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September 1, 2006

Shedd Aquarium

On our last half-day Friday of the year, Liz and I decided to spend our time at the Shedd Aquarium. It's been a while since I've been here (and even longer for Liz - last time she was here was when she was a kid). I've got a lot of [read more...]

September 2, 2006

Frankfort Fall Festival

Liz was going to take the train down to Frankfort today, with me following later on in the evening. However, she found out (at the station) that there was a derailment earlier in the day, and her line was down. I ended up picking her up downtown, and the two [read more...]

September 3, 2006

Frankfort Fall Festival

Today was an early day, as I was drafted into work last night to help with the Festival. Everyone who works as a volunteer for the festival gets a yellow shirt - and I got mine this morning. My alarm went off at 6:30 AM, and I was the first [read more...]

Waterballon War

OK. By far one of the highlights of today, for me, was the neighborhood water balloon fight. I guess this is a newer tradition that's started to take hold, where two sides of the street go water balloon crazy. Mostly, I think it's the volunteers who participate in this. That, [read more...]

September 4, 2006

Updates!

09/01/2006 09/03/2006 [read more...]

September 5, 2006

Day Off

Spent most of today doing some studying, some coding. I woke up early and made my way to Filter, for some breakfast and people watching. I've been thinking a lot about that one day when I woke up early, and how I chose to go to Filter instead of going [read more...]

Now that the dust has settled...

We got back to Liz's apartment to find that the entire place, and I'm talking every surface from the bathroom to the living room, was covered in a thin layer of dust. The landlord was doing some work on the place, and had some workers install a new front door. [read more...]

September 6, 2006

Carrie

by Ted Kooser "There's never an end to dust and dusting," my aunt would say as her rag, like a thunderhead, scudded across the yellow oak of her little house. There she lived seventy years with a ball of compulsion closed in her fist, and an elbow that creaked and [read more...]

Applescript: Success!

I feel good. Got my first decently complex Applescript under my belt. Granted, it's pieced together from a lot of other sources, but I made my way through each one - methodically stitching and editing as needed. It's kind of ridiculous that I spent almost two days to get this [read more...]

Here's my number... call me?

I'm looking to test out some stuff on my end. So if you're able and have a spare minute or two... would you mind giving me a call and leaving a message? It'd help me out a lot. Seven seven three, three nine four, two zero one seven. Muchly appreciated! [read more...]

September 7, 2006

Depot @ Snepo Arrives

The fine gents at Snepo.com have finally thrown wide the curtains, and launched their new app today: Depot. I just saw mention of this this morning (it's September 8 as I write this entry), so I have yet to really dig around and play with things yet. However, if [read more...]

South Beach: A Nice Place to Diet

Started the South Beach Diet today, with Liz. She's decided to go on it, and seeing as how I've mostly been sitting in front of a computer screen these last four years... I thought it would be smart for me to do the same. While I think weight loss is [read more...]

September 8, 2006

A Mac for Me: Full Circle

Well, ever since I made the switch over from PC to Mac, I've been waiting to make the same change at work. Everyone else on the design side is on a Mac, and I've been overdue for a new computer for some time now. I've been a PC user [read more...]

September 9, 2006

A Day of Food

A large chunk of today was spent gathering, purchasing, or cooking food. Liz and I had a lazy day of reading planned, maybe an afternoon movie... but we decided to run some errands first. We got a ton of food (mostly stuff for me, so I could have enough meals/snacks [read more...]

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

Nothing says "Happy B-Day" like cookies. While we were out shopping today, Liz and I got a few things as a surprise for her roommate, Lisa. We mixed a few bags of cookies into a large bowl, got a card and had the Cookie Monster help us out. [read more...]

Filter, Briefly

We tried to head over to Filter, with some books in tow, for some coffee and reading time. However, when we got there... the music was blasting (and it was bad enough that it made us pack up and leave). Mind you, I'm not talking about the volume - I'm [read more...]

Corridor

Winchester, just south of Division. [read more...]

Did Some Digging Around

Found out who it was they were playing: Beat Happening. I can say, without equivocation, that I really, really don't like these guys. At all. In fact, I think it was TV Girl that I remember most vividly. Ugh. I did try to give their music a fair shake, while [read more...]

September 10, 2006

Meh

Housekeeping day. Mostly laundry, preparing food for the next week. I feel better on this diet. Or, at least, I think I do. It's only been a few days, so it's likely hard for me to actually notice any real change. But I *think* I feel better. I've been eating [read more...]

September 11, 2006

South Beach Diet, Status

I hopped on a scale to weigh myself last night. I'm at about 196, which is good considering that I remember being over 200 the last time I weighed myself (some many months ago). I *think* I've lost weight, but I'm not sure. I don't know that I'm going to [read more...]

September 12, 2006

Apple: Showtime

Today, during work, a bunch of us were listening/watching the announcements unfold at Apple's presentation in San Fransisco. Of the many new features they introduced, the unbelievably small iPod Shuffle is among the ones that make the jaw drop. Also, several announcements that ride on iTunes 7: the ability [read more...]

September 13, 2006

Hysterical & Unsettling

Got this text message late in the day yesterday, from rypunked. My question is: why can't people see my 60-year old millionaire dopplegänger, as he's walking by, blowing his nose with $100 bills? Last night, hanging out with Justin, we saw a guy at Filter who could count as [read more...]

You can't make a flower without cracking...

This new guy showed up at the office, courtesy of Jane. ----- -------- [read more...]

September 14, 2006

WLUP Promotion

Today, in my Inbox, I got an email about an upcoming WLUP (The Loop) promotion, slated for next week. I'll let you read the actual press release (below), for all the details. Suffice it to say, I think this whole event sounds pretty darn incredible. The actual tightrope will be [read more...]

Renegade Craft Fair: This Weekend!

My friends Kent and Christine (aka Twospace) will be participating in this year's Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago's Wicker Park. Lots of good stuff to be had, and a great way to spend an afternoon. If you do attend, make sure to swing by their booth and check out their [read more...]

Wii!

Nintendo's latest console system (named Wii) arrives on November 19. The controllers are what's most attractive to me. I don't know that I actually want to buy a home gaming console, but looking at this... I'm very tempted. If I actually got one, I would assume I'd always be [read more...]

Press Release: MARIO WALLENDA OF THE “FLYING WALLENDA'S” TO PERFORM HIGH-WIRE ACT ACROSS CHICAGO RIVER

WLUP-FM (The Loop 97.9) morning air personality Jonathon Brandmeier invites Mario Wallenda to travel across a high-wire above the Chicago River on a motorized “Skycycle”, live on the air in front of the world-famous Merchandise Mart! Paralyzed from the waist down in a high-wire accident in 1962, Mario Wallenda of [read more...]

September 15, 2006

Twenty Four

I have more plans and projects than there are hours in the day. With each passing year, the notion of time has become increasingly more valuable to me. [read more...]

September 16, 2006

Renegade Craft Fair

Today, Liz and I had a big day planned, attending the Renegade Craft Fair at Wicker Park. However, at Liz's apartment, we both had a bit of a surprise in store. This is the view from her front steps. Looking out onto the street. Where a festival was being [read more...]

September 17, 2006

Welcome, Paige!

Liz and I went down to Frankfort today, and had dinner with her family. She took my car early this morning (she's working part-time, down there) and I met up with her later on via Metra. Tonight was my first glimpse of baby Paige, newly arrived and all sorts [read more...]

September 18, 2006

Media Pass

Got my little media pass today from work, which should allow me to hang with the actual reporters/media tomorrow. I debated going up to the roof of the Mart, as that was one of the media locations... but that seems a little bit TOO high. I've been up there [read more...]

Two Futures

Check out these two videos of Zero 7 (featuring José González). The first version is by Robert Seidel and the other by DuckEye (the first being deemed not commercial enough, or some such thing). Personally, I like the Seidel version a bit more. Futures, directed by Robert Seidel. Futures, directed [read more...]

September 19, 2006

Mario Wallenda, Crossing the Chicago River

Today, outside of the Mart, there was a big WLUP promotion featuring Mario Wallenda and his "Skycycle." A thin wire was stretched across the Chicago River (via two cranes), and a big crowd had gathered to see the spectacle. For the backstory to this, check out the press release I [read more...]

September 20, 2006

Ann Paeth

It's been two years now, since my friend Ann died. I feel a little guilty that the day has slipped by, and I haven't spent as much time thinking about her, remembering her. I guess this is what happens with time - the grieving lessens, but the tradeoff is that [read more...]

What's Up, Doc?

Went in for a routine physical today. First time in a super long, long time since I've been to see a doctor. Since I've started the diet, I've been more conscious of my body overall... and it felt time to get a checkup. I liked my doctor (Dr. Sanjay [read more...]

Dear Kate

You left me a message, but it got cut off before you left a contact number. I have no way of reaching you. I'm not even sure if you read this thing, but if you do... please send me an email, and let me know how I can get a [read more...]

Audioplayer Updated: Imogen Heap

Over on twelvestone, polymorph posted a link to a pretty cool video of Imogen Heap, playing live. She was doing a spot for Zach Braff's latest movie, and the songs were pretty amazing. Heap is one part of the group Frou Frou, which I got into after hearing their song [read more...]

September 21, 2006

Interrupting Mr. Squirrel's Dinner

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On the way home

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September 22, 2006

Fancy Date Night

So it's been officially two weeks that Liz and I have been on our diet. As a sort of celebration (and also because it's been a while since we've really eaten out anywhere), we planned for a nice evening out. We threw on some nice clothes, and headed over [read more...]