Well some ladies from the upstairs office and I snuck out of work and went to the film location behind our building. You can see the pics at my Yahoo! photo album to the side.

We got out there and one of the set designers told us to just go in there and pretend we were involved. His words of wisdom, "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission." Amen, my brother. He told us that we probably wouldn't see Nic Cage because he's "kind of an asshole." His words. So after the snow truck laid down the chemical snow (which I have tracked all over our office) we high tailed it to the shoot down the alley. We kept getting closer and closer until we were standing right next to the car they were filming. The only person I recognized was Gore Vibinski (spelled?) who directed "Pirates of the Carribean". There were a ton of people. We finally had to move when we were blocking a shot. They were cool though. Letting us stand right up in the action. If you are ever in that situation, don't be afraid to go right up. There are too many people to know who's suppose to be there anyways.

For all our sneakiness, it was well worth it. I'm a nerd. I didn't ever get to see Nic Cage because I had to come back in. But my partners in crime saw him. They said he looked nerdy but he was nice enough to wave. Being a groupie is fun!

Today they are filming "The Weatherman" outside our building today. We walked past the Kraft Service (I think that's how that's spelled), 4 Volvo's used for filming different angles, wind machines, 10-15 semi's with all kinds of equipment and the coolest movie thing I've seen: Half a car used for filming someone in the driver's seat!!!! Hopefully I will get some pictures today. However, Satan is still here lording over the office. As soon as he boards the plane I'm going to take pics. Hopefully they will still be there!

It's Friday...thank god. I got at least 4 lectures yesterday. They leave at 12:00 today so I'm sure he has a couple more in him. I'm off Monday and I can't wait.

Yay! I just swallowed a fruitfly and hocked up a lugie and there it was. I think I'm going to puke.

So I'm feeling a little better. My pal Jzn talked me down from the dental ledge yesterday. Turns out he had almost the exact same problems and made it out alive. So I'm not doomed. And yea, I'm a drama queen sometimes. I guess just the pile up of lectures, bad luck at work and dental problems has me down.

I did find out that our dental insurance is kinda shitty. They only cover $1,000 a year, so I won't have to get those wisdom teeth out just yet. I'll take that as good news until they start messing up the only positive thing I have going for me--straight teeth.

Plus, it's Thursday which usually turns out to be a good day. So hey, I'll be alright. :)

Let's just say I won't be buying any lottery tickets this week.

Got back from the dentist. Remember how I said things would look up? Well let's see if we can find a positive in the following, shall we?

I have an infection and gingivitis in my gums that is going to require monthly cleanings, then cleanings every 3 months. I have 5 cavities of which I will be spending the next 2 weeks with appointments to get them filled. I've never experienced a cavity before so my mind is playing any torture scene from any sadistic horror movie. Yes, you counted right. That's at least 3 more dentist appointments in the next month. Oh wait, I almost forgot. All 4 of my wisdom teeth are coming in and pushing my lovely hard-earned straight teeth in all directions. Yep, those have to come out too. Thankfully my merciful dentist promised to send me to a oral surgeon that will knock me out completely after I started welling up telling him I could still hear the sound of my last tooth pulling.

I went in to get my teeth whitened, right? The only painless procedure I can imagine. No, no, no. He suggests I go to a cosmetic oral surgeon and have my gums shaved (yes, you read that right) so my teeth will be elongated and then he will put $5,000 worth of pristine white beautiful full sized veneers on my teeth. He said my smile would be absolutely stunning.

So a recap. I went in to get a cleaning and possible bleaching. I came out with a mouth full of problems and no hope of fixing my smile unless I sell my ass on the street for $5,000. Is it Sunday yet?

Okay, so I'm not feeling sorry for myself for long. I am bored so I took some pictures. Take a tour of our kitchen:



There was a silver lining in today. I cut out of work early because I needed some air and found a skirt for cheap at H&M. Most of the clothes are for tiny girls, but sometimes there are bargains.
$9.90 skirt! Weee!Like I need more.

Aw well. Pleasant Wednesdays.

Well, I'm still employed although my boss has taken every opportunity to lecture me or try to make me feel bad about this. He's only succeeding in that I'm stressed because of the whole situation, but I know it's not all my fault so he can't get me there. We lost data for the last week and a 1/2 which was my fault. Oh well. Call it karma for yelling at me constantly. I'll still get to sleep at night.

Found a great site for drink recipes. Webtender.com is a fabulous site with 100's of drink recipes. Like the Fat Hooker or Flaming Balls of Death. Drinks I don't think I could swallow.

So far this week has not been great but I'm sure it will look up eventually. Perpetual optimism is my disease for which there is no cure.

Then there is this.

My Day of Hell:

Tuesday started bright and early at 5:30 a.m. when I awoke from tossing and turning to a retarded nightmare involving Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Nothing worked, I couldn't get back to sleep. I get into work and notice my main Excel files are gone which holds vital company information. I search around and lo and behold, all Microsoft Office documents are gone....databases, spreadsheets and even .jpg images are disappearing before my eyes. Yep, we caught the MyDoom virus last night. Fun. There were over 270+ instances of the virus found on our servers.

When I asked some of the employees if they had received any suspicious emails, the response I got was literally: "I opened a few weird things, but didn't figure it was a big deal."

Normally I snicker when TechTV has specials on viruses or worms. I think "heh, those clever hackers. Taking down big business! Yee haw!" Now, I want their balls served to me on a big plate with lemon & parsley garnish.

The real kicker, I'm in charge of computer administration which means I'm in charge of backing up the server. Did I do it? I thought so, but our IT guys already can't find any info on one set of tapes. I have 2 more tapes to go through before I'm probably fired.

Oh, and I have a dentist appointment tomorrow. Maybe I'll get a root canal to top things off.

There's a series on Tech TV called Nerd Nation and tonight was a feature on Hactivism, or activism online. Most of the show was focused on online protesting of the FTAA conference in Quebec. I've included some links from the show which I found interesting. They are listed in order of how much I looked at them. Definitely check etoy.com, it's hilarious as well as informative. As always....form your own opinion.

Electrohippie Collective
Hactivist.com
eToy Corporation-Must read
On electronic civil disobedience
Electronic Disturbance Theater
Tao Collective-Hacktivism
Zapatistas in Cyberspace
Electronic Civil Disobedience

Just forget it.

Things I loathe:
-Used band-aids in the shower/bathtub.
-Driving at night
-No free refills on beverages at restaurants
-Someone making me feel stupid
-Old People bathroom smells
-Pants that are too short (I'm tall, it's an annoying problem.)

Things I enjoy:
-Untouched snow (like a yard full where you can use your footsteps to spell out stuff in it.)
-A well-cooked cheap breakfast
-The "F" word
-Making fun of my Catholic co-workers
-Shoes, aisles and aisles of them.
-Placing more than dead last in Halo

Ahhhh....How about you?

QUICK NOTE! A lady just came in asking permission to use our back alley next week so they can film a new Nicolas Cage movie. Interesting! Looks like I'll be accidentally peeking out the back door next week!

Some links courtesy of E.
Man swallows a lot of stuff
Fetish Club-no no no

Side Note: Apparently "they" are making "In Her Shoes" into a movie starring Cameron Diaz. I'm not expecting much.

Put a few new links to the side and fixed the one for IAK's message board. You can find Darren's art here. He's a happenin' gent we met on the train one morning. We continued to see him about once a month since then. He shares our fascination with Robert Anton Wilson and he's precisely the reason you should talk to strangers on occasion. As a side note, his chemtrail collection is unmatched.

Last night I had fun. Got to help out some pal's band by filming their practice. Now I can't wait to see what the talented Jen K. will do to make that magic happen.

Finished another book last night. I'll admit it's probably more appealing to chicks, but it was really good. It's called "In Her Shoes" by Jennifer Weiner. Read her first book "Good In Bed" over the weekend and I'm hooked. It's sort of like watching a good chick flick (notice I said good, not just any old chick flick) but with way more details and better. I guess being of the female variety, I like to just sit down and read/watch something for the pure emotion of it on occasion. This book does that.

Not to sound all snobby but man, not watching TV at night is making this week way more productive. I think I need to keep this up. I've already read 2 decently sized books in 5 days. Nice.

It's Thursday. Thursdays are fun. It's almost Friday. If you wanted to party tonight you could, because you only have one more day of work to get through (for those working 9-5). Weeeeeeeee!

I don't know what it is with me and cab drivers. I almost always end up talking with them about their lives, their families or their philosophies. Maybe I have a trusting face or a sympathetic smile...who knows. But last night I gave my opinion on a cab driver's messed up love life for the duration of the 25 minute ride home. The poor guy is messed up with a girl that cheats on him, which is never good. Of course, he really loves and cares about her...etc. etc. you know the rest.

It's amazing to me too because he was a good looking man with a slow smile and a gentle voice who I'm sure doesn't realize he could have someone who doesn't cheat on him. Although I can sort of relate, we all probably can. Most of us has stayed with someone who is not great news or put up with someone's bullshit because we couldn't see past the 15 minutes in front of us or see our own worth. And while it may seem like it's easy for me to say this since I'm in a happy marriage, I've been there and I've seen it with my friends too many times.

I have several good looking single friends that I think kick serious ass, but it's too bad I can't put a sign on them when we go out: "Hey, this guy/gal is fabulous, would treat you right and has a great sense of humor. Please work up the nerve to ask him/her out. You'll be pleasantly surprised." Hmm...wonder if I could whip something up in Photoshop.

Man, I had an awesome weekend. Old movies in 3-D, crazy book shopping, bar hopping with new people and an art exhibit on Rembrandt on Sunday followed by good food and Halo. Damn......weekends like that make winter tolerable.

No real news today so far. Check back in a bit.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day I present....(Okay, get out your hankies. Major syrupy stuff ahead)....

Why I love theMan.
-He makes me laugh.
-He knows exactly when to give me his great big hugs.
-He loves to sleep in with me.
-He worries about me.
-Did I mention he's hilarious?
-His brain is really really big.
-He totally gets me.
-He reminds me the world isn't so shitty.

Aww....love. Have a great weekend bloggies.

weeee...

If you have cable, watch the Trio Channel's nightly spot called "9 Sharp." They show mini-documentaries every night on a wide range of topics. We've been watching this almost every night and have yet to be dissappointed. Last night's film was called Culture Jam which featured a bunch of people who fight, in a sense, advertising and big corporations. A year ago or so we saw this film playing at Quimby's but didn't really get a chance to figure out what the name of it was. The following are a few links from people involved with the film.

Ad Busters
Billboard Liberation Front
Rev. Billy & the Church of stop shopping

One of my favorite scenes was of Reverend Billy taking his pulpit and news reporters from the BBC into the Disney Store in Times Square in New York City. He was preaching like a televangelist with Mickey & Minnie 'crucified' on crosses in the background telling people about Disney using sweatshop labor to make their products. Another great scene was following the Billboard Liberation Front to one of their billboard heists. Those people aren't kidding around. I imagine if I took up the pasttime I'd probably go the route of the chick from Canada. Slyly putting up stickers with comments on adverstisments. I've got a couple of pals that do that now and theirs are pretty darn funny.

Another great mini-documentary on last night was "Kids Behind Bars" on the Discovery Times Channel. This was about how the world deals with children who commit crimes. The summary at the end was that in all countries a large percentage of the children who are locked away with no rehabilitation commit the same crimes again and again. Only one children's prison in Turkey had almost a 100% rate of kids not returning to crime and they had a very interesting system. It was an open door prison, where they could walk out anytime to go to school or work. The prison got them jobs at factories where they could make a decent wage and most stayed on after their sentence was up. They were allowed to be free but still have enough structure. I wish I could have watched all of it but I missed the first hour.

So yea, sometimes a night of TV watching can be enlightening.

Side Note:
1.) Why does the government need these medical records?

A move by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to subpoena the medical records of 40 patients who received so-called partial-birth abortions at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago was halted—at least temporarily—when a Chicago federal judge quashed the information request. Read more here.

2.) Bush's administration also has another fundamentalist in the FDA according to this article. Dr. W. David Hager, an obstetrician-gynecologist who also wrote, with his wife Linda, Stress and the Woman's Body, which puts "an emphasis on the restorative power of Jesus Christ in one's life" and recommends specific Scripture readings and prayers for such ailments as headaches and premenstrual syndrome. Though his resume describes Hager as a University of Kentucky professor, a university official says Hager's appointment is part time and voluntary and involves working with interns at Lexington's Central Baptist Hospital, not the university itself. In his private practice, two sources familiar with it say, Hager refuses to prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women. Hager did not return several calls for comment.
Other Articles/Websites:
His response. Remember, this could be anyone.
NOW foundation
Know the candidates.org

Two fun facts for your afternoon that make me roll my eyes and shake my head:

1.) US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (a.k.a. that scary old bastard) says he cannot remember hearing the claim that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes. The claim was a part of the UK government's September 2002 dossier on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction arms dossier in the run-up to the war.

2.) I won't go into details on here because I'm sure my family reads this, but I just HAVE to get this off my chest:
Only our family could get the cops called to the hospital during a D&C.

We watched "Party Monster" last night and I must say, I think the best part of that movie was the soundtrack and the costumes. The overall story was good and there were some really great cinematic (is that the word??) shots using mirrors and weird angles, etc. But the acting seemed like it was over the top. Like it was being put on by high school students, where everyone talks loud and stuff. I'm glad I watched it, but I probably won't buy it to rewatch. Get my drift? The soundtrack is really awesome though. Definitely a must if you like cheesy dance or club music.

I've been told it's almost Lent, which means I get to hear about what these crazy ass Catholics at work are giving up for 40 days. Hopefully some of them give up talking. That would almost make me convert to that fucked up religion.

(Editors note: I no longer find myself with the patience or time to apologize for my sincere annoyance with fundamental religions. If you are offended, I guess you'll just have to get over it or email me and we can e-argue.)

UR on crack.com Another blog that can be funny at times.
Dubya Must Go blog

Anyone that knows me knows that a certain co-worker of mine & I do not mix. Sort of like oil and water, actually sort of like a virgin and a butt plug. I'm trying to make an extreme analogy, but maybe that's not right. Anyways, one of these days I'm going to walk out right in the middle of the day.

I guess my final straw was last week she held a meeting to basically blame us for her being so busy because we wouldn't help her do her work. I find that hysterical. Apparently it's my fault she can't go to lunch and her fingers hurt from typing so much and so fast. Somebody get the wood, looks like we got a cross to build for this martyr.

I'm in charge of computer purchases here and am currently saving up our budget for a wall to be constructed between our cubicles. I'm thinking 2 concrete walls with a layer of drywall on each and maybe some lead in between would cancel out her obnoxious head rattle enough for me to tolerate working in this god forsaken basement that smells like sewage.

The Illinois Primary is coming up so go register to vote! Sadly, the mistress has not been keeping up to date on the democratic candidates stands and ideals, but I'm looking into it and I am voting. So why not join me?
Register to Vote Online Here

More in a bit.

Well I finally feel rested after a weekend of debauchery. Went to a few stores last night to pick up some random items and felt like we were dropped in the middle of Idiot-ville. From the moment we stepped out of the car it was like playing a live version of Frogger with the cars in the parking lot. If you ever want to put your finger on the pulse of stupidity in this country, stop by a big retail store. It was nothing but aisle after aisle of retarded meat sacks (a.k.a. humans). Here's an example: This one lady stops her cart just in front of the exit doors. Some guy finally moved her cart for her so the line of people behind her could get around. And she had this look on her face like "What?". Ah well. Such is life. It just makes those of us with common sense look even better.

That's not too elitist is it? ;) Maybe this George Carlin book I'm reading is taking me over. Here's a few great ones for you:

"We're all here on a big rock, zippin' around a bad star for no good reason. We don't know where we came from, we don't know where we're going, we don't know how long it's gonna last, and we keep having to go to the bathroom. And on top of that, the whole thing is completely meaningless."

That might have been a little too pessimistic for Monday. My apologies.

Man, I love my friends. We got super drunk Friday. I mean, blinding, no inhibition, truth serum, yuppie harassing drunk. Thankfully they've decided we can still hang out on a regular basis. God. Fortunately for you it's caught on film, and I imagine Jen K. will be posting the highlights on her site.

We got so fucked up that we woke up yesterday at 6:30 p.m. and said, "Uh, let's forget fondue and everything else that requires effort." So here I am, still a little tired and messed up, having cold pizza and Pepsi for breakfast and reliving in my head a kick ass weekend. It's fun when one night makes an entire weekend a blast.

This weekend has given me lots to think about. Mainly that I like my life alot. I like living like a rock star occasionally but still being responsible enough to pay my bills, keep my man happy, and take care of myself. So in other words, I'm not ready to grow up, settle down, have kids all that. Boredom or general society pressure makes me feel like I should, but living in this city and opening my mind a little has made me realize I quite like life like it is. Thankfully those around me make me feel free enough to feel this way.

I just read a spam email that actually made me think and put this in writing. Here was the quote: "Dear Lord, don't worry about making me a better person. I'm having a lot of fun as I am right now."

So yea, that's how I feel. I guess I just woke up feeling 'blessed'. I've got great friends, a good man and a happy family. And even if things aren't always peachy keen it's gonna be alright. I should bold this so in 3 weeks when I'm PMS-ing, I can re-read this.

Geez, a little alcohol and I get all philosophical.

(Side Note: I just downloaded Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock's "It Takes Two". My favorite line: "I like the Whopper, fuck the Big Mac." That's pure genius.)

If you have cable access check out JB TV on Thursdays at 8 p.m. Last night they showed a few good bands, although the special guest was Fashion Bomb and frankly, I think they suck. One band I dug was Left Setter, although their video really sucked. I can't blame them, it was obviously low budget.

Weekend is looking good. Fondue, breakfast and maybe a few beers with friends. Damn, this weekend is all about ingesting things. Hmmm....theMan & I are celebrating V-day on Saturday instead of next weekend. It's too crazy in this town on V-Day so we're just being early. We're such non-conformists (not).

Have a pleasant weekend and remember, make it slutty!

Does anyone else remember this much dirt being dug up when Bush was running for office? I sure don't, but maybe I cared less then.

I don't feel good and I desparately want too.

Update: I still don't feel good but hey, it's almost Friday so I'll get over it. Have a link or two.

Fast Food Nutritional Info
Win a Goldfish game
Observe your cervical mucus
Sex & Violent Offender Database-I know someone on this list from high school. Egads.

Enjoy.

More FUCK BUSH propaganda for your skull....

Moveon.org
Bush in 30 Seconds - Watch the commercials that CBS wouldn't air during the Superbowl. Some are brilliant!
Michael Moore.com - Great letter from Mr. Moore himself on the front page. He even lists the current timeline showing Bush's murky military record.
Iraq-o-meter-Giving you an up to the minute tally of the current war.
Bush Flash.com-Click here to have some fun. Be sure to check the links section too.
Working for change-Thanks to Lance, here's another fun one.
Democratic Underground

Fun Fact: BUSH has the honor of being the president to take the most vacation days while in office!

What a great day. I stayed home because I'm not feeling well and I've go so much accomplished! I think I figured out what I want to be when I grow up...a housewife! :) Well, maybe not but it is nice to do once a week. I suppose that's some ingrown social conditioning left over from the 50's, but I'll take it.

Anyways....it's coming up on V-day for all you couples out there. Let's take it up a notch. You know how I declared Christmas a sexy one? Well, this Valentine's Day is all out slutty! Do something crazy, throw your partner totally off guard. However, it might not be the time to tell them about your peeing fetish, it's a great time for home-made porn, screwing in public places & blow jobs in taxis. Just go crazy. "They" say the world is ending, might as well get yours. That can even work for the single bunch. Imagine if the "Slutty V-day 2004" craze takes off. I guarantee you that if you walk in a bar on V-day alone, you're coming out a changed person.

Write me and tell me your slutty ideas. I'm curious.

P.S. On a side note, I didn't see it but I've watched footage of Janet Jackson's boob showing last night on the Superbowl. My thoughts?

1.) I love that piece of nipple jewelry!!! I wonder where she got it?
2.) Does anyone else think the world needs to get over the fear of the nipple? I mean, we can show the entire boob but the little brown circle in the middle of the boob on TV. Is that weird to anyone else? I mean, they can show man nipples. Bizarre.

Well I've come to the conclusion that weekends are entirely too short and I love Woody Allen movies. I watched "Hannah & Her Sisters" on Sunday. I have only recently discovered the genius that is Woody Allen. Last year I had a Woody fest and watched "Annie Hall" & "Husbands and Wives." All movies I highly recommend. This weather is great for staying in and watching movies, isn't it?

If you haven't seen "Donnie Darko," what is wrong with you? On a base level, Jake Gyllenhaal is gorgeous, but not only that, the storyline is very interesting and well-written. theMan & I tried to figure it out afterwards but I must admit, I don't quite understand everything just yet. I've seen it twice and still don't fully understand "Frank" in the movie. Plus the soundtrack kicks serious ass. Another film you should run out and get. A bonus is that Best Buy doesn't realize this movie kicks ass, so you can usually get it for $10.

Thankfully it's letting up on the severe coldness. Hey! Almost forgot....I like to recommend places/things/sexual peculiarities in this blog because hey, word of mouth is how we evolve sometimes. So if you are in the Chicago area, get some eatin's at Nookie's Tree on Halsted. Delicious! And while I'm at it, might I suggest the french toast? Also, go to Uncle Fun down further on Belmont. We may have possibly scored a lead on a hearse just by buying a postcard from Mr. Fun. Yea!

I'm so glad my mood has changed. I acted in a way this past week that can only be described as "Maniacal She-Beast". As much as I try to forget that I am a stereotypical woman sometimes, my body reminds me by making me be the biggest bitch around once a month. I feel like I should wear a pin, "Sorry for my excess estrogen."

Don't forget your Dubya action figure. It's what every girl wants this V-day! Chow!