What the...

So I went over the Hot Dog joint by the office and got the 2 Dog Special and headed over to the park to eat out in the wonderful weather. Kids are still in school and no one else was around while I dined half in the shade listening to Dan Patrick comment on the Randy Moss trade to New England, and the possibility of Joe Torre getting fired from the Yankees.

After eating I decide I could use an afternoon drink and a candy bar. I have a major sweet tooth and have to have something sweet to silent the voices, so I head to the local Speedway planning on an iced tea and a Kit-Kat. Well, when it was apparent that they were out of the iced tea I like (unsweetened... go figure) everything changed. I grabbed a Vitamin Water and a Snickers paid for my junk and headed back to the office.

When I get back to my desk, I open a few tabs of news stories from Fark.com and peeled back the wrapper of the Snickers bar. I was able to chow down two bites while reading a story about Jeff Gordon passing Old #3 in total wins at a track Dale Earnhardt dominated. During his victory lap, Alabama's finest fans threw their beer cans onto the track in protest. I was unaware that NASCAR let you bring in your own beer into the grandstands. Anyway I finish the story and click the close button as i peek down to make sure I don't eat any wrapper with my next bite and I see green. Inside my candy bar. a gross, food isn't that color unless it is rotten enough to kill you green. I begin to mildly freak out, frantically reading the wrapper for an expiration date and instructions on what to do in case of poisoning when it all becomes clear.

It's a Shrek Snickers. Stupid movie promotions.

It Happens To Us All

The lunch hour is fast approaching, you didn't pack last night's leftovers or make yourself a sandwich. A deadline is approaching and stepping out of your office won't work.

What to do, what to do..

Order yourself a Hot Dog from this guy.

Problem Solved.

Daylight Savings

And the effect it has on the environment.

Two More Weeks

That is all I am giving my beloved Cubs to get their act together and start winning. I can't invest my time like that anymore. I had a 'Family Emergency' last night and was happy to help out. After helping to take care of a situation, making sure everyone was home safe I cruzed back to my place to catch the end of a sure win game. Instead I watched my team blow it in the 12th inning at 11PM. Sure, everyone saw the horrible attempts of home plate umpire Paul Nauert (#96), who may in my opinion be a worse ump than Angel Hernandez (I was at the game when he ejected the Bears player mentioned. I was in the press box one section over from where he sang the 7th inning stretch), to call balls and strikes but I'm sorry because he was not making bad calls only against the Cubs. His strike zone was all over the place for both teams.

Ugh, I don't feel so well

A full Saturday full of bars, Cubs game, more bars and a friends house steadily drinking the entire time will now give me a two day hangover.

Getting older is great.

Career Change?

Some of these programs look interesting. I'm gonna talk to Chef Dusto and see what he thinks.

The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago


Washburn Culinary Institute

The How To Post

How To:

Catch a Seagull

'The Curse' IS REAL!

$136 million man Alfonso Soriano is out with a hamstring injury.

Fucking goat.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In related news, Toni, from Toni's Hair Salon (2216 W Irving Park) is quite possibly my hero. She went out of her way to search me out and return my lost wallet, intact, to me. I apparently dropped it in the street out front of my place last Friday. When I tried to give her a $20 reward, she refused instead giving me her business card and stating in her thick Eastern European accent "I cut hair, you come and see me."

Shear Genius

So Saturday I was watching baseball when the DVR recorder over at Tequila's place switched the channel to the Bravo network for a program named Shear Genius. Its a program about hair dressers that are competing against one another. As I was asking TR if I could switch the channel back to baseball I saw a familiar face on the screen. At that point I was all "Hey, that's Ben!"

I ended up watching my friend perform for the camera.

I asked my sister this morning if she remembered Ben Mollin to which she replied "Remember the time he tattooed Beavis and Butthead on Quent's calf..."

I remember back in the day he gave me a punk rock haircut. My parents didn't approve.

He is also in a band called River Oaks.

Racism, My hand and other happenings from around the world

Don Imus has been fired. Good. He should have never said what he did, in jest or not, on the airwaves and I thought he should have been fired immediately. But for him to have to go on Al Sharpton's radio show and apologize to the Rev. about his racist statements is a joke. The good Rev. Sharpton has made way more inflammatory remarks about white and Jewish people. Diamond Merchants, Bloodsucking Jews, and White Implores are just a few that come to mind. Then there is the Tawana Brawley case where Sharpton was ordered by the court to pay restitution for defamation of character. The Good Rev. has never apologized to the people involved for those remarks.

And what about the three Duke Lacrosse Players, who earlier this week were not only cleared of all charges, but proclaimed completely innocent. Will Sharpton and Jesse Jackson publicly apologize to those boys? No, they won't. They won't even admit that their past statements were improper.


I went to the Hand Doctor yesterday and got the great news that although I did cut into the tendon and nerve line in my hand, everything should heal on its own in due time. I was told that I will have a small area the will forever be void of nerve action, I will regain the dexterity and strength that I had before the injury. This is great news, as my right hand ismy 'money hand'. I was freaking out that I was going to no longer be able to work with the small tools I use at my job thus forcing me to make a career change. I did get out of going to the big trade show in Las Vegas, something I really didn't want to do. Not going, and being on 'light duty' here is costing me several thousand dollars in pay I would have received though.

At least I'm not this guy. ***warning** the linked picture and story is GRAPHIC.

Food For thought

This is the year of the Periodical Cicada's. There will be millions of the ugly, red-eyed bugs pretty much everywhere.

I found these recipes, so get yourself a bucket, gather up the bugs and eat them up.

Drums!

Drive your office mates nuts with these drums.

It's fun.

It's annoying.

It'll drive 'em crazy in no time.

Stitches Out

Just got back from the Dr. Here's a short review:

Doc: Sure we can take those out, how does it feel?
Me: Well, I can't really squeeze and my finger is numb
Doc: where? [grabbing my finger]
Me: Right there, up to here.
Doc: well, if it doesn't get feeling in another few days I'm going to want you to go see a hand specialist. Make a fist.. now with the other hand.
Me: [forming my hands into punching form]
Doc: With your right hand, make a fist...
Me: I am
Doc: You need to see the hand Doc right away....


Business trip canceled. Can't get into the hand Doc until 4/19. Can't really do much work, but have to be in the office until at least then.

Now I'm Freaking Out................

For Steve #2

Last Day

Today is my last day on the DL. My hand feels a lot better today. I can move it, and grasp with it. I still have some numbness in my finger, but seeing as the cut was narrow and deep most likely I cut some nerves and will now always have that.

Tomorrow I go back to work, then in the early afternoon I will go see my Doc and get the stitches removed. I'm looking forward to being able to shower without having to wear the rubber glove on my hand.

The 5 Day DL

Being on the 'disabled list' for 5 days is not really what it is cracked up to be. Sure, I have been home with no real responsibilities, but I can't really do anything.

I called the Dr., going to see her on Thursday. I noticed spots on my pinky finger that are numb and now I'm afraid I may have done some permanent nerve damage.

The Landlord put in new laundry machines recently. One washer and one dryer for 8 units. Somehow they are always in use. I guess I'll just pack up my crap and head down to the laundromat. Not my most favorite place to be, but i need clean clothes.

Routine things like showering, cooking, eating are driving me crazy. I have to use a rubber glove to keep my hand dry. I can't squeeze or pull r really hold anything with my right hand.

The Tribune Co. announced this morning that my beloved Cubbies will be 'For Sale' after this year. Hopefully someone who knows how to and wants to run a successful baseball team buys them.

Play Ball

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the CUBBIES ,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

The Major League Baseball Season starts tonight at 7PM on ESPN2. The hated Mets take on the even more hated Cards.

I love this website. Find restaurants that deliver to your house on-line, some even take on-line orders!

NOTE: only available in the following cities:
New York
Chicago
Milwaukee
San Francisco