Four First Names of Crushes I Had
- Jason
- Chris
- Kevin
- Craig
I'm pretty sure this could not be a more WASP-y list of names. Good
Lord. I read this question wrong, so The Targo isn't on there.Four Pieces of Clothing I Wish I Still Owned
- My Color Guard sweatshirt
- This cute pair of expensive shoes my dog ate when he was a
puppy. Then again, this was 1997 -- so maybe they're not cute
anymore except in my kitten-filled memories.- You know ... I'm not that into clothes. But I really like
pajamas. I had this cute satiny nightgown in college. I can't even
remember if I ever wore it.- I've got this Cardinals shirt that I haven't been able to find since we
moved. Does that count?Four Professions I Secretly Want to Try
- FBI Analyst
- Epidemiologist
- Attorney
- Realtor
Could this list be any nerdier? I should have listed "Rocket
Four Musicians I’d Most Want to Go On a Date With
Scientist" in there for good measure.Four Foods I’d Rather Throw Than Eat
- Rob Thomas
- ummm...
- hmmm...
- uhhhh...
- GAH... Bologna
- Sauerkraut
- Corned Beef (Reubens are my idea of hell)
- Cornish Game Hens --- GAG! Anything with bones grosses me out.
But this? This is some nasty stuff.Four Things I Like to Sniff
Is this a real question? I want to know what the sought answers might be.I can't even think how to answer this.
True story, I've broken my nose twice, and my sense of smell sucks. For most things. Since becoming pregnant, I seem to have a super sense of smell for things of funk. Maybe I like to snort pumpkin pie candles? Perhaps I just thought that was a weird thing to admit?
Four People to Tag
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Because, That's Why
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
More Random Stuff
The rules:
-Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
-People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
-At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
-Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
- Did you know that figuring out random things about yourself gets harder and harder? Okay, seriously... When I was 15, my best friend moved in with my family. Her mom treated her really poorly and my parents petitioned the court for custody of her. She lived with us until we went to college. Unfortunately, I don't see or talk to her too much anymore. I am convicted though that someday The Targo and I will have foster children.
- Last night, I dropped one of our brand new plates on my pinkie toe. The plate shattered and my toe is purple. If it's broken, this is like, the twentieth time I've broken a bone.
- I live for the snooze button. My alarm goes off the first time at 5:20. Then New Cat gets in my face and licks me. Then my snooze goes off again. Then New Cat comes and has a one-sided conversation with me. Then my snooze goes off again. Then New Cat decides to chase Mystic. I throw one of my pillows at him and have to finally get up. Snooze rocks.
- I used to live on the near west side of Chicago. For those of you who haven't been here, it's where the real Cook County Hospital (not the one on ER) and the United Center (the Bulls' stadium) are. At least once a week, some random dude would stop me on the street and offer me a ride. I'm not sure if this says something bad about me and the way I dress, or what. Regardless, it's creepy. When I lived in a different north side neighborhood, I was repeatedly asked for directions to the methadone clinic. I still wonder why they thought I would know.
- My favorite books are either chick-lit or thrillers. Is it strange to constantly read things about people falling in love or getting hacked up? I think it's weird. Maybe I'm growing up because my horror threshold is decreasing.
- I used to read a lot of political blogs, from both ends of the spectrum. I didn't have any favorites because they all made me mad. Now, I prefer reading what you lovely wummins have to say. It's much more fun and better for my blood pressure.
- I cry at the drop of the hat. Not like "cry baby" crying, but I'm easily moved. Every time I've seen a preview for "Akeelah and the Bee"... oh jeez. Well, it's just not pretty. (Did anyone see that movie? Sadly, I haven't ... I just can't get past the previews.)
- I saw the Dave Matthews Band in concert a couple times. The last show I saw, I think I was 26 or 27. I didn't think I was "too old" until I realized the beer line was only four people deep. I think the last concert I went to was the Rolling Stones. I definitely was not the oldest person at that one.
Ok... here's the deal... I don't know 8 people to tag. So, consider yourself tagged, interweb. Oh and... go read Sarah and Nicole's responses. They're funny.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
My Chicago
I'm sorry. I'm a follower. But I thought this was so cool. Let me tell you about My Town.
My Chicago
Age: 31
Occupation: Perhaps I'm The Cheerleader. Mebbe I could save the world. Hmm. Nah... just an ordinary desk jockey civil servant.
I lived there for: Nearly 8 years
I lived there because: I thought getting a PhD would be a good idea. Little did I know it would eat my soul.
My neighborhood: Lakeview!
My favorite restaurant: Okay, there are really so many options, I might have to mention one for each meal. Breakfast/brunch: Orange. It's a Lakeview hub for fancy-schmancy pancakes and super long lines. The service isn't so great, but the food. Oh-ma-gah. They have a different flight of pancakes every week. If they have it, I highly recommend the coffee flight. Good stuff. Lunch: Either Potbelly or Portillo's. I don't know how "local" either place is, but I'd never had them before I moved to Chicago. Potbelly has sandwiches that they toast. The bread is just good. But really - you've got to go for an Oreo Shake. If you have never been to Potbelly, they SCREAM the order down the line. "Sir, I'd like a chocolate shake." "Chocolate shake!" "CHOCOLATE SHAKE!" It's a little annoying, but tasty. Portillo's is known for their naughty greasy food, but they also have good pastas, grilled chicken and tasty salads. Dinner: This is so difficult, man. But, I'll stay in the Lakeview area and recommend Twist. It's a tapas place that is more fusion than anything. The stuffed mushrooms and the bacon-wrapped dates are incredible. Trust me.
If you go to this restaurant, be sure to order: see above... too much detail, I know.
My favorite museum: Museum of Science and Industry. I love that you can touch things and no one shushes you. The best thing is that MSI has a REAL Omnimax. No, not an IMAX... The Omnimax is a dome and it's how all uber-cool movies should be watched. Great story: The Targo and I try to go to a museum every three-four months. This particular tour of the MSI, we saw a film in the Omnimax where they traced the Nile to its source. The lights went down and we started "flying" over the Middle East. Suddenly there was a heaviness on my shoulder and snoring in my ear. "Targo! Wake up!" It was awesome.
My favorite tourist destination: You may have heard of The Green Mill. It's a jazz joint from the Prohibition Era. Rumor has it Al Capone's henchman owned a share of this place. After 10:00, ladies get in for free. Just a warning: The Green Mill is in a really lousy neighborhood.
Best insider spot: Matisse. This place has the best Sangria I've ever had! They have fabulous outdoor seating and it's in a great location. Also, if you're interested, it's right next to a place that specializes in clams on the half shell. Not my scene, but I thought I'd pass that along.
My favorite area: I love the parks. I've never been to New York or Boston, but in comparison to the other large cities I've been to, Chicago takes real pride in the accessibility of its green spaces. The lakefront is entirely public. It's cool to see people, who may have come from landlocked Midwestern or western states, when they look at Lake Michigan. It looks like an ocean. I can only imagine what Superior must seem like.
Best place to go shopping: I'm not much of a shopper, but of course, the Magnificent Mile would be the place to go. There's always something beautiful on the street. Right now it's the tulips. But there's often a series of art. And, in the winter, there are the lights. So nice.
When you visit, don’t forget to pack: Walking shoes and a jacket! It may be 80 during the day, but it's likely to cool down very quickly.
The one local cuisine you should try when you’re in town is: Of course I'm going to say pizza, because that's what everyone says. The best Chicago pizzas either come from Lou Malnati's or Gino's East. The others are wannabes... and Pizzeria Uno? No. Not Chicago pizza.
The best way to get around: It depends on where you are. Lakeview, Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville are totally walking neighborhoods. But, Chicago has awesome public transportation - whether it's bus or train.
If I had to describe this city in one word, it would be: Yummy? No? How about International? There are several ethnic neighborhoods that you have to visit: Chinatown and its amazing Dim Sum, Greektown has incredible restaurants, Little Italy has an Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame, and Bronzeville is reviving its history as a center of African-American music, culture and art (and now they got rid of their awful alderwoman... I'm sure it will get even better).
I tell my friends to stay at: I invite people to the mole hole, but there are so few takers. Maybe it's the cats and not me? If you want luxury, stay at a downtown hotel. If not? Be on the look out for specials. There's always a deal to be had in the Windy City.
The one thing most outsiders don’t know about this city is: The live theater scene is incredible. You can find major productions of Broadway shows, as wells as independent theatre companies that only do original works. What's your taste? Whether it's comedy (Second City or ImprovOlympics) or serious theater (Steppenwolf or Victory Gardens) or something quirky (Blue Man Group ~ which I would never-ever-ever see), you'll find it!
They say “Virginia is for lovers.” So fill in the blank: Chicago is for people who love to work, play, eat, and enjoy life. The Lake offers natural beauty. The skyline is filled with some of the most amazing architecture. The food? Really... I don't need to say more. There's always something going on: sports, art, theater, music... you name it! Chicago's got it. As much as I fantasize about building a mountain home, I love it here.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
7 More Things about Meeeeee

I got this from the Loverly Sarah!
For some reason (cause she's a doll) she wanted to know 7 Things About Me:
- I am morbidly afraid of clowns. It has been this way since I was a child. Before I saw Poltergeist. Really. And long before I saw the movie IT. See... that movie didn't scare me so much because Pennywise was openly evil. And, I had already read the book.
- My favorite thing about my current job is that the title sounds so cool. Also, there's a TV show that's similar to what I do. My old job title was "Project Manager/Analyst." I still don't know what that means. And, there was no TV show even close to demonstrating my job. (Cryptic enough?)
- The Targo is afraid to have girl child(ren). He's convinced that he won't know what to do and that they'll inherit my lack of fashion/make-up/hair sense. I think I'm just fine, but there are days that I forget to brush my hair. And, I think sneakers are appropriate with almost every outfit. Okay, maybe I've got nothing to offer and I should be afraid too. Boys? Well, the Targo and I are both sports nuts. We have the same 12 year old boy tastes in movies. And we both laugh out loud at South Park. Maybe boys do seem a little easier.
- My parents married a month after they met. The Targo and I married 6 years after we started dating (7 1/2 years after we met). I always thought it should be somewhere in the middle. I'm happy that it finally worked out. We'll see how the next 60 years go. Although, I am kind of concerned about those milestone birthdays. Turning 40, 50, 60... before the Targo does not sound fun.
- I have never been camping. In my life. Ever. The closest I've been is band camp. (I see you laughing.) We stayed at a camp ground and had bunks and cold showers. We had to get up at 5:30 in the morning, and were still outside marching at 10:00 at night. I was eaten alive by the mosquitoes and there was no canoeing. I'm beginning to think it wasn't such a good deal. The Targo and I keep talking about camping someday. Maybe in Yosemite or Yellowstone. I'm afraid I'm not really up to "roughing it," but in theory, it sounds so awesome.
- I mentioned in my 100 Things post, that I don't speak any languages other than American English. I really would like to learn someday. I had planned to study either Polish or Russian when I moved up here, but never got around to it. The Targo took 5+ years of Espanol and yet, when we were in a cab in Cozumel (great cruise destination) and the cab driver spoke no English, the Targo just let us almost get lost. I was all "Doesn't el barco mean boat?" It was interesting. I learned that I didn't want to be a disgusting American again. My restaurant Spanglish totally came in handy when we were in Mexico for our wedding.
- I thought the best part of having a destination wedding would be the vacation, non-stressed aspect of it. But really, it was having our parents on vacation with us. I know how lame that sounds. I really hope to take our families on vacation again. It was so fun. Our parents acted like newlyweds. And my parents, who had never been out of the country, did things I'm sure they'd never imagined doing: snorkeling, swimming in subterranean rivers... it rocked.
I don't know who to tag... but feel free to post this stuff... I love random bits of info about you all.