Wednesday night after work I met up with my friend Alana who I have not seen in several years. She moved off to France for a while to work and now she and her husband are back in Chicago. It was so good to see her. We went to Alumni Club and just had a few drinks and talked, caught up and everything, told our stories of what we've been up to for the last few years. It was fun. Also updated eachother on gossip concerning our sorority sisters. We both really do not keep in touch with very many of them so it was mostly repeating old stories or stories we'd heard from others. Very interesting stuff. She's great and I hope we can get together more and hang out. I was thinking though, after hearing all of that, that I'm so glad that most of the people I'm close to now were people that I've known for a million hears (pre-IU) or people that I've met here. There's so much college crap that I can do without and would love to forget. She still has to deal with her husband's old frat brothers and all of that mess.

So Thursday night I didn't do anything all that thrilling except for go home and watch Must See TV! I'm so glad the new TV season is out because I was getting sick of watching re-runs or Discovery Channel documentaries.

Today I had to get up super early to get to work for the 7 am shift. It was just one of those mornings. So ... got up, combed the hair, threw on some clothes and tried to remember everything that I needed to pack to take down to Indy and Sullivan this weekend. I was such a mess. First off, I really did not want to get out of bed. Last night was really bizarre and I had some difficulty sleeping. Strange things happen in Chicago in the middle of the night even though I live in a nice neighborhood. At some point in the middle of the night I was awoken by a woman screaming and then heard a crash of some kind. It seemed like it happened outside. A few minutes later - but not as soon as I had thought - I heard sirens so I got out of bed thinking I was going to see some big disaster down below like someone having fallen from a balcony or something. Anyway, I'm not sure what was going on but there were like 5 cop cars and a fire engine like a block away. And being the spy that I am, I had the binoculars out. I'm not sure what was happening because I didn't see a wrecked car or a body or anything. Maybe it was just a car wreck and someone screamed when they saw it happen. I probably fell asleep right after it happened and lost track of time and they may have had it cleaned up before I got up to look.

So then when the alarm went off I was in the middle of an awesome dream and it totally ticked me off to miss the rest of it so I laid in bed for a little while listening to the radio realizing that I really needed to get out of bed and get to work. Finally did, got ready a little and just started throwing junk in my bag to take. I think I remembered everything, hopefully. I figure as long as I have money and the tickets and clothes there is no problem.

Still tinkering around with the blog, tried it with the title, decided I didn't like it so I'm dumping that. Anyway, yet again nothing too thrilling going on with me. Went home after work last night, made some taco salad, ate entirely too much - fun, fun! I really need to go on a freaking diet!

One thing I do need to do is call Alana and see if we're still on for tomorrow. We're supposed to be getting a drink somewhere after work.

Work was a little nuts yesterday and I ended up getting stuck with a bunch of cases, I'm making my way thru them slowly but surely. There only seems to be one real outstanding issue at this point that I'm not certain about. Today I am thankfully offline. I was actually on the backup shift but no one called in sick so I didn't have to take calls! Yea!!

Just got back from Walgreens where I wanted to pick up my pictures that I took over the Corn Fest weekend. They were supposed to be in yesterday but they still aren't in yet. So... they said probably this afternoon so I guess I'll have to go back over there. I have a bunch of pics that I still need to get on the internet, maybe thats something I can work on later in the afternoon.

Lots of people have been contacting me about my family tree info lately and thats pretty cool. Sometimes I can help them, sometimes not but its cool to know that people are looking at it. What I really need to do is get a really nice program together and basically do a lot of that stuff over again. That site could be so much better than it is presently. Maybe this winter that will be a little project for me.

So I was on the super early shift at work this morning and I was running sort of late. I think I got to my desk at 7:03 and I should have been logged on before that. Oh well, no one called. We're having our 35th anniversary party for the company this afternoon. Nothing too fancy just cake and a toast I believe. After that we are having our monthly party. Actually as I look at it, I'm supposed to go help them set up for all of that here in about 5 minutes so I may go ahead and post this and then come back to write more!

Well here I am again. I was debating about writing today but it seems like its pretty slow here at work at the moment and I hope it will remain so. Hopefully I'll get this entry completed, I keep seeming to get wrapped up in things here. The lines are ringing but not with anything I work with.

So last night I went to get my hair done right after work at Mario Tricoci. It turned out pretty well. I got some low lights in it and usually I don't like them but I really needed a change. The other color in it sort of breaks it up a little bit so I don't look as intensely blonde. Sort of a change for me.

Anyway, after that I was walking down Michigan Avenue and I was crossing the street and all of a sudden I looked up and saw someone that I knew that I knew. Anyway, it was my friend Alana from college. So we were all typically girly, etc. about running into eachother. Actually I shouldn't be too surprised to run into her. I knew she had moved to France for a job for a couple of years. I had sort of lost touch with her a little before that even though she was in Chicago during the time. Our schedules were just not matching up. So she moved to France and now is back in Chicago with her husband Dave (Shaggy) who she dated in college and forever. It was very cool to run into her and we're planning on getting together in another couple of weeks. Alana was one of my sorority sisters and my roommate second semester sophomore year. Can't tell you how many fraternity parties we went to and underage drinking we did back then! ; ) We also went to Florida on Spring Break that year. We had some really good times - along with some of our other sorority sisters - and she's someone I have wanted to get back in touch with. I did see her a few times when she lived here before. Hopefully now we can all get together and get the guys together. It would be a good time!!

After that I went into Filene's Basement for a quick look around but didn't see anything too interesting so I went on my merry way. Got back to the apartment and watched the Sox game which, fortunately, they won. I'm still sort of thinking about going down there tonight by myself. Well, I probably won't. I went shopping today during my lunch hour and bought a bunch of stuff so I sort of want to take that home and then I'm trying to save a little money for this weekend so if I don't go then I'll have more money saved. Also, I'm not big on going to a game alone.

As I was saying earlier I went and did some shopping on my lunch hour. First stopped at Old Navy where I got this salmon colored sweatshirt which is pretty cool and some cargo khakis. Then went to Filene's Basement where I got a couple of shirts. I never go shopping so this is rare for me. There are a couple of other "fall" items I'd like to get such as some leather shoes and maybe some kind of skirt outfit or something like that. I'm trying to think of where else I could look around me that isn't super expensive. Had planned on stopping by TJ Maxx too but I didn't really have much more time before I had to get back to work here. Sooo... I might try to run over there tomorrow or look around on Michigan Ave. or something or just do nothing. I have skirts and stuff, I was just looking for something new. Shoes are an absolute must though. I love casual leather shoes and I've worn out the pair that I liked to wear so I definitely need something new. I'd also like to get like a leather jacket or something but I think I will hold off on that because that will be a little more money.

So I'm still just sitting here at work at its surprisingly quiet. I'm going to have to freak out and start jumping on some calls soon or its going to look like I have done nothing today!! OK, finally took one so its not a completely wasted day.

What else?? Can't think of much at the moment. Tomorrow we are having a 35th anniversary party here at work and I think we're all getting T-shirts and since I'm on the organizing committee (although I haven't had too much time lately to help organize), I'm supposed to pick up my T-shirt tonight and wear it tomorrow so I must remember to do that. Don't know what I'm going to do for dinner at all but I guarantee it will be none too thrilling.

One other thing I wanted to mention today was an update on the governor of Indiana. Apparently it seems like he suffered a massive stroke and they're not sure if he's going to make it and if he does it could be weeks or months before he's OK again. On my walk home I walked by Northwestern Hospital where he is and every news van in the Midwest must have been parked out there. This is very sad. As I said before I met the governor, Frank O'Bannon, several times when I was working in the Indiana Senate and even before. He's a really nice guy. I remember when he got elected the first time we were so happy down at IU. I got to go to his inauguration and everything at the State House in Indy. I was just thinking about that today for like the first time in forever. I have a nice printed invitation for it somewhere waiting to be put in a scrapbook. I'll never forget that day because they had the inauguration outside and it must have been like 20 degrees below zero. It was one of the coldest days I can remember from that year but a beautiful day outside. So we all stood around in our layers of clothing shivering but it was a nice event to go to. I also met the Lt. Governor, Joe Kernan, on several occasions who is just as much as a nice guy. As the Lt. Gov. is the leader of the Senate, I saw him a lot. I mean really, for politicians, they are both very approachable, just nice people. I'm attaching a couple of stories here from the Indianapolis Star (who knew Kernan was a Sox fan!) in case you're interested.

So Saturday morning I got up and went to go work out. It was really a completely uneventful day. Just worked out, watched TV, cleaned up the kitchen, etc. Boring boring boring. Watched the Sox game, ate some dinner and even went and worked out again. Stayed up sort of late not doing anything in particular except for surfing the net.

Sunday was pretty much the same. Went to work out early on but when I got down there like nothing was working. So I did what I could on some of the weight machines and then went for a power walk along the lake. That ended up being a pretty good workout. Came back, watched the Sox game, and other mindless TV, cooked dinner. Pretty much the same crap. I stayed up sort of later than I would have wanted watching "Sweet Home Alabama" - a very cute movie and Reese has perfect hair in it. So after that I went to bed but I could not sleep, just tossed and turned the whole night. My mind was reeling and I have no idea why. Well, I'm thinking maybe these green tea tablets I've been taking might have something to do with it, probably too much caffeine. Oh well...

Got up this morning, don't really feel too rested but what can you do? On the other hand, I don't exactly feel tired either. So took the shower and all and actually had a piece of toast for breakfast. Sort of meant to do my makeup but I just sort of brushed my hair out, put on some lipstick and took off. Its work, who cares what you look like!? Besides, I'm getting my hair done tonight and my eyebrows waxed so all of the makeup will end up rubbing off in the process anyway. I've decided to only get my highlights done tonight and I'm letting my hair grow out longer and will cut it another time. Remember how I said how I hated my hair so much after I got it cut the last time. Well, its much better now but I still want to give the bangs more time to grow out. I just hope it doesn't end up looking like crap. Still trying to decide what I want to do with the highlights. I would like the blonde blonde color to remain but I need to break it up a little bit I think, like maybe get some streaks of another color or lowlights or something added to it. I sort of like how my sister got her's the last time. She had it sort of streaky with a couple of other shades of blonde. I was also thinking about maybe adding some reddish steaks to it. I wonder what that would look like. I just don't want too much of the lowlight look because I've had them before and they just seem to take over as the dominant color I see in the mirror so whatever it is, its going to have to be thin. I don't want brown hair!!!

One more thing to add here. Just read where Frank O'Bannon, the governor of Indiana, was hospitalized with some sort of cerebral hemorrhage. I met him on several occasions when I worked in the Indiana Senate when I was in college. He's one of the nicest politicians I've ever met and a totally normal person (I often saw him eating lunch in the State House foodcourt). This is very sad, I hope everything will turn out well. He was supposed to be the Grand Marshall of the Corn Festival parade in Sullivan this coming weekend as well.

So this morning I get up bright and early at 6 am to get ready for my early shift at work. I go into the bathroom to turn on the shower and notice its coming out completely cold. So I turn it all the way to hot and let it run, same thing. I tried the sink in the bathroom, same thing. So I'm like, crap, what is going no. So I go into the kitchen thinking that maybe the water there is good and if anything I can just wash my hair in the sink. No dice. So I call down to the doorman and he knew right away what I was calling about. Apparently there was some sort of power outage in the building last night for about an hour. I guess whomever assumed that when the power came back that the boiler would come back up but it did not and they were having to power it back up for hot water. Well that sucks. Not sure about the whole power outage thing because my alarm went off and my clock wasn't flashing 12:00 or anything. Who knows, maybe it was only certain parts of the building. So there was no way I was going to take a cold shower so I just sort of tried to comb my hair and throw on some makeup so I didn't end up looking like total crap. That really stinks though - I was not happy!!

Wednesday I didn't do anything too thrilling. Really, as I think of it now, it was sort of dull. Well I did go get my ugly acrylic nails removed. I had had them on forever and they were looking pretty bad. I'm giving my fingers a rest by going with my real nails and just a simple manicure. Watched part of the Sox loss to the Red Sox. I don't know what I think about this team. I mean, they're still technically in first but its just getting sort of idiotic now. It will be interesting to see what happens. After that ended I stumbled upon the movie "Tuck Everlasting". Anyway, I was surprised by how good it was and I ended up crying at the end. It was pretty sad!!

Was able to drag myself out of bed a little earlier this morning and got to work early. So lucky me gets to leave around 4:30. Its been a pretty slow day today and thats just fine with me.

Hey well I'm back. I'm not in the happiest of moods right now for a certain reason that I'll not go into. Its sort of a long story. Well, not really, nothing really has happened to upset me but I've sort of put myself into a mood because of some pieces of a puzzle I am seeing start to fit together. So I emailed my mom about it, not that she can really do anything, and I'll see what she has to say. I'm one of those people that when upset I have to tell someone about it or I just stew over it more.

Saturday my parents came into town. They were supposed to get in around noon but I think they made it there sometime between 1 and 2. They ran into a lot of traffic on the way up. So they got there and we just sort of relaxed. Started teaching them how to play various games on the dart board and they really had a good time with it and my mom ended up getting really good at it. I think they might get one now. After that we took a walk to the train and went out to visit my sister and see her new apartment. Stopped and got some beer on the way and then just hung out at Steph's for a while and sort of watched the Cubs game. We then headed off to Pizano's in Wrigleyville for pizza. It was pretty good stuff. Had some appetizers, beer, pizza, just hung out and talked. Fortunately we got there early enough and right before the Cubs game got out because after the game finally ended the place was packed. We then headed back to Steph's apartment and hung out for a little while. Mom got stuck watching the movie "Serendipity" and Steph loves that movie. Its OK I suppose but a little contrived. After that Steph drove us back downtown.

Sunday was a pretty rainy day so we pretty much just stayed around the apartment. We did walk over to Navy Pier for a little while but it was pretty crowded indoors and the rain was sort of sporadic outdoors. You really couldn't do much so we didn't stay long. Afterwards we briefly went back to the apartment and then walked to the train to go to China Town to hang out and have dinner. My parents had never been there before so it was nice to walk around and look in the stores and bakeries. The stores are nothing special - a bunch of trinkets and junk mostly.