Beave's Brain

I can't wait for things to move forward. I feel like I've been standing in quick sand barely holding my head above. I hope things move forward, and I know they will. It's just how long will it take? Will V's crazy family ever give up? Will I ever finish my degree and move ahead further than being low level lacky? Will this damned economy turn so my friends and family can get back to work and get on with their lives? I'm just worried that as the outcome remains bleak so will my attitude, and I hate wasting emotion on being worried, sad or upset when I could be using it to enjoy life.

A lot has changed since my last update. I am working for a new company; worse hours, less pay but 100% more respect. My current position is only temporary as I am holding on for the new year and a huge promotion from soldier to commander. Just waiting on the current commander to step down and to get trained. It's an honest company with a lot of potential that just needs a swift kick in the right direction. I hope to provide a leg for said kick. So for now I just need to grin and bear it.

V is looking for a position with a firm and although I can see it gets overwhelming for her sometimes I know she is strong enough to come out on top. She is smart and resilient and I'm positive she will do just fine.

As soon as V gets in somewhere we are going to start looking for a home. That is super exciting for me because I've always wanted to own a home and it will provide V and I with a place to grow a family. I've seen the struggle my parents went through to get their home and how long it took them to get it and I feel lucky to be even thinking about it at this point in my life.

Well I hope everyone out there is doing fantastic and I hope to be more active in my blog and the blogging community as this new gig gives me a lot of time to sit and stare at the walls aka blog/blackberry time.

That is such a sad word, but that is what I have done with this blog. Total neglect, to the point where more people than I have subscribers have asked me what happened to me (makes me feel all special and crap.) I've just been keeping myself busy with classes and work.

The spring rugby season is over even though I missed the last bit from injury and the bachelor party. I have definitely fallen in love with playing that game. As soon as my knee is 100% I am gonna go and practice with the seven's squad to get in better shape and learn so when I play next spring I will be a force to reckon with.

Work is work and I think that it has lost some of it's luster, but I still enjoy what I do and who I do it with. Just not necessary who I do it for as much as I used to due to some recent management changes.

14 days till one of my very best friends gets married and I'm the best man for that one. I am super excited for them! C & M are two of the best people I have ever known and are totally made for each other. Although I don't know how he managed to land her in the first place, she is way outta his league... hahahaha!

Also! If you managed to read through all the boring personal crap I just wrote I'm having a Fantasticular giveaway for my 100th post! I will hint you into the awesomeness of what it is by the that time but for now you have to wait and see.

...isn’t supposed to be an all or nothing battle between misery and bliss. Life isn’t supposed to be a battle at all. And when it comes to happiness, well, sometimes life is just okay, sometimes it’s comfortable, sometimes wonderful, sometimes boring, sometimes unpleasant. When your day’s not perfect, it’s not a failure or a terrible loss. It’s just another day." -Barbara Sher



Something for all of us to remember next time we are having a bad day.

"What you're really missing out on is the South Side Irish Parade in Chicago, which I think is one of the great events in America," bragged President Obama to the Irish prime minister.

When the real Mayor Daley moved the Southtown Parade downtown, the Wee Folks of Washtenaw and Talman began what we know now by walking around the block with banners. This year's parade brought 300,000 people to the Beverly, Morgan Park and Mt. Greenwood communities. Instead of looking at it as a strain it should be viewed as an opportunity for business and economic growth. Look at the hotels, bars, restaurants and shops in the area and tell me that for that weekend they didn't make more than most make in 6 months.

31 years of tradition are going down the drain. 31 years of childhood memories, friends, family and even wedding proposals just cut off. My children will never get to experience the greatness of the real Irish parade in Chicago and that makes me truly sad.

This is a huge loss for the South Side. The downtown parade is a sad excuse for a parade, just like all the rest of Chicago's "parades." I nothing else comes from this tragity, I hope the downtown parade hires on the South Side Parade planners and they can turn their crap into a real parade.

Here is the press release from the parade comittee.

I'm hearing great news around the water cooler. Not only did Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts officially drop it's plans to open a hotel in downtown Chicago but Trump has a temporary "truce" on his loans from Deutsche Bank Trust Co. Americas. This means that in a down economy that a new competitor will not emerge and that we all still have a job, for now.

The Shangri-La opening is not good in the sense that it would have provided another 400 or so jobs in Chicago, but it is good in that it keeps us with the staff we have rather than cutting more jobs.

I hope things start to turn up or it won't matter what happens, we will all be in the unemployment line.

So I took a trip to IKEA last night looking for a new office chair since I destroyed mine. By destroyed I mean I my big fat ass suffers from an increased gravitational pull causing me to sit down faster than most people, thus bending the seat back a little further than it's supposed to every time I plop said fat ass down into the chair.

I just want to say that I HATE modern furniture. Don't get me wrong I love the look of modern, art deco and cutting edge/futuristic furniture. What I HATE is the cost and that I can't own it all. How is it that this plywood chair costs $800? I've grown to understand that this is art, along with fashion and paint splatter, but when your art is mass produced for $15 a piece... YOU DON'T CHARGE 800 FREAKING BUCKS FOR IT! It's molded plywood for crying out loud!

I think I just need to make more money so I can afford to fill my place with a bunch of crap I don't need and that V would hate. That and we need a bigger place so I can buy these.

Forget Christmas, Hanukkah, your birthday and all those other mediocre holidays. This is Chicago Restaurant Week, or Chicago Chef's Week depending on who you ask. This is the 2nd annual holiday of food, and it's not one day like Steak and a BJ day, it is a full 7 days.

Some of the best restaurants in Chicago are signed up and serving 3-course prix-fixe lunches for $22 and dinners for $32. In today's economy it's still quite a bit to fork over for a meal but to have a 3-course meal at Lawry's, Morton's or Hugo's for $32, it's a great deal. I have found that most places still have quite a few openings, which is probably due to the economy but good for those wanting to make a last minute reservation.

If I lived in Chicago during this great holiday week I would surely be heading out and figuring out something to celebrate on my way to the restaurant. Wait... I do, and I've already started trying to come up with a great made up holiday. I'll let you know when I figure it out.

Here we go again! Another attempt to quit my habit of quitting smoking. I went to my doctor and got a prescription for Chantix (a medication to aid in quitting smoking).

For those of you who don't know, this is attempt #497 to quit. For those of you that do, I'm sorry you have to hear me talk about it again. I've tried just about everything and do fine for quite a while but somewhere down the line I bow out and go right back like nothing ever happened. This time (like every time) I'm hoping will be my last. Chantix is a 5 month program and all of the other things I've done it doesn't contain nicotine. I'm on week 2 of a 20 week program so wish me luck (again).

On the same note but in other news; I bought Guitar Hero World Tour, the one with the drum kit and mic, for my Wii for ridiculously cheap. The catch was that if I started smoking again I gave V permission to sell the game. This should help keep me in check because for some sick reason I love that game with a passion.

I loathe Dr. Phil, mainly because he's an inconsiderate man hating jerk but also because he is sometimes right. Even though we all wish we could choke out our partner from time to time, we have to make compromises and back down every now and then. Which by the way neither V nor I ever back down. Fighting is like an art between us, a glue that holds us together.

V and I have crazy fights. The kind where your guests get up and tell you they need to get up early and it's 4pm on a Saturday. The funny thing is they only last about 5-10 minutes and then it's over but usually not resolved. Most of them are about nothing at all so resolution is not always needed and we end up better than before after it's over.

I need to make sure that my life insurance policy stays low otherwise I fear the same fate as the guy in the picture.

At approximately 11:50pm on January 31, 2009 John Sewell passed away in his sleep due to multiple complications. The world lost a truly amazing man who will be sorely missed.

I met John about 7 years or so ago, a little while after I started dating V. It was a neat that her grandfather and I shared the same birthday, just 70 years apart. When he was a kid they used to call him J for short, almost the same as my Jay for Jason, so he would consistently call me John which would amusingly get everyone confused from time to time.

John always had the swagger of a teenager even in his 90's. At 95 years old John was rocking a girl under his arm. He met M a few years back and she has become like part of the family. Rarely have I seen someone so full of life and happiness, especially at his age.

John was one of the most fearless, mentally brave and poetically compassionate people I have ever had the privilege of coming in contact with. He was always working up his next get rich scheme or how I could get Trump put him on the payroll. When he wasn't trying to become a millionaire, he was taking care of his family, even though it might have felt like we were taking care of him.

John Sewell was THE man. The world will never be the same without him.

We love you John. We miss you already.

I spent about 3 1/2 hours organizing all my personal paperwork today and realized that I have a lot of crap going on in my life. I never realized that I had all this stuff until I put it all into an organizer.

I also never realized how many failure to pay notices I have received from one parking ticket. Luckily the city has an amnesty program right now so I can avoid all the late fees. Maybe I should be a big boy and start doing this on a regular basis.

Well, now I'm off to restate my case to University of Phoenix, now that I've "come across" the correct paperwork, and I know I don't owe them a dime.

I'm disgusted with a world that allows so many to be persecuted, killed, starved and destroyed like their lives mean less than another's. The monstrosities in Gaza, Darfur, Pakistan, Sudan, the Congo and so many other parts of the world have been made to seem as if they are of no importance. We can send tens of thousands of troops to Iraq but do nothing while the Israeli Government commits genocide.

This is a great article I found on CAIR-Chicago's (Council on American-Islamic Relations, Chicago Chapter) website of how everyday people can help the US Government in the right direction. The origional article can be found here: CAIR-Chicago.



10 STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP PALESTINE
January 11, 2009

CAIR has outlined 10 positive, pro-active steps concerned Americans can take to help end Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, restore the cease-fire and the flow of humanitarian aid and promote a more balanced U.S. policy in the Middle East.

SEE:
Israel Broke Gaza Cease-Fire (CNN)
Gaza Hospital Overwhelmed By Dead, Wounded (AP)

For live coverage from Gaza click here


ACTIONS REQUESTED:


1) Take part in local marches and protests. Help organize peace rallies that condemn the massacre of innocent civilians.

2. Visit your elected representatives during the upcoming “Day on the Hill” in Washington, D.C., sponsored by a coalition of major Islamic organizations. Contact 202-384-8857 for advice on meeting with legislators.

3. Visit the local offices of your elected representatives to talk with them about the need for a more balanced Mideast policy. Use CAIR’s “Legislative Fact Sheet” on the Gaza crisis.

You can also learn how to arrange to meet elected officials and best practices for meeting with your representatives

You can also learn how to arrange to meet elected officials and best practices for meeting with your representatives on CAIR's website.

4. Write or call President Bush and members of Congress. Talking points:

* Israeli attacks block efforts to bring peace with justice to the Middle East, harm our nation’s image and interests worldwide and strengthen voices of extremism in the region.
* The Palestinian people must be given some hope of freedom from Israeli occupation and domination.
* Israel’s immoral and illegal collective punishment of the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip must end.
* America must support a just and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that takes into account the rights and responsibilities of all parties.
* American taxpayer dollars should not be used to for weapons that kill Palestinian civilians.

Ask your elected officials to adopt an even-handed Middle East policy that is in our nation’s - not Israel’s - interest.

Contact President George W. Bush: White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111, Fax: 202-456-2461, E-Mail: comments@whitehouse.gov ; vice_president@whitehouse.gov

Contact Your Congressional Representatives: U.S. Senators and House of Representatives

5. Contact President-Elect Obama to ask that he speak out now in favor of a more balanced and pro-American policy in the Middle East that takes the rights of all parties to the conflict into consideration.

Contact the Obama administration transition team here.

6. Sign CAIR’s online petition urging our nation's leaders to speak "in favor of peace and justice for all parties in the current humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip." When completed, the petition will be sent to elected officials nationwide and will be given to members of the current and incoming administrations.

7. Use Friday prayers to educate members of the Muslim community about the plight of the civilian population in Gaza and the need for a balanced Mideast policy, a cease-fire and the resumption of humanitarian relief. Urge community members to take the actions outlined in this alert.

8. Monitor local media coverage of the Gaza crisis. Contact those media outlets to either praise balanced coverage or to criticize biased coverage. Call in to radio talk shows and write letters to the editor to express your views. To find local and national media contact information, click here.

Post comments on media websites and blogs that discuss the crisis. Begin your own blog and link to other sites that support a balanced American policy in the region. Start a free blog at: http://www.blogger.com.

Use social media tools such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, to make your views known and to share your views with like-minded individuals and groups.

9. Organize meetings between Muslim and interfaith community leaders and members of your local newspaper’s editorial board.

To meet with a newspaper editorial board:

* If possible, gather evidence of any media bias in the newspaper. (Also look for examples of positive, balanced coverage.) Save one-sided news articles or video clips. Record talk shows. Follow a newspaper’s editorial position. * Build a coalition of local leaders.
* Plan for the meeting.
* Get together for a strategizing session and assign duties.
* Present your case. Be clear about goals. Stick to your points.
* Conclude with specific a request for more balanced coverage and input from those who support peace with justice in the region.
* Follow-up. Send a letter outlining agreements reached.

Contact CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper for more information on coordinating a meeting with an editorial board or contacting media outlets. Call 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com

10. Contact the State Department to call for action in defense of Gaza's civilian population. Call 202-647-4000 and ask for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs or click here.

I didn't even know that the term existed. Now I am one.

I just found out yesterday that I got the promotion I was hoping for. It was the most anticlimactic statement I could have imagined. I had in my head that I would be asked to see HR and be offered the position and maybe have a discussion of my responsibilities and the benefits of the position. Nope. I was having coffee with my director when he causally said that a memo would go out today stating that I was the new "Lead Officer". Then then continued on like I already knew the promotion was mine.

I should be excited that I got the promotion and leave it at that. I just can't help feeling like I got cheated out of something. Like there should have been a band and a cake or something. I need to get over it. I not only have a job during the recession, which is more than a lot of people can say, but I just got promoted. I'll just count myself blessed and leave it at that.

On my way to work I was on the inbound Ike, a State Trooper squad pulls onto the expressway at Harlem. The squad was fully lit but only going about 40 mph. I was 2 cars back waiting for the trooper to pull someone over, but the squad just kept cruising behind a vehicle at a steady 40 mph. So we pass Austin and I'm starting to wonder why the hell the car won't pull over. If they were trying to make a break for it, 40 mph on a 4 lane expressway isn't going to cut it.

All of a sudden I see another squad hauling off the Austin exit in my rear view mirror. The second squad then joins the world's slowest police chase. All of a sudden from the left lane, using it's signals, the car they are behind pulls from the left lane to the middle lane, waits then shifts to right lane with both squads in tow, still moving at 40mph.

When the "offender" pulled off at Cicero I look over and it's a little old lady who is struggling to even look over the steering wheel. I love Chicago.

So after a week hiatus I'm back. I screwed up NaBloPoMo and missed my 1st blogoversary all in one swoop.

This is why I don't drink like I used to. I miss everything. Although I had an amazing time, I negated all my responsibilities leaving the woman and myself not much time to clean the house before Thanksgiving.

So on Friday night, we went to O'Rourkes Office. It's a really cool martini bar on the south side. We also went to Club Crescendo for a manager's last day, it was freaking awesome! Crescendo is definitely my favorite club in downtown Chicago. I forgot how much fun it was to just go out dancing and the just the feeling of being free in the club. I don't know what it is. If I'm sober or around alot of people I know, I am embarrassed to dance but If I'm just out with a few friends at a club I just feel... I dunno it's a really good time.

Saturday we went to the Michigan Avenue Festival of Lights. This is one of my favorite ways to usher in the holiday season. Watching the tree lights turn on as the parade route passes them, the fireworks and the hanging with friends out in the streets; it's all a great way to see the city.

Sunday night was another great night! We all went out to BJ McMahon's on the south side. By we, I mean everyone came out. People I see all the time and people I never get the chance to see came out to wish me well on a recent career accomplishment. Lets just say I was obliterated and extremely happy to be around all those friends.

Monday night = more BJ's. Again went out to BJ's to see some friends I don't always get to see and to quote a friend: "No, I'm not drunk. Not at all. I'M ANNIHILATED!" We then went back to The Garage and played some beer pong and had a "minor" war in which we all received "minor" injuries.

Needless to say it was an great weekend, one that's been a long time coming. Most of the weekends I usually have involve catching up on sleep, a good night and then some form of drama. This was 4 fantastic days in a row.

Tonight we are going out to a martini bar on the south side, then tomorrow is the Michigan Ave. Festival of Lights and Sunday is celebratory drunk day. I am in such a great mood for this weekend! I haven't had a great weekend in a long time. I've had a few really good ones but not a great one and I'm looking forward to it.

I hope everyone has a safe weekend!

It's time the house got a thorough cleaning. That will be my job while the woman is away on a mini vacation with her "bestie." I try to do nice things for her all the time but I seldom clean, so I think this will be a nice gesture.

I hate cleaning and I have trashed the place without her being around, so wish me luck.

So the hotel's concierge came up with some extra tickets to a Bull's game. Making my first Bulls game ever, tonight's win against the Dallas Mavericks. The seats were amazing, but I don't think I could ever pay $120 for them. ButI am not a basketball fan by any means. I love to play the game but it's boring as hell to watch. Watching it live was a whole new feeling. I really got into the game and my obsession with Sports Center assisted me in already knowing the players. I was actually going a little crazy by the end of the game and they had me totally sucked in. It may have been the fact that we were down 24-3 and ended up winning but man was that fun. I'll have to go see a few more games, I might just start paying a little more attention to the orange ball.

I my quest to become a better, stronger, healthier me, I am taking my old recipes and turning them healthy. I will be sharing all of my recipes on my new blog Beave's Kitchen. Every few days I'll post a new super healthy but super tasty recipe.

Check it out and tell me if it needs more salt.