The Lodge - Oak Brook, IL

I stayed at The Lodge at McDonald's Campus the last time I was in Chicagoland. It is located at the world headquarters of McDonald's corporation. The lounges, restaurants, and lobby overlook a lake. The lodge is connected by a bridge across the lake to Hamburger University, McDonald's corporate training center. Also on the campus is the administration building; trees, lakes, creeks, and paths (I saw two deer amble across the roadway); a heliport; and other park-like areas.

Six Flags Great America - Gurnee, IL

I joined my sisters and their families at Six Flags Great America to be a "kid" again. We rode several roller coasters and had a fun day. The video shows a ride on Superman. "Go up, up and away as you soar head-first through a twisted steel track to find out what it’s like to fly like the one-and-only Superman." We waited over one hour for the ride which lasted less than two minutes.

Where in the world?

Do you know where this picture was taken? I thought the perspective and colors were interesting and they even showed up ok with my cell phone camera.

Amazing but true

I ran across this interesting tidbit: Turn Your Digital Camera Upside Down For Better Portraits. Supposedly, the angle of the flash changes the shadows on a subject's face, making one look younger and producing a better portrait when the flash is coming from below the lens. I thought I'd give it a try... Here's me with the camera the conventional way. Here's me with the camera upside down. Notice any difference? Yes, I know the effect is subtle.

(Selections from) My Current Playlist

In the past year I compiled a few music playlists of songs that had caught my attention. Most of these interested me enough to make the effort to either get the CD from the library or purchase it for myself. What do you think of these songs? (I take no responsibility for the lyrics - I only listen to the music!)

Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
Electricity - Elton John
Honesty - Billy Joel
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
Little Red Corvette - Prince
Our Last Summer - Abba
Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
What's Up - 4 Non Blondes
1999 - Prince

Cheap Newspaper

I've read the Chicago Sun-Times is experiencing "a continuing steep decline in advertising and circulation revenue." Maybe their circulation revenue would be better if they charged more than a half cent for a copy of the paper!

Creative use for Treadmills

While listening to the campus radio station tonight, I heard the DJ mention this music video. I can't say I care much for the music (the band, OK go, is from Chicago), but the choreography is interesting. What do you think?

Bold & Bombastic

Carmina Burana (Orff) was my favorite "big" staged/semi-staged piece for orchestra, choirs, and solists. Today, it was replaced with Bernstein's Mass. While Carmina Burana has it's moments (e.g., First movement, Tempus est jocundum, and Veni, Veni, Venias), Mass outshines it in many of the movements. (Listen to some of them here... Gloria in excelsis, Agnus Dei, "I believe in God", and "The Word of the Lord" are "catchy"!) The lyrics are also interesting. It was written during the time an unpopular president was promoting an unpopular war... Nixon and Vietnam. Perhaps, as a result, they still have meaning and relevance today. What is your favorite opus that would fit into this category?

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia—fear of the number thirteen
Papaphobia—fear of the pope.
Scorodophobia—fear of garlic.
Pteronophobia—fear of being tickled with feathers.
Ranidaphobia—fear of frogs.
Philematophobia—fear of kissing.
Aulophobia—fear of flutes.
Ostraconophobia—fear of shellfish.
Graphophobia—fear of handwriting.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia—fear of long words.
Blennophobia—fear of slime.
Gerontophobia—fear of old people.
Peladophobia—fear of bald people.
Geropeladophobia—fear of old, bald people.
Phobophobia—fear of developing a fear.
Didaskaleinophobia—the fear of going to school

Kids from Around the World

I thought this sounded like an interesting project... Click here for more information.

Need Some New Wheels?

I was coming home through Amish Country in Central Illinois last weekend and came upon the Used Amish Buggy Lot. I didn't take a picture but after surfing the web, I found one on the website for the place: http://www.myamishheritage.com. The buggies are more expensive than I would have thought. In fact, some of them are more than what I've paid for some of my past cars! I don't think I'll trade in my Bug just yet, but now I know where to go if I need a good used buggy!

I'm PHinisheD!

According to my unofficial electronic university transcript, I graduate on August 19, 2006. I don't have any "hard-copy" documentation to support this, but I guess I'll trust it!

Summer Listening

In addition to reading books this summer, and a little so-called "work", I was introduced (or re-introduced) to some new (to me) music. I can think of several instances where I've become aware of some music through a seemingly chance encounter with a person, a performance, a kiosk in a music store, a radio playing in a store, or a too-loud ipod on the bus. None of these selections has a super-interesting story associated with my discovery, but they have been on summer play list.

Billy Elliot - the Musical (music by Elton John)
Carmina Burana (Carl Orff)
In Between Dreams (Jack Johnson)
Mass (Leonard Bernstein)
The Best of Peter, Paul, & Mary

Do you have any suggestions for music that I should consider for a future playlist?

Summer Reading

At the beginning of the summer I set aside 8 books to read - four "professional" books and four "leisure" reading. I read them all and one more (that I picked up cheap at a nearby bookstore)! I have several others I'd like to read, but do you have any suggestions? I'd like to read more of the "classics" and books that "everyone" knows about. For example, I've read books by Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, Erdrich, Twain, Orwell, etc. I'd like to read some by authors such as Tolstoy, Wharton, Stowe, Morrison, Austen, Hughes, Maguire, etc.

These are the "leisure" ones I've read in the past weeks; I won't bore you with the other titles. You can write to me if you care to know...

The Jungle (Upton Sinclair)
The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
The Souls of Black Folk (W.E.B. DuBois)
My Antonia (Willa Cather)
Dress Your Family in Corduroy & Denim (David Sedaris)

Chicago Eats

During the last two months I've eaten at many restaurants in the Windy City that I'd recommend to others. Many of them I've only eaten at once and I've found that I sometimes change my mind on a second visit. Nonetheless, you should try them for yourself. Or, if we're in Chicago at the same time, let me know and we'll dine together! There is a variety of styles in this list, but they have one thing in common - none is very expensive (you can get in and out of each for less than $10 most of the time, $15 tops). Here goes... alphabetically:

Bobtail Soda Fountain (2951 N Broadway/3425 N Southport)
Bongo Room (1152 S Wabash/1470 N Milwaukee)
Cereality (100 S Wacker)
Eleven City Diner (1112 S Wabash)
Hashbrowns (731 W Maxwell)
Joy's Noodles & Rice (3257 N Broadway)
Nookies Too (2112 N Halstad)
Orange (3231 N Clark/75 W Harrison)
Pasta Palazzo (1966 N Halstad)
Toast (746 W Webster/2046 N Damen)
Wow Bao (845 N Michigan)

Have I missed any of your favorites? Let me know!