Fall is kinda sorta in the air

Was this past weekend spectacular or what!? That clear blue sky and the temperate temp was the best. Why can't Chicago always be just like that! Although, it's strange, I used to prefer much warmer temps. I suppose if I had my druthers, I would still prefer more temperate temps year round but I don't currently have my druthers, so I must deal with the impending doom of dreary, depressing, and life threatening winter. Okay, maybe that's a bit melodramatic.

I went to see Thumsucker over the weekend. It was a curious film about self dicovery, gaining self confidence, and getting the hell away from home. The cast was quite good including Tilda Swinton (love her!), Vincent D'Onofrio, Vince Vaughn, Keanu Reeves and others whose names escape me (as names often do). I'm no film critic, so I can't really (at all) tell you why I liked it or what worked versus what didn't. All I can say is, it made me feel good but it wasn't a feel-good movie by any means.

I decided I needed to re-pot my houseplants before winter set in and getting out on the back porch would be unbearable. Although, with this Indian fall were experiencing there may be good days yet. Anyway, while I was perusing the foilage at Home Depot I decided I needed a new big plant and something striking. So, I bought a palm and an orchid. Oddly (but providentially), there was also a woman on some orchid board there when I was and she told me I had an excellent eye for orchids. Hm. She also gave me the lowdown on orchid care for seasons of good orchid to come. We'll see. However, my apartment does seem much improved with the addition of the palm and the orchid. Ah!

(incoming random thought) I just remembered I was supposed to upload pix from the D.C. march.

Just kill me now!

I don't know how much longer I can deal with my life. It seems like everyday there's a new issue I have to contend with and I'm beginning to feel buried. Last Friday was a particularly drob day. My dear friend, the sun, never showed his shining face once all day and I missed his presence sorely. I don't even remember what I did on Friday. I must have slept through most of it. Oh, wait, it's coming back to me. I had to work. Oh, yeah, because I injured my wrist earlier in the week and missed two days of work, so I had to work on a Friday. Ur!

Saturday was a bit better. I was able to play a little volleyball while compensating for my left wrist. My playing was decidedly not up to par but it was good to be active. Although, I tried to work out alittle but found I couldn't do anything involving arms because of my damn wrist. I felt like such a slush. Saturday night, I had plans to meet up with some friends for a play and dinner, except the place I recommended ended up being closed (forever). Of course, there was no mention of their closing on their website or in any of the local entertainment papers. Whatever! So we then walked up and down Halsted and North searching for a decent meal. We discovered that only Italians eat out in that part of town. Very odd. Okay, there is one Mexican place but it was packed, packed, packed. Well, I guess when you offer the only alternative in a part of town, you're bound to be busy. So we ended up at Pizza Capri (not to be confused with California Pizza Kitchen) and we're supposed to meet our friend Lauren there, except she went to CPK. Whatever! I lost my appetite. After dinner, we made our way to the Royal George where we enjoyed a lovely piano recital by a man dressed up as Chopin. It was okay. I shouldn't complain too much since I wasn't paying. I just kept feeling like I was going to fall asleep. Then when I thought it was all over and we were free, Chopin had the nerve to demand we all take part in a sing-a-long to songs I didn't know the lyrics to. Nerve! Whatever. Eventually we were released and as we slowly existed the theater, one of my friends correctly noted that a fire in the building would definitely result in a slow painful death.

Sunday, the sun returned. Thank you sun! However, I managed to stay inside most of the day anyway. I don't know, I guess I was wiped out from the sluggish weekend already. I did manage to play a few dull games with my volleyball league. Everyone seemed to be spaced out and we all made numerous dumb mistakes. At least we were able to laugh at ourselves over it. And, I got dubbed "Thunder" for my oh-so powerful serves. I told my team I'm going to get a shirt made with my title across the back. Anyone know where I can get a shirt made?

Monday morning as I went out to my car to go to work ON COLUMBUS DAY GODDAMMIT! I found this note stuck in the driver's side window. It said "Get news the 49th Ward leaders don't want you to know!" followed by a blog address. If you too are curious on the dirt on Rogers Park, then go here. The wierd thing was that only my car had this note. What made whomever placed the note place it on my car. Was it the selection of liberal cause bumperstickers? Or was it the simple fact that I drive an old, beat up Volvo (the universal sign of liberalism)? Hm? I also received a disturbing email from my student loan provider to let me know I had a payment due this month. I just graduated last month. I was like, what? no grace period? It became a screaming and bitching match between myself and the Indian customer service man at Sallie Mae. I still don't understand what's going on. I need a stiff drink. Who's up for Monday Margaritas?

Good Times/Bad Times

Over the weekend, I went to a fantastic BBQ at my friend Linda's place. First, she lives in this incredible Chicago apartment in a neighborhood where most apartments are small and crappy. I know. I've looked. Anyway, I was shocked to see how high her ceilings were, like fourteen feet. Wood floors throughout, of course, and transets over every door. Big kitchen, enclosed back porch, parking, BBQ area, laundry. Did I mention it's a two bedroom? Oh, and the landlord installed these cool motion sensor lights that go on whenever you get near them in all the hallways. It's a diamond in the rough of the near westside.

Then, if the surroundings weren't enough, we had a virtual buffet of savory foods like seasoned shrimp skewers, pork and veg kabobs, sweet potato with ginger, fresh greens salad, fresh guacamole, fresh black bean dip, steak! Also, my hostess made a huge pitcher of the best sangria ever. It had a special ingredient which I can't reveal. Secret. There was also beer for days and days. Lordy! Then, to top it all off, the company was perfect. Everyone was able to enjoy the group vibe. I met some very interesting and funny people. A couple of them work at Columbia where I received my BA. They described the place as incestuous. HA! It's true. They were refering to the faculty but, trust me, it's true all around.

There were two weird things that happened that night. One, someone drove down their street and decided to dump their garbage on the street! One of our hostesses tried to call them out but they just drove away. Idiots! Then, as I was leaving, I saw some guy passed out in his car, only he was parked in the street. I mean, he was right in front of a parking space but not quite in it. Linda's friend went up to the guy's window and was like "hey, dude, wake up!" The guy must have been blitzed. HA!

So that was Saturday. Sunday I had my second volleyball league day. I love playing on the team and this particular league is really great because they teach you how to play the game right. I never knew about proper ways of hitting the ball, what was legal , what wasn't. I never really knew about proper positioning on the court. I've learned to serve like a pro, swoosh, right over the net. Unfortunately, I also took a fall like a pro onto a hard gym floor and managed to severly sprain my left wrist. It didn't really hurt Sunday night, so I kept playing. It was about 1am Monday morning that I was awakened by a pain so intense I almost cried. However, I went to the doctor (Cook Co., which is another story) and he gave me Vicodin (sp?) and Ibuprofen. He said I should be okay in a few days to a week. Doesn't really matter as long as I can play by Sunday. HA! It's true.