Being a tourist...

This weekend I enjoyed being a tourist with Angie and John. Here are some of my pictures ...

The VideoShmideo

It's a sad day in the hood folks. Video Shmideo is moving. They closed their doors for business this week and although I had never frequented the store, I always thought it was fun to point it out. I mean who doesn't like a store called Video Shimdeo. Maybe it's the bright green eaves, maybe it's the rhyming name, maybe it's the neon sign that says '3 Adult Movies for 24.99' in the window. Whatever it is, it makes me giggle like a school girl and point it out to everyone that comes to visit. So long Video Shmideo, although I know you aren't moving far, you will no longer be a staple on my morning commute.

Lessons in humbleness hurt...

So I was blading the other night down a very busy part of the lake front, right where all the beach volley ball leagues play...while I was cruising along I spot a friend of a friend...he happened to be a friend of a friend who I thought I may have had future relationship possibilities but I was mistaken...anyhow I thought it would be interesting to have a quick chat. After a quick enjoyable conversation, I decide to skate away calm, cool, and collectively...but mainly cooly...as I get about 30 feet away, everyone on the lake front decides to cross the path right in front of me at exactly the same time...there is clearly no where to go...a traffic jam to say the least...I slam on my breaks, but it is no use, it's to late...the damage is done. I wipe out, almost dragging another roller blader down with me. Of course that clears the path...everyone stares at me...no one offers to help...I jump up and skate away...thigh and ego bruised...it's a toss up which one is hurt worse...

jumping in puddles is fun...most of the time...

So I was leaving a 4th of July gathering yesterday evening that was being held in doors at a friends place due to the rain, in a part of town that I wouldn't hang around in after dark...as I exited the party, my friend John happened to be on the phone by a HUGE puddle...thinking it would be A)fun to jump in the puddle AND B) fun to get him wet...I proceed to leap into the puddle with quite a force...just as I look up laughing my eyes meet a very unpleasant site....a rather large African American woman and her male friend happened to be sitting in a SUV right next to the puddle with her door and window cracked open...at this point there is not much I can do...I try as best as I can to wipe the smirk off my face to apologize...knowing full well that she could really not have gotten but a few drops...but as I said I was sorry...I just got 4 beady eyes and blank faces back at me...seeing that it was quite possible that I have now put myself, and this time my friends, in life threatening situations twice in a week...I cleared the smirk...walked over to the car and apologized for my inappropriate puddle jumping...hoping that this may trigger some sort of facial movement other then the death stare I was currently getting...apparently my apology was not accepted, from her at least...her man friend said it was okay...however I'm pretty sure from the look on her face...it was most definitely not okay.

Happy 4th of July!

4th of July with some girlfriends

Deep down...Everyone Wants to be the Little Mermaid...

A friend sent me this picture from the Pride Parade last weekend.

How to get your @$$ kicked on the bike trail...

So I have found my new retreat...my new piece of heaven...my way to get away from it all...Roller blading on the lake front has become my favorite things to do on warm Chicago evenings. The lake front is literally a couple of blocks away and there is no problems that I have that after a few miles on that lake front with my blades and my ipod, can't be forgotten about. Males...work...males...tough friendships...everything vanishes, or gives me a really good hour to think about stuff without anybody calling me or nagging me or anything.....it's an hour or an hour and a half of me time and I enjoy every minute of it (most of the time...except when its like 100 degrees and the wind is blowing a 100 mph towards me...then some times I slightly dislike it). Anyhow, Saturday I was on my way back from my 10 mile blade...and it came to a narrow part of the trail when I hear 'On your left' from someone behind me...i hear it but there is little I can do as there are people coming towards me and I feel like I'm as far as I can get to the right as possible...then i hear it again this time in a harsher tone 'ON YOUR LEFT' and i see 2 beady eyes on a rather large woman glaring at me...the red headed temper flares and I can feel myself get angry...there is little I can do at this point as she is on a bike and faster the me...I mutter, what I think is under my breath...the word..*ITCH (censored here for younger viewers)...little did I know that the man that passed me right after she did was with her and happened to hear my little comment...once he past he proceeded to tell her that I called her a *itch at which point she apparently found that she did indeed have breaks on her bike...turns around and mutters something in my direction...at which point i was very glad I had my sunglasses on b/c I know my eyes had to have the fear of God in them. That is the first and last time I let that slip on the trails...

Top 10 Reasons To Work From Home Every Once In A While

1. 5 steps to the office
2. Naps
3. An office with a view
4. Working in my PJ's
5. Oprah
6. Listening to whatever I want...really loud
7. Facial Hair Removal Cream any time of the day
8. Speaker Phone
9. Rollar Blading on my lunch hour
10. Naked Conference Calls

The Naked Parade!

Tonight seemed like any other beautiful night in the city as Steve, Wendy, Ronnie and I finished up dinner around 11 and exited the restaurant. We were about 15 paces from Michigan Avenue when all the sudden Steve Jones screams...IT'S THE NAKED PARADE!..and runs the 15 paces to the corner...slightly confused and curious, Wendy and I follow. It was at this point time slowed down...and 300+ naked bike riders pedal southbound on the Magnificent Mile in nothing but their sneakers & helmets and just as fast as came...the naked bike riders were gone...and some how I feel like I will never be the same.


The Naked Bike Parade.