I know there's a certain amount of cheesiness in this commercial, and yes, it's a complete rip-off of Field of Dreams, but how can you not love any commercial featuring Ernie Banks and Billy Williams?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
The day I've waited for all winter is finally here: Opening Day at Wrigley Field!
Yes, it's raining. Yes, it's been a full century since the Cubs last won the World Series. Yes, the Cubs routinely disappoint us and break our hearts. Yes, we get our hopes up each year only to have them crushed by the All-Star Break.
But next year is here.
I believe 2008 will be filled with Cubs magic and they will win it all. And I look forward to at least one fun-filled sunny afternoon in the bleachers this summer. Of course, I don't have tickets yet, but I'm happy to let anyone take me to a game. Hint. Hint. Hint.
Yes, it's raining. Yes, it's been a full century since the Cubs last won the World Series. Yes, the Cubs routinely disappoint us and break our hearts. Yes, we get our hopes up each year only to have them crushed by the All-Star Break.
But next year is here.
I believe 2008 will be filled with Cubs magic and they will win it all. And I look forward to at least one fun-filled sunny afternoon in the bleachers this summer. Of course, I don't have tickets yet, but I'm happy to let anyone take me to a game. Hint. Hint. Hint.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Yes, Hell HAS Frozen Over
Mandatory Disclaimer: I love my dad. He's a pretty cool guy. He introduced me to Watervale, a place I cherish. How could anyone dislike a guy like that? My dad is a good man and wouldn't hurt a fly. He taught me about antiques. He taught me to love the Cubs. Okay, that's actually a fault because that has subjected me to lifetime of continual heartbreak. But did I mention I love my dad?
Okay, now that you know that I love my dad, let me say again: Yes, Hell HAS Frozen Over.
My dad has one major fault: He's a Republican and he always votes. (And, in case you're not sure, I'm not.) In fact, I don't think he's ever met a Democratic candidate he liked. In order to keep family peace, we cannot discuss politics. EVER. But sometimes, I make little jabs. Like telling him that Democrats always vote the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November and Republicans vote the next day. He doesn't like that much.
Late this afternoon, we had a fairly quick conversation. As our conversation was concluding, I said, "Dad, you should vote for Obama in the Indiana primary in May." (My dad lives in Indiana, so this is possible.) Now, I said this as a joke because I knew Hell would freeze over before he voted for a Democrat. But his response shocked me. He asked me why he shouldn't vote for Hillary. And he was serious.
So that started a short political conversation.
Ultimately, my dad said that what he wants to happen in the Democratic party is for the whole Obama/Clinton decision to go to the convention in August. And then at the convention for Al Gore to end up with the nomination as a way to bring party unity.
I insisted that would never happen, but my dad insists that Al Gore could win in 2008. Not just the Democratic nomination, but the whole election! My dad believes Al Gore could beat John McCain! (Ed Note: Read the Gore link. It's pretty interesting and has a fun twist that I hadn't thought about previously. I could actually get behind the twist.)
I like Gore. I like him a lot. I really wish he had been our president for the last 8 years, but I won't go down that road right now. I wish he would run again, but I also believe he's done running for President.
Being the smart ass that I am, I asked my dad, why, if Gore was so great and beloved by all, didn't more people vote for him 8 years ago?
My dad said, "they should have."
Yep. My dad, who voted for W twice and never misses an opportunity to punch R on a ballot, now regrets his decision in 2000. He wishes he had voted for Gore.
Me too, Dad. I wish you had too.
You may want to place money on a Cubs World Series victory in October. Hell has officially frozen.
Okay, now that you know that I love my dad, let me say again: Yes, Hell HAS Frozen Over.
My dad has one major fault: He's a Republican and he always votes. (And, in case you're not sure, I'm not.) In fact, I don't think he's ever met a Democratic candidate he liked. In order to keep family peace, we cannot discuss politics. EVER. But sometimes, I make little jabs. Like telling him that Democrats always vote the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November and Republicans vote the next day. He doesn't like that much.
Late this afternoon, we had a fairly quick conversation. As our conversation was concluding, I said, "Dad, you should vote for Obama in the Indiana primary in May." (My dad lives in Indiana, so this is possible.) Now, I said this as a joke because I knew Hell would freeze over before he voted for a Democrat. But his response shocked me. He asked me why he shouldn't vote for Hillary. And he was serious.
So that started a short political conversation.
Ultimately, my dad said that what he wants to happen in the Democratic party is for the whole Obama/Clinton decision to go to the convention in August. And then at the convention for Al Gore to end up with the nomination as a way to bring party unity.
I insisted that would never happen, but my dad insists that Al Gore could win in 2008. Not just the Democratic nomination, but the whole election! My dad believes Al Gore could beat John McCain! (Ed Note: Read the Gore link. It's pretty interesting and has a fun twist that I hadn't thought about previously. I could actually get behind the twist.)
I like Gore. I like him a lot. I really wish he had been our president for the last 8 years, but I won't go down that road right now. I wish he would run again, but I also believe he's done running for President.
Being the smart ass that I am, I asked my dad, why, if Gore was so great and beloved by all, didn't more people vote for him 8 years ago?
My dad said, "they should have."
Yep. My dad, who voted for W twice and never misses an opportunity to punch R on a ballot, now regrets his decision in 2000. He wishes he had voted for Gore.
Me too, Dad. I wish you had too.
You may want to place money on a Cubs World Series victory in October. Hell has officially frozen.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
THIS is "Out Like A Lamb"?
When we were little, we all learned that March "comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb."
Spring arrived on March 20th and since then, the Chicago Area has been hit with one snow storm and, despite the calendar saying it's March 27th, is about to get hit with more snow.
According to the National Weather Service:
I don't care how much snow we get, I'm not shoveling.
UPDATE 12:33pm: UUUUGGGHHHH!!!!!!! It's snowing! One of my friends just suggested that I stay in and snuggle under the blankets in front of the fireplace. If I could find the fireplace, that oddly the Cook County Assessors' Office insists I have, I might do that. Except that I have a lot of work to do today, so really, that's not gonna happen. Even if I had a fireplace.
Spring arrived on March 20th and since then, the Chicago Area has been hit with one snow storm and, despite the calendar saying it's March 27th, is about to get hit with more snow.
According to the National Weather Service:
The National Weather Service forecast for today calls for periods of rain and snow, becoming all snow after 1 p.m. The high for today is 37, with northeast wind around 15 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch is possible.The Weather Channel says that by 3:00pm, Arlington Heights has 100% chance of snow. Yippee.
Tonight, there's a 40 percent chance of snow. The low will be around 26. North northeast wind between 10 and 15 mph.
According to forecasters, the total accumulation will be between 1 and 3 inches.
I don't care how much snow we get, I'm not shoveling.
UPDATE 12:33pm: UUUUGGGHHHH!!!!!!! It's snowing! One of my friends just suggested that I stay in and snuggle under the blankets in front of the fireplace. If I could find the fireplace, that oddly the Cook County Assessors' Office insists I have, I might do that. Except that I have a lot of work to do today, so really, that's not gonna happen. Even if I had a fireplace.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
I'm No Longer a Virgin Gardener!
As you will remember, last summer was the first time I played in dirt and experimented with gardening. I grew tomatoes, lavender, irises, primrose and a number of other things. And not to brag, but I was fairly successful. I weeded pretty regularly, did not use nasty pesticides, and did not have pesky critters with the exception of one disgusting tomato bug at the very end of the summer.
This summer, I'm feeling more adventurous and I want to do more food gardening. I have a fairly large area to plant in - two large beds immediately off the patio that get direct sunlight most of the day and a third bed along the back of the house that thanks to a large tree gets mostly shade. In addition to being healthier and fresher than buying veggies from the store, growing my own will help stretch my budget, as I fully expect to start needing to direct deposit my paycheck to Citgo any day now.
Earlier today, Gourmet Goddess posted about the state of the world and mentioned her upcoming gardening projects. This prompted me to ask some gardening questions which prompted her to just do a whole post on gardening.
Newly armed with outstanding gardening advice, I feel confident about my plans for the summer. Of course, that will require that it stop snowing sometime before August.
Thanks for the help Heather! I'll have to have you over for dinner this summer when I have some food from my garden!
This summer, I'm feeling more adventurous and I want to do more food gardening. I have a fairly large area to plant in - two large beds immediately off the patio that get direct sunlight most of the day and a third bed along the back of the house that thanks to a large tree gets mostly shade. In addition to being healthier and fresher than buying veggies from the store, growing my own will help stretch my budget, as I fully expect to start needing to direct deposit my paycheck to Citgo any day now.
Earlier today, Gourmet Goddess posted about the state of the world and mentioned her upcoming gardening projects. This prompted me to ask some gardening questions which prompted her to just do a whole post on gardening.
Newly armed with outstanding gardening advice, I feel confident about my plans for the summer. Of course, that will require that it stop snowing sometime before August.
Thanks for the help Heather! I'll have to have you over for dinner this summer when I have some food from my garden!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Another in the Series: Yes, Jessica is Blonde
A few minutes ago, a friend of mine who only has a cell phone calls me and we're having a lovely conversation. Now, mind you, my friend has had a beer or two prior to calling me.
In the midst of the conversation, I ask "Did you get the text message I sent you earlier?"
He responds, "No, I did not. I don't know where my phone is. I think it's out in my car."
In all seriousness, I tell him, "Well, you better go find it. You wouldn't want to lose your phone."
Without missing a beat, he replies, "You're right. Plus, I don't want my phone sitting out in my car in this freezing weather."
Ten minutes later, we have to end our conversation because his phone battery is about to die. And then it hits us both. He's talking on the one and only phone he has and the one and only phone I sent him a text message on.
We laughed at ourselves for another five minutes. His excuse was two beers. Mine is simply that I'm blonde.
In the midst of the conversation, I ask "Did you get the text message I sent you earlier?"
He responds, "No, I did not. I don't know where my phone is. I think it's out in my car."
In all seriousness, I tell him, "Well, you better go find it. You wouldn't want to lose your phone."
Without missing a beat, he replies, "You're right. Plus, I don't want my phone sitting out in my car in this freezing weather."
Ten minutes later, we have to end our conversation because his phone battery is about to die. And then it hits us both. He's talking on the one and only phone he has and the one and only phone I sent him a text message on.
We laughed at ourselves for another five minutes. His excuse was two beers. Mine is simply that I'm blonde.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Happy 80th Birthday, Mr. Rogers!
Today is the 80th birthday of the late Fred Rogers.
I wasn't allowed to watch much tv when I was a kid, but Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was always allowed.
In this big, bad world we live in today, it's nice to be able to remember the simplistic truths of this life. Mr. Rogers likes us just the way we are and if we liked everyone just the way they were, without expectation, maybe the world would be a better place.
So in honor of Mr. Rogers and Sweater Days, here are a few YouTube videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.
Opening Theme Song, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"
Testifying before the US Senate in 1969 . . .
A rare interview from 1986. . .
This is Mr. McFeely telling us about Sweater Days.
Mr. Rogers' goodbye . . . If you're a true fan of Mr. Rogers, can you really watch this with a dry eye?
And, of course, we can't close this blog post without the traditional closing to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, "It's Such A Good Feeling." I gotta add this one to my iPod. Sorry about the crappy video and the thing at the end . . . you gotta take what you can get on YouTube.
I wasn't allowed to watch much tv when I was a kid, but Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was always allowed.
In this big, bad world we live in today, it's nice to be able to remember the simplistic truths of this life. Mr. Rogers likes us just the way we are and if we liked everyone just the way they were, without expectation, maybe the world would be a better place.
So in honor of Mr. Rogers and Sweater Days, here are a few YouTube videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.
Opening Theme Song, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"
Testifying before the US Senate in 1969 . . .
A rare interview from 1986. . .
This is Mr. McFeely telling us about Sweater Days.
Mr. Rogers' goodbye . . . If you're a true fan of Mr. Rogers, can you really watch this with a dry eye?
And, of course, we can't close this blog post without the traditional closing to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, "It's Such A Good Feeling." I gotta add this one to my iPod. Sorry about the crappy video and the thing at the end . . . you gotta take what you can get on YouTube.
What Breed of Liberal Are YOU?
I found this super cool quiz "What Breed of Liberal Are You?" over on nermal, not normal and of course had to take it immediately. Trust me, you'll love it.
My Liberal Identity:
You are a New Left Hipster, also known as a MoveOn.org liberal, a Netroots activist, or a Daily Show fanatic. You believe that if we really want to defend American values, conservatives must be exposed, mocked, and assailed for every fanatical, puritanical, warmongering, Constitution-shredding ideal for which they stand.
Take the quiz at www.fightconservatives.com
It's Here! We Made It To Spring!
Ah . . . . crisp fresh air. Sunshine. Blue skies. Melted snow. And my calendar says that today is the Spring Equinox. I made it through the endless winter of 2007-2008.
Taking out the garbage this morning, I noticed that the ground was no longer frozen solid. That means I will soon be seeing my tulips popping up. And after that, the hastas will be back. And, of course, the rabbits too. And the perennials plants in my backyard garden, too. I honestly don't even remember what I planted back there. Watching all the plants appear will be like Christmas morning!
It's about to warm. It's not yet warm, but somehow the 32 degrees didn't feel so cold today.
And the Cubs open at Wrigley in 11 days.
As I write this, my neighbor Louise is outside arranging her fake tulips in her rock garden. Really. She put away the fake winter flowers and wooden reindeer and snowmen this morning and brought out the spring flowers. Yes, her rock garden has fake flowers, but the rest of her yard will soon be overflowing with real flowers - rose bushes will line her driveway and there will be too many different types of flowers in the back to name. She must be almost 90, but she'll be out there every morning weeding, planting, watering, and generally tending to her gardens. She inspires me. Seeing Louise outside tinkering is a sure sign that Spring is here.
I know it's supposed to snow tonight and we may get up to 10 inches, but I'm still grateful the calendar says Spring. That means the snow and muck can't last all that long.
Taking out the garbage this morning, I noticed that the ground was no longer frozen solid. That means I will soon be seeing my tulips popping up. And after that, the hastas will be back. And, of course, the rabbits too. And the perennials plants in my backyard garden, too. I honestly don't even remember what I planted back there. Watching all the plants appear will be like Christmas morning!
It's about to warm. It's not yet warm, but somehow the 32 degrees didn't feel so cold today.
And the Cubs open at Wrigley in 11 days.
As I write this, my neighbor Louise is outside arranging her fake tulips in her rock garden. Really. She put away the fake winter flowers and wooden reindeer and snowmen this morning and brought out the spring flowers. Yes, her rock garden has fake flowers, but the rest of her yard will soon be overflowing with real flowers - rose bushes will line her driveway and there will be too many different types of flowers in the back to name. She must be almost 90, but she'll be out there every morning weeding, planting, watering, and generally tending to her gardens. She inspires me. Seeing Louise outside tinkering is a sure sign that Spring is here.
I know it's supposed to snow tonight and we may get up to 10 inches, but I'm still grateful the calendar says Spring. That means the snow and muck can't last all that long.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Happy Anniversary!
Today marks the 5 year anniversary of our war in Iraq. That's 1827 days. Of course, it has also been 1784 days since Pres. Bush proudly declared "Mission Accomplished" while thrusting his virility in the face of everyone on the planet.
What have we accomplsihed in the last 5 years?
- 3990 dead American soliders
- 23,000-100,000 injured American soliders
- 1,189,173 dead Iraqis
- spent over $1.3 TRILLION in 5 years
Some might argue that the money we've spent in Iraq could have been better spent. Let's see what else we could have done with that money.
One day in Iraq costs $720 million. According to the American Friends Service Committee:
- Health Insurance for an adult costs $4,403 per year. $720 Million could cover 163,525 people.
- The average cost of a new elementary school is $8,497,627. $720 Million could pay for 84 brand new schools.
- It costs $624 to give a child free school lunches for a year. $720 Million could buy lunch for 1,153,846 kids.
- An affordable housing unit costs around $111,061. $720 Million could buy 6,482 homes.
- A year of Head Start costs $7550. $720 Million could open 95,364 new slots.
- The average cost of renewable electricity for a home is $565/year. $720 Million could pay for 1,274,336 homes to have it.
- An average school teacher’s salary is $57,000. $720 Million could put 12, 478 new teachers in the classroom.
- The average cost of a four-year state university is $20,628. $720 Million could put 34,904 students through college.
- Health insurance for a child costs $1,700 per year. $720 Million could cover 423,529 kids.
I would even argue that if that money were jostling around the US Economy, we might not be in a recession and New Orleans would be rebuilt by now.
Like Barack Obama, I have been against this war from the beginning. And I am saddened by all that could have been, but for this war. Now I'm not arguing that we should have sat idly by after September 11th, but the fact is that Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with September 11th, and it seems to me that the Bush Administration knew it. We should have finished what we started in Afghanistan. If we had, maybe we'd have Osama Bin Laden by now. And maybe so many soliders lives wouldn't have been destroyed.
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