via chicago

St. Peter's Church, 110 W. Madison Street

2009-05-19T09:57:00.003-05:00

I walk by this amazingly huge crucifix everyday and never really thought anything of it until I saw a group of students (on a field trip?) taking photos. Made me stop and take notice.

Rex and the city

2009-05-18T19:21:00.003-05:00

Tim actually took this one, not me. So, what's up with the huge red dino? Find out here.

Out of Hibernation

2009-05-18T16:48:00.002-05:00

Winter is OVER and it's time to have a social life once again. Since I don't feel particularly opinionated about anything these days, I've decided to start posting pictures. One picture a day to be more specific. The pictures will be of objects or scenes specific to Chicago. Everyday I walk downtown or in my own neighborhood and I see interesting signs, murals, ads, scenes, etc that I think are cool or unique. I'd like to start documenting these images and objects for my own purposes and for anyone else who cares enough to follow along. Stay tuned...

Lost title sequence

2009-01-28T21:30:00.003-06:00

I am SO happy Lost is back on TV!
The title sequence alone is fantasic. So creepy. So simple. It's like we're entering the twilight zone. And that music. Love it. As soon as it comes on, any voices must be hushed. I wish they offered it as a screen saver.

Here it is for those who don't know...

Lost Title

Passion Pit/Mosh Pit

2009-01-28T09:33:00.003-06:00

Last night Tim and I went to Schubas and saw the band Passion Pit. There was so much energy in the crowd, it was the most fun I've had at a show in a while. Because they only have one EP the set was short and sweet; only about 30 minutes. The crowd was dancing, throwing their hands up and having a blast. I'm glad I got myself to venture outdoors on such a cold and snowy Tuesday night.

Check out Passion Pit's EP Chunk of Change.

Taken from PasteMagazine.com:
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Fun Fact:
Passion Pit’s debut EP, Chunk of Change, was initially intended to be a belated
Valentine’s Day gift for lead singer Michael Angelakos’ girlfriend.
Why It's Worth Watching: Chirpy, shimmering synth sounds,
impassioned lyrics and some sky-high melodies swirl together under snapping drum
beats to form a gorgeous electro-pop sound.
For Fans Of:
Hot Chip, Magnetic Fields, MGMT

Feeling like a house wife...

2009-01-08T11:26:00.002-06:00

For the past 3-4 days I've been dealing with one of the worst colds (actually it was the flu) that I've ever had. It completely knocked me on my ass and took me away from work for 3 days. I can't remember the last time I had a cold so I think that made it even more hard to deal with. I've been spending most of my time in my room, in bed, while occasionally venturing out to watch some TV.

The good news is I"m feeling MUCH better today and I know I'll be back to work tomorrow. Also, I got to live the housewife life for a couple days (minus the screaming children and plus a 101 fever). While feeling lame for myself on the couch I caught some of Oprah's Best Week series. Man, I forgot how inspirational and educational her show can be. Don't make fun of me! In Chicago her show is on at 9am so I never catch it. Today she had on Suze Orman, the often annoying (but very good) financial expert. After listening to her list of ways to be financially responsible in 2009 I realized I'm in pretty awesome shape. I know I have my parents to thank for teaching my brothers and I how to not blow our money. My dad's been giving me alot of advice for a retirement fund and everything he said was repeated by Suze today. My mom always taught us to live within our means...even though I'd make fun of her for always buying store brand! It's nice to know that if the worst does happen and I lose my job...I have a decent safety net waiting for me.

Been a long time...

2009-01-05T14:23:00.007-06:00

I have not blogged in over a month. Here's why...the crappy economy has finally caught up with me and for the first time in my young career I'm scared of losing my job. The thought of it has become all encompassing. To make matters worse, my company is in serious talks of a merge. The past month or so has been filled with questions that seem to have no answers. The work has completely dried up and we all are scrambling to "look busy". I've somehow survived two rounds of lay-offs...with the fear that more are on the way.

What has been most surprising during this unsettled time is the enlightenment that comes from desperation. I've been giving a lot of thought to what I would do if I lost my job. Would I look for another design job? Am i even good at this? Am I ready to put myself out there again for interviews and rejection? What is it I really want to do? What do I have to do to make it happen? It's times like these when what you really want to do can bubble up to the surface. That mostly buried desire to learn the web is now at the top of my list. Now more than ever I know this is where I need to be focusing myself. I will be signing up for a class in the next couple of days.

Also, I want to work with my hands more. I used to say graphic design was great because you're creating art but your hands stay clean. Now I don't like having this tool (the computer) between me and what I'm creating. I've decided to take a silk screening class. Also I'd like to try a sewing class soon.

Once I learn how to create efficient websites, I'd like to start freelancing again.

It's important for me to have goals and to have something in the future that I'm trying to attain. I'm excited about my new goals and plan to resurrect my blogging hobby as well.

Anyways enough of this talk. Here are some photos from my birthday weekend!

I love Tim Gunn

2008-11-26T13:24:00.002-06:00

Will someone buy me this shirt?

More here:

http://www.wireandtwine.com/

It's not dead...and neither am I!

2008-11-21T09:40:00.002-06:00

Chivary is not dead on the CTA! Yesterday as I stepped off the bus to go to work, the bus driver grabbed my arm. It scared me at first but in a split second I knew exactly what he was doing. At the particular spot where I get dropped off downtown the lanes are set-up kind of weird and the buses can't pull over to the sidewalk to let passengers off, leaving another lane open where sometimes cars go to turn right. It's very odd. Anyways, usually I look before I step off to make sure no cars or bicylists are coming. However, this time I did not...but the bus driver did! He saved me from stepping off the bus and into oncoming traffic!

Never Forget The Tragic Events Of May 21, 2008

2008-11-20T18:15:00.002-06:00

Remember the days when you were this passionate about something?

YMCA

2008-11-18T20:40:00.002-06:00

About a week ago my friend Olivia and I joined a nearby YMCA. I really felt like I needed to be doing something to move my body and to work some more exercise into my day. I started looking into the Y when I realized that I was interested in swimming. Swimming has been an exercise that kind of runs in the family. My dad and my aunt have turned to swimming to help with back pain...something I may be experiencing in the future due to my scoliosis. With no contracts, the only indoor pool in the area, access to all the classes (including yoga, pilates, and spinning) and $47 a month membership...I couldn't go wrong. Plus it's less than half a mile from my house!

I'm really enjoying being in the water and using the kickboard to strengthen my legs. It's WAY better than running and it's great for your joints. I think I've finally found an exercise routine I can get into and enjoy. Tomorrow we will be trying the water conditioning class where I think we will be treading water for an hour straight. It's gonna kick our butts.

Chivalry and the CTA

2008-11-14T09:54:00.005-06:00

Every morning I ride the #11 Lincoln bus to work. Lately I've been using public transportation a lot, in preparation for not having a car. Sidenote: My parents are coming up to Chicago for Thanksgiving and driving my car back to Florida. This is happening by choice. It's pretty easy to live in Chicago without a car.

Something that has begun to irk me is how young people rarely relinquish their seats to the elderly and to pregnant women on the bus. It just really bothers me when I see this. It's like we live in this society that won't man-up and do the right thing. Not to be sexist but... hey guy, if you see an elderly lady struggling just to make it up the bus steps, get up! Don't let the young lady sitting a couple rows back who gives up her seat make you look bad. It's like people don't understand that if you're sitting at the front of the bus you have to be extra aware of the elderly...those seats are meant for them, not you.

A lot of times it's obvious when to give up your seat. But I will say, sometimes it's not so obvious. For example I've struggled with whether or not to give my seat to someone like an older man in his 60's. A man with grayish hair, looks older, but looks in overall good shape. In these situations I don't want to insult him by offering my seat...especially since I'm a girl in my 20's and there's some weird age/gender things going on there. Plus I don't want to make anyone feel old.

One thing that I always look out for is pregnant women. I make sure to give my seat to them always. Sometimes they decline...but you gotta ask.

Sometimes I think chivalry is dead on the CTA. The other day while we were boarding the red line, my female friend was nearly knocked over by a guy trying to get into the train. Seriously?

Bye bye Mac

2008-11-12T16:28:00.004-06:00

Sadly I think my days of being an Apple user are coming to an end. I have to buy a new computer soon and during my research I have found that Dells are half the price for the same hard drive and memory. I can no longer ignore this fact and continue to buy the Apple computers for twice the cost. It's such a painful realization to come to and one that makes me feel like I'm turning my back on the design world.

I'm not sure if I'm ready for this.

Random photo of the day

2008-11-11T11:21:00.001-06:00

I am so due for another trip!

That's me in front of Stonehenge.

LOW FAT cupcakes!!!

2008-11-09T22:12:00.006-06:00

It's easy and it's yummy! All you do is buy some cake mix. THEN instead of adding the eggs, water, and oil...you add a can of diet soda. I bought the white "Funfetti" mix and added a can of diet Sprite. It tastes just as good, if not sweeter, then regular cupcakes and it's low fat. The only trick is, you have to let them sit for a while (like an hour) after you've pulled them out of the oven. If you try to eat them too soon, like I did, you'll find that the cupcakes stick to the paper cups. If you can hold out for an hour ( I know it's hard), you'll be happy. :)

Candid Photos

2008-11-07T16:21:00.002-06:00

Came across some cool candid photos of Barack Obama and his family watching the results on election night.

http://flickr.com/photos/barackobamadotcom/sets/72157608716313371/

Photos from the Obama Rally

2008-11-05T22:26:00.003-06:00

Before the Obama rally Tim, Ana, Matt, Tom, Beth, and I had dinner at the historic Berghoff Restaurant in downtown Chicago. As you can see, I enjoyed a pre-celebratory flight of Berghoff brews (for only $8!). After dinner, Tim and I went back to his place to watch the results while the rest of the crew went to the rally. Below are some photos that Beth took.

A New American President

2008-11-05T09:06:00.002-06:00

What a long two years it's been. I remember first hearing of Barack Obama's bid for presidency on a cold February morning in 2007 as I climbed the stairs to the Metra platform. Wow, I thought, a black man and a woman will be running in the same race. I guess it was from that moment on that I was hooked. I'll admit, I had my doubts when it came to Obama. The thought of a woman president became front and center in my mind. How could I not get excited about that. She had the smarts and the experience. When it became apparent that it was just not going to happen for Clinton, I looked towards Obama. And perhaps what made it even more of an obvious choice was McCain's selection of Sarah Palin. A woman I had basically nothing in common with and who was so far right, it hurt.

The election of Barack Obama is a sign of our times. The youth vote finally came through. I've never seen a presidential campaign relate to the youth culture like this did, with it's internet savvy and use of design. Sheppard Ferry better be getting paid the big bucks for his Obey-like Obama illustrations.

This morning as I headed to work, I saw African Americans on the street shaking hands, hugging, and rejoicing. How important this moment must be for them...and for all of American. For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of who my country elected as president. And it feels good.

Halloween '08

2008-11-02T18:38:00.005-06:00

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T09:26:00.003-05:00

To start your morning right, how about some of my favorite, most scariest horror movie scenes.
Watch it you dare!

For the record, at 8:50am I already saw my first Joker of the season. The guy had bright green hair, a white face, and that crazy red smile...in the middle of the loop! That takes cojones.

New Presidential Candidate... It's someone we know!

2008-10-30T09:35:00.000-05:00

Hi,
There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know!

See this news website about the surprising new nominee:
http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=370617&altf=Njdifmmf&altl=EfmQsfuf

Jot back a note to let me know what you think!

Vote: Michelle HUSSEIN DelPrete :)

Innies v Outies

2008-10-29T11:23:00.004-05:00

I just read an insightful article on AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts). The author was describing the differences between an "innie" and an "outie" in the design world. I've always been an innie, while secretly wishing to be an outie. An innie is an in-house designer, a graphic designer who works within a larger group, providing for that group any design needs they may have. They are usually the only designer on staff. An outie is a designer who works at a design firm or agency, (with many other designers) and relies on outside sources for their "survival".

While I've always envied those outies for their creative environments and high profile design jobs, I've come to discover that being an innie isn't all that bad.

One commenter on AIGA summed up the pros and cons pretty well. Here is what he said.

by Saurabh Gupta Sun May 25, 2008
Hi, I have spent the better part of my 8-year career as an in-house designer in India, and here are some of my observations with respect to design environment in India:

1. I get paid more than what I'd have been in an agency - for any stage of my career.

2. Corporations give much more benefits and job security.

3. I get to work with the latest and best hardware and software, whereas agencies are not able to upgrade so promptly. Design equipment costs are very small and affordable for corporations than for agencies.

4. A lot of recognition and entire credit for every work.

5. Colleagues see you as the 'creative guy', different from them, a guy who has the luxury to come in jeans while they are tied up in grey corporate attire.

6. An in-house designer is better able to tune his creativity to the spirit and vision of the employing company than due to his constant involvement and physical presence within it. This kind of involvement is far more difficult to achieve with outside designers - unless the company is a big enough client of a big enough design agency.

7. Being inhouse helps me keep my creativity grounded and practical and result focussed.

Of course there are some things I miss:
1. The creative environment

2. You have to report to a person who doesnt know much about design - you have to let your work be judges by someone who knows less about your subject than you do.

3. You will always be a support function (unless its a design driven product your company is into), long to be counted as a core professional. You are afraid you will not be missed much if gone.

Scientists develop artificial heart that beats like the real thing

2008-10-29T09:34:00.002-05:00

A truly fascinating article, but what was even more fascinating to me was the reaction of a small number of people who left comments at the end.

Two women commented about feeling sorry for the animals who were tested on. Quite a few people disagreed. Including myself, for obvious reasons.

Another comment was made that suggested if people just ate healthy and exercised more, they wouldn't need a transplant in the first place. Well, I've got news for that guy...ever heard of genetics?

Such naive comments are to be expected from people who probably have never experienced a health crisis first hand, or with someone important to them. Idiots.

An Evening With Don Herzfeldt

2008-10-25T20:44:00.003-05:00

Last night Tim, Kris, Erin, and I went to the Music Box Theater for an Evening with Don Herzfeldt. Don is an animator known for his dark, stick-figure cartoons. I first became a fan in college when my design class became obsessed with the short film Rejected. We had to buy tickets for the 11:30 pm show because the 8 pm show sold out. We got to see Don's new film I Am So Proud of You, as well as Rejected, 3-D Intermission, Billy's Balloon, Everything Will Be OK, and The Meaning of Life. Other than Rejected, I enjoyed I Am So Proud of You. However, because the show was so late, it was pretty difficult to stay awake, and once the show was over, Tim and I skipped out before the Q&A session.

Official description:
Cult animator and Academy Award nominee Don Hertzfeldt (Rejected, the Meaning of Life, Billy's Balloon) visits Chicago for a special one-night-only event on October 24 at 8:00 and 11:30. A selection of Don's classic animated shorts returns to the big screen, culminating in the exclusive Illinois premiere of his brand new film, I am so proud of you. His longest piece to date, I am so proud of you is the eagerly anticipated second chapter to Everything Will Be OK, winner of the Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Award in Short Filmmaking and named by many critics as one of the "best films of 2007". The screening will be immediately followed by a live on-stage interview and audience Q&A with Don Hertzfeldt.

Dignity Diner

2008-10-24T10:52:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday night, Olivia and I volunteered at Holy Covenant Methodist Church's Dignity Diner. Dignity Diner happens every Tuesday. The church opens it's doors to the hungry and serves a hot vegetarian meal. I've been looking for a volunteer opportunity like this for a while, so when I learned that the church offered it, it was perfect. What is different about Dignity Diner is that instead of having the homeless line up to be served buffet style, the volunteers go to them, like waiters, while they sit and enjoy dinner. This proved to be a bit of a negative. Let me explain.

We went straight from work because dinner was served at 6. I really should have brought a change of clothes because heels weren't the best option. We were introduced to the other volunteers and event leaders. On the menu was salad, pizza, and desserts. For the most part interacting with the diners was fine...most were thankful for the food and sort of sat quietly, ate, and interacted with the other people. Only one man aggressively asked for his food, and most understood the concept of making sure the food was evenly served. There was one man, however, who was a bit of a problem. Let's just say he was very fond of the lovely young ladies serving him dinner. He liked hugs, kissing our hands, and talking very closely to us (with his breathe reeking of alcohol). This is where I kind of would have preferred the buffet method of serving. That way there's a barrier between you and the diners.

Overall the experience was a good one. I left feeling good like I'd definitely do it again; next time keeping a bit more of a distance and maybe volunteering to do more of the prep work, rather than serving the food. Oh, and wearing nice work clothes probably wasn't a great idea. I will definitely bring a change of clothes in the future.

Dancing with the Stars

2008-10-21T09:25:00.001-05:00

Kyle Cooper reel

2008-10-17T11:54:00.003-05:00

You know his work, you just may not know you do...
Well-known movie titles designer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf2yk1x-Fis

U2 Eucharist

2008-10-05T19:43:00.002-05:00

I went to church today! Wow...I know. My friend Olivia regularly attends a local church and is always talking about how much she loves it. Recently she asked me to come with her to a special service where U2 songs would be sung. I wasn't exactly sure how that was going to work, but I was interested. I knew we didn't have to be there until 11 am, so it had that going for it. I live for my weekends and sleeping in.

I have to say I really enjoyed myself. The pastor, Trey, was a very effective speaker...something I'm not really used too. Growing up as a Roman Catholic, I am used to standing, sitting, and speaking, all in unison. I'd zone out during the readings, and would only kind of pay attention during the sermon. I'd get lost during the whole thing, probably because the church was huge and lacked an intimate feel. So it was cool to experience something a bit different. It got me thinking about how I'd like to sort of revisit my church roots. There's this beautiful Catholic church by my house that I've always wanted to go into. It would be nice one weekend to attend a mass...I'd like to see if I might get more out of it, now that I'm older. I'd also like to go back to Olivia's church to see what a normal service is like. Her friend Carolyn meet us at church and was a visitor as well. She's Jewish, but thought she'd check out the service. Sometime I'd like to go to Temple, to see what that's all about too. Hey, why not?

So...I guess this is something I'd like to explore and I'm happy I got the chance today to pause and think about it. Is faith something I'd feel comfortable sharing with a group of people? Or do I want to continue to hold it close to me? I don't know yet, but I'm open to think about it.

County Line Apple Orchard, Bogart IN

2008-10-05T18:12:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I picked an apple right off a tree and ate it! This kind of blew my mind...and that is probably sad. The County Line Orchard is the closest of it's kind to Chicago. It's right over the state border and gave me a reason to go to Indiana (a state I never thought I'd visit). It seems my GPS system has trouble in these parts, because it took Tim and I to an area where we were scared someone with a shotgun might find us (it's a look story).

We eventually found the orchard and it was really cool. For a while I've been wanting to do an "apple flight". Just like a wine flight, but with apples. This was the perfect place to finally find out which kind of apple was my favorite. Tim and I strolled down each lane of apple trees, picked one from the tree (!), buffed it on our jeans, and took a bite each. Of the apples that were ripe and ready to eat, my favorites were Golden Delicious and Gala–least favorites were Red Delicious and McIntosh ( I found them too dry). In the barn, they served apple donuts, pumpkin donuts, apple pies, fudge, caramel apples, and ton of other yummy apple goodness. Behind the barn was a BBQ area, where Tim and I had apple fries, apple cider, and apple BBQ sauce (which was so good, I bought a jar for my brother). Just when we thought we were appled-out, I wanted to grab a dozen pumpkin donuts to go, but the line was so long, we had to pass. I need to look into finding some pumpkin donuts in the city.

For Design Geeks

2008-10-01T16:10:00.001-05:00

Who knew charts and graphs could look so chic.

Check this out. Press play...

October!

2008-10-01T14:13:00.002-05:00

It's the first day of October and for some reason I am so excited about this month. The air is getting cooler but not (yet) unbearibly so. The leaves will start changing, and houses will be decorated with pumpkins, cob webs, and other spooky stuff. I'll get to wear my tights, boots, and hoodies again. There will be haunted houses, pumpkin patches, custome stores and Halloween parties.

I'm sad to see summer leave, but I'm becoming happier to see fall arrive. If only it could stick around until next spring. To kick off the season, Tim and I will be going to an apple u-pick orchard this Saturday in Indiana.

My Curvy Spine

2008-09-30T16:27:00.002-05:00

Lately I've been thinking about my curvy spine. At 15 I was diagnosed with scoliosis and had to wear a brace for about a year to help stop the progression. I haven't thought about it in a while, mainly because my other medical issue takes over that part of my brain. But the other day a co-worker came into my office talking about how she had taken up swimming to help with her scoliosis...and I thought, wow I haven't heard that word in a while. My co-worker is in her 40's and said she's been experiencing back pain since she hit thirty. Maybe I should be doing something now to help my back in the future and to prevent any major back pain issues.

So I got to Googling and I found a massage therapist in Chicago (Logan Square) who specializes in scoliosis therapy. Her prices were pretty reasonable at $40 for 30 mins. I emailed her and in the next couple of days I'll have an appointment. I'm happy I'm doing this for myself. My body is decent shape right now. A little preventative maintenance will be a good thing.

Financial crisis: What you should know

2008-09-30T07:29:00.002-05:00

I found this article and thought I'd share. These are scary times, but it doesn't look like our personal finances (savings and checking) will be affected, at least not right now. Unless you have a lot more money that I do.

Wired: NextFest

2008-09-28T15:32:00.012-05:00

September 27 - October 12, 2008
Millennium Park, Chicago

WIRED NextFest is the premier showcase of the global innovations transforming our world. Now in its fifth year, WIRED's gallery of the future includes unique and bold exhibits of sustainable design, next generation healthcare, interactive art and games, humanoid robotics and more.

New Music

2008-09-24T19:39:00.004-05:00

I've been listening to some very good streaming radio stations online. They've allowed me to casually listen to new music choosen by a DJ rather than me searching it out, bringing a CD to work, etc etc (I'm lazy)...And these DJ's have great taste. A couple singles off the following albums have caught my ear. Check out these stations: WOXY, KEXP

David Bryne & Brian Eno:
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful....and funny

2008-09-16T18:46:00.002-05:00

Ellen DeGeneres is the new face of Cover Girl! I'm really digging this idea. What a fresh approach, a real looking woman as the face of a beauty campaign. Love it!

Love this!!

2008-09-16T16:48:00.002-05:00

Just funny...

2008-09-14T19:35:00.000-05:00

Can you be more generic?

2008-09-14T16:41:00.000-05:00

Once again Tina Fey and Amy Poehler nail it.
Dead on. Nicely done ladies.

This is great!

2008-09-11T11:21:00.001-05:00

You gotta hear this. Don't know if it's real or fake, but it's great.

Florida Humor

2008-09-10T09:19:00.001-05:00

Thanks mom.

Law Mojo

2008-09-09T16:37:00.001-05:00

I love this website for the law firm Morrison & Foerster, LLP. Nicely designed and clever. If you told me this was a design firm, I'd believe you.

Boat Cruise

2008-09-07T22:25:00.005-05:00

On Friday night we took a boat cruise with Tim's law school. We boarded at Navy Pier on the Mystic Blue and cruised up and down the Chicago coast for 3 hours. We had all you could drink beer and wine, dinner, and dessert. Everything was great and I'm glad we got the chance to do the cruise this year. For only $50, I'd recommend this cruise to anyone looking for a special and different way to celebrate. The view of Chicago was the best I've seen.

New PC ad with Jerry

2008-09-07T21:55:00.003-05:00

I had to watch this ad twice to understand what connection it may have to Windows, or computers at all. The more I watch it, the more I can sort of see the hidden (?) jokes. At first I thought, how completely off the wall! I knew it had to have something to do with computers, so I watched again. First off, Jerry is surprised to see Bill Gates at a discount shoe store and visa versa. So I'm guessing this is referring to how much cheaper PC's are than Macs. It also might have something to do with a PC being a more affordable option during our crappy economy. I keep laughing at the awkward look they exchange after Gates tells Seinfeld the shoes are leather. Maybe the leather has something to do with PC's being a high quality product at a lower price?? Ok, onto the theme of the shoe not fitting Gates and Jerry talking about wearing them in the shower...I don't get it, but it is funny in a Seinfeld kind of way. Then Seinfeld keeps repeating that Gates is a size 10, not an 11. Does this have something to do with computer upgrades? I don't get the Spanish people, also eating churros. Then Jerry asks something about if PC's will ever be delicious... like cake. I think they may be making fun of Apples here. That they are just eye candy and sweet. Then the tag talks about the future being delicious...which I'm guessing is hinting at great things coming for the PC world.

Either way, this commercial has obviously caught my attention with it's weirdness. But I think the Apple company still has them beat. Their "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac" commercials are so simple and brilliant. I think the average viewer will not give these new PC ads as much attention as I have.

Pure Design Genius

2008-09-05T15:48:00.000-05:00

click image to enlarge

Andrew Bird

2008-09-04T09:00:00.005-05:00

Last night I had a difficult decision to make. I had plans to see Andrew Bird's free show at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, but at about 3 pm I was invited by co-workers to come up to the company box seat at the Cub's game. I live a difficult life, I know. Now I know for some people this may have been a no brainer, but I do love Andrew Bird. Plus as always when I have plans to see a show at the Pavilion, there was a very solid chance of rain. I choose to go with what I knew would bring me more delight...Andrew Bird. Well, lucky for us it did not rain and the weather was absolutely perfect. And because Tim and I were able to get down there early...we got seats! The coveted red seats the people in the lawn envy. We got them! The show was amazing. The best part was when the crowd joyfully rushed the stage during Fake Palindromes and Bird was visibly moved by the excitement-repeatedly thanking the crowd for coming and explaining that for weeks he had been nervous about this show in his hometown. What a fantastic show...and is was FREE. It was way better than many shows I've paid for. This one is going on my list of all time best. I'm so lucky to live in a city that offers great events like this one.

Thanks to the Oprah show (which was taped at the Pritzker Pavillion eariler in the day), we were treated to visuals on three projector screens during the show. This is not common at this venue. Here is the cool animation that was shown during Lull.

Marketing v. Public Relations

2008-08-28T15:36:00.004-05:00

Now that I'm finally on a team of creative people working together on a larger project, I'm learning the differences between Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations. At first, these three things seem interchangeable. I now understand each role more, but the simplest explanation I've found is this: Marketing=$, Public Relations=free.

As a graphic designer, I'm understanding my roll within this group better. Previously, I've been something of a one woman show. Recognizing target audiences, concepting ideas, and following through on the visual side of projects. Now, all these rolls are divided up and taken to a higher level. I'm really enjoying this learning process, and ultimately, I'm learning a great deal more about my industry. What I'm finding is that there seems to be a common thread among designers in particular. We love to share ideas. We get excited about things and want to share in our excitement. We enjoy collaborative thinking. What I'm learning is that it's OK to be "the talker" in a meeting if it means you're getting somewhere and being productive. What I have to force myself to do a little more (and this is something I'm getting more used to in all aspects of my life) is, I have to be more forthcoming with what is on my mind. I need to do a little less internal editing. Because if there's any industry where the free-flowing ideas and thought are important, it's mine. And what's great is, I'm in an environment that welcomes it.

I found this clever graphic online that illustrates the difference between marketing, advertising, and pr.

Another fantasic speech

2008-08-26T22:45:00.004-05:00

Can I have a mini Hillary or Michelle there when I wake up in the morning to whisper sweet inspiration into my ears. Why was I not blessed with these talents? That Harriet Tubman segment was amazing.

I can't even imagine what it must be like for Barack or Bill to watch their wives in action. Talk about "power couples"! What is dinner conversation like in these homes?

Inspired

2008-08-25T22:30:00.003-05:00

Michelle Obama's speech tonight was amazing. I was honestly moved by it and couldn't take my eyes from the TV. If the goal was to come across as "relatable"...she definitely struck me that way.

And was it any surprise that their little girls are hams? haha

ID Magazine

2008-08-25T10:20:00.002-05:00

My team gets an online subscription of ID Magazine sent to our emails. From the link, you can view the entire magazine right on you monitor. Have a mentioned that I love working with other designers? I was reading this article on cutting edge furniture design (we're slow today...and it's Monday). I came across this amazing staircase....

Is my house haunted???

2008-08-24T16:23:00.003-05:00

I just realized something very creepy. For a while now, the clock in my kitchen has been broken (needs new batteries?), anyways, it's been stuck on 2:45. Yesterday I noticed that the clock in my living room is now also stuck at 2:45. This really freaks me out! Does 2:45 mean something in my universe now? Should I be scared?

best name for a hair salon

2008-08-24T16:05:00.003-05:00

I found this on Flickr. Sometimes my internet searches take me to unexpected places.

My first day of school

2008-08-18T18:13:00.002-05:00

Started my new job today! I walked over to Southport to pick up the Brown line. I figured it would be smart to get on one stop ahead of Belmont...good call on my part since Belmont was packed. It will be SO nice when Paulina (my stop) opens back up and is all new and pretty. The commute into the loop took me about 30 minutes, not bad. I was in orientation all morning, learning about the benefits, company policies, how to use the phones, etc. After that my team took me out to an amazing restaurant for lunch, called De La Costa. The rest of the day went by pretty quickly and before I knew it, it was time to get back on the brown line. My favorite thing about my job...the free 24 hour gym located right in the building!

Pooooo

2008-08-17T23:15:00.002-05:00

59 years never looked so good

2008-08-17T17:13:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday Dad :)

Today...day of deals

2008-08-16T17:25:00.004-05:00

I woke up this morning ready to shop! And so was my brother. First we drove out to Big Lots to look at couches. They had quite a few cute, big, comfy couches to choose from. My brother got a gray/brown three-seater for only $399. It's the kind of couch you can sink into...ahhh. Nicely done Lee.

After the couch shopping, we checking out the Gap Outlet store I happened to notice one day when I took the wrong turn home. This place was awesome! I got a ton of work clothes...and everything was on sale. I did very well...bought two work pants, a sweater, three blouses, a cord skirt, and a tweed tote...all for under $200 (thanks co-workers for the Visa card)! This Gap Outlet rocks (it's on Diversey and Milwaukee...in Logan Square).

Then, Lee dropped me off at the red line and I headed down to Michigan Ave to make a return at H&M. The Air & Water Show is going on this weekend, so the streets were packed. The cool thing about the show is that the planes don't just fly over Lake Michigan...they fly all over Chicago. So even people going about their day, running errands and whatnot, can enjoy the event. Today everyone on the street had their heads tilted up as the planes roared by, including the drivers. It's a miracle I didn't see any car accidents.

Sidenote: While my bro and I were in his car waiting at a red light, a bicyclist was trying to get past my brother's car and hit Lee's side mirror with her handlebar. Now, I'm all for bikers...they've ditched their cars and that's great for everyone, plus I'm very aware of them when I'm driving and I never swing my car door open without checking my rear-view mirror first. But some of these people need to be called out. If we're supposed to be sharing the road, why do some bikers feel like they are invincible? Let's not forget our common sense, people. I'm in a car, and while I really DON'T want to hit you, don't forget that a car can really hurt you. So many times I've seen bikers breeze through stop signs. And last night I nearly had a heart attack when a teenager decided to bike across a busy intersection right when the light turned green. I actually screamed "NOoooo!" in my car. If you're on the road, aren't you suppose to be acting like a car?

The thing about this girl is that she didn't even give the wave-of-the-hand apology. Almost as if it was my brother's fault that she had to hit his mirror to get by (btw, there was a completely empty sidewalk she could have hopped up on). Do my other driving friends sometimes get annoyed, too?

The end of an era

2008-08-15T23:37:00.002-05:00

Just got back from my going away party at work. I start my new job in Chicago on Monday. Feels strange that I won't be driving out to Arlington Heights, but instead I'll be riding the L. That'll be nice. My co-workers pooled some money and gave me a generous parting gift in the form of a pre-paid Visa credit card...very nice. I can definitely use it to buy myself some new clothes. :)

Olivia's B-Day

2008-08-13T08:16:00.002-05:00

Haha! I love this show

2008-08-11T14:15:00.001-05:00

New York Pics

2008-08-11T07:32:00.004-05:00

The day of eating

2008-08-10T19:39:00.002-05:00

The day of eating started with a lunchtime BBQ at Lee's house, where we ate kabobs, chicken, pork, corn on the cob, grilled zucchinis, sweet potato fries, and fruit salad! Such a feast. Like always, the food was amazing and left me wondering why my brother inherited ALL the cooking/entertaining genes.

And if that wasn't good enough for one day, we followed the lunch BBQ up with a wonderful and impromptu (...for the chef) dinner to celebrate Olivia's b-day. It was a surprise dinner that her boyfriend had been planning for a few weeks. The plan was to invite a couple close friends over for dinner, drinks and dessert (and some Rockband!!) to surprise O before heading out to the Hidden Shamrock for additional drinks. I was very impressed with Olivia's ability to pull together such an amazing dinner with only a couple hours to spare (don't worry, she likes this sort of thing). We had a buffet of homemade pizzas...soooo good.

After dinner we played Rockband. I loved this game because I actually got the chance to be a drummer. :) i think I need to buy myself a XBox (or whatever the game system was) just to play this game!

New York City! The low-down on everything that went down...

2008-08-08T14:10:00.009-05:00

So...I finally had a proper NYC trip last week. Before then, I had only been to NY for a day trip via NJ. I loved the big city. There's SO much going on and everything is concentrated on one island. Like I said in my previous post, I started the trip out completely clueless. I had only seen 5th ave, the Guggenheim, and some of Central Park during a prior trip...I had no idea what the other areas, like SoHo, Greenwich Village, and Chelsea were like...and frankly, the size of NYC scared me. During the span of 5 days, I learned the city, the subway system, and most of the areas/neighborhoods (I love maps). There was even a time when I was thinking of how cool it would be to live in New York. Through the course of the trip, however, I came to realise that my very own Chicago has everything I need to be a happy city girl. So here's the complete rundown of everything that went down in Manhattan. :)

Day 1, Saturday, August 2: See below
Day 2, Sunday, August 3: Dad's day.
-Franklin Square, NY, where my dad grew up.
-First we went to the house he grew up in. We even knocked on the door and the current resident talked to us and let us check out the backyard. This was especially cool for my dad, who recalled his father BBQing on the back patio. The house was in great shape and the neighborhood looked like good people lived there...everyone's house was maintained and cute.
-We stopped at my dad's grade school, church, grandparent's house, and ate lunch at a diner he used to frequent (best chicken parm open-faced sandwich ever!).
-Before heading back to the city we picked up some Italian pastries...mmm. AND a black & white cookie (Seinfield style)
-Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where my grandma grew up.
-Financial District.
-Pace University, where my dad went to college.
-City Hall
-Brooklyn Bridge
-Chinatown. Very busy streets! Lots of sidewalk vendors selling fake designer bags. Wonderful old Chinese lettering, signs, restaurants, and grocery stores. It was cool to see all the culture, but because of the amount of people...it wasn't my favorite spot.
-SoHo/NoLita. Loved SoHo!! So many cute, inexpensive boutiques. Young, hip area. Bought some cute earrings and a b-day gift for Olivia from a street vendor. Got a shirt for Tim at the The Market.
-Little Italy. Back to our roots. :) The smell of Italian food wafted through the air. We saw the apartment complex our grandpa grew up in. Very narrow streets. Looks like it would be fun at night. Lots of green and red lights.
-Greenwich Village. Checked out the NYU campus and Washington Square. Very hip, film student type of vibe. Washington Square Park was teeming with artists and college students. The Washington Square arch was under construction, but gave the area a European feel.
Day 3, Monday, August 4:
-Circle Line. Took a 3 hour cruise around the entire island. Great views of the Statue of Liberty! Also got up close with the new waterfalls under the bridges. Some foreigners behind us talked the whole time. My dad and I had to tell them to be quiet...it didn't really work.
-Times Square. Talk about over-whelming!! Ate some delicious BBQ. Walked over to 42nd Street and Macy's...did more shopping.
-Madison Square Garden/Garment District/Fashion Ave. Fabric everywhere! Looked for Mood, couldn't find it. Also...no Tim Gunn
-Bryant Park. No Tim Gunn or Heidi Klum. Big beautiful park. Looked like there was a film festival going on.
-NYC Public Library. Desperately needed some AC. Got to see the old fashioned green lamps. :)
-St. Patrick's Cathedral. Stunning! Lots of pics of that to come! Plus, this is where my mom's graduation ceremony was. She pointed out where she sat. :)
-30 Rock!/Radio City Music Hall. No sighting of Tina Fey.
Day 4, Tuesday, August 5:
-Seinfeld Restaurant, aka Tom's Restaurant. Had lunch at the famous Restaurant in Morningside Heights (Jerry's hood). The food was not great. The inside of the restaurant looked different than on the show.
-Central Park. Walked the entire east-side of Central Park from 110th to 60th. Was surprised at the terrain of the park. Had everything from lakes, to parks, to rocks, to English Gardens. Very cool.
-Museum of the City of New York. Dad checked it out while the rest of us continued walking.
-Guggenheim Museum. The big spiral building. Stopped in to get some AC. Bought a cool print from a street vendor.
-Metropolitan Museum of Art. Stopped in for more air. Beautiful ornate museum.
-Children's Zoo. Saw the polar bear from a distance. We were too tired to walk the zoo.
-Little Italy. Went back for dinner and a stroll down the main street.
-Lower East Side nightlife. Meet up with my friend Matt for some drinks. Got to check out the lower east side, NY's equivalent to Wicker Park. Checked out a cool rooftop bar (Fat Baby?), then hit up the Living Room.
Day 5, Wednesday, August 6:
-Strawberry Fields. Headed back to Central Park to explore some of the west-side. Saw Strawberry Fields and the hotel where Lennon was shot, The Dakota.
-Carnegie Hall.
-Rockefeller Center/NBC Tour. Got to go behind the scenes at MSNBC and the Today Show.
-New York Style Pizza. Had to get some before we left. So gooood! (I like deep-dish better)
Day 6, Thursday, August 7:
-Home sweet home.

For my next trip...I'd like to spend more time in Greenwich Village and SoHo. I would also like to check out Chelsea and the Meatpacking District...plus Williamsburg and more of Brooklyn.

Home Sweet Home

2008-08-07T17:06:00.002-05:00

I'm Back! New York was a blast...wow, what a city. In the span of 5 days, I went from being clueless and scared of New York, to wanting to live there, to being happy I live in Chicago. I plan on blogging about the itinerary for each day, but right now...I'm tired and my legs are still sore! Plus, I have a boyfriend to catch up with. :)

Big Apple

2008-08-03T06:46:00.002-05:00

Well, we're here in New York! We're staying in an Embassy Suites on the lower west side, by the financial district. Yesterday we drove up to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, then over to Spanish Harlem where my mom grew up. It was so cool to see her old apartment building...we even got to go inside and walk around! Down the street we saw her old elementary school, Our Lady of Lourdes. We got a couple of stares in my mom's old 'hood...probably because we're driving around in a brand new black Charger...sweet. ;) From Harlem we drove down to our hotel. While my mom and dad checked in, Lee, Anthony, and I walked over to Battery Park where we saw the Statue of Liberty. After dinner, the whole fam took a walk through Battery Park to walk off our Mexican dinner. Lee and Anthony caught a 10:40 showing of The Dark Knight...I was too tired to join.

We just filled up on our free breakfast and are about to drive over to Long Island to see where my dad grew up. On the way back in, I think we are going to check out Bay Ridge, Brooklyn...where my grandma grew up.

So this goes without saying, but New York in HUGE! It's more dense than Chicago...way more buildings. I've been studying a map and getting more familiar with the island and the neighborhoods. Out hotel is pretty close to Greenwich Village...so I'd like to go there soon.

Chance encounters

2008-07-31T23:46:00.006-05:00

I just got home from a great night out with some old friends from Orlando, and some new friends from Chicago. Renee and Kristin are in town for Lollapalooza, so I met up with Tim and them at Piece, the fabulous pizza joint in Wicker Park. Earlier in the night I asked Olivia if she'd like to meet us for some drinks, only to find out that she was already on her way there to meet up with one of her friends. Perfect.
After Piece we headed over to Subterranean for a free show sponsored by Rhapsody. We watched a couple fun dancy/hip hop bands before I realized that I have to work tomorrow....so I said goodbye to everyone and left.
As I'm waiting for the Damen bus to go home, I strike up a conservation with the other person waiting at the bus stop. Turns out, not only is this person a designer, but he works with the Drive-By Pressers...who I just recently bought a shirt from a couple weeks ago at the Belmont Music fest. Funny how the world works. We wait and wait for the bus, until we finally decide to split a cab. I was going to Roscoe Village... he was going to Lincoln Square. This experience just reminded me of how small the world is, and while I don't usually talk to strangers, sometimes it's good to. You never know what their story might be and how you may somehow be connected.

Check out the first act we saw last night, Hollywood Holt. I think at first the crowd was a little shocked by his energy level. Indie kids aren't used to so much jumping around, haha. Once the crowd got warmed up (thanks to the open bar?)...things got a lot more fun. I think Hollywood should have been on later, when the crowd filled up. He's definitely a hype man though, which would explain why he was on earlier.

Here's a rap about a moped. Gotta love it ;)

Way to help the cause, Ludacris.

2008-07-31T16:27:00.004-05:00

Sure, he's just a rapper, but come on. These lyrics suck. If this song gets any radio play, that's sad.

Thank you Keira!

2008-07-29T13:52:00.003-05:00

Keira Knightly just gained some respect. She refuses photoshop touch-ups on her upcoming movie posters for Duchess. There should be more actresses like this in Hollywood who are willing to put aside personal gain for the gain of women-kind as a whole. This actress is clearly hot. Does she need a larger cup size to prove that?

My awesome friends

2008-07-29T08:20:00.003-05:00

I had to share this photo I found on Facebook of my two friends, Brad and Carl. When we all lived in Orlando, they had season passes to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure and would go like 2-3 times a month...sometimes after work for happy hour (obviously!). Anyways, in case you couldn't tell, they are the two guys in the front. Hilarious. I miss those guys, I think we need a family reunion.

Venetian Night & Cubs Game

2008-07-29T08:13:00.004-05:00

Where da party at?

2008-07-28T21:53:00.002-05:00

Yes, my alma mater was voted best party school, but don't forget this line: "Florida's incoming students have a weighted grade-point average of 4.1 and an average SAT score of 1,300." We're smart AND we know our way around a beer bong :)

Oh traffic report, how I loathe thee

2008-07-25T16:04:00.002-05:00

...no words

2008-07-24T09:57:00.001-05:00

Caution to Beer Pong fans

2008-07-23T11:00:00.002-05:00

It has been reported that the popular game of Beer Pong can give you herpes! All together now...EWWWW! Supposedly, cases of oral herpes have risen 230% in people between the ages of 17-21 from 2007 to 2008.

Some advice: Switch to Flip Cup!

Cringe

2008-07-23T10:11:00.003-05:00

Oh boy, Sherri Shepard*. If you haven't heard, it's getting around that she's had "more abortions than she'd like to count." How cringe-worthy is that statement. I did a little research to avoid falling prey to the popular-these-days sound bite. I was unaware of how horrible her life has been in the past. At one point her self esteem was so low, from abuse from her parents (?) and a past relationship, that she says if someone killed her, it wouldn't have made a difference. That too is a very sad statement. Knowing this information, I'm not sure how to process the abortion bit. Is it wrong for me to think that she should have been on birth control? If she's been pregnant that many times, wouldn't BC have been the logical choice. It's like, $7-30 a month. I have no idea how much an abortion costs, but I'm sure it's more money than that.

This got me thinking about my personal view on the subject. I am Pro-Choice. I believe a woman (maybe because I am one) has the right to make such a tough decision if she finds herself in that position. I do not agree with abortions as a form of birth control, so let me clarify that. I think the idea of teaching kids abstinence is a lost cause. Kids are going to have sex. Period. Makes a lot more sense to teach them how pregnancy and STD's happen. Better to inform them, then to tell them not to do it and leave them in the dark...forcing them to figure it out on their own. Kids aren't stupid. If they want to do it, they will...if they don't want to do it, they wouldn't.

I think it's horrible to chastise a woman (or worse, a young girl) for making the hard decision to end her pregnancy. Getting pregnant takes two people, but women often shoulder the blame. What I think some people fail to acknowledge, is that getting pregnant by accident can happen to anyone. And until you find yourself in that situation, you have no right to judge someone or force them into something they don't want to do. I know friends in the past who have had "scares." Luckily for them, it was just a scare. But does that make them any better than the girl who actually got pregnant? I have also had friends who have become pregnant and have gone through with it. My hat goes off to these women. Raising a baby, obviously, has to be one of the toughest (and most rewarding) things a woman can do.

That's my two cents. Thoughts? Comments? :)

*Sherri Shepard is a co-host on The View. Understanably, you may not know who she is. I happen to be a pop-culture junkie.

Batman

2008-07-21T21:12:00.007-05:00

UPDATE: I just read in the Daily Herald that The Dark Knight dropped $40 Million into the Illinois economy. And 4,500 local jobs were generated to make the movie.

Here's a breakdown of all the Chicago locations used in the movie.

______________

In case you haven't heard, the new Batman is amazing! I want to see it again...that means I am willing to spend more money on this movie...that is rare. It has a fantastic assemble cast. Like I said before, I'm very happy with the addition of Maggie G. Bale was lovely eye candy, as usual. However, what is up with that raspy Batman voice? Very distracting. Heath was absolutely perfect. Aaron E, also great, even with half a burned face. The use of Chicago as the backdrop to the movie was interesting. I loved looking for familiar sights, but at the same time, it kind of broke the sense of fantasy. Kind of weird to see the Joker riding past the Lyric Opera. Or to see the Chicago River and Wacker Drive from outside Harvey Dent's office window.

We went to see the movie on opening night at 10:20 pm and the place was a mad house. We stood in line for an hour to get into the theater. Once the doors opened, it was a mad dash to find a good seat, which Tim and I did. The crowd was great...both quiet and rowdy at the right times. The best part was during the previews, when a new Keanu Reeves movie came on the screen and everyone busted out laughing at his delivery of lines.

I know this has been said time and time again, but it really is a tragedy that we lost such a talented actor. After watching Heath Ledger's performance of the Joker, it really hit me how hard it must have been to take on that role and truly nail it. This movie really would have sky-rocketed his career. It's really a shame.

I vote we bring back Catwoman for Batman III

Pitchfork Fest 2008

2008-07-21T20:43:00.007-05:00

Les Savy Fav...The lead singer came out into the audience, right next to us, jumped in a trash and was carried by fellow by-standers. It was awesome!

Go Maggie

2008-07-16T11:02:00.003-05:00

I'll be seeing the new Batman movie this Friday! I'm so happy Maggie Gylenhaal took Katie Holmes' place. Whenever I see Katie Holmes, I think of Tom Cruise, and Suri, and Tomkat, and all that crap. I know nothing about Maggie's personal life, and I kinda like that, because it means she's more likely to pull off a character without me knowing she's acting. Plus this Go Fug Yourself blog is cracking me up.

City Girl

2008-07-15T16:49:00.004-05:00

Today I had to drive out to DeKalb Illinois* for a press check. I had to be there by 8:30 am, requiring me to get out of bed at 5:45 this morning. DeKalb is about 2 hours west of Chicago. Ugh. As I made my way farther and farther from the urban setting I've grown so familiar with, I looked around in awe of how much land was all around me. Miles and miles of cornfields, farms, tractors, and irrigation systems. While I wasn't happy to be driving so early in the morning, it was nice to see this kind of scenery. But as I drove for what seemed like forever through the vast nothingness, I couldn't help but wonder...what the heck do people DO out here? I saw one Jewel (grocery store), zero movie theaters, zero restaurants, zero everything! I have to say though, this nothingness was better than driving through the suburbs...the land of Wal-Mart, strip malls, and Chili's. (I actually really like Chili's but you know what I mean.)

So today as I weave and swerve my way through traffic...as I curse the person who just cut me off, as I envy all the bicyclists while making my way to my box in a building – I will be happy, that I live in Chicago. :)

More Beautiful Stuff

2008-07-14T17:38:00.002-05:00

These prints were created by an artist to raise money for Obama. They are so beautiful! Check out the article describing how it was made.

-ISO50
-Design:Related

Awesomeness

2008-07-14T17:31:00.003-05:00

Radiohead just released a new video for its song "House of Cards" from the album "In Rainbows".

No cameras or lights were used. Instead two technologies were used to capture 3D images: Geometric Informatics and Velodyne LIDAR. Geometric Informatics scanning systems produce structured light to capture 3D images at close proximity, while a Velodyne Lidar system that uses multiple lasers is used to capture large environments such as landscapes. In this video, 64 lasers rotating and shooting in a 360 degree radius 900 times per minute produced all the exterior scenes.

-taken from Google
and Design:Related

???

2008-07-11T07:37:00.002-05:00

Last night around 9:30 or so, the strangest chain of events took place. My roommate called from the living room that the fire department was pounding at the main entrance to our apartment building. This was unsettling. So we ran down to answer the door, while sniffing the air hoping to not smell any smoke...which we didn't. I let them in and they asked if I had called..."umm, no..." They said someone in the building had called the police on our neighbors, saying that they've been hearing an alarm going off for an hour and half straight in our neighbor's apartment. The police dispatched the fire department because I guess they thought the alarm may have been a carbon monoxide alarm. Not exactly news you want to hear. So the firemen knocked on our neighbor's door...no one answered. Their lights were on and they had music blaring. The knocks turned to pounds..."Fire Department! Open UP!" Still no answer. We let the fireman go through our apartment to get to the back patio we share with our neighbors. They pounded on the back door...still, no answer. Wtf? We were starting to get nervous that something was seriously wrong them, causing them to not be able to answer the door.

The firemen were very good at calming our nerves–cracking jokes and being very friendly with us. They went down to their fire truck and grabbed a huge ladder. They entered our neighbor's apartment from an exterior window. They searched the apartment and no one was there, which was a relief, but at the same time...why was their music blaring and all their lights on? First thing that crossed my mind was that they were getting high or something, suddenly the fire department is breaking into your house...I thought maybe they were hiding? Anyway, there were no traces of carbon monoxide or anythings else to be concerned with, so the firemen left.

We still don't know what the hell happened, but we know our second floor neighbors called the cops on our direct neighbors for being loud. We know this because earlier in the night Carisa saw them banging on our neighbor's door, trying to tell them to be quiet. Carisa said the dude was pretty upset. Bet they weren't expecting the fire department to come and break into the house! The strangest thing was that the people who called the cops never even came down to help with the situation. Instead all the other neighbors that were home were in the stairway wondering what's up. Hey, at least I got to interact with some of the other people in my building, haha.

Carisa and I decided to leave a note for our neighbors.

Dear 1S,
While you were gone, we're not sure why, but the fire department was called and they were concerned about carbon monoxide in your apartment. They entered and found no cause for concern. They turned off your tv and maybe your lights. Just thought you'd like to know.

From,
1N

I just checked to is if my note was still there and it wasn't. I wonder if they'll knock on our door and ask for more details. Wouldn't you if you got that note? Odd, very odd.

Give me your eyes, I need sunshine

2008-07-10T09:40:00.005-05:00

On Tuesday night, Lee and I went to the House of Blues to see Wolf Parade. The doors opened at 5:30...Wolf Parade went on at 8pm. What's up with these early shows during the week? By the time we got down to HOB, we had only missed one song. The place was packed and at first we were standing right next to a drunk chick who kept yelling "Play This Heart's on Fire!!!!!" Good lord woman, give them a chance! They were only on their second song. She was also doing the typical drunk girl hippie dance. Once she was out of the picture, and after finding our nook in the wall, we were able to really enjoy the show. The band sounded perfect and they played lots of songs from Apologies to the Queen Mary and some new songs from At Mount Zoomer. It was a great set, and I finally got to check out the Chicago House of Blues. One highlight of the show was when they played my favorite song...I'll Believe in Anything.

Check out our video from the show. Notice how about half way through the view gets better. That's because my brother, who is much taller than me, took the camera. :)

Heads Up

2008-07-09T20:56:00.003-05:00

Feels like you just can't win these days...

Keep your eyes open the next time you pay with plastic at the pump. I'm starting to seriously consider getting rid of my car.

OLD-IFIED!

2008-07-08T10:51:00.003-05:00

His words, not mine...I'm 7 months older than him! Happy 27th Birthday Timothy :) Let your b-day weekend begin (in 3 days)! Love you :*

My New BBQ

2008-07-07T10:59:00.003-05:00

Since my roommate and I have a wood deck, we're not allowed to own a charcoal BBQ. So, in order to NOT burn down our back porch, I found a George Foreman electric grill that looks like an outdoor grill! Woo! And the best part is, I found a lightly used one for $18...saving me about $70. :) I'm picking it up tonight. Gotta love craigslist.

Jeff Koons

2008-07-06T22:11:00.003-05:00

The Museum of Contemporary Art recently opened an exhibit of famous kitsch pop artist, Jeff Koons. I was excited to see his work in person because I'd learned about him and seen slides in my art history classes. Luckily for Tim and I , Bank of America was running some sort of offer that allowed its card holders in for free. So in we went! First off, we were impressed with the diversity of his work. He had a little of everything....from oil paintings, to porcelain sculptures, to shiny metallic balloon-like sculptures, to...porn! If you know anything about Jeff Koons' history, you know that he was/is sort of a rebel in the art world, and he's also famous for marrying an Italian porn actress. This lead to the inspiration for his Made in Heaven series, which includes explicit images of he and his wife. A little warning would have been nice as we made our way into this section of the exhibit. Thank God there were no little kids around! ;)

What I find most interesting about seeing pieces of art in real life is that you never know how big or small a piece of art really is. Since everything is projected at the same size on the wall (in art classes)...I'm often surprised when I see a piece of art in real life. I'd seen slides of Koons' Bubbles many times, but after seeing it yesterday, I was surprised at how big it was.

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-04T20:26:00.002-05:00

Let's hope the view is good from Tim's rooftop!

Why my city doesn't rock

2008-07-01T11:35:00.001-05:00

To add to the trend of everything getting more expensive, today Chicago's sales tax increased to 10.25%. :(

Drive By Press

2008-06-29T21:06:00.004-05:00

On Saturday, Tim and I meet up with some friends at the BAM Music Fest. There were lots of booths featuring local artists selling jewelry, paintings, and t-shirts. We came across the Drive-By Press booth where you could pick a shirt, then pick a woodblock design, and they created your shirt right there in front of you...for only $20. It was the most unique idea! After visiting their website, I found out that they travel around setting up camp at events and similar festivals. I picked out an awesome woodcut of earphones and a heather gray shirt. I have to let it dry for about 4 days before I can wear it. I can't wait...love my new shirt. :) I'll take a photo of it soon, but the style is similar to the astronaut skull image attached.

One of my favorite bands, Cursive, closed out the festival with a great set that included old favorites, as well as some newer songs. I'm glad I finally got the chance to see them live. I missed them 2 years ago at Lollapalooza, and again last year when they came back to Chicago.

why my city rocks!

2008-06-27T11:45:00.004-05:00

I was trolling my weekend bible, Metromix Chicago, when I came across this photo:

That's a picture of a program offered in the summer at Millennium Park where they run free workout sessions! What an amazing idea. I would love to do Yoga in the middle of the park with the city skyline in the background. I love my city.

Plans for the weekend include BAM! Fest, where we'll see Cursive, Maritime, and The Redwalls for a mere $5 donation. Plus it's walking distance from my house!

Also Taste of Chicago kicks off this weekend. Maybe we'll check that out, but I hear it's pure insanity. Might hold off and not go during opening weekend.

The Gay and Lesbian parade is this Sunday. Always a great opportunity for some quality people watching.

creativity

2008-06-23T22:44:00.000-05:00

Let this be an inspiration for us all...if a pigeon can do it, so can you.

I Park Like an Idiot.com

2008-06-23T20:27:00.003-05:00

Wow, has there been times when I could use this bumper sticker...
These are from the people who bring you Threadless Tees. They're a part of a larger group called Skinny Corp...they've got all kinds of crazy stuff there. includingone of my favorites: Extra Tasty. You can buy these bumper stickers in bulk. I'd be so pissed if someone put one on my car, but then again, I park correctly.

Angels & Kings

2008-06-23T14:17:00.003-05:00

Apparently Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) has opened a bar in Chicago called Angels & Kings. It's a rock bar in probably the most un-"rock " part of town...it's a couple blocks off Michigan Ave...a very swank, high-class area. That said...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious. I'd be up for checking it out at some point to see what it's all about. I guess when you walk in, you take a mugshot (or maybe that was just for the opening?)...that sounds kinda fun.

This is what I'm most curious about...who's going to go? Considering the location, it doesn't seem like he's aiming for the Wicker Park/Bucktown/Logan Square crowd. And I can only assume the drink prices will be ridiculous...and considering that most people I know enjoy the Pabst Blue Ribbon...um, that's not gonna fly. So this will be an interesting experiment. My prediction is this...there will be a lot of people there who pay a lot of money to look like they don't. Know what I mean?

Sunday rainbow

2008-06-22T22:25:00.004-05:00

At least there's something good about rain. This rainbow was a full arch. We were impressed.

I took this photo from Nadia's back porch/stairwell during her BBQ this evening where I sort of learned how to BBQ. Up until now, I'd never really watched how it was done...but just hung out until yummy BBQ landed on my plate.

Taste of Randolph

2008-06-21T22:44:00.005-05:00

After two years of living in Chicago, I've finally found Harpo Studios (where the Oprah show is taped)! It's in such an interesting part of town (the West Loop). On one side of the street it's a little, um... shady, but the other side has hip restaurants and bars that seem to cater to a more trendy crowd. This was the location for this weekend's streetfest: Taste of Randolph Street. The festival's aim is to showcase these restaurants and bars, and they usually book a big-named (at least in our world) indie band. This year we saw Drive-by Truckers. We also ate some delicious shish kabobs from a greek stand and enjoyed some over-priced Miller Lite. Ahhh...Chicago is the summer. Can't beat it...seriously.

2008-06-19T12:03:00.003-05:00

My aunt sent me some old photos yesterday of me when I was little. This was my favorite...don't I look pissed off at the world? Look how brown I was...such a Florida baby. I still have that belly too.

Dirty Thirty!

2008-06-18T08:23:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday!!!
Today Lee turns the BIG 3-0! Wow, he's old! KIDDING!
To celebrate, we'll be seeing Wolf Parade at the House of Blues on July 8.
Lee, I made you a Simpson character...hope you like. I know you're not a doctor...but hey, close enough.

And Happy Birthday to my mom!! Her b-day was on June 16. :D

Old Town Art Festival

2008-06-16T15:39:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we went to yet another weekend festival, the Old Town Art Festival. It was a huge juried art show in the middle of the tree-lined Old Town Triangle District. There was some really great art to see there, as well as beautiful homes and architecture in the historic neighborhood. There was a lot to look at, but one artist's Chicago silk screens really caught my eye. His name is Hiroshi Ariyama. Check it out!

Here are some photos (that someone else took) of the Old Town Triangle neighborhood.

Strawberry Daiquiris, Sheffield's, & Clarke's

2008-06-14T13:28:00.002-05:00

Last night we celebrated Ana Maria's roommate's b-day with delicious strawberry daiquiris and a good old fashioned house party. When the crowd got bigger than the apartment, everyone shuffled over to Sheffield's to continue the party. The bar was huge, with many rooms, great music (I think they played mostly Radiohead) and an impressive beer garden. Afterwards we had fourth meal at Clarke's....nothing better than waffles at 2 am.

Pitchfork Fest

2008-06-13T15:11:00.005-05:00

Finally got my tickets! There's the line-up:

Animal Collective
Jarvis Cocker
The Hold Steady
!!!
Vampire Weekend
Dizzee Rascal
Fleet Foxes
Caribou
Jay Reatard
Titus Andronicus
No Age
Atlas Sound
Extra Golden
Fuck Buttons
* Elf Power
The Ruby Suns
Icy Demons
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar

Spoon
Dinosaur Jr.
Spiritualized
M. Ward
Ghostface and Raekwon
Les Savy Fav
The Apples in Stereo
Boris
Dirty Projectors
Times New Viking
Cut Copy
Bon Iver
Dodos
Occidental Brothers Dance Band International
King Khan & His Shrines
El Guincho
HEALTH
High Places
Mahjongg