Chicago: Become Familiar with its Distinctive Neighborhoods

jaymc: I have it on good authority that kr. is a heckuva cook. Let her know that's the word on the street. :)

she very very very much is. OMG.

a new year's card i got:

http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/new_14.jpg

:)

holy shit

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fluxion/2156397340/

holy shit

-- gbx, Tuesday, January 1, 2008 10:10 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

ha ... you ok?

we danced to like three songs from 'graceland' last night, i had forgotten about that album but i downloaded it this morning ... it's good!

i had forgotten about that album

I guess you've been avoiding reviews of Vampire Weekend then?

Jenny made an awesome dinner from Rick Baylesss' cookbook. A spicy arroz con pollo with chipotle and some other bullshit. So good for a freezing awful night like tonight!

Then for dessert, Abuelita Mexican hot chocolate with Kahlua. MMMMMMMM

Does it strike anyone else as really odd that Netflix online movie viewer is only compatible with Internet Explorer?? You have to use IE and Windows Media Player.

But even so, it is delightful.

it's only compatible with PCs, which pisses me off greatly. i wonder if i could get IE and windows media player on my future linux computer and use it that way. probably not.

This is one of the reasons I am glad to use a PC.

17 hours per month is a pretty nice chunk of time. It loads quickly and smoothly and has good picture quality. I've used 7 hours in the past few days watching 30 Rock. It will be even better when this week when I hook up my laptop to my TV!!!

How does one do that? My dad was asking me about it.

In IE, click the Watch Instantly tab. Then watch. Instantly.

Not all movies are available on there, but most new releases and a lot of other good stuff.

I mean hooking up a laptop to a tv?

Oh, or course. Well, most newer TVs have a VGA port. Mine does not, so I am going to use a VGA to RCA cable and hook it up that way.

Also, if your computer has an S-Video outlet you could use that.

So far besides that first hour, 2008 has been pretty okay. Sorry for being a NYE Debbie Downer!

i had forgotten about that album

I guess you've been avoiding reviews of Vampire Weekend then?

-- jaymc, Wednesday, January 2, 2008 3:45 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Link

i saw that they often get some afropop comparisons, but i don't really hear it. they sound like the strokes with fancier guitar. i like some of their songs though.

i am listening to 'graceland' again. i think once i get the new reel-to-reel up and running i may have to record a cover of 'gumboots.'

just to stay in theme, after requesting that people give me "experiences" for xmas instead of stuff, i got two gift certificates to the old town school and i think i'm going to take african guitar this time. i also got a gift card for cooking classes at the chopping block, i need to figure out which ones i'm going to try.

i am listening to 'graceland' again.

awesome! And I mean that unironically. That's a weird and special record and I love it.

Dressing for work is going to be a small ordeal, I can tell. Three degrees? Seriously? Three? Oh jesus, I can do it, but it's going to max out my gear...

How I prepared for my bus-waiting and street walking (! ha !):
* warmest sweater I own (thanks to Nick)
* cuddle duds under jeans & cami under sweater
* big socks & snow boots
* big puffy coat
* hat and gloves and hood over hat
* hot mug of coffee in my hands

I am alone in the office so far. It's nice.

Oh yeah, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

You know what's good? All the Paul Simon solo CDs have been reissued with a few bonus tracks. Graceland has demo versions of "Homeless" and one or two others. They're for sale as single tracks on iTunes.

If you get tired of Graceland, find Hearts and Bones for a few bucks somewhere...

I ended up at Ikea last night, and for a little over $40 bought: two pans; two pots; distowels; four knives in a knife rack; a desk lamp; a thing that sorts silverware in the drawer; a jar of ligonberry jam; and three little spatulas.

Nice! Nick and I got new pots & pans from his 'rents and new towels. It was like a wedding shower all over again. :-P

Dressing for work is going to be a small ordeal, I can tell. Three degrees? Seriously? Three? Oh jesus, I can do it, but it's going to max out my gear...

Pphhht. Pussy. Three degrees is sweater weather in the U.P.!

(Heading off Dan commentary. I have only been to the U.P. once and it was summer time.)

My office is frrrreezing.

I'm wearing regular clothes (pants, longsleeve shirt) covered by

*wool pants
*sweater
*thick hoodie

and I'm sitting in front of the space heater.

And the oven is on and open.

All that is left is burning the furniture and then self-immolation.

I brought hot chocolate mix. Swiss Miss is 10/$10 at Jewel!

Or if you prefer, you could get 1/$1.

I would like to get a promotion where my job is just as it is now, but I'm never asked to open two weeks worth of a coworkers mail and then sort it.

Hot chocolate sounds like a great idea.

did you know: hot chocolate is neither hot nor chocolate

I am not allowed to open mail (unless it's to me) because |_|bby (ladyboss) opens everyone's mail and date stamps it.

Fine with me.

haha-xpost

http://991.com/newGallery/Hot-Chocolate-20-Greatest-Hits-289357.jpg

"Every 1's A Winner" is unbeatable.

The UP (at least the Keweenaw, where I am from) is warmer than Chicago because of its proximity to Superior.

Also, I am back at work for the first time in 2 weeks and it feels... ok? I must be old.

I'm back, but I'm not working much, and not expecting to have to since the bosses don't return till late tomorrow. I would work if there was any, but alas, I am keeping myself busy by running Spybot and Adaware.

Haha. No bosses till MONDAY now. They're in Michigan and "the weather is too bad to travel."

Jeff/Jenny: where'd u get that train board game from?

I can tell you that (from what they've said) neither Jenny nor Jeff go to ILX at work anymore. Except Jenny during lunch.

i can tell you that you can get it (ticket to ride) by googling "ticket to ride" or possibly at that game store in the landmark theater mall thingie.

Yeah I guess I am more interested in finding local stores that have nerdball games like that. mattttttt got a WWII one lately that is pretty fun.

also recommended for people who enjoy transit games:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512bRbetipL._AA280_.jpg
best with more than 2 players, though

that store in the mall (where the theater and aveda salon are) should have it and more. we got carcassonnne discovery recently.

there is also a game store in the water tower place mall

or there used to be

carcassonnne discovery

Ha, I've only been talking about these kinds of games for a few days but that is like the third or fourth time I've heard that one mentioned.

there is a well-stocked game store in the burbs (skokie, maybe?) where we went once to get a carcassonne expansion. they had like 20 tables set up and there was a bounty of geeks playing games there. i was the only woman in the store.

no i could not smell nerd sweat.

So are people still interested in GAME NIGHT at my place on Saturday?