Next Saturday!!!!   I'm going. luminousxexpressed an interest. Anyone else?

The Rockford Air Show is this weekend.  I might go .......   Anyone interested? 

Who's up for it?

On September 6, the outrageous human-powered flying competition known as Red Bull Flugtag will once again soar over the Windy City, but this time it’s touching down in the waters off North Avenue Beach.

 

It's probably too much to shoot for being a contestant, but just going to watch seems INCREDIBLY fun!!!! 

( Flugtag video - Chicago '03 Highlight )

Saw Cloverfield.  I liked it a lot.  I found it surprisingly "believable."  And I am glad that they didn't explain everything, like the origin of the creature, or what ultimately happens afterward, or show lengthy shots of the creature. 

Spent a whole lot of money at the grocery store buying stuff for the party.  Forgot a couple things, but I might not need them anyway.

Next Saturday is Groundhog Day, and everyone is invited to my place for festivities.  Weather looks to be 20º-28º (which sounds really warm right about now).  Anyone who is planning on coming, just please let me know.  

Cleaning is progressing slowly but surely.

I am planning on having (probably) Italian Beef sandwiches, chips/dips, assorted other snacks, and I'll have a small variety of soda and maybe one of those Heinekin Draughtkegs©.  But if you want something specific, either let me know or feel free to bring it.  I'm probably going to try to make a white chicken chili, but I haven't had time to try out any recipe.  If you want to bring your own chili or other dish, just let me know.

Original announcement (including official schedule) 

Start time: 11am (or whenever anyone wants to arrive - if earlier, let me know)
Anyone needing directions, let me know so I don't have to post it here.

It's Groundhog Day!

Ok, not yet, but it's coming up.... SOON!

This year it happens to fall on a Saturday.  This may add a couple more options to the day.  I may actually get up to go see the "Prognostication" at 7:07am, but I wouldn't expect anyone to make it out by that time (though you'd be welcome).  I went and saw the movie a couple of years ago, and that was fun to see it with other folks from town, but I own the DVD and normally put it on anyway.  So seeing it in the theater at 10am is also an option, though again it is early.

Several people have expressed interest in the Chil Cookoff (Noon).  I have been open to submitting an entry in the past but just never got to it.  So ..... we'll see what happens.

The tour (1:30pm) is usually fun and interesting.  The first year I went, Stephen Tobolowsky gave the tour, and that was BY FAR the best and has never been equalled.  I could probably give the tour myself if needed.  Weather often dictates this one; it is usually FREEZING COLD!!!

There's a Movie Symposium at 3pm, but I have no idea what this event is: a discussion of the movie???   That could be fun.

Anyhow.... If you're reading this post, YOU'RE INVITED!!!!  I only ask that you try to let me know, either by replying below or emailing me or .... I may send out an Evite, but I don't necessarilly have everyone's email.  And hopefully I'll have a much better handle on the food situation than I did last year - sorry about that!

( Schedule of Groundhog Day events... )

Saturday evening I went to Deerfield to meet figmint and sultansfavorite and another friend to see one of their friends  perform a small solo concert.  She sang several songs (from operas?) in German.  Made me wish I'd remembered some more of the 3-1/2 years of Deutsch that I took in High School.  Then she sang some (often humorous) showtunes.  This isn't the type of thing that I'd normally do, but I actually enjoyed it.  It's nice to do some unusual things every so often.  I need to do it more, as a matter of fact.  So thanks to figmint for the invite.

I actually left extremely early to go to the concert thinking that I would stop and grab a bite to eat.  I decided to drive towards Deerfield and see if I could find a restaurant out there.  Ha!  There is NOTHING out there.  I wound up driving around for a half hour, and then there it was - Fuddruckers!  Sweet!  Not the greatest FR that I've been to, but .... mmmm!  still good.

Sunday I started out a bit grumpy, mostly due to football results.  I decided to check out a local Wings, Etc to see if I could catch my Cowboys game, since local tv was playing the Bears.  I got a table and was looking at the menu when my cell starts ringing with a ringtone I hadn't been expecting.  Guess who?  T, who I had gone on a date with and then essentially not heard from again.  Turns out she had been down and out with a sinus infection for the last week.  She said she was feeling better but still sounded like crap.  She apologized for being out of touch.  Didn't talk much as it was hard to hear.  So .... I guess that is not over after all.

And the icing on the cake - my Cowboys kicked some New Jersey A (NY Giants) butt to take a 2 (essentially 3) game lead in the division!!!   w00t!!!

 


----------------
add:  Oh, and I even ate well, when I was at the bar (well, aside from the half-dozen Diet Pepsis): the veggie plate with celery, carrots, green peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a tiny grilled chicken salad (all with ranch dressing - hey, it's better than the all fried food alternatives).

In response to a question asking about film festivals:

Forget about Cannes, Berlin and Venice: Big deals, but expensive and you need credentials. Pick your dates and go online to www.filmfestivals.com. They list 1,400 fests. Near Chicago, the biggest and most user-friendly is Toronto. Montreal is making a comeback. I have had wonderful times at the Hawaii, Virginia and Savannah festivals. Telluride is magical but expensive and hard to get to.

Here in Chicago, we have many festivals, including the Latino, Animation, Reeling (Gay/Lesbian), Underground, Short Film, Future Filmmakers, Asian Animation, Asian-American, Horror, International Children's, Documentary, and Women in the Director's Chair festivals. There's hardly a week of the year without a festival going on here. And in Urbana-Champaign, you might enjoy the Insect Fear Film Festival, and also surf to www.ebertfest.com, with next year's festival coming in April. 

drmagoo, did you know there was an Insect Fear Festival in U-C ??   hehehe

I'm thinking of going to see Harry Potter again after work since I just finished rereading the book.


Anyone heard anything about this movie The Last Legion?  How about The Golden Compass?

Superbad looks pretty funny.  I've liked most (all?) Judd Apatow's movies.  Don't know if I need to see it in the theater, though.  Stardust looks pretty good.

Still haven't seen the Simpsons Movie. 

Talk amongst yourselves.

I've been geeked up about this movie since .... well, since the credits rolled on the second movie.  I am going to see it after work today (by myself).  I was very please to read Jeff Westhoff's review (3½ Stars) in the Northwest Herald yesterday, which reinforces what I loved about the first two films and basically assures me that I'll enjoy this third entry.  Then this morning I go to read Roger Ebert's review.  He also give it 3½ Stars, but, as Ebert does occasionally, then he writes a meandering totally unhelpful (dare I say incoherent?) review.

Ahh, No matter!  My butt will be in that theater seat at 5:15!

Heading out to Indy for the Brickyard 400.  Be back late Sunday.

I have to say, I've never understood it either.  The most drunk I've ever gotten was at my sister's wedding when I was 19.  I was staggering drunk, but never blacked out or forgot anything that happened, and I went to Great America the next day with no problems.  Second most drunk was probably Taste of Chicago last year in which I was wandering/staggering in the streets (not falling over), but again didn't forget anything or get sick or anything - I got REALLY tired is about all.  Nor have I EVER gotten very drunk several times within days, or a week, or dare I say even a month.

Why Are You So Incredibly Drunk?

What is it about public displays of extreme, staggering wastedness? Is it fun?

By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

( Full Article )

It's a simple enough question, with a thousand fragmented answers: What the hell is the appeal of severe, excessive drinking, over and over again, to the point of illness and physical collapse and extreme stupidity and brain-melting moronism?

What is it about, say, hard-core sports fans or twentysomething post-sorority girls and pot-bellied frat guys gathering in hordes and drinking so heavily two or three times per week and every single weekend that they can't see straight and fall out of their restaurant chairs and break a tooth on the ceramic tile and throw up in their hair and don't know who they slept with as they fry so many brain cells they finally move to Texas and become president of the United States?

( More Article )

I'm going to the Sox game tomorrow and I can't find my cap ANYWHERE!!!!!

Jim's Groundhog Day gathering

Here are my favorite (in terms of amusement) pics that I took at 's party Saturday:

 

I don't know, I just find them amusing when viewed together.

Race weekend, so I won't be available.

Leaving soon.

I am not a huge NASCAR fan (I watch every once in a while) but I couldn't pass up this offer.

Next Friday one of our vendors from work is picking three of us up in the afternoon.  We are then meeting up with others and driving to Indy.  I'm not sure of the exact itinerary but we will be attending the Time Trials on Saturday and then the race FROM A SKYBOX on Sunday.  Hotel and all meals for free.  Can't beat that.

My journey to Taste of Chicago Monday.

It started out somewhat poorly.  I was supposed to meet my cousins (Charlie and Michelle and her husband, Tom) and friends on the train.  They were to get on in Harvard, and I at the next stop in Woodstock.  Well, I waited and waited but never heard from them.  So I looked up the holiday train schedule and saw that the train wasn't leaving from Harvard until 1:40ish (times may not be accurate - I don't really remember).  I didn't know what was going on so I headed to Crystal Lake and hopped on the 12:10.  Soon after I get on the train, they call and tell me they are going to take that 1:40 train, putting them approx 90 minutes behind me.  Michelle tells me she will call me back once they get on the train.  The conductor never comes by to sell tickets, so I don't have to pay, but this is irrelevant because I have to buy one for the return.

I get in to Ogilvie Station and proceed to wait for them.  Finally a little before 4:00 Charlie calls me (Michelle's phone had died) and tells me that they are there and AS I'M TALKING TO THEM they get in a cab and go to the hotel..... leaving me sitting outside the station.  This kinda pisses me off and hurts a little.  I even think briefly about hopping right back on the train.  Instead, I decide right then and there that I can either let this piss me off or NOT.  It can't be changed so why let it bother me?  I hop in a cab and head for the hotel.  The cabbie drops me off about a block away (no prob).  I get to the hotel and they are sitting in the bar because the room isn't ready (I should have made a little quip about kharma making them wait, but I just thought of that - prob not a good idea anyway).  Michelle gives me an apology (less than genuine???).  No prob, I'm not going to let it get to me.  We have a couple drinks and then walk to Bennigan's across from Grant Park on Adams.  We meet a couple more people, I have a second beer and a shot called "Caramel Apple."  Then we head for The Taste.

Foodwise, I had a BEEF sammich, an ear of corn, curly fries (to use up the remainder of my tickets) - I think that is all for the food - the rest of the $40 in tickets were spent on beer (for me and a few for others).

At around 8ish??  the group splits apart.  I stay with Charlie and a (former girl-??)friend of his and the rest head off (to Bennigan's?).  8:45 comes around and I buy my last beer and the fries while Charlie and Jen go on the Ferris wheel.  The next hour (?no idea?) I spend walking around looking for them and calling them.  All Charlie can tell me is that he is in Grant Park watching the fireworks.    I walk back and forth between Monroe and Jackson three of four times, looking for Adams (not realizing that Adams doesn't go through to Columbus for various reasons including being very drunk).

Finally I cut over on Jackson and head to the Bennigan's.  I use their facilities and search for the group with no luck.  A quick phone call and I learn that they are at Mother's on Rush and Division.  I consult the map.  I can't find Division, so I decide to hoof it until I can find it on the map or get directions from someone.  I ask several people, including a pair of street cops, an old man at a bus stop, and a group of girls I meet on the street, but (for those same various reasons) I am unable to determine where I am going, so I continue walking.  I cross the river (at State) and cross over to Rush and begin North.  My buzz is fading from all the walking.  At somewhere around Grand I finally locate Division on the map (LOL).  Wow! I still have a long way to go!  I hop in a cab and ride the rest of the way.  At Mother's I have another beer (maybe two) and then we take to the streets again.  We wind up at The Hunt Club where I have two Capt & Diet Cokes.  Around 2am sometime Michelle get Tom to lead me outside to a cab (I'd almost been falling asleep on the barstool) where Tom accompanies me back to the hotel.  The night has come to an end.

The next morning begins after multiple attempts from the others in a different hotel room calling the room and banging on the door alternately and repeatedly.  We have a pathetically slow and unremarkable breakfast at the hotel restaurant and then head back to the train station.