Art from Up Here

This weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Derek Nunn from San Francisco. He was in town to help celebrate a mutual friends 39th (aka 50th) birthday.

Derek is an artist who also happens to be Deaf, and just a couple inches shorter than me. After we met he gave me his card so I could visit his website to see some of his artwork.

Like wine, I have my own appreciation for art, but could never claim to be fully educated in art appreciation. But like wine, appreciation is subjective and I like what I like.

The image on you see here is something I like. Sorry, I take that back. I love this piece. Anyone who knows me knows that the blues catch my eye instantly! This piece is 4' x 4' and would be perfect for my (soon to be) new faux-designed apartment. My birthday just passed, but in the ProjectChristopher family it's well known that as long as you give a present before the next birthday, it's all good!

I invite you to take a look through Derek's website. His work is great with such a variety of size, texture and feelings. Like Matt Lew, it's nice to know artists personally. Their work takes on a different feel when you have a friend connection as well as an aesthetic one.

Ode to Spring!

In honor of the First Day of Spring

And knowing that it is only a day on the calendar where Chicago weather is concerned

I offer this from one of the BEST comic strips of all time. If you don't get this, then you've never been in -5 degree or less weather and felt the need to make that face yourself!

This would be my luck...

If you know me, you know my curiosity and how badly it can get the best of me sometimes.

Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | More Video Clips

Baaa Ram Ewwe!

A true time killer is over at Neatorama. Posts from anywhere, everywhere and you can get pulled in to reading for a long long time. But it's just as the name says! Neatorama!

"Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her, she was a sister who really cooked!"

I'm up to my shoulders in planning a conference and I'm dealing with a caterer who has the audacity to demand things of me... Thank goodness we were on the phone and she couldn't see me giving her this look:


I commented to a coworker about this lady and said "Who does she think she is? Maude?" My coworker started humming the tune trying to remember the words so you know I was compelled to go find it.

Blast from your past baby! And even a scene with Rue McClanahan

Happy St. Pats!

As I found this hilarious clip to commemorate St. Pats, I thought I'd blog it to share. As I was pulling up my own blog I saw Mr. Stephen of "Are you there blog..." had already put it up.

Well Hell....

It's funny enough to share around! (and MINE has a festive holiday-themed border... so THERE Stephen!)

Double wishes, Happy St. Pats and Happy Birthday to Boysib (brother)

Um.... NO

I missed last weeks' Feisty Friday so I don't mind making it a day early this week.

First we lose Comiskey Field when US Cellular buys naming rights to the White Sox stadium.

Then we lose a major Chicago icon when Macy's buys Marshall Fields. Yes, the store is still there, but a new name was more than just a new name.

NOW we have this little tidbit from Crain's:

Sears Tower to be renamed for new tenant

Sears Tower will become Willis Tower.

The insurance broker announced Thursday morning that it will move to the Sears Tower and that the building will be renamed Willis Tower.

London-based Willis Group Holdings said it will consolidate five local offices into more than 140,000 square feet in the 110-story building at 233 S. Wacker Drive. Almost 500 employees will move into the building, Willis said.

Willis said the space is costing the company $14.50 a square foot and that it is not paying extra for the naming rights.

“Having our name associated with Chicago’s most iconic structure underscores our commitment to this great city, and recognizes Chicago’s importance as a major financial hub and international business center,” Joseph J. Plumeri, chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings, said in a release. “We are delighted to be making this bold move and firmly establishing our leading presence in one of the nation’s biggest insurance markets, and it will be wonderful for all our associates to work under one roof.”

Willis currently has about 91,000 square feet in three downtown locations, according to real estate research firm CoStar Group Inc. The largest amount is about 42,000 square feet at 10 S. LaSalle St.

Offices in west suburban Oak Brook and Lombard also will be consolidated into the Sears Tower, Willis said. Willis expects to complete the move by late summer.

Two words for you Willis...

HELL NO!

I may not be a Chicago native, and I've only lived here for coming up on nine years. But in my eyes, mind and heart I'll only be talking about:

Comiskey Field
Marshall Fields
and I once worked for a client in the SEARS tower. Thank you very f'ing much!

The weirdest way to start the day....

I was jumped by Mr. Flu this week. I got something to help me sleep which had (I didn't know at the time) Ambien in it. I'd heard various odd stories in the past about Ambien, but they were more anecdotal.

Last night I did my normal bedtime routine. Got in bed, turned on the TV (Law & Order... rerun) and set the sleep timer for an hour. I watched for a few minutes then rolled over as usual and whoosh! I'm off to sleep until my alarm will go off at 5:30 in the morning.

THIS morning, however, at 8:30am, I wake up when something is blown off the table and hits me in the face since I'm now laying on the floor in my dining area on top of a couple of quilts that are not spread out, they're just dumped there, every light in my apartment is on, my refrigerator door is wide open, the DVD drawer under my TV is pulled out and my alarm is going off in my bedroom as it has been since 5:30am.

First I was scared thinking "where the hell am I?"

Then I was scared thinking "How the hell did I get here?!?"

It was a good hour or so after I got up and going that the total discombobulation feeling started to leave me.

I'm done. I don't want that feeling anymore.

Couldn't I have at least cleaned the house while I was up??

This might be a cool office....

unless it was in Chicago and it was winter.....

(GASP!) - I object!

I've had this niggling idea for years and years. Something I thought about doing, but as with anything that's a challenge in my life, I've discounted myself right out of it. I'm not smart enough, I'm not good looking enough, I'm not healthy enough, I'm too lazy, etc etc etc.

I know, don't lecture.

But last year when I joined the AIDS Marathon Training Program things changed. Yes, I went in thinking "I'll never be able to do it." Our first 3 mile run was going to be a wash. I knew I could never run 3 miles without stopping much less 1 mile. When I finished that first 3 mile run and hadn't stopped, the impact of that hit me like a ton of bricks and I got a little emotional.... and mad.

Mad at myself wondering how many things I'd held myself back on because I didn't think myself good enough.

Well, that niggling idea has been coming back to me over the past month or so and I have decided to at least investigate the idea until someone outside of myself stops me. What's this niggling idea? Law School.

So I'm going to look into it, at the very least take the LSAT and maybe I can submit a video essay like the one below... although I'm not going to Harvard