September 2003 Archives

The event planned below is sick beyond words. I'm all for personal choice (particularly is someone has a terminal illness), but this sort of performance is totally out of line. If the band does move forward, I hope the city takes full legal action.

On-stage suicide planned for gig From correspondents in Tampa, Florida October 1, 2003

A ROCK group plans to orga nise an on-stage suicide at a concert this weekend, in defiance of a new city law designed to scuttle the plan.

The hard-rock band Hell on Earth said the suicide by a terminally ill person would take place in St Petersburg, Florida, to raise awareness of right-to-die issues.

The city council yesterday unanimously approved an emergency ordinance making it illegal to conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event.

Circuit Judge John C. Lenderman of St Petersburg granted the city a temporary injunction against the band, preventing them from advertising the show and allowing the suicide.

But band leader Billy Tourtelot was defiant.

"The show will go on," he said.

Ever go to a bar and not know what to do with yourself besides drink? Well here's a new way to have some fun if you can even call it that....

Bar Games: Seeing Eye to Eye by Brian Braiker NEWSWEEK: Oct. 6 issue — How bored were Sean Linezo, James Miller, Michael Johnson and Jay Hufford? So bored that they took an interest in staring contests. THEY’RE SCREENING THEIR documentary, “Stare-Master” (of course), at bars—and then already-glassy-eyed patrons do battle. The rules: for two minutes, no smiling or breaking eye contact; last longer, and you’re in what Linezo, 27, calls the “Dry Eye Death Phase.” One of the semifinal matches in the movie goes on for 17 minutes. (“The American Academy of Ophthalmologists doesn’t recommend staring contests,” says a spokesman, “but we don’t think they’re a public-health hazard.”) Amazingly, this movement has more than one leader. David Avery, 38, has been cohosting independent contests at performance-art spaces in Brooklyn, N.Y., and is saddened that he doesn’t have a monopoly going. Still, he says, “it’s really compellingly fun.” NEWSWEEK lays claim to the burgeoning tiddlywinks movement.

Earlier today, I saw a really cool movie called Demonlover dealing with corporate espionage at a French company that is trying to buy the rights to distribute animated and 3-D porn from a Japanese company called TokyoAnime. The movie which was visually stimulating had lots of twist and turns which kept things interesting. While some things were left unresolved, I highly recommend checking out Demonlover if it's playing in your city. Two thumbs for this erotic thriller.

I was totally hung over for most of yesterday. I guess I had one too many vodka tonics the night before at Tilli's. For any of you out there who think I drink too much, well I don't. Ok, maybe last night I had a bit more than usual, but considering that most drinks average about $7 each, I typically don't have more than two when I go out. In any event, after nursing my hang over for most of yesterday, I met up with friends at West Town Tavern. Yet another great restaurant by Susan and Drew Goss who once owned Zinfandel. We actually met both last night as one of my friends is a friend of the Susan. Overall, I had a great time at West Town Tavern. The atmosphere was wonderful and the food was just incredible. All of us cleaned our plates. After dinner, we decided to go dancing at Betty's Blue Star Lounge. What a horrible mistake. When we got there, the place was pretty empty. So we lounged around and talked for a while with the hopes that things would pick up. During this time, these two guys came to our booth and sat down with us. Total cheeseballs. I was so annoyed and turned off by the conversation that I just wanted to get up and walk out. Around 1am I couldn't stand it anymore so I told my friend who really wanted to dance that I was going to leave. She got upset as we hadn't even danced yet. So I stuck around a bit more and followed the group on to the empty dance floor. Around 2am we finally left. Thank goodness. I left the club scene behind in my twenties and I have no intentions of going back anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, I like dancing. But the crowd last night was just way too young and scantily dressed. That's so not my scene.

Article below is a must read for another who has bought or sold something on Ebay. Such a shame that some people are trying to take the fun out of what has been a great past time for many including myself.

EBay thief reveals tricks of the trade
Bob Sullivan, MSNBC, Sept. 24 — He contacted me to brag, this e-mailer named Kenneth. Said he had seen a story I’d done called “True confessions of an eBay criminal,” about a 15-year old who managed to steal a few thousand dollars online. And Kenneth was offended. “He’s an insult to each and every one of us scam artists,” Kenneth wrote. “I could tell you stories.” And so he did. Kenneth claims he’s spent the past two years as one of eBay’s most notorious scammers. Here’s how he does it.

Mommy Ursula came home tipsy tonight. She talked about spending the night out with coworkers at Tilli's and then the Marquee Lounge. She also mentioned that she met Madeleine Albright earlier today. I suppose I'll find out more about that tomorrow. For now, I'm just glad she's home.

Since starting my blog, I have had email conversations and even met a few people that I never would have bumped into just going about my daily routine. Heck last night, I had a conversation with a guy via instant message who said he'd been quietly reading my blog for 3 months. Since most of these people are “friendship” worthy, I consider this to be a blessing. But I ask all of you that have reached out to me (or are thinking about doing so), to remember that I'm a real person. Realize that while I welcome your friendship, if you yourself don't have a blog, that it's a little weird for me because you know a lot more about me than I know about you. So it would be helpful if you tried to fill in the blank before asking me even more questions about myself. You know, tell me something about you. This would make me feel more comfortable to engage in further dialog. Finally, remember that my blog is an account of my not so perfect life. So be patient with my responses to your emails and know that it is not my intention to present a false sense of self. Oh my goodness....does this sound Hollywood or what? Hopefully this doesn't turn any of you off. I do so like hearing from my daily readers (all 70 of you!).

I missed book club tonight. I had every intention of going but then I left work really late and then I hadn't finished the book. Hopefully, I'll find the time soon to finish. I'm in the middle of so many books it's not even funny. It never use to be like this. I would pick up one book and wouldn't allow myself to start another until I was finished with the first. Now I'm so scattered. I want to sample everything. I'm like a kid in a candy store.

Btw, if you’re downtown Chicago tomorrow, Madeleine Albright will be at the Border’s on State Street around 12:30pm signing copies of her recently published memoir. It that she was a part of the Clinton administration for 8 years, thinking it will make for interesting reading.

I watched the premiere episode of Coupling tonight. Having seen the original British show of same name, couldn't help but think: "what a ripoff." 99% of the dialog was the same and it wasn't even funny this go around. So I was somewhat disappointed. Many of the jokes just fell flat. Maybe it has something to do with the lack of British accent. Or maybe it has something to do with the actors they chose for the American version. It should be interesting to see how the show fairs. I could be wrong, but something tells me it won't be must see tv for long.

I went to dinner earlier tonight at a friends house. We'd been hanging out for over a year, yet I'd never seen her apartment. In that she would be moving to a new condo soon, she invited a group of us to dinner. The food was amazing and we have a lively conversation on one of our favorite topics. If you guessed relationships and men, then you're correct. I could write more about the conversation, but I'm too tired now. Maybe more later.

Earlier tonight I went to see the White Sox vs. New York Yankees baseball game. It was the last night game at US Cellular Field for 2003-2004 season so there was a good turnout (over 30 thousand). Unfortunately, the White Sox couldn't repeat what they did last night and ended up loosing to the Yankees 7-0. Major bummer. They do have another game to play tomorrow, but it doesn't really matter. Their season is over since Minnesota Twins are now the Central division champions. Oh well! There's always next year. Of course, for Northsiders like me, baseball is not yet over as the Cubs are on top their division. Oh yeah! Here's hoping they don't choke. Chicago badly needs a baseball championship.

I've been thinking more and more about how to get what I want both personally and professionally, so I smiled when I read my horoscope for today:

Leo: July 23 - August 22 If you've got the guts to go out on a limb, you will probably get the kind of recognition you seek. Having star power is all about finding the spotlight and knowing your best angle.

I had a fabulous time last night at the Green Tie Ball. This event truly is becoming one of the hottest black tie charity galas in Chicago. Over 3000 people were there for this year's Las Vegas themed event. This was my second time attending and I felt more comfortable with the scene. Plus I just loved getting dressed up in formal wear and being in the mix of so many up and coming young professional and beautiful people. It make for great people watching. I should say that my feet were hurting towards the end of the night from walking around in 3 inch heels for 7+ hours, but it's a small price to pay to look and feel beautiful. While there, I saw four people I knew, which was pretty awesome. Last year, I only saw 1 person I knew. I also met a bunch of new people, the most high profile being an up and coming City of Chicago Alderman who is a huge Michigan fan. That pleased me to no end. All in all I had a great time, sampling some of food from the 60 plus restaurants who were there. The only negative I'd have to say is that they ran out of vodka as everyone it seemed was drinking my new drink of choice vodka tonic. So around 1:30am, my friend and I left the ball as we weren't digging the U2 cover band Elevation. From there we went to Leopard Lounge for a night cap. While there we ended up talking to these two "cute" guys who turned out not to be single. In fact, the guy I was talking to was married. As I sat there having this lively conversation with him, couldn’t help but think that if I were married, I wouldn’t want my husband to be out in the wee hours of the morning trying to chat up random women in a bar. Knowing that our conversations while jovial were also pointless (I just don't date married men), my friend and I decided to head home around 3am after realizing how late it was. Once I got to bed, I didn't want to get up. In fact, I lounged around all day and just reflected on the evening. I had a wonderful time. So can't wait for next year and hopefully by then I'll have a boyfriend! Going with the girls is fun, but thinking it would be even nicer to go as part of a couple.

Totally forgot about blogging yesterday. The network came back up so didn't have any time at work. Then after work, I went shopping for a dress to wear to the Green Tie Ball and let me say that shopping under pressure is no fun. I went to every major store on State Street & Michigan Avenue but found nothing suitable. In the end, I've decided to wear something from my current wardrobe. I’ve got quite a few formal dresses that I’ve only worn once. So it’s time to put them back in rotation and luckily they fit. Well, more about the Ball later. I need to finish a few chores and then head out for some beauty parlor primping.

The network was down again today. Thankfully, I had the good enough sense to call work before going in. So I lounged around the apartment and watched Oprah. Feeling restless, I called the office and found out that two of my colleagues were going shopping again, so I decided to go in to work. Once there, we walked over to Marshall Field for some serious browsing. In that my two colleagues had never been to Marshall Field's famous restaurant the Walunt Room, we had lunch there. After a leisurely lunch and some more browsing along State Street, we walked back to work. Finally the network was back up. However, I had somehow managed to lock myself out and after two hours IT was unable to get me back in. So for three days straight, I was unproductive at work through no fault of my own. Fugh!

After work, I headed back to Marshall Field for the free Poi Dog Pondering concert which was followed by a 15 minute vertical fashion show. While listening to Poi Dog Pondering, Brooke Burke from the E! Network walked by as she was the MC for the fashion show. The fashion show was pretty cool in that models wearing the latest styles were strapped to a harness and walked/danced down the side of the 11-story building. After the fashion show, I headed back into Marshall Field to check out the festivities. I hadn't really planned on it, but I just followed the crowd. Once inside, I found out that Nicholas Sparks would be signing copies of his latest book: The Wedding so I got in line for my own personal copy. After getting my book signed, I walked around the store and got tipsy on free champagne and apple martinis. To top off the evening, I got my handwriting analyzed. So not a bad day after all. Marshall Field's really did a great job of creating buzz for their newly reinvented flagship store on State Street. The store was packed all day long.

In less than a year of blogging, I've run out of space with my current web hosting plan. I could upgrade with my current host, but I'm not sure that there current plans would be economical for me in the long run. So thinking I need to find a new home that's more blogger friendly. Since there are a zillion options out there, I'm looking for a few recommendations. Any suggestions?

Yet again, I sat around for most of the day. Most of the network was back up, but for whatever reason, my group was still offline. So for most of the day I did absolutely nothing. Some of us wanted to leave early, but others thought it would look bad. So the team decided to stick together. Needing to escape the madness, a few of us went for a long lunch followed by some window shopping on Michigan Ave. Around 1:45pm we called the office and found out that the network had been restored within the last 15 minutes. So we raced back to the office only for it to go down 10 minutes after we got back. Around 4pm we finally walked out. Hopefully, things will be back online tomorrow. Sitting around doing nothing all day long drives me crazy.

Today was a completely unproductive day at work. All day, the server was down. So no work got done. Everything I needed to be functional was on my computer in the CRM database that I couldn't access. So my teammates and I sat around and had some lively discussions about everything under the sun while checking every 15-30 minutes to see if the system was back up. So many times I wanted to leave but kept thinking I should stick around in case things came back up. It never did happen. Hopefully things will be different tomorrow. The first few hours were kind of fun but as the day dragged on, I just got really annoyed about the whole situation. The only thing redeeming about today is that after work, I went to dinner @ Sabor A Cuba with a friend. It's a cute Cuban restaurant in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago. The steak I had was pretty good but I just loved the maduros (fried plantains). Wow! I'll be dreaming of those for days to come.

For all you political junkies out there, the new show to watch is: K Street. I watched the premiere episode last night and can't wait for future episodes. Below is description of show from HBO site.

K STREET is a new weekly series that ventures inside the world of powerful political consultants--a world that few people ever experience first-hand. Produced on location in Washington, D.C., the largely improvised ten-episode series combines fictional characters with appearances by real-life political figures, all centered around the biggest political news of the week. Each episode will be shot within days of its premiere on HBO, guaranteeing a relevance and vitality beyond what any series has attempted before.

At the movies last night I saw: Lost in Translation. The movie has gotten a lot of Oscar buzz so I had high expectations for the film. While it was definitely unique and Bill Murray gave a great performance, not sure if it's Oscar worthy. Perhaps I'm just being reserved in my praise for the film, since it's a bit early to be thinking about the Oscars. Below is a description of film from movies.com:

The second feature film from writer-director Sofia Coppola (The Virgin Suicides) is set in Tokyo, where two bored, melancholy Americans — a fading movie star (Bill Murray) shooting an ad for Suntory whiskey and a young married woman (Scarlett Johansson) with an ambitious, neglectful husband (Giovanni Ribisi) — become fast friends after meeting in a hotel bar. The two spend an adventure-filled week together taking in the sights and getting to know each other.

Btw, I also managed to finish reading The Neon Bible last night. It's the only book in the last few weeks that I've started that I actually finished reading. While somewhat rough around the edges, I find it amazing that John Kennedy Toole wrote it at the age of sixteen. Such a shame he gave up so soon on life.

Earlier today I met my best guy friend's cousin (Cindy Chupack) who is a writer/executive producer for HBO's Sex and the City. She was at the Michigan Avenue Border's promoting her first book titled: The Between Boyfriends Books. Based on the few chapters I’ve read so far; let me say that I can totally relate to her honest account of the ups and downs of dating. Thinking most single women will see themselves in this book. Plus like me, they'll find it therapeutic because you get further confirmation that you're not the only one experiencing the weird side of dating. Heck, they'll be laughing out loud like I am remembering my own embarrassing dating stories. So I plan to spend time tomorrow afternoon on the couch finishing the book. Based on the reading today and what I've sampled so far, I just get the feeling that all her dating (horror) stories will be funny as heck! Btw, after the reading/book signing session, family and friends of Cindy went for High Tea in the Living Room @ the InterContinental Hotel. While there, we saw a beautiful bride with her groom who were having their pictures taken on the grand staircase. It was the perfect reminder as to why I continue to put myself through all the dating rituals. As frustrating as it can be sometimes, hopefully, someday soon, I’ll leave the dating world behind. I look forward to coupledom.

Oh how I love this score: #5 Michigan: 38, #15 Notre Dame: 0. Yeah baby! Last year my best guy friend and I were in South Bend, Indiana when Michigan lost to Notre Dame. So it's good to see that Michigan came roaring back this year and showed everyone who really has the dominant football team. With this shutout, I sing loudly and proudly:

Hail! to the victors valiant Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes Hail! Hail! to Michigan the leaders and best Hail! to the victors valiant Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes Hail! Hail! to Michigan, the champions of the West!

The write up below on Michigan's victory makes me wish I had been there. Official attendance at the game was: 111,726. Darn! If only I had answered my email faster and scored those tickets. Oh well! Next time.

Perry, Defense Propel Michigan to Shutout of Notre Dame Led by a dominating defense, the No. 5-ranked U-M football team left no doubt Saturday, Sept. 13, in a 38-0 demolition of No. 15 Notre Dame at Michigan Stadium. It marked the Wolverines' largest margin of victory in the 31-game series and U-M's first shutout of the Irish since 1902. Chris Perry, who carried 31 times for 133 yards, rushed for three touchdowns and caught a TD pass from John Navarre, who threw for 199 yards to become U-M's career passing yardage leader. U-M's defense held Notre Dame to 140 yards and seven first downs.

Hail to the Victors! Go Blue!

After having dinner at Adobo Grill which has kick ass guacamole, my friends and I went to see performance at Second City titled: "No Seriously, We're All Gonna Die." While we were packed in like sardines, I still managed to have a great time. All the performers where really good and I could see why many alums like Chris Farley go on to Saturday Night Live. The scenes both scripted and impromptu were all laugh out loud funny. Below is a description of the show which was totally worth the $19 admissions price.

Directed by Second City alum Dave Razowsky, “No, Seriously, We’re All Gonna Die,” is an uplifting and joyous account of how wonderful it is to be an American today. As advancements in technology and communication have brought the world’s leaders and citizens closer than ever before, it is a truly remarkable feat that America’s astute and agile leadership has inventively created a magnificent gulf between ourselves and those who envy us in foreign lands. “No, Seriously, We’re All Gonna Die,” examines our glorious bounty, while also managing to cover a diverse range of subject matter including condo associations, product placement and funk bands.

I saw a really cute movie on Thursday night that everyone should go see. It's called Bend It Like Beckham. Movie is a coming of age story about a young girl (Jess) of Indian heritage growing up in England who is somewhat obsessed with David Beckham and the world of soccer in general. In movie, Jess is trying to please her parents who are very old world in their views about what a proper Indian young girl should be doing while trying to pursue an opportunity to play soccer which her parents don't approve of. The story while somewhat formulaic wins you over with great performances by a long list of supporting characters. Such a delightful funny movie with lots of clever dialogue that is oh so inspiring.

More pictures taken earlier this year:

Two years ago today, I went to the office for our monthly branch meeting. Back then I worked from home and so my interaction with other people was somewhat limited except for prospects and customers I would be trying to reach on a daily basis. However, on that day, my team went in for a sales meeting. However, we never got started. As we sat down in the conference room, word soon came that two airplanes had flown into the Twin Towers. No one knew if it was an accident or an act of terrorism. As we tried to figure out what was going, some heard rumors that an airplane or two were headed towards the Sears Tower. Since our office was less than a block away, management wisely decided to have us depart for home. As a colleague and I waited to hail a cab, there was this strange sense of calm in the air. Once I got home, I was glued to the television after calling ever relative I have in New York as well as the rest of the East Coast to make sure they were safe. The next few hours and days were all a jumble. Not much work got done. I continued to stare at the television. Still grieving for my own mother who had died many years before, I couldn't even begin to fully comprehend what the surviving family members where going through. It's one thing to know that a loved one is going to die and somewhat get yourself ready for the inevitable, but when it happens so suddenly and so violently, I can only imagine that your core is shaken and that it takes to a long while to fully process everything that has happened. As two years have now passed, I hope that as difficult as it may be, many have been able to move on and get beyond the financial compensation that they seek. Money surely won't bring their loved ones back. More importantly, I truly hope that we never have to experience another 9/11. I'm not optimistic considering all the hatred spreading throughout the globe, but it would be nice to think that we could work out our differences through dialog. In addition, that we could take the time to learn about each others cultures and religions and respect our differences. Acts of terrorism by cowards who target civilian, military or government personnel and buildings is not the answer.

Btw, I took picture to the left while visiting New York earlier this year. I initially wasn’t going to visit “ground zero” but I couldn’t resist the urge while there. As I walked around, I was surprised by my own emotions. Before then, I always thought that New York needed to rebuild – but once there, it felt like a burial ground. Hopefully the final plans will provide for a proper memorial to the victims.

I've officially dethroned science fiction author Ursula K. Le Guin from the top of results when you google for Ursula. All hail Ursula!

I'm starting to think more and more that Friedrich Nietzche was right when he said: "that which does not kill me makes me stronger."

A reader who shall remain nameless complimented me on my blog and asked for guidance on getting his own set up. Here are a few links and books I wish I had reviewed before I started the journey. Lots of great stuff.

Check out these links:

1. RWN's Short & Sweet Guide To Creating Your Own Blog by John Hawkins.

2. Starting a Blog (with MovableType) by Erik J. Barzeski.

3. Dating a Blogger, Reading All About It, By Warren St. John, New York Times, May 18th, 2003.

4. The 10 Habits of Highly Annoying Bloggers by Jeremy Zawodny.

Also check out these books the next time you are at a bookstore:

1. The Weblog Handbook: Practical Advice on Creating and Maintaining Your Blog by Rebecca Blood. You can read an excerpt here: Weblog Ethics.

2. Blogging: Genius Strategies for Instant Web Content by Biz Stone (Author).

Happy Blogging!!

Management has asked my team to increase productivity. Granted the expectations are not completely unreasonable, I just worry about maintaining the momentum. Perhaps in the weeks/months to come, my paycheck will reflect my hard work but right now I'm completely exhausted from it all. You know, sometimes I wonder how I ended up here. Never in my life growing up did I ever say I wanted to be a sales person. This is not why I went to college. Don't get me wrong, B2B sales is not a bad profession. The financial rewards alone can compensate for the stress of the job. Plus being able to help someone become more efficient in their job by provided a service is a great thrill -- particularly when they were initially reluctant to consider your company’s service offering. But after 10 years, it's starting to takes its toll and it's difficult to change course. Maybe if I sold something that actually made a difference in the world and didn’t just help corporations become more profitable, I'd feel better about everything. Just maybe. Right now I'm just tired and exhausted from it all.

I cannot find what I seek so I wonder why it escapes me. I wonder why despite my best efforts, I am unable to see beyond the fog in front of me. I wonder why I find myself yet again at this difficult crossroad. I wonder….

This is sort of sad but funny as heck as its dead on....

My inner child is forty-five years old!

I've never really liked children, not even when I
was one. I want things neat, ordered, and
adult--fine wine instead of french fries, pina
coladas by the pool instead of beach sand
between my toes. Now if only my fellow adults
would stop acting like such, well, children!

How Old is Your Inner Child?
brought to you by Quizilla

Quiz via Return of the Ghost of Ferro Lad.

Last night after eating sushi at Akai Hana, my friend and I went to the movies to see Seabiscuit. This is a story about three men each with their own troubled lives who come together because they believed that despite his track record, Seabiscuit had the potential to be a great race horse. It's a good movie with lots of drama and a few laughs along the way provided by Tick Tock McGlaughlin (William H. Macy), a radio track reporter. Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper all give strong performances. In that I’ve had to overcome one obstacle after another and continually prove myself, I can totally relate to the true star of the movie: Seabiscuit. So it’s good to see that Seabiscuit beats the odds and achieved greatness.

I haven't particularly had many successful relationships with men, so can't say I really know them. Plus I'm definitely not having lots of sex never mind great sex. So these results are somewhat off. Actually, I'm quite surprised by the results. Thinking I'm more Miranda than Carrie.

Which Sex and the City Vixen Best Matches Your Sex Style?

Quiz via Aimlesschat.

Richard Gere came up to work to see me today. I kid you not. Ok, maybe just a bit. He and Jennifer Lopez are actually in town filming a remake of a charming Japanese movie I saw about 5 years ago at Music Box Theatre titled: Shall We Dance. It tells the story of a lonely guy who is in a loveless marriage and has a job he hates but ends up being reinvigorated after starting to take dancing lessons. I'm really surprised that this movie is being remade so soon since the original was make in 1997. In any event, Richard was indeed at my work. Well actually just in my building. As I stood outside watching him shoot a scene 20 feet away from me, I couldn't help but think that while he wasn't that tall, he is way better looking in person. So good looking in fact that my coworker and I stood around much longer than most people. In fact, towards the end as he was walking up the stairs to enter the building, I screamed his name, he turned and looked directly at me and waved, and I waved back and started screaming. I felt like a 13 year old girl all over again. The only thing incomplete from this experience is that I forgot my camera so I couldn't document the experience. Luckily, two other coworkers took pictures so I'll be able to get a copy.

Per our conversation tonight, please do not call me again and ask me to borrow money. It makes me uncomfortable. So get off your ass and get a job. At this point, it really doesn't matter what kind of job, just get a job. Perhaps your mother did you a favor by deciding not to pay you this week. You haven't particularly done much to earn what she was giving you and in fact, I'm sure she only continued to do so because you were her son. Have you no shame? No pride? Goodness. You're 43 years old. Grow up. I lent you money once before and even though you paid me back, I won't do it again. I am not a bank. I will not be your enabler.

Based on my performance tonight on the Tectrix Virtual Reality Bike, I'm a terrible driver. I drove under the speed limit and still managed to crash several times. Shocking I tell you, just shocking! Well maybe not. While I do have a driver’s license, I don't own a car in real life. I work downtown which takes me about 20 minutes on the bus. Plus almost everything I need is within walking distance from my apartment and having a car in my neighborhood is such a major headache. Heck, friends won't come visit me because parking is so horrible. Thus I guess I'll just need to keep going back to the gym to perfect my driving technique. Btw, the virtual reality software makes riding a stationary bike much more interesting. It's like playing a video game while your exercising. Way cool!

Jane's is a FABULOUS restaurant. Located in a coach house in Bucktown, it has great atmosphere and an excellent assortment of dishes to choose from. The salad I tried was just superb. It had mesclun greens with pear slices, bleu cheese and pecans tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. Yummy! For entree, I had the tuna which was just divine. As such, I could definitely see myself going back as it would be a great place to go on a date. Plus you can follow up the evening like we did by stopping at Leopard Lounge which has live jazz on Tuesday nights and is known for their assortment of martinis. Btw, since Jane’s only seats 35 people, if any of you in blogland were to go based on my recommendation, I’d advice calling ahead and making a reservation. Things were quite busy tonight so I can only imagine what it would be like on a Friday/Saturday night.

Instead of lounging around in bed reading a good book like I normally would do on a rainy holiday, I did a bit of shopping and then went to my friend's birthday BBQ. Since the weather was so yucky, I was surprised to see that everyone who responded to the evite showed up. This provided an opportunity to catch up with a few people I hadn't seen all summer. Now, I'm just completely exhausted from the weekend festivities. Later tonight, a few of us will take my friend to dinner at Jane's to celebrate her actual birthday. So no rest for me until Wednesday. Goodness! I really need a vacation.

Every now and then, I venture south of the city. Yesterday I went for the 14th Annual African Festival of Arts @ Washington Park (51st & Cottage Grove). In that it was raining and I'd never been to Washington Park, I almost didn't go. But then, I reminded myself that there were going to be more than 200 artists "displaying crafts, fabric, jewelry, masks and more for the annual celebration of African culture." Plus Chaka Khan was going to be performing. As I headed south on the #4 Bus, I couldn't help but think that it was such a shame that certain sections were so run down. To be fair, I did see new development, but that was much closer to the loop. In any event, by the time I got there and paid my $10 entrance fee, some of the vendors have covered up their booths as the rain was relentless. In that I had rain gear, I walked around for quite some time and even make several purchases. Then after getting something to eat, I headed over to the Dee Parmer Woodtor Stage where Chaka Khan would be performing. This was around 7:30pm. She was slated to perform at 8pm. When I got there, there was hardly anyone there. I suppose the weather had kept most people away. But that was fine with me as I had almost a front row view of the stage. Before Chaka came out, there were performances by: Vinx with Les Nubians and Phil Cohran & Hypnotics. When Chaka finally came on around 9:15pm, I along with those in the audience were not to be disappointed. She totally rocked until about 10:45pm. Since then I've been singing: "I feel for you" and "I'm every woman" over and over again in my head. I had a great time. Thus, I'm really glad the rain didn't keep me away from the concert. It was such a good deal.