Museum of Science & Industry

We went to the Museum of Science and Industry today. There's one word to describe it: janktastic. As in, the place is janky. As in, the place needs a major overhaul. As in, major. I've never really been one interested in science or industry; things like agriculture and energy have just never interested me. So I was hoping that a visit to a museum - this museum of which I had heard so much - might sway me. But it didn't.

Some of the displays look to be around 30 years old. And even the displays that were newer seemed to be designed by the visual merchandiser of Dollar General. Many displays weren't even open (they were being overhauled for my "visual pleasure"), which could be why the museum is offering free admission for about 10 days. If you go now, you won't see much. And what you will see, looks like a bad 8th grade science project.

The U-505 Submarine tour was sold out for the day by 11:30 AM. The airplane tour, Idea Factory, ice cream factory, and coal mine tour were closed. The wait for the Pioneer Zephyr was 1 hour. The fairy castle (which seems to be a huge exhibit according to the MSI website) is merely a large dollhouse crammed into a tiny, dark room. The Earth Revealed exhibit is great, but only if you are seated in one exact location in the circular theater. The food court couldn't hold the number of people who chose to eat there; people were standing with trays waiting for tables to clear.

I'd never really wanted to go inside the museum, I guess, but rather see the outside of the building itself. MSI is the last vestige from the Columbian Exposition's World's Fair of 1893, which is really the most fascinating fact about MSI. Back then, it's name was the Palace of Fine Arts, and it's stood at its same location for the past 115 years or so. The only building to outlast the White City, imagine what it could say if its walls could talk.

And if they could, I'm sure they'd have something alot more interesting to say that what's being housed inside it today.
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One Letter Off

I see stuff like this and I realize how uncreative I am. I had friends in college who could instantly substitute one letter for another and make an otherwise normal, boring phrase into something witty. Here's one person's crack at it:


There's a website devoted to this and other kinds of Photoshop tricks (but I love this one because I think "the actor Nicolas Cage" is a bit of a douchebag). Enjoy.
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Rosy Petechiae

Once when I went to my dentist in DC for a routine cleaning, I asked the hygienist, Melissa, if she could tell if a man was gay based on the inside of his mouth. She looked at me and smiled, then got up and checked the hallway before sitting back down beside me. Then she told me about rosy petechiae.

I said, "That actually sounds more like a drag queen".

"Funny," Melissa said, "but actually rosy petechiae is a cluster of dark circles that form on the roof of the mouth. They occur when the roof of the mouth has been worn down. It's mostly seen in babies who are nursing or on a bottle, or in children who suck their thumbs for long periods of time. But, honey, it can also show up in men who are sucking on something else, if you get my meaning."

I loved Melissa.

I told her I love this, but I would never be able to remember that name, so she wrote it down on the back of her card for me:


I especially love her post script.
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20 Weird English Words

1. Erinaceous - Like a hedgehog

2. Lamprophony - Loudness and clarity of voice

3. Depone - To testify under oath

4. Finnimbrun - A trinket or knick-knack

5. Floccinaucinihilipilification - Estimation that something is valueless.

6. Inaniloquent - Pertaining to idle talk

7. Limerance - An attempt at a scientific study into the nature of romantic love.

8. Mesonoxian - Pertaining to midnight

9. Mungo - A dumpster diver - one who extracts valuable things from trash

10. Nihilarian - A person who deals with things lacking importance (pronounce the ‘h’ like a ‘k’)

11. Nudiustertian - The day before yesterday

12. Phenakism - Deception or trickery

13. Pronk - A weak or foolish person

14. Pulveratricious - Covered with dust

15. Rastaquouere - A social climber

16. Scopperloit - Rude or rough play

17. Selcouth - Unfamiliar, rare, strange, marvelous, wonderful. For example: The List Universe is such a selcouth website!

18. Tyrotoxism - To be poisoned by cheese

19. Widdiful - Someone who deserves to be hanged

20. Zabernism - The abuse of military power or authority (hello, George W. Bush)

And now for my current favorite word:

Defenestrate - To throw out a window.

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Scariest Thing

This dude scared the shit outta me as a kid:

In This Case, Do NOT Spare 'The Rod"

Funding for mass transit in Chicago, for those of you who don't live in Chicago, has been a joke. For the past several months, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) who administers and governs Chicago mass transit, has given the city at least three deadlines that service will be cut, only to have the state government ride in at the last minute with a temporary funding package. The last deadline, scheduled for January 20th, requires a permanent plan to fund mass transit in Chicago - the same city that is trying to obtain the 2016 Olympics (not sure how a city can pull off an Olympics if it can't manage something as basic as mass transit).

Last week, a proposed plan to permanently fund and fix CTA's problems was passed through Illinois government, then sent to Governor Rod Blagojevich to sign and thus enact. Rod, however, has added a last minute spin. He'll sign it, as long as senior citizens are allowed to ride CTA free. This presents a problem: if the government accepts this addition, it takes on added costs to the already ballooned debt owed by CTA, and if the state denies this addition, state congressmen will appear to be the heartless people who wouldn't help out older constituents.

Shame on G-Rod!

Not only does this present an additional problem, but I don't see how making a public program available for free to a blanket group of people is either fair or ethical. Sure, in theory, is a lovely idea to help seniors out. But not all senior citizens are poor. I can see giving them a discount, but not a "free ride".

For that matter, why not extend the offer to disabled persons? Not all disabled persons need the financial help, so the government will then need to determine what constitutes a disability. There are some people who are mentally disabled who cannot work and could use a break such as this, just like there are some who are physically disable who can work and don't need the assistance.

And while we're at it, the lowest paid ethnic group of people in Chicago is the Latino community, so why don't they get the "free ride" addendum as well? Or is that the Polish-American community? Or the African-American community? Maybe we should just say "Anyone who earns under $15,000 a year should ride CTA for free".

The thing is, Rod's plan will probably pass because CTA is too necessary for Chicago (personally my bus route to work and home is one that will be cut). D-Day is next Sunday for Chicago. So either Rod gets his way, or I am walking to work from now on.
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What Kind Of Tea Are You?

Just so happens to be my favourite kind of tea. Click here and take the quiz.
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Smoking Ban

I'm not sure how I feel about the new smoking ban that went into effect in Chicago on January 1. I mean, it will be nice to go out to a bar or club and not leave smelling like an ashtray. However, I don't go out that much these days so it doesn't affect me.

What DOES affect me is that now whenever I walk anywhere, I have to pass through smatterings of smokers who are cluttering up the sidewalks. A simple walk to the gym or grocery store makes me smell like I spent a few hours in a bar.

This ban was put into effect to help those who are out in bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. But, I'm not sure why I, as a pedestrian who is choosing not to go out, must now be subjected to something like this just so others can drink in a smoke-free atmosphere.

There are only two solutions that ultimately work now: ban smoking altogether, or send smokers to rooftops out of the lines of traffic.
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The Next Blond Male?

Kirk Douglas. Robert Redford. Brad Pitt. Jude Law. Leonardo DiCaprio. Matt Damon. Daniel Craig. Ryan Gosling.

In an industry dominated by dark-haired men, there have been so few blonds accepted to leap into our hearts, dreams, and fantasies. There are thousands of famous blond actresses, but I doubt there are 30 A-List blond actors in American cinematic history.

Hollywood seems to love blond women as much as it hates blond men. There's a whole school of thought that blond men are only cast as evil-doers. In a listing of the Top 50 Actors of All Time, only 4 of the 40 men listed are blonds. Interestingly, 7 of the 10 women on the list are blonds.

Personally I have a thing for brunettes (who are going prematurely grey, at that), but it kinda makes me wonder who the next hot blond will be, and when he will come along.
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2007’s Most Memorable Remarks

Some famous, and in some cases last, words:

“I love gay. I wanted to be gay. Please let me be gay … I did not call T.R. a faggot.”
“Grey’s Anatomy” actor Isaiah Washington on the Golden Globes red carpet, reigniting a controversy stemming from an on-set scuffle with co-star T.R. Knight, who is gay. Despite apologizing, Washington was eventually fired for his remarks. (Access Hollywood, Jan. 16)

“I’m going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period … T.R. is my best friend. I will use every ounce of energy I have to take you down if you hurt his feelings.”

“Grey’s Anatomy” actress Katherine Heigl coming to T.R. Knight’s defense (Associated Press, Jan. 17)

“I am not a hero, I am not special in any regard. I am simply doing what a good person of principle and conscience should do, which is making people aware that gay people don’t just look like Jack from ‘Will & Grace,’ and that they don’t want to jump your bones every occasion, and that some are camp, and some are butch, and that’s we’re different, and useful and we are here.”

John Amaechi, becoming the first NBA player, active or retired, to announce he is gay (ESPN, Feb. 11)

“Well, you know, I hate gay people. I let it be known, I don’t like gay people. I don’t like to be around gay people. Yeah, I’m homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world for that or in the United States for that. So, yeah, I don’t like it. First of all, I wouldn’t want [an openly gay athlete] on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, you know, I would really distance myself from him because I don’t think that is right. … I don’t condone it. And if people got problems with it, I’m sorry. I’m saying I can’t stand being around that person, knowing that they sleep with somebody of the same sex.”
Former NBA star Tim Hardaway, reacting to Amaechi coming out (Feb. 14 & 15 radio interviews)

“K.T. is my life partner. K.T. stands for Kathy Travis. We’re going on seven years. I have never been with a man in my whole life. I’m still a 55-year-old virgin.”
Financial guru Suze Orman announcing she would like to get married so her lesbian partner can avoid paying estate taxes when Orman dies (New York Times Magazine, Feb. 25)

“I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot,’ so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.”

Author and pundit Ann Coulter, speaking at a national gathering of conservatives (CSPAN, March 2)

“I believe homosexual acts between two individuals is immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way.”
Gen. Peter Pace, former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlining his support of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy (Chicago Tribune, March 12)

“Never once in my 54 years have I ever once heard a gay or lesbian person who’s politically active say one thing about anything that was not about them. They don’t care about minimum wage, they don’t care about any other group other than their own self because you know, some people say being gay and lesbian is a totally narcissistic thing and sometimes I wonder. I’ve never heard any of them say anything except for ‘accept me ‘cause I’m gay.’ It’s just, it’s screwed … I don’t give a damn who anybody has sex with, as long as they’re not underage and an animal. I don’t give a damn, it’s none of my damn business. I’m just sick of all the divisiveness, it’s not getting any of us anywhere.”
Comedian Roseanne Barr, while co-hosting a California radio show (April 6)

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to talk about personal life when you wrote a book about your father’s death and your brother’s death. You can’t move this big mass of personal stuff out for public display, then people ask questions and you say, ‘Oh, no, I didn’t say there was going to be any questions.’ … Don’t tell me you can’t talk about your personal life and then, when they send you overseas and you do a report that consists of your voice-over and pictures of you in a custom-made, blue-to-match-your-eyes bulletproof vest, looking somberly at these scenes of human devastation — like a tourist — and that’s your report. Your shtick is your personal life.”

MSNBC anchor Keith Olberman taking a shot at CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who refuses to address rumors that he is gay (AfterElton, April 10)

“I like pin-up girls. I’m not lesbian though — not before a Sambuca, anyway.”

Singer Amy Winehouse on her interest in other women (Digital Spy, May 15)

“He’s very interested in what being gay is because so many of our friends are gay. When talking around your child you have to think very carefully and you have to be prudent about your choice of words. You talk about people looking for happiness and fulfillment in their lives, and how all families are different and look different. You’re forced to really consider your answers. You’re forced to think a lot about what you’re saying and how you’re saying it — even the tone.” Actress Sarah Jessica Parker on talking to her 4-year-old son, James, who has been asking questions about what “gay” means (azcentral.com, May 24)

“Words have power. The power to express love, happiness and joy. They also have the power to heal. When you use words that demean a person because of their sexual orientation, race or gender, you send a message of hate … We have the power to heal and change the world by the words we use.”
Actor Isaiah Washington’s public service announcement on ABC, part of his attempt to make amends for his slur against a fellow “Grey’s Anatomy” star (Associated Press, May 28)

“Those comments were from just one guy, and John Waters blew them right out of the water. There is nothing gay in this movie. I’m not playing a gay man. Scientology is not homophobic in any way, in fact it’s one of the more tolerant faiths. Anyone’s accepted.”

John Travolta addressing complaints by Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff that he should not have played a role in “Hairspray” (The Times, June 30)

“The majority no longer wanted the covering. For some, they said they were environmentally conscious and wanted to cut down on waste. For others, it was more of an out-and-proud issue.”

Michael Phelps, the publisher of The Advocate, explaining that the magazine would no longer be sent in a wrapper unless requested by the subscriber (New York Times, July 9)

“You know when we lost everything, it was the gay people who came to my rescue and I will always love them for that.”

Tammy Faye Messner in an appearance on Larry King Live shortly before her death (July 19)

“Thankfully, it wasn’t scandal, which would have been the worst. I’m not very scandalous. It sort of happened in a way that allowed me to make a statement, and squelch rumors, that was a pro-active affirmation, without it becoming a big, giant deal.”
Actor Neil Patrick Harris on what it was like to publicly come out (Los Angeles Times, Aug. 12)

“Merv Griffin was gay … Why should that be so uncomfortable to contemplate? Why is it so difficult to write? Why are we still so jittery even about raising the issue in purportedly liberal-minded Hollywood, in 2007? … How tremendously sad that a man of Merv’s considerable gifts, of his gregarious nature and social dexterity, would feel compelled to endure such a stealthy double-life … He certainly didn’t owe us any explanation, but you might conclude he owed it to himself to remove the suffocating veil he’d long been forced to hide behind.”

Writer Ray Richmond, memorializing TV icon Merv Griffin (Hollywood Reporter, Aug. 17)

“I think it’s a choice.”
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, while participating in a Democratic presidential debate on gay issues, responding to lesbian rocker Melissa Etheridge’s question of whether Richardson thinks “a homosexual is born that way, or do you think that around seventh grade, we go, ‘Ooo, I want to be gay.’” (LOGO, Aug. 9)

“You know, I’m Hispanic. I felt the sting as a kid of being stereotyped. And I apologize, but I meant no harm when I said that.”
Richardson, clarifying his remarks, after being criticized by gay activists and organizations (Washington Blade, Aug. 17)

“At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot … Craig tapped his toes several times and moved his foot closer to my foot … The presence of others did not seem to deter Craig as he moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot … At 1217 hours, I saw Craig swipe his hand under the stall divider … At about 1219 hours, I held my police identification in my right hand down by the floor so that Craig could see it … Craig responded, ‘No!’”
Police report filed by Minneapolis Airport Officer Dave Karsnia (The Smoking Gun, Aug. 28)

“I am not gay, I never have been gay.”
Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) responding to news about his arrest for soliciting sex in an airport bathroom (Fox News, Aug. 28)

“These events have provided an important opportunity for us to confront a difficult fact: There are good, decent, moral people in this country who do not yet embrace their gay brothers and sisters as full members of our shared community. We will not secure full equality for all LGBT Americans until we learn how to address that deep disagreement and move beyond it.”
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), responding to criticism he received for scheduling an appearance by “ex-gay” gospel singer Donnie McClurkin at a South Carolina event for Obama’s presidential campaign (Washington Blade, Nov. 16)

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January 1

Why not start the year off with a look back. To understand what this blog entry is all about, click here:

2007 - No notes written. Must have been just a stay at home and relax day.

2006 - Sleep in with The BF.

2005 - Watch Garden State and Open Water with Ex#5. Have brunch at home and do laundry.

2004 - Stay at Ex#4's. Sleep in and order pizza. Watch Best of Molly Shannon on SNL.

2003 - Brunch with Bruce, David, Aaron, Gregg & Chuck. Drinking at JR's

2002 - Brunch with BFF Jeff and his boyfriend George. Sightsee around Mall and monuments. Meet friends for drinks at JR's

2001- Spent in Chicago (38" of snow), brunch at Chris and Todd's house, do some shopping, fly back to DC at 9:45 PM.

2000 - Sleep in, then join Gold's Gym for my resolution. Go to the Eagle with friend John for drinks.

1999 - Brunch with BFF Jeff and friend Rick. Drop Rick off at Metro then spend the day calling friends.

1998 - Sleep in with Ex#3, then have dinner at Boston Market.

1997 - Sick with the flu

1996 - Brunch at Peppers with Ron, Arlene, Jeet, Ryan and Kelly. Friend Arlene stays over a night.

1995 - Shop DuPont Circle and have lunch with Doug, call friend Kathy, see drag show at Ziegfeld's

1994 - Chuck rents room in my house senior year. Friend Ron calls from Egypt.

1993 - Drive to South Carolina to see Ex#2 while on winter break.

1992 - See JFK with Ex #2. Play Scrabble and plan trip back to school.

1991 - Brunch with BFF Jeff, Matt, & Joe at Annie's on 17th. Get diagnosed with gonorrhea (but that's another story).

1990 - Drive home from Hagerstown from Deer Park Lodge weekend. Spend day at home.

1989 - Recover from breakup the night before with Ex#1, still host friends Tyler, Tod and Dean staying at my house. Have dinner in DC then go dancing at Dakota.

1988 - Brunch at Lee's house with Mark, Tom, Steve, Tyler, Donnie, Tim & Stephanie. Bring sauerkraut.

1987 - Work 4-12 at the hotel.

1986 - Lunch with friends Dave, Leslie, and John.

1985 - Spend the day with fiance, Crystal. See Ghostbusters.

1984 - Play reading at John's house for senior play, Harvey. I was Dr. Chumley.

1983 - Family visits the Michael's.

1982 - Nothing entered here, but I doubt there's much a 16 year old needs to recover from.

Resolutions

The only resolution I've really been able to keep is to not make any more resolutions. I started this a couple of years ago -- not because I intentionally don't keep them, I simply just forget them. When asked in February what my resolution was, I'd had no idea. The only real resolution I've ever kept was to join a gym, and that was back in 2001 when I found myself newly single.

By "newly single" I mean it had not even been 24 hours yet. By sheer coincidence, two of my Exes broke up with me on New Year's Eve: Ex#1 in 1988/89 while we were out with friends at Lost & Found in DC. At 11:50 he looks at me and says, "I can't do this anymore." I thought he meant he couldn't stand the crowd and wanted to go home so I offered to get our coats. He said, "No, this. I can't do this anymore. You and me."

"You're breaking up with me now?? Ten minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve!?"

"Yeah I guess so. Hey this way we can start the year fresh with no baggage." And with that he walked away from me, leaving me in a stupor. And then the countdown came and I stood there alone while the whole world partied around me.

It happened again with Ex#3 in 1999/2000 - probably the biggest New Year's Eve of our lives, when the world ushered in a new millienium. I rented a tux and sat at home waiting for Ex#3 to show up so we could go out together. He never did. We'd had an argument a few days before and he stormed off, projecting his guilt onto me (I'd caught him cheating). But I was willing to overlook it and deal with it later if we could just get through this big night. He never showed up. So I popped the cork on the champagne bottle we had purchased together on our second anniversary, took a large gulp from the bottle and poured the rest out onto the ground. And stood and watched all the fireworks down on the Mall. The next day, I joined a gym.

But I digress. So . . . anyway . . . yeah, I don't make resolutions anymore. But anyway -

Happy New Year!

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Christmas (Un)Wrap Up

Christmas was nice.

Traveled home last Thursday night to spend several days with The Family. As expected, my parents' house is overdecorated, overcrowded, and over, uh, junk . . . food . . . ed. And I can't think of another place I'd rather be. Back home is a place full of food, love, and laughs.

Mom had an open house on the Saturday before Christmas, and I think at one point, there were 50 people in her house. She said there were more there that day than on Thanksgiving - the main reason I don't go home for that holiday. When you're used to living practically alone and your social life revolves around just a few people, it's difficult to suddenly be surrounded by a large group of people, even if they are family: it never gets quiet, even for a split second, and everyone is just a tad bit more hyper than usual.

On Sunday, my brother, sister and I went to my Aunt & Uncle's house - the ones who've been hosting Christmas Day dinner for the past 40+ years. They celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary on Christmas Eve - 60 years! I can't even imagine being alive that long, let alone being married to someone that long. Since they are both in their 80s now, prepping for a houseful of people is taking its toll on them, so a few of us showed up to help clean the house, cut up vegetables, basically anything they needed help doing. Mostly they just liked the company, and its good to spend time with them.

Christmas Eve I had dinner with my BFF, Jeff. Even though his house looks like Hallmark threw up on his lawn and Macy's had diarrhea in his dining room, he's still good company after all these years. We've been best friends for the past 20 years, and even though we now live in different time zones, we are still close enough to discuss his sexual escapades over a Cobb salad. Nothing says Christmas like a discussion about sex gas. Oh yeah, then I went to church.

On Christmas Day, my folks and I went to my youngest brother's house to watch his daughters open presents. He then ended up cooking a pretty kickass breakfast for everyone: homemade waffles, sausage, bacon, biscuits, and an egg dish that is a tradition in my family. I'm not even sure how to spell it - phonetically it sounds like "ash-maa". The recipe was passed down through German ancestors. Basically, it's egg gravy with bacon and sausage pieces poured over toast. Its probably more like "clogged arteries on toast" but it sure is good. And we only eat it on special occasions. After breakfast, my nieces taught me to play Guitar Hero II on their Xbox 360. Once I put on my youngest niece's new Hannah Montana wig - I was a hit.

The rest of the day was spent at my Aunt & Uncle's house. One of their grandsons had taken all of my Aunt's old home movies that she's been chronicling for the past 50 years and put them on DVD. So we sat and watched ourselves during the summer of '66, Christmas '88, Thanksgiving '59, relatives visiting from California in '72, loved ones who have long since passed, grandmothers who were children. There was an unspoken knowledge that this was the last Christmas we would be doing this - all gathering together in one place. With my Aunt and Uncle getting older and preparation getting harder for them, there's been a realization that a day like today probably won't continue. My parents host Thanksgiving, so I doubt they would take this day on too, even if they wanted to.

Christmas night is when my family trades gifts. My parents have a history of getting me the most bizarre presents and this year was no exception. My dad gave me a coin counter. The only coins I ever use are quarters for laundry, so not too sure what I will be doing with this contraption. Mom gave me handkerchiefs because she said, "No man should ever leave the house without a handkerchief in his pocket" -- perhaps, I think, if the man was 70 or this was 1940. However I did actually get what I asked for: the deluxe George Foreman Grill. It was too big to bring back on the plane so the folks are going to mail it to me next week. Aces!

Even though I had been home for about 6 days, I felt like I wasn't really ready to leave when the time came. It was nice to be around everyone, but I felt like I didn't really get a chance to visit with my parents because there was always something going on around us. I really like the one on two time I spend with them when no one else is around and I didn't get that this time. But all my feelings of homesickness faded when I met up with The BF at the airport so we could fly home together. We managed to score a row just for ourselves on an otherwise crowded flight (and the Exit Row to boot). It was good being with him after a week. After all, he is my home now.

Merry Christmas, everyone. And Happy New Year!
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December 20th

To understand what this blog entry is all about, click here:

2006 - Watch "The Devil Wears Prada" at my house with The BF and Jessica.

2005 - Get Christmas present from Mom in the mail; dinner at The BF's.

2004 - Christmas shopping at Pentagon City Mall; out to Remington's with Ex#5.

2003 - Office Holiday Party at my house.

2002 - Office closes at noon; dinner at Lauriol Plaza with Bruce, David, Greg and Aaron; drinks at JR's.

2001 - Ex#3 visits (4 months after breakup, mind you).

2000 - Holiday lunch at Cafe Asia with office staff.

1999 - Chi-Cha Bar with friend Rob C.

1998 - Dinner at Scotty's with Scotty, Ray, and Ex#3.

1997 - Christmas shop at Annapolis Mall.

1995 - Dinner at Il Radicchio with friend David P.

1994 - Paint stockings for Mom.

1993 - Christmas party at work; pick up car from garage at 6:00.

1990 - Office Christmas party.

1986 - Work from 4-12 (Braddock Motor Inn).

1985 - Work 4-10:30 (Camelot).

1984 - Speech final exam 7:00.

1983 - Audition for spring play; practice after school for Christmas game.

1982 - Rollerskating at Moon-Glo with friends.
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Shovel Your Sidewalks

As you might have noticed, my blogging has been much more sparse lately. This time of year always finds me particularly busy with business functions, social gatherings, seeing friends and traveling. As I said before, I'll be slowing my blogging down after the first of the year, but I will try to be better at posting until then.

Suffice is to say that all in life is good. If the janitor of my building would just shovel the damn sidewalk I might not have anything to complain . . . I mean . . . point out. Admittedly though, it is a slight embarrassment when the rest of the sidewalk on the street is cleared and your section isn't. It's nice to know I am not the only one who is bothered by this.

When I lived in a house, I took full responsibility of keeping the sidewalks cleared. Not sure of the laws in Chicago, but in DC a homeowner could get fined for not clearing the sidewalk in front of his home. Perhaps out here its not a law, but it would be the neighborly thing to do. But since the building janitor has been historically lazy, I'm not surprised that my building looks more like a home for transients than tenants.

But hey, it's supposed to be in the 40's this week too, right? So I guess the lazy get saved yet again, and the rest of us get slightly warm(er) weather. Everyone wins.

Meet Knut

Knut is a captive-born polar bear who was born at the Zoologischer Garten Berlin one year ago on December 5th. Rejected by his mother at birth, he was subsequently raised by zoo keepers. He was the first polar bear cub to survive past infancy at the Berlin Zoo in over thirty years. At one time the subject of international controversy, he became a popular tourist attraction and commercial success. After the German tabloid magazine Bild ran a quote from an animal rights activist that seemingly called for the death of the young cub, a worldwide public outrage was caused as fans rallied in support of his being hand-raised by humans.

Knut became the center of a mass media phenomenon dubbed "Knutmania" that spanned the globe and quickly spawned numerous toys, media specials, DVDs, and books. Because of this, the polar bear was largely responsible for a significant increase in revenue at the Berlin Zoo in 2007. Zoo attendance figures for the year increased by an estimated 30 percent, making the zoo the most profitable it has been in its 163 year history.

In Any Other Language

Now you can greet your international friends with a warm Christmas wish in their own native language:

(Albanian) - Gezur Krislinjden
(Argentine) - Feliz Navidad Y Un Prospero Ano Nuevo
(Armenian) - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
(Bohemian) - Vesele Vanoce
(Brazilian) - Feliz Natal e Prospero Ano Novo
(China - Cantonese) - Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Sing Dan Fai Lok
(China - Mandarin) - Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Sheng Dan Kuai Le
(Croatian) - Sretan Bozic
Èestit Boiæ i sretna Nova godina
(Czech) - Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
(Danish) - Gledlig jul og godt Nytt Aar
(Dutch) - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Dutch (Netherlands) - Prettig Kerstfeest
(Filipinos) - Maligayang Pasko
(Finnish) - Hauskaa Joulua
Hyvää joulua ja Onnellista uutta vuotta
(French) - Joyeux Noël et heureuse année
(Gaelic-Irish) - Nolag mhaith Dhuit Agus Bliain Nua Fe Mhaise
(Gaelic-Scot) - Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur
(German) - Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr
(Greek) - Kala Khristougena kai Eftikhes to Neon Ethos
(Hawaiian) - Mele Kalikimake me ka Hauloi Makahiki hou
(Hebrew) - Mo'adim Lesimkha
(Hindi) - Shubh Christmas
(Hungarian) - Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Boldog Karacsonyl es Ujevl Unnepeket
Kellemes Karacsonyt Es Boldog Uj Evet
(Icelandic) - Gledileg jol og farsaelt komandi ar
Gledlig jol og Nyar
(Indonesia) - Selamat Hari Natal
Selamah Tahun Baru
(Iraqi) - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
(Irish) - Nollaig Shona Duit
(Irish) - Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
(Italian) - Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Buone Feste Natalizie
Buon Natale e felice Capodanno
(Japanese) - Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
(Korean) - Chuk Sung Tan
Sung Tan Chuk Ha.
(Lithuanian) - Linksmu Kaledu
linksmu sventu Kaledu ir Laimingu Nauju Metu
(Norwegian) - God Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar
(Peru) - Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
(Philippines) - Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon
(Polish) - Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia i szczesliwego Nowego Roku
(Portuguese) - Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Feliz Natal e propero Ano Novo
(Romanian) - Sarbatori Fericite. La Multi Ani
(Russian) - S prazdnikom Rozdestva Hristova i s Novim Godom
(Serbian) - Hristos se rodi
(Serb-Croatian) - Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
(Spanish) - Feliz Navidad y prospero Año Nuevo
(Swedish) - God Jul Och Gott Nytt År
(Turkish) - Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Yeni Yilnizi Kutar, saadetler dilerim
(Ukrainian) - Srozhdestvom Kristovym
(Vietnamese) - Mung Le Giang Sinh. Cung Chuc Tan Nien
(Welsh) - Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
(Yugoslavian) - Cestitamo Bozic

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
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First Memory

The first memory I can recall was a Christmas memory. Or rather a Christmas Eve memory.

My family was at my Aunt Jeannie's house for Christmas Eve. I was sitting on her mother-in-law's lap. I remember Nanny asking me if I was ready for Santa Claus to come tonight and I said yes. Then I asked Nanny if she would come to my house the next morning to see my toys and she said yes. She was wearing a black dress and pearls.

The year was 1969. I was 3.

But there's more to the story. I have to piece it together because I don't recall all of it. But the next thing I actually remember is feeling disappointment over the fact that Nanny had not come to my house like she said she would. She was neither my grandmother nor even related to me. She was my mother's sister's mother-in-law. But I invited her and she said she would come, then she didn't.

And that's my first memory ever.

I guess it left a great impression on me, because to this day I still take people at their word, albeit naively. In college, I lectured my friends once on the importance of following up on what they said they would do. If they told me they would call me later, I'd wait in my room for a call. Or if they asked me to come by their room later, I expected them to be there.

I'm a literal person and adhere to "words are deeds". I try very hard to follow through with whatever I say I will do. And I expect the same in return. I think I always harboured some resentment to Nanny for never showing up to my 3rd Christmas morning. But on the flip side, she ended up making me a man of my word.
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How High The Moon

Some of you might remember this song from the opening scene of Biloxi Blues that starred Matthew Broderick, Corey Parker (whatever happened to him?), Penelope Miller and Chris Walken (he's my uncle so I can call him Chris).

Okay, just kidding.

Oddly this version wasn't recorded until 1953 or so, long after the world war WWII. It's my favourite version of the song, as so many other singers give it a nice rollicking beat. Not here. This is one of the laziest musical rolls that could be given this song. It's slow, and that's how it should be. All other versions of this song somehow sound wrong after Pat Suzuki's approach.

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Holiday Tips

Now that holiday shopping is in full force, here are a few tips to make your shopping experience - and mine - a bit more pleasant:

1. Don't stop at the top of an escalator - people just keep coming behind you, so keep on moving. Don't stop to survey the land, take in the scenery, get your bearings, etc. Just keep moving!

2. Don't stop at the bottom of an escalator - see #1.

3. Don't stop at the top of a staircase - see #1.

4. Don't stop at the bottom of a staircase - see #1.

5. Look up and see where you are walking - it's not my job to get out of your way when I am walking on the right side of the aisle/sidewalk/hallway. Pick your head up and pay attention.

6. When you exit a building, keep in mind you are entering the flow of traffic. It's like an on-ramp for a highway. You need to pick up the pace and get with the flow. And no crossing traffic without looking both ways.

There's probably more stuff, and when I think of it, I'll be sure to remind you.
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