Earth Day.

Yeah, that's right, Earth Day is TODAY! You didn't really remember either, did you? Until you hopped onto Google and saw their holiday logo. I heard on the radio this morning, and then rememebred something I heard last week too. I did not have a big green event planned though. In fact, all this forgetfulness helped me remember the first few Earth Days as a kid (er, teenager?). It used to be a big deal and our class/school would do something to help our planet.

In that spirit, I will once again plug GreenDimes. They can help reduce junkmail at home, but for a slight upcharge, you also get some cool green accesories. I happened to have the opportuinty to use my packable shopping bag the other day on my WholeFoods trip... and I have to say - one of the nicest reusable bags I've tried. It's small, light, and literally & figureatively green. When in use, it seems strong, comfortable, and still literally & figureatively green.



I'd also challenege you to stop using disposable items, when you could very well use a reusable one. For example:
> A resusable shoping bag instead of new paper or plastic [duh, see above]. This can be at all stores, not just grocery. And if you look hard enough, I bet you could find some colorful, cool, trendy, dare I say, fashionable ones now... maybe at WholeFoods, or Trader Joes, or Marshall Fields, wait, Macy's (yuck).
> Bringing real silverware into work instead of using plastic each day at lunch. I'm not sure if this will go over so well at my office though, whadda ya think?
> Get washable dishcloths instead of using papertowels for everything. Maybe those infomercials from that annoying yelling guy aren't so bad if the product works.
> Don't let Starbucks give you a new papercup AND hand protector cozy thingy (OMG) everytime you buy your half fat, no foam, carmel, mocha frappucino. Instead, bring in a cool reusable mug. Go ahead, I say you can treat yourself to the fancy stainless steel one you've been eyeing. The Earth says it's ok to buy it.
> Use your hand and a bucket of water instead of toilet paper... ok, just kidding on this one... but you don't need to be a roll-hog!

Results, Poll #13, Lucky 21

In honor of a certain someone I know turning 21 last Thursday (Happy Birthday again), I wanted to see how many t.c readers had been drunk before their 21st birthday. Of course, the law here in the US is drinking only after you're 21. Well, it turns out the number 21 doesn't mean much. In what I believe to be the most lop-sided poll so far, almost everyone had been drunk as a skunk before being legally allowed.

> 15 people (88%) said they had been drunk before being of legal age. Our parents would be appalled... or perhaps secretly proud... lots of dads get this way, right?

> 0 people (0%) said that they weren't sure. I guess when you do some underage drinking, you make sure you're drunk everytime.

> 1 person (5%) said simply, no. No worries, once you are 21, it'll come fast and furious, no doubt.

> 1 person (5%) said they were straight-edge - alrighty then.

Could we have guessed this outcome for the beginning? Perhaps. One final high note for me - 17 respondents this week and I haven't heard that anyone voted twice this time. Cool beans. New poll up AHORA!

Coincedence?

Strange how the new city you live in often reminds you of the one you left... here's a few examples from a ride up MKE's lakefront this weekend.

We'll start with a city in the 'burbs of Chicago, and the same name used on a street here in MKE:

Maybe that's just not a very original name, for a city, street, or otherwise? Next, on to something a little more interesting. For those that don't know, the local high school in Glenview, IL is Glenbrook South, located off of Lake Ave. Another pic from the MKE burbs, I'm not making this up.



Finally, this is something that doesn't really remind me of Chicago at all... but was so odd, I couldn't help but take a pic.


Sounds a bit wonky, doesn't it? I'm not sure what it is or means, but maybe it belongs more on the Shire than here in MKE. What's next, "Elf Gorge Drive"?

Almost gave up.

I don't know about your neighborhood, but it's getting to be pretty nice in MKE (at least for part of every week). In fact, it was purported to be 70F today. A great chance to get outside on a new bike, or go to the lakefront for a walk, or run on the paths.

And I am in the midst of such a new bike project. I can't help myself (though they are more costly then cellphones). This has been in my apartment for months, only waiting in the last two weeks for a very small part.. about the size and weight of a couple quarters. The part finally came to me at the office yesterday and I ran home to install and finish the build.

Handlebars - check.
Rims - check.
Saddle - check.
Complete road bike at 16.5lbs - check.
Ready for some sweet jumps - check (no, not really).


Also, if anyone wants to "talk shop" about bikes, feel free to ask me anything (hardy har, don't get gross).

Oh, and thanks to spiceyride.

A new meaning of the phrase "cougar hunting" in Chicago.

This was all over the news coverage, even in WI.

Goto: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-chicago-cougar-shot-webapr15,1,5227121.story

The best part is the "About Cougars" section on the left hand side of the article. It includes the tip "Pick up Children Immediately" - wait, the cougar's children or our own? Hmmm.

And crap, if Chicago's got cougars, what's lurking up here!?!

Quiz Show.

I'm going to try something a little different - All you need to do is put on your thinking cap and scroll down. You'll see the image and the multiple choice answers. If you choose the right option, you get positive reinforcement in the form of a linked image. If you choose the wrong option, you'll get negative reinforcement in the form of a linked image. Good luck, the negative is bad juju.

Note: Alumni or students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will do the best.

1

This is a picture of:
a> The beginning of a pagan ritual
b> The beginning of the Black Chorus' concert at Krannert's Great Hall on the U of I campus
c> Milwaukee's Opera House

2
This is a picture of:

a> My company's courtyard

b> Chicago's Grant Park
c> The Quad

3
This is a picture of:

a> The best bar in Champaign-Urbana
b> The worst bar in Champaign-Urbana
c> Both

4
This is a picture of:

a> A trendy corner in Evanston, IL
b> Downtown Mequon, WI
c> The old location of a Wendy's

5
These trees are located:

a> at Washington DC's Cherry Blossom Festival
b> at 815 Revere Rd, Glenview, IL, 60025
c> Between Krannert Auditorium & the Undergrad Library

6
This is a picture of:

a> A statue in Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL
b> "Alma Mater' on the U of I campus
c> Milwaukee's Veteran's Memorial

7
This is a picture of:

a> My childhood home
b> My current residence
c> My college house

8
This mini-sized, chocolate and carmel topped, custard sundae is from:

a> Custard Cup, the best I know
b> Kopp's in Milwaukee
c> Leon's on MKE's southside

That's it, all done. Did you get 100%?
Serisouly, no more, go to another blog!!

Results, Poll #12, Life

This was the poll about "ending it all", which at least one reader had trouble figuring out the meaning of - sorry. I'll try to be more descriptive in future suicide polls. This one was pretty interesting in terms of results, at least I couldn't have guessed the outcomes. In another small note of interest, we had 16 respondents!! This is a new record, but the same person that had trouble figuring out the poll's meaning, also admitted to me she may have voted twice. This is now a hollow record... I'm getting depressed... who's got a bottle of Aspirin? Anyways, here we go -

6 people (37%) have thought about ending it all only once - Kudos to you, you happy f*&ks!
2 people (12%) think about ending it all about once a month - not bad, but it's also the lowest total, uh-oh.
3 people (18%) think about ending it all about once a week - maybe a little frequent for most people, but maybe they're perfectionists in daily life?
5 people (31%) have never thought about ending it all - Really!?! This seems high to me, I'd have thought everyone has thought about this at one time or another.

An interesting poll that I've been wanting to get up on the blog for sometime. Thanks to everyone for your responses... even both your responses in some cases.