How I Spent My Labor Day Weekend

Saturday:

Woke up with The BF who proceeded to leave me and go for an 18 mile run. I popped in a Netflix movie - in this case, Funny Lady - and then took a shower. Unfortunately started watching a marathon of Cycle 5 of America's Next Top Model . . . which is what I continued to watch for the next 10 hours. I did manage to move from my bedroom to the living room after the 5th elimination, and I made a quick trip to the Jewel to order a cake for work on Tuesday. Otherwise, I watched Tyra go from ghetto to demure in .009853 seconds and a house full of bitchy spoiled girls just get more bitchy and spoiled.

Sunday:

Woke up with The BF, had some breakfast and sent him off to BMG. I took a shower, and then unfortunately turned on MTV and yet again got sucked into a marathon, this time of Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model. After my fifth hour, I decided to save myself and spent some time in Border's. I met The BF after work, and we rented Team America.

Monday:

Woke up with The BF, had some breakfast and watched Word Wars, a documentary on the National Scrabble Championship Tournament. I then went into the office and decorated the space for the start of our fiscal year on Tuesday. Blue and white balloons and streamers everywhere. After I sufficiently gayed up the office, I met The BF so we could finally see The Bourne Ultimatum, where I also had to snap at and shush an older couple half way through the film. Great movie, by the way!
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Designed To Sell

The BF and I watch this show frequently on HGTV. Designed To Sell is your basic $2,000 budget-per-show re-do that helps the lazy, unmotivated, clueless homeowners get the maximum dollar amount for the home they are planning to sell.

First off, you have to catch the episodes with carpenter Steve Hanneman (left); he's quite the cupcake. He's not on the show's website, so I'm not sure where he went and what he's doing now. But his personal website is "under construction" - so that's a good sign. He's still not as hot as Carter Oosterhouse (or The BF for that matter), but then few are.

But I digress.

The show is good enough. I mean I watch it when it's on. But the thing I don't like about this show is the host, Clive Pearse. He more or less just gets on my nerves. He was apparently a big deal on the BBC, but over here he's just annoying. He fails at being "spontaneously" funny, and he moves and stands uncomfortably, especially for a host of a television show. He tries to disguise his doughy shape with too-large shirts, yet keeps an open collar to show off his collection of jeweled neckwear. Besides all that, I hate the way he says the word "plants".

In sharp contrast to him is Designer Lisa LaPorta. On the outside, she is the combination that usually makes me roll my eyes to the back of my head: short, female, perky, overachiever. But in spite of all that, I really like her. She's not a bit overbearing, and I've never seen a design of hers that I didn't like. She's creative without being condescending.

Aside: sometimes, Lisa gets a little strange. During one of her "Lisa LaPointers Moments" (cute huh?), she was imparting wisdom on how to maximize the curb appeal of your home: Step 1, take down the dilapidated old mailbox from your house. Step 2, paint the mailbox -- and then a 3 minute commercial for suspense -- Step 3, put the mailbox back on the house. Step 4, stand back and admire your work and the value it has added to your house. I mean. Come on. Really?

But as much as I watch and like the show and hate the host, I also sometimes have a problem with the budget unveiling. On one episode, they said they only spent $30 of their weekly $2,000 budget on paint; that's $30 to paint two rooms, one of which was at least 14x30 and already painted slate blue. There's no way only $30 of paint did the trick. I just painted my 10x12 bedroom and it cost me $52. Also, on a recent episode, they added stainless appliances to update a kitchen, but the items failed to make it into the budget at the end of the show.

Still the show does teach and explain well, so it does its job. I just wish they would get rid of the awful host. The designer, however, can stay. Oh yeah - and bring Steve back too!
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Uncommonwealth

There are 4 states in the US that don't call themselves states. They consider themselves commonwealths. Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia have all gone against the grain and decided they didn't want to be called the same thing everyone else was. You know what the difference is between a state and commonwealth?

Absolutely nothing. Legally, they both mean the same thing. Has nothing to do with how the government is run, the year they became ratified or joined the Union, how they issues taxes, nothing. Okay, technically a commonwealth is said to govern itself for the common good of its people. But isn't that what ALL states do? If a state doesn't govern itself for the common good of its people, then who is it governing for?

So why have these four chosen to be commonwealths when the other 46 chose to be called states? I'm not complaining - just pointing it out.
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Springfield, Part Deux

Today I continued my Lincoln tour. My first stop was the
law office of Lincoln while he was an attorney in Springfield,
the several years prior to his presidency. I ended up getting my own private tour of the building since I was the only person there at the time. It was interesting to see how the court system was set up in the mid-1800s, as well as to see the office Lincoln shared with different colleagues during his 25 years as a practicing lawyer.

Next stop was just steps across the street to the Old State Building. At first I was impressed by the building. It looked like it had been well-restored, with impressive Senate and Representative Chambers, and I was imagining the statesmen like Stephen Douglas giving one of his great orations on the very spot on which I stood. And I was snapping pictures left and right. Until the guide admitted half-way through the tour that everything we were seeing was new. The original building, while located on that acreage, was completely dismantled in the early part of the last century and that 98% of this new building's contents were basically fakes. With that, I raised an eyebrow and sneered (those who know me have seen this look), and proceeded to delete 20-some images from my camera (thank God for digital). I turned around and left the tour and the building.

I don't want to see reproductions of things. The whole fun of pursuing history is ... well ... the history of it. I want to walk the same floor boards as Washington, Look out the same window as Jefferson, sit in the same chair as Franklin, climb the same staircase as Lincoln. I'm not interested in a reproduction or a remodel. Otherwise, I don't really see the point.

Dinner at Jimmy John's, followed by a much-needed nap (I think I was just getting crabby), I hit the gym. I slept very well.

My visit to Springfield was nice. I didn't get a chance to visit Lincoln's gravesite, but as The BF said, "Now you have a reason to go back." (He thinks I'm a nerd.)
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Springfield

Yesterday I drove to Springfield so I could visit the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Library. The drive down 55 was simple enough, if you like cornfields -- 'cause that's all you're gonna look at for the 3-hour drive.

But I digress.

I checked into my hotel and then made a bee-line for the museum, which, fortunately enough, was just two blocks away. Suffice is to say, after I arrived at the museum, they needed to mop up behind me. The place is incredible. I am a little bit of a Lincoln Assassination buff (ok, maybe a tad more than a bit), so by proxy I've come to read quite a bit about Lincoln (although I've read even more about John Wilkes Booth). So I had a great understanding of the man and his life. And while walking through the exhibits (which I photographed without knowing that's against the law), I got the same feelings I used to get when reading about an ancestor I had uncovered. A vague sense of familiarity swept over me.

The Library is at least 50% larger than any other presidential library in existence (at least this is what the brochures tell me). The Museum is very interactive, with life-size, lifelike statues of Lincoln, his wife and sons, and other men and women of the time. And yes, even Booth is present (eerily enough, you can see him in the picture at left, just over the shoulder of Tad, the youngest son, as if he's watching and spying on Lincoln still).

Sometimes when I go through a museum, I am happy to go it alone - going at my own pace, seeing the things that interest me most. But here, I had wished someone was with me. For one reason, I would have loved to have my picture taken with the Booth figure but felt too uncomfortable to ask a stranger. But mostly, I wanted to share something that interests me so much with someone who means something to me.

A quick glance at my watch showed me that I still had 55 minutes to walk to the Lincoln home and get in the last tour if possible. A brisk walk several blocks south and I was in the next group heading inside the only home Lincoln ever owned. With the exception that the fence is not painted white, the house is an exact replica of itself from 1860. Even though it was interesting to walk through the house, I didn't feel a connection to it like I did when I visited Mt. Vernon. When visiting there, you get a feeling of the presence of George Washington. Perhaps it's because Lincoln's house is almost void of anything really personal. It's just furniture in rooms. It was worth the tour, but not worth a trip on its own. At least not for me.

Tomorrow, I plan on visiting Oak Ridge Cemetery, where Lincoln is buried (after I actually do some work, that is). It's so fascinating to me to trace this man's steps. Although my interest lay more with the assassination than any other part of Lincoln's life, it's still interesting to learn more about who this man was. Now if I could just find a tour like this that centered around Booth, I'd be ecstatic.

But then - come on - isn't this picture just a lit-tle creepy?

Baby Voices

One thing that completely throws me off balance is standing in front of a full-grown adult woman who opens her mouth to speak and out comes the voice of a 2-year old. What is this phenomenon? This NEVER happens with men. You'll never hear a grown man open his mouth and sound like he's 3. Granted, puberty might help this, but how does this happen only to women?

Do straight men find this attractive? Is it supposed to be sexy or do guys find it a turn off?
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A Trip Home

Made a surprise visit home to see the family this past weekend. It's always good for me to get back to my roots now and then, and my family knows exactly how to put me back in my place. And I sometimes think that I tend to be the voice of reason for all of them, perhaps because I am so detached from their daily lives. I can offer a very objective opinion on matters and I believe they all look to me for that.

Things back home seem to be good. My dad is purchasing another outdoor shed. He already has one in the back of the house that has become more of a workshop and less of a storage unit. So now he wants to get another one to house the lawn mower and snow blower. My visit home was successful in finding a location for this new building. My parents were going to put it directly across the sidewalk from the other one. It would have been a huge mistake. I found another spot that follows both form and function. All that HGTV The BF makes me watch is starting to pay off.

My sister has since taken in two borders since I saw her in June. Two of her son's friends are now living in her house as well. Neither of them get along with their parents and are in transition from college to adulthood - that murky phase where you graduate and don't know what to do next. Fortunately, one of them just got a job as a teacher and the other one is house shopping. So they are making strides at least.

My brother Matt and I worked out together one day - a shoulder and back routine. I am still sore from it. But it's fun now and then to lift with someone else. It certainly pushed me more than I normally push myself.

And my brother Mike had a housewarming party at his new home. He invited his family and friends. While we were there, the thought struck me that this had to be one of Mike's proudest moments - hosting a party in his own home surrounded by all the people he cared about most. Mike's had a tougher road than the rest of us, but he persevered. His tenacity has paid off and he's now a dedicated husband and father, and certainly someone I admire very much.

So these are the people who keep me grounded: they are big-hearted, driven, supportive people. All of them are constantly guilty of simply doing the right thing. They all make me laugh and take my game up another level. It's good to be with them. Even if just for a weekend now and then.
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Re-Bourne

I personally love the Jason Bourne trilogy by Robert Ludlum. And when the first book was made into a movie, I loved it even more. I totally buy Matt Damon as the amnesiatic title character. Seeing the latest installment, The Bourne Ultimatum, is on my to-do list. With this movie, comes the end to Ludlum's series (even though author Eric Van Lustbader wrote two more Bourne novels, The Bourne Legacy and The Bourne Betrayal).

Given that, it's almost impossible to NOT come up with a few more titles to possible future installments as the Bourne series grows:

Bourne to Be Wild - Jason Bourne wakes up in a Nairobian hut and needs to fight his way across the jungles of Africa.

Bourne Free - the follow up to Bourne to Be Wild, Jason has since tamed an elephant, cheetah, zebra, hyena, and gnu to live in peace and assist him on his journeys.

Bourne Ready - returning from Africa, Jason sits at Gate B34 at Kenosha Regional Airport, just waiting for something to do.

Bourne in the USA - in this two-parter, Jason awakens on a bench in Asbury Park, NJ, and he has no idea where that is.

Bourne to Run - Figuring he can't do any worse, Jason announces his candidacy for president, even though he has no idea who he is. Given the competition, Jason wins by a landslide.

Bourne Loser - Jason wakes up in a comic strip and thinks the artist has made him a little "too hippy".

Natural Bourne Killers - Jason wakes up in the trunk of a car driven by Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis while traveling across the country on a Route 666 killing spree.

Bourne Again - in a takeoff of 50 First Dates, Jason keeps waking up on the same day over and over again, and to make matters worse, Andie McDowell is there every morning.

Help me out here!
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We Tried To Tell You

Bush's approval rating plunges to new low.

WASHINGTON - US President George W. Bush's approval rating plunged to a new low of 26 per cent, making him the least popular US president since Richard Nixon, a poll released on Thursday found.

The Newsweek magazine poll showed that 26 percent of Americans, just over one in four, approve of the job Bush is doing, marking his lowest level of backing since taking office in January 2001.

"In fact, the only president in the last 35 years to score lower than Bush is Richard Nixon," the report said. "Nixon's approval rating tumbled to 23 percent in January 1974, seven months before his resignation over the botched Watergate break-in."

The survey found that the public's disillusionment with Bush spread from the Iraq war to domestic issues, with 73 percent of Americans disapproving of the job Bush has done with Iraq and a record-low 23 percent in favour.

Nampa-AFP

RIP Mike

When a friend of my parents' dies, I get an email from my mother with the subject line reading: Sad news. I realize it can't be anything too awful, otherwise Mom would call me instead of emailing me (I mean she's no Candy Spelling). That is, I don't expect to read anything like "your father died last Tuesday when he fell off a ladder while painting the house".

I've joked that my parents belong to the Death-of-the-Month Club because it seems that they're always going to some funeral home. Some people's parents join civic organizations or bridge clubs; my parents go to wakes. About thirty years ago they joined a volunteer organization and were one of the youngest couples. As a result, many of their friends are a little older. And now dying.

Lately Mom's emails seem to be occurring with greater frequency. And it made me a little sad when I talked to her this past week. Their friend Mike passed away at 83. He had a heart attack and didn't want surgery at his age - he just wanted to die at home . . . which he did . . . 2 days later. My parents always liked Mike and his wife Dell. Besides bearing a striking resemblance to Floyd the barber from the old Andy Griffith Show, Mike was a sweet, kind soul who never said a bad thing about anyone. And he ended just about every sentence with 'yyyyessir'.

This particular funeral was tough for my folks and I feel bad that they had to go through it. There's a price to pay for being friendly and outgoing and having so many friends - there's a lot of goodbyes for which you can neither plan nor allow yourself to expect.
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Chicago History Museum

This past weekend, The BF and I went to the Chicago History Museum (see us in the "O"?). After getting over the initial euphoria of seeing the actual bed in which Lincoln died (The BF checked my pulse a few times), we meandered through the museum taking all kinds of strange pictures and learning a little more about they city we love and call home.

Steroids vs. Bulimia

With all the doping scandals going on throughout the world of sports and the world at large, there is something we need to remember: this should not be a double standard.

For years, women and girls have been garnering sympathy and pathos for trying to achieve what society has dictated to be the ideal physical form. Women have been starving themselves and suffering from eating disorders (not to mention making endless trips to plastic surgeons) all in pursuit of being built like a doll from the 50's - which, it's been determined, would actually have to be over 8 feet tall if it was an actual woman, based on her measurements.

Women are not alone in this pursuit of "perfection". Ever see the toys little boys play with, or the heroes they want to emulate? Society's male ideal is far more physically destructive than his female counterpart. And while both men and women want to look good, men primarily have to live up to the performance aspect as well - to go further, be stronger, be faster, be better, to prove yourself physically.

I'm by no means condoning the use of steroids. And even though I've been accused of it in the past, I've never taken them. Genetics and Fritos got me where I am today. But I think we need to slow down on thinking that men and boys who use performance and body enhancing drugs should garner any less sympathy than the women and girls who are starving themselves.

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He's The One

A few weeks back at Carrie & Marty's wedding, while sitting in the room waiting for the wedding to begin, I sat listening to a man and woman playing background music on soft guitars and filling the void with melodic and quiet tones. The woman was the main vocalist, and I enjoyed her voice immensely. So much so, I actually ignored The BF and the conversations we were having and started paying attention to the woman's singing. And as I began paying attention, I realized I knew the song she was singing - an acoustic version of Robbie Williams' "She's The One".

I've heard this song about a hundred times off Robbie's The Ego Has Landed CD. Perhaps I never really paid attention to it, perhaps it was the woman's voice, perhaps because I was at a wedding surrounded by love, perhaps it was just having The BF next to me for the first time in three weeks (following his bike tour) . . . perhaps it was all these things. In any event, while sitting listening to the song, I almost totally lost it.

I'm not a crier - that is, it's rare for me to shed a tear. I have to be pretty emotionally tapped out for that to happen. It's not that I don't share my feelings or emotions, I just don't get sad very often. But sitting in that room, next to that person, hearing that song, it was alot for me to handle.

The main refrain is "If there's somebody calling me on, she's the one". It's a song about support and encouragement; about being with the one person who challenges you to challenge yourself to go a little further; about being with that person who inspires and motivates you to be better. And The BF does that for me. I think it was that moment that I realized how nice it was to be with him again. I decided that our relationship can stand the strain of our being separated for several weeks at a time, or possibly longer if necessary - but it's not something I want to do too often. Because I need him there "calling me on". Which he does, with a smile.

And I'm pretty sure he's the one.

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Johnny Rockets Ride To Nowhere

Dear Johnny Rockets,

Imagine my friends' and my excitement at taking a much-needed day off from work and spending it at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL, during a beautiful day in July. Then imagine a big, scary monster taking that excitement, butt-raping it, stomping it into the ground, then pissing on it. And then imagine that monster is Johnny Rockets. Such was our experience in your restaurant at the park on Monday.

We arrived eager to jump on the rides. But knowing we needed to eat first, we went to your familiar restaurant only to have to endure a 40-minute wait for two simple hamburgers and two orders of fries. Nothing special about them - didn't ask the burgers to be cooked a special way, didn't request a Beefsteak over your Paste brand tomato, didn't want the buns toasted differently.

I realize that everything is cooked-to-order, however regardless of what your manager, Rachel, explained to me, normal waiting time for a burger and fries is NOT 20-30 minutes, especially from a fast-food burger joint. How do I know this? Because two friends who accompanied The BF and me received their burgers and fries within 15 minutes. Still a long time to wait, but in the context of never receiving anything, I'd take the 15 minutes.

I requested a refund, which I was given. However, the refund was not accompanied by an explanation, an apology, or any other attempt to hopefully salvage my business or provide any type of basic customer service. Somehow, I found no comfort in Rachel's explanation of "it takes as long as it takes."

I'm not sure what happened to customer service in this country, but your company reflects its downfall, or complete lack thereof. And you should be ashamed. Tsk Tsk...

And at an amusement park . . .

Harry Potter Film

So last week, The BF, The Roommate, The Roommate's BF, and I went together to see the new installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Let me say at the outset - not my favourite one. Actually, quite possibly, my least favourite one. I won't give away plot lines, but the movie moved very slowly. I'm all for a brooding character now and then, but brooding can only last so long.

There didn't seem to be much character development, and there was very little that actually propelled the story forward. Perhaps all of it was just set-up for the next two, but at 2.5 hours, I expected to learn more about these characters and their situation: Harry still hates Voldemort, Voldemort is still gaining strength, Ron and Hermoine are still by Harry's side, Hagrid still has their backs, Dumbledore still thinks Harry is the next best thing to cheese dip.

And in mentioning the characters, I didn't believe the character of Professor Delores Umbridge. She seemed too mean for no reason. There was no backstory or explained circumstances as to why she was the way she was. I would say that perhaps the book is better, but both The Roommate and The Roommate's BF admitted to not even finishing the book because it was such a downer.

The one thing I have found to be amazing is that they are still using the same kids from the first movie. It's pretty impressive that they have not had to replace any of them (drugs, death, alochol), but then I guess the UK's teen performers are nothing like America's.

So now I sit and wait until 2009 (hopefully) for Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, hoping it's a better film than its immediate predecessor.

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The Morning Funnies

Few things look more ridiculous that an adult running to catch a bus. Unless it's an adult in a business suit running to catch a bus (especially during rush hour in the morning where we all know another bus will be there within one minute).

I think the suit makes it funnier because, in my mind, those who wear suits are supposed to be on top of their games, in total control, high powered. The bus seems to be the great equalizer: suits sit next to barristas. Even though the dress differently, neither can exist without the other. But I digress.

Funnier than seeing an adult in a suit running for the bus is seeing an adult in a suit run for the bus and not make it. Through the glass, you can see the adult mouth one of three expressions: "shit", "ah c'mon", or the most popular "fuck". And then I can't help myself, but I giggle silently.

This might be a larger issue about how Americans love to see failure, or how I might feel superior because I have attained something that someone else wants, or how adults are failing at time and/or stress management.

Nah! I just think it's funny.

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Cold Homeless

I ask this question not to be a smart-ass but just because I would like to be educated:

Do homeless people acquire lower body temperatures?

The other day, it was 95 muggy degrees in downtown Chicago and I saw a homeless guy at the gas station across from my office, wearing a coat. And this is not the first time I've seen this. I can understand the need or compulsion for someone without a home to have to wear everything he owns, but many times I have seen someone who I define as homeless or vagrant dressing far colder than the actual temperature.

So I'm just curious. Anyone?

July 18th

To understand what this blog is about, click here.

2006 - Have dinner and pose for publicity photos at Hamburger Mary's with The BF, Ashley and Jessica S.

2005 - Fly out to Chicago for interviews. Stay at The Villa Toscana. Spend the day with The BF (back before he was The BF - it was our second date) at Millennium Park, the Field Museum (with Jessica T.), and Buckingham Fountain (where we snap our first photo together).

2004 - Have third session at Fatty's Custom Tattooz in DC. Have dinner at Local 16 with Ex#4. Go out with Ashley to Lizard Lounge.

2003 - Go to Remington's with Ashley to sing karaoke.

2001 - See Legally Blonde with friend George B.

1999 - Visit Deep Creek Lake with Ex#3. Spend the day jet skiing, climbing Wisp mountain. Dinner at Silver Tree, drinks at the Honi Honi.

1998 - Go to Rehoboth Beach with Ex#3. Stay at Atlantic Sands, dinner at Summer House, dance at Renegade.

1997 - Mail my phone and VISA payments. Hair appointment (yeah, I used to have those) at Suissa. Out to Badlands with friend David F.

1995 - Interview with The Gap in Georgetown. Dinner at Chi-Chi's with friend Lance D.

1994 - Spend the night at Ex#1's place in DC on my way back to Eugene O'Neill Theater Center summer internship (came home for brother's wedding).

1993 - Dinner at Karrow's with Ex#2 and friends Ron M, James C., and Scott S. during Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre in Winchester, VA.

1992 - See Ex#2 in Me & My Girl at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre. Dinner and drinks with gang at Coley Harry's.

1991 - Softball game in Arlington at 7:00, then go to "Ripped Levi Night" at the DC Eagle with friend Matt B.

1990 - Go to Allegany County Fair and Expo with best friend Jeff in Cumberland.

1989 - Work until 6. Have pizza with friend Mike P.

1988 - Ex#1 and I have friends Steve & Steve in for dinner. Ex#1's best friend Ivan stays over.

1987 - Work until 4:00. Go to Deer Park Lodge with friend Steve P.

1986 - Work at the hotel from 4-midnight.

1985 - Take car in for tune-up. Work at McDonald's from 6-9:45. Out drinking with friend Dave S. visiting from the US Naval Academy.

1984 - Dinner at Pizza Hut with Spanish Class students.

1983 - Softball game at 6:30.

1982 - Ride along to take brother Mike to Boy Scout Camp for the week.
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I Think I Love It

I can't really tell if this is really cool or really dorky. Nonetheless, I love it anyway. I present to you the Bar Code Chandelier:

Seriously, I want it. For a long time, when I was considering getting my first tattoo - way back when I was 17 - I was planning on getting a tattoo of a bar code between my shoulder blades. Back then, everyone said it was a dumb idea. Since then, however, I've seen bar code tattoos all over the place. Was I ahead of the curve back then - I'd say hell yeah. I'm glad I didn't do it tho.

But at least if I bought this bar code chandelier I could end up tossing it later, not like a tattoo. So is this lamp cool or not?

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Open Letter To Cab Drivers

Dear Cab Drivers:

First of all, let me say thank you. Apparently I must look inexperienced, naive, and dewy-fresh to you (tho, I can assure you, it's been ages since I've been a virgin at anything). I say this because you must think I don't know how to hail a cab, even though I am over 40 and have lived in metropolitan areas for the last 20 years. I must make a note to myself to wipe the vague expression off my face while I am minding my own business walking down a sidewalk.

This is the only reason I can think of as to why you feel the need to blow your horn at me for no reason. Trust me when I tell you, I know how to hail a taxi. Unless the process has changed, you simply stand on the street and hold your arm up. Correct? Is there something new? I'm sometimes out of touch, so help me out here. Am I now supposed to just shake my ass in your direction? Maybe that's why you are confusing my simple walking with trying to get your attention for a ride.

May I also remind you that despite the fact that you CONSTANTLY disobey the speed limits, traffic signals, and commit numerous moving violations, you are also violating Chicago's Noise Pollution Law 11-4-1290, which states:

No person shall sound any horn or audible signal device of any motor vehicle of any kind while not in motion nor shall such horn or signal device be sounded under any circumstances except as required by law nor shall it be sounded for any unnecessary or unreasonable period of time.

So you see, aside from just being annoying, you're also breaking the law. So hear this: if I need you, I know where to find you.
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