CVS...

Like Starbucks and Chase Bank, there is a CVS on every corner it seems. We have one just down the street that is really handy. However, they are always out of the things we use most. Do Chicagoans consume vast quantities of Diet Coke and Tonic? Almost every time I go in there for those things they are out. Then I have to go next door to 711 and pay more since they always have it. I asked the manager at CVS once about the Diet Coke and he said "we seem to never order enough 2-liters." Seriously? That is poor inventory management. I then told him he should increase the order and he didn't say anything after that. Oh well.

Grocery Shopping...

Grocery shopping is one of those necessary evils of the world. I don't hate it but I don't like it either. The grocery stores here in Chicago mainly just suck. The Jewel Osco (Albertson's) down the street is horrible. The store is poorly laid out and not very roomy and it is very expensive. There are no Super Targets here the Super Walmart's are way out in the ghetto! So I guess I am just being picky but but I really really miss Central Market back in Dallas. I know it can be expensive but hell if we are going to spend a fortune on food might as well make the trip worth it right? We are trying to eat better. More fruits, veggies, and whole grains and less crap. It is no wonder people are so damn fat because the crap is cheap and the healthy stuff is expensive. Anyway, once I get a job we are going to start using Peapod which is a grocery delivery service and I can't wait! If we are going to spend a fortune on food anyway then might as well have it delivered right to the door. When I was living in Dallas I used Albertson's delivery and loved it...until they discontinued it.

A rough night

Last night we went to bed around 10:30. At 2am we awoke to the sounds of much commotion in the parking garage. It seems that the parking jackasses have decided to allow our garage to be used by the valets. So when the downtown bars and clubs started closing the fun began. We heard them yelling at each other, screeching tires, etc. What was the worst part was they were activating the cars alarms from their remotes to help them find the car. Everyone on the backside of the building probably did not get any sleep. I would bet a 100 bucks that we get to go through it all again tonight.

Also...this is my first posting using my new iPhone. So freaking fabulous!

Christmas...

On Sunday we noticed that Neiman Marcus has begun the process of covering their downtown building with Christmas cheer. Hopefully those stupid butterflies they have used the past few years will be replaced with something new and fresh. Then we went to target and saw that the Christmas decor is already out and just waiting for the Halloween stuff to move out of its way. So I guess it is only a matter of time before the Galleria starts setting up their tree. Ugh, I am so over it already.

The battle of the signs...

The new manager of the Interurban Building, Jennifer Owens, has been instructed I’m sure, by the powers that be that all residents must take the freight elevator and must use the dock doors when taking our dogs out. Recently signs went up in the passenger elevators that instruct us that we must abide by this new rule. Just as soon as the signs are put up they come down (I have not taken any). This has got to be the dumbest thing ever and not very well thought through. I refuse to use the freight elevator. First of all, we live on the opposite end of the building and it is completely out of our way. Second, our part of our rent goes into the maintenance of the elevators so we will take whatever elevator we damn well please. Third, we are not some hired help required to stay out of the general public. Fourth, it is just a stupid rule thought up by stupid people. If she thinks that the dog owning residents are going to follow this stupid rule then she is out of her damn mind.

Ten items or less...

Yesterday we were in Target. We needed just a handful of things. Well Target has what seems like about 25-30 registers yet they only have what seems like 5 open at any given time. We go to the express lane where everyone has way more than ten items. This ruined my day. Normally I would have said something but usually I would expect the cashier to say something. I just stood there and said nothing. I was so frustrated by this point I was ready to kill so I thought it best to leave the situation alone. Ten items or less means exactly that!

Olympics blah blah blah...

I have not been paying much attention to the Olympics but I do know that I am sick and tired of hearing about Michael Phelps. Everyone is talking about how great and amazing he is. Eh, whatever. Yeah, he broke records blah blah blah. I don’t care. I am just tired of it all. I am more interested in how China is lying to the world about their contestants ages, how they are covering up the murder of two American citizens, how the cute little girl who sang at the opening wasn’t really singing cause the not-so-cute girl was to ugly to represent China except to use of her voice, and how the IOC is saying “oh well” to it all. The Olympics have greatly degraded their credibility in my book.

Coors beer bottles...

Coors Brewery has come out with new packaging. You know your beer is cold when the mountains on the bottle turn blue. I know another way to tell when my beer is cold…..by touching it. How God damn lazy can one be? This new gimmick only benefits those few individuals with no sense of touch. The only other people who just love this are those who buy sofas with coolers built into them. This is truly one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I guess I should not complain since I don’t drink Coors considering it tastes like pee.

Just too damn lazy...

Some lazy kids in Salt Lake City decided to start their own protest over high gas prices. The reason? The family needed to cut back expenses in order to pay for gas so they cut the cable television and now their two daughters are protesting. The last time I checked it was summer in Utah and school is out. Why not get off your lazy asses and go play?

When my brother and I were their age we were outside all the time: playing, swimming, shooting each other with bb guns, climbing trees, and riding our bikes all over the city. In fact, I would sometimes walk or ride my bike to the movie theater and watch .50 cartoons or I would find some creek to go play in. I guess by today’s standards the actions I listed are completely dangerous and will cause irreparable harm to children. Whatever, I turned out just fabulous. Most kids (and some parents) today are just total wussies!

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/ODD_KID_PROTEST?SITE=TXDAM&TEMPLATE=STRANGEHEADS.html&SECTION=HOME

Getting by without a car...

There was a CNN poll that asked “Can you get by without a car?” 15% said yes and 85% said no (out of 53,393 votes). What they should be asking is “Do you WANT to get by without your car?” I have a feeling that the percentages would stay relatively the same. Living in cites with mass transit is really a blessing. Cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco have it made! Dallas and Atlanta have very sophisticated, young mass transit systems that, while not near the scale of NYC or Chicago, get people to and from many destinations stress free, quick, and cheap. I know many people who would rather die than give up “their God given right to drive.” And these are people who cannot really afford $4 gasoline (really $3). Why spend 200+ dollars a month when you can spend 50 a month for a DART pass? Just makes no sense to me to live in a city with busses and trains and not use them. Everyone complains about gas prices and I admit that they are high for the United States. But take a look at how much money it takes to fill up a tank of gas in Europe. They pay in upwards to 10 dollars a liter. That’s right, a liter, not gallon. Basically all I am saying is that if you live in a mass transit city then use it and stop bitching about how much gas is. Gas is high, that is a fact that isn’t going to go away.

Weather and TV...

Last night I was so looking forward to a new episode of 30 Rock. But it rained.

The weather reporters must feel that they do not get enough camera time so when it rains they preempt prime time. I think my feelings here can best be summed up from a text message I sent a friend of mine last night:

I hate the God damn weather service interrupting my tv shows! 30 Rock didn’t even show cause David fucking Finfrock had to break in with a “hey everyone…it’s raining” message for two fucking hours and now the fucking satellite is out! I get pissy when I miss my 30 Rock. And for the next three days the news will be nothing but “I lost my barn” stories.

So that was my frustration. Instead we played Wii. However, I will say it was a pretty decent storm and I thought this was a cool picture of what was about to pounce on Dallas:

JK Rowling didn't kill herself...

This just really ticks me off. It is not that she had thoughts of killing herself rather, it is the fact she felt (or the media felt) it necessary to tell the world about it. Does anyone really care that the wealthiest woman in The United Kingdom wanted to end her life years ago while incredibly poor and depressed? What does it matter now? She obviously did not fling herself off a bridge and I would say that she has done well for herself these days. I just don’t understand? Why bring it up now? There is absolutely no reason to. Is she looking for sympathy? Awwwww, poor JK! Poor thing was penniless and depressed, lets all feel sorry her! What the hell ever. She certainly got over it.

Snow in Dallas...

I am sure that Wal-Mart is cleaned completely out of food. The mere mention of the word "snow" or, even worse, "ice" makes people around here crazy. They immediately run out to Wal-mart or other stores and stock up like the end of the world is coming. If this was Fargo I could see the justification to stocking up but this is Dallas. The snow, if it even sticks, will be gone in a day. Ice stays around a little longer but still.......there is no reason to stock up with 10 loaves of bread and 8 gallons of milk. If you don't believe me....go to you local grocery store and check out the bread isle.

Slow the Fuck Down...

Last night a small dog was hit by a taxi in front of my building. My first reaction was to kill the taxi driver but it seems that the leash that was on the dog broke. So really it was not the taxi’s fault at all. The reason for my initial reaction towards the driver was that it seems Jackson St is the new Autobahn. People speed down the street like they are fleeing some sort of global catastrophe. There is a crosswalk with a one measly flashing yellow light. Hardly anyone pays any attention. The area is heavily populated with residents and thousands work in the adjoining AT&T towers. I am surprised that a person has not been hit yet. Give it time…I am sure it will happen. There is no reason to drive so fast. If anyone is going to hit someone it will most likely be a valet. I think I might start a petition for a speed bump at Jackson and Browder. If you live and /or work in the area and agree then send me an email!!!

Thursday...

Thursday’s suck. I say this because it is true. They just blow! It is very difficult for me to get up. All I want to do is stay in bed on Thursday mornings and sleep. And I am in an instant bad mood because I have to get up.