But you can call me Satan, the bus driver from Hell...
So, I've had a rather busy week and am on day 3 of what is turning in to a week-long headache. This is when I meet Carl.
The bus is crowded and it's a stop or two before a seat vacates. (Apparently I look huge because 2 different people offered my their seats, but I'm not taking a seat from a senior citizen - I'd rather faint)
When I finally sit down, it starts to get crazy. Carl has been alternating between punching the gas and the break in 5 second intervals. We're all getting whiplash just sitting there, and then this lady next to me almost didn't make it to her seat because Carl was so quick to punch the gas.
She's on the phone and I don't know that I've ever had a more entertaining ride. She is telling her friend what bus she's on so that when she dies, they'll know where to find her. She's practically shrieking every time we take a turn or change lanes, because I swear, this guy thought he was in a sports car.
You HAVE to play heads up ball when you are a pedestrian downtown for exactly this reason! There were pedestrians running to get out the way of the way and this one lady refused to move fast and Carl seriously only missed her by like 12 inches.
Ah, CTA - good times, good times...
*names have been changed - mostly because I don't know his real name.
Read more...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
That's One More than First...
My Mom has lived in Chicago for almost 11 years and never been to a game at Wrigley Field.
*Cue angels singing...
Remember how I work for Tribune Company? Remember how they own the Cubs and Wrigley Field?
So being that we own the Cubs, we also get first shot at some ridiculously good seats. Ridiculously good.
Yep, that would be a picture of the number 2. As in second. Like the row behind the first one.
My mom met me at the office and we bought her a Cubs shirt from the the gift shop on the main floor and then we headed up to Wrigley. We're in our seats about 20 minutes to start and it's amazing.
Here's my mom, showing off her awesome "Cubs-wear".
And here's the two of us with the scoreboard. Just so you know, we're both there. At the REAL Wrigley Field.
You know where the home pitcher warms up his arm before he goes out to do his thing? We were right there.
And this is our starting pitcher, Carlos Zambrano.
I'm not going to bore you with the game, because seriously, I don't know that many of the people that read this actually care about how the cubs are doing and whether or not they won (they did...). All in all, this was a great day and a great experience, and totally worth the insane amount of sunburn.
Read more...
*Cue angels singing...
Remember how I work for Tribune Company? Remember how they own the Cubs and Wrigley Field?
So being that we own the Cubs, we also get first shot at some ridiculously good seats. Ridiculously good.
Yep, that would be a picture of the number 2. As in second. Like the row behind the first one.
My mom met me at the office and we bought her a Cubs shirt from the the gift shop on the main floor and then we headed up to Wrigley. We're in our seats about 20 minutes to start and it's amazing.
Here's my mom, showing off her awesome "Cubs-wear".
And here's the two of us with the scoreboard. Just so you know, we're both there. At the REAL Wrigley Field.
You know where the home pitcher warms up his arm before he goes out to do his thing? We were right there.
And this is our starting pitcher, Carlos Zambrano.
I'm not going to bore you with the game, because seriously, I don't know that many of the people that read this actually care about how the cubs are doing and whether or not they won (they did...). All in all, this was a great day and a great experience, and totally worth the insane amount of sunburn.
Read more...
Friday, April 17, 2009
I'm an Idiot
I should not be allowed to touch the alarm between the hours of 4:30a and 6:30a.
Why?
Because this whole "doing everything" situation is sort of catching up with me and I'm tired. REALLY, bone-deep, tired.
My alarm went off without a hitch this morning, exactly as it always does at 4:34am. I quickly waddle over to the alarm (because if it's by my bed I will snooze it until 7) and turn it off. I sit in the desk chair for what feels like forever (15 seconds tops) and think, I could just leave my hair curly today and get another half hour of sleep...
SO I RESET THE ALARM.
Why would I do this? Beyond wanting more sleep, I'm not coherent! I can't form a complete thought, let alone engage complex motor skills.
So, I changed my alarm, I went from 4:34 to 5:06. I put the alarm switch to on and went back to bed.
I woke up and raced (waddled) to my phone. It's 5:43. I was supposed to drive today and I had to be at everyone's house by 5:35. I'm so totally screwed...
I called TJ, the other seminary teacher and she agreed to drive today and teach alone - because I still hadn't showered, and curly hair or not, I wouldn't have made a shower and seminary this morning.
OK. Moral of the story. When you want to change the alarm, make sure your actually changing the ALARM time and not the ACTUAL time. Because this will screw up your morning. Also, just get up. A few extra minutes in a hot shower would have probably been just as effective as sleeping for another hour...man, I'm an idiot.
Read more...
Why?
Because this whole "doing everything" situation is sort of catching up with me and I'm tired. REALLY, bone-deep, tired.
My alarm went off without a hitch this morning, exactly as it always does at 4:34am. I quickly waddle over to the alarm (because if it's by my bed I will snooze it until 7) and turn it off. I sit in the desk chair for what feels like forever (15 seconds tops) and think, I could just leave my hair curly today and get another half hour of sleep...
SO I RESET THE ALARM.
Why would I do this? Beyond wanting more sleep, I'm not coherent! I can't form a complete thought, let alone engage complex motor skills.
So, I changed my alarm, I went from 4:34 to 5:06. I put the alarm switch to on and went back to bed.
I woke up and raced (waddled) to my phone. It's 5:43. I was supposed to drive today and I had to be at everyone's house by 5:35. I'm so totally screwed...
I called TJ, the other seminary teacher and she agreed to drive today and teach alone - because I still hadn't showered, and curly hair or not, I wouldn't have made a shower and seminary this morning.
OK. Moral of the story. When you want to change the alarm, make sure your actually changing the ALARM time and not the ACTUAL time. Because this will screw up your morning. Also, just get up. A few extra minutes in a hot shower would have probably been just as effective as sleeping for another hour...man, I'm an idiot.
Read more...
Monday, April 13, 2009
More Food, More House
Mom and Dad LOVE the kitchen in this house and considering the amount of wallpaper that was in the foyer of this home when they first saw it, I'm convinced this is one the only reasons they didn't laugh in the realtors face and walk out.
This is "the stove". I think my dad has wanted one of these things since like, I was born.
And this is "the spatula". We took a trip to GFS (It's like costco without the hassle of membership) and we found this awesome institutional grill top metal spatula (I think there's supposed to be a comma in there somewhere, but whatever). *For serious cooks only - as demonstrated*
The center of the range has a flat griddle under the cover and it has a temperature gauge. I made omeletes that first morning with mushrooms, peppers, onions and cheese. I LOVE griddles.
I didn't take any pictures of the omelettes, but they were amazing. I'm convinced everything tastes better when cooked on a professional range. (sigh* someday)
Amid all this cooking, it was actually Conference Weekend. We spent most of Saturday morning setting up the television in my parents family room so that we could watch the the 179th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Since by WE, I mean Dad and DH, I took pictures. :) Here they are setting up the entertainment center.
And here is the finished product. I sure was tired after watching them move that 6-piece monstrosity into place. The outcome was impressive though!
So after all that work, we needed an amazing dinner. Right? Right.
We had skirt steak in a sesame, garlic, and ginger marinade. Once again - we used the grill, because we can.
We grilled peppers and onions and had an amazing time eating it. I still didn't get a great picture, but it is a little better than the salmon. (Maybe my awesome SILs on both sides, can give me some pointers?)
It was delicious and perfectly cooked. I love a good marinated skirt steak. In fact - we're having some this week. It'll be yummy.
After dinner Dad and DH went to the Priesthood Session of General Conference while I finally watched the series finale of E.R. I love that show. My Thursday nights will never be the same now that it's gone.
When they got home, DH jumped into the hot tub to relax. The funny thing is, that the water level was a little low and so to turn on the jets, someone had to be in the tub. And then DH's in there, hanging out, and the jets are on a timer. He couldn't get out until they turned off, because he would have sprayed the entire inside of the room that the hot tub is in. - FYI, This was hilarious at 10:00 at night. While DH was trapped in the hot tub, I made dessert.
Dad had bought some gorgonzola cheese and we had pecans and walnuts, and some puff pastry dough. He also found a can of cherry pie filling in the pantry so DH could enjoy some dessert too. :)
Since I realy like desserts, I finally made an effort with plating and remembered to take a picture. I think it turned out pretty well.
The cheese pastries were amazing. The savory cheese with the nuts was a perfect blend with the lightness of the pastry and the sharpness of the raspberry coulis sauce that we made.
We just threw a little powdered sugar icing on the cherry turnovers and they were also very delicious.
Well, thus ends Day 2. Yes, there is more wondrous cooking to be had on Day 3 - but I don't think I have any pictures. I'll post more soon.
Read more...
This is "the stove". I think my dad has wanted one of these things since like, I was born.
And this is "the spatula". We took a trip to GFS (It's like costco without the hassle of membership) and we found this awesome institutional grill top metal spatula (I think there's supposed to be a comma in there somewhere, but whatever). *For serious cooks only - as demonstrated*
The center of the range has a flat griddle under the cover and it has a temperature gauge. I made omeletes that first morning with mushrooms, peppers, onions and cheese. I LOVE griddles.
I didn't take any pictures of the omelettes, but they were amazing. I'm convinced everything tastes better when cooked on a professional range. (sigh* someday)
Amid all this cooking, it was actually Conference Weekend. We spent most of Saturday morning setting up the television in my parents family room so that we could watch the the 179th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Since by WE, I mean Dad and DH, I took pictures. :) Here they are setting up the entertainment center.
And here is the finished product. I sure was tired after watching them move that 6-piece monstrosity into place. The outcome was impressive though!
So after all that work, we needed an amazing dinner. Right? Right.
We had skirt steak in a sesame, garlic, and ginger marinade. Once again - we used the grill, because we can.
We grilled peppers and onions and had an amazing time eating it. I still didn't get a great picture, but it is a little better than the salmon. (Maybe my awesome SILs on both sides, can give me some pointers?)
It was delicious and perfectly cooked. I love a good marinated skirt steak. In fact - we're having some this week. It'll be yummy.
After dinner Dad and DH went to the Priesthood Session of General Conference while I finally watched the series finale of E.R. I love that show. My Thursday nights will never be the same now that it's gone.
When they got home, DH jumped into the hot tub to relax. The funny thing is, that the water level was a little low and so to turn on the jets, someone had to be in the tub. And then DH's in there, hanging out, and the jets are on a timer. He couldn't get out until they turned off, because he would have sprayed the entire inside of the room that the hot tub is in. - FYI, This was hilarious at 10:00 at night. While DH was trapped in the hot tub, I made dessert.
Dad had bought some gorgonzola cheese and we had pecans and walnuts, and some puff pastry dough. He also found a can of cherry pie filling in the pantry so DH could enjoy some dessert too. :)
Since I realy like desserts, I finally made an effort with plating and remembered to take a picture. I think it turned out pretty well.
The cheese pastries were amazing. The savory cheese with the nuts was a perfect blend with the lightness of the pastry and the sharpness of the raspberry coulis sauce that we made.
We just threw a little powdered sugar icing on the cherry turnovers and they were also very delicious.
Well, thus ends Day 2. Yes, there is more wondrous cooking to be had on Day 3 - but I don't think I have any pictures. I'll post more soon.
Read more...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
A Weekend at the Country Estate
Seriously.
This is my parents house. My brother and I joke about how they have given up suburban life to retire on their country estate. Did you know it has a hot tub room? I've never known my folks to be hot tub people...or so I thought. It's like a don't even know them anymore. Pretty soon my Dad's going to say how much he wants to go on a cruise...with other people near him...people that he doesn't know. My entire understanding of the universe shifted after my weekend in Kirtland.
After finally soaking in the sheer awesome-ness of their new home, I was able to get to more important matters - like the food.
The food was delicious! My Dad and I love to cook together. We go to the store and buy obscure cheeses and weird cuts of meats and odd smelling condiments and concoct these dishes using just about every pot and pan and utensil in the house. It drives my mom crazy, but in a half smiling, "you kids!", exasperated sort of way. (Most of the time - there was is one time, we made curry...there wasn't much of a half smile that time. It smelled like red and yellow curry for about 3 days)
We arrived on Friday afternoon right around lunch time. My Dad was still at work, but coming home soon. He had bought an amazing piece of salmon and had seen a recipe on a cooking show we sometimes watch that he wanted to try. It involved pepper jelly (a family favorite), cilantro, butter, salt and pepper. It was great. We sort of had to improvise because we were all out of the yummy jalapeno jelly I had given him for Christmas - and to be honest, I think I'll start making my own just so I can up-tic the heat a little.
We mixed the cilantro, raspberry-jalapeno jelly that we did have in the pantry, and butter. We didn't put in quite enough salt to balance the sweet of the raspberry, but that was fixed after plating.
We grilled the salmon in a tin foil boat and let me tell you - I LOVE cooking fish this way. You still get the grill marks, but your filets stay intact and you don't have to deep clean the inside of the grill after cooking. Two great things.
Anyway, here is the finished product. *Please remember that I suck at taking photos and I was just so excited to eat this, that i didn't bother plating it well. That's why it's blurry and a bit of a mess*
We cooked pretty much all weekend, but you'll have to wait for my other posts to hear about the rest of this culinary wonderment.
Read more...
This is my parents house. My brother and I joke about how they have given up suburban life to retire on their country estate. Did you know it has a hot tub room? I've never known my folks to be hot tub people...or so I thought. It's like a don't even know them anymore. Pretty soon my Dad's going to say how much he wants to go on a cruise...with other people near him...people that he doesn't know. My entire understanding of the universe shifted after my weekend in Kirtland.
After finally soaking in the sheer awesome-ness of their new home, I was able to get to more important matters - like the food.
The food was delicious! My Dad and I love to cook together. We go to the store and buy obscure cheeses and weird cuts of meats and odd smelling condiments and concoct these dishes using just about every pot and pan and utensil in the house. It drives my mom crazy, but in a half smiling, "you kids!", exasperated sort of way. (Most of the time - there was is one time, we made curry...there wasn't much of a half smile that time. It smelled like red and yellow curry for about 3 days)
We arrived on Friday afternoon right around lunch time. My Dad was still at work, but coming home soon. He had bought an amazing piece of salmon and had seen a recipe on a cooking show we sometimes watch that he wanted to try. It involved pepper jelly (a family favorite), cilantro, butter, salt and pepper. It was great. We sort of had to improvise because we were all out of the yummy jalapeno jelly I had given him for Christmas - and to be honest, I think I'll start making my own just so I can up-tic the heat a little.
We mixed the cilantro, raspberry-jalapeno jelly that we did have in the pantry, and butter. We didn't put in quite enough salt to balance the sweet of the raspberry, but that was fixed after plating.
We grilled the salmon in a tin foil boat and let me tell you - I LOVE cooking fish this way. You still get the grill marks, but your filets stay intact and you don't have to deep clean the inside of the grill after cooking. Two great things.
Anyway, here is the finished product. *Please remember that I suck at taking photos and I was just so excited to eat this, that i didn't bother plating it well. That's why it's blurry and a bit of a mess*
We cooked pretty much all weekend, but you'll have to wait for my other posts to hear about the rest of this culinary wonderment.
Read more...
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I Covet This.
More info about my fantabulous weekend in Kirtland coming soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the sheer awesome-ness of this. I.Want.It.
Seriously. Would this not look A-Mazing with an LBD, a patent clutch and maybe a peeptoe pump? ...Oh, maybe a pewter-y bag and shoe? I am salivating over the idea of dressing like a normal person again soon.
Read more...
Seriously. Would this not look A-Mazing with an LBD, a patent clutch and maybe a peeptoe pump? ...Oh, maybe a pewter-y bag and shoe? I am salivating over the idea of dressing like a normal person again soon.
Read more...
Friday, April 3, 2009
Fidgety and Agitated
So I haven't starting read THE BOOK. I'm like an addict going through withdrawals.
I allowed myself to buy it mostly because I wanted to have something to read while I took the 3-hour glucose test from Satan. I have to take it in the next 2 weeks and I'm *super* excited about it.
Ok, I also bought the book because I wanted it, and I have no will power anymore - the baby has taken it all from me. This probably explains the 2 cookies I had for breakfast this morning...gosh, I really hope this glucose test comes back normal! I don't think that I can handle watching my sugar/carb intake.
As you're reading this, we are either on our way to or already in Cleveland, OH. My parents moved to a little known suburb of Cleveland called Kirtland, OH. Maybe you've heard of it?
Anyway, my mom is still here is Chi-town while my brother is finishing school, so my dad lives in their glorious new house all by himself. We're going out to see him over conference weekend, and mostly - it's because he has a viking range and my dad and I really like to cook weird food together.
I can already picture the bleu cheese, exotic spices and random ethnic findings that we will use to concoct odd dishes that only he and I will eat!! Ah...good times.
Read more...
I allowed myself to buy it mostly because I wanted to have something to read while I took the 3-hour glucose test from Satan. I have to take it in the next 2 weeks and I'm *super* excited about it.
Ok, I also bought the book because I wanted it, and I have no will power anymore - the baby has taken it all from me. This probably explains the 2 cookies I had for breakfast this morning...gosh, I really hope this glucose test comes back normal! I don't think that I can handle watching my sugar/carb intake.
As you're reading this, we are either on our way to or already in Cleveland, OH. My parents moved to a little known suburb of Cleveland called Kirtland, OH. Maybe you've heard of it?
Anyway, my mom is still here is Chi-town while my brother is finishing school, so my dad lives in their glorious new house all by himself. We're going out to see him over conference weekend, and mostly - it's because he has a viking range and my dad and I really like to cook weird food together.
I can already picture the bleu cheese, exotic spices and random ethnic findings that we will use to concoct odd dishes that only he and I will eat!! Ah...good times.
Read more...
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
More Random Musings
Apparently, my walking down Michigan Ave. is akin to a freak show.
I was walking to the book store today during lunch and I noticed quite a few eyes on me. I'm not completely sure if there are more than usual or if I'm just noticing it more because I am more self conscious of my shape.
Either way, I seem to be garnering attention from the suburbanite tourists that flock to Michigan Ave in warmer weather. (Not that today constitutes warmer weather, but we take what we can get out here.)
I made pointed eye contact with about 15 Miley Cyrus look-a-likes today and a handful of pseudo-business men walking to lunch. It made me laugh of little - after I made sure I didn't have smutz of my face or a giant hole in my pants.
To be fair, I am getting rather large and I had a sort of sequined top on and my zebra coat that can't really be missed. I think that's why I liked it initially, because it was a bit of a show stopper.
It's just a different kind of show now that I have expanded to the size of a large farm animal...
Read more...
I was walking to the book store today during lunch and I noticed quite a few eyes on me. I'm not completely sure if there are more than usual or if I'm just noticing it more because I am more self conscious of my shape.
Either way, I seem to be garnering attention from the suburbanite tourists that flock to Michigan Ave in warmer weather. (Not that today constitutes warmer weather, but we take what we can get out here.)
I made pointed eye contact with about 15 Miley Cyrus look-a-likes today and a handful of pseudo-business men walking to lunch. It made me laugh of little - after I made sure I didn't have smutz of my face or a giant hole in my pants.
To be fair, I am getting rather large and I had a sort of sequined top on and my zebra coat that can't really be missed. I think that's why I liked it initially, because it was a bit of a show stopper.
It's just a different kind of show now that I have expanded to the size of a large farm animal...
Read more...
Random Musings
I bought a book today.
I haven't bought a book in a really long time.
It feels really good.
I love the smell of the newly pressed paper, and the weight of hard bound, dust covered wonderment.
The funny thing about this book is that it's a pregnancy book...sort of. It's by a blogger that I read almost daily. She's generally somewhat crass, but mostly hilarious and I enjoy her insights into life.
I don't know that I'd recommend her for all readers, but for those with a sense of humor and a bit of tolerance. She's great.
The website is dooce.com and the book is called, "It Sucked and then I Cried". (I'll let you guess what the "it" is.)
She was in Chicago last week and I desperately wanted to go to her book signing, but, alas - it was on my only free weeknight and I'd already booked plans. So I bought her book today (with a whopping 10% sales tax) and am excited to get started on it.
Read more...
I haven't bought a book in a really long time.
It feels really good.
I love the smell of the newly pressed paper, and the weight of hard bound, dust covered wonderment.
The funny thing about this book is that it's a pregnancy book...sort of. It's by a blogger that I read almost daily. She's generally somewhat crass, but mostly hilarious and I enjoy her insights into life.
I don't know that I'd recommend her for all readers, but for those with a sense of humor and a bit of tolerance. She's great.
The website is dooce.com and the book is called, "It Sucked and then I Cried". (I'll let you guess what the "it" is.)
She was in Chicago last week and I desperately wanted to go to her book signing, but, alas - it was on my only free weeknight and I'd already booked plans. So I bought her book today (with a whopping 10% sales tax) and am excited to get started on it.
Read more...
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