Thursday, December 22, 2005

Missing Jeanette

Jeanette is on vacay this week and I miss her so much! Sylvan just isn't the same without her. I have been doing an awful lot of work though...not that she is that much of a distraction! I really miss my lunch buddy...lunch doesn't taste as good without Jeanette. I don't think Jeanette should be allowed to take any more vacation days. Jeanette is also leaving me on Saturdays starting in January - and I don't like that one bit! At least I will have her one Saturday a month and then on every Friday.

Monday, December 19, 2005

Holiday Magic - Not So Magical


We went to the Brookfield Zoo for Holiday Magic this weekend and let me just tell you...it was not so magical.

First of all, I was freezing my balls off and I can only imagine how cold Donovan was...even though he had his full snow suit, hat, gloves, scarf and blanket on.

Second, every time I go to the zoo, which is not very often, the animals seem to look sadder and more pathetic. The polar bears look sickly and crazy (pacing repetitively by their cage door), the snow leopards look lethargic, the black bear looks over feed and under exercised, the walrus looks all scarred and old, all the animals in the children's zoo look disgusting (especially the horses and goats), the gorillas looked stoned, the reindeers looked as if they couldn't lift their own antlers (let alone Santa's sleigh), and the bald eagle looked anything but proud. The only animals that we saw that looked happy and healthy were the dolphins. We got to see the brand new baby dolphin that only weighed 30 pounds...that was kind of refreshing...to see life in at least one species of animal at the zoo.

My aunt, who works at Lincoln Park Zoo, came with us and was telling us about the Bengal tiger Molly who hasn't gone outside in over two years and who will probably be transferred back to Lincoln Park because of her agoraphobia.

I use to love zoos and think that they were a great way for people to gain respect and learn from animals, but as I grow older, the zoos just seem more like a prison for these great animals. The sad thing is, is that Brookfield zoo is supposedly one of the greatest zoos in the world - what do the other zoos look like. When I went to China, we went to the zoo and that was the saddest thing I have ever seen, that was truly disgusting and outrageous. The bears were kept in 10x10 holes in the ground that people used as garbage cans. It was so sad and disgusting that we left right away, I would have cried if we stayed any longer. I lost a lot of respect for the Chinese that day...trying to save the pandas my ass...no wonder they are going extinct...they live in China!

The good thing about Holiday Magic this year was that Donovan got to sit on Santa's lap and met Mrs. Claus. We took a few pictures, only got a few in before Donovan realized that Santa Claus is not cool...but he is actually a perv dressed up in a red suit (I have always been afraid of anyting dressed in a costume - Santa, Clowns, Easter Bunny, Jeanette - so I am planning on instilling that fear into Donovan too).

I am glad that I went, it was lots of fun - despite the sad animals and the cold. I think I might go again next year!



Friday, December 16, 2005

What Will Not Be Appearing On Our Christmas Card


Although this picture is not Christmas card worthy...it is the cutest sneeze caught on camera!



Donovan, the most photogenic baby in the world, has been nothing but uncooperative for his photo shoots for our Christmas cards. Every time that Donovan sees the camera he turns into a big ham and we get the most amazing pictures of him. I bought this cute little Santa outfit for him with the Santa hat and everything and every time we try to take a picture with him by the Christmas tree or in the wrapped box, he turn into a monster. We tried a couple of weeks ago and got nothing, then he had the horrible allergic reaction to his antibiotic and had a rash covering his whole body so we were unable to take pictures and now that it is coming down to the wire...he is being such a little stinker! Sorry for those of you expecting a Christmas card...it may turn out to be a New Years card.

Monday, December 12, 2005

I Love Stupid Questions!

On Saturday, Don, Donovan and I went to Don's grandparents house for their annual Candy Cane Punch. The punch has been a family tradition that they have done for over 50 years two weeks before Christmas. The punch is the shit! It had egg nog, club soda, cool whip and a lot of other things in it that I can't remember, but it was fantastic.

Don and I were priveledged to take Don's sister Yolie with us. That was a blast...she came to our house 10 minutes late and she still hadn't made her appetizer, so we had to wait till she made that. In the meantime...I almost died because she was making a mess in the kitchen and I had just cleaned (she use to live with us and that was the worst few months of my life). After she was finished making her appetizer, we left (late). The ride there was okay, no arguments between Don and Yolie...nice for a change.

On the way home was when I was asked the stupidest questions in the world. It was very cold Saturday and snowing, so Donovan had his snow suit on. He was getting a little cranky in the car because he was hungry and tired of being strapped down in his car seat. Yolie was sitting in the back seat with him and I asked her to unbutton the top button of his snow suit. She then asked, "Why do you put him in this?" Don's response was, "Because he can't put it on himself!" My response was , "I'm not going to answer that questions...you just think about that for a minute." Well, she thought about it for a minute and replied back, "I don't think I am going to be a good mother." Tell me something that I don't already know!

I really just love the stupid things that people say. It keeps me so entertained!

How Do Socialites Do This?

This weekend was one of the busiest weekends I have had in a long time. With outings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday...I am flipping exhausted. I feel like I haven't been home in a long time and that the housework is going down the tubes (not really, I just feel like it is-I couldn't let the housework slip). I have no idea how people go out every weekend and can still function normally during the week.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

What Element Are You

Your Element is Fire
Your power color: red
Your energy: hot
Your season: spring
Like a fire, you are full of power and light.A born leader, you easily draw people toward you.You are full of courage and usually up for anything dangerous.You have a huge ego and love to be the center of attention.
What Element Are You?

What Reindeer Are You?

You Are Vixen
Sexy and sultry, you're the one all the other reindeer dream about.

Why You're Naughty: That fur pulling spat you got into with Dancer over Santa.

Why You're Nice: Because even when you're nice, you're still delightfully naughty!

The Fondue Experience

Last night at The Melting Pot was a blast with my girls. I thought we were going to have a very satisfiying food extravaganza feast experience...and we did...but I didn't know that you get to be an outlaw as well! Jeanette experienced her first metal to metal contact with her car and a taxi. I told her to just take off...there was no damage...or at least none that I could see. The best part about the ride home was Sarah and I making funny references to our renagade experience the whole time. I learned that Sarah is half Jew and also a few interesting facts about the three Wisemen. I had such a grand evening...we will have to do it again sometime...maybe next time without the warrants and delinquent behavior!

Friday, December 09, 2005

What Kind Of Food Are You?

You Are Mexican Food
Spicy yet dependable.
You pull punches, but people still love you.

Mexican is like totally my favorite kind of food too!

There's A Plane In The Street



I could not stop watching the news last night. The whole Southwest plane accident at Midway had me captivated. It is so weird to see a plane sitting in the middle of the street that I just couldn't stop watching. I could not imagine being in my car at a stop light and seeing an airplane skidding towards me. That must have been the most scary thing for the people in the car. I would have soiled myself. This is the second airplane incident this week, I just wonder what the third is going to be like?!? I do actually feel sorry for the people that were involved with this accident, I don't have any sympathy for the idiot that was shot and killed in Miami - you say you have a bomb on a plane...then you deserve to be shot! I know some of you may think I may be cold-hearted because the dude was bipolar, but I don't really care...I'm glad he's dead...moron! I was slightly embarrassed to be a Chicagoan last night because the news reporters always find the stupidest people to interview...the one's who don't use proper grammar, complete sentences, comprehendable English and who look like they just walked out of their trailer or slum to see "whuz be happnin". I would totally be the nosy one trying get the good spot and be on the news...except I think that I could at least give some kind of intelligent sounding description of what happened and what I heard...besides, "really like super like tunder like bangz like a train like coming downz the way that a ways, oh my god, it was like super loud."

To Love Or To Hate

The snow and I have such a love-hate relationship. I hate shoveling, cleaning off my car, driving with idiots, getting everything wet from my shoes, the way it looks 2 days later, slipping, busting my ass and bloody cracked dry hands.

I love wathcing the snow fall very peacefully at night, the way everything glistens under the sun, the fluffy stuff all over the place, the way my dogs hop around like bunnies it it, the way it makes everything look so pretty, the things you can write in it and the taste of CLEAN snow!

Thursday, December 08, 2005

What Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Flavor Are You?

You Are Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
You're the coolest cat around, but too laid back to let it get to your head
What Flavor Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Are You?

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

What Kind Of Pie Are You?

You Are Lemon Meringue Pie
You're the perfect combo of sassy and sweet
Those who like you have well refined tastes
What Kind of Pie Are You?


I promise...this is the last quiz...they are just so much fun!

What Rejected Color Crayon Are You?

You are
to find out What Rejected Crayon you are!



I Found another funny little quiz...I am sorry people...I will stop with all the quizes now...this one caught my eye because it says "Johnson"!

What's Your Pimp Name?

My Pimp Name Is...
Scandalous Skillz
to find out what your pimp name is!
Thought this was a funny little quiz. I will have to change my current pimp name so my peeps on the street know who I am! Isn't Scandalous Skillz more like a hooker name than pimp???

I Beat Jeanette!



I have finished reading A Million Little Pieces for the next Nerd Herd gathering. Jeanette was ahead of me the whole time by like 75 pages...but I beat her! I finished first...na na na! I am very pleased with this book, much better than the last. I enjoyed it so much that I am recommending it to everyone that I talk to. I am planning on reading the sequel My Friend Leonard (don't know if that is the appropriate term-sequel). Hopefully they don't ruin the book and try to make it into a movie. I can't wait for our meeting in January...I want to talk about the book with people. Jeanette and I discuss some small issues in the book, but we are saving the good discussion for the meeting. Not bad for an Oprah Book Club pick...maybe I should always listen to Oprah...nah...she's mostly full of shit!


Friday, December 02, 2005

What Color Should Your Blog Be?

Your Blog Should Be Yellow
You're a cheerful, upbeat blogger who tends to make everyone laugh.You are a great storyteller, and the first to post the latest funny link.You're also friendly and welcoming to everyone who comments on your blog.