I can't think of a better way to start the week than dropping a full tube of toothpaste into the toilet. I can honestly say I've never washed my hands so many times in such a short period of time.

For those interested in such things, the new Shins album is super rad - definite "top 5 of 2003" material.

I have changed my Halloween costume plans once again. I pity the fool who doesn't dig my new costume.

Jen

I cast Lvl 3 Eroticism. You turn into a real beautiful woman.

I'm not even kidding you when I say I was dying of laughter when I checked out this link. Please make sure that you definitly read the one about the pizza guy and the very last entry between "wellhung" and "sweetheart." Hysterical.

Back to the job.

Mike:

I'll definitely be at the party, with bells on! I don't even mean "with bells on" in the figurative sense - bells are literally part of my proposed costume. Now I just need to get the much-needed costume supplies, which include a Bedazzler and copious amounts of fake blood.

Open letter to the Western Ave. Squeegee Guy:
Hey Squeegee Guy -
When I said "please don't clean my windows" followed by the statement "I have absolutely no change in my car," I really meant it. I didn't want you to climb on the hood of my car and practically break my windshield wipers while attempting to "clean" my windows. I also didn't like it when you threw the 18 cents I gave you (discovered in the crack between the seats after much searching) back in my car because it simply wasn't "enough." There's a special place in hell for you, where they only serve airline seafood and Kevin Costner's "The Postman" plays 24 hours a day.

Jen

"What you may not know is that "What I like about you" is a cover of an 80's New Wave Classic."

I heard this at Blockbuster yesterday as a cover of "What I like about you" finished. This brings me to 3 questions:

1) Why are there covers of every single popular song from the 80's? Why is nothing sacred?
2)How could I possibly not know that a girl, singing a poppy version of "What I like about you", a song that probably everyone knows, is a cover?
3)What did the person mean by "New Wave Classic" ?

Anyway, yes Mike, I am having a Halloween Party once again. I just e-mailed you an invite, so hopefully I sent it to the correct account. I'm hoping you can make it out. Hmmm, maybe I can post the picture somewhere on this blog. . .

I got my hair cut last night for an unbelievable $10 and it was not at BoRicks (is that how you spell it?) or at Super Cuts. There is this great place on Roscoe near Damen called Big Hair, and these three wonderful Punk Rock chicks run it and do a fantastic job cutting hair. Beck! You must go!

I have to stay late at work tonight, but I'm hoping to go out to Fizz this eve. Last Thursday, I was a little upset about the poor Cubies, so I stayed in.

Ok, me hungry.

Mike

Top Subject Line Used This Week For a Work-Related Email:
Steadman (Oprah's lover) is black, I swear

Do you have another Halloween party planned this year, Jen? It's about time for our yearly hanging-out.

Jen

Tonight we need it.

The game yesterday. . . How horrible. I'm just glad that I was at the Mars Volta show last night, instead of getting an ulcer watching how we fell apart in the 8th inning. Greg? If you still read this or want to write, I would love to hear your thoughts on the game last night and tonight.

I hope to god we don't suck as bad tonight. And we don't have some dumb ass in the stands catch a foul instead of Moises.

Here are some links to cheer us all up.

PS. Mars Volta rocks but a)being sponsored by Q-101 does not and B) neither does the sound at the Rivera.

Mike

I almost went to the Friday Death Cab show, but ended up watching the Cub's game at Sheffield's instead. It was the first Cubs game I watched since 1985, when I was home sick from school one day. I did spot a Death Cab fan on the El who looked like a young Jim J. Bullock, so that was cool.



I may come out of show-going retirement (for real this time!) to catch a reunited Don Caballero at the Empty Bottle next month. We'll see.

Jen

When I see you, I only see you upside down. But my brain knows better, it picks you up and turns you around.

What a wonderful show last Friday. Death Cab for Cutie were probably the best that I have seen them live since I saw them at the Fireside so many years ago. That’s probably due to the new album, which is a lot more live audience friendly. I was also shocked to hear so much off Something About Airplanes, which I don’t think I’ve heard live too often.

Show highlights: 1) Hearing All is Full of Love sung over the music to Blacking out the Friction.
2) Starting off with A Lack of Color! I love that song.
3) five songs off Something About Airplanes!
4) Constant updates on the Cubs game.

The low points: 1) The Snoozer, aka Transatlanticism. It’s not a great song to hear live. At least they shortened it for listening pleasure.
3) 2 songs off We Have the Facts. : (
2) No Joy in Ug-Ville: So many gooney looking indie kids. Sorry, but showering is your friend. Do it, you’ll like it.

I have a small dilemma. I have tickets to see Mars Volta, which I am very excited about seeing. I think the CD is great, and I’m guessing that they will be a great live show. The bad part about it all is that the show is tomorrow, which is the same day as the Cubs game that we WILL win to get us into the World Series. I’m trying to figure out a way to do both, but because there is only one of me, I’m guessing that since I spent money on tickets to the show, I should go.

Otherwise, things have been crazy here, and especially at work. This may sound odd, but it’s not easy being in charge. I constantly have to think of things for people to do. Not only that, but if they screw up in any way, it basically is my fault. Lots of stress my way. So much, that I started drinking coffee again. Bad Jen!

That’s all for now, I get to run to Home Depot this afternoon to by a new level!

Jen

I feel like these gloves are glued to my knuckles

I've been meaning to post a lot more then I have, but last week was complete hell for me, and things are finally calming down around here now that the new show is up. It was the first show that I put up being in charge of the interns and it was very stressful, but good at theg same time.

So how about them cubs? I got this e-mail today that I want to share:

This Chicago native dies one day in a car accident and is sent down to hell. He is immediately greeted by Satan who puts him to work in the sweltering heat. Water drips from the man's face. His hair is soaked and fire is swirling all around him. When the devil comes back to check on him he sees that the man has a big smile on his face and he's cheerfully working at a teady pace.

"How can you be so happy? How can you withstand the abysmal heat of hell?" Satan asked.

"Ahhhh. I feel right at home. It reminds of August in Chicago." The devil grumbles and decides he will try a different kind of hell for this soul. He leaves and summons a torrential rain storm and water falls unendingly from an eternally gray sky. When he comes back, he sees the man cheerfully whistling and doing a little jig through the mud as he continues with his work.

"WHY ARE YOU SO HAPPY?!! The rain doesn't stop falling, there is no sun and everything you see is gray and muddy!"

"Sigh. I feel right at home. It reminds me of April in Chicago."

The devil, furious, storms away again and this time he makes everything absolutely frigid. The temperature falls far below 0 degrees. Snow swirls around and winds beat against the man's body pushing him this way and that. Ice coats everything and an icicle even hangs from the man's nose.

This time when the devil comes back he sees the man jumping up and down, laughing hysterically. He has gotten naked and is throwing himself into the snow and coming up to cheer.

"It is so cold here. The wind is piercing. How can you possibly be so happy?" asked the devil.

"The Cubs won the pennant!! Hell froze over!! The Cubs won the pennant!"

Speaking of the devil, did anyone see the article in the Onion last week about Satan being depressed all weekend when this guy decided not to go gambling? Brilliant.

Sorry about changing my Quote thing to month instead of week. It's not as easy as it looks.

I saw a preview screening of Kill Bill last night. It was awesome. Go see it. Hmm, gotta run. . . More at a later time.

Mike:

Fun sight of the weekend:
- drunk Cubs fan passed out in the grass near the corner of Racine and Diversey at 3 in the morning

Terrible joke of the week, overheard at Jewel:
Girl (to friend she ran into): "Hey! How was that party last weekend?"
Guy: "It was great, except the next day I woke up with a nail in my head. There was a nail, IN MY HEAD!"
Girl (with a concerned look): "Wha...how did that happen?"
Guy: "It's because I got totally hammered!"

The response from the girl after that comment was priceless - quite possibly the best fake smile/laugh combo I have ever seen.