Earthquake

Just had a tremor. Lasted about 2 seconds and felt like something had crashed into the house. Didn't know what was going on (didn't help that I had just finished watching the climatic end to The Avengers).

Strange to call 911 and get a busy signal. That's when you know something is wrong.

Frito Pie

Unhealthy, I know, but so good on a cool, rainy day.

Chili Cheese Fritos Potato at Baker Bros Deli

Enough for two

The view from inside

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 6

Up at 5am on the 6th day, and not feeling well.  In addition to that, it was a cold, overcast day.  I lay in bed and fiddled around on the iPad until 7am, when I went down to the lobby for a decaf coffee, then went back to the room.  This was our last day in Chicago.

Donate To Public Radio

I did my duty today to support my local public radio station, KERA 90.1.  Have you done yours?

It....It's everywhere

While I was cleaning up the mess in the living room made by my sick cat today, the other cat was tearing around the house like cats sometimes do.  I didn't pay it any attention and bent to my task.  A short while later I could hear her in the laundry room using the litter box, then after that she was tearing around the house again - only this time it sounded different, sort of a shuffling sound.  Again, I didn't pay it any attention, thinking she was chasing one of her toys around or something.

Well, no, that's not what she was doing.  After finishing my cleaning in front of the couch in the living room I stood up and saw the horror she had wrought:  she had apparently had some issues in the litter box, and her solution was to drag her ass around the house, dog-like, leaving a smear of cat shit everywhere - in the laundry room, in the kitchen, in the dining room, by the front door, up the stairs, and somehow on the front of the washing machine.

WARNING:  Gross photo after the jump

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 5, Part 3

We were going to the Hancock Tower that evening, so we rested at the hotel before heading back out.  I had a slice of leftover stuffed cheese pizza for dinner.

Hancock Tower street view from our hotel

Heart Walk 2012

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 5, Part 2

After seeing Willis Tower we walked across the street and had lunch at Giordano's.  I had the chicken oregatano (excellent), a salad with bleu cheese and cheese garlic bread.

Pleather and Puppets - What's New at Krispy Kreme

I don't use the word vile very much, but it sums up the new temporary flavors Krispy Kreme is current promoting.  Touting them as "County Fair" fare, they are cotton candy and caramel apple flavored.

Looks like a ring of Naugahyde and something that fell off a Muppet

The cotton candy donut is coated with a crusty shell of grainy blue sugar that just barely tastes vaguely of cotton candy.  For the most part it's like eating a regular glazed donut that's been rolled in additional coarse sugar and left on the counter to harden.

The caramel apple donut is the worse offender of the two.  It's a cake donut covered in a brown "caramel" glaze.  The glaze doesn't really taste like caramel; it just tastes like more sugar.  The cake donut itself though...it tastes like eating one of those uber-scented apple candles you would find at Christmastime - overpoweringly cloying, sweet and tart artificial apple.  It's been almost an hour since I ate it and even after washing it down with a plain glazed donut and a glass of milk, I can't get the flavor out of my mouth.  Mouthwash here I come.

If you're looking for a donut fix, stick with the normal Krispy Kreme lineup or your regular local donut shop.

Cafe Lago

Lunch at Cafe Lago with our friends Sandi and Ryan. Peruvian chicken risotto with field greens. I think I could eat that every day and be happy.

Greetings

Up late - I blame the frappuccino (and by extension, myself). Just lying in bed in the dark with my iPad. And now with you.

Hello, you.

Marshmallow Boy

My order from Rotofugi arrive today.  Meet Marshall and his dog Gumball.

"I'm toasty!"

From the package:  "Marshall Mashumaro was a little boy who ate so many marshmallows he turned into one!  How scary is that?  But...he's just about the cutest little marshmallow boy ever!"

Thanks Rotofugi for the quick order and the hand-drawn receipt - neat stuff!

Eat Sleep Dream Chicken

Amazing how despite the two days of revenge my body is enacting on me for the crapload (yes, exactly) of junk I ate over the weekend, my mind is still turned toward gluttony.  Last night I dreamt that I woke up in the middle of the night and was literally delighted to discover that there were 2 boxes of leftover Chicken Express on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.  Cold fried chicken and fries - this is what I dream of.

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 5, Part 1

Up at 7am this day.  Walked down to Starbucks on Chicago Avenue where I unpacked my adjectives and got a venti decaf non-fat vanilla latte and a pumpkin scone.  Back to the hotel where we spent the morning relaxing.

Have You Seen The Milky Way?

This is what we could see without light pollution. The Milky Way over Monument Valley. Photo by Wally Pacholka via the NASA app.

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 4, Part 3

(Listening to Lou Reed/John Cale - Songs for Drella as I write this - excellent album about the life of Andy Warhol).

After the planetarium we walked to the Field Museum, which is the natural history museum.  We had about an hour before it closed.

The Field Museum

Five Guys Is Not Five Star

Trying something new - Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey is the best.  I don't last through many series - interesting or not, if I'm not in the mood to watch tv at that particular time, then I don't watch it.  The last show that I would work my schedule around was Cheers.  There is no such thing as must-see tv anymore - not for me anyway.

Downton Abbey though, that's some good stuff.  Plus getting the disc through Netflix means I can watch it when I feel like it.

Pterodactyls And Toiletvators

What I dreamed last night:

Grandmother's house so full furniture and knick-knacks and gypsies you could barely squeeze through the walkways.  Then...

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 4, Part 2

Apologies in advance Chicago, but this next part was pretty lame.  Which is a shame, because usually I'd be all for it.

Nightmares

Up at 3:30 this morning after a nightmare. Not the scary monster kind, the scary real life gone wrong kind.

Lunch With Mom

Had lunch with Mom at Razzoo's. Good company and good food.

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 4, Part 1

Up at 7am this morning.  Had the hotel coffee again, and finally got going at 11am.  We caught the red line CTA train at Chicago and State and took it toward 95th, then got off at Roosevelt and walked to the Shedd Aquarium.

Take Shelter

Just finished watching the movie Take Shelter. Very good. Another film I would recommend (together with Melancholia) if you want to watch a truly unique vision of how individuals might act if they thought they knew the end was coming.

Chicago Trip 2012 - Day 3, Part 4

Because that's how it happened - after the museum we said "Now is the start of the fourth part of the third day...."

I hope you don't actually believe that.

Here's what happened next: