

I'm going to take the entire Michigan Avenue Apple store behind the bleachers and totally make out with them!!! On Sunday, my beloved 4th generation iPod nano decided to stop working. Specifically, the click wheel no clicky-clicky. I make an appointment to bring sick little iPod to the Apple store this morning. Shiny happy nice people greeted me at the door, directed me to Genius bar and Mr. Awesome. Mr. Awesome ran some tests, did some stuff. Said: "Sooo. I think it cannot be repaired." and "Your warranty expired four days ago." at this point I got the cold sweat. Four days!!?!? C'mon!!! and then Mr. Awesome said: "There is no way I'm charging you for this. I mean, four days." Huh?What?Whozis? "I mean, there is no damage, and it barely just came off warranty, so I'm going to go ahead and get you a new one." Mmmmhmmmmm..... "No charge" No charge This never happens to me. Never never never. I'm so giddy. I have no iPod for a few days while I wait for the new one to arrive, but mine wasn't working anyway, so no big deal.

Do they know?!?!?

Turned on my radio first thing when I got in today. First song: In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel Second song: Run, Collective Soul Third song: Steady, as She Goes, The Raconteurs Fourth song: Friday I'm in Love, the Cure Sixth song: Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes (fifth song sucked, don't know what it was) It's like they KNOW it's my birthday, and are playing songs I love. It's going to be a good day.

People do the strangest things

In an OMG the Apocalypse can't come soon enough file: Today I was in line at Panera. There was a long line, so I was very close to the revolving door. For some random unknown reason some dumb chick decided to go counter-clockwise* through the revolving door. Hm. Um, no little push bar should have been a tip off. This in itself was not the big deal. The big deal was the 7 OTHER PEOPLE WHO THEN ALSO WENT THROUGH THE REVOLVING DOOR COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. Seriously?!?! WTF!?!?! Again, there is no push bar, and the door is squeaking in revolt. Are we really that sheep-like? Like 'I know this is wrong, but the six people before me did it, so even though it feels strangely unnatural, I'm just going to do this.' Equally scary? When I did my little smirk/chortle/head-shake, only one other person acknowledged that this was highly unusual behavior!!! In other strange news: A small group of my "peers" (yes, in quotes, I use it very loosely!!) elected me to a board of directors. Ahem. A Board of Directors. At one of Chicago's German Cultural Centers. Yep, get up off the floor. Sometimes people think of me as a grown up. That's not to say I didn't giggle like a school girl, steeple my fingers, and say "Excellent" when my name was read as a new member of the Board of.....you get the picture. If you read my comments much, you may have read that tomorrow is my birthday. This is true. Comments** make lovely gifts. :) * Correction!! Dumb chick went counter-counter clockwise, meaning the opposite of normal!! Thanks, Zombie, for pointing that out! ** Posts also make fantastic gifts!! Thanks again MenD!!

Whoops

I remember why I've been avoiding the Tuesday night poker game. There's this thing on Wednesdays that gets in the way. It's called work. I need a cheeseburger. Stat. And a pillow. And maybe some tylenol. *poker wasn't the only culprit. Stopping by the bar on my way home for 'one' might have contributed. That, and the two I had when I got home because I was mid-second wind.* And, oh yeah, I lost. Quickly.

Plenty of something

Yeah, so, I'm trying the internet dating thing. Ugh. It's time consuming. And annoying. And sometimes boring. And a whole lot of other things. Here's who I'm dealing with right now: S - AKA: SouthSideTruckMechanic HouseInUPGuy. He's a front runner. Funny conversations, decent amount of normal texts . Cute, not too cute. Has a job. And a car. Does not appear to have any chronic medical conditions*. B - AKA: BoyScoutLeaderButThat'sOKBecauseIFinditStrangelyEndearing. He has no last name. Meh on looks, high-ish voice. No job, but going back to college. Might be living with mother, but as a caretaker for her. A couple of decent conversations, a few IM chats. Does not text, but I'm learning to work around this. A - AKA: CreepyBuddistLivesWithMother. NO LONGER IN THE RUNNING. He blew it pretty darn quick. Way too many creepy texts about kissing me, giving me hickies (he's 40 for Pete's sake!). Straw that Nearly broke the back: "Happy Sweetest day to my super sweetie!" I ignored this one. Straw that DID break the back: "Good Morning baby" My response: "I don't like to be called baby, especially by someone I don't know. Game over. Good luck. Best advice: Never contact me again" A2 - AKA: ChristianALOTChristianbutWhattheHELL. Also no last name. We're emailing. Things aren't looking good. He says tattoos are a sin. We're debating that. Debate via email = "getting to know each other". V - AKA: AlienNumeroUno. He likes me. He likes me muy. Not going to happen, but haven't written the sayonara email just yet. Grainy pictures lead me to believe he might be cute. Besides, they don't always have to talk. K - AKA: MightbeaSerialKiller ButWhattheHellHeHasAJob. He's kinda fallen off the radar, but he's only mildly creepy and he has a job, seemingly a good one. M - AKA: ZOMGHesAPilot. Just started emailing him. Upside to him being a pilot - I might get to hang on to some of my precious alone time. Downside - he probably has a wife in Texas. I saw that Lifetime movie, I'm no dummy. Those are about it for now. Don't worry, I'll keep you updated. Plus, if anyone wants to send me a birthday gift (ie: one good man), I'm not against it. Stay tuned!! *deal breaker. This does not make me a bitch. This is baggage I carry that will probably never go away.

Hi there.

Two things. One, I heard "If you dont' know me by now" by Simply Red while I was driving home from school last night. Not only did I belt it out - fairly well, not going to lie - but I gots to wondering. What every happened to Simply Red? I mean, I think that dude has a good voice. I googled them. I wikied them. They "plan on breaking up" in 2010. WTF? Do they not know I am having a renaissance with them? Secondly. Internet dating is hard. And time consuming. And annoying. And frustrating. And a little bit scary. Oh, yes, my interfriendz, I DO plan on elaborating on that topic for your amusement. Let's just say there are a couple of guys in the running for my affection. Yes, they all have nick names so that I can keep them straight while amusing you all. So, consider that a teaser. A preview, if you will. Now, back to the grindz.

Weekend in pictures

My weekend, in pictures.

Friday night:

Some of the best pizza I have EVER had. Burt's Place in Morton Grove, as seen on No Reservation with Anthony Bourdain. It was delicious. The company was fantastic, as usual. With my tricycle of awesome counterparts (Shannon and TheMarty) we had great conversation, much laughter, a little bit of snark. It was a great evening.

Saturday:

Fall Fest at North Park Village. Believe it or not those pictures were taken inside the city limits of Chicago. Family time. Nothing horrible to report, so I guess that's good.

Saturday night:

Dinner with Laura and then off to see "Paranormal Activity" with Laura, SD, and JP. Ok, not going to lie, that movie scared the shit out of me. I will admit that I screamed the entire final three minutes of the movie. I also slunk way down in my chair and covered my face with my jacket more than a few time. The movie was fantastic, the scariest I've seen in years. The pain picture you see I took while we were driving home. It was a Sherwin Williams store, but from the angle we were to the store the neon said Pain and I thought that was interesting.

Sunday:

Book club. Our book club's name is Not Your Momma's Book Club. We're a fun mix of chicks. We have our meetings in bars, drink good beers (sometimes wines), eat carbs, chat, get snarky. Oh, yeah, sometimes we also talk about books.

Even though I had very little down time, and no time to finish my homework, paint my nails or watch my Netflix, it was a pretty perfect weekend.

Way TMI

Dear Ladies (who also use the 23rd floor bathroom), I think we need to clear up some misconceptions here. Get your heads on straight. Because, quite honestly, you all and your nasty is killing me. Some points to ponder:

• I don't care who told you what - your shit does stink
• On that note, "courtesy flush". If you don't know what that is, for the love of God, google it
• The Oust is there. Right there, where you're looking, USE IT
• Is there a good reason you shake your hands ALL OVER the floor before you reach the paper towel dispenser?
• I know you - yes, YOU - don't wash your hands all that often. That's just wrong on so many levels
• I probably will not tell you if you have spinach in your teeth. I don't like you, you don't bother to talk to me at any other point ever, plus I think it's funny
• If you happen to be the person who broke the toilet (it won't stop flushing ever) just call JP. How hard is it?
• I don't really like to talk when I'm doing my business, so please, don't ask me about my weekend, my day, the weather while I'm in the stall
• When you spray perfume all over like a teenager using Axe for the first time we all suffer. And there is no circulation in that bathroom. I don't like Happy, or Gio, or Glow, I don't want to wear/taste/have it permeate my person

Thanks very much,

A fed-up co-user of said facilities.

Yes please. Come to momma

Please tell me I'm not the only person on God's green Earth watching "Sons of Anarchy?" So much to love/salivate over/quote/covet about this show!!! First of all - the theme song: "the Dream we left behind" by Pedestrian. If you haven't heard this song, please go listen to it. It's classic rockyish awesomeness. Secondly - Charlie Hunnam (who plays Jax) OMFG - Hot. I'm completely indifferent to how old he is in real life or how old his character is, I'm going cougar on that ass. That fine fine fine ass. And ladies? Yes, there is at least one scene I know of that there's a nice shot of said ass. (Season two, episode one. You're welcome) Not to mention Katey Segal as his mother and Ron Perlman as his really bad step-father. Katey Katey Katey. I would absolutely not want to meet her in a dark alley! Her character, Gemma, is the baddest of bad ass mothers (or should that be mothas?) I've ever seen on t.v. She could kick my ass in a second, shoot me with one of the three guns she carries, and not break a sweat or displace a single awesomely highlighted hair on her head. Ron Perlman - sure, you're thinking Beast, or Hellboy, I was too. But once you catch sight of him being a supreme bad ass and having *ahem* relations with more than a few MC hangers on you'll know him as Clay - President of SAMCRO. SAMCRO - for those who don't know (and why don't you know!?) is Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original. The bikers are all awesome. It's kind of like watching the seven dwarfs - on some really bad crack. I also should mention a couple of other guys who are on the show these days. The current "bad guys" or worse guys I guess, are Adam Arkin and Henry Rollins. Yes, THAT Henry Rollins. Ooops. I have to go wipe the saliva off my keyboard. Take this as a public service announcement! GO watch "Sons of Anarchy" on FX. It's on Tuesdays at 9pm my time. You won't be disappointed. You can thank me by buying me my very own SAMCRO sweatshirt. A must have on every Christmas wish list this year!

I tried, oh well

I've tried to be lighter/brighter/happier/chippier (more chipper?) of late. Well, guess what? Someone I thought I cared about took a big massive piss in my Cheerios, and I feel the need to vent about it. I've got this friend. Correction - Laura (of longestbestestfriendness) has this friend. His name is Mike. Laura's friendship with Mike goes back back back - 20 years. Which is the exact same amount of time I've been friends with Laura. Laura met Mike while on a camping trip with Girl Scouts. Mike's Boy Scout troop/pack/whatever was staying at the same camp. Mike fell immediately in teenaged loooove with Laura. Mike pursued Laura, Laura pursued everyone (anyone) else for years. Yours truly (hate to admit it, but it matters) dated Mike a couple of times over the course of a few years. Laura and Mike finally date. Break up. Date. Break up. Date......you get the idea. LauraMikeVon were friends. Good friends, even best friends. Mike shat on Laura, I picked up the pieces. Laura shat on Mike, I picked up the pieces. You see where this is going? I always liked Mike. Not liked but liked. I rooted for him. I was sure, very sure, that he was "the One" for Laura, which is saying a lot. Ok. On or about 1997 (this is important too) Mike and Laura were doing their are they/aren't they dance. We were all in our *ahem* early 20s. It was summer. I was not about to stay home, like, ever. Mike was working in Door County being chefy or something. Some random Saturday night: ring ring Laura: "Hello" Me: "Hey. Want to go to a party?" Laura: "Sure." Laura and I go to a party. There's this guy there. His name is Mark. I know him, but meh, not a huge fan. Over the next 12 years or so: Laura dumps Mike. Marries Mark. Have a child. Separate. Mike has recently become my "friend" on facebook. Mike makes snide remark on my status update how I should be helping Laura pack/move over the weekend. Mike doesn't really keep up with me in any way shape or form, so has no idea that a) Laura does not want my help b) I talk to Laura about her stuff every day, I am very supportive, and her best shoulder to cry on c) that I had family I haven't seen in 12 years in town this weekend, and could not help Laura because VonMom would have killed me dead, and Laura understands that better than almost anyone. I send Mike an evil email, basically telling him I'm done with him, yet I want to know what I ever did to him. Mike sends scathing reply in which he says EVERYTHING IS MY FAULT BECAUSE I TOOK LAURA TO A PARTY IN 1997. What did I do? Well, of course I forwarded both my and Mike's emails to Laura. I figured she'd want to know why I had deleted him on fb and blocked him. Plus, I think she needs to know that she is in NO WAY responsible for her own actions, clearly I am the puppet master, and she is a mere toy in my vast game of world domination!!! I'm sure she'll feel really good about that! This is what happens when I'm nicest to people. I get shat on. I get blamed and pummeled and berated beyond belief. Of course this is bothering me. A lot. But I've moved past the want to cry phase and on to the want to destroy phase. I like this phase. It's productive. I also blame facebook. People who are such major pansies in real life can spout off whatever b.s. they like, because all they have to do is sit and typey typey and 'wow! I'm a big bad ass!' If this exchange had taken place in person? I guarantee there would have been a lot more swearing on my part, and a lot of "um, yeah, um, yeah, f off and stuff" on his part. Plus too, if this had been a verbal altercation, I would not have had to suffer through his horrible grammar and spelling. I'm pretty sure he never graduated high school. yes, I know, it's a rant. But I had to get it off my chest. I will now be taking donations so I can go to Boston for a long weekend and get away from it all. Sorry for the rant, better days/posts/prose are a'comin.

Stuck in my brainz

How many hops Would a hipster hop If a hipster could hip hop? (I made that up. It's been stuck in my brain for a couple of days. It's been begging to be written somewhere. That somewhere is here.)

Absentee for a bit

I don't have a lot of time to write this week. I've promised myself to not go on line at all at night after work this week. Also, VonSis has a gigantic gala/event/museum exhibit opening/thingy at her place of business that I've promised to help with this Friday. I took off work for this. AND I've got two aunts coming for a visit on Friday for the weekend. Two very German aunts. Two aunts I haven't seen in about a dozen years. I've got a list of things I can and cannot do during their visit, as per VonMom. I have to memorize her list, and little does SHE know, but she's getting a list of dos and do nots from ME as well. I have to develop that list before I see her. SO Maybe something exciting and thrilling will fall from my fingertips on Sunday, but probably not before. Sigh.

Genius is a......well, genius

I've been bringing my iPod to work this week for many reasons. One of the main ones is I'm tired of listening to the people around me. I have a screecher, who's voice is about as annoying as they come. The guy that sits next to her likes to break into song at any moment. He's fond of the High School Musical songs. He also like to make up his own lyrics to songs. Funny if witty, but should be used in moderation - which it isn't - so it's just annoying. Plus the people around here are big gossip/whisperers. Whispering is fine, it's preferable to the yelling, but I've found that the whispering has it's own annoying traits. For example - have you ever noticed that when people in relatively close proximity are whispering the reason you know they are whispering is because you hear something? That something is the "ssses" in their conversation. So you just here "pssss pssss pssisss sppppsssss". HATE THAT. It hurts my ears. Anyway. I generally cannot bring precious iPod to work because LB knows that I am deaf, yet always says "Von" in barely above a whisper to get my attention. I can't hear her as is, which stresses her out, so I can't imagine how she would feel if she had my iPod to compete with my deafness to get my attention. That being said, she's out of town this week, so iPod at work making me happy. Today I hit Genius on a whim on this song: "Bittersweet" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters I got this: "All I Want" Toad the Wet Sprocket "Babylon" David Grey "#41" Dave Matthews Band "Run" Collective Soul "Nightswimming" REM "Mexico" James Taylor "Don't Dream It's Over" Crowded House "Silver Springs" Fleetwood Mac "Suedehead" Morrissey "Why Georgia" John Mayer (this one will be skipped, in perpetuity) "A Girl Like You" The Smithereens "Gone Gone Gone" Robert Plant & Alison Krauss "Change Your Mind" Sister Hazel "Walk on the Ocean" Toad the Wet Sprocket "The Mountains Win Again" Blues Traveler "Send Me on My Way" Rusted Root "Sail Away" David Grey "More Than This" Roxy Music "Heavy" Collective Soul "Chains of Love" Erasure "Something in the Way..." James Taylor "Tripping Billies" DMB "She Says" Howie Day "A Million Miles Away" The Plimsouls I'm so in love with this playlist I might elope with it this weekend. It's awesome. It's huge. It's extremely cool. Sigh Apologies to Brando and Zombie for "borrowing" a music/genius post idea. Please take it as a compliment. Plus this playlist was too awesome not to write about.

Don't call me pumpkin

Having a birthday four days before Halloween has been awesome at times, but for the most part it sucks. 1. I always ALWAYS had a pumpkin shaped cake. Always. Forever. Except twice. Once I cried and I got VonMom to make me a pink boombox cake, and it was awesome. With gum drop buttons and a pink handle and it was awesome. The second time was my 30th when VonMom made a cake with a Barbie sticking out. Like the cake was her dress. I think you all know what I'm talking about. Anyway, it was the cake I always should have had, but didn't. It was a make up cake, about 20 years behind. 2. Halloween itself is the birthday of two people I cannot stand who happen to be married to each other (aw how cute. Not. They suck.) and I have one friend who ALWAYS calls me to say Happy Birthday on Halloween - it never gets old for him to then say "Oh, that's H and G's birthday! My bad!" Ha ha. So not funny. 3. In recent years the stupid holiday has put a huge damper on my bday fun. SO THis year? Birthday Brunch on Sunday, Oct 25th at a fantastically awesome Irish Pub. Who's in? Anyone want to drive in/up/down/over? Special goody bags for blogger friends who make the trip. Drop a comment if interested, and I'll send you the details. Why am I writing this so early? Because of Halloween, and people making all of their pumpkin patch/apple bobbing/costume partying OTHER plans.... See what I mean?

Am I getting old?

I just gave a guy my work number. RELAX, it was work related. BUT I rolled my T. Twice. As in: "THA-ree one two THA-ree two one....." Like the owl in the tootsie pop commercials: "One. Twhooooo. Tha-ree....." (if you don't understand this reference - stop reading this blog. Now. And never come back) I admonished myself after I hung up the phone. I even gave the phone a dirty look. I even feel like the guys is entitled to NOT call me back, due to the pretentious tone in which I delivered my number. That is all. Back to your regularly scheduled day.

A traitor to myself

There are some things I swore I would never ever do. Going to a White Sux game at the Cell (US Cellular Field to those not from around these parts) was at the top of the list. Well, in the name of friendship - I went to my first Sux game on Friday. I was reluctant. I became even more reluctant when I found out we had really bad seats. Sigh. I just knew I was going to have a horrible time. Well. I was wrong. Really really wrong. The weather was fantastic, the park is absolutely beautiful. The crowd is fun and friendly, as are the vendors and staff. I still wasn't sold, and then the pre-game hoopla started. Jesus Mary and Joseph, get their marketing team an award or something. About halfway through the pre-game video/music show I got the chills. By the time the clips started showing the World Series win and Buerhle's perfect game, I had tears in my eyes. By the time the fireworks started I was in love - In love with the Sox, and their fans, the Cell, everything. We drank a lot of green beer - it was the half-way to St. Patrick's day game - and I had one of the best hot dogs I've ever had. About an hour into it I finally put on my green and white Sox hat. I almost spent $80 on a sweatshirt. I was wrong about that little south side baseball team. The Sox have heart, a lot of it. So do their fans. Oh, one thing though - I still can't stand A J Piersinski (or however you spell it) That guy is a total cobag. Don't get me wrong, I'm still also a Cubs fan - I love the team and I believe in them. I will always believe in them. I will follow them and watch their games on t.v. I've just fallen out of love with Wrigley Field and the assholes that go there. So, I'm proudly joining the ranks of those that I made fun of - the Chicago Baseball Fans. I will happily wear my cubbie blue "we believe" wrist band with my new Sox hat, and I pity the person who says anything about it.

I've been checking!

Road House has not yet been on this weekend. I'm very surprised.

Best text exchange recently

C: Why are my fourth graders talking about who they are dating?! Me: Oh no! Throw birth control pills at them and tell them they are candy.

Fun Friday

Soooo, An interesting thing came up in the comments on the previous post. What is the best bad movie of all time? Brando and I are thinking it's "Roadhouse" Fish is throwing "Tank Girl" into the mix. (An AWESOMELY bad movie!!) What do you think? Best bad movie of all time, and why?

RIP Dalton

Ok, so in deference to the passing of Patrick Swayze I vow to do the following: If "Roadhouse" is on this weekend - I will live blog it. Can't guarantee it'll be funny, but I will try. Check it out. Odds are good that it will be on, as it's on every weekend anyway.

I'm really not into it.

I made the mistake of watching "He's just not that in to you" this weekend. The movie itself is not bad, but the stuff in it. Oh boy. If Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connolley, Gennifer Goodwin (wtf with all of the Jennifers for Pete's sake!!) and Drew Barrymore can't get/find/keep/marry a good man, who the hell am I to think that I stand a chance?? One of the worst parts of the whole thing? About 1/2 way through the movie, there's a scene where Gennifer is watching "Some Kind of Wonderful" and quoting all of the lines. Oh.My.God. I'm Gennifer Goodwin. I'm also Watts. (please don't tell me you've never seen Some Kind of Wonderful. If not, a) you suck and b) Watts is the girl in love with the guy who's in love with some other girl and only sees Watts as a pal) Geesh. I'm going to be single FOREVER. Not only do I not think I can snag a Justin Long, after watching the movie it's clear I won't be snagging the crush from my class, or some guy at happy hour, or an ex. Was this movie supposed to make me feel better? Is it supposed to be a rom-com? Or a horror flick? I see it as the latter. I never read the book, I avoided it like the plague. I don't know why I watched the movie. I know that I feel even worse about my chances than I did before I saw it. I want that hour and 46 minutes of my life back. Is it true? Gentlemen? Is it all true? That I have no control over my dating options? That men make the decisions about dating? All of them? That even beautiful women (like the ones in the movie) are destined to get their hearts broken, badly, repeatedly? That I shouldn't make any moves ever? Grrrrrr. I should have skipped that movie, and watched something light hearted. Like "Dexter".

I know, I suck at posting lately

Here's why:

• Dexter Season 3? As good if not better than seasons one and two. Rock on with you bad self Dexter. I'm about 5 episodes in.
• Professor Layton makes me feel stupid, yet it's fun. Didn't give it any attention this past weekend, but plan on puzzling my way through it. Maybe by New Year's.
• "A Thousand Spledid Suns". Oh. My. God. This book is fantastic, though hugely depressing. I'm plowing through it like nobody's business. I cannot wait to discuss it at book club. Not Your Momma's Book Club, that is......
• Yarn. Sigh. And Fack. Had almost nearly finished Shannon's lovely scarf when I realized something. Somehow (because I SUCK at crochet perhaps???) the part I was working on AKA the end was about 1 1/2 inches narrower than the beginning. S I G H. I unravelled it - like 1/2 of it - and will have to start again. From almost done to barely begun in a matter of minutes. I SUCK!
• Work. There's a reason it's not called LaLaGoodTimeLand.

Phone.It.In.

• Dexter Season 3.
• New Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box ds game.
• A Thousand Splendid Suns (for bookclub)
• Yarn. Lots and lots of yarn.
• Work. Lots and lots of work.

*these are the reasons no new posts. Screw it, I'm taking a week off. See you on the flip side.*

Worth it

Ted Kennedy. Dominick Dunne. THESE are people worth mourning. People who's lives mattered and who did great things. They tried to improve the world around them, chipping away little by little, even when met with opposition. They made a difference. Michael Jackson. Not.So.Much. Goodbye Mr. Dunne and Senator Kennedy - May angels lead you in.

Monsters! Monsters!

Holy Sh*t!! Is anyone else watching this!?!?! Oh, sorry - I guess that could be just about anything on TV these days. I'm taking about the show "Monsters Inside Me" Again, I say Holy Sh*t. I don't think I will sleep for at least a week. Then there's the itchy scalp/arms/torso crawly feelings Oh my God. Who's idea was it to make this show? Why? What did the world do to you? And who are these people that agree to be on it? I guess I get the whole 15 minutes of fame thing - but come on! "Hello, I'm Bob, and I had a bunch of bugs gestating in my melon!" Don't know what I'm talking about? You're very very lucky. "Monsters Inside Me" is this evil-yet-you-can't-look-away show on Animal Planet. The episode I caught had this guy from Colorado who had bot (I think? dunno, was too creeped out!) flies growing in the back of his head. I said IN not ON. He had three doctors say three different things before his original doctor figured out what was going on. The damn things had been in there for weeks!! Oh.My.God. The evil larvae have these little teeth-like thingies that will latch on to nearby tissue to prevent removal. So, they burrow into your flesh and then you can't get them out. Finally doctor man got them all out - all 5 of them! - and gave them to the guy. How could he be so clueless??! He said he didn't get too concerned until he HEARD AND FELT something under his skin on his head. What did he hear? "Dude. This place is awesome. I'm soooo going to turn into a fly here." "Yeah, I know. This guy is so dumb. Brought us back all the way from Belize" I had to turn it off after I saw the mason jar of fly larvae that this guy keeps somewhere in his house. He was chuckling about it. Is this a story you tell at parties? I would think not - but hey, go on TV and tell the world!! Some time during a commercial break, my head started to itch, and my arms, and I had to turn it off. I think I turned on the news. That's 10 times less scary than that awful show!

Nearly two years

On Tuesday I'll hit my two year anniversary of quitting smoking. I can't believe it's been another year! I try not to think about it too much, but when I do think back on my days as a smoker, and the months immediately following quitting, I have a totally different mind set now than I did then. For over 14 years I had swore up and down that I would not quit. I had heard it would be the hardest thing ever. I'm not going to lie, it was hard - incredibly hard - but not impossible. I remember being frustrated, and even crying in the weeks after quitting. Now that it's been two years, I find it hard to believe that I reacted that way. I'm going to be honest, I am incredibly proud of myself. I've made it a point to tell everyone I know that my anniversary is fast approaching. People say "That's great!" or "Good for you!" I say "I know!" and "Thanks!" I want to sing it from the rooftops with my cleaner healthier lungs. The interesting thing is that now that I am really and truly done with cigarettes, more people accuse me of cheating more often. Let me explain something. I've hit that point, finally. The point that I've been waiting for - the real and true light at the end of my nicotine tunnel - I'm finally there where I HATE the smell of smoke, and smoking in general, and I want to get everyone I know/love who smokes to quit. Not only are they harming themselves, but ME too!! And hey, my lungs have been through the ringer already! I don't need anyone else's help irritating them! Yep, I've become one of those people. But not too annoying (yet, I make no promises). I don't intend to harass any strangers about it, or complain loudly about it in public. People can do what they want. I'm only concerned about people I care about. *I'm looking at you - Mom, Ma, Laura, Debbie, Dawn, Victor, Toni, MenD, etc......* Getting off my preachy table now - just one last thing! Yay Me!!!

Home...home again.

MA was wonderful. As always. I'm loathe to say "Boston" because we didn't actually go to Boston this time around. Things didn't bode well from the get-go. Shannon and TheMarty were 1/2 hour late. They emailed that they were going to be late, but still. I wanted to get the hell out of Dodge! We were on our way at 12:31. Sure, we immediately got stuck in traffic - it was like Chicago knew we were going to cheat on it, and didn't want to let us go. It took us a loooong time to get there. There was a couple of hour stop over for sleeping in a truck stop parking lot. This little break ended when TheMarty lept out of his seat - out of the car really. The reason? He had a dream that someone(s) were coming to kill us. Also, Shannon had seen a foreign film in which a bunch of people get raped and/or killed while sleeping in a truck stop parking lot. We got to our Days inn in Middleboro around 10am on Saturday. After a nice three hour nap we found we could hang. Shannon and I were off for very crappy mani/pedi (my nails were chipped and peeling the very next day) after which we met up with our Boston friends in Plymouth for dinner and drinks. Love. Plymouth. Love.It. The wedding Sunday was also in Plymouth - at the Plimouth Plantation. The gardens where the ceremony/reception were were gorgeous. The thing that was missing? Shade. Yeah, it was about 9,000 degrees out, and there was minimal shade. I felt bad for the bridal party (all of our friends!) who were dressed up more than the rest of us. We busted out of there about an hour early - we really couldn't take the heat anymore - and went back to the hotel. Ended up with the whole group over at Lauren and Greg's. They are fantastic hosts, who happen to have a gigantic pool in their yard. Aaaaah. Pooooooool. There was much drinking and many shenanigans. There was also a trip to Peaceful Meadows. Look it up. An ice cream place. On a farm. You can walk up and thank the cows for your frosty treat. Heaven. Monday was all about Persey's for breakfast, then a jaunt back to Plymouth so I could wade into the ocean. I wanted to go to a beach, but it wasn't really a beach, but it was still awesome. After that we went back to Lauren and Greg's for more quality time with them and more pool time. Ok, AND another trip to Peaceful Meadows. Tuesday morning came way too soon. So did 4am, which is when we left for the drive home. These trips always go by so fast!! The MA friends make very strong cases for moving there. They really do. As long as my parents are alive, I know I would never move any where else, but I'm not ruling it out for a down down down the road kind of thing. I probably should have taken off work today. I'm exhausted still. I know I got a LOT done today, but I know there's still a ton more to do. I guess it's good to be needed!! Some things I learned on this trip: When TheMarty decides to leave the Tricycle of Awesome, he becomes the Unicycle of Underwhelming. I am someone who "dances on the edges of nerd-dom" and I love that. That Dave and Eric are very very good at doing impressions of the lead singer of AC/DC, and the rest of us are practicing really hard to be just as good! That I really do love MA. That the only movie Roger Ebert found worse than "National Treasure" is "National Treasure II" That the mixed drink Sweet Tarts are fanfreakintastic and everyone should try one! That's all for tonight. I'm still so tired!!

Wicked Pissah

The tricycle of awesome - aka me, Shannon and TheMarty are heading out to Boston tomorrow. At noon they're going to pick me up at work, and off we go. We're driving - again. It's fun. Admittedly it's not something everyone can do, nor do I recommend to just anyone, but the three of us can do it, and pretty well. Of course, I'm packing two books, iPod, and my ds - I will need some alone time along the way. We're heading there for a wedding. Wishing us pleasant traveling weather. Wishing Dave and Hil a gorgeous day for a wedding on Sunday. Wishing you all a great weekend. See you on the flip side.

200.2

Here it is, finally, the 200th post. I was not entirely sure that I would make it to this point, or that I would care when I did. I did, and I do. When I first thought about writing my own blog, I was intimidated by the whole thing. What would I write about? Who would give a shit if I did write? Would I be able to write? Should I have a theme? Who would find this blog that I didn't want to? Well - let me address each of these. I write about whatever. Whatever comes to mind in a moment, or something that hangs on, churning in my brainz until I let it out. I think some people DO give a shit that I do write. I know I've been given a little grief, or a nudge when I've been negleting VFN, so I guess that means you do care. I am able to write. Sometimes. It's still difficult, but I do still love it, and it's made me practice. VFN has no theme. Yes, admittedly it IS a ranting/humor thing, but overall that's not a theme in my mind. Many people have found this blog. Co-workers, bosses, exs, ex-friends who should just move on as they are no longer welcome....but I blame this on me. Sometimes I'm very excited about what I've written, and I open my big stupid mouth and tell people. I love this process. I love VFN. It's harder than I thought it would be, and I am not as good of a writer as I thought I was. I get a little stressed when I have no topic, as I do aim to provide some entertainment. I had originally intended to write 3 posts a week. Time flies, and I am a busy grrrl, so that does not always happen. I admit it, and am sorry for it. I regret that I feel like I have to filter VFN. I may stop doing that. Of course, I will never divulge where I work or what exactly I do (that would be stupid). What I will do is think less about backlash and write more what I want. This means that very soon you'll be reading a post about the horrible "date" I had this weekend - screw it if he finds it. I'm over it. The upside of this blog is way way bigger than the downside. Every person on my blogroll over there --------> is a great writer, and they inspire me to be better, do more, push harder. These people are also my friends - or that's how I view them. I know that should I have a troll they will handle it. I also know that when bad things happen and I share them that I will get support from them. They take the time to stop by and leave a comment or two. I consider them my people. They make this blog better. They matter to me. Over these 199 (or so) posts I've given a lot of myself. Whenever something awesome - hello Carlos Zambrano! ; or terrible - still missing my little beagle Charlie; or HIlarious - fight on a bus? yep that's me!; I give all of these things to you. It helps me remember them, but I hope it also provides you with a quick read, a break from your day. Thank you to Shannon for asking me to guest-post on her blog, getting me interested. Thank you to TheMarty for encouraging me to comment around the blogosphere, getting my feet wet, and introducing me to many of the people on my blog roll. Thank you to my blogroll - see above - I dig you all the most. Thank you to my friends and family for providing me a LOT of fodder for VFN. I vow to try harder and be better moving forward.

An update

So, I sent the bus fight post to the RedEye - an offshoot of the Chicago Tribune. Guess who's been posted in their blog about public trans? Here's the link - I'm pretty sure it's identical to my post below - I'm just putting it out there. http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye/2009/08/a-cta-bus-argument-blow-by-blow.html I'm interested to see if anyone leaves any comments. Hey, y'all - I'm in the newspaper! (Ok, KINDA, but whatever) It's still cool I think. The lady that writes the Going Public column and maitains the Going Public blog was pretty awesome - so thanks to her for re-posting my post. p.s. - this does NOT count as post 200 - still working on that. Thought you'd just be interested in the updated.

Big milestone

Soooo My next post will be #2oo. Please let me know what you'd like me to write about. Leave your comments, and may the best suggestion win. That is all - back to your regularly scheduled Monday.

Everybody was kung fu fightin'

I got in a fight today On the bus. Ah, public transportation. So, every day I get on the bus at the train station to get to the new office. There are quite a few people that take the same bus as I do, every day. A few of these people are gigantic assholes. There's really no other way to describe them. Here's what happened: We were sitting on the bus, still at the station, waiting to head out. Another #120 bus comes around from somewhere behind us in the line with maybe 3 people on it and heads out on the route. This dude starts yelling at the bus driver. "Where is that bus going!?! Why are they going first!?!? Why isn't anyone on that bus?!?! What time do you leave?!?!?" Well, this last question got an answer from the bus driver: "Sir, I leave at 7:48." (It was 7:45) This did not calm the dude down. He kept yelling and berating the driver, and making empty threats about his brother, who works for the CTA, and blah blah blah. He had a little peanut gallery, specifically this trashy women who is also another regular on this bus. She starts nodding, and saying stupid things as well. By this time, the bus is packed and we are on our way. Need to mention here that the dude was sitting down ranting and raving. Standing directly in front of him was an elderly woman. Standing.In.Front.Of.Him. Did he offer her his seat? Oh, hell no. Anyway. The bus driver politely tried to explain things to the irate dude, to no avail. The dude kept interrupting with more rant and drivel. At one point, the bus driver said: "Sir. I leave when I am supposed to leave. I don't know what else to tell you..." At which point the pinhead said "I can't hear you. It's like you're not even speaking English." I was sitting nearby, stewing at all of this crap. Finally (you knew it was coming, if you've ever read this blog, even once, you knew it was coming) I got mad. (my comments in bold - as they should be) "Enough. I've had enough. Stop talking." "Um. What?" "Take a cab. Walk. Plan your day better. Leave earlier. I'm tired of you. Stop talking." "What?" "Every day. You do this every day, and I'm tired of it. I'm sick of hearing you." "No one wants to hear your opinion." (this is one of my favorite statements he made) "REALLY!? Because why, then, do I have to hear yours?!?" (Yep, I'm pissed) "Bu bu bu my brother works for the CTA!" "Great. Do us all a favor - ask him to drive you to work." This went on and on for a while. Trashy-lady just sat there tsking and making faces at me. He and I argued until we got to their stop. At one point, after I said "It's not his fault. Leave the driver alone." I heard behind me "Yeah! Leave him alone!" and it wasn't just one person either. So, dude and trashy and a whole bunch of others get ready to get off at their stop. Trashy says: "F&#K you bi&$H!" and practically runs off the bus. Before she can exit the bus, I say: "Really?" I mean - really? I'm firing off valid points left and right without ANY profanity - and this is her witty retort?! Oh, no, she didn't. But she did. She is now invisible to me. I mean, if that's the best she's got, she's no longer on my radar. She's like those puffy white things that dandelions turn into - they're there, and they bother you a little, but you blow on them and they go away. Once the angry mob was off the bus, the woman next to me said "Are they really always like that?" As I'm about to respond, another rider says "Yes. They're really bad. It's annoying." "I'm bad?" I say "No, no. Them. You're right - they do this all the time." "Hey, in this day and age, I think we're all lucky to have jobs, and shouldn't be complaining about how we get there." (I can be calm and sane sometimes) The rest of the ride was uneventful. I stood up the block before my stop and went to the front. I was pretty much the last person on the bus. "Thanks for having my back." said the bus driver. "Oh! Of course! He was wrong, and you don't deserve that." "Well, thanks." The best part of the whole thing? I get to see them again. Tomorrow. And Friday. And Monday. And Tuesday......... (evil laugh, wringing of evil hands.....)

Sorry, not Charlie

VonSis is fostering a dog this week. He is a shepard-mix who is allegedly about two years old. He came to the Commune with the name Fulton's Harley Joe. He now answers to Stormy; we just couldn't handle that awful name. Even calling him Harley wasn't cutting it. Stormy came about when I asked where VonBrotherInLaw is right now. Turns out he's in Houston, so that didn't work. Then I called VonBrotherInLaw the StormChaser, so that's how FosterPup got his temporary moniker. I say temporary because we've decided not to adopt him. There are a few reasons for this, all of which are valid. He's super cute - when he's not peeing in my house, her house, the garage, the basement, etc. We're pretty sure that although he's very young that he already has some sort of hip and/or back problems. Dogs cost money. I have no extra cash these days, none. Certainly not the kind of money it takes to be a pet owner. The biggest reason, I think, is because he's not Charlie. I thought by now I'd be ready for a new dog. I also know that VonSis would rather have a dog than not after the break-in. Still, he's not Charlie, and I'm not ready I guess. But, that being said - I've also tried to keep my distance from him (I type on Tuesday night, while petting Stormy with my left hand while he paces around my house). I know that I'm a sucker for all dogs, and the longer he's here the more attached to him I will get. I know this is not good, as I know in my heart that he is not the dog for us. However, after the decision had been made - two days ago - that he would be leaving after his week of foster care was up, I teared up as I said goodnight to him and went downstairs. He's adorable and some other family will adopt him and love him very much. Another family that isn't us, that isn't thinking about Charlie all the time, and crying still when we do think about him. I think VonSis and I both want that moment when we meet some stray mutt or shepard that makes us instantly say "Awww" while smiling. The dog that'll mak us remember Charlie without getting sad. He's out there - we just need more time I guess. ***writer's note: this is NOT the post I wanted to present today....but we'll talk about that another day. Probably Friday....***

Looking back a few years......

I've been thinking about my senior prom today. It could have been a random thought that leaped into my head for no reason, but I'm pretty sure there's reason. A) I've started hanging out with D&D again aka TheTwins aka my former besties from H.S. (thanks FaceBooooook, for the reconnect!) We've been hanging out a lot, and doing the "remember when" thing. B) I watched "Prom Night", "High School Musical 3", and "Twilight" this weekend (Ok! Ok! You get to temporarily revoke my cool card for this admission!!) So, proms aplenty. My senior prom was AWFUL!!! I wore a white dress. MyGawd - I was that girl who's friends lied to her and told her the dress looked nice so I bought it but I totally looked like the "before" picture in a weight loss add and the dress had that longer-shorter-in-the-front awfulness that made it even more heinous yes I know this is an incredibly long run-on sentence but I had to keep typing this admission lest I delete it and you wouldn't be reading this tasty nugget of my past. Phew! Besides the horrible dress, I had my hair done in a french braid with two horrendous spiral curls (one on each side) and gold jewelry. I do not now nor do I ever remember liking gold jewelry!! I was also not pleased with my date. He was my boyfriend, but he was a freshman and I was a senior, so I knew I had to dump him sometime between prom and graduation. I think it may have been about 48 hours after prom. He was a dork, AND a very sloppy kisser. I also beat up Chris at our after-prom hotel room. Chris is many things to me to this day. She's a) the only roommate I've ever had. We lived together more than two years and only wanted to kill each other once or twice b) one of my very best friends from high school. She was the first girl at my new school sophomore year to talk to me, and we've been friends ever since c) the mother of my nine-year-old goddaughter whom I adore and love as my own So, the fact that I beat Chris up is not only something I can't ever forget but also something she likes to bring up, especially at family parties, or major holidays. The truth of the matter is I didn't beat her up - I merely pushed her out of my way to get into the bedroom and broke the door with her body. Whatever..... Anyway, not my finest moment. Our prom colors senior year were something like blue and silver - LAME. Who matches with that? Who looks good standing next to a big silver wall? Bleh. Our song wasn't even good. I know senior year I was all dark and angsty, and I totally wanted Depeche Mode or Morrissey or Big Head Todd and the Monsters, but NOOOOOO we had to have trite Peter Cetera/Cher song. "After All" I think it was. Really? Because "After All" is a big defining song for 17 year olds and their love lives. Why couldn't my prom have been like any of the movies I watched this weekend? Ok, sure "Prom Night" ended with a lot of dead people, but their prom was AWESOME - with a professional deejay and confetti and all. And sure, "Twilight" had some vampires and werewolves there, but they had really good tunes and a pretty gazebo that was all lit up. Sigh. I guess the grass is always greener on the celluloid side. At least I have my wine-glass favor that is filled with wax to look upon and and remember. Why is the glass filled with wax, you ask? Well, that was the fantastic idea our faculty came up with to try to prevent our drinking a-l-c-o-h-o-l on prom night. Snort. Yeah, that worked.

An apologetic little ditty

I want to write a new post. I really do. BUT I'm tired My brain has been fired I'm less than inspired I'm a little bit wired Give me a chance To return to the dance With lovely words and stories absurd But not today No chance, no way To sleep I go I'm lame - I know

Light at the end of the tunnel

Tomorrow immediately after work I head out to Michigan with Shannon. TheMarty will join us Thursday after he gets off of work. It's really one of my most favorite times of the year, I can't imagine doing anything else around the 4th of July. I don't remember if this is my fifth or sixth year joining Shannon and her family for the 4th. What I do know is it's one of my happy places, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I know that every day we've spent together in Michigan has made us closer and better friends. Except that one time, last summer, when she tried to kill me on the jet ski, but I also know never to get on a jet ski with her again. I plan on telling Shannon every single sordid detail of my date Saturday night, and I know she's looking forward to hearing them all. I plan on going to Steak and Shake, Walmart, Cracker Barrel, the movies - all of the things that make this weekend what it is. Weekend, ok, that's an inaccurate definition, as we'll be there from Wednesday to Monday, but that's my kind of weekend. I know I'll have at least one moment where I sit back on the deck, look out at the lake and say "Hello, summer, I've missed you." I also know that I will fall asleep to the sounds of the frogs (and possibly the rain at some point) in the channel. I know that I will play lots and lots of games - the fun relaxing kind, not the kind that mess with your mind. I know that I will be nowhere near any computers, so please enjoy your vacation from me. I hope that you will come back after this mental-health break.

Weekend in Review

So, I'm not going to lie. Yep, I went and saw the New Kids on Friday night. Yep, this is an AGAIN thing, I know you know that I know that you know that I went to see them in October. I make no apologies! It was fun. Goofy, silly, summer-time fun. Surprisingly, Jesse McCarthy (McCartney? Not sure) provided one of the biggest laughs of the night. So, he's like this child who sings. He's up on the stage singing and gyrating in front of thousands of women old enough to be his mother. After one bland yet sexaaaay song and dance numbers, he let loose with the following awesome: "So. Ladies. Just so you know. I'm 22. - dramatic pause - Which means.....it's not illegal." It was actually pretty funny. It was a perfect night for a concert - balmy and warm, not at all humid. Awesome. I looked around from my very very good seat and had the 'I love summer' moment. Saturday? Saturday was a date. An awesome date that went on and on and on. I don't think I'll be going into details. Not today anyway. Just an fyi - either Wed night or Thursday morning I'll be heading off to my much needed much loved looooong 4th of July weekend in Michigan with Shannon and TheMarty. This means no internetz.....just lake, boats, drinking, sleeping, laughing. So if I don't get a chance before I leave to write another post, I hope your 4th is awesome and safe.

Mish mosh post

Has anyone else noticed that Brooke Shields has a lot of problems? No, I'm not THAT mean, I don't mean the mom-having-dementia thing, I mean Brooke Shields and her shit-ton of product endorsements. She has: Sun damaged skin Yellow teeth Damaged hair Bad teeth and a sundry of others I'm pretty sure she still likes Calvin Klein jeans too. Does she really need the money that bad? What's next, incontinence? "I'm Brooke Shields, for Depends" I fully admit to falling prey to "I'm a Celebrity - Get me out of here!". Sure, I was just waiting for Patty B. to get kicked off. She was on there WAY too long! She just got kicked off last night! Anyway, tomorrow night is the final episode. I'm rooting for John Salley, but I have an inkling that Lou Diamond Phillips is going to win. I think it's a good thing for him - it may help us forget a) his wife left him for a woman and b) he starred in "Route 666" a fantastically bad made for Sci-fi channel horror movie. I've got this hankering for some retro music this summer. I'm all about REM, INXS, Depeche Mode, Psychedelic Furs, The Smiths, The Cure, New Order. It came on pretty slow, like a trickle, but now it's a full on romp down memory lane. I think these bands and the times that they bring up for me were some of the best times in my life. Ahhh - Medusa's..... Sorry, sorry, I'm back. Sooo, if anyone has any wonderfully classic tunes they'd like to send my way, I'll take them. Right now I am in the process of as I hear an awesome song, I write it on a scrap of paper, go home and check my CD library, and if I don't have it I go on iTunes and buy it. A lame and slow process indeed. Enough rambling for today. Still getting used to my new office place space. Still feeling like the new kid in school. Still not so keen on it.

A new addition

About a month ago, I sated my creative side. No, I didn't actually get my hair dyed blue or purple as I had originally planned. What I did do was get a new tattoo. It's a decent sized Scorpio symbol above a decent sized Scorpio constellation. They are both done really well in a lovely shade of purple. I think it suits me, and I don't regret it, as I don't regret any of my tattoos. A few people in my life have a problem with the fact that it's on the inside of my left forearm. Visible sometimes, bigger than I had originally planned. I decided at my age not to hide it from my family or friends. I went to show VonParents one night. That night I was pleasantly surprised by their lack of reaction. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't hoping for a reaction, I was just expecting one. About a week later I had the unfortunate experience of hearing their (mostly VonMom's I think) opinions on the new ink. Some gems: "It's stupid" "It's huge" "You don't even like it" - Hm....this one confused me. Apparently VonMom thinks she knows me better than I know myself, because I'm pretty sure I love it..... "To date, probably your worst life decision" "What does it even mean?" "It's not like you to do this" This last statement has been coming back to the top of my mind. This statement defines the problem between my mother and me. This statement made me really think about what IS like me. I realized that if I were truly being me, and not worrying so much about what my family would think and have come to expect, I would probably have at least ONE arm tattooed with a full sleeve. I would have more holes in my ears than I do (currently triple-pierced). I would wear a lot more black a lot more often. I would do less on schedules and more on whims. I would probably have never gone to college at all, and might have run off to the circus, or to follow the Dead. I might have eloped once, and at the ripe old age of 20. I've come to love my life, but I'm not 100% sure that it's the life I would have loved. I know that when I broke my leg I lost my daredevil edge. Sometime after that, I lost a lot more of my edges. So, while my mom chews on the fact that I do these Horrible things that she cannot understand, I sit home on Sunday night planning out my outfits, paying my bills, balancing my check book, straightening my fridge - instead of out running around, drinking too much, staying out too late. I don't know if it's in the cards for me to actually be the person I might have been. I don't think that the person I should have been at 20 (the age of my first tattoo) is still the person that I should be now. I just know that every now and then I get these Time-for-a-big-change urges, and they do not go away. I'm starting to think that if I had following my urges,whims, and instincts more and longer that I would be more settled with myself. On a better note was CB's reaction - and it was her's that I had feared the most - she admitted that I am "free-spirited" and that she knew this about me. She said that she would get used to it. Which is pretty much how I ended the conversation with VonMom. My final statement to her: "Well, it IS a tattoo - so you have only one option, which is to get used to it."

Best of Intentions

I have a couple of decent posts a'brewin in my melon, but time has not been a friend of mine. So, here it is, Saturday night, and I'm writing a post about why I didn't write a post yesterday. Thanks to "The Facebook" (as Chris calls it, she's sooooo German sometimes) Laura and I have reconnected with the twins that we were best friends with all through high school and into college. We met them for beers and burgers last Sunday to catch up. Turns out that one of them lives 7 houses away from me, and has for 3 years. Damn, small world!! The other one lives less than 10 minutes away. So, instead of writing a post Thursday night, I walked my happy ass and a case of beer over to Twin1's house to hang out with both of them. We watched "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here" and drank and laughed and had an awesome time. Also, work has been crazy lately. Thursday night we moved our office. We left the offices we shared with another small division (5 people) of the gigantic corporation we work for. Friday I had to find my way to the new office. We now work with all of the other Chicago employees of the corporation. Our new space is 3 floors worth of people. It was like being the new kid in school. CB had some things to do in the morning, so she didn't get in to the office for the first few hours I was there. I didn't even know where the bathroom was. It was mildly intimidating. I plan on writing more about the move next week too. I know, I know, I'm rambling - basically the move was the other reason I didn't get to post something worth reading. Mea culpa. Next week I hope to post something worthwhile.

A possibility

Perhaps you've noticed a slight change in my tone lately. Yes, there is a reason. About a month ago, I met a guy. It was a very random meeting, that revolved more around our mutual adoration of Hot Doug's than anything else. My train friend had told me that she and her boyfriend and his friend were heading to Hot Doug's on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. I totally invited myself along - as any mention of Hot Doug's gets me salivating. Plus, to be honest, I've been looking for an opportunity to hang out with train friend B outside of just chatting on the train with her every day. I think we're working our way towards being actual friends, so this was a good opportunity. Anyway, I invited myself along and train friend B let me do so. Back to the guy. He's funny and smart and interesting. Ok, sure, he doesn't live in Chicago, ok, he doesn't live in Illinois, but these are things that I don't think really matter right now. I'm interested in him, and I'm thinking he might be interested in me too. We've been emailing back and forth for a couple of weeks, and have begun to text every now and then. Of course it's slow going, as all things like this should be (in my opinion, any way). I'll be honest, I look forward to his emails, and try to be witty and bright in my responses. So, we'll see. That's the reason that I've been in a better mood lately. God, I am such a 16 year old girl some times......

Just sharing - back to your regularly scheduled day.

Blushing now, need to find something to be snarky about.

Von takes a bite of the big apple

Yipee!! Internet back working! Aaaah. New York City. I finally had my first real visit there last week, Mon through Wed. Sure, it was a work trip, but I still got to see more than I thought I would. Thanks to the most awesome team building exercize EVAH, I went on a four hour whirlwind tour of the city. Some of the things I saw/did on our scavenger hunt: Rode the subway Went to Grand Central Station Met the most fabulous, helpful, wonderful people at Kleinfeld's (Oh, Von, you mean THE Kleinfeld's? From "Say yes to the dress"? Yep, that one!) Ate dimsum (nope, don't like it!) Wore an I heart New York t-shirt while running around - so did my team mates, it was worth 500 points! Saw the Empire State Building Stood on a roof top Not only did I get to see a lot of the city, but we WON!! There was something like a 600 point difference. Let it be known that sales people are all about the competition. The first night we were there, we ate dinner at Capital Grill - I know that we have one here in Chicago, but I have never been to it, so I was pretty excited. The second night, after the loooong forementioned scavenger hunt we headed over to Lucky Strike for some bar food (Oooh! Fries!) and some more friendly competition. Oh, yep, my team won the bowling game too! (WE ROCK!!) After Lucky Strike we headed out to Time Square. I think that was my favorite part of the whole trip. It was a warm night, and I got to see all of the lights, and the people, and the stuff.....we really don't have anything like that here. We went to the W hotel and had some drinks at the Living Room. I felt really out of place there, but we were tucked into this semi-private corner, so I felt better. The best parts of the Living Room? There were two. 1: The idiot waitress who kept pronouncing one cocktail a group of us kept ordering as the "AAaah siiiigggh EEEEE" I could tell she didn't really know how to pronounce acai, so she just made up something of her own and ran with it. I think I ordered a second one just to get her to repeat it. 2. The couple directly across the way from us that was nearly/probably/likely getting it on. Now, them mauling each other was one thing. When our VP went over and walked behind them and waved at us grinning? Awesome. When we took pictures of them mostly vertical? Classic. When they got up to leave and we gave them a resounding round of applause and cat calls? Priceless!! Oh, yeah, while there we did lots of important business stuff too. Top secret, can't go there. Best parts of the trip? The scavenger hunt. Lucky Strike. Winning. Time Square Spending good quality time with my people I never get to see, but talk to every day. Worst parts? The smell. The garbage. The lack of green things. The mice I saw running along the street. As of right now, I can say I've been there. I would happily go back for work whenever asked. I don't know that I would go back there on a vacation. There are too many other places I would like to see first I think.

Home

So, I just got back from 3 busy and fun days in New York City. I'd love to tell you all about it, and I'd love to give you my thoughts on the Big Apple. But I have no internet at home (again). Once it's fixed, I'm all over it!

Get her out of there!!!

Dear Readers, Please. Please please please. Help me get Patti BlagoBitch off that t.v. show!!! For those of you unawares.....she's on that "I'm a Celebrity get me out of here!" show. There was nothing else on last night, so I watched this show - mostly because Speidi are on it too. There PB, and she's lying LYING about why her husband got fired, and all of this b.s. Oh, AND Today the charity that she thinks she's playing for has declined her offer, so basically she is playing for HERSELF. The longer she stays on the show, the more $$ she makes for herself and that evil piece of sh^t she is married too. So, I ask a favor - please turn this show on long enough to get the phone# that will get her kicked off. Thanks for your cooperation, V

Eins....zwei....

So, I have a computer. Got home, turned it on. No internet. Call LandPerson/VonSis "Where is that thing with the stuff on it for the wireless?" **yes, she totally knew what I was referring to** "Oh, yeah, so the internet is messed up." "Like how?" "Like my husband was in the computer closet and knocked shit over. Like your modem." GGGGGRRRRREEEEEAAAAATTTT And, this weekend, we are all working at the festival -MaiFest at Lincoln and Leland for those of you close by *cough*Jennifer*cough* so, it won't be fixed before Monday at the soonest. Again, I ask, fingers crossed. I know, this is getting old, but still. Have a great weekend!