I was heading to dinner with Sarah last night at Mity Nice Grill in Water Tower Place. I had a gift certificate there and thought it would be a nice casual dinner. It was good, but in the back of my head I was dreaming that I could afford the $15K to have the meet and greet with President Obama at the Hyatt. What I really wanted was dinner at Penny Pritzker’s house on Orchard. I was trying to guess who all was invited over for dinner, and what they ate. I was guessing surf and turf because that’s what rich people eat. It fascinates me that 5 years ago this man was just a state senator that was practically unknown even throughout Illinois, and was launched so quickly into the spotlight. I know he worked very hard to get where he is today, but I do find it even more impressive he was able to mobilize himself to the top so quickly.

On that note, I’m heading to the beach this afternoon and hoping to get some color again! I love SUMMER!!!

So let’s start off with new and exciting updates about my life.  I got into grad school at DePaul, and I still need to sign up for my classes.  I hopefully will do that this weekend.  Also, I moved last week up to the Gold Coast.  I’m not longer the Southloopfella anymore.  Does that mean I have to give up this blog?  I think I’ll probably move back down there in 5 years so I will keep it for now.  That’s the only major updates in my life in the past six months.

Last weekend I had my first party at my new place.  I thought it would be a great idea to have people over to watch the 3rd of July fireworks on my rooftop.  Sadly, the fireworks are off Grant Park and not Navy Pier.  We really didn’t get to see much of the fireworks, but had a great time drinking the Jamaican Rum Punch I made.  We made my apartment into a dance party, and had a lot of fun.

This weekend I’m doing a triathlon with old LP swim team people.  .  My goal is to not finish last in the group.  Wish me luck!

Tonight I’m running the Bastille Day with a bunch of people.  Two years ago, Allison and I ran it in our fastest 5K ever.  The sad part is I can’t even remember what our time was for the race.  Hopefully I can keep a good pace and not get too winded as I haven’t ran as much as I normally do during the summer.

Tomorrow is running more and swimming in the lake with Colleen.  We swam Tuesday in the lake and froze our asses off.  Somehow I still really enjoyed it!

Hopefully I’ll have some good stories about bloody nipples from the triathlon.  I really need to get nipple guards!

Happy Thursday!

I started feeling guilty about not writing here, but I haven’t really been all that exciting this winter.  I seem to spend most of my time watching my tv shows and going to the gym.  Thankfully, I have a fun weekend with the girls and boys and family.  The only thing that would make it better was if it was 85 and sunny so I could head to the beach.  Sadly I’ll have to wait three more months for that to happen. 

Remember to turn your clocks ahead this weekend.

Luckily on my New Years I had a faux date, and I had someone to kiss at midnight.  I think most people feel lonely during the holidays….not having someone to take home to the parents or exchange gifts with like all your other siblings. 

I never really felt lonely until the other night when my roommate was staying at her fiance’s house, and everyone that I normally hang out with was busy on dates or hanging out with their significant others.  I sat in my living area and read the Economist and truly felt lonely and scared.  It’s weird how I think if my roommate was home or I at least had an offer to go out somewhere, I don’t think I would have felt lonely that night. 

Now I’m off to dinner with my friend, and feel much better about myself.  If anything this has taught me, it is not to feel pity for one’s self.  Nothing wrong with feel lonely once in awhile, but know that their are great friends out there to keep you company.

The first half hour is Christmas carols.  It hasn’t been as good these past few years.  I got bored with carols and started playing the judging game.  I started looking around, and didn’t recognize many people.  Finally I spotted a family I knew and loved back in the day.  By family I meant the mother.  I had the HUGEST crush on her back in high school.  I could only see two of the kids and the father.  Finally, it was time to receive communion.  I got a chance to see my Mrs. Robinson as she walked up with her family.  This might have been the biggest let down EVER.  She was no longer the woman I always waved across the fence on the 4th of July. 

I like family tradition, but this ruined my childhood memories of the most gorgeous woman in Roselle.  Sad times in the 60172.

In grade school, my two best guy friends happen to be VERY Italian, and matured much quicker then everyone else in my class, including me.  My one friend Steve already had an electric shaver by the time he was in 7th grade.  The principal had to require he shave to keep with the St. Walter dress code.  Of course, Steve had the rule book memorized, and sitting in his desk to whip out whenever we would get in trouble (He looked up how long I was going to be suspended before I even went down to the principal’s office for that smoking incident- 3 days).  There was no rule that boys must be clean shaven in the handbook, and their response is that they have never had a boy that was able to grow a beard in the 7th grade.   I was not as lucky with the maturing factor.  I had barely any body hair and definitely no armpit or facial hair. 

Both of my Italian friends were on my basketball team with me.  We had tank tops as our uniforms for the games.  Our team was big and we had to do shirts and skins a lot during practice time.  I always dreaded being a skin, not because I was out of shape, but because I had no armpit hair.  I would never defend or try to rebound for the ball for fear that someone would see that I had no armpit hair.  I remember my coaches yelling at me and saying,  ”Your the tallest player on the team!  You should be getting all the rebounds.”  The funny part is I always did get the rebounds when I had a regular tshirt on in practice. 

It’s funny to look back now, and think about how stupid I was to be embarassed about no body hair.  Now I’m very glad I don’t have a rug all over me like I’m sure my two very mature friends in Junior High have now on themselves.  Good times!

I decided to really clean my bathroom this past weekend.  It too me over an hour, and still couldn’t get the tub to look perfect.  How does Helena clean a whole house in three hours, and my bathroom still looks terrible after an hour? 

I would gladly pick up my closes and toiletries for Helena to come over and clean my bathroom and bedroom.  Unfortunately she is all the way in the suburbs, and I can’t afford a cleaning lady. 

Thankfully I have the best roommate ever that cleans the rest of my place!  I would definitely live in filth if it wasn’t for her.  When we part ways in August, hopefully I’ll be making enough money to afford a cleaning lady.  If not, maybe I can post an ad on Craigslist….Looking for a roommate that has a bit of Monica Geller’s want to clean in him/her.  It could happen!

Now living in the city, it has become very hard to visit John for my monthly haircut.  One day I was in desperate need to get it cut, and I looked up on google maps the nearest barber.  There was a great clips in Elmhurst very close to work.  I had a very pleasant experience going to the Great Clips and I got ice cream at the Oberweis right next door.  Now I’ve found something to do in my hour lunch once a month, and now I don’t have to leave work early in order to make it to John’s in time. 

Today I went to get some cash at the local chase, and thought I knew where I was going.  Once I got to the bank I looked up Great Clips and got the address to the elmhurst location.  As I’m driving there and realize that this is totally out of my way, I got to downtown Elmhurst.  I searched again, and the next closest Great Clips was in Lombard.  I thought…”Maybe it is in Lombard.”  Unfortunately I was wrong, and then finally stopped and really looked at all the Great Clips in the area.  I finally realized there are two Great Clips on York Rd. in Elmhurst.  After 45 minutes of driving I finally got to my new place that took the place of John’s. 

I think it’s a sign that I should go back to John’s or not go there again…..Not finding it for 45 minutes and also there is a big knick on the back of my neck from the lady.  That’s what I get for paying $12.00 for a haircut.

Yesterday I woke up at 9:30AM, and made some eggs and toast (my ritualon Sundays).  I sat in front of the TV at 10AM for the start of my favorite music opening of a show.  Meet the Press special guest is Barack Obama.  That was a great interview, but what I really was fascinated with the new moderator for Meet the Press.  I’ve enjoyed Tom Brokow for the past 6 months, but I truly miss the only man I’ve ever known for the show Tim Russert.  I’ve woken up for quite  a few years now, even very hungover, to watch this intelligent and respectful man interview some of the most powerful people in the world.  Mr. Russert was someone to admire and want to emulate in your own life.  He was diligent with his pre-interview analysis, and held his guests to the highest regard (even if they did not deserve the respect of him). 

I knew those shoes to fill would be very difficult, and I most likely would not feel they were good enough to become the moderator.  After the interview with Obama, Tom Brokow announced the new successor of Meet the Press, David Gregory.  Mr. Gregory, already working for NBC news, has been on Meet the Press numerous times on the round table panel.  He’s intelligent and thoughtful with his comments.  He wasn’t the person I had in mind for the position, but I know he’ll do just fine. 

I think what makes it hard is there is no way anyone would have been able to take place of Tim Russert.  It’s like how I feel about Project Runway and American Idol.  Watching one of the most talented designers of my time, Christian Soriano, makes all the new designers pale in comparison to him.  Same with Kelly Clarkson with American Idol.  In my eyes, she is by far the most talented artist they had on that program.  I really don’t care for the show anymore, because they’ve already produced the best artist I think they will ever produce. 

I know every time I hear the music of my favorite show on Sunday morning, I will be thinking of Tim saying, “If it’s Sunday, it’s Meet the Press.”

I was very excited for a fun night out on Black Wednesday.  The biggest bar night of the year brought me to Innjoy in Ukrainian Village.  After having a few beers I had to piss.  As I walk up and proceed to take care of business, this guy in a black top hat asks, “Hey man, mind if I rap?”  I told him sure man go for it.  He actually was pretty good for an Indian kid with a top hat on. 

This brings up proper etiquette for urinal interaction.  For many years, I’ve dealth with people not knowing how to act while at the urinal.  I know this might be hard for the ladies to understand, but try to go with it.  Here are the the list of my rules:

1.  When there is 3 or more urinals go to the far end, and try to keep the center one open for space.  If outside ones are full though, use center one.  I will walk in front of you and take the center one if I see it’s open.

2.  It’s one thing to say hello to a colleague or friend when you walk up to the urinal.  It’s another to have a conversation about the meeting at 2PM.  It is very frustrating to have to keep up a conversion while trying to piss, and especially when you meet a new co-worker.  Very awkwardly happened to me over the summer. 

3.  When you’re pissing, make sure you piss into your own urinal.  I was down in Champaign for dollar bottle night at COs my freshman year in college.  I went to pee and looked down to see a stream of urine hitting my foot.  I was a bit intoxicated, and was trying to figure out where the pee was coming from.  I looked over and this wasted guy wasn’t even staring at the urinal and was just pissing at me.  I yelled at him, and he proceeded to turn back to piss into the urinal.  I then proceeded to yell to everyone at the bar that this dude just pissed on my shoe.  (I had to throw those shoes away after that incident.) 

I don’t think it’s too much to ask to follow these rules.  Of course, if people didn’t follow these rules, I wouldn’t have great stories to tell.  Hope everyone had a nice holiday!