Chicago: Become Familiar with its Distinctive Neighborhoods

Not really.

Actually, my boss confided to me that I'm getting a bonus this year, too. Although she said she couldn't quite believe it herself and that I should check next week's pay stub to make sure it actually happened.

All right, time for glogg. Next time you hear from me, I'll probably be drunk.

Looks like 2 weeks pay!

I am pretty grateful considering that I've worked here such a short time.

Also I found out that one of the partners is petsitting my predecessor's pets, even taking them with her downstate.

And the cherry on top: We are closed Dec. 24, 25, 26, plus the 30th.

I mean 31st.

Sorry. I'll shut up?

Get yourself some Le Bec, Jesse.

We have half days on the 24th and the 31st (meaning I took a half day of vacation on the 24th, and another on the 26th).

The Dark Side of Being a Public Servant OR Things You Get that I Don't Get:

1. Christmas Eve off.
2. Christmas bonus.
3. New Year's Eve off.
4. Paid particularly well.

But then again, things I get that you don't get include:

1. Defined benefit pension.
2. The opportunity to work in a building that looks like a spaceship or maybe a shiny upside down toilet bowl.
3. The warm feeling of having done a good job for the tax payers.

but jenny, as a state employee you get some pretty bullshit days off.

do you get the county holidays off too? i suppose what i really want to know is DO YOU GET PULASKI DAY OFF??!?!?

do you get off for all those bullshit no-mail holidays, like presidents day?

that's federal so yes.

i guess you'll just have to gather your family together on presidents day, then.

All employees shall have time off, with full salary payment, on the day designated as a holiday
for the following:
New Year's Day
Martin Luther King Day
Lincoln's Birthday
Washington's Birthday
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans' Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
General Election Day
(on which Members of the House of Representatives are elected)
and any additional days proclaimed as holidays or non-working days by the Governor of the
State of Illinois or by the President of the United States.

It's a rip off, though, because Lincoln's bday and Washington's bday are all one holiday.

bummer, you only get one more day off than federal employees. in boston there are a SHITLOAD of bullshit suffolk county-only holidays mostly related to the war for independence.

BUMMERZ my 'stop making sense' dvd is mysteriously cracked (and also brown on one section). i am watching my wire (the band) dvd instead but it isn't the same

i am supposed to be packing but i am procrastinating

For some reason I read that as Lincoln's bbq and Washington's bbq.

(lol drunk at work)

There should totally be a bbq holiday.

Nick, did you get Stop Making Sense thru Netflixor? I have been trying since I started Netflix and it's been on back order (or whatever they call it) the whole time. This includes the time when I was getting Netflix from Baton Rouge.

Wait Wait Don't Tell Me is a v v good time, I recommend it highly.

This I Am Legend turned out to be very good (wasn't my idea to go). Mostly a one-character movie.

no i bought stop making sense a long time ago because it is awesome. i will probably have to buy it again

Wait Wait Don't Tell Me is a v v good time, I recommend it highly.

Always wanted to go to a taping.

i went with my work about a year ago, it was pretty fun. the guy who does the voice of elmo was the (phone-in) guest, it was pretty creepy how quickly he can switch from his voice to elmo's voice and back

you don't say, eazy. i thought it looked bad but i'd like to like it, it would be a good one to see with the folks this weekend (the only movies out in mainstream theaters that i want to see over xmas are semi-bad horror movies! i am legend, the mist, and alien vs predator!).

Mornin'.

Herbie Hancock was the call-in guest last night. He was great. One of his best lines was while being asked about all the jazz greats he had played with: Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis -- at which point he interrupted and said "Wynton played with me." Big NPR laughs followed.

I remember that WWDTM with Elmo! It was really good. I really want to go to a taping, but I want one with Paula Poundstone and Mo Rocca. Although that Adam Felber is a pretty good time, too.

If any of you still need a last minute xmas gift:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/2118202388_9c6c69f215_m.jpg

I asked my mom for socks this year (I ask for them every year) and she got me six pairs of awesome Smart Wool socks... THAT ARE ALL HOLIDAY THEMED. Oy. I'm going to wear the fuckers anyway, but come on. One pair of holiday themed socks = cute. Six? Um...

Six expensive pairs of holiday socks, even. Smart Wool socks ain't cheap. It's another gift from my mother that falls into the "Have you met me?" category. Oh well. Socks are socks. Thanks, Mom!

Why is 8:48 playing Dark Star by the Grateful Dead?

Other great gift ideas:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/2118202388_9c6c69f215_m.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0919637264/ref=dp_image_0/104-1251833-8808704?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DSF2QR8VL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg

The cover of the book on how to date white women is killing me, with the soft focus and the blond hair and the flowing gown and the flowers. Hoooeee.

WHOOPS.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513DDK48XAL._SS500_.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SYZ725WYL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg

so the whole reason i wanted to watch 'stop making sense' yesterday was that i've had "naive melody" in my head lately, and i couldn't watch it because the dvd was cracked. today i find out that although i own four talking heads albums, i apparently don't own the one with "naive melody" on it.

what i really want is an mp3 cd with all the talking heads albums on it for our road trip

although i own four talking heads albums, i apparently don't own the one with "naive melody" on it.

Tragic! Would a pair of holiday theme socks make you feel better?

now i'm listening to "more songs about buildings and food" on vinyl and it's on "stay hungry" and skipping so that it's playing an instrumental loop almost in time, wish i had some way to record this easily

When you are cats leaving town? I think we have that album; I could Y-S-I it to you after work if you'll still be around.

And if we actually have it.

i just checked and found a place to download it illegally, but don't know if i'll have time before we leave (hopefully around lunchtime)

For Jordan: New Yorker editor David Remnick on the Bad Plus.

thanks though

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/2118202388_9c6c69f215_m.jpg

^^^Would've made a great gift for me when I was 13.

i've had "naive melody" in my head lately

When Jody said she was going to be covering a Talking Heads song, I knew right away that it was going to be "Naive Melody."

thanks jaymc. they said this about it on their blog We were thrilled to meet David Remnick; I even brought my copy of The Complete New Yorker and a felt-tip pen for him to sign it with. Those who also have The Complete New Yorker are advised to read Remnick on Lennox Lewis, Don DeLilo, Bill Clinton, and Ornette Coleman.

The next day, Reid and I talked on the phone to the fact-checker (Dave was in transit) and that was an unforgettable experience. His name was Maury (I think; DTM doesn't have a fact-checker) and he grilled us mercilessly over every word. "We would like to say that _____. Is this true?" He would wait patiently while we flopped around like a speared fish, then write down yes or no and move on without comment. "We would like to say that _____. Is this true?" No wonder that the profiles in that magazine are always definitive!

---

my plans fell through last night so i did, like, 5 crosswords from that Tausig book. he's got a little commentary in the answers section of each one about what inspired the theme, etc..

i'm getting a cold. :(

stop making sense has been on like permanent repeat in this house for two weeks

this seems to happen about twice a year

i liked that new yorker piece! i also <3 dave king