Mike

Mike here, checking in with the obligatory "I'm still alive!" message. Right now I'm sitting in a computer lab at school in Naperville, sick, reviewing a presentation and killing some time before class. I didn't go into work today, but I'm not able to skip this presentation tonight. I'll finally be done with school this summer! Most people spend 4 years in grad school, right? RIGHT?

One of my roommates is moving to Seattle when our lease ends this summer, so I've been contemplating a move to Forest Park or Oak Park to cut down on my commute to work. I'll probably end up staying in the same area I'm at right now, but you never know.

Other than that, it's been more of the same for me - working, going to school, working out, and trying to get a good night of sleep. I never ever feel rested these days, even after a full 8 or 9 hours in bed, so I have an appointment with a sleep clinic in 2 weeks. I've never stayed overnight at a hospital before, so it should be interesting. I look forward to not falling asleep at my desk, or being able to make it through an entire TV show without nodding off.

I hope everything is well with the Illinois and California crew(s). Expect an update with pictures from my birthday (April 8th) fairly soon.

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Jen

For some unknown reason, I am having problems
accessing the blog. So, I'd thought that I'd sumbit
this via e-mail, and add my last fun link of the day
later.

Anyway, I have managed to post for a full week
straight and pretty much accomplish what I set out to
do minus posting a picture everyday. Not so bad.
Crazy that it has been four years since we started
this thing.

Well, happy anniversary guys.

FUN LINK OF THE DAY!

Jen

FUN LINK OF THE DAY!

This link is little more for Mac lovers. . . Anyway, our computer guy at work updated the system of my i-mac yesterday which was much needed. He showed me this link and now, on my computer at work, all my icons look like this! So cute!


I'm having a so, so day today. I'm a little burned out. Work has been a little too much lately. I can't wait to go home and have a beer.

Jen

FUN LINK OF THE DAY!

Here is a picture that I took a couple of days ago. This building is right by my house, and every time I walk or drive past it, I think of how I can photograph it so it looks like a beautiful grid of white. I also ponder what the hell the “93” must mean. I pray that it isn’t there to symbolize the year it was built. It would just ruin it for me.

Jen

FUN LINK OF THE DAY!

Well, at least I thought it was fun. I'm a big fan of the "misheard lyrics" section. When I was young, I always misheard song lyrics. In the song, "Every time you go away" he says "you take a piece of me with you." I could have sworn to god when I was little that he said "You take a piece of meat with you." At that young age, I didn't understand how he could take a piece of a person with him so I guessed meat had to be the answer.

Flogging Molly was a blast yesterday minus the severe beating that took place on my body due to the lot pogoing during the show. I was also reminded numerous times that it was going to be St.Patrick's Day by the arseholes dressed in green bowler hats and shirts that said "Kiss me, I'm shitfaced." Actually, I was asked by friends to meet at a "pub" this evening called Finn McCool's (so authentically Irish!) on Main Street in Santa Monica, but recently heard (yes, that is how small Santa Monica is) that a line was out the door. Um, no thank you. As a friend once told me, you shouldn't need a special holiday to drink! Cheers to that!

Once again, no picture, unless a miracle happens between now and midnight!

Jen

FUN LINK OF THE DAY!

Everyone needs a little bathroom humor.

I, sadly enough, do not have a picture today. I guess I was a little over ambitious these past couple of days. . .

Today was a great day until about 4pm. Don't you hate when that happens?

Christie, I may have gotten us into a Shuffleboard challenge the weekend you are in town. Um ok, I actually made the challenge myself. Are you up for it?

Well, I'm off to see Flogging Molly.

Jen

FUN LINK OF THE DAY!

My friend, Tim, e-mailed this to me, and I thought it would be nice to share. Everybody needs music at work.

I don't have too much to share today. Matt and I saw “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle” last night and I actually thought that it was really funny. Also on our Netflix list, we have the first season of "Arrested Development" to look forward to and more "Sopranos" as well. This is what I miss because we a) don't have cable and b) are only able to get ABC on our 13 inch TV!

I wanted to find a picture more fun than these to post, but I like them nonetheless. These are three night images of Santa Monica. I love my camera phone.

Jen

FUN LINK OF THE DAY!

Ahh, yet another reference to John Stamos' hair.

Saturday night, I went to a party in a parking lot. It was my coworker's wife's birthday party. Matt, Greg and I decided that if we were going to be in a parking lot all night, we might as well look like we belong there. So, we all bought different 40's and headed to this area of L.A. I've never been to. It's strange really. When I first moved out here, I was ready to pretty much travel anywhere to hang out with friends or do anything interesting. Now I feel like I'm in lock down on the west side. I try not to leave the coastal region unless it's absolutely necessary. It's mostly because of traffic reasons and also because gas is crazy expensive and I don't feel like waisting it on unessecary things. Anyway, I actually passed La Cienega and my ankle bracelet did not go off! It was a pretty fun night. The best part was the pinata, which is also the FUN PICTURE OF THE DAY! Which, unfortunately, I have to download later because it is on Matt's phone.


This is what I would look like if I had a unicorn pinata body.


This is directly after the first picture. i decided that the Unicorn pinata would look much better without it's legs and then made them into horns!


Greg has a video phone and we made a short about an alcholic bunny pez dispenser. This is a still from an intense scene where the bunny must "chug! chug! chug!" according to the crowds chants.

The weather is fantastic today and I'm looking forward to a nice walk I am planning for myself in a couple of minutes. The cats are driving me crazy, because they keep fighting even though they have been living together since September. You'd think by now thwy would get along, maybe even be friends! Crazy thinking on my part. More fun tomorrow!

Jen

In honor of our four year anniversary, starting next week and ending on the 20th, I wanted to do something special here on the blog, but I have no idea what that will be. Maybe a fun link everyday, maybe a fun picture everyday, maybe both! Ok, it's decided. Starting Monday and ending with Sunday, I will post a fun link and fun picture everyday! Fun! Fun! Fun!

There's not much going on here, unless you mean the endless coverage of the Michael Jackson case! I don't know what the news coverage is like in the rest of the U.S., but here in Southern California, it is all that is on TV. I watched the 11:00 news (as in pm. Don't forget that the news isn't on at 10 pm like it is in Chicago. What a pain in the ass if you actually like to watch Conan O'Brien but have to stay up to 1 or so to actually watch the program!) last night to see what the weather would be like today. Of course, I should have guessed "sunny" because for the most part, this is always true. Instead, I had to sit through a grueling 20 minutes which recapped parts of the the trial and talks with "specialists" to see if Michael will most likely be convicted due to the fact that he was late to court and wearing pajama pants yesterday. Are you kidding me? Where is the real news? Who gives two shits about Michael Jackson anymore? Seriously. I want to know.

Speaking about giving "two shits" about someone, can I also mention John Stamos? I mean, come on. Who cares about your stupid new TV show? Everyone keeps interviewing the guy to get the scoop on the split with Rebecca and if Rebecca is seeing anyone, etc. because in all reality, these interviewers know that John Stamos is a boring d-bag and he has nothing of real interest to say unless it's about his ex-wife. Since I am bitching away, can we please discuss his hair? He's had the same freaking cut since he was Uncle Jesse on "Full House." You probably have enough money to get rid of that bowl cut and actually get a flattering cut, so you stop looking like all the boys in my 7th grade yearbook. (by the way, that was 1991!)

Whew! That felt good!

This is a personal plea to Becky, Greg, Christie, Brian and Mike. Please write stuff next week. I am dying to know how everyone is doing since I don't get to speak to everyone on a daily basis. Please. Pretty please?

Everyone else, look forward to fun stuff come next week.

Jen

How is it that I make too much money to defer my students loans yet I am too poor to actually pay them back?

Ponder this question and get back to me.

I've been meaning to update my Celebrity Sighting list for some time now but have completely forgotton to do so. I finally remember who the hell I saw pumping gas ages ago. I actually remembered about two weeks later when I saw the ad on TV. I saw the guy from Blind Justice, a new cop show on ABC. Upon realizing this, I had to check out Ron Eldard in the Internet Movie Database to figure out what movie he was in that I remembered him from. Unfortunately, I still can't remember the damn movie, but my guess is it's either "Sleepers" or from that stupid TV show he was in, "Men Behaving Badly." So here is my updated list.

1)Host from Street Smarts
2)Ron Eldard
3)Britany Spears
4)Helen Hunt

Just as an FYI to the other peeps on this blog - our four year anniversary of writing on this lovely journal is March 20. I hope that I see some writing from you guys at least that week! Come on! It's so easy!

Jen

Well, it’s official. I have started my written thesis. After much thought and conversation, I am now writing about the search for personal identity through the photograph. I swear it’s going to be a page-turner.

Today I went to the gym and was completely distracted by this woman on a treadmill in front of me. She had this strange routine that repeated itself every five minutes or so. She would start by walking briskly, then jogging and then running. This is normal. What was odd is after five minutes she would jump onto the rails of the treadmill and yell out a very loud “whoo!” as she raised her hands in the air and rocked her hips from side to side. She looked insane. Every time she did it, I would look around the gym for other people’s responses, but it looked like no one cared. Only one time did a guy on a stationary bike in front of her turn around to give her an odd look, but that was it.

I walked down the Venice boardwalk on my way home from the gym, and a respectable looking man walking two very small but posh-looking dogs asked me if he could ask me a question. I could have responded, “ you already did” but not to be a smartass, replied ‘ok.” He then asked me if I had injured my back. I said, “No, am I walking funny?” He then said, “I am a psychic and I noticed a discolored aura coming from your lower back region.” So much for looking respectable.

Back to writing. If anyone knows of any good reads on identity, drop me a note.