So many topics rolling around in my head, I hardly know what to write about these days. Think I will stick with my favorite obsession: ‘Da Bears. (Sorry for perpetuating that ridiculous stereotype.) T-minus 5 days and counting until the big game. At this point, it is all most of us can think about.
One of the reasons I love Chicago the most is that we love our sports teams with serious devotion. If you’re a Sox fan (a true Sox fan), then the ’94 strike still cuts you to the core – regardless of 2005.
If you’re a Cubs fan (a true Cubs fan), then 2003 was gut wrenching and you are still pissed at Gonzalez (even though he is really cute), Prior and Wood for imploding and losing it all. (You are not pissed at any fan with his/her arms up in the air, because you know you would’ve done the same).
If you’re a Bulls fan (a true Bulls fan), you can remember exactly where you were when John Paxson sank the 3-pointer in Game 6. (Okay, that might be a stretch, but you should know, because it was a damn good game).
If you’re a Bears fan (a true Bears fan), you knew when they won the first MNF game, that this was our year. You have been playing and singing The Super Bowl Shuffle since. You have been wearing orange and blue with pride. You are giddy with anticipation (and a little nervous) for Sunday’s game.
Chicago is a football town and the Bears are the great unifier. Regardless of neighborhood, everyone loves the Bears. For the last several days, I haven’t gone anywhere without seeing people in their Bears gear. Every transaction (grocery shopping, banking, dining, drinking…) involves a “Go Bears,” at the end of it. All weekend plans hinge on the game.
We have been waiting for a while for this game and we are planning on doing it right. Those of us that grew up here (and are over the age of 21) remember Super Bowl XX. I remember the score of the game (46-10 – Teiber), where I was when I watched it and how much fun the victory was to all of us. At age 9, all was right with the world.
It is strange to think of how much has changed since then. So much has been lost, conquered, discovered and destroyed. We have seen the Berlin Wall come down. We have seen the decimation of the Ozone Layer and the onset of Global Warming. We have fought with Iraq – twice – which is ironic, because back when the Bears were in the Super Bowl last – Iraq was our ally. Then again, the Soviet Union wasn’t. And now, there is no Soviet Union.
When the Bears were in the Super Bowl last, the face of the world was different. Countries that were present on the World Map in 1986 are long gone – hell, even a planet is missing from the Solar System. (You’re still a planet to me, Pluto!)
I was in the 4th grade back then. I spent my summer days watching the Cubs on TV (there were no lights at Wrigley then) and playing outside. Fun for us was running races down the street, playing on the neighbor’s Star Wars swing set, slipping on our Slip ‘N’ Slides, riding bikes, roller skating and climbing trees. Boys were still on the yuck side, though I secretly hoped that David and Maddie would get together and I was already in love with the cheesy movies that would characterize the decade. I loved Top Gun and Pretty in Pink. Of course, I also loved The Boy Who Could Fly, Flight of the Navigator and Space Camp. (Noticing a bit of a trend here.) Really, at 9 years old, all I wanted to be was an astronaut-teacher-dolphin trainer-writer-President of the US. I had big dreams back then.
21 years later, we are all a bit different. Those of us that were kids back then have since grown up. (Some of us have kids of our own now). We have finished school, gotten jobs, lost a little of our innocence, fallen in and out of love, been hurt by or hurt someone we cared about and slowly, but surely, we have eked out a place in this adult world.
I am no longer 9, but rather 30 now and I look that all has happened in the world and all that has happened to me in the past 21 years and I am in a constant state of wonder. I look at all that has changed for the better and the worse and I wait in eager anticipation for all that is to come. Because if we can come so far in just 21 years, can you imagine what it will be like when the Cubs win the World Series?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
I Heart Heart Day
When I was growing up, my mom always made holidays special for us. My sister and I both had summer birthdays, so my mom made sure we brought cupcakes on our half birthdays. To this day, February 1st doesn't go by without me thinking about that. My mom wasn't the best baker on the planet, but she did make these brownies. Amazing brownies. They were peppermint and had a layer of icing and a layer of drizzled chocolate on top of them. She would make them for Christmas and Valentine's Day. She always dyed the middle-frosting layer for the holiday and cut them into shapes. Crazy, I know, but nothing says Valentine's Day more to me than a heart-shaped peppermint brownie.
As I have become an adult, I have spent more Valentine's Days without a Valentine and I have been soured by love on more than one occasion, but I have never been soured on Valentine's Day. When I taught (and I should mention that I taught high school kids), I meticulously wrote out Valentine's for all my students - Star Wars ones I might add. Some of my most favorite Valentine's Day cards that I have ever received were the ones I received from them.
I realize that I am nerdy and geeky and in the minority, but I find nothing wrong with a holiday that has me getting and giving chocolates and cards and telling people that I love, how I feel about them. Yes, it has become commercial and yes, you should tell the people you love how you feel every day of the year, but what's wrong with taking a day out of the year and making a point out of it? Why do so many revile it?
I used to believe that people who didn’t like the holiday had bad experiences with it. However, I spent a Valentine’s Day in the ER with a roommate while he bled from his mouth – bad dental moment. And I lived to tell the tale, laugh about it and still love the day. So, why all the angst toward the day?
I know that everyone reading this is gearing up to reply with comments like:
“Dea, it is an over-commercialized holiday fabricated by Hallmark and American Greetings.”
“Dea, don’t you know how much pink and red and heart-shaped things suck?”
“Dea, have your birthday on V-Day and get back to me.”
“Dea, haven’t you ever ridden the Valentine’s Day Bus? I mean, really, it is like Cupid threw up in there.”
I know all this and still I say, “What is wrong with taking a day to remind people that they mean something to you? That they make you who you are as a person. That they bring meaning to a sometimes—most of the time—confusing world.” Should you do it everyday? Sure. But what’s wrong with taking out one day and making sure the message is heard? And including peppermint heart brownies.
As I have become an adult, I have spent more Valentine's Days without a Valentine and I have been soured by love on more than one occasion, but I have never been soured on Valentine's Day. When I taught (and I should mention that I taught high school kids), I meticulously wrote out Valentine's for all my students - Star Wars ones I might add. Some of my most favorite Valentine's Day cards that I have ever received were the ones I received from them.
I realize that I am nerdy and geeky and in the minority, but I find nothing wrong with a holiday that has me getting and giving chocolates and cards and telling people that I love, how I feel about them. Yes, it has become commercial and yes, you should tell the people you love how you feel every day of the year, but what's wrong with taking a day out of the year and making a point out of it? Why do so many revile it?
I used to believe that people who didn’t like the holiday had bad experiences with it. However, I spent a Valentine’s Day in the ER with a roommate while he bled from his mouth – bad dental moment. And I lived to tell the tale, laugh about it and still love the day. So, why all the angst toward the day?
I know that everyone reading this is gearing up to reply with comments like:
“Dea, it is an over-commercialized holiday fabricated by Hallmark and American Greetings.”
“Dea, don’t you know how much pink and red and heart-shaped things suck?”
“Dea, have your birthday on V-Day and get back to me.”
“Dea, haven’t you ever ridden the Valentine’s Day Bus? I mean, really, it is like Cupid threw up in there.”
I know all this and still I say, “What is wrong with taking a day to remind people that they mean something to you? That they make you who you are as a person. That they bring meaning to a sometimes—most of the time—confusing world.” Should you do it everyday? Sure. But what’s wrong with taking out one day and making sure the message is heard? And including peppermint heart brownies.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Nobody messin' in my neighborhood
Holy Crap the Bears are going to the Super Bowl! About once an hour I have to say it out loud. I am hoping that it will actually sink in soon.
Yesterday, we went out to watch the game. I should mention that we are an extremely superstitious crowd. That being said, we all followed our same routine from last week. I showered in 3 minutes (though I had been up for an hour). We met at the coffee shop for our tasty warm beverage. (Well, those of us who had coffee last week were allowed to repeat. Sorry, Matty). We lost Tom (Traitor) to another location, but we did have someone drive us to the bar. We sat in the same seats in the car and sang Bear Down, Chicago Bears and the Superbowl Shuffle as we took the same route to the bar. And then all hell broke loose when we got there.
There were about 20 people in line (16 more than there were last week) and we began to panic about getting our same tables. See, we had all come to believe that the tables (and seating) were the X factor for the day. It was the one thing (aside from the actual game on the field) that we couldn't control. We began to sweet talk the people in line, hoping that they would understand our predicament about needing the same table. Thankfully, they were Bears fans and equally superstitious and on a mission to get the same tables they had last week. It seemed as if the problem was avoided. Until they opened the doors to the bar. (Two minutes after the bar should have been opened). And we all cut right to go to our tables. To find them gone. Not gone as in taken by others, but gone as in no longer there. In there place, we found 1 rectangular table and 2 round ones. With one chair.
Cut to panic mode. None of us knew what to do. We ran around the bar looking for another table (well, actually 4 other tables, but there were none to be had). The owner, in his brilliance, reserved half the bar for himself. And the management, in their brilliance, got rid of some of the tables, because they expected a crowd. Completely makes sense that football fans lining up for a 2 PM game at 10:30 AM would want to stand for the 3 hours before the game, as well as the whole game. We were in utter disbelief and pretty angry. I felt bad for the waitress, who not only lost half her section to a private party, but also felt the need to apologize for circumstances that were beyond her control. In that moment, she was the only good thing at the bar. (For the record, it will be here on out referred to as the "bar that shall not be named." Mostly, because I don't want to give it any press).
The 6 of us who set out to seat save had a decision to make and we had to make it quickly. All across the city, bars (and tables) were filling up with eager football fans. We needed to decide if we should stay or go. We were afraid to tamper with the karma, but all of us were so disappointed with the bar that shall not be named, that it was souring our Sunday Funday. We decided (after Guy scouted out another location) to cut our losses and move on to a new location. We didn't want to watch the game with a bad taste in our mouths and none of us wanted to arrive 3 1/2 hours before game time to stand. We were not the only ones to make that decision. When we moved to our new location (which had obviously added tables for the game, not removed them) we saw many of our fellow line standers taking tables and settling in for the day. I am sure that the bar that shall not be named did well yesterday, but I know they lost our business and soured a lot of other people in the process.
Anyway, back to the story. Once we switched location and amended our procedures, we had a bunch of phone calls to make. We sent out a mission aborted message and began re-routing everybldy to the new location. We also began creating an environment at the new bar that would right the wrongs of the location change. The fun pile was created. A few Tums were taken. I ordered a bad bloody mary. (Well, this one was a definite improvement on last week's) and we settled in to our table. We asked the bartenders if they could play our CD (we really needed to hear the Superbowl Shuffle), but they didn't have a sound guy. We made some calls and Scooter came to the rescue with a boom box, electrical cord and a remote.
I was having a semi-crappy morning based on too much alcohol from the night before, too many hormones (sorry Mike - I know you hate girl talk) and a few other extenuating circumstances that shall also remain nameless. Natalie, a.k.a the drill sergeant, would have none of that and dragged me to the bar for a lunchbox shot. It was the definition of what goes around comes around (or vice versa), since last weekend, I had done the same thing with Nat. I was being stubborn and crabby and I am glad that Nat was there to shoot it out of me. I owe her for righting my Sunday Funday.
Anyway, soon after the shot, it was time to get ready. We played Bear Down, sang the anthem and settled into our same seats (well, as best we as we could given the location change). I don’t think that we were settled for very long. Most of us stood the entire game. And what a game it was to see.
At first, I was nervous, because we had to keep kicking field goals (God Bless Robbie Gould). My sister even sent me a message that said this is great and all, but we need a touchdown. And then, things began to fall into place. Just when I became nervous about a Saint-ly comeback (it was 16 – 14 at the time), there was a magical moment in the end zone…a Safety! At 18 – 14, I began to settle a little. Our defense was kicking ass (except for the one Bush play that scared us all), and if we could just hold on…it might happen. The Bears might actually win!
And then we got our Rexy back. In the 3rd quarter and following the Safety, it was game on for the Bears offense!! We needed touchdowns and we got them – from Berrian, Benson (Cedric!) and Thomas Jones. And as we kept scoring and our defense kept clocking the ‘Aints, we all started to get a bit more excited. A bit more enthused. A bit more bouncy. We jumped up and down and hugged on nearly every play and the 2- minute warning, with concession calls from both of my New Orleans friends, we all began to accept it. Our Bears were Bowl bound! Super Bowl Bound!!!
When the game ended, the celebrating began (well, continued really)! There was drinking and dancing and pictures and shots. (I was very glad that I took Monday off). We watched the Patriots game (sorry, Joe) and savored the Bears victory. And kept saying it out loud, just so we could believe it. When we went outside, the snow was falling and it was beautiful. All in all, it was a perfect day in Chicago.
And so it is Monday and I am sitting on my couch, still in my pajamas and I can’t believe it actually happened. The Bears did it! They caused the ‘Aints to march right out of town. I wanted to believe it all along. I thought we could do it. There was something magical about yesterday. I woke up to a car driving by my apartment blasting “Take On Me,” which is the song that reminds me of one of my best friends, as it is the CD he bought right before he died. I thought in that moment that this was going to be a good day. And I was wrong, it was so much more then that.
Yesterday, we went out to watch the game. I should mention that we are an extremely superstitious crowd. That being said, we all followed our same routine from last week. I showered in 3 minutes (though I had been up for an hour). We met at the coffee shop for our tasty warm beverage. (Well, those of us who had coffee last week were allowed to repeat. Sorry, Matty). We lost Tom (Traitor) to another location, but we did have someone drive us to the bar. We sat in the same seats in the car and sang Bear Down, Chicago Bears and the Superbowl Shuffle as we took the same route to the bar. And then all hell broke loose when we got there.
There were about 20 people in line (16 more than there were last week) and we began to panic about getting our same tables. See, we had all come to believe that the tables (and seating) were the X factor for the day. It was the one thing (aside from the actual game on the field) that we couldn't control. We began to sweet talk the people in line, hoping that they would understand our predicament about needing the same table. Thankfully, they were Bears fans and equally superstitious and on a mission to get the same tables they had last week. It seemed as if the problem was avoided. Until they opened the doors to the bar. (Two minutes after the bar should have been opened). And we all cut right to go to our tables. To find them gone. Not gone as in taken by others, but gone as in no longer there. In there place, we found 1 rectangular table and 2 round ones. With one chair.
Cut to panic mode. None of us knew what to do. We ran around the bar looking for another table (well, actually 4 other tables, but there were none to be had). The owner, in his brilliance, reserved half the bar for himself. And the management, in their brilliance, got rid of some of the tables, because they expected a crowd. Completely makes sense that football fans lining up for a 2 PM game at 10:30 AM would want to stand for the 3 hours before the game, as well as the whole game. We were in utter disbelief and pretty angry. I felt bad for the waitress, who not only lost half her section to a private party, but also felt the need to apologize for circumstances that were beyond her control. In that moment, she was the only good thing at the bar. (For the record, it will be here on out referred to as the "bar that shall not be named." Mostly, because I don't want to give it any press).
The 6 of us who set out to seat save had a decision to make and we had to make it quickly. All across the city, bars (and tables) were filling up with eager football fans. We needed to decide if we should stay or go. We were afraid to tamper with the karma, but all of us were so disappointed with the bar that shall not be named, that it was souring our Sunday Funday. We decided (after Guy scouted out another location) to cut our losses and move on to a new location. We didn't want to watch the game with a bad taste in our mouths and none of us wanted to arrive 3 1/2 hours before game time to stand. We were not the only ones to make that decision. When we moved to our new location (which had obviously added tables for the game, not removed them) we saw many of our fellow line standers taking tables and settling in for the day. I am sure that the bar that shall not be named did well yesterday, but I know they lost our business and soured a lot of other people in the process.
Anyway, back to the story. Once we switched location and amended our procedures, we had a bunch of phone calls to make. We sent out a mission aborted message and began re-routing everybldy to the new location. We also began creating an environment at the new bar that would right the wrongs of the location change. The fun pile was created. A few Tums were taken. I ordered a bad bloody mary. (Well, this one was a definite improvement on last week's) and we settled in to our table. We asked the bartenders if they could play our CD (we really needed to hear the Superbowl Shuffle), but they didn't have a sound guy. We made some calls and Scooter came to the rescue with a boom box, electrical cord and a remote.
I was having a semi-crappy morning based on too much alcohol from the night before, too many hormones (sorry Mike - I know you hate girl talk) and a few other extenuating circumstances that shall also remain nameless. Natalie, a.k.a the drill sergeant, would have none of that and dragged me to the bar for a lunchbox shot. It was the definition of what goes around comes around (or vice versa), since last weekend, I had done the same thing with Nat. I was being stubborn and crabby and I am glad that Nat was there to shoot it out of me. I owe her for righting my Sunday Funday.
Anyway, soon after the shot, it was time to get ready. We played Bear Down, sang the anthem and settled into our same seats (well, as best we as we could given the location change). I don’t think that we were settled for very long. Most of us stood the entire game. And what a game it was to see.
At first, I was nervous, because we had to keep kicking field goals (God Bless Robbie Gould). My sister even sent me a message that said this is great and all, but we need a touchdown. And then, things began to fall into place. Just when I became nervous about a Saint-ly comeback (it was 16 – 14 at the time), there was a magical moment in the end zone…a Safety! At 18 – 14, I began to settle a little. Our defense was kicking ass (except for the one Bush play that scared us all), and if we could just hold on…it might happen. The Bears might actually win!
And then we got our Rexy back. In the 3rd quarter and following the Safety, it was game on for the Bears offense!! We needed touchdowns and we got them – from Berrian, Benson (Cedric!) and Thomas Jones. And as we kept scoring and our defense kept clocking the ‘Aints, we all started to get a bit more excited. A bit more enthused. A bit more bouncy. We jumped up and down and hugged on nearly every play and the 2- minute warning, with concession calls from both of my New Orleans friends, we all began to accept it. Our Bears were Bowl bound! Super Bowl Bound!!!
When the game ended, the celebrating began (well, continued really)! There was drinking and dancing and pictures and shots. (I was very glad that I took Monday off). We watched the Patriots game (sorry, Joe) and savored the Bears victory. And kept saying it out loud, just so we could believe it. When we went outside, the snow was falling and it was beautiful. All in all, it was a perfect day in Chicago.
And so it is Monday and I am sitting on my couch, still in my pajamas and I can’t believe it actually happened. The Bears did it! They caused the ‘Aints to march right out of town. I wanted to believe it all along. I thought we could do it. There was something magical about yesterday. I woke up to a car driving by my apartment blasting “Take On Me,” which is the song that reminds me of one of my best friends, as it is the CD he bought right before he died. I thought in that moment that this was going to be a good day. And I was wrong, it was so much more then that.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
51 Hours and 32 Minutes to Kick Off!
Yesterday my friends sent back and forth a string of emails about Sunday's game. Rather than write about it, I thought I would just post them. It is a pretty funny read.
Tom - Some of us are going to Yakzees for the Bears game on Sunday. Planning to get there around 11. If by chance it's packed and we can't get a table we figure we can run over to Bernie's and get a table there.
Not to be an a$$, but it's going to be too crowded to save seats. You're more than welcome to come later but we're not guaranteeing a seat. So if you can join us around 11 we'll see you there.
Teiber - Not sure what everyones game plan is, but I'm kind of superstitous. So i'm in for the same place, tables, seat, even the same clothes as last week. Yes, I did wash the clothes. I also have no problem about waiting outside before the bar opens to get a table again. But, if people are for a change of venue I could handle yakzees or someplace near there, but I had a damn good time at Kirkwood(for the people that watched elsewhere) and would not
mind going back.
GO BEARS
Me - You took the words right out of my mouth, Teiber! I still smart from the Cubs loss in 2003 (and still blame Chad and Jen for coming into town and taking over our table for game 6).
I know that Nat and I are also planning keeping the routine. I think that our plan for Sunday is the same as it was last Sunday - coffee, waiting in line, stampede, same tables (probably same waitress=(, same seats, same clothes, same fun pile (only deviation is going to be a bigger bottle of tums), same hilariously great time!
Tom - if we are losing you to another venue, we are going to require your hat. We all think that it was an integral part of the Bears victory!
GO BEARS!
Nat - Tom ... you are really putting a kink in our plan ... which shouldn't be a problem if you drive us to the bar while playing Bear Down and the SuperBowl Shuffle, lend us your Gators hat and put another Broncos fan in your seat. I intend to maintain position at Kirkwood and think that it is our best strategy for VICTORY ... and ... there will be NO TOUCHING of eachother! SO ... Wash those clothes from last week and put them on again, prep your purses and pockets with all of the acutriements from last week & Teiber, Matty and Dea I will see you at Julius Meinl at 10:15 and we will take it from there. Tom - the question is are you going to be responsible for stealing our MOJO ... cuz against the 'Aints from Dixie ... we NEED our MOJO ....!!!! LETS GO BEARS!!!!!
Dave B. - people and peepettes-
let's be proactive here and get a tentative head count so we can be sure to save enough seats. i don't know if three table savers is going to be sufficient and i'd rather err on the side of too many seats. it's math.
on a side note, i can't believe you're all washing your last week's clothes. i'm still wearing the same boxers. what kind of fans are you? i've got all those sweet, fortuitous juices locked in and incubating in my hamper as we speak. WHO'S SITTING NEXT TO ME!!
scooterbeans- seriously, scooterbeans? what kind of email address is that? what, was queerbait 1 through a million already taken? why don't you show us you got a pair of beans and scoot on out to the neighborhood for some libations this evening? don't let me pressure you though, let your conscience be your guide. i'm gonna be in your neighborhood if you're interested so i could scoop you on my way home from my showings.
and in closing i'd just like to say, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, (Dea here...He said this for 24 lines)
daveb chair of
daveb international, inc.
Guy - Count me in for DA BEARS!!!!!
I'll be out tonight. After watching two nights of American Idol I finally have my confidence back enough to belt out some Karaoke.
Hey "D" you might get to hear a little Romeo & Juliet!!!
BEARS 63
SAINTS 9
Elaine - OK, I am unsure what to do... since I wasn't with you guys last week, I don't know if I can join in now....!?! BUT, I have not washed my outfit from last week, so I can properly gear up.
My prediction:
Barack Obama is the honorary coin flipper, Bears win by 3 TDs, and fans everywhere vote Obama '08.
Guy (again) - My Prediction Version 1.1
After Barack Obama does the coin flip Rex Grossman gets hurt on the first play. Lovie Smith decides to put Obama in for Grosmman!! (Me (taking creative license) There was a political statement, but that takes the fun out of the silly string of email. As Teiber said, politics and girl topics don’t mix well with football.)
BEARS 9
SAINTS 63
Me (again) - Talk about opening a can of worms...
The way I see it:
1) Debauchery occuring tonight.
2) Elaine is joining us on Sunday in smelly clothes.
3) Teiber is joining us in not smelly clothes (for once=0)
4) Tom is letting the team down
5) Dave is really excited about the game - and will be joining us, though probably not sitting, since the boxers will be standing on their own by Sunday.
6) Obama in '08
7) We can only refer to the opponent as the 'AINTS....as in: "Ain't it a shame that the Bears kicked the 'AINTS ass!"
8) Mike needs a drink & loves talking about girl things.
9) If you are coming on Sunday, be there early with us (or stand)
10) All of us are eagerly counting down the time until game day!!
Insert several more emails with the word BEARS repeated over and over again and then two more late entries into the fray.
Scott - will attend as directed by Nat and Jax. I will make sure to try to remember what I was wearing so I may wear it again. I need help. Seriously - no wait, s$@t, it's that polo sweatshirt that I can't stand. DAMN IT!!! And a Chinese Food stain if I recall. Perfect. Found it. It's ... it's not pretty. But it will be there. And I will be the it wearing it.
Jax - ...I am THRILLED to read all of this fun planning for the Sunday Bears victory. I'm in, I won't be able to be there for the line but would hope that my seat will be saved.....PLEASE, I'm out Sat nite celebrating my birthday so might not be in form for the line but PROMISE to wear the same clothes (navy thong included) and even though that gray turtleneck was itching my neck, it will be clean and on my body for the kharma.
GO BEARS!!!
And there you have it. Plans to view the game in the works. The countdown begins...
Go Bears!
Tom - Some of us are going to Yakzees for the Bears game on Sunday. Planning to get there around 11. If by chance it's packed and we can't get a table we figure we can run over to Bernie's and get a table there.
Not to be an a$$, but it's going to be too crowded to save seats. You're more than welcome to come later but we're not guaranteeing a seat. So if you can join us around 11 we'll see you there.
Teiber - Not sure what everyones game plan is, but I'm kind of superstitous. So i'm in for the same place, tables, seat, even the same clothes as last week. Yes, I did wash the clothes. I also have no problem about waiting outside before the bar opens to get a table again. But, if people are for a change of venue I could handle yakzees or someplace near there, but I had a damn good time at Kirkwood(for the people that watched elsewhere) and would not
mind going back.
GO BEARS
Me - You took the words right out of my mouth, Teiber! I still smart from the Cubs loss in 2003 (and still blame Chad and Jen for coming into town and taking over our table for game 6).
I know that Nat and I are also planning keeping the routine. I think that our plan for Sunday is the same as it was last Sunday - coffee, waiting in line, stampede, same tables (probably same waitress=(, same seats, same clothes, same fun pile (only deviation is going to be a bigger bottle of tums), same hilariously great time!
Tom - if we are losing you to another venue, we are going to require your hat. We all think that it was an integral part of the Bears victory!
GO BEARS!
Nat - Tom ... you are really putting a kink in our plan ... which shouldn't be a problem if you drive us to the bar while playing Bear Down and the SuperBowl Shuffle, lend us your Gators hat and put another Broncos fan in your seat. I intend to maintain position at Kirkwood and think that it is our best strategy for VICTORY ... and ... there will be NO TOUCHING of eachother! SO ... Wash those clothes from last week and put them on again, prep your purses and pockets with all of the acutriements from last week & Teiber, Matty and Dea I will see you at Julius Meinl at 10:15 and we will take it from there. Tom - the question is are you going to be responsible for stealing our MOJO ... cuz against the 'Aints from Dixie ... we NEED our MOJO ....!!!! LETS GO BEARS!!!!!
Dave B. - people and peepettes-
let's be proactive here and get a tentative head count so we can be sure to save enough seats. i don't know if three table savers is going to be sufficient and i'd rather err on the side of too many seats. it's math.
on a side note, i can't believe you're all washing your last week's clothes. i'm still wearing the same boxers. what kind of fans are you? i've got all those sweet, fortuitous juices locked in and incubating in my hamper as we speak. WHO'S SITTING NEXT TO ME!!
scooterbeans- seriously, scooterbeans? what kind of email address is that? what, was queerbait 1 through a million already taken? why don't you show us you got a pair of beans and scoot on out to the neighborhood for some libations this evening? don't let me pressure you though, let your conscience be your guide. i'm gonna be in your neighborhood if you're interested so i could scoop you on my way home from my showings.
and in closing i'd just like to say, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, BEARS, (Dea here...He said this for 24 lines)
daveb chair of
daveb international, inc.
Guy - Count me in for DA BEARS!!!!!
I'll be out tonight. After watching two nights of American Idol I finally have my confidence back enough to belt out some Karaoke.
Hey "D" you might get to hear a little Romeo & Juliet!!!
BEARS 63
SAINTS 9
Elaine - OK, I am unsure what to do... since I wasn't with you guys last week, I don't know if I can join in now....!?! BUT, I have not washed my outfit from last week, so I can properly gear up.
My prediction:
Barack Obama is the honorary coin flipper, Bears win by 3 TDs, and fans everywhere vote Obama '08.
Guy (again) - My Prediction Version 1.1
After Barack Obama does the coin flip Rex Grossman gets hurt on the first play. Lovie Smith decides to put Obama in for Grosmman!! (Me (taking creative license) There was a political statement, but that takes the fun out of the silly string of email. As Teiber said, politics and girl topics don’t mix well with football.)
BEARS 9
SAINTS 63
Me (again) - Talk about opening a can of worms...
The way I see it:
1) Debauchery occuring tonight.
2) Elaine is joining us on Sunday in smelly clothes.
3) Teiber is joining us in not smelly clothes (for once=0)
4) Tom is letting the team down
5) Dave is really excited about the game - and will be joining us, though probably not sitting, since the boxers will be standing on their own by Sunday.
6) Obama in '08
7) We can only refer to the opponent as the 'AINTS....as in: "Ain't it a shame that the Bears kicked the 'AINTS ass!"
8) Mike needs a drink & loves talking about girl things.
9) If you are coming on Sunday, be there early with us (or stand)
10) All of us are eagerly counting down the time until game day!!
Insert several more emails with the word BEARS repeated over and over again and then two more late entries into the fray.
Scott - will attend as directed by Nat and Jax. I will make sure to try to remember what I was wearing so I may wear it again. I need help. Seriously - no wait, s$@t, it's that polo sweatshirt that I can't stand. DAMN IT!!! And a Chinese Food stain if I recall. Perfect. Found it. It's ... it's not pretty. But it will be there. And I will be the it wearing it.
Jax - ...I am THRILLED to read all of this fun planning for the Sunday Bears victory. I'm in, I won't be able to be there for the line but would hope that my seat will be saved.....PLEASE, I'm out Sat nite celebrating my birthday so might not be in form for the line but PROMISE to wear the same clothes (navy thong included) and even though that gray turtleneck was itching my neck, it will be clean and on my body for the kharma.
GO BEARS!!!
And there you have it. Plans to view the game in the works. The countdown begins...
Go Bears!
Smells like....
I am in the middle (well, that's a bit optimistic) of day 3 of a business class. I am the nerdy-type who likes to learn, so I am actually excited about being here. However, I am also the type that likes to fidget, get up and walk around, talk to people and surf the net on occasion. I can't really do that in the front row of a computer lab in an 8-hour class. Nope. At least not until the scheduled morning, afternoon and lunch break.
I feel like I am back in high school, eagerly waiting a lunch bell. (Actually, my school didn't have bells, but that is a story for another time). I stare anxiously at the computer clock hoping that he will call break a bit early. Well, not today. Today, he said that we might get out early, but that lunch would be later.
Dilemma. Lunch later? I have to sit in class all day and focus and now I can't eat until later? I was immediately thrown into a Garfield / Jughead panic. What to do? On break, I refilled my coffee and contemplated the snacks. I was going to need something to get me through the rest of the morning. And that's when I saw it. A Dole Mixed Fruit Cup. The ones that used to be in the tin cans though they are now in a plastic cup. Perfect, I thought to myself. Something to tie me over.
I bring the fruit cup, a spoon and my coffee into the training room. Figuring that I can snack on my fruit cup while the lesson continues. I opened up the delicious snack and proceeded to spill some of the juicy contents in my lap.
Which is why it is 10:30 AM and we are at least an hour and a half from lunch and I smell like an apricot-pear-tangelo. And I have wet pants.
I feel like I am back in high school, eagerly waiting a lunch bell. (Actually, my school didn't have bells, but that is a story for another time). I stare anxiously at the computer clock hoping that he will call break a bit early. Well, not today. Today, he said that we might get out early, but that lunch would be later.
Dilemma. Lunch later? I have to sit in class all day and focus and now I can't eat until later? I was immediately thrown into a Garfield / Jughead panic. What to do? On break, I refilled my coffee and contemplated the snacks. I was going to need something to get me through the rest of the morning. And that's when I saw it. A Dole Mixed Fruit Cup. The ones that used to be in the tin cans though they are now in a plastic cup. Perfect, I thought to myself. Something to tie me over.
I bring the fruit cup, a spoon and my coffee into the training room. Figuring that I can snack on my fruit cup while the lesson continues. I opened up the delicious snack and proceeded to spill some of the juicy contents in my lap.
Which is why it is 10:30 AM and we are at least an hour and a half from lunch and I smell like an apricot-pear-tangelo. And I have wet pants.
'Cause I love the way that my singin sounds in here
Every morning I wake up to Mike and Mike. (Well, that and Baba O'Reily on my cell phone and a buzzer on my alarm clock and my mom calling me -- I am not exactly a morning person). After stopping all the chaos in my bedroom, I usually snuggle under the covers and listen to them talk about the sports news of the day. As of late (actually all football season) that has been a lot of fun. The problem is that I almost always stay in bed later than I should listening to them and then I am hauling it out the door. (Why I bother, I don't know, since inevitably my train is going to spend the better part of the morning 'waiting for signals.')
Anyway, to avoid this, I have been dragging my alarm clock / radio to the bathroom with me every morning. I put it on my vanity and plug it in to the only outlet in my bathroom - you know, the one where most normal girls plug in a hair dryer or a flat iron or something. This allows me my sports fix and lets me get ready. Of course, it also makes me leave with wet hair.
The problem is that I never put it back in my room. I turn the radio off and run out the door. I forget that it is still in the bathroom -- even as I am getting ready for bed. I remember it is in the bathroom only when I go to set it - which I can masterfully do from bed and mostly under the covers (they don't make 'em as lazy as me anymore). This always causes a few minutes of debate as to whether or not I really need the extra two alarms. (Really, I do). And then I reluctantly make the mad dash to the bathroom -- trying not to turn on any lights -- and I grab the alarm clock. I quickly plug it in and burrow under my covers, because usually my teeth are chattering by now.
And every night that I have to do this, I end up thinking to myself -- "Why haven't I just gone out and bought a radio? A $9.99 Walgreens variety. A boombox. (yeah - I said it) A shower radio. Any radio?" Kind of like I am doing right now.
Side Note: If anyone can tell me where the song lyric is from, I will be thoroughly impressed. (And for the record, using Google doesn't count - though if the question was posed to me, that is exactly what I would do.)
Anyway, to avoid this, I have been dragging my alarm clock / radio to the bathroom with me every morning. I put it on my vanity and plug it in to the only outlet in my bathroom - you know, the one where most normal girls plug in a hair dryer or a flat iron or something. This allows me my sports fix and lets me get ready. Of course, it also makes me leave with wet hair.
The problem is that I never put it back in my room. I turn the radio off and run out the door. I forget that it is still in the bathroom -- even as I am getting ready for bed. I remember it is in the bathroom only when I go to set it - which I can masterfully do from bed and mostly under the covers (they don't make 'em as lazy as me anymore). This always causes a few minutes of debate as to whether or not I really need the extra two alarms. (Really, I do). And then I reluctantly make the mad dash to the bathroom -- trying not to turn on any lights -- and I grab the alarm clock. I quickly plug it in and burrow under my covers, because usually my teeth are chattering by now.
And every night that I have to do this, I end up thinking to myself -- "Why haven't I just gone out and bought a radio? A $9.99 Walgreens variety. A boombox. (yeah - I said it) A shower radio. Any radio?" Kind of like I am doing right now.
Side Note: If anyone can tell me where the song lyric is from, I will be thoroughly impressed. (And for the record, using Google doesn't count - though if the question was posed to me, that is exactly what I would do.)
Monday, January 15, 2007
They Say Jimbo Is Our Man
So the Bears are going to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1988! That is more than half my life ago. Just so we know, babies born in 1988 can drive a car and participate in free elections. These kids have never known a playoff-winning Bears team. Hell, they can’t even say they remember Walter Payton – at least Walter Payton the player (Walter Payton the person is certainly hard to forget).
There is an entire generation of kids who don’t remember getting their plastic Chicago Bears NFC Champs Mug from the local gas station; watching the game in their living room, wearing head-to-toe Bears gear; excitedly dragging their parents to Carson Pirie Scott to get the new Superbowl Champions shirts; playing the Superbowl Shuffle over and over and over again on our portable Fisher Price brown / white record player. Of course, it is the Superbowl Shuffle that we got from McDonald’s and it is the on our [now] infamous floppy 45. (Let’s be honest, there is an entire generation of kids who think 45 is a speed limit and not the number of revolutions per minute.
And yet they are now one game from Miami and 2 games from seeing Chicago like they have never seen it before. And if yesterday is any indication of the chaos to come…I might advise protective gear.
Sunday Fun Day – Recap and Review
· May have set the record for the fastest shower / getting ready in the history of man. May be an exaggeration, but I know that I was in the shower at 10:15 and out the door at 10:20. And maybe I left with all my make up and my hairbrush in my purse. And maybe my hair was dripping wet and knotted, because I hadn’t even combed it out yet. And maybe I was completely disheveled, but I was true to my word and I was at the coffee shop when I was supposed to be.
· Natalie in her great wisdom made us all get out of our nice comfy beds early, to go to a bar that was not open yet and get a spot of line. I say this right now—she is a genius. At 10:30 AM, we were the 3rd group in line. By 10:45, there were about 30 people in line. When the bar opened, it was a mad dash to the tables. Teiber grabbed 2. I grabbed 2 more and when I looked up, game over. There were no more tables. The 6 of us that ventured out to eke out seats accomplished our mission and settled ourselves in for the long haul.
· We got off to a rocky start with the waitress – it took 45 minutes to bring us our first round and contrary to her belief, the Bloody Mary’s were not a good drink at all. (Picture tomato / pickle juice and you have an idea of what the Bloody Mary tastes like). But we soon got into a good rhythm – we just accepted the fact that we would order every time we saw her.
· We had brought games (well, the girls did) to keep us entertained during the time before the game. We created a “fun pile,” which included LCR, cards, dice (actually Dave brought those), snuff (such a bad idea), Tums (so very necessary) and lotion.
· Right before the game started, we sang the Superbowl Shuffle. I know most of the words, but Nat is amazing – she knows them all and can sing them / and reenact the video. It is a sight to see.
· Game on as the Bears battled the Seahawks. Taking us all on the biggest up and down ride of our lives. We watched with a crazy intensity that required more than a roll of Tums. I have never cheered harder or louder. (I have the bruised hand and the laryngitis to prove it).
· When it was all said and done, the man who would be a carpenter kicked a 49-yard Field Goal and propelled the Chicago Bears to the NFC Championship game! All hell broke loose! We jumped, chest bumped, hugged, screamed, spilled beer, laughed, cried, and all around went crazy for the fun of it. I broke my shoe in the fray and could’ve cared less. (Thankfully, duct tape fixes just about everything).
· Never have I had more fun watching a game. Never have I been more tired at the end of it.
So, to all my game-watching-partners-in-crime, can’t wait until next week. (And wisely, I took next Monday off).
Best Quotes of the Day:
· Beer is coming out all my holes (This said after I made Natalie laugh while taking a sip of beer).
· Nobody touch anyone anymore! (This said after a handholding Kum Ba Yah moment did not rally the Bears as we thought it would).
· 2 ½ Minutes is a whole lot of time to score. (This after the Bears got the ball back in the 4th).
· Everybody touch themselves. (This said by a member of the group when someone reiterated the “no touching” rule).
· Snuff makes my mucous brown. (Sang to the tune of Camptown Races and once again a credit to Ms. Nat. Of course, those privy to the last night’s revelation regarding Red Bull will be thrilled to know that that statement can also be sung to this tune.)
· He was in the hole. (Sometimes, we are a bit juvenile =0)
Side Note - Wikipedia called the Superbowl Shuffle a rap song. Does anyone else think that is hillarious?
There is an entire generation of kids who don’t remember getting their plastic Chicago Bears NFC Champs Mug from the local gas station; watching the game in their living room, wearing head-to-toe Bears gear; excitedly dragging their parents to Carson Pirie Scott to get the new Superbowl Champions shirts; playing the Superbowl Shuffle over and over and over again on our portable Fisher Price brown / white record player. Of course, it is the Superbowl Shuffle that we got from McDonald’s and it is the on our [now] infamous floppy 45. (Let’s be honest, there is an entire generation of kids who think 45 is a speed limit and not the number of revolutions per minute.
And yet they are now one game from Miami and 2 games from seeing Chicago like they have never seen it before. And if yesterday is any indication of the chaos to come…I might advise protective gear.
Sunday Fun Day – Recap and Review
· May have set the record for the fastest shower / getting ready in the history of man. May be an exaggeration, but I know that I was in the shower at 10:15 and out the door at 10:20. And maybe I left with all my make up and my hairbrush in my purse. And maybe my hair was dripping wet and knotted, because I hadn’t even combed it out yet. And maybe I was completely disheveled, but I was true to my word and I was at the coffee shop when I was supposed to be.
· Natalie in her great wisdom made us all get out of our nice comfy beds early, to go to a bar that was not open yet and get a spot of line. I say this right now—she is a genius. At 10:30 AM, we were the 3rd group in line. By 10:45, there were about 30 people in line. When the bar opened, it was a mad dash to the tables. Teiber grabbed 2. I grabbed 2 more and when I looked up, game over. There were no more tables. The 6 of us that ventured out to eke out seats accomplished our mission and settled ourselves in for the long haul.
· We got off to a rocky start with the waitress – it took 45 minutes to bring us our first round and contrary to her belief, the Bloody Mary’s were not a good drink at all. (Picture tomato / pickle juice and you have an idea of what the Bloody Mary tastes like). But we soon got into a good rhythm – we just accepted the fact that we would order every time we saw her.
· We had brought games (well, the girls did) to keep us entertained during the time before the game. We created a “fun pile,” which included LCR, cards, dice (actually Dave brought those), snuff (such a bad idea), Tums (so very necessary) and lotion.
· Right before the game started, we sang the Superbowl Shuffle. I know most of the words, but Nat is amazing – she knows them all and can sing them / and reenact the video. It is a sight to see.
· Game on as the Bears battled the Seahawks. Taking us all on the biggest up and down ride of our lives. We watched with a crazy intensity that required more than a roll of Tums. I have never cheered harder or louder. (I have the bruised hand and the laryngitis to prove it).
· When it was all said and done, the man who would be a carpenter kicked a 49-yard Field Goal and propelled the Chicago Bears to the NFC Championship game! All hell broke loose! We jumped, chest bumped, hugged, screamed, spilled beer, laughed, cried, and all around went crazy for the fun of it. I broke my shoe in the fray and could’ve cared less. (Thankfully, duct tape fixes just about everything).
· Never have I had more fun watching a game. Never have I been more tired at the end of it.
So, to all my game-watching-partners-in-crime, can’t wait until next week. (And wisely, I took next Monday off).
Best Quotes of the Day:
· Beer is coming out all my holes (This said after I made Natalie laugh while taking a sip of beer).
· Nobody touch anyone anymore! (This said after a handholding Kum Ba Yah moment did not rally the Bears as we thought it would).
· 2 ½ Minutes is a whole lot of time to score. (This after the Bears got the ball back in the 4th).
· Everybody touch themselves. (This said by a member of the group when someone reiterated the “no touching” rule).
· Snuff makes my mucous brown. (Sang to the tune of Camptown Races and once again a credit to Ms. Nat. Of course, those privy to the last night’s revelation regarding Red Bull will be thrilled to know that that statement can also be sung to this tune.)
· He was in the hole. (Sometimes, we are a bit juvenile =0)
Side Note - Wikipedia called the Superbowl Shuffle a rap song. Does anyone else think that is hillarious?
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Somebody's Getting Married
I just spent twenty minutes finishing the entries I started weeks ago - sorry about that. It has been crazy.
In a nutshell, since Christmas, my good friend had a baby (he is beautiful and perfect and I got to hold him when he was 18 hours old, which is terrifying), I got new glasses (seriously, my eyes were crap - this explains a million headaches and why I was terrible at nighttime driving), my sister got engaged (prepare yourselves for a million blogs on that subject, because I am bursting at the seams with excitement), I met someone who I am really interested in (which is all I will say, because it is so new...well that and the fact that I am a bit giddy - so nerdy, but true - ok, giddy, nervous, totally freaked-out and a million other adjectives), I worked New Year's Eve (again), my football team got their asses kicked in the Sugar Bowl (again), I ran into someone that I hadn't seen for a decade in a bar I hadn't been to in years, I went back to work after a nice vacation and I went to a friend's wedding. It has been a busy few weeks.
So, congratulations Mike and Tif. Welcome to the world, Owen! I can't wait to spoil you! Congratulations Deb and Jason. Welcome to our family, Jason! I couldn't ask for a better match for my sister or a better person to call my brother than you. Happy New Year to everyone!! (Natalie, thanks for being my partner-in-crime and hugging me on New Year's! I am grateful to have you as a friend). Congratulations to Deb and Sean (friend, not sister)! Thanks for letting me celebrate your wedding! To Notre Dame, better luck next year! To Brady Quinn, good luck in the draft! To Charlie, maybe a few sit ups!
Every year, Natalie and I try to come up with a mantra. It is hard to rhyme something with seven - unless you use heaven (cliche), unleavened (little too holy and in the past tense) or Devin (which completely works if your mantra is "I heart Devin in 2007," but only works if you are a Chicago Bears fan). Out of nowhere, on New Year's Day, I said, "Go Bold or Go Cold in '07."
Those of you that know me, know that I am not so good on that one. I tend to go a bit timid in the risking area. However, 2007 is a turning point, I can feel it. Given the events of the last week, I think it is the perfect rallying cry.
So, to all my friends out there (and the three people that read this blog), Go Bold or Go Cold. Make this year one of seeking what you want, seeing it when it is in front of you and celebrating every moment and opportunity. Challenge yourself to do the things you thought you never could / would. That is my New Year's Resolution! And, you know what, so far...so good!
In a nutshell, since Christmas, my good friend had a baby (he is beautiful and perfect and I got to hold him when he was 18 hours old, which is terrifying), I got new glasses (seriously, my eyes were crap - this explains a million headaches and why I was terrible at nighttime driving), my sister got engaged (prepare yourselves for a million blogs on that subject, because I am bursting at the seams with excitement), I met someone who I am really interested in (which is all I will say, because it is so new...well that and the fact that I am a bit giddy - so nerdy, but true - ok, giddy, nervous, totally freaked-out and a million other adjectives), I worked New Year's Eve (again), my football team got their asses kicked in the Sugar Bowl (again), I ran into someone that I hadn't seen for a decade in a bar I hadn't been to in years, I went back to work after a nice vacation and I went to a friend's wedding. It has been a busy few weeks.
So, congratulations Mike and Tif. Welcome to the world, Owen! I can't wait to spoil you! Congratulations Deb and Jason. Welcome to our family, Jason! I couldn't ask for a better match for my sister or a better person to call my brother than you. Happy New Year to everyone!! (Natalie, thanks for being my partner-in-crime and hugging me on New Year's! I am grateful to have you as a friend). Congratulations to Deb and Sean (friend, not sister)! Thanks for letting me celebrate your wedding! To Notre Dame, better luck next year! To Brady Quinn, good luck in the draft! To Charlie, maybe a few sit ups!
Every year, Natalie and I try to come up with a mantra. It is hard to rhyme something with seven - unless you use heaven (cliche), unleavened (little too holy and in the past tense) or Devin (which completely works if your mantra is "I heart Devin in 2007," but only works if you are a Chicago Bears fan). Out of nowhere, on New Year's Day, I said, "Go Bold or Go Cold in '07."
Those of you that know me, know that I am not so good on that one. I tend to go a bit timid in the risking area. However, 2007 is a turning point, I can feel it. Given the events of the last week, I think it is the perfect rallying cry.
So, to all my friends out there (and the three people that read this blog), Go Bold or Go Cold. Make this year one of seeking what you want, seeing it when it is in front of you and celebrating every moment and opportunity. Challenge yourself to do the things you thought you never could / would. That is my New Year's Resolution! And, you know what, so far...so good!
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