Saturday, February 18, 2012
What was the last performance or concert you went to?...
...I guess it was "A Christmas Story: The Musical". But tomorrow night (this was originally written on Feb 16), Cindy and I are going to see "Assisted Living" at Profiles.
If this day was an animal, which animal would it be?...
...It would be Hammy the squirrel from Over the Hedge because of all the schedule changes with the flights to Tulsa and then the tram being stuck at the parking lot.
Back story: Another snowy Friday afternoon commute in Chicago where I have a flight planned! My flight to Tulsa was supposed to leave at 8:30pm. All day at work, I was checking the status of the other flights going back and forth to Tulsa. The flights earlier in the day were delayed for an hour, then two hours and then they were cancelled. Then, my flight showed as being delayed one hour. I thought about just changing my flight to Saturday, but never pulled the trigger. So, since my flight was delayed an hour, after I left work, I decided to go out of my way to Old Orchard to pick up a pair of jeans I was having hemmed when, on my way - what do you know - my flight status changed to being on time!
At that time, it was 7pm and I was further away from the airport than I was when I was at work...and did I mention it was snowing?! I made it to the remote parking lot at the airport around 7:45, but the tram was stuck! During a heated exchange with the parking lot attendant where I was demanding that I would not pay the $2 "under 1 hour" fee for the privilege of coming into the parking lot just to realize the tram wasn't working and that instead, I was going to have to go to the terminal parking lot (and pay double, by the way) in order to make my flight, the tram started working again. So, I put the car in reverse, found a parking spot, got stuck behind a dad and his kid on the escalator and thought I was going to miss the tram, but finally got into the terminal at 7:55 and was at the gate at 8:10. Phew - made the flight!
Yes, I've had some close calls at airports in the way past and even missed flights, but for the last several flights, I'm proud to say I've been there before they even start boarding! This was stressful and I'll stick to my new habit of getting to the airport a little earlier...starting today!
PS: Benefit of taking Friday night flight = seeing Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, looking like totally normal people, picking up their buddy at their airport!
Back story: Another snowy Friday afternoon commute in Chicago where I have a flight planned! My flight to Tulsa was supposed to leave at 8:30pm. All day at work, I was checking the status of the other flights going back and forth to Tulsa. The flights earlier in the day were delayed for an hour, then two hours and then they were cancelled. Then, my flight showed as being delayed one hour. I thought about just changing my flight to Saturday, but never pulled the trigger. So, since my flight was delayed an hour, after I left work, I decided to go out of my way to Old Orchard to pick up a pair of jeans I was having hemmed when, on my way - what do you know - my flight status changed to being on time!
At that time, it was 7pm and I was further away from the airport than I was when I was at work...and did I mention it was snowing?! I made it to the remote parking lot at the airport around 7:45, but the tram was stuck! During a heated exchange with the parking lot attendant where I was demanding that I would not pay the $2 "under 1 hour" fee for the privilege of coming into the parking lot just to realize the tram wasn't working and that instead, I was going to have to go to the terminal parking lot (and pay double, by the way) in order to make my flight, the tram started working again. So, I put the car in reverse, found a parking spot, got stuck behind a dad and his kid on the escalator and thought I was going to miss the tram, but finally got into the terminal at 7:55 and was at the gate at 8:10. Phew - made the flight!
Yes, I've had some close calls at airports in the way past and even missed flights, but for the last several flights, I'm proud to say I've been there before they even start boarding! This was stressful and I'll stick to my new habit of getting to the airport a little earlier...starting today!
PS: Benefit of taking Friday night flight = seeing Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, looking like totally normal people, picking up their buddy at their airport!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
What are three things you have to buy?...
...#1 A pair of the new Toms Ballet Flats!
...#2 Plane tickets - to visit Debbie in Tulsa to celebrate our birthdays, to visit my family in Bama (more birthday celebrations) and to NYC for a weekend of theater with Cindy in March
...#3 A new sofa (see picture of my current sofa here) - - but that's such a big commitment!
...#2 Plane tickets - to visit Debbie in Tulsa to celebrate our birthdays, to visit my family in Bama (more birthday celebrations) and to NYC for a weekend of theater with Cindy in March
...#3 A new sofa (see picture of my current sofa here) - - but that's such a big commitment!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Are you seeking contentment or excitement?...
...maybe a little excitement...had a fun weekend (volunteering at the Salvation Army Super Bowl party and tax prep) and tonight was game night at the Hudsons.
What a fun-filled weekend I just had...and it pumped me up for the busy weeks I have ahead!
I had my first volunteer session with the Center for Economic Progress doing tax preparation. I spent two hours on my first return and wasn't even able to finish it =( I was helping a taxi driver and we were trying to figure out the best way to record the expenses related to his new car. He also had a separate company on the side and although I was pretty sure we couldn't do that tax return, I brushed off the $17 loss his separate company had ($17 isn't material!) and went ahead with the personal return. What I didn't realize (until 2 hours later) was that the company's tax return had to be done first and then that $17 loss had to be shown on his personal return. I guess I need to get in a little different frame of mind from what I'm used to at work where not even a million dollars is material! Then I started the tax return for another guy who was insistent on filing using the married filing separately status - even though he and his wife were happily married. I tried to tell him that was not in his best interest, but he wanted me to do it anyway. When I input all the numbers and showed him that he was looking at a $1,500 refund vs. a $6,500 refund, he finally listened to me and said he'd come back later with his wife. That took about 30 minutes. Then, for my last return of the day, I told the intake person to give me an easy one! I finally was able to get a full tax return completed and filed for a couple that had a 19 year old daughter that was in college (the daughter's name was Jennifer!). It was fun, but more difficult than I thought it would be. Oh, and apparently Governor Quinn was there that day at 10:30 (while I was debating a depreciation schedule vs. mileage expense for the taxi driver's new car) for a press conference.
After the tax prep, I did a few loads of laundry and went to Target (with my new-found coupons in hand!). Then, I got ready to go out to dinner at Noodles in the Pot to celebrate (with 20 other people!) two friends' birthdays. After dinner, we went to Kingston Mines - - can't believe I've lived in Chicago for 10 years and never gone to a Blues club! The music was great and we had a fun time.
On Saturday, I had also started putting some of my old clothes in piles to donate (like the ones I haven't even taken out of the box that I moved them in 5 1/2 years ago!). But, I started thinking that I should give them to somebody I know because they're pretty nice! So, after church on Sunday, my friend Ranae came over and she took some skirts from my skinnier days. I think I'll look into donating the rest ofmy nicer clothes to Dress for Success.
After a short nap, I headed to the Salvation Army's Harbor Light Center to volunteer for a sober Super Bowl party with a friend from church. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work! Mostly, we just served food to the 200 guests. It was a pretty yummy setup: Nachos in the 1st Quarter, Potato Skins in the 2nd Quarter, Pizza in the 3rd Quarter and Brownies/Cake in the 4th Quarter. In between, we passed out pop that Pepsi had donated and went around with trash bags to pick up empty plates. I'd definitely do it again next year!
After the long weekend, I still managed to make it our Gospel Community game night on Monday after work. I learned a new game - Dutch Blitz (like Nertz...if you've heard of that, which I hadn't). I experienced some beginner's luck (partly because I didn't know the rules), but ended up in last place. Then we played a round of Taboo and surprisingly, Jonathan from South Africa did the best when it came to clues about American History! Good times =)
What a fun-filled weekend I just had...and it pumped me up for the busy weeks I have ahead!
I had my first volunteer session with the Center for Economic Progress doing tax preparation. I spent two hours on my first return and wasn't even able to finish it =( I was helping a taxi driver and we were trying to figure out the best way to record the expenses related to his new car. He also had a separate company on the side and although I was pretty sure we couldn't do that tax return, I brushed off the $17 loss his separate company had ($17 isn't material!) and went ahead with the personal return. What I didn't realize (until 2 hours later) was that the company's tax return had to be done first and then that $17 loss had to be shown on his personal return. I guess I need to get in a little different frame of mind from what I'm used to at work where not even a million dollars is material! Then I started the tax return for another guy who was insistent on filing using the married filing separately status - even though he and his wife were happily married. I tried to tell him that was not in his best interest, but he wanted me to do it anyway. When I input all the numbers and showed him that he was looking at a $1,500 refund vs. a $6,500 refund, he finally listened to me and said he'd come back later with his wife. That took about 30 minutes. Then, for my last return of the day, I told the intake person to give me an easy one! I finally was able to get a full tax return completed and filed for a couple that had a 19 year old daughter that was in college (the daughter's name was Jennifer!). It was fun, but more difficult than I thought it would be. Oh, and apparently Governor Quinn was there that day at 10:30 (while I was debating a depreciation schedule vs. mileage expense for the taxi driver's new car) for a press conference.
After the tax prep, I did a few loads of laundry and went to Target (with my new-found coupons in hand!). Then, I got ready to go out to dinner at Noodles in the Pot to celebrate (with 20 other people!) two friends' birthdays. After dinner, we went to Kingston Mines - - can't believe I've lived in Chicago for 10 years and never gone to a Blues club! The music was great and we had a fun time.
 |
| The Sax guy roamed around the audience for a while! |
On Saturday, I had also started putting some of my old clothes in piles to donate (like the ones I haven't even taken out of the box that I moved them in 5 1/2 years ago!). But, I started thinking that I should give them to somebody I know because they're pretty nice! So, after church on Sunday, my friend Ranae came over and she took some skirts from my skinnier days. I think I'll look into donating the rest ofmy nicer clothes to Dress for Success.
After a short nap, I headed to the Salvation Army's Harbor Light Center to volunteer for a sober Super Bowl party with a friend from church. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work! Mostly, we just served food to the 200 guests. It was a pretty yummy setup: Nachos in the 1st Quarter, Potato Skins in the 2nd Quarter, Pizza in the 3rd Quarter and Brownies/Cake in the 4th Quarter. In between, we passed out pop that Pepsi had donated and went around with trash bags to pick up empty plates. I'd definitely do it again next year!
 |
| Me and Suzanne Gotta love the hairnets and plastic aprons! |
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| Another picture I found from the Tribune. The event was held in an old gym. This pic was taken during the national anthem while we were way in the back getting the nachos ready! |
After the long weekend, I still managed to make it our Gospel Community game night on Monday after work. I learned a new game - Dutch Blitz (like Nertz...if you've heard of that, which I hadn't). I experienced some beginner's luck (partly because I didn't know the rules), but ended up in last place. Then we played a round of Taboo and surprisingly, Jonathan from South Africa did the best when it came to clues about American History! Good times =)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Lazy and comfortable
I found a theme in 3 of my journal entries from the past week that I think hints of the winter blues:
January 22 - Are you seeking security or adventure?...Security and comfort
January 23 - Do you need a break? From what?...Not really - - unless you consider needing a break from being too lazy as needing a break
January 28 - How do you describe home?...Cluttered! But comfy.
Hmmm....not much more to say about that!
January 22 - Are you seeking security or adventure?...Security and comfort
January 23 - Do you need a break? From what?...Not really - - unless you consider needing a break from being too lazy as needing a break
January 28 - How do you describe home?...Cluttered! But comfy.
Hmmm....not much more to say about that!
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