Wrong

Just wrong.

Check it

Sweet! New blog template! No ruffles, but I'm liking it...

Had a super-duper NY weekend over Labor Day... will post pictures and tell tales over this coming weekend when I have a chance to post.

Rambling

I'm bored people. It's 11:16pm on Friday night, and I'm stuck at work waiting for my friendly neighborhood artists to finish our final images for a project. When I've been stuck here in the past I've always had a lot to do so I was never bored. But tonight this is not the case. Tonight I'm really just sitting here waiting. So I figured, what better time to catch up with you people. Well, I guess, allow you to catch up with me.

Let's start it off with a picture, everyone likes pictures. Here's me with my friend Natasha's darling baby boy Logan. He's adorable, and terrified! Nice people have told me he's scared of the camera... I'm not so sure. This is a pretty rare picture, I usually don't hold babies until they are a year old, but I was sitting, and he was sitting, and I figured it would have been really hard for me to drop him in this instance... so I took the risk. He's captured my heart because he gives people "The Elvis" mouth, and I think it's hilarious.


Let's see, what else? Are you guys tired of my blog template yet? I'm pretty tired of it. I feel like it needs to be purple and grey. Of course everything is purple and grey right now. If I throw in some pinstripes and ruffles my blog can have the most fabulous fall fashion look.

Update on my becoming a morning person: Didn't stick. I think I got up twice to work out, and then the urge died. I just can't do it. I'm too tired!!! I accept myself as a severe night owl/moderate insomniac and am leaving it at that. Must find more night owls/moderate insomniacs to hang out with. Most of my friends have a bedtime like real adults.

So the tattoo is still sickly awesome. I mean, I just love the thing. I'm not one for wearing my hair up very often, but I want to wear it up all the time now to show it off. I've been stopped a couple of times and told how amazing it is, which is really flattering since I designed it myself. Very very happy with my small act of 31-year old rebellion. Wait, is it rebellion if you parents don't care?

A big portion of the Yankees project was released online today, over a year after we started the project... the new stadium seat selector. It's pretty freakin' awesome if I do say so myself. I hope the fans are totally blown away. We're all pretty psyched around the office.

Not much else going on right now. The birthday is over, so it's back to work, working out and playing with my friends. Getting used to telling the treadmill I'm 31 instead of 30 (I just got used to telling it I was 30 a few weeks ago!). Looking forward to the fall in NYC. Planning our "totally awesome" group Halloween costume and already looking ahead to next year. Figuring out how to use my new camera. Hoping for lots of snow this year. Being inspired for the first time ever by a politician, and actually believing that he might not completely let us all down. Stranger things have happened.

I'm out for now...

New birthday pics

Real quick, I've added some new photos to my "31 Ain't So Bad" album from my weekend in Chicago. Had some fun playing with my new camera and hanging out with the fam. You can check out the new pictures here.

Pre-birthday fun

There has been a lot of fun stuff going on lately. The latest has mostly been surrounding my birthday (which is still a few days away). Had a great birthday dinner and drinks with friends on Saturday night. Ate dinner at a great Latin American place called Paladar in which they served the food family style. It was wonderful. Then we headed out to a few bars to drink and party and meet up with some other peeps. I wasn't out as late as last year, but I was surrounded by my New York family, and that's all that matters. You can check out the pictures here.

Then on Sunday I picked up my birthday present from my real family, an advanced digital point-and-shoot camera. I've been wanted to get really into photography since I moved to NY, but my little camera just didn't have the juice. Boy does my new camera have it! 10 megapixels, 20x optical zoom, settings customizable to fully manual. And it takes video. For me, there was no reason to go to an SLR at this point. If I get really good and want to be able to go really advanced I'll purchase one in a few years, but this is more than perfect for now! Thanks family!

And finally, I got a tattoo today. I've been wanting one for a long time and could never determine exactly what it should be. Six months ago an idea came to me, a snowflake. It is perfect for so many reasons... they are beautiful, complex, geometric but also organic, represent the season and sport I love, and reminds me of my favorite childhood memories of playing in the snow with my family at night. But I wanted it to be stylized, and after seeing a swirly snowflake on a brochure while skiing in Colorado in February I was inspired. Based on what I saw then, I designed my own, and really fell in love. So today, as my birthday present to myself, I had it done over lunch (which is pretty funny).

I've also decided to do something I've never done for my birthday every year. Something I've always wanted to do, but never had the guts or the money or whatever. I felt really free and exhilarated when I did the blue hair last year, and feel the same today. So many times in my life I haven't done certain things because I wanted to fit in, be professional, or just act like a grown up. Forget it. Life's way too short. When I thought about what to do next year, skydiving was the first idea to pop into my head. Maybe it'll be something else, but who knows. Stay tuned and find out in August of next year. I hope one day to accomplish my all-time greatest dream, to go heli-skiing. But that takes a lot of guts and money, so it might take a long time!

Without further ado, the tattoo:

More pictures are here.

This weekend I fly home to Chicago to enjoy a low-key weekend with my family and am really looking forward to having dinner on my birthday with them in Greektown. Mmmmmm.... birthday baklava! I'm only sad to leave the amazing park weather expected for this weekend in NY, but that's okay, I've been jonesing to get a little hit of Chicago for a while. Stay tuned, more tales to come.

Celebrity sighting

Finally! A really big celebrity sighting! Tonight I was on the Upper West Side after watching The Dark Knight in IMAX (awesome) and after the movie I was walking down Broadway complaining to Mary how I never notice celebrities, when the guy below walked on by...

Hell yeah! Liam Neeson! He was hard to miss, he's really tall and very distinctive. This is a big'un for me, I just love him. I don't know anyone who doesn't. It was very cool.

Morning Person - Entry #1

Kill me.

Because of all the activities that go on in the summer, many of which pop up the day of, I have been missing more workouts than I like. I'm still doing 3 a week, but I'd like to be at 5. So last week I decided to become a morning person, and that I would begin my transformation yesterday.

To ease in I got up an hour early yesterday but didn't work out. This morning I got up an hour and a half early and did. Have you ever wondered if it's possible to fall asleep while riding a bike? I pondered this very thing this morning as I fought the urge to close my eyes on the bike. I determined that it probably was possible, but that if it did happen at least I wouldn't fall off since it's a recumbent bike.

So now it's 7:29, during a normal week I would begin the 20-30 minute game I play with my snooze bar in one minute. Yet here I am, sweating above my keyboard after having already worked out, fighting the urge to climb back in bed. The only thing really stopping me is the sweat.

Perhaps in the Fall when events die down I will dedicate myself to battling my impending caffeine addiction.

It's my liiiiiiiiiiiiiife!!

That's right, I'm singing Bon Jovi. I'm singing Bon Jovi because I was lucky enough to be given four VIP tickets to the concert in Central Park on Saturday night. If you don't live in NY you might not have heard (or you might have) they gave a free concert in the park in celebration of the All Star Game being played at Yankee Stadium this week. If you've been following along on the blog you've figured out by now how I got the tickets.

I brought with me three of my favorite Bon Jovi fans; Jackie, Lindsey and Mary. Because the tickets were VIP we were able to stroll right in to a separate area in front of the stage and park ourselves with a great view. We only arrived 2 hours before the show, which was nothing compared to the 45,000 people sitting behind us. They played for a full 2 hours, and it was amazing. We alternated between drooling and screaming for the entire time... sometimes both. We couldn't help it, Jon's just hot. It was a perfect show. They played exactly what you wanted to hear. Check out this video to hear the crowd singing for him!

There's really only one word to describe the evening: EPIC. There are certain events that only happen once. Just a handful of bands have played the Great Lawn. It doesn't happen every year, and only the greatest have the honor. There are other great bands, big parks and free concerts in the world, but none will ever again be Bon Jovi in Central Park. And I was there. I was there singing and screaming with some of my favorite girls. And we could even see the stage. It's something amazing when you understand the significance of a night while it's actually happening. I expect we'll talk about "that night we saw Bon Jovi in the park" until we are quite old. It was one of those nights that only happens in New York City with your New York family.

To top the weekend off, I headed out Sunday afternoon to Riverside Park to see a free performance of Much Ado About Nothing (my favorite Shakespeare play) with Jenna and Mary. It was a beautiful park venue with maybe 50 people in attendance, just sitting around a rotunda watching the players. Perfect company, perfect weather, perfect performance. So New York.

I'm starting to understand why people put up with the smell and the anger and the expense of living here. I wouldn't trade this weekend for anything, and I've never been happier.

How you doin'?

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! I was watching the fireworks show from a rooftop in Greenpoint, which means nothing to people who don't live in NY, but it was a great view. I managed to get this amazing picture...


I've always loved fireworks. When I was a kid I would bring my sketchbook to the OakBrook, IL fireworks show and draw them. A few years later I would take pictures with my first camera that was this tiny pink plastic thing. Man, I would love to find those photos today! One day when I upgrade from my sad point-and-shoot digital I'll look back on this photo and think it's total crap.

On another topic... so I'm in the grocery store today, wearing a t-shirt, an old pair of cotton comfy track pants and to top the look off, flip flops. Cause you know, I'm just in the grocery store around the corner. I'm deciding which juice to buy when this shy-type guy who doesn't speak English super well comes over and asks me where I am from.

"Where am I from?" He nods that this was indeed the question. "Um, Chicago," I respond.
"You look nice. I just wanted to tell you that you look very pretty."
"Um, thanks." I'm too surprised to say much else. He's clearly being genuine.
"What is your name?"
"Lori."
"Okay," he smiled. "Bye."

And he walked away. Whatever his motive, he said I was pretty and that was that. He wasn't someone I would ever go for, but it was sweet. I take away from this two things:

1) Every once in a while a stranger knows how to tell a woman she is pretty. It doesn't involve whistling, grunting, eying up and down, or, my personal favorite, "Hey baby!" I hate when people call me baby. I'm not your baby.

2) Perhaps for my next date I won't obsess so much about my outfit. Men don't care if I've carefully mixed a new shirt with an old belt and vintage-inspired jeans to create the perfect creative-but-classy outfit. Clearly flips, track pants and a fitted t-shirt get the job done. Although I think they do like it when we put a little thought into what we are wearing underneath.

Recapping

Hello my devoted blog readers (read: people who have this e-mailed to them). I haven't given you much reason to be devoted lately... it's been a busy spring! So let's recap what's been going on:

I lost the blue in my hair. I'm just going to have to be weird in some other way for age 31. Perhaps I'll finally get that tattoo I've wanted.

My epiphany bathroom design came to fruition thanks to blue paint and a chandelier wall graphic. Check it. Oh yeah, you totally want to pee in my bathroom.

The Mom was here, and this time she brought my cousin Amy to play with us. It was HOT in the city, but we had a great time. Did the NY stuff and some Brooklyn stuff too. Here's Amy and Ma looking cute on the boat that never set sail.


Made some swell new friends. New girl at work, Lindsey, is kinda awesome, and I've hit it off well with some of her friends too. So we've been having fun times out and about in the city. Brunching and shopping and drinking, oh my!

Getting back into taking pictures around the city. Much easier when it's sunny. I finally took a picture of this wall on my walk to the subway that I just love. The colors are amazing.


Been seeing movies. Love the movies this summer. I might OD on hot guys in action flicks. Still talking about how sarcastically cute Robert Downey Jr. is in Iron Man, I saw Wanted yesterday with my friend Mary. I was already in love with James McAvoy, but it's now a full-blown obsession. Please join me in understanding why. Yeah, we both gasped when we saw that. It doesn't hurt that a few days earlier he was on the Daily Show full of charm, wit and modesty. Hancock is up next... Will Smith is another cute one who seems to have a real personality. Love it.

And finally, last night I went to see Jollyship the Whiz Bang with my new friend Jackie. Here's Jackie looking super pretty in great light before the show.


Jollyship was amazing. It's a play... er, concert... er, musical... er, puppet show... about pirates. I don't think I could describe it accurately if I tried, all I know is that was possibly the best $25 I've ever spent. Way up there with Evil Dead the Musical. Didn't hurt that a few members of the cast are adorable. Here we are sporting our Jollyship branding stamps.


Wow, I really need some sun, my skin is so white I'm reflective! Perhaps I could spend less time gawking at cute boys indoors and head outside. There have to be some outside too...

People in college are funny

Jerry, Jenna and I went to see Iron Man last night. One of the previews was for Indiana Jones. For those that don't know, Karen Allen is in the new movie. During the preview the young guy next to me leans over to his friend and says, sarcastically, "Dude, they brought the girl from Scrooged out of retirement."

Um, dude, she was in Raiders of the Lost Ark... Come on now, try to keep up.

PS: Iron Man = Awesome.

What's Dutch for "addiction"?

I have a problem. At least, I expect to have a problem. My very favorite NY food truck has found a permanent summer home within 10 minutes of my apartment to the south on Saturdays, and within 15 minutes to the north on Sundays. Wafels & Dinges makes one called Liege Wafel that is the most amazing treat I have ever tasted. It's chewy with caramelized sugar, but not all over so it doesn't overpower. Oh, they are delish. Legen-dary. I expect my carb intake will be greatly increasing from this moment forward. At least I have to walk to get to the trucks, so that's something.

Sis in the City

This past weekend my sister Leah was here for visit. We had a great time together. We waited in line forever to go to Ellis Island, which we did eventually reach, and it was a really nice museum. We did a lot of shopping, found some great stuff. We went to see Avenue Q, which was hilarious. Everyone must see it, if for no other reason than to see what simulated on-stage puppet sex looks like. We even had time to get our nails done like real girls.


I've added the pictures to my New York Visitors album. The one above is one of my favorites, even though it was an accident.

One step closer to "New Yorker"

When I moved to New York one of my goals was to never actually become a New Yorker. Nobody outside of New York likes New Yorkers. I don't think New Yorkers even like New Yorkers. They are generally rude, selfish, cranky, pushy, bitter and arrogant. They say it takes 10 years of living in the city to become a New Yorker. I think I know why. There are certain New York experiences that are very unique to this city, and you have to survive them all to claim your New Yorker status.

What I have experienced so far that I think are part of this transformation:

• Pay an atrocious broker fee for the privilege of living in a small apartment.
• Nearly faint in the subway because of the heat.
• Nearly faint in the subway because of the smell.
• Step in a slush puddle that turned out to be 8 inches deep.
  
• Go to a Yankees game (and watch them slaughter the White Sox).
• Had a cab driver refuse to take me where I wanted to go in the pouring rain.
• Go to a Knicks game and watch them lose.
  
• Walk halfway to work in 90 degree heat because the subway broke down.
  

Adding to the list last week... Watching a homeless dude on the subway car during morning rush hour pull out a plastic bottle, stand up, turn around, urinate in it, zip up, sit down, shake the bottle and place it on the seat next to him. So I've seen that. We'll see what else makes the list in time, but I'm starting to understand what makes New Yorkers so surly over time.

Hey there sinner

Yeah, you. I'm looking at you. Anyone reading this is a big fat sinner now (although I think we already were anyway). You may or may not have heard, the Pope released a whole new set of sins yesterday. They even have their own category, Social Sins. Apparently we have to update our list of sins when we become smart enough to commit them. These new sins are:

1. 'Bioethical' violations (like birth control)
2. 'Morally dubious' experiments (like stem cell research)
3. Drug abuse
4. Pollution of the environment
5. Contributing to the widening gap between rich and poor
6. Excessive wealth
7. Creating poverty

Raise your hand if you've committed any of these sins. Wow, that's a lot of hands. Hey, is it me, or are the last three all interrelated? If you have excessive wealth there is less money for everybody else, automatically widening the gap between rich and poor... which means you commit three sins at the same time and there's not much you can do about it. That hardly seems fair. For a guy with a specially made popemobile in every city he visits the Pope seems to really hate rich people.

You know what's really nice about being a Atheist? When the Vatican tells you that you suck, it doesn't matter. I know I don't suck. I lead a moral life and it has nothing to do with fear of what's going to happen to me when I die, and everything to do with being raised by two moral parents who taught me how to make my own good choices. And yeah, I'm human, I make mistakes. But it's okay, I apologize to the person I've wronged and worry about their forgiveness here on earth, now, instead of what some fictitious judgmental floating trio holding a list of sins I forgot to admit to a priest says about letting me in the pearly gates. I've got way too much stress in my current life, I don't need to be worrying about the afterlife too.

Been skiing

I got back a week ago from a wonderful ski trip to Summit County in Colorado. Went with my mom and Homer, and we were joined for two days by Greg at the beginning of the week, and skied a day with Jerry and Jenna at the end. Even though I missed a day due to a re-emergence of bronchitis, and wasn't able to ski my best the last two days, it was a really great trip.

Here's a nice picture I took on our last day of skiing, driving back from A-Basin to the condo in Frisco. I've posted more pictures in the album Gone Skiing 2008. Enjoy!

A form letter to Crazy

Dear Insane Suicidal Shooter,

Please refrain from shooting others. If you are crazy and want to kill yourself, please feel free to do that in a private setting of your choosing. There is no need for others to join you on your trip to the big nowhere. There is no reason to scare the hell out of an entire campus and their families who have a family member attending that school, as well as students and families of students around the country. And there is absolutely no call to take the lives of six kids who have barely even set off in life.

Worst Regards,

NIU Alumna

Valentine's Day = NYC Condoms

NYC loves condoms on Valentine's Day. I still think it's great. No sappy love crap, just go out and "get some." So New York. They've changed the packaging, although it's still not all it could be. I still like the design concept I co-developed with Jerry last year to have different skyscrapers on the packages. I've got to make a call to the city and get that design out for next year.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Proof United Airlines is EVIL

You suck United.

Oh come on!

Did you know experts have long linked heart trouble to sports fans? I don't think anyone would be surprised to hear that fact. Let's see, what could be the cause? Perhaps consuming beer, chicken wings, potato chips, beer, chili cheese fries, little hot dogs wrapped in croissant and more beer while sitting on your ass instead of walking around out in the world has something to do with it. Nah, couldn't be all that stuff. Must be something else.

That's right, it's the stress of the game. Feeling that your team could lose can cause you so much distress your heart gives out. Call me cruel (go ahead), but if a dude is so wrapped up in sports that he can experience stress on a level that causes a grabber during the big game, that person kind of sucks. Now, if it's caused by all the beer guzzling and fried food-eating, that's fine. That's a real reason. Especially in Chicago.

Easy street

I was pretty excited two weeks ago when I got my interest check from my apartment security deposit escrow account. $2.48 richer, I went out and splurged. Let me tell you, the only thing that tastes better than a McDonald's cheeseburger and small fry is a free McDonald's cheeseburger and small fry. Just when I thought life couldn't get any better, I get this puppy in the mail:


This second check was accompanied by a letter telling me that due to a bank error the original check I received was for an incorrect amount and I was owed more money. And just like that I was nine cents richer. Sweet!

But how to spend my newfound wealth? I can give one cent to nine of the guys on the street asking for "just a penny" for the homeless. I can call my step-sister in Bonaire for 5 minutes on Skype. I can buy 4 two-cent rate change stamps and leave the last penny on the ground for someone to find for good luck. I can go back in time to 1970, borrow a penny from someone and buy a Hershey Bar.

Hmmmm, all of these sound good. How would you spend nine cents?

Yo

I'm still here. Just been a little busy/sick/full from work/winter/holidays. I'll be back soon with new tales of NYC. Until then, enjoy this picture of the women's restroom in a Macy's in the suburbs of Chicago.

Not the way to win hearts in a city that hates you, Macy's.