Discuss, Poll #46, Black Friday.

Somebody's got to have a good Black Friday story. Hopefully no one got trampled.

Results, Poll #45, Recycling Trash.

This just seems like a mish-mash of responses this week, could be the choices I gave. Let's see:

> 3 people (25%) chose 'sure, i do it all the time' - this is the second largest response, maybe people do like to recycle, wherever they may be.
> 2 people (16%) chose 'once or twice for something HUGE' - it's a start. soon, when you see the plastic ring from an orange juice carton in your friend's trash, you'll grab it and recycle.
> 5 people (41%) chose 'nah, i'm not really that concerned about other people's trash' - i understand, it takes a really strong pesonality to recycle garbage. Then again, this is the biggest sesponse, by far.
> 2 people (16%) chose 'no, it's not my business, i'd feel funny' - you know you want to.

A little less people this week, but that must be b/c of the holiday. People had less time to be bored at the office and check my blog. New poll up now.

Is this bad?

Is this something you want to see when you come down the stairs of the house your "sitting" at 7AM? I was a bit taken aback to say the least, but luckily I could send an MMS message with said picture included to the homeowner. I was told it was pretty normal, just sewer cleaning. Well, good for them b/c it was about 20 degrees out that day and they spent most of it on the lawn or in the ground (which could be warmer).

TurkeyDay Facts.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone.
20 quick & dirty facts about the holiday that many people consider their favorite:

> Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States. (do other countries matter?)
> By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast. (with what meat?)
> Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada. (whoop-dee-do)
> The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving. (they stole their name from the car company)
> The pilgrims arrived in North America in December 1620. (just in time for Christmas?)
> The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to reach North America. (doi!)
> The pilgrims sailed on the ship, which was known by the name of 'Mayflower'. (uh-huh...)
> They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621.
> They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
> The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was the beer. (yay!!!)
> The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land. (but not beer)
> The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast. (was the guy's first name "governor"?))
> The first Thanksgiving feast was held in the presence of around ninety Wampanoag Indians and the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, was also invited there. ("invited there", I didn't write these...)
> The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days. (and we thought we ate a lot!)
> President George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving Day Proclamation in the year 1789 and again in 1795. (he had wooden teeth... good for turkey eating?)
> The state of New York officially made Thanksgiving Day an annual custom in 1817. (do other states matter?)
> Sarah Josepha Hale, an editor with a magazine, started a Thanksgiving campaign in 1827 and it was result of her efforts that in 1863 Thanksgiving was observed as a day for national thanksgiving and prayer. (yeah, we do a lot of praying still, right?)
> Abraham Lincoln issued a 'Thanksgiving Proclamation' on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving. Whereas earlier the presidents used to make an annual proclamation to specify the day when Thanksgiving was to be held. (Abe rules!!!)
> President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored Thursday before last of November as Thanksgiving Day in the year 1939. He did so to make the Christmas shopping season longer and thus stimulate the economy of the state. (should it be moved even earlier now?)
> Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year. (see, we really don't have enough time to Christmas shop with this set-up)

Now go eat your weight in fowl flesh, you Turkey!

Discuss, Poll #45, Recycling Trash.

I bought a new TV this week, in support of the impending move (do I ever stop talking about the new job and new state? Maybe.) This was not a rash decision, but one I spent weeks researching. Most of this consisted of keeping an eye on the Sunday ads and finding the best deal. I even went to Costco (without being a member) and checked out their offerings.

What cinched it for me was a TV ad for Abt Electornics, here in Glenview. They were giving $75 credit for any recycled TV, towards the purchase of any TV bigger than 32" and meeting a minimum price. Well, getting rid of the tired and old-school TV I had bought for $25 seemed like a win-win for me and the local landfill. I pulled the trigger the other day and felt like I had found the best deal overall. And, I'd finally gone to the store that's just down the street from my childhood home. The place is HUGE. It can even be challenging to get service, though they have loads of salespeople roaming about. Now, I just need to keep my fingers crossed and hope the movers don't harm the brand new LCD flatscreen they'll be moving for me.

Do you have any weird, funny, or otherwise interesting recycling stories?

Results, Poll #44, MSP.

So, as you can well imagine, I had ulterior motives with this week's poll. But, the answers were still interesting, let's check it out:

> 5 people (31%) chose 'yeah, i have family there' - Though I was surprised by the next choice, this one takes the cake as most surprising. I had no idea that 5 people I know, let alone 5 people that also read my blog have family in MN. This is good news for me, since I'll be there in a few short weeks.
> 6 people (37%) chose 'once, on a quick trip' - So, the majority has been to MN already. I did not see that coming. I think I'd been there about 4 times before I accepted the job offer... but I like what I've seen so far.
> 5 people (31%) chose 'nah, but if i had a reason...maybe' - A 'maybe' is not a 'no'. So that's good news. I'll have to entice you through blog posts about MSP in the future.
> 0 people (0%) chose 'no way, too cold!' - well, at least no one said they'd never go to MSP. If you did, I don't think I could have taken that any other way than a slap in the face.

16 respondents this week... nice! Keep it up. New poll up now.

credo.

Wow, who knew your cellphone carrier choice had so much effect - Credo would like to tip the balance back to causes they, and possibly you, believe in. I'll admit, I've never thought too much about what the large corporations do with all the money we give them for products, but maybe it's about time to find out.

Brain Teaser, #9.

This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out! Try to do so without any coaching! You probably won't, at first, find anything particularly odd or unusual or in any way dissimilar to any ordinary composition. That is not at all surprising, for it is no strain to accomplish in so short a paragraph a stunt similar to that which an author did throughout all of his book, without spoiling a good writing job, and it was no small book at that. By studying this paragraph assiduously, you will shortly, I trust, know what is its distinguishing oddity.

martin & osa.

I found this lil gem of a his/hers clothing store in Old Orchard. I'd never heard of them before, but one of the many advertising kiosks in the mall caught my eye with some good-looking, simple, almost modern clothes. I found them just outside of the Nordstrom's entrance onto the mall.

Some of you may initially think that I picked this place because of it's name, and while I find some comfort in it, that's not the best part, check it -


They have the biggest dressing rooms I ever hung a pant in. People in NYC would kill for a place this big and well-appointed. I could comfortably place all of my clothing items into this one room.


Not only that, but they are well lit too. And, best of all...


... hooks! Haven't you ever said to yourself, as you dropped your coat onto the floor, "Boy, this *dressing* room could really use some places to hang clothes!"? Well, they have you covered. Not only are there long, horizontal bars about every two feet, you can also move the half-dozen hooks on each one! Plus, it's all adorned in this heavy gauge steel, even the door. It locks with such a thud and click that you really feel like no one will be barging in on you... as you hop on one leg while fighting to fit into a pair of skinny jeans.

It's was simply the best fitting experience I ever had. That's saying something cause I'm a guy and anal-retentive. And no, I didn't pick up the jeans in the picture... didn't fit just right.

New blog look, new blog city.

You may have already noticed that "replanted.chicagoan" has gone back to its original title of "transplanted.chicagoan". This is in anticipation of my impending move to Minneapolis, MN. I have been offered and accepted a new position at the company I menitoned in a previous posting. It's a well-respected company in the industry.

I don't plan on stopping the normal blog postings and now need to fill in with new MSP hotspots. So please continue to visit t.c as I make my transition to MSP. You remember the FAA's airport designations, don't you? MSP = Minneapolis-Saint-Paul.

Results, Poll #43, Winter's Cold.

When I first decided on this poll topic, it was getting cold out. During the week it warmed up and I thought my poll was stupid. Lucky for me, it got nice and cold again this weekend. Score, I may not be dumm!

Here's what we all said about old Jack Frost:

> 2 people (11%) chose 'yes, like a whale, i put on a layer of blubber for winter' - Now, I'm not pointing a chubby finger, but it's not healthy to yo-yo. (but don't drown your guilt in brownies)

> 5 people (29%) chose 'kind of, i broke out the winter clothes' - I think everyone should check their inventory, it's gonna be cold soon. Also, check your emergency roadside car kit. Yes, the one your dad made you put in the trunk eons ago and you've never even opened. At the very least, it'll make your mom feel better.

> 7 people (41%) chose 'as ready as i'll ever be, but not happy about it' - For me, knowing I have some warm clothes if and when it gets cold seems to help... but I'd like to be warm & cozy anyways.

> 1 person (5%) chose 'nope, i can't cope with the cold very well' - maybe it's time for one of the many coats now on sale at any store of your choosing. Help the economy!

> 2 people (11%) chose 'moot, i live in a place that doesn't get cold' - Well, la-dee-dah! Better run out and stock up on sunblock, George Hamilton.

To be honest, I think it's about perspective. In theory (and usually in practice), I like a locale that has four distinct seasons. It's nice to see and feel the changes. Fall usually sounds great in summer, but I know in a couple months that spring will start to sound even better.

17 respondents this week, sweet! I think I have FaceBook to thank for that. Poll #44 is in the oven, but it's not ready to come out yet. I hope to have it up by tomorrow (Monday). Please stop back during the week and make it another huge turnout (for my lil ole blog).

Brain Teaser, #8.

Mary was working in a chemistry lab with a mixture of chemicals that was 90% water and weighed 20 pounds. After returning to the lab from a weekend break, she calculated the mixture was now 50% water. How much does the mixture now weigh?
[For purposes of this puzzle, assume the non-water part of the mixture was not affected by evaporation.]

Discuss, Poll #43, Winter's Cold.

No, I'm not talking about the sniffles, this time, but I am talking about the 35 degree temps that have recently come back to the Midwest.

I remember last year in MKE when it was so cold the inside of your nose would half-freeze because of the cold air being breathed in. That's cold.

Results, Poll #42, Vote.

Wow, I'm honestly pretty amazed at how the t.c readership continues to be models of health, intellect, and now civic duty. A totally resounding result for this week's poll and, dare I say, the election as well.

> 13 (92%) people did vote in the election. Based on the elections's end result, I can guess who most of the 13 respondents voted for, we all could.
> Only 1 (7%) r.c reader was unable able to cast a ballot for president, but I suspect this was due to voter registration over apathy? It does highlight the importance of being registered well before an election day.

We picked up one more respondent than usual this week, 14 in all. I'm going to have to think of a good poll question to keep everyone involved. And since this is the presidential poll and poll number 42 for this blogger - who was the 42nd president?

Quality with a capital 'Q', Part I.

Here's some pics of Minneapolis, an interestin company building and, uh, that's it really. I can also say without a doubt, the drive from CHI to MPL is about 7 hours of cheesy Wisconsin goodness.

Minny got a really light coat of snow during the trip. It didn't amount to much on the roads, but it made the trees look nice.

This building is LEED certified (i.e. very enviro-friendly) and has a 40 megawatt solar panel array on the roof. I've heard it's the largest such array in the Upper Midwest. Powerful stuff. (I could have said "shocking" instead?)

The building is mostly warehouse, but since they are encroaching on forest preserve, they keep building up rather than out. Inside one wing of the building, special forklifts run on an almost prefectly level concrete floor and bring the driver up to heights of 35ft to pick products off the really really tall stacks of shelving. The guys wear what is basically a climbers harness while on the forklift. Falling would be bad.

It's kind of cool to have paved running and riding trails on one end of your company's parking lot... esp if you're a bike company.

Discuss, Poll #42, Vote.

SURPRISE!
I'm on the mend and thought I'd toss up a quick & dirty election day poll. If anyone has a good polling place story from the day, please share.

For example, when I voted in the primaries last year, I went to two different polling places (the first one was indicated on my voter card, but wrong) and all in all took about two hours. I had decided to go on foot and wound up walking waaay more than expected. Plus, at the 2nd polling place, I had to talk to "Shirley" to get my issues sorted out, since they had no ballot ready for me. Fun, but I did vote.

Results, Poll #41, Hallow's Eve.

BOO - Let's have a gander, shall we:

> 3 females (23%) chose 'always, i love the holiday' - lookie there! girls love this holiday - yay!!!
> 0 males (0%) chose 'always, i love the holiday' - well well well, no guys love the holiday, not even one!
> 1 female (7%) chose 'yep, i got a party to go to' - i wonder what this female would have chosen if she not had a party to go to... hmmm?
> 1 male (7%) chose 'yep, i got a party to go to' - too bad dude... and i wonder if this party and your costume were done to please a woman in your life? Do tell!!!
> 6 females (46%) chose 'nah, it's for kids' - so a good amount of women don't really care about it, ok, fine.
> 2 males (15%) chose 'nah, it's for kids' - seems about right to me.

And we also see t.c has considerably more female readers than male (10 to 3, and one of the guys is myself). Perhaps I'm that much of a ladies man, but I can assure you that's not the case. I think a more likely explanation is that women, in general, are more prone to use this kind of medium to keep tabs on those around them. After all, this is blog for family and friends. Women talk on the phone more, and I think it makes sense they'd check on a friend's blog more too.

New poll NOT up now... whose ready for break this week? I'm sick and traveling to interview. Sorry.