10 things I HATE about Lincoln Park
I work in the Lincoln Park neighborhood several days a week, so I don’t choose to be there on purpose or anything.
10. SUV’S: big honkin’ Land Rovers and such, everywhere, I tell you, everywhere, wedging me into my parking spot, blocking my view. And they are ALWAYS on the their cell phone.
9. The 6-way intersection at Damen, Elston and Fullerton Avenues: blocking my way to Bucktown, adding an extra 15 minutes to my commute, making my blood boil
8. No place to get a quick, cheap lunch
7. Women with those WHINEY voices all dressed up, pushing babies named Zachary and Madison in $300 strollers
6. Seriously….those whiney voices, where do these women learn to talk like that?
5. Sai Cafe: don’t eat at this pretentious sushi place. They’ve jacked up their prices and the food is just not worth it.
4. North Avenue: construction on the bridge….another route to Bucktown foiled. Get used to it, ain’t no end it sight as to when it’ll be done
3. the bars…yawn
2. the National City Bank on Armitage that won’t sell you quarters if you don’t have an account there. We all gotta feed our meter on the street Loozzzah’s!
1. Lame people who rush through stop signs and don’t let you cross Armitage
**update on number 5: this place gave me the runs!
Closer I am in line
This weekend I will be participating in a mysterious yet seemingly honorable sport:
Indigo Girls Line Sitting.
I had my introduction to the sport last year in St. Louis, and while it was a very good and fun time, I never thought I’d have it in me to attempt it again. But never before have I witnessed such stamina, patience, loyalty and passion in a group of women. And it’s an inspiring event that’s hard to pass up.
What is this Indigo Girls Line Sitting you ask? Well, it’s just as easy (and as hard) as it sounds. IGLS is always in season and takes place outside of music venues and theatres where the Indigo Girls are playing. The earlier you begin your IGLS, the better. The most successful IGLS sessions seem to begin around 6 or 7 a.m., or at least a minimum of 12 hours before the actual Indigo Girls show. Contrary to what its name suggests, IGLS is not limited to sitting. Experienced sitters pepper their sitting with walks to the cafe for warm-up drinks, bathroom runs, games of catch, music, books, cards and good conversation as to beef up their tolerance levels and shave hours off their sitting time. Oddly, though IGLS is a competitive sport, sitters from different sitting teams tend to be incredibly respectful and generous to each other, often even guarding each other’s sitting spots. Sitting is ruled by an implied moral code and an unspoken line etiquette. I’ve been told the rewards of sitting are in the sitting itself, and in the unobstructed view of Amy Ray during the post-sitting ceremony. Plus, those who are first in the sitting line gain much street cred and a bad ass reputation amongst their peers.
Tomorrow I shall accompany one of the best IGLSitters known to a sitting spell, where we will face-off with the most menacing of IGLSitters… Spike and her faithful throng of diehard fans. I shall become one with the sitters. I may even become a sitter. Or I may die of hypothermia trying. It’s hard to say, hard to say.
Update: I had forgotten until last night’s show that IGLSitters are also highly skilled at determining which song is about to be played based on the guitar combination brought out to stage. It’s truly eerie and impressive.
Marathon post
First of all, I’d like to say congratulations to our Wordsmifs’ friend Courtney for not only rocking her fourth marathon yesterday, but finishing it in personal record time. Team Courtney caught up with her at three separate spots during the course, and she had a big smile for us at every one. So, congrats again, Court! And thanks to Miranda for being our fearless leader!
It’s been many years since I’ve gone out to root on a friend/runner (frunner? friendunner?), and in retrospect, I had pretty much been a fair weather friend/supporter (frupporter). Meaning we gave said friend an encouraging, energetic send off and returned to sing her praises at the finish line, only after we had enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and did a little window shopping downtown. For shame!
I guess my point being is, I don’t think the whole marathon concept ever really sunk in until yesterday. I mean, yes, I have always been thoroughly impressed and amazed by this accomplishment. Even if you are willing and able to run a 5K, you are a superstar in my non-runner book, so 26.2 miles pretty much elevates you to god(dess) status. But until yesterday, I fear 26.2 was just a number apparently beyond my true comprehension.
I say this because as Courtney took off into the horizon at the 6 mile mark, we had many incredibly time consuming activities to attend to, and all the while she was just running.
As we sat down to have a “quick” breakfast, which lasted at least an hour and wasn’t technically “breakfast” as we had to leave before the food arrived, she was still running. North Coast Diner, why you hate the Marathon?!
As we made the trek to Kate’s car and then cabbed it to Anne’s car, she was running.
And as we slugged our way down Ashland to the Southside checkpoint, forced to take countless marathon detours and roundabout paths, yep. She was running. Help me! My pea brain can’t compute!
So, with all of this running around my brain (pun intended), I headed through the pedway this morning to get a coffee. With my newfound higher consciousness in tow, I began to notice so many people walking with a slight limp and many business suits with comfortable, Friday casual shoes. I started playing the “I bet they ran the marathon” game and would eavesdrop on their conversation for a moment to see if I was right. Currently I am 3-0!
Well, now that I’ve proven my marathon writing tendencies, I shall sign off.
Hope you’re doing ok today, Court! We’re proud of you!
scallop poll
I’ve decided that sea scallops are far superior to bay scallops. There’s just no comparison. It’s like the difference between a good NY bagel and a Lender’s bagel.
Sea scallop over NY bagel equals bay scallop over Lender’s bagel.
Plump and juicy over crusty-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-indside equals tiny and flavorless over mediocre.
That is all.
How I feel about the Project Runway finale
