Which co-worker Jason and I are fully participating in btw...
Last night I got hit by a van...or I hit a van, which ever way you would like to put it. It could have been much worst then it actually was and I'm counting my blessings that I was not moving 3 seconds ahead in time. Here's the story...6:15 pm - head down stairs, put my roller blades on, gear up and begin my skate to the lake. I was suppose to meet John at 6:45 up north and then some Co-workers. 6:17 pm - I skate succesfully through the only busy intersection that I have to skate through on the way to the lake, 6:18 pm - I see a White van coming down division and about to turn left into an alley, the alley I'm about to cross, he can't see me b/c of some vans and trucks parked on the street, and he doesn't slow down or stop to see if there are pedestrians coming...although I can see him it's far to late at this point and I slam on my breaks but there is little to no time. I slammed into the side of the van at full force, taking the main blow on my left side. I tried to turn to get away and around it but there just wasn't room. 2 guys who I had seen walking toward me prior to the van pulling in between us ran over to me to help...the guy driving got out for like 2 seconds before speeding away. Emotionally it was more disturbing then physically, knowing that had he waiting 3 more seconds to turn or had I been moving 3 seconds sooner I would have ended up in front of the van and not on the side of it, and realizing that things would have been much worst had that happened. I am able to laugh...a little... at the story I'm sure it will become a lot funnier as time passes...as my knee heals and as I can walk a lot easier. I didn't want this to be a depressing post but it has turned into that! Just picture me slamming full speed into the side of a van, realizing full well I'm fine...pretty funny huh???
One great thing about living and working in a bustling metropolis like this wonderful city of Chicago, is that on quite a regular basis we get free stuff thrown at us left and right while walking down the street. Just in the past few months I have been given some totally cool stuff like the Sharpie 'retractable' marker, a monitor cleaner from Comed, one of those climbing clips/key chain things from Office Max, more then 2 or 3 candy bars with those mini M&M's in them, Edy's Dib's ice cream, Wrigley's sour apple gum, and oh and how can I forget one of my favorites, the light up shamrock that Southwest gave out on St. Patties day?...the list goes on and on...and like I said, these are only the things I can remember in the last couple of months...today was extra special though...and perhaps the most amusing.
If you haven't been around downtown when people are giving stuff away, let me explain these scene...usually there are 1 or 2 people working a busy corner during either the time everyone is hurrying to get into the office or at lunch time. People can smell free stuff...spot it out from blocks away and will literally stop traffic to get across the street so they don't miss out causing mass confusion and chaos to obtain their free piece of Wrigelys Gum. It's ridiculous yet Jason ( my aussie friend from work) and I have been known to circle the block multiple times to see what all we can acquire and if we will be caught double dipping.
Today as Jason and I went for our usual daily Dunkin Donuts coffee run we spotted them right outside our building...people were swarming and of course Jason and I immediately got excited 'FREE STUFF!'...soo we b-line for them...only as we get closer I see men who approach with faces like kids at Christmas time soon are turning away with looks of horror and disgust...Jason reaches out his hand only to retract it about as quickly as he stuck it out...men scatter across the street with their heads down...i giggle in glee...cause I just got a free candy bar that said 'Have a Happy Period! always'
So I'm getting a lot of flack for not posting lately. For the 5 people that do check in occasionally what can I say, it's summer, I have writers block, I've just completely lost all creativity? Pick any of the above, those are my excuses.
The summer has been short, as it always is here, but as fall is in the air I get excited...excited to be lazy on a cool fall afternoon, to watch Bears games on Sunday, to wear sweatshirt's, to eat chili, to go for walks and hear the rustling of leaves, to carve pumpkins...as hot summer days, tank tops, flip flops, beach days, and cubs games drift to a distant memory I can't be sad for long.
As I sit here now and try to figure out something witty and humorous to write I am stumped. Maybe I have lost all creative writing skills. Maybe I'm no longer suppose to share all my embarrassing and crazy thoughts on the www? Who knows. Maybe I've just grown into an extremely boring person. The only thing I can think of right now is that I am incredibly blessed. I have had a spectacular summer, shared with great friends and family, in a new job that has been amazingly good to me, and a new home which I would not trade for anything right now. The Cubs on the other hand...they could have been a little kinder this summer...but in the tradition...dare I say it to early?...there is always next year...
Am I Done-zo?
So WJ guilted me into this post...last week Steve, Wendy, and I headed to Wrigley for yet another historic game...this year has been a year of historic game for us...earlier there was the game vs Boston where Maddux hit the home run...last Sunday they retired Ryne Sandberg's jersey. As a life long Cubs fan, Ryno, along with Jodi Davis, were probably a couple of the first actual Chicago Cubs I can remember. The game started with trumpets and ended with cheers as the Cubs actually brought their bats to the plate and played a great game.
Wendy J, you may say I'm not a really fan...but I didn't hear you singing...
... Go Cubs go, go Cubs go, hey Chicago what do you say?
The Cubs are gonna win today...Go Cubs go, go Cubs go, hey Chicago what do you say?
The Cubs are gonna win today....
So due to some recent developments, people snooping around my blog I decided to dig into the archives and see what kind of dirty laundry I have posted over the past year and a half. I have been quite amused at some of the things that I have posted, dreams, stories, emotional outbursts. The last few months however, I have been boring...really boring. In fact, I should rename the blog something boring and uncreative. 'Don't read me: Complete Waste of Internet Space' besides a crap load of pictures and some embarrassing moments,I really have got nothing. To those that check in occasionally...and you do cause I'm over 5000 on the hit counter...sorry.
The 20's, 6th Anniversary Party was last weekend. It is hard to believe that out of 50+ people there, after just 4 short years I am one of the ones that have been around the longest. I was honored to be asked to give a short (impromptu) testimony on what 20's has meant to me. Below are a couple of the pictures from the party...Dawn and I in the first one and Me, Melissa, and Heidi in the last picture. 
This weekend I enjoyed being a tourist with Angie and John. Here are some of my pictures ...
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.
