Georgia on My Mind...

It's Friday night, I'm watching Jersey Girl. Ahhh hotel TV.

Day three began with a bit of instant karma. The 'ol Church Lady from dinner the other night apparently had a scare with a cock-a-roach in her room last night! Even more ironically...while she was eating dinner!!! She was moved to another room, but alas, it had no air conditioning and it was the only room left in the whole hotel. I guess somethings do come back to almost bite you in the ass, huh?

Drumline, what? When we were leaving the convention center, we came across a high school drum line practicing in the parking garage below the Atlanta Hawk's arena. I took some video, they were awesome. Unfortunately I don't know how to put it in here. I guess you can take my word for it. As they were practicing, some guy was getting handcuffed for something near us, yet him and the cop were laughing. This place is amazing.

It was a very long day, but it ended wonderfully. After dinner, I went to Centenial Park which is across the street, with my co-worker Debbie. Beautiful flowers, birds chirping, wonderful breeze....glorious.

On the otherside of the park was a water feature shaped like the Olympic rings and it should have been called "Bring Your Adorable Children to Frolick in the Water" park...too much presh to handle.

Exhibits A, B, C...well you get the picture.

The last little guy pictured was one of the cutest kids I've ever seen. Running around, holding hands with the little girls. So much personality. After a while, all these kids rubbed off on me, I decided to do a bit of frolicking myself. It kind of backfired, I got a little drenched. But I had a blast! It was a bit liberating! Just like going in the sprinkler when you were little...except I was always the kid who didn't want to run through the sprinkler. Sometimes I think you need to just let go. Even if it takes you 20 years to do so.

I obviously enjoyed myself. One of the best nights I've had in a while. Oddly enough, on a business trip. I really like Atlanta. A lot.

Tomorrow, one half day of exhibiting and then try to do something cool before I have to go to the airport and then home to this monster....

This is...CNN.

The weather back in Chicago was nice today huh? It was beautiful here too! I actually got out to see some of it also!



Had lunch outside the CNN building.



Neato Mailbox!



Christ School had a tour of the CNN building. They took a picture in front of the CNN sign...I'm in it, stuffing my mouth with a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger along with lot's of annoying kids and Mom's with HUGE hair.



HUGE, I repeat HUGE NCAA Bracket on the side of the convention center. The finals are going to be here in the ATL soon.




Super Duper Fans.



Speaking of superfans...

I've actually participated in the whole March Madness Craze this year. I did a bracket, for only $5.00, that I still haven't paid...but I've been in first place for while! I'm still doing well, but I picked NC to win it all...and I'm pretty sure Florida will. But still, pretty good for someone who knows more about the MTV version of Sweet Sixteen than the ESPN version. I even watched a few games tonight. Big ups to Kansas and Memphis for keeping me on top.

Exhibiting is going okay. I'm really tired though and I think my feet are broken. It's only day one. I ate dinner in my room and I then fell asleep until 8:30. I woke up to the sound of televised poker...which is ironic because that is usually what I fall asleep to at home.

I'm hoping to go to Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles before I leave.

No rappers yet. WTF? I thought I'd find Luda on the 50 yard line of the Georgia dome....ya know where the dirty birds kick for t'ree?

what a let down.

Bed time.

As God is My Witness...

I made it to Atlanta. Finally. I left my house at 8 am and one shared limo ride, one 2 hour flight delay, two episodes of This American Life, two screaming babies, an hour and a half in the air and a cab ride later....I finally made it to my hotel around 5:30 pm. I didn't meet any rappers yet, but I also haven't really had a chance to get out and about. I also forgot (I'm not sure how) that "Designing Women" was based in Atlanta. I would settle for meeting a Sugarbaker...or Delta Burke.

Speaking of TV...because why wouldn't I be watching TV? I wonder how much more it would cost hotels to just go crazy and get extended cable in the rooms. They have the wierdest channels. At least I have A&E and Bill Curtis.

It's really warm and nice here. The cab driver said they had a really nice winter, no snow, no ice...It made me jealous.

One of the women I am with has never traveled for work before. For starters, she is one of the most annoying people I've encountered in a while...but being with her for 9 hours today was very trying. I'm having a hard time dealing with her. On the way to the hotel, she whispered at what a "bad neighborhood" we were in...I wanted to remind her that we were in Atlanta, not St. Charles and not to be alarmed, but...African American's do make up a majority of the population here. Then, at dinner this evening, she made the waiter re-do our bill because her entree was a dollar more than it was listed on the menu. A dollar. I was so embarrassed. Everyone at the table (there are a total of 4 of us) told her not to make a big deal out of it...but she did anyway. I tried to bite my tongue, but I think I ended up snapping at her. So I decided I'd split up the bill 4 ways and I gave him a big tip and she said "well, I guess he ended up getting an extra 3 dollars, so it didn't matter that had him take the dollar off." What is wrong with people? I failed to mention that she announced as we sat down for dinner that this was the first Wednesday in 24 weeks that she missed her bible study. WWJD if he was overcharged a dollar on his bill. For sure he would ask them to take it off....It was a wonderful dinner at a really nice restaurant and she was freaking out over a dollar...which she wasn't even paying for!!!

She's also never been to an ATM.

I have a smoking room. Tomorrow...I buy cigarettes. It's necessary.

As of right now though...things are looking up. I'm not in St. Louis, I haven't gotten berated for having a liberal arts degree yet, and it's only the first day but I've yet to be proposed to by a toothless black man in a silky budweiser shirt...although I did get visually undressed by a couple dudes setting up the exhibits...flattery will get them everywhere.

Tavis Smiley is on. I have to go now.

Tomorrow, exhibit day 1. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers...but don't you dare ask me for your dollar back, bitch.

Picture Box

It may be unhealthy that I watch as much television as I do. With that being said though, I think I may start writing about either in here or in yet another blog. Just a thought...

Whiiirrrrrrrrrrrrr

What a week! What...a...week!

Sean was out of town from Monday through Wednesday, which left me with a lot of time on my hands. I thought about having an torrid affair, but I figured that would have been much less fun than what I actually ended up doing. I decided since he was going to be coming home on Weds, which was his birthday, that i would make some cupcakes and put up some decorations as a surprise. I made funfetti cupcakes while I was watching Idol contestants slaughter Miss D. Ross' catalog of songs and I even made my own frosting which was very simple and it tastes awesome. I worked hard while the bonzo cat tried to destroy and eat everything that I was putting up. Whatever they coat streamers with is apparently mighty delicious to little kitties. Lots of hard work and TLC later, I think I did a pretty nice job!







My surprise was a success and he had a very nice birthday, besides being reminded that he is now in his "late 20's". Hopefully some youthful decorations and a dinner of Bison helped soften the blow.



Milo will be one in April and I decided while I was on a birthday kick, I would buy him an early present. I have had my eye on a certain article of cat clothing at Target, and I broke down and become "that person" who buys clothes for their pet. I don't care, it was awesome. Was being the key word. I had to take it back because it wasn't big enough to cover his fat gut. It's really a shame, I think he liked it.

Notice the fat gut in the first picture.





Oh well.

The weekend was just as busy and by yesterday I was exhausted. I leave to go to HOTlanta tomorrow and I will be there for yet another math convention. The weather is going to be grand and I can use a break from the office. While I am there I hope to go here and see some of the art they have on loan from the Louvre. Some people from work suggested that I go here and I would actually like to, seeing as it's closing on April 7th. Unfortunately, it closes at 5 pm and I don't think I'll make it in. Another suggestion was Diddy's establishment Justin's and last but not least Gladys Knight's joint which actually would be my first pick. Sadly enough, I'll be stuffed in an exhibit booth for 8 hours a day

More than anything though, I would like to meet a rapper. Maybe Luda, TI, or at the very least one of the East Side Boyz. Fingers Crossed!

I'm going to watch the Hills! It's Lauren's 21st! AAAAAGGHHH!!

I have no idea how this happens....

I often think that the shittiest thing about becoming an aware adult is realizing that people are really a mess when it comes down to it. The question is when you give up or when you say you're in it for the long haul...or at least another couple years or so.

When you're young, you don't take into consideration that at a certain point in life you will have to deal with heavy shit. Illness, death, hurt, confusion, love, the absence of love, and all those other fond memories. I think it comes down to who you have in your corner and I've always tried to surround myself with people who I knew I could count on in a situation like that. In return though, I have given of myself to those who I thought were deserving. I think though that I, as many people do, have let some friends fall to the wayside in the past. As an adult, you realize when someone needs you, and you try to be there for them. Even if, as in my case, you get shit on a lot.

Recently though, I wonder whether I'll get any pay back for the shit storm I have often ensued. I guess I just have to wait and see what happens with the other 3 quarters of my life. It's frustrating and it makes you question who you are and what kind of standards you're holding others to. Are those realistic? In the sum of all things, probably not. People are a ball of flaws. Either you can deal with them or you can decide to break your ties. This has been my struggle the last couple days.

I think I just signed myself up for another tour of duty.

Do they give out purple hearts for acts of friendship?

Perhaps I'm holding myself in better regard than I should.

In other news, the new Wilco album is indescribably perfect. I can't stop listening to it.

back in the saddle...

Blah. I can't believe it's Monday already.

This weekend I:

Drank too much. Smoked waaaay too much. Slept more than I ever should have. Listened to Christian music in dunkin' donuts. In other words, I had one of the best weekends I've had in a long time.

Sean has gone to Minneapolis for work until Wednesday. Milo and I will have our hands full until he returns to celebrate the 27th anniversary of his birth.

On Saturday, I decided that I decided that I will have to tell any children that I have that I am allergic to eating cooked veggies. Otherwise, they will probably call me a hypocrite when I try to force them down their throats. We wouldn't want that.

I'm at work...therefore I must work.

I hate Mondays.

Cat Blog

three months later

I created this because I made a lame new year's resolution to write more. I should probably do something with it.

I used to write here.

Now I write about my recent struggle and strife here.

I may eventually tire of that so I created this to encompass all that is me.

Welcome to me.