And Then We're Cha-Cha-ing

First Big Snowfall

2005-12-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

It's been -3 degrees lately. It can't be -3 when it snows, so I'm glad it's snowing. It really feels like Christmas!

The trip continues...

2005-12-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

Day 2--on to Cork. We weren't all that comfortable with the roundabouts yet, and spent half the drive down not knowing if we were on the right road, but we FINALLY made it, into the European Capital of Culture of 2005, the beautiful city of Cork. Completely spent, we found the first B&B we could find. Marianne, who runs the Parkview B&B, might be the most graceful generous creature in that entire city. She offered to park our car for us, and in what we Americans were not at all used to, handed us the keys to our room and said we would settle up in the morning. After a quick bite to eat at a great little pub where we had sandwiches, mine was corned beef, with egg salad. When the bartender asked us if we wanted salad we both said yes, assuming we would see some leaves, but when they say that, they mean egg salad on the sandwhich. It might sounds weird but it tastes delicious. After asking around a bit, we found Sin-E. Easily the coolest hipster-esque bar I think we visited our entire trip. With ceilings pasted with concert posters and souvenirs, and that lovely "Democracy We Deliver" poster in the front (yes, with the bombs being dropped, eerily reminiscent of our current political situation) we enjoyed our whiskeys. P.S. there is NO ordering whiskey and coke in Ireland. NOT that we ever considered ordering Jameson with coke. We are respectful. But if you order a jack daniels and coke, they give it to you in a tall glass for the whiskey, and a bottle (yes, a bottle) of coke. But we hadn't heard traditional music, and this was the one day we didn't hear traditional music, so we were off to find another. On our way to Sin-E we passed funeral procession. Around 9pm on a Monday night, bagpipes lead a hearse while around 100 people walked through the streets. It was hard not to stare, or be moved to tears; the bagpipes produce the loneliest, saddest music.
The Corner Pub was next, where, to our disconcert, a group of guys sat in a corner and played the Irish flute, banjos, etc. while everyone talked. They seemed unconcerned with the fact that they were drowning out this beautiful music. But I guess they're used to this, every day, every night, some group of fellas (never saw 1 woman) sits in a corner in some pub and tries to keep the tradition alive. And the last pub, for the night, doesn't have a name that comes to mind (you can imagine how many pints, jamesons no ice we were into the night) but, there was live music, just a guy with his guitar, but the last song he played was Ireland's national anthem. And we all stood. It was a nice moment, before we climbed Cork's San Francisco-like hills back to Marianne's abode, where her husband had wondefully parked our car so we wouldn't get ticketed (he would move it again for us in the morning, while we ate another Irish breakfastand played with Ellie, Marianne's dog).

A few quick thoughts:
The Irish Breakfast consists of: Bacon (which is just big cuts of ham fried a bit), white pudding (sausage of some sort), black pudding (the same sausage, but includes pig blood), one fried egg, brown bread usually on the side (they use soda water to make it, instead of yeast), and, if you're lucky, BEANS! that was my favorite part of the meal.

Thought #2:
On our drives through the countryside, we noticed that we almost always saw the moon and the sun, right beside each other during the day. It was if neither was willing to give up their view of this, what must be the most beautiful country I've ever seen. I envy them.

Pics from Ireland

2005-12-01T09:38:00.000-08:00

For the most part, are posted on my fotopages site.

Ireland Part 1

2005-12-01T07:25:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been home 1 day now, and I'm still bristling at writing up about the experiences traveling around Ireland. There are too many good things to say, I don't want to leave out anything. Plus, I'm sick, have been sick for the past 2 weeks, and am just managing staying conscious for a couple hours at a time.

Let's see, this is going to have to be in parts, and I'm still trying to upload the pictures to flickr. We got into Dublin around 8am, exhausted and already hungover from a wild night in NYC on the upper upper east east side. The first adventure--picking up the car, and actually driving it. It's not as hard as you think, just driving it (a foreign cabby in NYC assured me of this, and although I doubted him at the time, he turned out right). Shifting with your left hand is actually kind of fun, and driving on the left hand side of the road gets easier, although I never got used to seeing the cars coming at you on the right hand side. So, we tried to make our way to our first city, (which we hadn't even planned until about the last 15 minutes of the plane ride), and I have to say that, that i was doing a bang on job driving...except for the roundabouts. Oh, and the fact that there are NO ROAD SIGNS half-the time. So you head into this roundabout (where the speed limit would be 100km, that's 60mph around a roundabout), not knowing what the hell turn you're supposed to take. OR, you might have the opposite problem. Here is an example of the road signs in Ireland, mostly Southwestern Ireland:
Oh, I also forgot to mention what the roads look like. They are only as wide as the Fiat Punto that was our luxury compact vehicle for the week. Most times, it seems you're only choice is either to knock side mirrors with the car coming at you, or drive halfway off the side of the road. Since Colin was nice enough to do most of the driving, we actually survived. I spent most of the time in the car cringing and deciding who would get my VHS collection when we perished on the side of the road.
Our first stop was Kilkenny. Home of the Kilkenny castle, a big arts and crafts area, and Kilkenny beer. We made it in around 10am, exhausted and having no idea what we were doing. So we headed to a pub, thinking we could get something to eat...but were happily surprised to see that it is COMPLETELY acceptable to be drinking at 10am on a Sunday morning. When in Rome my friends. When in Rome. We had to try Kilkenny's local brew, which you can easily get in the US as well. It's harder than you can imagine to drink those beers, they taste wonderful, they really do, but you're so full afterwards, there's no chance of you actually finishing a meal. I have no idea how the Irish do it. After a 4 hour nap, it was so needed, we headed to dinner and then out for the night. We bar hopped, I mean it's a Sunday night in this little village, I don't know that we thought we would actually find something to do. But there were people in every pub. I think there's a pub for every 11 people in every city we went to. And they all look exactly like you think they do. The Irish pubs we see here, I usually thought they were bad replicas, trying to be cute, but they look exactly the same in Ireland. Except every bar looks like that. We finally settled upon Matt the Millers to listen to a band, "Superstition." We learned quickly that the Irish love to cover bad American pop. It wasnt all that bad though, they threw in a Thin Lizzy song (Dancing in the Moonlight, not a bad one actually) and I danced with 2 crazy women, and met a guy from Manchester who told me, everyone from Manchester is a gangster (say it in a british accent out loud and it rhymes). This was the first night, and we learned quickly the correct way to order pints. "Can I get a Kilkenny off ya," is the preferred way of asking for a beer. I mostly stuck with Jameson, no ice. That was our first night, and after a hungover morning breakfast cooked by the lovely Ms. Daly, we headed off to Cork.

Where's your political compass?

2005-11-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

Interesting thing to check out: http://www.politicalcompass.org/

My results were: Economic Left/Right: -6.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.69

Leave a post with what your results were, if you feel like it, cory and jared. my 2 visitors.

Do they know it's Christmas?

2005-11-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

Oh, this is just asking for trouble.

My new obsession for today, maybe even tomorrow

2005-11-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

okay, actually obsessions plural. it was a weird weekend (i got screamed at by a grown woman who worked part-time at jcrew for talking about politics at a party) and i gave my friend a poem for her birthday, and then RIGHT AFTER THAT another friend gave her an honest to goodness prada purse.

So, a website I have just found and loved 43things
has turned me onto some really cool stuff...for instance, subarctic plants. and the krumholz effect (stunted growth of trees caused by extreme climatic conditions.) oh my goodness i am in love with the dwarf willows.

and, another site i just found and love is a place that posts secrets mailed in on postcards.

This is not Lake Michigan. Sigh.

Because Cory Cares

2005-11-03T15:40:00.000-08:00

1. Weirdest use of a Cat Power song in a movie? The Secret Lives of Dentists. And it's my favorite one too--the Tom Waits cover, "I'll find a reason." Didn't fit well. I get Showtime and TMC for free, and they're just the worst, most worthless channels ever. Except this movie wasn't absoultely horrible. It's impossible to hate Campbell Scott (was he Rodger Dodger? or in In the Company of Men?) and if you're not in love with Hope Davis after American Splendor then you're probably buying Hilary Duff singles.
2. Had to go to the Criminal Courts today, on 26th & California. It was a sad experience, seeing little kids there with their teenage dad's waiting to be called. Sat in on a trial where 70,000 worth of cocaine and automatic weapons were found. That was the first automatic weapon I've seen in person. The prosecution left the huge gun on the table so it would always be in sight of the jury. The demographics were strikingly simple: young, mostly black. I just feel so sad. So sad.
3. ABC news says 5% of people ever truly quit smoking. ABC says cigarette smoking is more addictive than heroine, and that cold turkey will never really work.
4. Excellent Washing Post editorial this weekend, "Vice President for Torture" shouldn't be missed. Cheney is literally trying to force through a bill that says it's okay to torture prisoners.
5. No longer working downtown, phew. But they did give me a 7 year old laptop as a going-away present.
6. I'm sure by now you've read"Brownie's" emails durig the FEMA Katrina debacle. It's really quite fantastic reading. And that's just Brownie. Can you imagine what trash talk Rove, Libby, and the rest of Dark Side are emailing back and forth about the indictments? I'm sure it would make Harriet Mier's blush.
7. Bush's approval ratings are lower than any other 2nd term president's other than.....NIXON! Isn't that just wonderful. Watching the Democrats (as Jon Stewart explained last night) grow testicles, knowing the American public, even the vengeful red states, are starting to realize that they made mistake putting this man in office again. wow. It's such a beautiful, beautiful thing
8. I ate almost an entire container of olive bruschetta today (in my defense, it was just olives, banana peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and a little oil, not soooo bad for you).

Ok Cory. Bring on the comments. You didn't post today either you know.

Toasting the Demise of the Karl Rove

2005-10-26T22:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, the city I lived in is still drunk after celebrating the White Sox win (except for 90% of the people who live in my neighborhood who are asshole Cubs fans). BUT this is a DOUBLY good week. In fact, this may be the best week in my entire 25 years. Tomorrow, Friday at the latest, we will be seeing new mug shots. (most of you will be receiving Delay's in the mail, framed, as Xmas presents, I'm just too excited I had to ruin the surprise). I'm wondering how anybody (read: Cory, the only person who reads my blog), thinks we should celebrate the indictment of Rove and/or Libby? Let's think out of the box here, beyond champagne (of beers, of course, we're the proletariats remember?).

Fine, I admit it. I cried.

2005-10-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

Never, in my entire life, has the town, the team I loved brought home the world championship. No, I wasn't raised a Sox fan. But I love this city more than I have ever loved anything that didn't share my last name. The El is my heartbeat. The streets, the sordid past, is our past. This is a city of people, of teams, that are just trying to make it one more day. Every single person who walks down these streets knows your heart, your everyday everything. People look at you here; they know your struggles resemble their own. This isn't a city that greets you with a pat on a back; this is a bear hug that leaves bruises kind of city. Where I was born doesn't matter; I live in Chicago, a city that defined me before I arrived.

It's the top of the 14th

2005-10-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

And let me just say, it sucks that someone has to win this game. A World Series game like this is good for baseball, good for sports in general.
Let us bow our heads and be thankful that we're not at this game--these people haven't had a beer since the 7th inning--that was maye 3 hours ago?

I HATE PEACHES NOW AND FOREVER (IF FOREVER MEANS UNTIL TOMORROW)

2005-10-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

He is getting personal with his blog, where I just had to set up mine for a class and figured I'd have some fun with it.

Counterpointe #1: I was kidding about the fair weather business. This kid's sense of humor is as non-existent as a Houston Texans win.
Counterpointe #2: I figured that, like most other fans in the MLB, you guys wouldn't be interested in the White Sox. Getting drunk and not watching baseball is way more fun at Wrigley. However, I will say this right now, I will never set foot in Wrigley Field ever again with the way the Cubs fans are reacting to the Sox big wins.
Counterpointe #4: You just LOVE Houston so much you're leaving in 3 weeks.

Red Rover Red Rover Send the Astros Over...

2005-10-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

to be crushed to a pulp on the south side of the best city there ever was. Though the owner behind www.wastedworld.blogspot.com seems to talk a big talk...remember, this is the guy who is bailing from the city that sheltered Enron for Portland. Fairweather Fans aren't worth my time.

Other things I hate? Yes, when I am at a cool concert I know one of my friends wishes he/she were at, I know I shouldnt, but I hold up the phone to try to give them a glimpse of what they are missing. And I can't stand that #1 they don't even make a comment about it or #2 they say, Jess that never works. Jeez. At least I'm trying to include you. A "thank you" might be just a little tiny bit appreciated.

Renting a car in Ireland is proving to be a major problem, because we can't get free insurance from our credit cards (which, by the way, we've supported heavily in the past several years). The price goes from $150 for a week to $400 a week with insurance. Damn.

Also, I am obsessively listening to Cyndi Lauper's "when you were mine" (the prince version pales in comparison)..I just akwardly, jerkily danced down Washington Street, between State & Wabash. Oh, and Sun Kil Moon's wonderfully meloncholic Mark Kozelek cover Modest Mouse Songs. "Tiny Cities" Check it out http://www.4tracksuperhero.net/?p=43

No one says "Drats!" anymore.

A Post Received from Harriet Miers

2005-10-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Like, um, seriously guys, GB is cool. No, really, duh. He's like, the sweetest, most awesomest guy ever. And if you guys don't get that, then you can like, go, okay? Because this is not cool. I'm like totally qualified for this position, because, like when I worked with the Texas lotterly, like we did all this cool stuff, and i had like tons of responsibilities. And like, minorities love me, seriously, and I totally think they're cool too. So, like, chill out okay? Because GB is super neat and smart and super cute and he totally was reelected and he totally knows what he's doing. Kay?

Hmmm

2005-10-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

Too Cool for School is such a good way to describe my neighborhood and half my friends. I love how the connotation of "hipster" has changed, and despise how those who deserve the nasty moniker have ruined my favorite restaurants, bands, bars. For example, the Decemberists play tonight, and although I have my hopes up about the crowd, I have a feeling everyone is going to look the same, and most won't know what "sinews" are, or half the other words in the songs--they just read somewhere that its cool to say that you like them. I hate when a group of kids comes into my bar (where I'm usually alone reading or writing because I'm a complete recluse (shit, even that sounds like I'm bragging I do sound like one of them) and proceeds to order silly shots and talk loud about stupid things. I hate that all these stupid Lakeview Cubbies fans are refusing to get behind the White Sox. Actually, I hate Cubs fans and I hate that I live three blocks from Wrigley Field and that the last game I went to I left after the seventh inning stretch. That would never happen at Shea. I hate that when I go to school, if I'm coming from my lame ass marketing job downtown, I'm embarassed that I'm in business casual, and not sporting whatever random find found in a thrift store last week. I'm embarassed when someone sits on the bus next to me and hears that, although it looks as if I should be listening to Rainer Maria, (and I do--oh god, I am one of them) I'm actually listening to John Cougar Mellancamp. (I need a lover who won't drive me crazy is not a bad way to begin your day) Why I fucking care I have no idea. I subscribe to US Magazine and the Atlantic Monthly. I hate that I might be that hipster. Fuck me.

THE SOX ARE IN!

2005-10-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! Yesterday the Bills won, the Bears won, and the White Sox won! Here's hoping that St. Louis can pull it out, it would be nice for our boys to have to travel just down I-55. If not, Peaches and I are working out some sort of wager, where if my Sox lose, I'll send him the most corrupt city government in history and when my Sox win, he'll send me Chinese Urban Sprawl. Although it'll probably end up just being Lone Stars or Old Styles that'll probably never get sent.

Great, quiet weekend--especially Sunday. I had forced myself to stay away forfrom Delilah's for the past month, but had to go back. It's a hipster bar that somehow morphs into a Buffalo Bills breeding ground (thanks to the owner, and future Mayor of Buffalo, Mike) where I hang out with 50 or so mostly men wearing Eric Moulds jerseys, talking about the days of Tasker and Bennett, and downing many of the free shots Mike passes out, along with Labatts in a can. Although the game ended by 6:30, and I managed to watch the baseball game sans beer, I woke up with a raging hangover around 1am this morning. All is well though.

So randomly, here's what I'm reading/listening to:

Books:
Crying of Lot 49
Best American Essays 2004
Best Non-Required Reading 2004 (Eggars' intro is fantastic)
The Dubliners (trying to immerse my mind before my body gets to the Emerald Isle over tgiving)

Listening:
Rainer Maria's live album
Magnolia Electric Company (just 1 song, the dark don't hide it, the rest suck)
Lou Barlow's new "Emoh"
and a bunch of random alt-country stuff I stole off the Internet.

Procrastinating Begins Early

2005-10-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

Two posts in 10 days, not impressive. I'm doing my best though, and tonight am trying to finish up homework while nursing a warm Genny Light (it's an acquired taste only western new yorkers can appreciate). Definitely an interesting week, with our Sox winning the dirty "Daley Way" last night. Now everyone's going to complain, every win we have mired with controversey, I only hope the boys can hold on. Ozzie please please please bring us to the big show.

Have become enamored of Jack Spicer, a poet and Alex Kotlowitz, who's "Never a City so Real" is, at times, a love letter to my city, Chicago, one I believe is truly deserved.

Went down to the Lithuanian Museum on 6500 S. Pulaski to write piece on Tuesday. They had to turn the lights for me; they locked the gift shop when I walked into the museum-ish area. To be completely honest, I had no idea where Lithuania even was. I mean, the general area, Eastern Europe, I knew that. The history is fascinating while tragic, and Ron, who volunteers in the library was too sweet and offered me magazines and brochures to take home, to spread the good word of the country his parents left before he was born.

This weekend should be fairly interesting; got an invite to a baptist church on the south side, olivette, by the drummer in the church band, he says the keyboardist used to play with Miles Davis. My Buffalo Bills take on the Jets on Sunday, Tuesday is the Decemberists concert, Thursday starts tutoring at 826's Boring Store and then there's only 29 days until I leave for Ireland. Woo hoo.

Life is good and sweet and all things in between

2005-10-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

GO WHITE SOX. I must admit there was just a little personal vendetta involved (and not worth mentioning) but I am so happy to see Sweaty Freddy and Ozzie and all the good boys from the South Side beat the Aristocrats, the anything but blue-collar these days Red Sox. It's our turn now. I love seeing all these sportscasters saying the Sox 14-2 first game win was nothing but a fluke. 7 games in a row we've won now...onto (hopefully) a sweep of the Yankees. Everyone keeps telling me that any team from California is our kryptonite. Here's hoping. The city. The south side deserve this.

Interesting day today. Talked lots about Studs Terkel in class, mentioned my main man James Tuohy (a chicago landmark writer who I met recently and upon our introduction immediately treated me like a granddaughter he had loved his entire life), watched the Sox games with some new friends from grad school at Exchequer (it's right around the corner and the jerk from Miller's Pub wouldn't let us sit at a table!!!).

All-in-all I'm ecstatic with the Sox wins and tired to the bone in every other way. Promise to be witty and adorable soon.

And So It Begins

2005-10-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. Signed up to work at Dave Eggars' 826 Chicago--can't wait to see how "The Boring Store" turns out. It can't be called what it is: a spy store. Obviously secret agents can't stroll out in public into the place where they'll buy their neat-o super sophisticated gadgets. Should be open by the end of October. Would definitely suggest checking it out, but until then you can check out their website: www.826chi.org The address is 1331 N. Milwaukee. You can still sign up to volunteer as well.

So many things going on, and now the threats in NYC. It would appear Bush knew of this threat, and chose today to give his generic, familiar speech reminding all of us why we should be scared and be quiet. It's getting old. Thank goodness many are finally realizing this.

Not sure how to feel about his new pick for the Supreme Court. She seems like a token female. He has obviously planned this "from left field" pick. She doesn't seem like a bad lady, not sure if she's Supreme Court material either. We'll find out soon, thanks to my lovely senators from back home in New York who are determined to ask important questions, and refuse to settle for anything less than real answers.

Well, besides GO WHITE SOX!!! I'm too exhausted to make this inaugural post anything interesting.