Thursday, November 30, 2006

Leaving the snow behind

It is suppose to snow today! We've been spoiled with warm weather for November and now it is about 32 degrees and the prediction is 1-3 inches of snow this afternoon! Well I am leaving it all behind tomorrow when I head to the cruise tomorrow. I have very mixed feelings about the trip to be honest, I am going to miss spending the weekend with the bf and I have a limited budget for the trip. But on the other hand, I want to get out of Chicago for a bit and sit on a beach.

Oh well, it will all work out and it is only a few days so I am going to make the best of it. Plus I will be glad to come home and see the BF so it is all good.

Off I go...

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Such a mush

I've been a bit weepy for the past few days perhaps it is hormones or perhaps I am just weepy. Comcast has not helped either. Since I don't have school, I've been catching up on some free movies and since last night I saw two movies both made me sniffy. the one that I started last night was "Benny and Joon" and the second one that I just finished was "84 Charing Cross Road". Both were very cute movies in different ways. I really liked the two of them

I did get a chance to get out today despite the rain, so I went to run an errand. I went to Borders and got my novels for the trip. I decided to give two novels by Zadie Smith a try. I picked up "White Teeth" and "On Beauty" so we'll see how they are. I've read good things about them so hopefully they meet my expectations.

The bf has been busy getting his project done for work so he has been in a legal frame of mind but I know that he will knock it out of the park. I realized why I've been a bit clingy and apologized to him for it. Nobody should be blamed for other's past mistakes and I have to keep in the top of my mind that he is a different person. I love him and I know that he loves me too. That I keep in my heart.

Almost done packing oh and I painted the Tootsie! I leave in two days...ack!

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

what is christmas about?

My favorite clip from A Charlie Brown's Christmas.

Linus put it best....

A Friday on a Tuesday

Yep, that is right folks, today is my Friday. Starting tomorrow I am off for a week and then on Friday, I depart for my cruise! So all I have to do is get through the day then it is party time. Tomorrow I have a few errands to run like going to the bank and then to the bookstore, I am debating whether or not to get a pedi or do it myself. Last night I packed but tonight I have to re-pack, I think that I overdid it and since I am carrying my bag I try to make it reasonable for the trip but I do have the tendency to over pack and include things that I don't need. I just like to have options!

But I've had my weepy moments especially this past weekend because I am going to miss the bf. Ever since we met, we have spoken or seen each other every day and it will be so strange to perhaps not talk with him over the weekend. But I know that we will be fine, I am just so used to having him around. Funny how you get used to things like that and it happens so subtlety that I know I am going to miss that. I just keep telling myself it is just for a few days and I'll have my email and hopefully phone service so all will be well. I just adore him...

Monday, November 27, 2006

Behold the power of tv

Well more so Food Network or any program about food. A few weeks ago we were watching a show that mentioned a dessert at a Chicago pastry shop and a few hours later the BF and I were there. This weekend on PBS was a program about Mexican food and before you know it we were eating at a local Mexican restaurant! We are so incorrigible.

Other things learned from TV this past weekend:

-Freemasons are a weird bunch
-Sailors from the Bismark sunk their own ship
-The bears lost
-There is no strategy in Iraq
-The Molecular Man is Conan
-The celebration of Las Fallas in Valencia Spain is a must see

In other news, we had drinks on Friday with PK and MK and it was a blast. I am glad that the BF got to hang out with them, they are an awesome couple.

Oh and I am getting a sore throat and I go on vacation on Friday! Not a happy camper over here!

Friday, November 24, 2006

The day after Thanksgiving

Well I am at work, I left the BF wrapped up like a burrito asleep in bed and even Yukon, who normally gets up with me, stayed in her bed. I had a bit of a rough night, in the wee hours, the BF had a big sneeze and it startled me that I woke up and I opened my eyes but there was something that got in my eye and I was in so much pain. I honestly thought I cut my cornea (again) and of course I think of the worst case scenario. But the bf was so sweet and was up until I fell back asleep. My eye is fine a wee bit sore but the cornea is not at all cut, just one of those things.

We had a nice Thanksgiving with his family. His dad's stuffing was so good, I could have eaten the whole thing. Our antipasto was a success and everyone kept noshing off of it. After the dinner some of his brothers and the kids went to toss the ole pigskin around. It was in the 50s here so it was not cold nor snowy!

Well this weekend will be full of shopping and food. Tonight we have plans to have dinner with PK and MK. So it is going to be a fun start to the weekend.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Click Chicago

My collegue sent this to me a very cool website!

Click around Chicago

On your mark, get set...go...Black Friday

So, Friday is the infamous Black Friday and my email box is flooded with reminders to "get their early" to get the best sales. Yea I don't do that....

But I got one today from Staples! Yea you read right Staples...I mean who in their right mind is going to be waiting for Staples to open at 6 am to buy the holiday post-it notes, shredder, and pens!

Whatever!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Final final of the year....

Tonight is my last final for 2006 and it will be in microeconomics. I know people, thrilling stuff!

But it got me thinking about how last year I was getting ready to take the GMAT for the 2nd time. I hated the GMAT, hell I hated the SATs, the PSATs and the Co-op ( a test we Catholic school kids had to take to get into the Catholic high school of our choice in NY state!) Basically any standardized tests suck. I mean how does determining the area of a cylinder equate to how smart you are?

Just to take the GMAT is an ordeal, you have to sign in and prove without a shadow of a doubt you are the person who signed up for the test. You have to present all this paperwork and id. Then they call you one by one and you sit and wait for the facilitator to be ready for you. Other than being stripped searched you are given two pencils. scratch paper, your id scrutinized and your photo digitally taken to match up. then you are placed in this mini cube and the test begins.

The GMAT is timed test which consists of three parts: essay, quantitative (math) and qualitative (reading comprehension, grammar skills and sentence correction). The essay portion required you to write two essays one disputing or supporting a given statement and the other where you support and state your opinion. Then after a 5 minute break (also timed) and the mandatory spring from the bathroom to sign in, you start the math portion. It is 35 questions of many "basic" math skills but the test is designed to push you. See the test starts out with a "medium" question, if you get it right the next question is progressively "harder" likewise if you get it wrong, the next question is "easier". Basically if you get the question: 1 +1 = ? you know at that point that you might as well just pack it up and get on the special bus home. Oh and because it is computerized, you can't go back and change an answer, once you hit next it is gone for good and the next question pops up. Also there are two types of questions the straight up multiple choice and the which is the better answer to the question. It states a problem ie XY=25 then it gives you a-X=5, b-Y=5. then you have to choose which of the two is the best answer tot he problem or if a and b or b and a or neither? It so messes with your head.

Then after the other 5 minute break you start the qualitative part. This part, in my opinion, is so much easier. It has reading comprehension and sentence and grammar correction. But again as you answer the previous question the difficulty level of the next question is determined and so it goes for 38 questions.

Then after all is said and done...you are asked the question , do you want to see the score? If yes you get your score (except it is not official as the essay part has not been graded) if no then the computer CANCELS the score and you never ever see it. So that is your choice...the lady or the tiger.

You get to experience all of this for $250.00 per test!

Basically what I am saying is thank God for microeconomics!

Monday, November 20, 2006

Is it Monday already?

Gosh, where did the weekend go? I feel that Monday came way too soon!

This past weekend, the BF had a nasty cold. So it pretty much wiped him out, he did not sleep very well. Friday we attempted to have dinner at Hamburger Mary but it was packed so we had a drink (I had the Jazz cosmo and it was like an alcholic raspberry snowcone...so good) and headed to Charlie's ale house for a very yummy meal but GP was so tired. We got back to his apartment and he went straight to sleep and I stayed up a bit to study for my final.

On Saturday we went to have breakfast with GP's friend Droopy and then ran errands. We went to Paulina's meat market, cupcake, whole foods and then CVS. We then got home and vegged out catching up on TV. We had a yummy dinner then fell asleep.

Yesterday we were so lazy. GP slept and took a nap and I studyed, and cleaned a little. It was good to be lazy though. I am ready for my exam, I just need to reveiw today and a little tomorrow and then just go and get it out of the way.

It is Thanksgiving on Thursday so it will be nice to have a break this week! Next week...vacation!

Friday, November 17, 2006

Stupid Week is over...hopefully

This week I feel like I have been dealing with stupid people from all over. From co-workers, to customers to neighbors. I just hope that Stupid Week is over because I am tired of dealing with incompetence. But that is life I suppose.

I am so tired, I went to bed early last night and I am still tired. I even had a dream that I said to someone that I was tired....weird.

This weekend I have to study for my final! I think it will be okay but I still want to do well on it. I am so looking forward when I can walk out of the exam and be done with the school year!

Thursday, November 16, 2006

I'm late, I'm late

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date, no time to say hello, good bye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late...(Alice in Wonderland)

That was me this morning, I overslept by about 30 minutes! So I had to scramble to be at work on time (I was 9 minutes late!) but I just wanted to give a shout out to all those who helped me get in those few extra minutes:

-my parking neighbor
Thanks so much for giving me 4 inches of space between my car and yours. I notice that you had a foot on the drivers side, so I hope that you moved with ease into your posh Volvo as I had to climb into my car from the passenger side. I would have blasted my horn to wake you up but I have too much couth for that. Well I hope that you don't mind that I will be taking less care to ensure that my car door does not hit or scratch your car when the wind blows. But I thank you so much for making me twist in uncomfortable positions to get to the drivers seat, I did not know that my hip had that range!

-the cube truck
A big thank you for blocking the alley entrance/exit. You blocked the quickest way for me to get to out of my parking alley to the street to catch the IKE. Thanks so much for putting your hazards on, they really helped me but not as much as your bulk blocking the way. Thanks so much for staying there after I honked for you to move. I really appreciated how you just stayed there and I had to back up and go a different way. Don't mind the fact that the car behind me did not know that you were there too and almost hit me. Really that gets my heart and blood pumping.

Without you I don't think I would have been 9 minutes late....I would have been on time.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Just another ordinary day

There is not much to report, it is a dreary wet day. I almost did not get out of bed this morning, I just could not get out of bed. It took me a few minutes to wake up and move but I came thisclose to falling back asleep.

I had my last micro economic class last night and now it is crunch time for the final. So tonight I will go through my notes and come up with the study sheet and then do some studying tomorrow and so on. I will be glad next Tuesday when I am done. Actually, I will be done with the year and I am so glad that the school year will end and I am looking forward of 6 weeks without being in school. Oh the things I will do...read, sleep, shop, cook, watch movies, go on vacation, spend time with my gentleman pirate. I can't wait.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Po'ed

I am just so po'ed at myself. I keep losing earrings, rings, etc. It is my fault and I am so po'ed at myself.

Why do Monday's stink?

I am sleepy, well then again I am almost always sleepy in one way, shape or form. I guess part of it is that it is slow at work. I spent most of the past few hours reading and doing homework for my last class tomorrow in economics. Plus I had a nice mellow weekend with the GP and the doggy.

I did a bit of cooking this weekend. Saturday I made pizza (or rather I assembled a pizza) and yesterday I make a slow cooked beef stew. It came out so yummy, I was quite pleased with it. I served it over egg noodles and the GP loved it. I had some for lunch and made lunch (and dinner) out of the leftovers for GP. I do like to cook and to create and it was so refreshing to make a meal.

On Saturday we were watching a commercial and they mentioned cupcakes....yum cupcakes. So at 8 we did a cupcake run. It was so funny how it came together but once the ideas of cupcakes got lodged in our heads, we had to get some and they were so delicious. But Saturday I was a lump on a rock, I just slept in and then after bagels I came home and took a nap. I guess my body needed sleep but, after last week and three days of early mornings I needed it.

It was a quiet and mellow weekend...

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Kiva

The BF and I were watching "Frontline: The World" and one of the stories was about micro loans and Kiva.

Kiva is an organization that allows anybody to loan money to those in the third world to start or expand their businesses. The loans are done in such a way that a lot of people can contribute $25 or more to one of many different types of businesses. After the loan is set up, then the repayment terms are decided. Per the program, they have 100% re-payment. I was getting tears in my eyes watching the story.

So this afternoon, I have put in my contribution. I am helping a man in Uganda to buy food to sell at a local market as well as expand a wholesale store. The great thing is that there is no "service charges" and you can choose to receive emails about how the business is doing as well as email the person who you've supported.

I encourage you to do the same. My friends and family are going to get emails about this org.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Presenting...

I was on fire yesterday! I had two presentations to do one at work and the last one for my class and I rocked them both. My presentation at work was very weird because we did not know who the customer/prospect was and why the president was giving the tour. But as it turns out it was not a customer and there is something fishy going on. I have my suspicions about what it can be and it will be a very interesting few months! Regardless, I was awesome and I went in with confidence and knowing my stuff.

Last night was our team presentation for my last CIB class. We were the last presentation and we kicked butt! The class really was receptive to our idea and the team did a great job presenting. Afterwards we went to the Demon's Den for a few drinks and it was nice to do that with everyone. I decided to take a cab home rather than venture on the green line after 10. So I got home showered and then fell asleep.

Tonight I will head to the Bf's apartment and we plan on a quiet weekend. He has a project to work on and I need to catch up on sleep!

Just got to get through the day.............

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The house is BLUE!

Democrats seize control of House

How awesome is that. I saw it on the news last night that they won control of the house and still are deciding on control of the Senate. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out. This is democracy in action because it is purely majority rule, there is no damn electoral college. It is the loud voice of the American people who are fed up and have a say in government. I wonder if John McCain will kill himself as he said last week when asked if he thought the Democrats would will the majority. Bushy boy is going to have a lot to answer to now and I think he is worried and all the GOP will have to eat humble pie.

But seriously, I think that it is time for the two parties to get over the party lines and work together. We are so divided by what state we belong to and what party we are that sometimes things get shot down for the pure reason that it is the wrong party. America is a mess, our education system is in a horrible state, medical costs are soaring, people are tired of the war in Iraq, stem cell research is mis-represented, tax law benefits the rich not those who need it and we are tired of the lies and corruption. Now, I am not saying that the party I favor is scandal and corrupt free. But it is time for our voted and selected representatives to get to work and make us stronger and respected in the global stage.

To celebrate I am wearing my sapphire cross to symbolize the blue victory and to represent that we need help from above to be stronger.

Their work is just beginning...

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

who cares

Breaking news on CNN...Britney and K-Fed are getting a divorce. Of all the news events that can happen today Election day. This is breaking news!?

What the hell? Even blind deaf mutes in the far stretches of the galaxy could see this train wreck of a marriage fall apart. I mean come on people what did you expect when one of the most fertile stupid man in America marries a multi-millionaire lip singer over a dinner of chicken fingers and music on a boom box. The man has the intellectual capacity that is slightly lower than a flea after it bit a rabid raccoon!

Whatever life will go on...can CNN pull it head out and report on the election findings? Nope because they will post photos of K-Fed from WWE. My heart weeps....NOT!

Welcome to the US and A!

Vote

I voted this morning, I got up at the butt crack of dawn to go to the polls at 6. Since today I have class I don't have any time before class to vote. So I went this morning and I cast my dye...hopefully it will turn the tide blue.

But there was one referendum that I found interesting the question read in part "...for the sake of our children, do you support the ban on assault weapons?"

It was very interesting because it made me thinks well, would I support the ban if it wasn't for the children? Are children the ones who fire the assault weapons or are they the majority victims of assault weapons? Why did the writers throw "for the sake of our children?" in the question, doesn't that automatically bias the voter. If you vote no, do you not care for children? Interesting how one phrase can alter the entire statement. It could have said "do you support the ban of assault weapons?" that would have been clear easy and less bias.

Ahhh, the manipulative power of politicians at their finest...for the sake of our children!

Monday, November 06, 2006

It is alive!

Wooohoooo my blog is back and the format is corrected. I can blog until my heart's content.

Yesterday the BF, his brother and I went to see Borat the movie. All I can advise is to make sure you go to the loo beforehand, it is too funny. I guess part of the appeal or rather sad thing to see is how ignorant Americans are about each other. I don't want to give it away but there are some things that will come back and bite certain people in the ass HARD. On thing I can strongly advise is don't bring a live chicken on the subway in NYC....NEVER a good idea.

Other than that we just had a low key weekend. The Gentleman Pirate has his TV back and on Saturday he was working on his computer and I did my PowerPoint presentation slides for my class on Thursday...my LAST class in my creativity in business and I am bummed, it was an awesome class. Other than that we did our typical grocery store, brunch and sleeping.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Blogger is acting up so the format of my blog is weird. I can't figure it out. I am waiting to hear back from blogger....but I am not holding my breath....it is pissing me off!

Friday, November 03, 2006

Too frigging early!

I was driving home yesterday and I was flipping through the radio stations (I am a flipper) and then I heard it, I did not want to believe it but I heard it...Christmas music not just one song but it turns out for the next 6 bloody weeks that is all that they will play. WTF, I mean it is the beginning of November, we have not even made it past Thanksgiving! So I have deleted the pre-set from its former 3rd preferred station to 6 (which I never really hit).

Come on people it is too damn early. Enjoy autumn, enjoy Thanksgiving before the corporate greed and marketing machines force you to spend way to much money on stupid "must get" gifts for your friends, family, pets, pet-in-law, neighbors brother, mail person, local parole officer, junkie on the street, CTA driver, boss, bag boy, doorman, and other odd assortment of characters that you pass each and every day!

Merry November!

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Domestic Diva moment


Well, last night I was in domestic diva mode, I left work and did the following:
-spoke to Mr on the way
-went grocery food shopping and kept to my list
-did a load of laundry
-folded aforementioned load of laundry
-made pasta sauce and dinner
-vacuumed
-went through and discarded piles of magazines and mail
-shredded mail
-started to organize the shift of summer clothes to winter ware

I feel so domestic....weird. But things look good and I am getting somewhere. My apt is not that bad but I have to get it straightened out. When I am in school I sometimes just leave things in piles and I will sort through them. But I am trying to stay on top of that. I am also trying to throw things out, use the 5 sets of shampoo and conditioner and not replace them until I get to the last set, stay on top of unsolicited mail, wash dishes at least once a day, cook at least once a week for me, and watch less TV. So far so good....