Saturday, February 28, 2004
Oh, by the way, where it says 'comments' below each entry, you can click on that and leave a comment :-P
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Monday, February 23, 2004
YAY! I am moved in and mostly unpacked. I have great views of cool sunsets. I have lots of space. I have run the dishwasher several times. I have lots of stuff stowed in the lots of closets I now have. The main thing left to do is hang pictures and shelves. Too bad I can't figure out where I put my camera to take pictures of all of this stuff!
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Thursday, February 19, 2004
ugh!
I am soooo tired and I wanted to have made several trips moving stuff over to the new apartment! Instead, I've sat here chatting with my Wed night group of buddies.b Anyone use AOL IM's chat rooms? Anyone have trouble with them lately? Ours was terrible tonight--lags and constantly getting booted.
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I am soooo tired and I wanted to have made several trips moving stuff over to the new apartment! Instead, I've sat here chatting with my Wed night group of buddies.b Anyone use AOL IM's chat rooms? Anyone have trouble with them lately? Ours was terrible tonight--lags and constantly getting booted.
Friday, February 13, 2004
I am sitting here thinking about where I am at now (workwise), wishing I were doing something else, but also telling myself that while I have not used my degree in the last 5 years, I've done a whole lot more of the things I have wanted to do than people who graduated and got the "ideal" job right out of college.
Things I've done:
*spent 6 summers in So Cal. while growing up
*worked 2 summers on the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan at Cedar Campus
*spent 3 yrs just outside of Washington, DC and got to see cool places like Harper's Ferry, WV.
*interned with Presidential Classroom for Young Americans where I got to hang out in the Capitol 2 days/week with students who were visiting. Also, got to meet Bob Dole; doze off in one of those big, comfy leather seats on the floor of the House of Representatives; met Cokie Roberts from ABC News, two cabinet members, Donna Shalala and the shameless Bruce Babbitt; watched Strom Thurmond hobble through the subway under the Capitol (not the public Metro) and give up his "SENATOR ONLY" seat to a lady standing nearby, and went out one evening with a Secret Service agent who was on Vice-Presidential detail.
*taught in schools in Florida and Illinois (imagine working with some of your old teachers!)
*worked on a music festival where I got to meet bands that I loved...and one that I got to hang out with when they returned to Illinois, and then hang out with them in Nashville somewhat. (while packing, I came across an old journal where I pretty much detailed the entire day running around town with them, completely reliving that day and a half)
*went to a Third World country
*worked (here in FL) with the Major General just under a dictator of the same Third World country that I visited
*travelled a whole lot lately
In the last year, I've made sure to do a lot of travelling. I think from January 2003 to February 2004, the count of US states is at 19 states. Let's see--Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia (just crossed the border to say I was there), Texas (3 different layovers have to count for something!), California (twice), Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio. That's it...and hopefully next month, Nevada, but we'll see. Too bad Oregon is still about 200 miles away from Tahoe!
With all this talk of travel, for anyone reading out there who can't keep track of where I am/where I am from, I was born in Illinois (Danville...not Chicago, not anywhere remotely resembling Chicago), I spent summers in California (one parent lived on the West Coast--was actually a fun way to live!), went to college in Maryland, moved back to Illinois for about 2 years, then moved to Florida, where I am now, and where I would like to leave sometime in the next couple years. I think the fact that I didn't stay in one place while growing up leads me to want to move around still. I have wings, not roots. Yet Danville/Vermilion County, IL is always "home".
OK, my apologies for all the links. I was playing with how to do that, and got carried away!
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Things I've done:
*spent 6 summers in So Cal. while growing up
*worked 2 summers on the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan at Cedar Campus
*spent 3 yrs just outside of Washington, DC and got to see cool places like Harper's Ferry, WV.
*interned with Presidential Classroom for Young Americans where I got to hang out in the Capitol 2 days/week with students who were visiting. Also, got to meet Bob Dole; doze off in one of those big, comfy leather seats on the floor of the House of Representatives; met Cokie Roberts from ABC News, two cabinet members, Donna Shalala and the shameless Bruce Babbitt; watched Strom Thurmond hobble through the subway under the Capitol (not the public Metro) and give up his "SENATOR ONLY" seat to a lady standing nearby, and went out one evening with a Secret Service agent who was on Vice-Presidential detail.
*taught in schools in Florida and Illinois (imagine working with some of your old teachers!)
*worked on a music festival where I got to meet bands that I loved...and one that I got to hang out with when they returned to Illinois, and then hang out with them in Nashville somewhat. (while packing, I came across an old journal where I pretty much detailed the entire day running around town with them, completely reliving that day and a half)
*went to a Third World country
*worked (here in FL) with the Major General just under a dictator of the same Third World country that I visited
*travelled a whole lot lately
In the last year, I've made sure to do a lot of travelling. I think from January 2003 to February 2004, the count of US states is at 19 states. Let's see--Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia (just crossed the border to say I was there), Texas (3 different layovers have to count for something!), California (twice), Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio. That's it...and hopefully next month, Nevada, but we'll see. Too bad Oregon is still about 200 miles away from Tahoe!
With all this talk of travel, for anyone reading out there who can't keep track of where I am/where I am from, I was born in Illinois (Danville...not Chicago, not anywhere remotely resembling Chicago), I spent summers in California (one parent lived on the West Coast--was actually a fun way to live!), went to college in Maryland, moved back to Illinois for about 2 years, then moved to Florida, where I am now, and where I would like to leave sometime in the next couple years. I think the fact that I didn't stay in one place while growing up leads me to want to move around still. I have wings, not roots. Yet Danville/Vermilion County, IL is always "home".
OK, my apologies for all the links. I was playing with how to do that, and got carried away!
Sunday, February 08, 2004
I managed to oversleep for work today, but the what i did to cause it was soooo much fun. 36 hours in Los Angeles all jam-packed with fun. And that nasty flu-ish thing I had almost kept me from going. Thursday was probably the first day this week that I did not feel sick.
I have a friend who writes for a television show. Over time, we discovered that I am from Danville, IL, that there are a few celebrities from the same town, and that one of those celebs from Danville periodically appears on the show where friend writes. I know the celeb to some extent. (My parents know him better) SO, I told said friend to let me know when the celeb would be on, and I would try to come out. I finally got the chance to fly out and do all of this. It was a BLAST--I mean, for those of you interested in the entertainment industry, the friend made it highly memorable. There are groups who provide tickets to show tapings, but this was NOTHING like that. No Audiences Unlimited style where you are ushered in and out of the studio lot in a herd.
I flew out and arrived around 1pm. Good friend, Christine picked me up at LAX and we drove up to Studio City. I got to have Starbucks with her (quite an afficianado). We got our beverages and sat and talked until we were summoned to the studio. We drove up to the gate, gave our names and got to drive onto the lot and park on a street that looked like any city, except that it was all generic storefronts used for scene-shooting. We walked to the tv show offices to meet up with our writer friend. We saw a little bit of the studio lot in that area. We saw the soundstage where they shoot and the sets. We went with him to where the cast and crew meet and eat beforehand. We saw one of the stars of the show in there. SO COOL! We were like kids in the proverbial candy store. Finally time to go sit and watch the taping. Warm up guy was good, but we sat there and agreed that some of the audience members left a little to be desired. Just before the end of shooting we got to go down on the set and then hang out for a bit, meeting various people on and associated with the show. I got to speak to the famous celeb from home, be it a fairly brief conversation. Not bad though, definitely wasn't expecting to get to go sit for hours and catch up. Just getting to see him was cool...no...the WHOLE thing was one of the coolest experiences I've had.
Next morning, Christine and I took her kids to Disneyland. We wandered around a bit and hung out for awhile with another friend, Dale. After I got home and thought about it, I didn't actually go on ANY rides. I went up the Tarzan Treehouse at Disneyland. I walked through parts of a Brother Bear-esque playground and Bugland, but didn't go on a single ride. This is ok...not a huge ride person anyway. I like to soak up the atmosphere. It beats walking around a mall in the same way, anyday.
In the evening, when the kids were ready to go, we went back to Christine's and hung out. I reluctantly flew back to Florida and returned to normal life. *BIG SIGH*
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I have a friend who writes for a television show. Over time, we discovered that I am from Danville, IL, that there are a few celebrities from the same town, and that one of those celebs from Danville periodically appears on the show where friend writes. I know the celeb to some extent. (My parents know him better) SO, I told said friend to let me know when the celeb would be on, and I would try to come out. I finally got the chance to fly out and do all of this. It was a BLAST--I mean, for those of you interested in the entertainment industry, the friend made it highly memorable. There are groups who provide tickets to show tapings, but this was NOTHING like that. No Audiences Unlimited style where you are ushered in and out of the studio lot in a herd.
I flew out and arrived around 1pm. Good friend, Christine picked me up at LAX and we drove up to Studio City. I got to have Starbucks with her (quite an afficianado). We got our beverages and sat and talked until we were summoned to the studio. We drove up to the gate, gave our names and got to drive onto the lot and park on a street that looked like any city, except that it was all generic storefronts used for scene-shooting. We walked to the tv show offices to meet up with our writer friend. We saw a little bit of the studio lot in that area. We saw the soundstage where they shoot and the sets. We went with him to where the cast and crew meet and eat beforehand. We saw one of the stars of the show in there. SO COOL! We were like kids in the proverbial candy store. Finally time to go sit and watch the taping. Warm up guy was good, but we sat there and agreed that some of the audience members left a little to be desired. Just before the end of shooting we got to go down on the set and then hang out for a bit, meeting various people on and associated with the show. I got to speak to the famous celeb from home, be it a fairly brief conversation. Not bad though, definitely wasn't expecting to get to go sit for hours and catch up. Just getting to see him was cool...no...the WHOLE thing was one of the coolest experiences I've had.
Next morning, Christine and I took her kids to Disneyland. We wandered around a bit and hung out for awhile with another friend, Dale. After I got home and thought about it, I didn't actually go on ANY rides. I went up the Tarzan Treehouse at Disneyland. I walked through parts of a Brother Bear-esque playground and Bugland, but didn't go on a single ride. This is ok...not a huge ride person anyway. I like to soak up the atmosphere. It beats walking around a mall in the same way, anyday.
In the evening, when the kids were ready to go, we went back to Christine's and hung out. I reluctantly flew back to Florida and returned to normal life. *BIG SIGH*
Monday, February 02, 2004
Oye!
I did enjoy my friends being here. While we did a lot, it never seemed too much. I must say, if you're coming to the Orlando area, late January is a good time to do so. We went to Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge Thursday night after they checked into Coronado Springs Resort. WOW! I wonder what took me so long to try this place! Yummy food! Afterwards, we went over to Epcot to watch Illuminations, the fireworks show.
Friday, I got up early so that we could go to Magic Kingdom. We covered the entire park (well, not every single ride, but close) easily. The only ride we used the Fast Pass system on was Peter Pan's Flight. All of the big rides had only about a 10 minute wait.
Saturday, I went to Animal Kingdom with them before work. The safari was still as bumpy, but Flights of Wonder was cool. After work, we met up and went to World of Disney for shopping. I was soaked from working in the rain all day, but was ok. We went to Wolfgang Puck Express to grab a late dinner. I thought we'd have Sunday morning to say good-bye, but after getting home from Downtown Disney, I had a severe stomach and side ache and TUMS was not helping. Turned out to be a nice little stomach flu that kept me up all night. UGH! Didn't get to meet up with them Sunday morning, and stayed home from work, sleeping ALL day. (which explains why I am up at this late hour)
I did catch the controversial Superbowl Halftime Show, but didn't get it at the time--why it ended so abruptly. I think I fell asleep again right after that, waking up at midnight. Hopefully, this will pass before Wednesday morning!
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I did enjoy my friends being here. While we did a lot, it never seemed too much. I must say, if you're coming to the Orlando area, late January is a good time to do so. We went to Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge Thursday night after they checked into Coronado Springs Resort. WOW! I wonder what took me so long to try this place! Yummy food! Afterwards, we went over to Epcot to watch Illuminations, the fireworks show.
Friday, I got up early so that we could go to Magic Kingdom. We covered the entire park (well, not every single ride, but close) easily. The only ride we used the Fast Pass system on was Peter Pan's Flight. All of the big rides had only about a 10 minute wait.
Saturday, I went to Animal Kingdom with them before work. The safari was still as bumpy, but Flights of Wonder was cool. After work, we met up and went to World of Disney for shopping. I was soaked from working in the rain all day, but was ok. We went to Wolfgang Puck Express to grab a late dinner. I thought we'd have Sunday morning to say good-bye, but after getting home from Downtown Disney, I had a severe stomach and side ache and TUMS was not helping. Turned out to be a nice little stomach flu that kept me up all night. UGH! Didn't get to meet up with them Sunday morning, and stayed home from work, sleeping ALL day. (which explains why I am up at this late hour)
I did catch the controversial Superbowl Halftime Show, but didn't get it at the time--why it ended so abruptly. I think I fell asleep again right after that, waking up at midnight. Hopefully, this will pass before Wednesday morning!
The only book which doesn't take place in Narnia at all, per se, you're the story of a voyage to find the end of the world and hopefully the Seven Lost Lords (remember Rhoop!). You contain some of the most unique people and places and beautiful descriptions of the whole series.
Find out which Chronicles of Narnia book you are.
