GreenPeak

Latest TravelHost Chicago articles

2009-12-03T19:05:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest TravelHost Chicago articles including:

-A profile of blues musician Joanna Connor

-An in depth feature on various Chicago comedy venues

-A store spotlight of Marbles: The Brain Store

http://travelhost.com/jsp/magazines.jsp

Flip through the latest issue. Yes, you can page through the magazine online. It's the future.

2009-12-03T18:46:00.001-08:00

This past summer, I investigated a strange culture in a far away habitat....Los Angeles.

Check out my findings in this article from The Real Chicago e-zine.

Los Angeles: An exploration of its people in their natural habitat

Child's Play in Chicago

2009-12-03T18:39:00.000-08:00

Need to know some great spots to take your kids? Check out one of my latest articles for The Real Chicago e-zine.

Child's play in Chicago

A Letter of Query

2009-07-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Dear America's Got Talent Producers-

I have decided on an ideal job for me.

This job would be choosing the music that goes under the contestants who are either being put through to the next round or booted on America's Got Talent.

I feel that I would be highly qualified to choose this music. For example, I would choose the song "I Believe I Can Fly" to accompany the success of body contortionist Lou Meyer's as he goes to the next round of the competition. Also, I am very good at identifying songs with the word "hero" in it. "Hero" by Mariah Carey, "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias, "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler, "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner, or even "Believe It Or Not (The theme from Greatest American Hero)" by Joey Scarbury.

Also, I have a lighter side. I believe that audiences would enjoy the song "Hit The Road Jack" behind failed contestants 42, 157 and 92.

Unless one of those contestants is all women, then I would choose the song "Lady" by Kenny Rogers.

I thank you for your consideration for this position.

Sincerely,

Megan Green

lordy, lordy, look who's...not 29

2009-07-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

a lot of people fear turning 30 like it's the time that you have to start thinking about the color of your coffin (oooo, how about a nice, dark cherry wood?). however, i was told by several people into their 30's that turning 30 means you don't have to worry about all the crap from your 20's anymore.

i am fine with that. when i think back on it, i worried about a lot of stupid stuff in my 20's...like Y2K and running out of Stridex pads.

i have also thought back in the past couple of weeks about what i thought about turning 30 when i was 20. when i was still in college and watching Felicity on the WB i thought my life would be certain things by the time i turned 30.

here are some of the things i thought...

-i would still be living in nashville (didn't happen)

-i would have lots of money (ummm....no)

-i would have babies...that's more than one (none that i know about...wait...that's a no)

-i would be fully into a career that had something to do with what i learned in college (still headed that way)

-i would still be driving a car (i just drove a car again for the first time in over 2 years...not counting the car i drove at Disneyland when i went there for my birthday this year - see pic)

-i would never be tied to my cell phone (i constantly hear phantom rings...it never stops)

-i would have great friends (yay!)

-i would be in love (double yay!)

-i would still love to watch the show Felicity (i fully admit this has happened...thanks Netflix)

i guess the 20-year-old Megan would be kind of confused if she saw my life at 30, but i think she would still love it...i mean after she got over the whole time travel thing.

Making Both Your Bank Account And Your Body Healthier

2009-07-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

While gyms and fitness studios are about as abundant as Starbucks, lately, people are having a big problem affording these gyms.

I recently did an article for The Real Chicago about easy ways to get fit for less in Chicago. These include free trials, free summer fitness classes in the park or on the beach or even long-term fitness solutions with deals on gym memberships.

Check It Out:

Get Fit For Less - The Real Chicago Article by Megan Green

(photo courtesy of City of Chicago & Millennium Park)

A Far East Adventure Only A Few Train Stops Away

2009-07-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

hello to the hundreds of loyal followers of my blog (and by hundreds i mean the loyal group of a few friends that check it out)-

sorry i haven't posted in a while. finals were pretty stressful, and once that smoke cleared summer fun was already underway.

i am still writing for the real chicago e-zine and travelhost chicago magazine.

here is an article i just did for the real chicago where i suited up, packed a bag, said good-bye to my parents, put $2.25 on my cta card and hit the streets of chinatown for a day's adventure.

(spoiler: i had to put more money on my cta card to get back home)

if you haven't been to chinatown in chicago before (or haven't gone recently), check it out. lots of culture, good restaurants and unique shops are waiting.

Chinatown Day Adventure in The Real Chicago E-zine - An Article by Megan Green

(photo also by Megan Green)

Super!

2009-04-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Sam Super, comedian and all-around good guy, sat down with me earlier this month for an interview for The Real Chicago. We ended up doing a spoof celebrity interview that The Real Chicago published and Comedy Sportz Chicago included in its latest newsletter.

Check It Out:

Sam Super Interview Link

Scorch!

2009-04-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Roosevelt University newspaper, The Torch, did its annual spoof issue called The Scorch (clever, yes?). It includes Onion-esque articles and news.

I did two pieces for it.

Check them out at these links:

Who is Roosevelt's New Professor?

Bat Cave Under the Gage

*the great Trebek photo was done by Chrissy Bruzek*

A Shamrock Shuffle...into the ridiculous cold

2009-03-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

The forecast was cold. The forecast was snow. But, like a stubborn Chicagoan, I decided to not chicken out of doing the Shamrock Shuffle 5K on March 29th.

Believe me, when I saw the mounds of snow on the ground and the bitter snow still falling, I wanted to back out. However, the need to not be the one to say "umm...let's all just stay inside and watch reruns of Family Ties" propelled me to get up, grab my sneakers and gloves and brave it.

I was not prepared. Sure, I dressed warmly, but, today, people participating in the Shamrock Shuffle needed major protection from the elements -- especially on their feet.

I sludged through the snow and ice for those 3 point whatever miles wishing I could go back to the start of the day and put plastic bags on my feet. I was sure I was about to become a member in the 9-toes-or-less club.

People were trudging (shuffling?) right along with us. Had we all not been freezing, the falling snow and views along the lakefront would have actually been picturesque. Instead, we all looked at times like we were participating in a fun run towards our deaths -- sponsored by Fleet Feet.

Myself, my friend Natalie (yay Nat!) and my boyfriend Timmy (hooray for Timmy!) made it through. Despite wanting to quit at one time or another, we made it across the finish line. We were cold, somewhat in pain and mostly numb. We were all very proud of each other.

I was rejoicing in the humorous tale I had lived to tell until the feeling started coming back into my feet. It hurt, and I fell very quickly into the cavern of whiny jerks. I apologized then and still apologize for being a cantankerous complainer.

As they said on an episode of 'ER' (I can't remember which one), "Life is too short to spend it whining." I am pretty sure a patient coded on the table then.

Hey, I am just thankful the feeling eventually leveled out in my feet...and that I have an official Shamrock Shuffle T-shirt. And, I am still pretty freaking proud I finished the race.

A Brainstorm is a'brewing

2009-03-18T13:50:00.001-07:00

The best comic book shop in Chicago...and the world?...

I recently profiled a comic book, video and gaming store called Brainstorm. I am not lying when I say this place is great for both people who consider themselves comic book geeks and those who think Spiderman is only reserved for Toby Maguire fans.

The movie selection is amazing, as well.

But, the most amazing thing about this store are the workers. The nicest, most genuine people to ever hock Marvel products.

Click me for to read the Brainstorm Article

Up All Night

2009-03-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

Remember Rhonda Sheer "Up All Night" on USA? If you don't you were probably a better person than I was. This show consisted of some of the trashiest movies (not X-Rated trashy, just really horrible) ever to clog up the shelves at Blockbuster.

Well, this time, I stayed "Up All Night" in a different way. I profiled several 4a.m. bars in Chicago. For the people who just can't drink enough before 2a.m.

Check It Out:

4a.m. Bars in The Real Chicago

If you happen to be in a Chicago hotel room...

2009-03-11T10:52:00.001-07:00

...check out the TravelHost Chicago magazine. This issue has a few articles I wrote in it.

TravelHost Chicago is in hundreds of hotel rooms around the area. I am pretty proud of my speakeasy article.

If you aren't in a hotel room (I am not saying that anything naughty has to be going on. You could just be visiting.), you can read the magazine at www.travelhost.com.

-Select the "Cities" link

-Type in Chicago, hit search

-Select the Chicago Downtown and North side option, hit "select edition"

-When that page pops up, hit "Read Magazine"

After that, you should be able to flip through the pages of the current issue.

Also, you will notice a picture of me from a ComedySportz ad. I am all over this motha'.

Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Stitch 'n' Bitch at the MCA - by Megan Green

2009-02-26T06:53:00.000-08:00

Article on Stitch 'n' Bitch for the Roosevelt Torch Newspaper

The Oscars - The Real Chicago E-zine Article

2009-02-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

My article "Academy Awards for the Cinematically Challenged" - published online with The Real Chicago

www.therealchicago.org

*more articles are coming soon with this publication*

2008 Election Article

2009-02-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

2008 Election - Roosevelt Torch Article - by Megan Green

Follow the link to view a partial version of the article. The Web site did not post the entire article.

Valentine's Day Article

2009-02-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

A Roosevelt Torch article for Valentine's Day - by Megan Green

Ghost Tour Article

2009-02-07T21:33:00.001-08:00

Ghost Tour article from Fall 2008 issue of the Roosevelt Torch - by Megan Green:

file:///Users/megangreen/Desktop/CLIPS/Chicago%20Tour%20Bust%20Ghosts%20-%20Torch.pdf

If you see something...

2009-01-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

The rest of this phrase is supposed to be "say something." Unfortunately, as I have learned about the majority of the general public, the phrase should be - "if you see something, awkwardly look the other direction until it goes away."

Unfortunate, but not far off-base.

Case in point, I was on the CTA Red Line on a recent weekend, and I was quietly seated listening to my iPod - translation: I was in my own world listening to a variety of Monster Ballads. I eventually noticed a strange man dressed all in leather - leather shoes, black leather pants and a leather jacket with the tags hanging off. This man was also wearing red-tinted sunglasses. Not exactly the uniform of the inconspicuous train rider.

He silently fidgeted in one seat and then another as we passed from one station to the next. The train eventually pulled up to the Chicago station. The doors stood open for a few seconds until the familiar ding of "doors closing." It was only at this point that the man walked to the door to exit the train. It was also at this point that there was an unfortunate young man standing on the train platform waiting to board who got in the leather man's way.

This act of blocking someone's exit from a train is usually met with an "excuse me" or a simple, silent push-through and exit. However, this day, for whatever reason, the leather man decided to up the ante. He violently and without pause punched the boarding man in the face. The young man fell to the ground and the leather man kicked him.

The attacker then calmly walked out of the train, up the stairs and into the crowds on the street.

Of course, those of us left on the train were shocked. Some asked the young man if he was OK. He was. Some inquired with each other about what had just happened. However, no one, at least that I saw on my train, reported the incident. The young man who was attacked was clearly more embarrassed by the situation than angered. He simply went and sat down with his friend like nothing had happened.

No one called the train operator on those ever-present buttons. No brave soul followed the attacker up the stairs (either for payback or to facilitate a capture). No one phoned 3-1-1, as constantly instructed by signs on the CTA. The incident just happened and faded into the memories of those who witnessed it - stored away as a cautionary tale or an exciting story to parlay at dinner that night.

Truth be told, the random act of violence ended up causing about as much panic or reaction as if someone had dropped their soda on the train, and it had exploded.

And, I would be willing to bet if that happened there would be more than a few angry passengers looking to have their dry cleaning bills paid. Especially if it were orange soda. Man, that stuff stains.

Lessons Learned

2009-01-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well, that didn't last long. Luckily no one really bet on this little wager.

I got entranced by the latest season of American Idol. See, there was this blind guy who auditioned. It was inspirational. I promise. Ok, I really can't defend this. I am embarrassed even writing about it .

So, the not watching TV thing is not happening. i am making sure that i limit my tv time, so i am not chained to the box for several hours at a time watching mindless tv during my semester break.

This is like my crusade to kick my coffee habit every few months...it doesn't last long. after a bit, i figure that some habits are ok to keep going. i'm not shooting heroine here.

Somebody get Charles Dickens on the phone...

2009-01-05T13:34:00.000-08:00

After traveling to Paducah twice (twice) in November via an annoying train ride, I was really hoping that the final train ride of 2008 would be tolerable. Like the rest of 2008, this experience would be frustrating and stressful, but it would also have a slight shimmer of hope.

I worked the morning of December 22 at my holiday job, and then I hurried down to Union Station in time for the obligatory hour before my train was scheduled to leave. I was not greeted by a mundane wait in the seating area of Amtrak. I was greeted by hundreds of angry Amtrak ticket holders.

Due to freezing Chicago temperatures, the trains were delayed up to 24 hours. The tracks were freezing. The trains were running out of food, and their toilets were freezing solid. My train was delayed indefinitely at the time I arrived at Union Station. I settled in for the long wait in the chilly waiting area. People were huddled close together -- partly out of preserving body warmth, mostly out of the severe overcrowding at the station. Due to the close proximity and the long waiting time, the people waiting around me slowly began to chit-chat.

I am usually not a fan of idle chit-chat. In fact, I avoid it at all cost. However, the people around me quickly became the most entertaining things in that area, so I relented and began to talk. One man, named Scott, had simply traveled to Chicago that day to get his computer fixed. A woman, Stacey, was traveling home for the holidays. Stacey had already gotten so frustrated with the wait that she had purchased a bottle of wine and was happily downing it when we began to speak. I liked her immediately.

The other people I met were a student from Eastern Europe, a mom and her young son, named Demetri. All of these people were linked with me for these few hours by our frustration. We all just wanted to get home to whoever was waiting for us with open arms and presents.

As the hours ticked by, the Amtrak workers had little to report beyond more delays. The trash cans were overflowing. The toilets were plugged. We were all trapped in our own quest for survival.

The best thing people could do was to try to be friendly and helpful to those around them.

The student from Eastern Europe didn't get off to a very good start. She dropped her traveling case on my toe. She apologized a few minutes later when she realized her case was on the floor. I accepted, then proceeded to swear a lot under my breath at the pain. She turned a corner when she became the default babysitter of the young boy Demetri while his mother went to get food. When the mother came back, the student went for food.

The mother gave all of us bottled water. Gold star achieved. Stacey offered to share a cab with me if our train was cancelled. Very nice.

Scott, the day traveler with computer problems, went for popcorn, which he shared with all of us. Another act of stress-induced kindness.

Scott seemed like a very nice guy. An older man, probably in his 60s, with graying hair and a very tall stature. He had more of a grandfather demeanor than a creepy one. Always a positive.

This grandfather demeanor prompted the mother to let him take her son to the bathroom. While they were gone, she turned to Stacey and myself and stated how she was wary to send her son to the bathroom with a stranger. However, since Scott was with obviously traveling with Stacey, he must be ok.

Stacey and I looked at each other and paused for a moment. We broke the news to her.

Scott was not with Stacey. We had just met him. As the mother began to breath heavily, we tried to assure her that he seemed like a nice man.

Her face turned a terrifying shade of amber alert. The minutes slowly ticked by until Scott returned with the young boy. The kid appeared OK. No visible bleeding or trauma.

Another good deed apparently accomplished -- that is, until the young boy's inexplicable fear of trains turns out to be from the uncovered memories of being abused in an Amtrak bathroom. Hopefully not.

When I finally boarded my train about five hours after I was supposed to, I sat back and thought about all of these people helping each other during this time of hoping, wishing and waiting. I will not say that this was a full-fledged Christmas movie, but it did smell a little bit like Christmas spirit.

We could have ignored each other. We could have yelled at each other. I could have stayed in a corner watching my DVD of the third season of the X-Files. But, we did not stay in our own private bubbles. We helped each other. We were kind to strangers. As the toilets overflowed, we let our hearts overflow a little, too.

And that is really what Christmas is all about. With all the stuff life throws at you, Christmas helps you survive the crap.

mmm...mmm...good?

2008-11-30T15:14:00.000-08:00

The movie "My Name is Bruce" is tongue-in-cheek mediocre -- which means it is mediocre, but that is part of its charm. I went on Saturday night to see the movie, not just for the film experience, but because the film's star Bruce Campbell would be there.

I never really was obsessed with Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness. I just enjoy them and his other movies enough to be curious about what this guy is actually like. Campbell was supposed to introduce the film...he didn't. That left me sitting for the first half of the movie squirming in my seat worrying that he was not actually there. I was the one who had convinced my friends to go, and I would have felt pretty bad if he wasn't there.

The second half of the movie I spent telling myself over and over again that it was intentionally this bad. When the credits rolled, the audience clapped -- half out of enjoyment, half out of excitement for Bruce Campbell. A few seconds after the ended, Bruce Campbell made his way down the stairs to the front of the theater. He looked like a slightly rotund debutante descending for her debut. The crowd went nuts, blinded him with camera flashes and had their wet Ash dreams fulfilled.

Campbell answered questions for about 45 minutes. Most were the stock questions of "when is Bubba-Ho-Tep 2 coming out?" and "What was your favorite film to work on?" Some where a little more entertaining. One older lady fan asked if Campbell would ever do a Scottish-themed horror film "something like Bruce-heart." And then there was the obsessed fan who stood up in his spiderman shirt and proclaimed that he worked at Starbucks, but also was Thor: god of Thunder and Lightning.

Campbell had a stock answer for a lot of questions and a snarky answer for the rest. I can only say he fills out the suit of a charming jerk fabulously.

My comment at the end of the night was that Bruce Campbell seemed like someone I would have dated, been drawn to his sarcastic darkness and charm and been left in pieces as he dumped me because he didn't want to be tied down. Then, I guess he would have gone off to kill zombies or something.

I always wonder when I see famous people like this if we could actually be friends. If Bruce Campbell and I had sat down over a beer after the Q & A, would we hit it off? Not sexually, but just person to person?

Regardless, Bruce Campbell is now an alternate on my list of top 5 celebrities. So, if something happens to Alton Brown, star of Good Eats on the Food Network, he is in.

Congrats to Bruce Campbell.

A Tribute to Serde Corp

2008-11-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

On Thanksgiving Day, I rolled into Union Station in Chicago at about 11p.m. I was a little bit concerned about getting a cab at that hour on Thanksgiving -- especially, since the train and the train station were pretty deserted at that time.

However, a cab greeted me outside that would make my entire day. It was driven by one, Serde Corp.

It remains to be seen if this cab driver actually incorporated his name at some point; however, he and I were fast friends. We never actually talked beyond a "Where are you headed?" But, we were forever linked by his music selections.

I have a long standing theory that cab drivers look at their passengers as they get in, judge them and change the music selection accordingly. I cannot count the number of times I have gotten into a cab, and they change the music almost immediately to easy listening. I get it, I look like I would enjoy some Toto. I actually do. But, that doesn't mean they have to assume it.

But Serde Corp was already into his music selection when I got in. It was his playlist, and I loved him for it.

The song that was playing when I got in was "Nightshift." Serde proceeded to start to softly sing along with the song in his heavy dialect. "Gonna be some sweet sounds coming down on the night shift..."

I was already smiling so big that I felt a little awkward that he might think I was making fun of him. I wasn't. It was just this really wonderful moment of someone freely enjoying their music.

The next song was..."I Wanna Dance With Somebody," by Whitney Houston. The best thing about this?...He jammed out to "Somebody ooooo...somebody oooo....somebody who loves meeee, yeah..." Jammed.

The glory of Serde Corp doesn't end there. The next song to come on was a heavy techno song, which confused me. This was not like the Serde I knew. Thankfully, he reached for the iPod, changed the song and the sweet sounds of "The Gambler" came floating to the back seat.

I don't think I have ever really learned as much about knowing when to hold them and fold them as I did from Serde Corp's passionate rendition of this song.

It was about this time that we rolled up at my corner. I gave him a few extra dollars tip. You know, a little extra for the show.

I went home and bought "Nightshift" from iTunes that night.

Two Days for Turkey

2008-11-29T11:45:00.001-08:00

The Amtrak train the day before Thanksgiving is about as crowded as I could ever expect a cattle car to be. It was filled with angry, restless hordes and smelled about as bad as I could ever expect a cattle car to. I entered my train car dreaming that I would be lucky enough to get a row by myself. That one extra seat would mean the difference between a comfortable six hour ride down south or a cramped ride filled with occasional and strained polite conversation.

I did not get my own row.

Luckily enough the person sitting next to me was quiet enough and didn't try to engage me in too much conversation. Luckily, I didn't get stuck next to the older, slightly off man with the pony tail sitting behind me who smelled like he had mistaken his feces for his dove soap.

I some how managed to not breathe in that much for the six hours and arrived safely at my destination.

The next afternoon I had to do it all over again.

This time, however, I was in "business class." This is the train equivalent of first class, except without the gourmet meal. I eagerly accepted the free copy of the Chicago Tribune and my free soda as I settled into my leather (fake leather?) chair. No strange pony tailed man in his sweatshirt with a wolf and hawk on it. I just got a 20-something guy sitting across the aisle from me proudly holding his plastic bag full of bargain basement price cigarettes. He probably had 15 packs. I stared at that bag for a full 3 minutes trying to figure out what it must have been like for him when he realized he struck his tobacco lottery. I then realized he was looking at me and probably thinking I was checking him out, so I just looked at him and gave him my best "for shame" head shake and turned back to my computer.

It was really all I could think to do.

My whirlwind trip to Kentucky for Thanksgiving was really for one reason. My mom. My grandmother died a couple of weeks ago, and I would not allow myself to miss the first Thanksgiving without her. I had not been home for Thanksgiving in a few years, but this year, I was glad to be there. My mom held it together for the majority of the day. The only time she started to tear up was when she noticed all the similar things she was doing that her mom used to do. The cranberry sauce, the organized cooking schedule, the notes about mashed potatoes...they were the same. And that was special.

I just hope that pony tailed smelly guy found someone besides his wolf and hawk to share Thanksgiving with.

2008-11-20T07:51:00.000-08:00

i realize i have not blogged in november at all. i will now offer a personal apology to the month of november.

Dear November-

I realize that years ago you got a leg up from Thanksgiving. That really was a big moment for you, and you really have FDR to thank officially for that.

Before then, you were just one in a long string of painfully cold months. The inevitable buffer month before Christmas.

You got the Pilgrims. December got Jesus. That doesn't seem fair, November.

Well, I guess Jesus never had a ship...so... But, of course, the Pilgrims could not walk on water. Hmmm...

Back to square one Nov.

OK, you get election day. I just thought of that. You get to help change the entire construct of the USA. That has to be worth a lot, right?

And, you do indeed have Thanksgiving. A day when people get together to gorge themselves for 1 hour on food that took them 2 weeks to plan for and prepare. That has to be worth something.

And, you always bring us the opportunity to see the Thanksgiving episodes of Charlie Brown, the Brady Bunch and Happy Days (as historically flawed as those might be).

So, thanks November for filling us up with gravy and highlighting the relations between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. I truly enjoyed making those cardboard Pilgrim hats in 4th grade.

Sincerely,

scratching post of terror

2008-10-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

i fear pedi-paws. pretty much any motorized device used to cut a pet's claws terrifies me. i know that claws need to be cut. however, can we have a little sensitivity for these poor animals. they don't know what is going on. all they know is that some whirling machine might be coming to cut off their feet.

if i were an animal, that is what i would think.

if i were an animal i would also really prefer wet pet food to dry.

i mean, who wouldn't?

does this count as me doing my piece for animal rights?

ok...check that one off.

orby dust

2008-10-15T09:52:00.001-07:00

went on the "weird chicago" ghost tour on saturday. really interesting. not so much scary, but just chock full of historical information. i am fine with that.

i took lots of pictures with tons of "orbs" in them. there are a lot of people who say that orbs are the energy particles of the spirits. there are also tons of people who say that orbs are dust particles.

i guess it really depends on the mood you are in. the night of the weird chicago tour, i chose to believe they were spirit energy. it is just the halloween mood i am in.

here's really what i learned...if you are on a ship with a lot of people, don't rush with everyone to one side to check out a really cool tugboat. you will die and become an orb....or a dust particle.

same difference.

film at 11

2008-10-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

last presidential debate is tonight. i am not sure if i will watch. i feel like i have heard everything i need to in order to make an informed decision. maybe if they each had a talent portion of the night or something, i might tune in.

i bet mccain is really good at baton twirling. but, not flaming batons. that would be too intense for him.

leaves and leaves and also ghosts

2008-10-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

i am very excited that fall is here. more so, i am very excited for halloween.

i am in the midst of going on ghost tours, ghost hunts and fall fun runs.

this is my favorite season.

this is pretty much the same essay on fall i would have written in 2nd grade. thanks higher education.

picture pages

2008-09-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

i covered a photo exhibit opening last night. The Aftermath Project (www.theaftermathproject.org) is a wonderful organization that gives grants to photographers covering the aftermath of a conflict.

it is wonderful at opening people's eyes to the fact that after a war or conflict is over, the story does not end. it should not end.

the pictures were often times hard to look at, but the stories spoke volumes.

check it out.

death of a ghost movie

2008-08-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

i saw a movie that made me physically angry earlier this week. was it about human oppression? no. was it about the plight of woman? nope. people punching babies? negative.

this movie was "death of a ghost hunter". another in a long string of scary movies using a hand held camera. this one is about a ghost hunter who is hired to do a 3 night investigation in a seemingly haunted house. she never makes it out. it is supposedly based on a true story. we know all of the information contained in the movie from the ghost hunter's journals.

blah, blah, blah...

i should care about this. i really like ghost movies, especially ones that are supposed to be based on a true story. especially those with tiny child ghosts. however, the movie is so horribly made, i stopped caring after about minute 4.

the main reason for my anger is the "film's" triple narration. they have constant vocal narration during the movie. if you still don't get what's going on, the person is actually doing the action while the voice is saying it. if you still don't get it, they write it on the screen for you.

so, if you hear the voice saying the ghost hunter is interviewing a woman named rosalind, you can see her doing the interview, and they write "interview with rosalind" on the screen.

i can only assume they made this movie for the mentally challenged ghost enthusiast.

this triple guidance continues throughout the movie.

if you are courageous enough to make it all the way through the movie (if you have braved the perpetual frustration this movie brings with it), the ending is convoluted and long. it recaps the beginning of the movie while trying to creatively weave in the ghost hunter's fate.

i don't have enough energy to go into detail about this. let's just say that things are explained to such an extent that it actually brings up more questions than it answers. oh, and the child ghost comes and says hi. hooray?

i don't care that the ghost hunter or her colleagues died. it would seem their deaths should be their punishment for inflicted us with their horrible performances and story lines.

this isn't a typical review that informs readers with the director's name or the actor's names or where it was filmed.

it is merely a warning to stay away from this dvd. this movie is the bottle of poisonous cleaner under the sink. i can only tell you to stay away from it and hope for the best.

a couple of bandwagons i fell off of...

2008-08-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

1) michael phelps...i just can't jump on this one (the idea...i would for sure jump on the guy). they (most publications) are calling him the "greatest olympian ever" most gold medals won...yup. sexy swimmer...you bet. greatest olympian? i freaking beg to differ. and i bet some ripped greeks from a couple of hundred years ago would too. am i being a little too nit-picky here? i don't think so.

but if you want to talk about it, i will be here in my apartment eating wheaties and im'ing mary lou retton. give me a call.

2) chicago olympics...i am from chicago. i love chicago. it is home. but, when this city can't even agree on how to do the annual budget for schools, transit, and, well, the city, i don't think they are ready to tackle how to handle a few billion dollars for an event millions will attend.

it would be great to be this close to the olympics. i will probably never get a chance to be this close to it ever again in my life. however, i am simply worried that the city of chicago will end up being like an electrical socket that already has about 10 extra things plugged into it. so, when everyone gets all excited and shoves in the pretty twinkle lights of the olympics, the socket catches fire.

and, while we're on this topic, lest us forget what happened the last time chicago had a huge world event in its house...nudge...nudge..."devil in the white city"...cough.

just give this one to rio. south america has never had an olympics. they are due. and, maybe by the time the the next sign up sheet is posted for olympic host cities, chicago will be ready.

until then, i will just keep politely turning down the "chicago olympics" stickers people offer me on the street.

paper pencils

2008-08-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

i went today with my friends meredith and tracy to help get tracy's classroom ready for her school year. she teaches reading at a middle school. a really 1920's looking school with remnants of ghosts and the movie a christmas story.

coming from a long tradition of helping my mom set up her classroom for school, this was great fun for me. it was a morning of going through numerous copies of hatchet and other newberry award winners. we found several dusty copies of babysitter's club books (special adventure series).

i think a particularly sad note was realizing that all the old books about the solar system would have to be disposed of because of poor pathetic pluto.

sorry pluto...nobody blames you.

L.A. ComedyFest

2008-06-02T10:09:00.001-07:00

Well, it is a little bit after the fact, but I want to blog about FGD going to L.A.

The people at the McCadden Place Theater were nothing if not incredibly great to us. And when you are from out of town going to a fest for just a couple of days you want to feel welcomed and feel like someone has your back as far as where you are supposed to be going. Lesson: If we've never been to the theater before, we probably don't know how to get to the green room.

My point is that the Los Angeles ComedyFest people were very helpful and great to us.

FGD performed Saturday night and Sunday night. I think Sunday night was our fave show. Just tighter with a bigger audience response.

Much thanks to the awesome people who came to the show.

Lessons learned:

-L.A. is hot. It is not a permanent 72 degress like 90210 would have us to believe. Damn you, James Eckhouse.

-Having a change fight is always hilarious.

-People always respond to kittens.

-I discovered I need a certain number of overcast days in my life. These make me happy. I'm looking at you Seattle.

- People should not send important information over text. This is rude and disrespectful. Pick up the phone people. Or, better yet, man up and go see the person. Seriously, man up.

-I like mexican food. No, not just the burrito or Taco Bell side of it, the whole experience of a mexican restaurant...the chips...the margaritas...everything.

-People in L.A. look at you like you are crazy if you walk around. They constantly use their cars. As a city walker this was weird to me.

-Everyone is constantly industry minded in L.A. Constantly. For reals.

-Per square mile, more Starbucks. Way more. Annoyingly more.

-Zoltar exists. I am not bigger.

-Orbs in pictures are not always ghosts.

-I like cucumber in water. Not fingers.

-Southwest Airlines is great. God bless you new Wheat Thins pack.

-I sunburn. I had forgotten this after the long Chicago winter.