sooo.....
Roller Derby on Saturday! i saw the Windy City Rollers kick some ass .. man, was it fun. The Double Crossers are still undefeated over the Hells Belles, the Manic Attackers, and The Fury. talk about a lot of beautiful, insane women! their half-time show was the craziest person i've ever seen ... the brother of one of the skaters, he pulled out some old-school magic ... he started off by escaping from a straight jacket, then juggled knives and an apple, eating the apple during, and then went into standing (jumping!) on broken glass and lying on a bed of nails (with two people on his stomach). it was a bit much for me. but the skating was good. and they had 8 referees! and i actually knew more about a sport i was watching than did the people i went with! i got to explain roller derby to the one boy and 3 girls i talked into going along. it was cool. a long drive, though.
then, i came home to Harry Potter waiting for me! just lying on my bed, green eyes flashing from behind the glasses. i have no idea what else happened in the real world since then - i have been reading the book during every free moment. i managed to stop long enough to go produce shopping (7 kiwis for $1! i love this place!)
i just finished Harry. I guess the last chapter was something she had to give us, to make people happy and to kill any hope for a sequel. but boy oh boy is she a master of plot threads. so many stories to juggle!
i'm done, i'm off to bed, and tomorrow i start reading short stories for a while.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
wait, wait ... i love chicago
so, despite being exhausted and alone, i made the trek down to Millennium Park (almost worth it on its own - what a cool place!) to see Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me live, for free, outdoors. It was awesome. It was so interesting to hear how much they screwed up and how much (an hour's worth) of extra talking they did to the live audience that the folks listening to the radio will never hear.
i'm glad i actually succeeded in going to do something that sounded cool, even though i didn't have anyone to go with me.
next up: i think the Art Institute tomorrow afternoon - it's free on Fridays.
then: Roller Derby on Saturday! although i won't be alone for that!!
i'm glad i actually succeeded in going to do something that sounded cool, even though i didn't have anyone to go with me.
next up: i think the Art Institute tomorrow afternoon - it's free on Fridays.
then: Roller Derby on Saturday! although i won't be alone for that!!
big day for a Wednesday
i got to hold a baby yesterday. i don't think i've ever done that before. one of the ladies in my office has a 6-month-old that is usually with her at work, as he is still breastfeeding, so he spends awhile every day crawling around the place, getting to know people. i guess he's taken a liking to me, and he wanted to get in my lap, so i let him.
i have to resist the urge to pet him like a cat whenever he's crawling around. i don't really know how to interact with babies.
anyway, then i went to the seisun at Nevin's - a much smaller affair than Sundays, possibly extra small yesterday because it was pouring buckets and thundering and lightning like crazy. i had a good time and got some good playing done. it was an interesting crowd in there - the regulars who know about the irish music, and the college-age kids dressed up like they're going clubbing, plus working folks out to dinner who stick around to drink. we had a family visiting from Omaha with a mom that plays fiddle, and two little daughters who are taking irish dance lessons. they weren't too big on technique, but they sure had the speed and enthusiasm thing down. and the cuteness.
i have to resist the urge to pet him like a cat whenever he's crawling around. i don't really know how to interact with babies.
anyway, then i went to the seisun at Nevin's - a much smaller affair than Sundays, possibly extra small yesterday because it was pouring buckets and thundering and lightning like crazy. i had a good time and got some good playing done. it was an interesting crowd in there - the regulars who know about the irish music, and the college-age kids dressed up like they're going clubbing, plus working folks out to dinner who stick around to drink. we had a family visiting from Omaha with a mom that plays fiddle, and two little daughters who are taking irish dance lessons. they weren't too big on technique, but they sure had the speed and enthusiasm thing down. and the cuteness.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
making new ... family
last night i met Susan, my third cousin. she lives in Chicago, in the Gold Coast. I got to meet her because her brother Andy came to visit, and I know Andy because he hangs out at my house to kill things. The three of us, plus Andy's girlfriend Liz, had dinner at Susan's house (lamb burgers - yum!), drank a lot, and then went to see Michael Ian Black, a comedian. We had a grand old time. At one point, Susan was on the phone with her dad Art, and she said that it was nice to find a friend in the city. Art, master of drama, says, Susan, that's not your friend. That's blood.
I have to say, it was exceptionally easy to feel comfortable with Susan - i don't know if it's just a good personality fit, or if it is the blood in there.
anyway, i was at her place until after 2 in the morning. i found out the tough way that the Purple line trains stop running around 2:30. I made it home by 3:30.
staying up that late hurts now. i think i'm an old woman.
I have to say, it was exceptionally easy to feel comfortable with Susan - i don't know if it's just a good personality fit, or if it is the blood in there.
anyway, i was at her place until after 2 in the morning. i found out the tough way that the Purple line trains stop running around 2:30. I made it home by 3:30.
staying up that late hurts now. i think i'm an old woman.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Some facts i just remembered to look up:
when we were sitting by the lake, i wondered how big it is. i realized i have no idea.
Well, according to Wikipedia (never to be doubted!), Lake Michigan is 118 miles wide and 307 long. that is a big lake! It's the largest freshwater lake in the US, and the largest lake entirely within one country (poor Lake Superior misses the honors since we share it with Canada).
so anyway, that's where i live. next to a big tub of wetness.
when we were sitting by the lake, i wondered how big it is. i realized i have no idea.
Well, according to Wikipedia (never to be doubted!), Lake Michigan is 118 miles wide and 307 long. that is a big lake! It's the largest freshwater lake in the US, and the largest lake entirely within one country (poor Lake Superior misses the honors since we share it with Canada).
so anyway, that's where i live. next to a big tub of wetness.
I'm recovering from Mom and Dad's visit ... they came on Thursday and left on Monday. We had a lovely time, riding the El, visiting the Field Museum, dining out in style, picnicking on the beach, and hanging out at Evanston's premier Irish bar, Nevin's.
My parents spent all day Friday wandering the Chicago Botanic Garden - i spent part of the day with them, but they still know more about my place of work than i do now. Saturday was devoted to the Field Museum, where we saw their new Darwin exhibit - it was awesome! as well as their antiquated Plants of the World exhibit and one about pre-Colombian Americans.
We also stopped by the Taste of Chicago, a huge street fair devoted to Chicago's restaurants. It was packed, sweaty, and delicious.
Sunday, a day hotter than hell, was spent leisurely - NY Times read in a(n airconditioned) coffeeshop, picnic on Evanston's beach, with a Mexican family on one side and an Indian family on the other, and lots of people to watch.
On Sunday afternoon, we headed up to Tommy Nevin's, where there is an Irish music seisun every Sunday (and Wednesday!). I had a rockin good time playing, while my parents sat and drank and listened and people-watched. As the session was ending, i made the mistake of pulling out my bones - the regular bones-player took affront (not seriously), and the guy who runs the session (John), somewhat tipsy, announced to the pub at large that we were having a bones-off. he would play his accordion and we would have to keep up. We each played a tune with him, to riotous applause, and then both played on another. the old bones player (an Irish carpenter), gave up and played tin whistle instead. so he says i won, but i think he won because he has better technique. needless to say, we parted friends. Apparently a young lady playing bones is an attractive sight - i got many compliments from and introductions to the various guys hanging around the bar, and several asked for explanation and education in bones playing, and i had a pint bought for me (by one of the drunkest guys in the bar).
For those of you unfamiliar with bones, i found a random link that may help:
http://www.irelandlogue.com/music/irish-instrument-of-the-week-the-bones.htm
apparently the bones are the instrument of the week this week. Mine are actually cow bones. and in my experience, there are usually more bodhran players than bones players - often more than the other musicians want. everyone thinks they can drum - all you have to do is hit it, right?
anyway ... great thunderstorm yesterday, good job Mama Nature, but it didn't really cool things off as it should've. let's give that another go.
My parents spent all day Friday wandering the Chicago Botanic Garden - i spent part of the day with them, but they still know more about my place of work than i do now. Saturday was devoted to the Field Museum, where we saw their new Darwin exhibit - it was awesome! as well as their antiquated Plants of the World exhibit and one about pre-Colombian Americans.
We also stopped by the Taste of Chicago, a huge street fair devoted to Chicago's restaurants. It was packed, sweaty, and delicious.
Sunday, a day hotter than hell, was spent leisurely - NY Times read in a(n airconditioned) coffeeshop, picnic on Evanston's beach, with a Mexican family on one side and an Indian family on the other, and lots of people to watch.
On Sunday afternoon, we headed up to Tommy Nevin's, where there is an Irish music seisun every Sunday (and Wednesday!). I had a rockin good time playing, while my parents sat and drank and listened and people-watched. As the session was ending, i made the mistake of pulling out my bones - the regular bones-player took affront (not seriously), and the guy who runs the session (John), somewhat tipsy, announced to the pub at large that we were having a bones-off. he would play his accordion and we would have to keep up. We each played a tune with him, to riotous applause, and then both played on another. the old bones player (an Irish carpenter), gave up and played tin whistle instead. so he says i won, but i think he won because he has better technique. needless to say, we parted friends. Apparently a young lady playing bones is an attractive sight - i got many compliments from and introductions to the various guys hanging around the bar, and several asked for explanation and education in bones playing, and i had a pint bought for me (by one of the drunkest guys in the bar).
For those of you unfamiliar with bones, i found a random link that may help:
http://www.irelandlogue.com/music/irish-instrument-of-the-week-the-bones.htm
apparently the bones are the instrument of the week this week. Mine are actually cow bones. and in my experience, there are usually more bodhran players than bones players - often more than the other musicians want. everyone thinks they can drum - all you have to do is hit it, right?
anyway ... great thunderstorm yesterday, good job Mama Nature, but it didn't really cool things off as it should've. let's give that another go.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Vatican "driving commandments"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19308664/
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11208268
the Pope giving driving lessons. Driving *morality* lessons.
this is both cool and funny.
1. You shall not kill.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11208268
the Pope giving driving lessons. Driving *morality* lessons.
this is both cool and funny.
1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Independence Day
wouldn't it be crazy if, instead of just celebrating our independence once a year, we had to fight for it?
then it might mean a little more than barbecues and fireworks.
i think it's too bad that the majority of people call it the 4th of July, instead of Independence Day. I also think it's sad that people don't understand the Independence part and all of its implications.
but anyway, here's a pretty picture:
this is Asclepias tuberosus, or Butterfly Weed. it's a milkweed. It's my favorite, because it's crazy orange instead of pink or purple like all the other milkweeds.
i think it looks kind of like fireworks.
then it might mean a little more than barbecues and fireworks.
i think it's too bad that the majority of people call it the 4th of July, instead of Independence Day. I also think it's sad that people don't understand the Independence part and all of its implications.
but anyway, here's a pretty picture:
this is Asclepias tuberosus, or Butterfly Weed. it's a milkweed. It's my favorite, because it's crazy orange instead of pink or purple like all the other milkweeds.
i think it looks kind of like fireworks.
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