First Date, #1

Here's some snippets you might not want to hear on a first date:

- "I got wasted."
- "that's the building that my boyfriend lived in when I was 16."... "oh, he was 21."... "my mom loved him and wanted me to keep dating him."
- "I only started really eating/liking meat about a year ago b/c my mom doesn't know how to cook. As a kid, I used to dunk it in milk to add moisture to it."
- "On the flight back from Thailand, I got wasted."
- "My car's a mess, but don't worry, just put your [snow covered] feet on top of all the stuff down there."
- "Yeah, my parents were not happy when I dated the black guy." [nttawwt]
- "I was in the Czech Republic on NYE and a guy wished me a happy new year the next day. I said thanks and asked if he was in town for it. He said he was and that we had made out last night. I guess I didn't remember, b/c I had gotten wasted."

In case you hadn't guessed yet, this is taken from a recent first date of mine (though the video was simply hype). And I'm not saying we all don't bring up silly topics and say odd things as our nerves get to us, but I think your internal monitor should be on high-alert for a first date, esp if you want a second. In any case, I'm done first-dating for a while. It'd be nice to have a first-dates with someone you already dated.

Spectacles, testicles, wallet & watch.

This whole post maybe considered, as my Mom would say, "sacrilege" - but, I wonder why the Catholic church didn't ever think of using donuts and milk as the "body and blood" of Jesus Christ. I mean, think of how many more people would be inclined to roll out of bed (some after a hard night of drinking) and roll their old bones into mass. Plus, the young crowd would have a vested interest in going to church from a young age. I can think of nothing better in my youth than having some donuts and milk around the table with the family (at least until the last few in the box - then it was like hyenas on an impala carcass in Kenya). I suppose it does pose problems in terms of fitting it into the penning of the good book, thinking that donuts might not have been invented in Jesus' time... but maybe they could have come up with matzo-nuts (which I suspect would be like Dunkin Donuts "Buttermilk" donut, heavy like a doorstop and rich like Baklava).

Rest assured, the bear claw pictured here was devoured by yours truly and yes, I did drink the milk out of a wine glass. Amen.

Polls?

No, I'm not talking about Polish people... some of you may know that I helped rewrite a book in MBA school titled Asking Questions. This is really a manual for researchers on how to write good questions for polling. I actually like the topic and thought I would utilize one of Blogger's new features, Poll. I'm going to be putting up a new poll question each week, some not-so-seriuos, some mildly serious, and some down right what-is-mk-thinking. The format on the blog is really low-tech, so I don't think there will be a concern about anyone knowing who casts what vote. I also would like it to be a real snapshot of what people think for each question offered.

If you have any comments or questions, lemme know. NOW GO VOTE, over on the leftside.

"How cold is it?"

It's so cold that the skin in your nose freezes.
It's so cold that the Cubs might try to play games in the winter.
It's so cold that even drunk Packer fans have been heard saying "Damn, it's cold out!"

The skin in your nose one really hit home yesterday. It's noticeable even only out walking for a short time. Not only did I feel this when I went out mid-morning yesterday for a walk-run (getting back to running after the long cold), but I also heard people discussing it on the street as I went down to the local movie house. (and this is a "house", not a big theater like we know today. It has a real-live organ that they play in the main house before all showtimes. As the movie begins, the organ & organist slowly descend down into it's "parking spot", out of the viewing lines for the movie screen. The crowd almost always applauds for the organist as he descends. It's definitely a unique throw-back.)

Not much else going on up here, but I'll do an abbreviated version of the original format, my own throw-back:

Family - M & D are hosting a "Pampered Chef" party today at their house. Sounds like a fun time, but again, with this cold, I hope they get all the people they are expecting. Vic has started her 2nd semester at UofI (Yay!), but she already went back home for a weekend. It's ok... I understand. John got a year older last week, which only serves as a reminder that we all get a year older in 08.

Friends - Not much going down. I decided late in the week to forgo a trip to the City for a Meet-Up event and the parent's chef party. WIth the expense of even one night in the city and the drive down and back.. that's money that could be spent on debt or a new road bike. And I've now heard that most people aren't looking to go out in the cold anyways (me included), so I think it will prove to be a wise decision.

Bike - I've been on a mad hunt for a (relatively) inexpensive road bike. With below zero temps outside, it's still not hard to think that some time soon nice weather will be here. I'll be more than itching to go out riding, and I haven't had a road bike in a season or two. Good news is that after selling off or giving away three bikes already this winter, I can think about getting a road bike. It also helps that a friend at SRAM will add some parts for me at a great price. Otherwise, the whole project was looking unpossible. I think I've found a frame too, so maybe in the next few weeks it will come together. Don't forget to get the taxes done.... the returns can fund all kinds of unneeded projects or pay off previously incurred debt.

A/R - I think the only news here is more of a general analness I like to perform after having a cold. I like to get rid of any and all trash from the cold... Kleenex's, etc. Just bag it all and toss it the day after I'm feeling better. I also like to get washed towels and sheets rotated in, stat. And, airing out the whole place happened this time too. Of course, catching up on cleaning the bathroom and kitchen also took place, not to mention the normal vacuuming. Lastly, with the addition of a new, more modern bathroom rug and shower curtain, and putting up all of my pictures, the new place is finally finished... for now.

The Sun?

I'm feeling better after a few weeks of a weird viral infection. A doctor thought it was just "taking a long time" to get through me... well he was right, it did. Nothing else could be done about it either, just let it run it's course. Felt like mono again, but not as bad or as long (thank God). My pancreas never swelled (fun) like with the mono.

In any case, I feel about 80-90% normal depending on the time of day. But I can still fill a Kleenex or two upon waking in the morning. Sorry. Anyways, I went for a walk today just to be outside and do something physical and it's not too bad out, relatively dry and just above or at freezing. It got me thinking though - when was the last time the sun was out? I know early in the week, like Monday or Tuesday it was out really bright (everyone at work commented on it). But, I don't think it's been out since that time, so maybe 4-5 days.

I know this affects people, usually in a negative way. I've no doubt it affects me in the winter, but staying active (and drinking heavily... kidding, mostly) helps alleviate the effects. It also makes me want to take a long trip to someplace sunny. Or more drastically, move altogether to a sunny climate. I mean, cycling is something that defines me to most people, yet I can only do it about half of the year. What if it was sunny all the time and you could be outside most days of the week.

Ok, '60 Minutes' story about FaceBook just starting, later.

Our cousin, Kristin.

So, maybe some of you know that I have a cousin that sings opera. And I don't mean in the shower before her day job. She is a trained opera singer (San Francisco Conservatory of Music) and singing opera IS her day job... ok, evening job.

Anyways, my whole family heard she was on YouTube at Christmas dinner (I was driving home sick... still am) and have now started to send out the links.

Check it out:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=x6qMcjB4ktg . A piece you might know is this duet http://youtube.com/watch?v=71cxBNvq1Eo. (Kristin is the blond)

Getting away from the old format, I guess.

"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or demons, heaven or hell."

- Prince Gautama Siddhartha (563-483 BC)

Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone got drunk on cheap champagne and kissed someone they hardly knew... of course, I didn't do that.

Here's a snap of the tshirt I had made for everyone this year. It went over better with the friends yesterday, which made up for any confusion on Christmas morning.

That's it for now. Back to work tomorrow, still getting rid of a cold.

And GO ILLINI!!!!